Handheld Reviews

Ive been comparing Pocket PC's for the last 3 months and decided to buy the casio E-125. It has everything I need in a Pocket PC and more. The 150 mhz. processor gives me fast access to all the avalible programs and web pages. Along with that, the casio offers 32mb which is perfect for storing lots of information without buying an expensive compact flash memory card.

The Active Sync 3.1 is also quick to transfer information and comes with a backup program so save all my valuable information after recording it in the E-125. The TFT liquid display cant be beat and produces vibrant colors and pictures for easy viewing in any environment. The only hang up I can say about this product is that its software is a bit difficult for this first time Pocket PC user. Over all this product is four stars because even though the Pocket PC has come a long way, the Pocket Pc indrustry still has a ways to go before it produces a perfect product.

As soon I first saw a pocket PC, I wanted one. While I saved up for it, I made sure I did my research to make sure I bought the right product. Being in Canada, I had access to the IPAQ, the HP, and the CASIO models. The Casio E-125 has been a blessing. Here's Why:

1) SCREEN: It's screen is rich and crisp. The screen is visible in sunlight. While the IPAQ may be slightly better outdoors, it is not worth how much better Casio's screen is indoors. Casio has 65,000 colours, the IPAQ a mere 4,000, and it shows! The HP screen is horrible!!!! Don't touch HP Pocket PC's (I say this only about their Pocket PC's, I have an HP Pavillion Desktop Computer and it is marvellous)

2) PROCESSOR: OK, I'll give this one to IPAQ, but you can't compare their processors simply by the numbers. Each processor works differently, and the IPAQ's 206Mhz processor ends up being only slightly better that the Casio's 150Mhz. I would tell you about HP's benchmarks, but they are really bad. Again, stay away from HP.

3) SIZE: The IPAQ is definetely smaller than the Casio, but once you start adding expansion packs to the IPAQ, it is just as bulky, so no real difference here.

4) GAMING CAPABILITY: Problem with the IPAQ here. While it is faster, the IPAQ does not support pressing two buttons at once, which is bad if you want to play a game where you have to jump and shoot (or any two actions) at the same time. So if you want to play a lot of games, go with the Casio. The HP supports multi-button, but because its processor and and screen are so bad, stay away!

5) EXPANDABILITY: The Casio E-125 accepts MMC and CF type 1 and 2 cards. So does the IPAQ, but you must buy separate expansion packs to do so. The HP is similar to the Casio in this regard. As well, you can plug in a digital camera (sold separately) to the Casio E-125, something to think about if you want to get a digital camera in the future.

So that's why I told my friend who workd at a computer store to give me the CASIO E-125, even though he just got in a shipment of IPAQs. The Casio is not only better, but it has much less bugs than the IPAQ. As well, the IPAQ's battery CANNOT be replaced by the user, it must be returned to the factory. So for those reasons, go for the Casio!

This is actually very good handheld here, i recommend you to buy it because it has a very bright screen when i sychronise it doesn't crash like other TOO complicated machines. I added compact flash and had some of my movies in my computer transformed into window CE 3.0 usable movie item in windows media 7.1. REAL‚‡‚‚‚„II

For a starter, like I was, this PDA was great. You may even love it if you're a professional and looking for a cheap PDA that will do what you want. This PDA was excellent to me until after about a year of drops, tears, breaks, crashes, and so on, the battery finally gave out and won't hold a charge very long at all.

My PDA overwent so much wear and tear since I took it to my school and my peers wanted to touch it and would drop it. Supprisingly, it held up to all of it very well.

The only problems I have with it are that the screen collects dust and fingerprints rather easily. I never bothered wasting money on screen protectors though. It also has a small crack on it, but it was probably from someone getting mad at it and slamming the stylus into it's screen.

The casing held up very well for me. Infact, it's still holding what it should. It's 16MB memory is good enough for anyone wanting just games and scheduling apps. It's screen is crystal clear and is actually extremely good for it's price.

