Seriously, these aren''t the same thing... it''s really apples and oranges.

What are you going to do with it? Are you more intent on gaming? Do you want it for personal information managing, like a calendar, contacts, etc? Those are the kinds of questions you need to ask yourself.

I currently own a PSP, and my PDA is an ipaq rx3715 pocketpc which runs for about $449 (i got it used for $150! woo hoo)...I''ve also owned a handspring visor and a dell axim x5 in the past.

Personally, I LOVE my pocketpc more than just about anything. It''s wifi/bluetooth enabled so I can browse the web (PSP has wifi, but no good web browser ap yet... maybe someday), I can play MP3s, WMAs, and several other formats of media as well as stream SHOUTCAST (PSP can play MP3 and ATRAC)... I can also play DIVX files on my pocketpc with free viewer and converter software (PSP plays MP4 files, and also comes with free video conversion software). My #1 use for my pocketpc is EBOOKS though... I can use some great freeware apps to read html/lit/palm doc/txt/rtf/etc. books that I either get for free on a website like project gutenberg or, ehem, other sources (the only way to read TXT on a PSP right now is to run a program that converts txt into a series of jpg files... i read a lot of scanlated manga, but have problems viewing pics on my PPC... apparently the PSP has the PPC beat in that area with a software program to convert pic files).

As for games... well, of course the PSP kicks ass. It''s built for gaming, and built for 3D, has much much better gaming controls. It''s really no contest in some aspetcs. BUT. The PPC excels in other game areas... like, i have simcity2000 running... and age of empires... snails... nethack... i run an NES emulator called ""pocket nestor,"" and use morphgear to emulate the GB/GBA/Genesis/SNES. There are a ton of freeware apps out there, as well as a ton of commercial apps that will do just about anything you need. Oh, and my PPC also has a built in 1.2 MP camera.

Until SONY makes that firmware update a reality (you know, that rumored one that had a browser, email, etc.) it''s really no contest for me. Even if you DID want to use the PSP for those tasks, think of the headache of inputting data. Just typing in my WEP key took about 5 minutes When it comes to the home console gaming on the road experience, however, the PSP cannot be beat.

So advice? Buy both Palm has some ZIREs out for around $100-150 on the lower end. If you can''t afford both, go with the one you feel you will use the most.

btw, here''s a link to everything AMAZON has PPC-wise:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index%3Delectronics%...

no one else have any PDA love to share?

I have a PalmOne Treo, but I don''t have any games or anything for it. Just for database, note-taking, and call receiving purposes. At some point I probably should sit down and install a game on it, though. Even Poker or something could be nice. Your iPaq sounds amazing for a game machine/PDA, though. I honestly don''t even know what my PDA is capable of, from a games perspective.

I''d suggest that you get a cell PDA combo if you want to go the PDA route. I''ve had numerous PDAs in the past and they are all fun and good but lose a lot of functionality when you roam beyond a wi-fi hot spot.

I''m currently using a Treo 600 (will upgrade to 650 as soon as Verizon carries it in about a month) and will never go back to a standard PDA. Having a full keyboard integrated into the device is a major timesaver when it comes to web browsing and since it also operates on the cell network you can hit the web from anywhere.

This also opens up opportunities for applications that frequently use the web. For example I have an alarm program that goes out to the web a minute before it wakes me up and downloads the local weather forecast. I also have several mail programs that periodically check my gmail and work mail accounts and download the mail to the phone. There are also IM clients you can use that will allow you to connect to ICQ, AOL, MSN, and Yahoo anywhere you get a cell signal. Replying with the full keyboard makes these programs actually usable.

Also with the correct cable or through bluetooth you can use your phone/pda as a cellular modem for your laptop when you travel. I think the time of the PDA only devices is waning. They seem too retrictive once you''ve tasted the freedom of intergrated cell functions.

I have a PSP too. Its neat.

I was VERY close to buying one of these but the only reason I did not was the fact that I hate carrying multiple devices. Having the PDA and the phone together is INVALUABLE... plus going with Cingular, I was able to get a free phone that has a SIM card in it so when I go places where the PDA is not needed (Mountain Biking for example ) I just switch the SIM cards...

I did very much like the Dell though. If it wasnt for the self-imposed requirement of having the integrated phone, I would have bought it instead.

PAR

I would also suggest the PDA - I have a HP Ipaq 4700 series which is the best thing since sliced bread and I use it for just about everything. Personal Organizer, MP3 player, ebook reader (ereader.com is awesome), I also use it for some gaming - Bejeweled, Solitaire, and a few others. You can find a scaled down version of the latest PPC''s either through Asus or Dell and wont give up too much. I own a PSP and it has taken over my mobile video duties and of course gaming, but I would dfinitely go PDA initially since it is by far more versatile at the moment and since the PSP screen is not tactile for data input - it would be nightmarish for any sort of data entry. Grab yourself a good Pocket PC - and then get Pocket Informant Data manager, Peanut Reader (free), eWallet, List Pro, and Quicken for the PPC and you are set... Toss in Bejeweled 2 and Bookworm and you are cooking with fire.

I completely agree. Would much rather have Windows Mobile, but the Treo does work really well once you become reaccustomed to the Palm OS. Might want to wait for the rumored Windows Mobile version of the Treo. That would be a must have phone.

http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/smartphones/treo/rumor-uk-orange-exec-unt...

For both of you guys... I cannot state how nice it is to have everything integrated into one machine. And the size, its the same size as my wallet yet it has the extended, slide-out keyboard. Bluetooth, wifi, you name it and its all integrated. The slot is even open for me to add whatever I want (like the 1Gb card I have on order).

For SommerMatt, it was the online version of EQ. He even had pictures of it while he was playing but his site has mysteriously disappeared.

PAR

Thanks everyone for the great information!! PDA it is

I''ve heard a lot of good stuff about iPaq models although the Dell''s look nice also.... research incoming

I may be a bit too late here but here is my opinion anyway. I had a PDA for a while and I tried to use it but I think it''s one of those things where if your not already and organized person who uses a paper organizer as it is a PDA will probably do you no good. I tried to get into using mine but after about two months I stopped using it and now I don''t even know where it is. One of my biggest problems was the fact that I couldn''t synchronize my contact list with my cell phone which is the only place it is actually up to date. Further I downloaded a couple of apps that were pretty neat like the one that allowed you to enter dinner bills and then would give you the split for each person eating, but data entry was a pain so it was usually easier to just estimate how much you owed.

Oh and the games were pretty much crap, maybe they are better now but if they are anywhere close to what they were on my Clie PEGN760C and your main purpose is playing games I would go with a PSP. Also if your main purpose is watching video I would definately go with a PSP. The video quality on the thing is amazing and there is tons of content you can download pre-formated or easily format yourself using freeware apps. Lately i''ve been messing with PSPVideo9 + Videora and it pretty much acts just like a tivo for my PSP.

Yeah stric, elaborate.

I''m using my PSP to watch videos almost every day. Where do you find them already preformatted for the PSP? I''ve been using pspvideo9, which isn''t too bad, but it would be nice to skip a step.

I have videora, but never got it to work. I figured you had to poney up for the registered version, or something. Is it worth unlocking all the features?

Thanks for the info Stric.

Where does Videora get the RSS feeds from? You have know some good tracker sites with RSS feeds and feed them to it?

Nevermind the lag, how do you play WoW when PSPvideo9 is encoding? It bogs my system down.

Thanks again stric.