Handheld Reviews

Pros: The Psion Revo is a great hand held organizer. It is a perfect blend of functionality and design. The screen looks crisp and clear. The calendar program has a great look to it and is so easy to use. For those that demand a little more than just and organizer, it has great applications like word processing and spreadsheets that can seamlessly be used with MS Word and Excel. The small QWERTY keyboard take a while to get used to, but it once you've mastered it, it's defintely a time saver.

Cons: There is no where near the software support that there is for the Palm class of handhelds. If you want a lot of games, then you probably don't want the Revo. Also, Outlook 2000 isn't officially supported with their synchronization tool, PsiWin. While I had previously used Outlook 2000 just fine with it, I'm having problems now. It is a bit disconcerning to not have the most used office suite not supported. So all in all, great product in need of better software support.

If you shop like me and like to compare what's out there before buying, the Revo is worth a serious look. I wanted a PDA under or around $300 so I after hours of reading reviews on cnet.com, I bought the Revo, Mako (the Revo's big brother with more memory), Palm M100, Palm IIIxe, Compaq Aero 1550 and Handspring Deluxe. These were similar in capabilities and price. The keyboard was what convinced me to try to Revo but once I got it, the wide screen, Word and Excel-like software, quality sound, and study feel of the Revo won me over from the Palms and Compaq. The resolution is crisp and clear on the wide screen and you'll have a hard time going to a Palm after you see the text on the Revo. I mainly use the spreadsheet, contact and agenda features which all have the Windows-like pull-down menus. I hated grafiti (the handwriting software on Palms) so a keyboard was a blessing. There's a lot of depth and detail to their software so it would be hard for a non-PC user. A Palm maybe better for those users because Palms do seem more user-friendly. However, if you can use a PC, this little machine is like having your desktop in your pocket. It's an affordable and much more convenient alternative to a lap top if you just need the basic wordprocessing, spreasheet and organizer software. The best $300 I've spent in a while.

The only PDA that combines a good keyboard with the right "pocket" size. The revo is now 4 years old, but still the best PDA on the market. I especially enjoy quick and easy look-up in databases, help files, calender. In fact, eventhough I have a Win 2000 PC by my side, I choose the revo to look-up contacts, meetings etc - it's faster ! In addtion, the installed applications work fine: contacts, calender, database, word, sheet, jotter etc.

It's a pity the revo isn't developed any longer. It would have been great to see a new Revo-2004 including memory slots, MP3 player, color screen - but in the same casing.

After carrying around a rather large planner for years, and never seeming to be able to have addresses handy, I decided to give the Palm IIIe a try -- I figured that the cost of a few planners would be more than made up. With a month of use under my belt, I would never go back to the paper planners again. The Palm IIIe is easy to use and to enter or retrive data is simple. The display is very clear (I've not had to use the backlight feature even in dim light). The email connection works very well with my modum and personal email account. I am still having problems getting it to connect with my network email (using Lotus cc:mail version 8.2), but even with this snag, I love the Palm IIIe. Lastly, the amount of memory is fine and I am still on my first set of batteries!

The Palm IIIe is definitely a great buy- I'm in 7th grade, and I keep all my homework assignments for the day in there. It's lightweight and very user friendly- the graffiti language is easy to get used to, but you don't even have to use it. You can use the little on screen keyboard function. It's much easier than pen and paper- it comes with a To Do List, Calculator, Memo Pad, Address Book, and more. Plus, you can download tons of software on it. It doesn't have as much memory as the newer Palm versions, but it should have plenty. It has a backlight, and the product doesn't drain the batteries quickly. The display is excellent. For the price, I would highly recommend this product.

If you are looking for a basic handheld organizer, the Palm IIIe is worth considering. I have been using my Palm for the past few years, and it has never given me a problem. I'll admit that I probably don't use it to its full capabilities, but for everyday usage it is fine.

The Palm IIIe is perfect for the basics: datebook, address book, lists and reminders. I also find it handy for reading e-books or playing strategy games. However, because the memory is not expandable, I'm not storing pictures, or huge databases, writing email or playing fast-action games.

What I like best about my IIIe is that it runs on 2 AAA batteries. This means that I can take my Palm on long trips without having to worry about charging it in the base, like most newer models require. (I also use rechargable batteries, which helps keep down costs.)

The plastic casing of the IIIe is light and durable. After three years of tossing it in my bag, it has no visible scratches. The same cannot be said for the metal casing on newer Palm models.

Unlike the Palm m100 series or Zire, the screen size on a IIIe is the same size as that of a Palm V. The other two models have screens that are considerably smaller, and in my opinion, quite cramped.