In conclusion, if you're a student starting out wanting a PDA, or just a small business guy needing something to schedule, or maybe a gamer that doesn't care much about color display, then this PDA is for you. It's 16MB is good enough. Those other reviewers who talk about the screen giving in and stuff, they are mistaken. My PDA has probably undergone the most stressful year and it's still working perfect except the fact that's it's battery won't hold a charge very long, which I'm sure can be replaced...

The major pro's are,
1. Low under hundred price (after rebate) and still good build quality.
2. Looks good, small size, light weight and a very nice flip cover included.
3. Jog dial, 15MB RAM and memory stick expansion slot.
4. HiRes display and very good white backlight.
5. 8 hrs of battery life on a single charge with backlight on all the time.
6. Runs Palm OS 4 which has zillion free apps available and is very easy to use unlike Windows based PDA's.
7. Good set of bundled applications.

Con's,
1. The LCD brightness can't be adjusted, its too bright to use in dark conditions or in bed.
2. No other fun stuff like mp3 or color screen, but then look at its price!
3. Uses a Lithium Ion battery and Sony sells no replacements for it. Might be an issue in 18 months time.

In short if you want to get a PDA which will do basic stuff and keep running for about 1.5 yrs get a SJ20. By then Palm OS 6 would be well debugged and color devices would be reasonably priced with improved WiFi, battery life, mp3 quality etc. None of the current Palm's or Clie's (SJ22/SJ33) compare to this Clie in value for money right now, although a many new PDA's should come out in fall.

I finally decided to replace my beat-up Daytimer with a PDA. I'm very happy with the CLIE. The back-lit screen is easy to read, the battery life is excellent, and the PalmOS apps are easy to learn. I was relieved to see that the basic apps for calendar, address book, etc., are all PalmOS standard apps so my data will be portable to my next PDA, even if it's not a Sony. The SJ-20 doesn't have a headphone jack, vibrating alarm, or built-in camera, but for[$$$] (or less), it's a great little tool. Acrobat Reader for PalmOS v2.0 runs fine on the SJ-20, so I can review PDF documents on the road. Nice!

Complaints: nothing serious. The power button is a recessed a bit too far, and the Clie comes with some useless Sony software that seems to be un-removable (why would I want to play movies on a 360x360 monochrome screen?) But these are minor gripes.

Another reviewer mentioned the Clie documentation was poor. Actually, there is a decent user's manual in PDF format on the installation CD but you have to dig for it. Click the "Manuals" link on the installation screen and double-click a PDF file.

I had been a Palm user for 5+ years - when I joined my new company, I received my laptop and it had NO GRP serial port to connect my Palm synchronizer. So I thought "why should I get a USB sync adapter when I can get a brandy new Pocket PC?" PLUS, I had wanted an MS-based sync application to go with my MS Money. I like to enter my transactions (including cash purchases) immediately so I don't have to carry around receipts for the weekend until I enter it into MS Money. I had it on my Palm previously, but a while ago my battery had ran out, and when I tried to reinstall it, it crashed and burned everytime. So I checked out reviews on all of the available ones and liked what I read for the HP iPAQ 2215, including on this site.
So my thoughts????
WELL, I like the continuous sync...update on either the iPAQ or my laptop while connected and ZOOM - instantly updated on the other, nice feature.
I like the SD drive because I can copy my digital pictures from my camera to the IPAQ for better viewing when I'm with family and on the road.
I LOVE the fact that you can sync more than just the Outlook INBOX folder.
Sync of word, excel, and access files without requiring extra software... NICE
I was able to beam over my contacts from the iPAQ to my phone, using the IR port so I don't need a special cable to connect my cell to my PC (which doesn't have an IR Port) - BUT I couldn't beam over pictures (I have a Nokia 7210 that can accept pictures from other phones)

