Socket SoMo 650-M: PDAs aren't dead

No, you haven't travelled back in time: this is a PDA. It might not do futuristic things like make phone calls, send text messages or take pictures, but if you're not bothered by those fancy features then this might be right up your street. It's called the Socket SoMo 650-M and costs around £450 -- which we think is ridiculous.

Aimed at the service industry, this rugged PDA looks retro, but it's extremely sturdy and boasts a large touchscreen, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, an Intel processor running at 624MHz, an SD and CF slot with the option to add barcode scanners for when you fancy scanning all the tins in your cupboard.

Okay, it's not exactly designed for the average consumer, but don't let that fool you. PDAs like the Dell Axim, for example, aren't being made and it's increasingly difficult to get your hands on a non-phone PDA, which is why the Somo 650 is a good choice if you're looking for a simple digital organiser.

Because it runs on Windows Mobile (5 and 6), you can sync all your emails and calendar notes from Outlook and install various third party apps, including VoIP apps that will let you make calls over Wi-Fi, if you're feeling modern. If you're up for some old-school action and have lots of cash to burn, you might want to give it a go. -Andrew Lim

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• Tags:
• Dell,
• Intel,
• Windows Mobile,
• emails,
• text messages