PDA for learning Nihongo

I've decided to buy a PDA instead of an electronic dictionary to help in studying Japanese. I was told it would be much more useful to use a PDA since I'm not a native Japanese speaker. Basically I just want something I can whip out really quick when I need to look up kanji from a street sign, store sign, menu, etc.

The problem is...I don't know where to start!

Which PDA would you recommend? Should I get a Palm or Windows Mobile based PDA?

Should I get a Japanese PDA or will a U.S. PDA be sufficient?

Where can I download Japanese dictionaries for PDAs, preferably ones with an extensive list of kanji with furigina/hiragana reading?

Thanks in advance!

*Furigana

1st time I went I took a Palm and thought I would buy a charger in Japan but no one had one. Everyone seems to use their phone instead of a pda. The best answer I have found is a Nintendo Ds and a copy of Kanji Sonomama Rakubiki Jiten. Once you have worked out how to use it its very handy. It manages with most of my mangled attempts to draw kanji. Its not expensive and I have heard its possible to play games on it too ^_^

if you get an american PDA make sure it can handle japanese characters, as most US pda's cannot.

check to see if the dell Axim pda's can handle japanese characters as if they can they are the ultimate powerhouse pda, and since dell recently stopped producing them they've become dirt cheap.

I thought about just using a DS and cellphone instead, but I want something I can write on that has an extensive list of kanji. I heard the DS has only 3 dictionaries, and I don't know of any reasonably priced Japanese phones that you can install Japanese dictionaries in and write on to look up kanji. :/

if you get an american PDA make sure it can handle japanese characters, as most US pda's cannot.

check to see if the dell Axim pda's can handle japanese characters as if they can they are the ultimate powerhouse pda, and since dell recently stopped producing them they've become dirt cheap.

Its not the PDA but the software that runs the PDA. Axims run on Windows Mobile, and yes Windows mobile supports Japanese characters with correct fonts installed just like any OS.

----------
To answer the OP, sounds like you don't really need a PDA, but rather a bilingual electronic dictionary, that that allows you to write in Kanji and pulls up translations whenever possible. These are alot cheaper then full blown PDAs.

I was told it would be much more useful to use a PDA since I'm not a native Japanese speaker.

Whats the reasoning for this? How is this so?

Basically I just want something I can whip out really quick when I need to look up kanji from a street sign, store sign, menu, etc.

Basically you need an electronic bilingual dictionary not a PDA.

I was told that since electronic dictionaries are designed for native Japanese speakers, the kanji you look up will only provide the translation and rarely how it's read--as in the hiragana/katakana reading--and how it's used.

Do you have a recommendation of a bilingual electronic dictionary with an extensive list of kanji that can also be used for names of people and places?

Canon wordtank G series of electronic dictionaries.

I tried using my Axim with a couple different versions of Kanji searching software. The problem is, they all required that the kanji be inputted with the correct strokes. Its hard to guess the correct strokes for kanji.

The second time I went, I used a Nintendo DS and the kanji dictionary - it works so well. You can draw it in, even messily, and it will almost always guess it right. Well worth the money.

You can find DS' in ebay for cheaper than you'll find a pocket pc.

For anyone reading this and wondering the best solution for the OP, I recommend checking out this page:
http://www.japaneselanguagetools.com/index.html
It is VERY thorough on the subject. I just bought my Dell Axim x50v used but in great shape in Akihabara yesterday for 20,000. About what you would pay for a decent Electronic translator/ dictionary.
But, this is sooooooooo much better!! Check it out!

You can use your Iphone for an electronic kanji dictionary. Check denshi jisho. Or, you can wait till we introduce the Macbook touch tablet.

Lily,
I agree with last post. I just purchased the new Apple 3g iPhone a couple of weeks ago. It is fantastic in many ways, but the best use I have found is downloading some of the Japanese related applications. There is a button on the phone that takes you to "apps." I put "Japanese" in the search area and came up with quite a few Nihongo study tools. They have a few dictionaries, and various levels of learning the language (including Kanji). Depending upon your current level of learning the language, some of it may be elementary. Most of the applications are very reasonably priced.

good luck!