Bluetooth??? eh. My cell and laptop aren't bluetooth enabled so not much use there. I have a wireless connection available at work, which I use for my computer, but it's not bluetooth enabled. I was thinking about buying a wireless compactflash card for my iPAQ, but then I realized that i'm hardly away from my computer at work anyway so why get it? The only other place I could really use it is at trendy coffee shops and I don't need to connect there. If i REALLY need to be connected, I'll bring my laptop.
BEWARE that the OS is PPC 2003 and some applications will not work!
A lot of the freeware for PPC available is "poo poo" (There were a lot of great freeware apps for Palm that are only available for a price with PPC). For instance, I tried to use "Shopaholic", a PPC based shopping list (I had something similar on my Palm, which was great) and it doesn't work on the OS PPC 2003.
But the BIGGEST disappointment I have is that the MS Money for Pocket PC DOES NOT WORK FOR PPC 2003. MS only has versions for PPC 2002 and lower. So I had to make an excel file to capture that info, then type into MS Money 2003 later. It's not realy a critique of the iPAQ itself, but its OS. I'll just have to be patient (1 month, 6 months, 1 year???) until MS creates it.

So the verdict? Well, I really like the things that I CAN do, but am a bit frustrated with all of the features I don't really need, and VERY frustrated with the limited ability to use PPC 2003 with other apps.

As a Sophomore student in college i had my share of PDA's and after trouble times dealing with my Toshiba and way out-dated Palm Pilot, i finally made the upgrade to the Ipaq 2215. First of all, the rubber grips is a nice addition from the accident waiting to happen Ipaq 39**, it also gives a nice, classy look to the interface. Second, the size is a welcome since in the earlier models they were big & bulky without mentioning the additional CF sleeve added.The memory is nothing speculator (64MB Ram & 32MB ROM), so if you plan on adding 3rd party software, be prepared to cough up extra cash for a SD or CF card.The bluetooth is a nice welcome, but in a campus where wi-fi is connected all over, does little unless i have to use my friend Ecrisson cell phone to connect for web browsing.Ladies & Gentlemen, who doesn's love how Hp once again step over their competition with the SD & CF slot already designed into the 2215.This is nothing new, but the newer models coming out on the Toshiba e405 and other HP ipaqs doesn't include both slots, another reason to shell out the cash for it. The 2215 model is very sleek and rounded perfect for a nice look to those non-pda users who often peek to see what you are doing. I love the 3.5 screen, which project the clearest and brightest screen around in the market. This a very nice PDA except sometimes the screen will freeze and crash you can lose everything, unless you save your files on a SD or CF memory card. Besides that, this is the perfect PDA to buy, until a upgrade is put out in the market.
Oh yeah, do yourself a favor and spend the $70-75 dollars 2-3yr warrant, because believe you are going to need it, if you use your PDA for everyday use like i do.

I have had an iPAQ 2215 for just under a year. I did a lot of work, asked a lot of questions before buying. It was in my price range, plus I added a SD card because my camera also uses a SD card. The case the comes with it is nice but replace it with a sturdier one to protect screen and features that fit your lifestyle (mine is a clipon to belt or waist. The only thing that I am thinking of adding is a foldable/protable keyboard for long documents. It's great

I just got the case. It has a nice feel to it and is very well constructed. I'm happy with the purchase. This price is very good.

Pros

Heavy Duty Zipper.

Well made.

Great protection.

Stylish

Cons

No belt clip. I don't really miss it but it would be nice to free up my hands and stick it on my belt. (but then again, I will look less like a geek.)

Makes Palm III more bulky. Difficult to keep in pocket.

Not much room inside to store anything besides a business card and a couple of scraps of paper.

Velcor mount for Palm III not very secure.

This is the best accessory I have for my Palm III series. It protects the Palm from day to day knocks and dings admirably. The neoprene affords some shock protection and some minor splash protection.

It is not waterproof, though, nor is it crush proof. You can still expect damage if you drop your Palm from any good height or accidentally sit on it.

The quality of this product seems fairly high. The fit on Palm III series devices is excellent. The Palm attaches to the inside of the glove with a hook and loop fastener so it won't go flying when you open the case.

I have no complaints. This is a neat accessory that will protect your palm from minor shocks and splashes encountered in normal every day use.

I think it's a good product and a good value.

