Handheld Reviews

We bought my daughter and son-in-law an original Roomba for their wedding this summer. She's a little on the practical side, he's a little like me, likes gadgets. We thought this would be a perfect gift. They loved it! So much, that they were looking forward to bringing it back to our house to show us how great it was. If it passed their expectations, we had to have one ourselves. Low and behold...we found new models, the Pro & Pro Elite. After carefully searching the internet I found there are many different packages available. We ended up purchasing a Pro model package that included 2 extra filters, two virtual walls, and the remote that actually activates the same features the Pro Elite model provides.

There's Pro's & Con's depending on your expectations;

It can follow the outer wall perimeter of a room, work it's way around furniture and back to the wall. It has deliberation in it's pattern madness. It WILL cover the entire room. Unfortunately, the battery charge does not accomodate a very large room. We purchased a rapid charger (2.5 hrs.) and an extra battery to keep Roomba ready to go.

With minor room prepping to eliminate wires, "wedge" shaped areas under furniture, frayed area rugs, you can turn it loose and let it work while you're gone. It simply stops when the charge runs out. But you need to make sure the room is prepped as Roomba will cry for help if in a situation he can't get out of. I won't go into details but Roomba does have some personality.

The heavy elevated furniture (bed, couch, curio) that can't get moved weekly, can now be cleaned under weekly.

The only features that kept me from giving this 5 stars is: The catch bin is very small. The battery run time is around an hour, at best. The recharge time is around 12 hours. I had to buy more accessories to make Roomba fit my needs.

If you're looking for a hepa vacumn that will keep your home dust free, forget about the Roomba. If it requires too much work to pick up the clutter in your home to run Roomba, you need a bigger vac anyway. It's not a one shot house cleaning miracle.

If you want some low maintenance help in your busy life to keep your floors cleaner between regular vacumnings, Roomba will do that...in an entertaining fashion.

I'm now on my second RoombaPro. The first died just under warranty even though I was assiduous about cleaning it between uses. It was cheerfully replaced via mail by IRobot--no questions asked.

That said, I'm a Roomba fan. Since the machine cycles over the floor again and again, it gets things a lot cleaner than I do while vacuuming by hand. It's especially impressive at picking up Golden Retriever fur and dust from our bare floors and berber carpeting. I can vacuum by hand and then immediately get better results with Roomba.

If you have pile carpeting, avoid it, since battery power gives it limited abilities to deal with the greater resistance of deeper piles.

Consumer Reports recently ran a largely negative review that failed to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the product. (Typical CR: trash whatever is unusual.) If you're an "early adopter" willing to do the upkeep on the machine, if you're interested in watching the Roomba at work and figuring out its cleaning algorithm, if you'd rather not spend time vacuuming--get a Roomba. If you're not a little "handy," if you have deeper pile rugs, don't bother.

I recommend that any prospective purchaser read all the Amazon reviews before purchasing.

By the way, the Roomba is perfect for cleaning pool tables!

Before i start my review let me explain how my house is set up. i live in a one bedroom apt with one cat and no rugs. i have been using the roomba now for about 3 weeks and i do have to say over all i am very impressed with it. it does however require a little bit of maintenance to keep it up and running in prime condition but nothing to complicated. and i do highly suggest getting the rapid charger you will need it because the battery doesnt really last long enough to get the whole house done on one charge. i cant really say how well it would work in a house with more then one pet or even with rugs....but for a single guy its worth it

I would love the ipaqs if I could ever count on them to work. The 5555 is the third ipaq I have owned in the past three years (The company I work for gets them at a great discount, and I don't have to pay for them, which is why I keep getting them)

First off, there are many things to love about this pda. The fingerprint recognition is really cool. It works perfectly for me, and I don't have to worry about remembering a password or having it stolen. The integrated bluetooth and 802.11b is an excellent add-on, and hasn't added to the bulk of the device at all. There is a large amount of built-in memory, the display looks beautiful, the battery is swappable, and there are a lot of nice applications built in.

What disappoints me with every ipaq is the low reliability. It is so poor that I would never personally spend my own money on one of these devices. I typically have to hit the reset button on my ipaq several times per day, becuase under heavy use the thing will freqently slow down or completely freeze up. You can't blame third party apps for these faults, since I am commonly using the standard features of my ipaq when these faults occur.

My first two ipaqs died within about a year of purchase. The first one had a battery go bad, and since it was built into the device I could not swap it myself. The second one just stopped working. I could turn it on, but it basically just gave me a blue screen of death and nothing more.

I love what the ipaqs offer, I just wish HP could get their act together and make them work as they're supposed to.

Great while it works. Mine died after 9 months of casual use. I'm not looking forward to dealing with warranty repairs.