My only regret is that the Palm IIIe's cradle does not have a USB connection but a serial one. There are adapters on the market that will convert your serial plug into a USB one, though.

I have had experience in both the Palm and Pocket PC fields, owning a Palm Vx and HP Jornada 525. This Jornada 680 is a REMARKABLE machine. The Windows CE is very similar to the normal Windows.

One important thing to think about before buying: Do you want to spend about $600-700 on a new one or spend about $250 for a new and used one on ebay.com? I bought mine there NEW for $260!

The display is wonderful, even though 256 colors. The keyboard eventhough small has many standard features of a normal keyboard. For normal typing, it is not to great, but for touch typing its great. It has a Compact-Flash slot and PC card slot for LAN, etc. It has a 56k modem which is a real rocket.

I have given 4 stars for the small keyboard, which is not a real problem. A MUST for busy people!

I was looking for a "micro notebook" like machine. Pda utilities were important. being a "unix" programmer, some type of terminal was also quite important. I have used a few of the "palm size" machines and found them undesirable. (im always poping up the little tap on keyboard, AND,when entering numbers, 99% accuracy (hand writing recognition) doesn't quit cut it). I also was not going to spend over $500, and not get some kind of word processor. Using Hpvx, i have a beautiful, portable, always ready,telnet machine, that does wp, excel, email, and internet... and the color is Great. The battery last. Really last. better then 8 hours, even when using the modem.... Am i Satisfied ??? Im thrilled!. it not tiny, but its always with me, and i have become quite dependent on it.

This Jornada 680/680e very good devices but just i can't get the accessory on Malaysia then make me not confidence to use it , but now i still using it just finding and finding for the accessory ! Hewlett Packard need to make more accessory for it and continues to product this Jornada ! Very good deivices , Them must continues it ,if not very wasted to discontinued this product and make us who have thie Jornada 680/680e have no accessory to buy ! Then how we can use the device for a long long time ? Hope that HP will continues this deiveces!

Thanks!

I've owned Palms (and even Pocket PCs) almost as long as they've been around. I was very excited when I first saw a Palm in color...the Palm IIIc. Paid the price and got it home only to be disappointed with the look of the screen with the big pixels and the poor visibility outside. Tried an HP jornada for some time and loved the color, hated the OS. So went back to a plain Palm. Finally the Sony came out. Beautiful color AND high res! This was what I wanted!! And I've not been disappointed. Let's look at the pros of this device:

1. Excellent color screen indoors and out
2. Good MP3 player
3. Memory stick expansion so you can load tons of programs, songs, and now video too
4. Nice looking device
5. Good stylus
6. Excellent battery life
7. Decent buttons
8. Nice software bundle

Cons
1. Memory stick is proprietary and expensive (but Lexar sticks are fairly cheap)
2. Sony support not real great
3. Newer models available

Why should you choose this model over some newer ones? Well, you might be able to get a better price on it, and the battery life is unmatched by newer ones. If I were buying a new Palm. I probably would get a newer one. But I have yet to see a model that truly has convinced me to switch.

The Sony Clie N760C is a great PDA with fantastic resolution and is great for playing MP3s. However, if you really want to use this as an MP3 audio player you must buy a 128 MB memory stick (an 8 MB memory stick is included) or else you could only play a couple of MP3s. Also, I have found that video files play very choppy. I do not know if this is the program's fault or the PDA itself. The Clie's major problem is its digitizer and digitizer calibration. I have talked to countless other Clie N760C users and most of them (me as well) have had repeated digitizer misalignment problems and errors with the digitizer calibration program. Other than that, the Clie N760C is great. Its strong points are picture-viewing, games, organizational-purposes, and MP3 playing.

Sony's Clie PEG-N760C is (or was) a winner. It is well made, easy to use, an met all my expectations. The MP3 player is outstanding in musical quality. Sony made a big mistake in dropping this item from their product line. The camera works well, but suffers some from low image quality. This is probably a software issue - hopefully Sony will rewrite the camera software.

I went to [local store], played around with all the Palm PDAs on display, and picked this one because of its small size and high-res screen. Got it home, and guess what? the screen is next to impossible for me to read. If I were under 30, it would probably be OK; if I were using it mostly under fluorescent lights, I could probably live with it. But, given my middle-aged eyes, and working under mostly incandescent or natural light, I can't find a lighting situation that gets rid of the glare and makes the display possible to read without agonizing squinting.

It's a shame, because apart from the display, it's a great little PDA, especially for the price. BTW, I'm a Mac user, dowloaded the appropriate software ..., and have had no trouble hotsyncing with my Mac. I'm considering upgrading to the Palm m500 because it has a display I can actually read.