I dropped my first PDA (Palm III) and cracked the glass. Cost to fix: ($$$)Bought a PlamGlove the first time I saw one and have dropped my Visor PDA once onto a concrete floor w/no damage. Don't do that deliberately, but with a well-padded acse you can relax about tossing it into a briefcase and bouncing it around a bit. Cheap insurance; good design with an elasticized stylus holder and a place for business cards. Adds a bit of bulk but that's not a problem unless you insist on carrying your PDA in the hip pocket of your tight jeans.

I just got the case. It has a nice feel to it and is very well constructed. I'm happy with the purchase. This price is very good.

Pros

Heavy Duty Zipper.

Well made.

Great protection.

Stylish

Cons

No belt clip. I don't really miss it but it would be nice to free up my hands and stick it on my belt. (but then again, I will look less like a geek.)

Makes Palm III more bulky. Difficult to keep in pocket.

Not much room inside to store anything besides a business card and a couple of scraps of paper.

Velcor mount for Palm III not very secure.

This is the best accessory I have for my Palm III series. It protects the Palm from day to day knocks and dings admirably. The neoprene affords some shock protection and some minor splash protection.

It is not waterproof, though, nor is it crush proof. You can still expect damage if you drop your Palm from any good height or accidentally sit on it.

The quality of this product seems fairly high. The fit on Palm III series devices is excellent. The Palm attaches to the inside of the glove with a hook and loop fastener so it won't go flying when you open the case.

I have no complaints. This is a neat accessory that will protect your palm from minor shocks and splashes encountered in normal every day use.

I think it's a good product and a good value.

I dropped my first PDA (Palm III) and cracked the glass. Cost to fix: ($$$)Bought a PlamGlove the first time I saw one and have dropped my Visor PDA once onto a concrete floor w/no damage. Don't do that deliberately, but with a well-padded acse you can relax about tossing it into a briefcase and bouncing it around a bit. Cheap insurance; good design with an elasticized stylus holder and a place for business cards. Adds a bit of bulk but that's not a problem unless you insist on carrying your PDA in the hip pocket of your tight jeans.

I just got the case. It has a nice feel to it and is very well constructed. I'm happy with the purchase. This price is very good.

Pros

Heavy Duty Zipper.

Well made.

Great protection.

Stylish

Cons

No belt clip. I don't really miss it but it would be nice to free up my hands and stick it on my belt. (but then again, I will look less like a geek.)

Makes Palm III more bulky. Difficult to keep in pocket.

Not much room inside to store anything besides a business card and a couple of scraps of paper.

Velcor mount for Palm III not very secure.

This is the best accessory I have for my Palm III series. It protects the Palm from day to day knocks and dings admirably. The neoprene affords some shock protection and some minor splash protection.

It is not waterproof, though, nor is it crush proof. You can still expect damage if you drop your Palm from any good height or accidentally sit on it.

The quality of this product seems fairly high. The fit on Palm III series devices is excellent. The Palm attaches to the inside of the glove with a hook and loop fastener so it won't go flying when you open the case.

I have no complaints. This is a neat accessory that will protect your palm from minor shocks and splashes encountered in normal every day use.

I think it's a good product and a good value.

I dropped my first PDA (Palm III) and cracked the glass. Cost to fix: ($$$)Bought a PlamGlove the first time I saw one and have dropped my Visor PDA once onto a concrete floor w/no damage. Don't do that deliberately, but with a well-padded acse you can relax about tossing it into a briefcase and bouncing it around a bit. Cheap insurance; good design with an elasticized stylus holder and a place for business cards. Adds a bit of bulk but that's not a problem unless you insist on carrying your PDA in the hip pocket of your tight jeans.

I'm now on my second eyemodule2; I returned the first one a few months ago, exasperated.

The good part is that the eyemodule2 is a lot of fun. It's great to take candid shots of people who have no idea you're taking pictures, and they get a kick out of seeing themselves on your Visor's screen. It's also quite handy to carry around in a way that a regular camera wouldn't be.

