To Buy or Not to Buy?

I've got my eMate 300 (of which a review is coming over the weekend) and ever since I purchased it, I've been debating on whether I should purchase a MessagePad 2000/2100. The eMate is a good brilliant machine but it has a few small issues. The lack of memory is the biggest I can think of because there is little room for internet applications. I've got the Newton Internet Enabler installed (adds support for connecting to the internet) but installing any sort of email application takes my memory right down to 300kb (from ~700kb before - the astounding amounts of memory!) and having space for documents is top priority. To keep costs down, there is only one PCMCIA slot which means a memory card or ethernet adaptor, not both. This means any connectivity applications have to be installed internally.

Maybe you can see why I've been debating on whether to get a MessagePad. All of the faults of the eMate are solved in the MessagePad, but do I really need/want it? For curiosity about Newton, the eMate has fulfilled this and provided me with a useful machine (something I did not expect when buying it) so getting a MessagePad isn't going to help me learn more about Newton technology. I have a Treo 680 which I use for organising myself, email on the move and games of Bejewled. The major issue with the Treo is the lack of WiFi. There is no WiFi built in and Palm have not written any drivers for a SDIO card. There were hacks for the Treo 650 but Palm kindly disabled them. One can only hope they will see sense and write drivers for the 680. This means there is one only possible use in my life for the tablet (or brick depending on your outlook) sized computer - a device to keep in touch with.

Of course, there is the iPhone when it eventually comes to the UK but I'm not sure about the input methods. The BlackBerry Curve looks a very nice device and O2 have a deal for £10 for the BlackBerry service charge for unlimited (with the usual fair usage policy) data usage.

I don't want to carry a huge big device around with me. The Treo fits (just!) into my pockets and I carry the eMate by its handle when I need it. Adding another device seems unnecessary. If I was starting from scratch to buy a Newton, I would still have bought an eMate. Yes it has disadvantages but it's useful, compact, can still be connective and is very durable. More to come on this topic in the future.