Gadgeteers help, please! Government won't let me use my PDA

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Okay, I'm exaggerating a little. But here's the thing: I loooove my PDA; I've been using one since before Palm made their big push with the Palm III (1997? 98?), and it's the only thing that's ever kept me organized, ever. But now I work for the State Department, which has a strict prohibition against attaching outside devices to their computers. Worse, in a few months I'll be working in a secure area into which I will not even be allowed to take my pda (or cellphone), let alone sync it. I've ended up giving my year-old Tungsten E to my wife, who's getting more use out of it than I was -- even though she doesn't have a job! Meanwhile, I've gone back to pen-and-datebook, just like the bad old days before 1997-98, and it's working just as poorly as it did then. I can feel the slow slide into chaos, and it must be stopped.

Stupid, stupid national security.

So, a two part question: if you couldn't sync your PDA, how would you use it to stay organized? Or what would you use instead? TIA

[Starchild]

While I realise the incredible organisation I could get from a PDA, I can't help but feel I might as well opt for a smartphone. I mostly want a PDA so I can download blogs and news in the morning and read them on throughout the day.

[The Mad Monk]

You can still link your PDA at home, right?

Copy the pertinent info from your datebook to your home computer as the need arises, and sync away!

[pchang]

If you need your PDA for work, then get the State Dept. to buy you one just for work. You can attach it and sync it at work, but cannot take it out of the office (or SCIF). If the PDA is for home use, then sync it and keep it home. You will just have to leave it outside the SCIF.

[Q Classic]

You work for the government, right? Have them obtain some black-suited black-sunglassed mook to follow you around, and just staple things to his clothes and forehead to keep you organized.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

While I realise the incredible organisation I could get from a PDA, I can't help but feel I might as well opt for a smartphone. I mostly want a PDA so I can download blogs and news in the morning and read them on throughout the day.

I've had this thought, too, and I really like the Sony Ericsson P910a in particular, but I can't see spending the extra $300-500 for one right now.

If you need your PDA for work, then get the State Dept. to buy you one just for work. You can attach it and sync it at work, but cannot take it out of the office (or SCIF). If the PDA is for home use, then sync it and keep it home. You will just have to leave it outside the SCIF.

The problem is that much of my work for State takes place out of the office -- at meetings with local governemnt officials, for example -- so that a PDA that can't leave the SCIF is pretty much useless. Besides, what would be the point of a PDA that can't leave the office? I have one of those already; it's called a desktop computer...

You work for the government, right? Have them obtain some black-suited black-sunglassed mook to follow you around, and just staple things to his clothes and forehead to keep you organized.

I think I need to advance a pay-grade or two before I merit mooks. Alas.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I'm gonna bump this on the off chance that awakening Americans might have an idea or two to share. TIA.

[The Mad Monk]

What? Am I invisible here?

[chequita guevara]

I'm not organized enough to use an organizer.

[Dinner]

There are a lot of organizing utilities. Some even allow you to update your schedule over the internet.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by The Mad Monk
What? Am I invisible here?

Oy! No, you actually had a good idea, one that I want to see if I can improve on. Sorry for not giving you props. The idea of syncing it at home is good, but I still need a way to sync at work, particularly since I can't have the pda with me at my desk. I'm thinking about syncing it at home, then exporting the sync to work every morning via an e-mailed pst file; it's a little cumbersome, but workable. I just need to find out whether I'll be able to import the pst file at work; I may have to save it to a drive I don't have permission to access.

But thanks!