Although the PDA market is moving towards color, I decided to go with the latest monochrome offering from Sony. I loved the sleek design and the 320x320 screen. I feel that all Palm based PDA's function exactly the same (no matter how hard they try to market them separately). You're paying for the design and in some cases compatibility. The USB connection and the rechargable battery were also pluses for me. The software that came with the t415 is great but taxing on the memory if you install all of its offerings (3rd party software is not essential to utilize Clie)

I was disappointed with the screen though. It looks nothing like how Sony has posted it on the web site. The text and pictures are very sharp but the t415 uses reflective technology similar to the Palm m505. So if you're using it in a dim room and the light isn't hitting the screen at just the right angle, it's really difficult to see. No problems in bright, direct light. One other flaw is the placement of the buttons. If you look at the Clie from the side, the task buttons stick out ever so slightly so if you carry it in your pocket using the cover, you could accidently hit the butttons and turn it on. Sony should try and improve that aspect of the Clie. PC users should have no problems syncing. Mac users on the other hand will have to purchase "missing sync" software from markspace.com.

All in all, I'm satisfied with the t415. If you want a cheaper monochrome PDA you might want to check out the VisorEdge which is now ($$$). If you want color, I hear that the best thing to do is wait until the New Year arrives.

I bought this refurbished and have been pretty happy with it. It is my first PDA. But I have had a couple of problems - the flimsy cover which keeps coming off...and then this mysterious backlight which everyone keeps talking about. Where is this backlight? I have not been able to find it in any manual. The only thing I know is you can adjust the contrast but that's it. Thanks!

Fitted and metallic BUT doesn't close. This causes no problems unless the Palm is being tossed around in your bag, in which case it flaps open and the Palm screen is exposed to who-knows-what. I recommend the RhinoSkin.

I bought the Palm V Hard Case Special Metallic Blue Edition and I love it. I like that the color is unique and not a boring black or grey. It also protects the Palm V really while still keeping it nice and slim. I can easily slip it into my pockets with the case and not feel all bulky. I read the other reviews before I made my purchased and I have to admit. I was a bit concerned with the fact that the case does not fully close and people complaint about putting it in the cradle with the case. I noticed the case not fully closing as soon as I received it, but it really didn't bother me or interfere with anything. Also, I've had it for about a month now and its not that noticeable and I think it actually closes better now that it is broken in. As for the cradle. I have my cradle near the edge of the table so it was no big thing for me to slide the Palm V in the cradle with the case; it just needs to be at the edge so the case does not hit the table. If it wasn't easy for me to put it at the edge, it would be annoying. Overall I am very happy with the case, I had looked at other cases, but most of them added additional bulk which made it difficult to carry. This one is great - Great Look and does the job well - protection.

When I bought my Palm a couple of weeks back, I figured I couldn't just live with the cheap cover that came with it. I wanted something that would protect my cherished investment. When I saw that Palm offered the blue hard case, I had to get it.

The blue case is stylish, durable, and slim. The item is made from a hard plastic with two blue anodized metal plates placed on the front and back. A plastic pin holds the Palm in place. You have to be careful, though. If you monkey around with it too much, it might break. If you're careful, it will last for a long time, just don't be too rough slipping it on and off.

If I was going to stop here, I would've given this item 4 stars. Here's why I'm giving this item 5 stars. I've dropped my Palm accidentally twice. Both times the Palm landed flush against a hard surface (A wood floor and concrete). Both times, my Palm was unscathed and worked perfectly thanks to the hard case. It's already paid for itself. I only feel bad now because I spend $40 on it, instead of waiting for Amazon to offer it for less than $30. It's well worth the investment.

Casio's Cassiopedia is a very nice unit. Is it the best value available? Well it could have been, but unfortunately they scrimped in a couple of key areas. I base this on what I feel is their closet competitor, the Compaq Ipaq. The first thing you'll need to do after purchasing the Casio is run down to the store and purchase a very expensive MMC card. You'll want to pick up at least a 32mb card (currently between $76.00 and $99.00). Now you'll have some breathing room to work in. The Compaq comes with this additional memory with the purchase price. The last feature that is a little disappointing is the TFT backlit feature. Because of the basic design, the Ipaq does a much better job in very bright conditions. But get your Cassiopedia in a little shade and with the 65,000 plus colors you'll blow the Compaq Ipaq away. In conclusion, I guess there's pluses and negatives with most very thing, and if you don't mind having to immediately spent another $100.00 to get the space you'll need the Cassiopedia is the better unit. I would argue that the Compaq Ipaq is probably the better value.