EDIT Start -

I would like to comment on reviewers who claim that the technical support is junk along with the device's reliability. May I point out that it is Microsoft's operating system, which is to be expected as no operating system is perfect. The iPAQ's hardware has nothing to do with how many times a reset is needed, since it has not only more ram, but a faster processor than most other pda's currently on the market. As for the technical support, I have had two iPAQ's and always received the same friendly and careless help needed to fix my problems straight away. Here's a recent example of how HP's support works.

1. Problem occurs.
2. Call to HP, they check warranty (lasts a year).
3. They send you an empty box, shipping and parts replacement, 100% free.
4. Ship it out next day.
5. Repair begins and ends in under an hour.
6. You receive an email confirming depature and repair success.
7. You receive the iPAQ back, only having it leave your side for less than 3 days.

If that's not service, then I don't know what is. I believe that many people are rude, arrogant, and are ignorant to their mistakes. I told the support technicians that I had dropped it and they said no problem, and replaced the screen, usb host connector, and battery all free of charge. Hope this helps your buying decision.

EDIT Finish -

In comparison to newer-age pda's including the Toshiba e805, the Asus MyPal, and the new Dell Axim, I hope you will regard my post only within HP and Compaq's products. This particular iPAQ is a giant leap from my Compaq iPAQ 3835, gone are the days of cradle synchronizing and wired connections. With Bluetooth and wi-fi I can synchronize and receiving data virtually anywhere.

A few reasons to avoid buying this:
- it is not a good first pda, as some features require proficient computer knowledge
- it is not worth buying unless you plan on using all features, including the finger print scan, otherwise go with the cheaper 4100 series iPAQs.

A few reasons to avoid buying another:
- is an 'upgradable' iPAQ, which means all previous software, cords/connections, sleeves (jackets), styli, and cases will work with this iPAQ.
- has wi-fi and bluetooth built in, along with 128megs sd ram, and 48 megs rom, gives you extra storage space.
- speedy processor and an sdio slot.

I believe this is the current best option for anyone wanting a powerful handheld machine. With the largest array of expansion abilities and wireless capabilities, it is the smartest choice you can make.

I am person who hates to confrom and in todays world, everyone does. It seems like everyone who owns a cell phone owns a Nokia, and everyone who owns a pda owns a handspring or palm. That is why I own a Ericsson and a VTECH HELIO!. The V-tech stands out compared to other PDA's. It has a built in voice recorder and everything else you need to keep organized. It is very stable, and does not have a cheap feeling like some other PDA's. For the price I bought it for (50 dollars), it was a steal. I know they discontinued making helios, and that is why stores in Europe and America are clearing them out by selling it for 50 dollars. But, the helio was originally 199 dollars (upper quality device),and now its for 50 dollars..it is a great deal. I use my Helio for everything, and it has never failed on me. Yes, their are a limited number of programs, but with all I see, many third party people are still producing new programs for the helio. There is this new program out for Helio's called Grey Scale, and its a must have. Because Helio has a 16 color grey screen (palm has a 4 color grey screen), you can download any picture online and view them on your Helio! For 50 bucks, it is the best deal for a PDA out thier. You won't be disapointed!

The Helio is just fine for most data storage needs like phonebook, notes and a calc with metric converter. I like the LARGE FONT mode and the screen is of a descent size. I just returned a Clie' Sj22 because the fonts and screen are too small.

JOT hand writing recognition works GREAT... better than graphiti.

On the bad side, the batteries are killing me. 2-"AAA" are needed and on average last only a week. I am a light user. The Duracell Ultra (recommended) may last 2 or more weeks. Rechargeable are lower in voltage (1.2 volts / cell as opposed to 1.5 volts with alkaline) and cause the battery indicator to appear low, even after a fresh charge. This was a bad choice of power supply. Yes, there is a backlight, but I never dare to use it.

I keep my fingers crossed each time I sync because the software (Helio Desktop) can act buggy because it is slow. Once you get a grip on syncing a few you should do OK.

I have spent a lot of time researching the PDA market. The choice was between the eBookman (not yet available) and the Helio. The Helio won on price and availibility. It does everything the other PDA's do, just a little differently and much less costly. I caused a few (Helio) problems on my own, yet I must say VTech customer service was 1) Live, 2) Knowledgeble, and 3) Courteous. Things worth noting: There are some games and applications out there for the Helio. The voice recorder is handy for those who can utilize it. You can sync with Microsoft Outlook seamlessly. There is an ebook reader. The apps with the Helio are user friendly and intuitive as is the Jot handwriting recogntion program. I have found only one flaw-when using the Helio in low/no light situations, the backlight is great except the "Exit" button is not lit. Having to dig that deep to find a flaw should speak as to this writer's opinion of the VTech Helio. Give it a try, you'll like it.

The four months I had this in working condition, it worked wonderfully well. I never had any problem with it. Unfortunately, that wasn't to last.

I had it on its charger while I was working and next think I know, there's a crack in the glass about an inch up from the bottom of the screen. I had never dropped this PDA, I was always very careful while using it. There was no reason for this to happen, and it did so without any outside interference.