But here are things to keep in mind. First, it uses the memory on your Visor, so if like me you have it stuffed with docs, AvantGo, maps, etc., you'll have to do some deleting or invest in a memory module. Second, keep in mind that this is a fun toy, but not a high-quality digital camera. It's easy to e-mail pictures to people, but if you're going on a memorable trip, take along a real camera and use it more.

And most importantly, note that if you change the Visor batteries with the eyemodule in its slot, your Visor will do a HARD RESET and you will lose everything, including any pictures you had accumulated and hadn't backed up yet. Hence I would STRONGLY recommend that you invest in a backup module as well if you plan to buy the eyemodule2. I lost some 50 pictures learning this the hard way. (Since you'll have to clear some Visor memory for pictures anyway, the 8MB + Backup module might be the way to go if you can spring for it.)

My irritation with losing so many pictures the first time caused me to take it back, but since then I decided it was still too much fun to pass up. But not without backup! I can't find anywhere that Handspring or Blocks Products mention this matter of the battery, so I'm warning you here. If you're going to take pictures, always do a backup before replacing your batteries.

And have fun!

The Eyemodule 1 I just replacedhas provided images that are really useful and fun to take, spur of the moment. It captures the essence, if not the detail of the subject that can be edited into sketchbook images and saved to an address file an email or an illustrated newsletter. It is also great as a visual memo pad or recorder, capturing images on the fly for reviewing later. Stealth factor makes it fun, too.So now I have gotten an Eyemodule 2 and will let you know how it differs.

My Visor Deluxe goes everywhere with me and contains my life in an organized fashion. While checking out add-ons I ran across the EyeModule 2 digital camera. It looked too good to be true. After reading other Amazon comments on this product, I was sold. In less than 20 minutes I owned one. I have to admit I love electronic gadgets, especially cameras. It is so small and weighs nearly nothing. And like one reviewer said, it comes in a slick little tin. The software was easy to load and it's really easy to use--just like the Visor Deluxe. The batteries in my Visor were half used up and I did get the message that I needed to change to new batteries in order to "capture" pictures. You can even make 5 second mini-movies, which I haven't tried out yet, but I'm sure it will be awesome. I'm going to South Africa and Zimbabwe in September and will use it as an adjunct to my SLR camera. And around town, there will be lots of chances to use it I know. I highly recommend this for all 'electronic junkies'and anyone else who wants to be able to take a photograph to document things, send e-mail photos. The only negative thing about the EyeModules is that like other reviewers said, you need to have lots of light and a steady hand.

I'm now on my second eyemodule2; I returned the first one a few months ago, exasperated.

The good part is that the eyemodule2 is a lot of fun. It's great to take candid shots of people who have no idea you're taking pictures, and they get a kick out of seeing themselves on your Visor's screen. It's also quite handy to carry around in a way that a regular camera wouldn't be.

But here are things to keep in mind. First, it uses the memory on your Visor, so if like me you have it stuffed with docs, AvantGo, maps, etc., you'll have to do some deleting or invest in a memory module. Second, keep in mind that this is a fun toy, but not a high-quality digital camera. It's easy to e-mail pictures to people, but if you're going on a memorable trip, take along a real camera and use it more.

And most importantly, note that if you change the Visor batteries with the eyemodule in its slot, your Visor will do a HARD RESET and you will lose everything, including any pictures you had accumulated and hadn't backed up yet. Hence I would STRONGLY recommend that you invest in a backup module as well if you plan to buy the eyemodule2. I lost some 50 pictures learning this the hard way. (Since you'll have to clear some Visor memory for pictures anyway, the 8MB + Backup module might be the way to go if you can spring for it.)

My irritation with losing so many pictures the first time caused me to take it back, but since then I decided it was still too much fun to pass up. But not without backup! I can't find anywhere that Handspring or Blocks Products mention this matter of the battery, so I'm warning you here. If you're going to take pictures, always do a backup before replacing your batteries.

And have fun!