The Casio Cassiopeia EM-500 is undeniably the best PDA/PocketPC on the market today. It has a vast number of programs: telnet, finger, ping, internet explorer, e-mail, irc, aol instant messenger, word, excel, access, notepad, transcriber (no graffiti to learn, it recognizes anyone's natural handwriting and converts it to text just like this you're reading now), and so much more. If you are a programmer or web designer, you must have this PDA/PPC! It's also great for listening to MP3/WMA audio and playing video clips and movie previews, storing pictures, scanning the Pocket Bible, and so much more. MMC is the future of compact memory technology..., it will replace compactFlash within the next two years guaranteed! It will support modems, network cards, cameras, and of course memory with projected sizes above anything CF Cards can imagine. (according to the MMCA group). Do yourself a favor and get the CASIO EM-500! It is the next best thing to a laptop!

I've had mine for three years. I did buy it new, though. I have been eyeing the Dell Axim, but since there is nothing wrong with my Casio, I can't find any reason to switch.

If you want a put-in-a-shirt-pocket PDA, this isn't for you. If you want or need a keyboarded device, this is the only choice without adding external keyboard. For me, that means it's the only choice. Contrary to the review, it is really difficult to touch type on it. It's got a large form factor, but I can carry it in a pocket (but I'm a size 56;)

You can find the Jornada external keyboard on eBay once in a while (part F1275A.) If you find one, snap it up! It works with an additional free driver from HP, and it adds six times the functionality.

The bad news: The product is discontinued. Additional NiMH batteries (proprietary design) aren't available on HP shopping. HP Parts told me they're backordered, but I did get mine in 24 hours.

The worse news: WinCE/Pocket PC devices are not supported by the software manufacturer after a new revision comes out. As another reviewer mentions, much "Windows CE 2.0" software will NOT run on Windows CE for Handheld PC (H/PC.) Don't expect much additional software to come out; companies just won't have a profit motive to support an obsolete platform.

The good news: There is a LOT of software out there now that works. You just need to find a good forum like Raul Lucky's web pages to help know what works and what doesn't.

The better news: With my Jornada 720 I can just take the unit along and have great functionality as a PDA. Between the add-on keyboard, Accurite 20 GB hard drive which slots into card slot 1, a 64 MB Compact Flash Card, Ansyr's Primer PDF reader, and other goodies which aren't necessary (1 extended batt, 1 reg batt, docking cradle, external charger, etc. - it seems like a lot but really isn't) I have no need of a laptop. I've even got most of my CD library burned to the external HD. I don't need an MP3 player, either. In short, this is much more than just a PDA with lots of flexibility and expansion capability.

The best news: With the flexibility of the system I've always got it with me, in the configuration for whatever I'm doing. It takes a little learning, but far less than the MessagePads did, and I suspect less than your average first-timer using a PDA. This is really more than a PDA, though it is less than a laptop. And with the lower price points, it's even sweeter. If I had the ready cash, there wouldn't be any of them for sale here, because I'd have them as backup units. :)

I'm expecting (batteries willing,) to be using it until Pocket PC 2010 comes out - at least. :)

The HP Jornada 720 does everything I need to do for on-the-road computing. Checking and responding to e-mail, surfing the net, taking meeting notes, drafting memos and other documents, and accessing all those usual organizer functions. I now leave my heavy and bulky laptop brick at the office and take the 720 instead when traveling for business or pleasure. Lots of bundled software tools are included making the Jornada 720 a versatile machine. It's flexible allowing for expansion and scalability. I especially like adding PCMCIA Type II, compact flash and smart cards. The audio recorder and built-in speakers are also nice. The standard 32 MB of memory is an improvement over the older 600 series models. The improved Windows for HPC OS will be very familiar to Windows NT/95/98 users and the sync capability makes the 720 a logical extension of my desktop machine. Some minor drawbacks: it is somewhat pricey compared to the Jornada 548 and other Pocket PC handhelds; the keyboard (although nice) is a bit tiny. I use a two-finger or two-eraser heads poking technique to minimize keyboard errors. Great battery - 9 hours! I do love it!

I wrote an entire novel on this trusty machine - and was able to throw it in a backpack, bike to the library, pull it out and work. Loved being able to sit in my living room and write, also. ActiveSync works perfectly. Infrared works perfectly - sends documents directly to my printer AND I am able to use it to store data from my Quicklink pen.

