I want to write

wigglebeena

Especially when I'm out and about. Can't afford a laptop, tablet, smartphone - skinted. Can't find any old basic PDA or suchlike on Ebay etc. My employment is insufficiently reliable for me to want to take on a smartphone contract. Any suggestions? I have no objections regarding the type of gadget as long as I can type on it and it's reasonably portable, it's the functionality I'm after.

(And I want it precisely because my handwriting is rubbish and very slow, so all comments about notepad - AND PEN! - will be hilarious. But not useful. Thanks in advance!)

Itismehonest

I think you've pretty much counted out most of the things to type on but how about a good old-fashioned dictaphone & then transcribe to PC when you are home?

wigglebeena

Itismehonest wrote: »

I think you've pretty much counted out most of the things to type on but how about a good old-fashioned dictaphone & then transcribe to PC when you are home?

I have thought about it, my existing mp3 player has that function, but a bit embarrassing in the library or office or cafe! (Specially considering my romantic novel-to-be is a bit racy.) Thanks though!

m5rcc

What about an old unlocked BlackBerry and use PAYG? QWERTY keyboard and one can type pretty fast.

McKneff

What about a traditional shorthand note book and a pencil how we used to do it in the olden days.:D

wigglebeena

McKneff wrote: »

What about a traditional shorthand note book and a pencil how we used to do it in the olden days.:D

If you could check out my handwriting you'd know I should've been a doctor, though!

-TangleFoot-

Kindle Keyboard 3G?

neilwoods

What is your budget?.

Dexters_Indignation

I have found that if you look about the place you can pick up older laptops for £50.

Failing that a basic tablet is less than £80.

Though any phone you have should be able to take dictation

Lifeforms

Now, okay they're old, OLD. I used one in college, so we're going back 15 years now. But look up Psion on ebay. The last one I used was the Psion revo.
We're talking the equivalent of 8mb space for example, but that used to be more than enough for me to write on, college assignments etc. Then I used to transfer over. But for the love of me, I can't remember into what. (it was acceptable though for college)
However if you can stand to do corrections on word, for the proper formatting, you can live with a psion.
BUT if I remember rightly, it was a serial connection, and idk if you can do usb with it. HOWEVER there are serial to USB connectors available, also on ebay. That'd be my only worry about if it worked.
You wont get new, but there are a few auctions on ebay for the revo (which was the newer model, over the normal psion) IIRC.

The older psions, series 3+ had a different screen etc, older than revo, but my dad basically took it on a UK wide walk, would use the modem on his phone (mobile dial up, how quaint!) and email the text back (needed leads etc, no wifi or any of those fancy modern things now!) but he would use AA batteries in it. and they'd last a reasonably long time.

Don't expect the feel/look of a pda now, but back then, they were good things!

Dexters_Indignation

Car boot sales often sell gizmos like that.
Maybe even older p900's too