The Eyemodule 1 I just replacedhas provided images that are really useful and fun to take, spur of the moment. It captures the essence, if not the detail of the subject that can be edited into sketchbook images and saved to an address file an email or an illustrated newsletter. It is also great as a visual memo pad or recorder, capturing images on the fly for reviewing later. Stealth factor makes it fun, too.So now I have gotten an Eyemodule 2 and will let you know how it differs.

My Visor Deluxe goes everywhere with me and contains my life in an organized fashion. While checking out add-ons I ran across the EyeModule 2 digital camera. It looked too good to be true. After reading other Amazon comments on this product, I was sold. In less than 20 minutes I owned one. I have to admit I love electronic gadgets, especially cameras. It is so small and weighs nearly nothing. And like one reviewer said, it comes in a slick little tin. The software was easy to load and it's really easy to use--just like the Visor Deluxe. The batteries in my Visor were half used up and I did get the message that I needed to change to new batteries in order to "capture" pictures. You can even make 5 second mini-movies, which I haven't tried out yet, but I'm sure it will be awesome. I'm going to South Africa and Zimbabwe in September and will use it as an adjunct to my SLR camera. And around town, there will be lots of chances to use it I know. I highly recommend this for all 'electronic junkies'and anyone else who wants to be able to take a photograph to document things, send e-mail photos. The only negative thing about the EyeModules is that like other reviewers said, you need to have lots of light and a steady hand.

I purchased this IPAQ about a month ago to use at home, work, and college. The main feature I like is being able to consolodate all phone numbers, contacts, and Microsoft Office documents into one little device. I've eliminated reems of paperwork with my IPAQ and I'm very glad I purchased it.

BUT the support from Compaq is terrible. I'm a Social Worker, NOT a computer programmer. Yet my IPAQ comes with a small owner's manual and very little useful online advice that is actually written in plain English. Navigating their web site is tricky. The PocketPC software (Microsoft) is mostly straightforward and easy to use (ingenious really), but there's no simple way to schedule an appointment with your contacts--why not? Isn't that why you buy a handheld computer?

Word of advice: If you're going to be using your IPAQ more than 4 hours a day, then you might want to upgrade to the IPAQ H3850 simply because the 3850 has a much longer battery life. My battery dies within about 2-4 hours on LOW power. The problem is you have to keep the unit charged to about 40% so it doesn't permanently lose all the data. Either upgrade to the 3850 or buy several AC adapters to charge the thing.

Even with all the complaints, I love the fact that my IPAQ has made me a much more productive student and employee.

It' s very useful for daily life, I'm graduated student. I always use this thing for my lecture. You can use Word, Excel, Powerpoint in this machine. The best thing I will say is it's very easy to use because one of my friend use sony clie 760, and he told me to teach him uninstall the program for his machine, but I couldn't do it, because it's very difficult to do, but for iPaq you can use it easily like your desktop because of Window OS.
I like this iPaq because:
1. Easy to use.
2. Good design.
3. Big screen.
4. Good color display.
5. A lot of accessories.
6. A lot of good utilities programs.
7. Pocket PC 2002.
8. Easy to synchonize.
Its drawbacks:
1. Short battery life just couple hours.
2. No cover.
3. No compactflash slot.
4. I sometimes miss my appointments because I didn't hear reminder sound.
5. It'll be very too big to carry with compactflash jacket .
I absolutely recommend this product . I use it to manage my time schedule, banking account, dictionary, MP3, game, and Internet as well as MSN messenger. This product is much better than Palm pilot.

The Compaq iPAQ 3765 is an amazing PDA. Well, it's not really a PDA, it's an actual Pocket PC. You have to see it to believe it. It's got Pocket PC 2002, and it's awesome. It's got Microsoft Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, and basically Pocket outlook just spread into mini programs. If you don't want to sit at your computer and read your emails cause your in a rush, just sync your computer with your pocket pc and your ENTIRE inbox will be synced to your iPAQ. I basically created my iPAQ into a super iPAQ. I got the keyboard(which is fantastic), the dual slot flash card expansion pack, a 256 meg flash card, and a MGM flash card reader. A Palm pilot is NOTHING compared to what this thing can do. THey have so many application for this pocket pc. You can play your MP3's on windows media player, watch movies or clips on PocketTV(Download the software), Play games such as the Famous Age of Empires(INCREDIBLE) Rayman, Packman and many more. Print with it, play multiplayer games, make cartoons on PocketFlipbook(Download) surf the net(Need wireless), and more. Plus they now have mad an espansion card so you can get PHONE SERVICE on it. This is one of the greatest Technological creations ever.

