Trading on a PDA?

[jls483]

I'm one of the "mugs" who earns a living from spreadbetting with deal4free. For the purpose of this post could we just assume that I am happy doing this and want to continue doing it and not digress into how only mugs use spreadbets.

My question is has anybody tried accessing deal4free from a PDA? I've seen that there are a number of PDA's on the market now with a built in phone and if I popped out for the afternoon it would be so much easier to take a PDA with me rather than a laptop and a mobile (I know I could just phone up - I'd rather not).

I know the screen size of a PDA is pretty small, but all I would need to do is check my executed trades and set some new limits - it shouldn't require too much screen space.

I know that all PDA's include a browser, but will it support the java applet needed to use deal4free? Should I be looking for a PocketPC or something running "symbian". If I want to go the next step up, is it a "palmtop" or basically the smallest, lightest laptop available?

So does anybody have any experience of this? Do you think it will be possible? Any idea how many Mb of data would be used up in a five minute session on deal4free? If I wait a few more months is there something even better just about to appear.

Thanks,

John.

 

[nautical]

jls,

Call into an O2 store and ask for a demo of their XDA device (uses Microsoft's PocketPC operating system which is easy for Windows users).

It has built in mobile capability so maybe you can make the demo a "condition of sale" then try browing D4F's site from there. Of course on the bandwidth side you're only going to get GPRS rates (max 45kb/sec...ish) and signal quality will be an issue if you're out and about.

In time I'm sure this kind of thing will be a piece of cake but at the mo....

Chris

 

[awllee]

Hi Guys,
Man Group have a trading platform called HT Trader which operates on a PDA. I don't have much info but I've asked them to send me some information

 

[Newtron Bomb]

I looked into this last summer and it is a very viable option to trade via a pda depending on your strat.

The cost effectiveness of this was not worth it as far as i was concerned because you do not pay for the length of a telephone call you pay for the amount of data transfered during that call. So this is where the problem lays (IMOH) and not with the technology available because it can be done.

Just something to think about

 

[zambuck]

....trading or accessing web etc from PDA sounds very good but in real life is too fiddly but it does work...

I have ipaq and bluetooth mobile which is working fine but screen size is too small and fiddly to run any package...you can get e mails..alerts etc etc..

I am waiting for next generation of landhelds - A5 size with detatchable screen and handwriting recognition. detatchable screen works with base station by bluetooth....When you physically link the screen to base station then it becomes a small laptop....

If you are not desperate then I suggest you wait for these to come out....

 

[gsethi]

I have an XDA and only use it to check prices on a wap site called http://wireless.stockpoint.com. I have tried looking up futures prices on Ig or Finspreads and it is hopelessly slow but could be better using GPRS (if your network provider a)offers it b)you don't have to mortgage your house to subscribe to it.
I still check prices by the XDA and just phone the trade through, to me this is the quickest/safest method.