I LOVE THIS COMPUTER! I am upset that HP discontinued this line...If you're looking for a TRULY portable computer (and don't require all the extra bells and whistles of a laptop) that syncs up beautifully with your desktop - THIS IS THE COMPUTER FOR YOU!

Navy blue velvet swirls give this case a feminine, non-geeky look snazzy enough for evening wear. My Visor fits snugly inside along with about 7 credit cards and a driver's license. There's room for about 15 bills in the folding money compartment. More than that and it's too thick to zip.

To secure the Visor in the case, the hard cover is slipped under a wide nylon strap and then the Visor is snapped in. No Velcro, easy to snap out, but no more hard cover protection over the buttons and screen. So don't overstuff the case, squeeze it over the buttons, or put it in a tightly packed briefcase, or you may accidentally turn the Visor on.

The outer case is stiffer than a typical wallet, and fits comfortably in your hand while open, serving as a mini desk while using the Visor. Since the case is too stiff to completely lay flat, I prefer to snap the Visor out when I'm working at my desk. I don't have trouble removing the stylus, but I have small fingers. It might take a little practice if you have sausage fingers or long nails.

This is a good quality product. It completely encases my Visor, so it is better protected from water, dust, or the lint in my briefcase. If only there was room for my lip gloss.

I have this Visor case as well as the Hawaiian print version. I love them. They make it easy to identify my Visor if I've left it laying next to my husbands. It's fun to be able to coordinate the Visor to my purse or outfit.

It protects the Visor well. My only problem is that occationally it's hard to get the pen out of the Visor. It's not difficult enough for one not to purchase it, however.

1. Protection: This case protects the visor from all sides because it zips up; There is little point in getting a carrying case that does not protect your visor in this way, especially if you carry your visor in a purse/bag where it knocks against stuff. 2. Size: This case is of the smallest I've ever seen for visors. It is only just big enough to fit the visor, and has a couple of pockets so you can use it as a wallet if you wish. Nothing else. I needed a protective case that did not add to the size and weight of the PDA. 3. Attachment: You use the protective cover of your visor to secure it into the case, and you can store it face-up or face-down (more secure during storage/travel). Besides the fact that I didn't want velcro on my visor I like the fact that I don't have to give up protecting the screen during travel because most cases are not hard enough to prevent the visor from turning on accidentally. 4. Price: The best. Similar cases range from $25-40 at least. ... 5. Look: I love the leopard print, but INCIPIO offers other, less abnoxious, patterns as well.

Navy blue velvet swirls give this case a feminine, non-geeky look snazzy enough for evening wear. My Visor fits snugly inside along with about 7 credit cards and a driver's license. There's room for about 15 bills in the folding money compartment. More than that and it's too thick to zip.

To secure the Visor in the case, the hard cover is slipped under a wide nylon strap and then the Visor is snapped in. No Velcro, easy to snap out, but no more hard cover protection over the buttons and screen. So don't overstuff the case, squeeze it over the buttons, or put it in a tightly packed briefcase, or you may accidentally turn the Visor on.

The outer case is stiffer than a typical wallet, and fits comfortably in your hand while open, serving as a mini desk while using the Visor. Since the case is too stiff to completely lay flat, I prefer to snap the Visor out when I'm working at my desk. I don't have trouble removing the stylus, but I have small fingers. It might take a little practice if you have sausage fingers or long nails.

This is a good quality product. It completely encases my Visor, so it is better protected from water, dust, or the lint in my briefcase. If only there was room for my lip gloss.

I have this Visor case as well as the Hawaiian print version. I love them. They make it easy to identify my Visor if I've left it laying next to my husbands. It's fun to be able to coordinate the Visor to my purse or outfit.

It protects the Visor well. My only problem is that occationally it's hard to get the pen out of the Visor. It's not difficult enough for one not to purchase it, however.

1. Protection: This case protects the visor from all sides because it zips up; There is little point in getting a carrying case that does not protect your visor in this way, especially if you carry your visor in a purse/bag where it knocks against stuff. 2. Size: This case is of the smallest I've ever seen for visors. It is only just big enough to fit the visor, and has a couple of pockets so you can use it as a wallet if you wish. Nothing else. I needed a protective case that did not add to the size and weight of the PDA. 3. Attachment: You use the protective cover of your visor to secure it into the case, and you can store it face-up or face-down (more secure during storage/travel). Besides the fact that I didn't want velcro on my visor I like the fact that I don't have to give up protecting the screen during travel because most cases are not hard enough to prevent the visor from turning on accidentally. 4. Price: The best. Similar cases range from $25-40 at least. ... 5. Look: I love the leopard print, but INCIPIO offers other, less abnoxious, patterns as well.