The S-360 is a low-level PDA and an excellent value. I got mine in June of 2002, and it still works lik a charm. The SJ360 isn't flashy or colorful like some pocket PC (it's processor and monochrome screen are obviously below the task), but it handles functions like calendar, to-do, e-mail and phone-book, as well as allowing a big area for memos for whatever comes to mind. It's incredibly thin and light - much more so than the Visor Handspring I bought my wife the year before. It comes with 16MB of RAM, though it includes a slot for memory-sticks (which I haven't tried yet). Though using the same operating system as the Palm Pilot, Clies come with something unique, a jog-wheel - a wheel on the side that allows you to scroll through information while holding the unit with one hand. (I keep reaching for the wheel whenever using my wife's Visor.) Like similar PDAs, you can "Hotsync" to your computer - an absolute must (more on that in a sec). Using Hotsync, you can download the contents of your Clie for safekeeping. Hotsync works both ways - and you can download to your Palm information you've updated on your computer (saving you the trouble of having to do the same using the PDA's somewhat annoying interface). Installing the software on my XP computer was effortless, and with a USB cable, a typical Hotsync takes only a few seconds - so fast, you won't even miss that Hotsync cradle. I bought mine for the fun of having a new gadget, and now can't imagine leaving home without it. And again, that was back in 2002.

This brings me to my cons - frequent death by battery exhaustion and memory expansion. Once the battery dies, all the information is gone (see now why Hotsync is so important?), and your varied use of Clie means that battery life will always be unpredictable - and that's not even factoring the use of "back light" which will drain your battery with painful speed. (A helpful battery-bar gives you an idea, but it's only on the main screen). Luckily, I've been able to rely on the information saved on my computer when I hotsync. Once recharged, it functions normally. Secondly, while the memory is expandible as on other PDA's, the Clie relies on a proprietary system of memory sticks that only works on Sony machines - and are therefore harder to find and more expensive.

Otherwise, for basic PDA functions this slim and reliable PDA is an incredible value.

I normally dont give entry level units 5 stars but this unit really has managed to separate itself as the KING of entry level units.

The 360 has replaced the 320 as Sony's entry level PDA. As i've said with my review of the m100 and m105 this would be a great gift to newbie's and students. Although it's a monochrome screen its still one of the more defined ones around. Its the only Clie thats 160X160 but its no big deal.

In terms of size its amazingly slim and light. Almost too light. Unlike the other clie's where the back is plastic and the front is a brushed aluminum finish the 360 is all plastic. None the less it still looks and feels good.

Other then the all plastic case, Sony has managed to keep costs low by not including a cradle and a memory stick.

I highly recommend this unit. To techie's and more experienced Palm users i would suggest going with other units but to newbies and students this is the unit to have.

I spent a long time looking at various different models and asking people before buying a Sony. My efforts were rewarded. It is the best design for your buck. I use it to connect with Outlook (a must if you are going to use a PDA effectively), for some simple games and to keep up on news via Avantgo. The screen is clear and bigger than Palm rivals enabling reading of even long articles without killing your eyes. My wife struggles with her Palm M105 in this respect. It has a solid/well built feel (not shared by Palm and Handspring) and useful Sony-unique functions such as the jog wheel for scroll down and the memory stick slot. For the money you get much more basic memory and the addition of even a small memory stick makes it much more powerfull than competitor models.
The only two slight whines I have are the fact that it isn't supplied with a cradle, you need two cables to sink and charge it and the battery gets eaten quickly if you use the back light.