And they really get you coming and going on this one. A replacement LCD screen with glass top (you can not buy the glass top alone for this model) is almost $200. That's about what the PDA costs in the first place!

Since this happened to me, I have seen where several other people have complained of the exact same thing happening to them. This is obviously a product default, and I would never recommend that anyone buy this model. I can't vouch for any of the other HP models, but this one is a definite waste of money. Don't take the chance.

The iPaq 1935 has everything that I wanted in a handheld - it easily communicates with my pc, it keeps track of my appointments and contacts, it has a few games to keep me from getting bored, and the price was right.
There is no wireless on this model, though you might be able to upgrade it somehow. This gets me to one big drawback - the documentation is all on a cd-rom. While this probably saves money for HP, it is quite annoying for the user who doesn't have a computer to use to dig through the manual. Come on, I'm paying a lot of money for this product, the least you can do is print the manual so that I can have it in my hands to read...
One very nice feature that this unit does have is the SD card upgrade. You can use the SD cards to dramatically increase the memory, and there are several intersting SD cards that you can purchase (for about $50) that have programs on them - the one I'm eyeing right now is the 'atlas' program that has many maps on it to help you navigate.
I haven't used any handhelds before, so I don't have much to compare this product with. The interface is easy to navigate, the colors are bright, and it does the job, so I don't have any big complaints.
This is probably a good entry level handheld for moderate usage.

Let me start by explaining that I have owned an Ipaq3760 for a few years now and decided to "upgrade" to a newer model but also get something smaller to carry around. After my purchase I was told by a HP sales representative that this is really not really an upgrade and now I agree. If this was someone first purchase of an Ipaq or any PDA then they might not have the same complaints that I have.

The positives first, the size is great, this is a shirt pocket PDA and I am very pleased with the reduction in size from the 3760. The screen is bright and very easy to read. There is no wasted space on the front of the system at all. The function and navigation buttons work well. The stylus' size is perfect and fits very nicely into the unit. Finally, I love the removable battery.

Now the problems;

1.There is no docking cradle available for this model yet. You got to be kidding me. How can you release a product like this that targets small businesses and not have something like that ready! This means my Ipaq lies on my desk instead of being in a position that I can quickly glance at my appointment or see what time it is. I was told by HP that the cradle for the other similar model (H1910) will not work.

2.The USB cable used to synchronize my H1935 with my desktop does not charge the unit. This was not true for the older model Ipaqs. Why would you want to remove functionally like that? You have to plug the wall adapter into the USB cable. This is very messy on the desktop.

3.Why does each model have a different charging/communication port? This means all new cables for serial, cellular phone, car charger connections. Again not problem if you don't already have all these items.

4.Why, why, why couldn't HP have installed a normal audio jack?!? They use a smaller jack. Maybe this is for some future standard, but I not aware of one. You have to keep this 2 inch mini-cable with you to plug into headphones or speakers.

5.Last complaint, everyone that I know that has a PDA and wants to "beam" something to another PDA, points the top of their PDA to the top of the other. This new 1935 has the IR port on the side. Is this a new standard? Maybe I need to look other new PDAs to see how their IR ports are positioned. It just seems odd to me.

That's my experience with this new Ipaq. I really do like this new model and I'm going to keep it despite some of the aggravating quirks it has and lack of accessories. I will get use to quirks and wait for the docking cradle. I use my PDA for contacts and keeping track of my appointments, but also use it with my cell phone for e-mail and monitoring the company's network. I was looking for something that is easier to carry around and this works perfect for that.

I bought the Nexian Handy GPS as a Christmas gift. It was an embarassing dud. It failed to lock to any satellite. The manual did not provide help. I then went to the web site for Nexian. It was down... for 3 days during Christmas.

I tried suggestions provided by Amazon users. That failed. I asked the recipient of my gift to go ahead and take their trip and see if it was just a location issue. No, it failed to work at any point in a 1200 mile journey. I returned it and bought this Magellan.

It gets 5 *'s. First, it worked. Second, it has so many utilities to let you know how many satellites it sync'd with, their individual signal strengths, their constellation. Not sure whether they have a help desk, but their web site was up whenever I needed it.

If you're comparison shopping, this one beats the competition in both functionality and (in my experience) reliability.

As my first springboard module, this was money very well spent.

It operates on standard NMEA sentences so it works with other programs if you don't like their software. Although, the two programs that come with it besides the one built-in are great. One is good for being in a city--maps, zooming, etc.--and the other is good for when you're out in the middle of nowhere--marking waypoints, etc. Magellan also has map updates you can download for free.

As compared to the two other GPS modules for the visor, this one was priced next to the lower one, yet it has all the best features. You can't look up an address, but that means the maps don't take up very much space at all. I have all of the D.C. and Northern Virginia metropolitan areas in my visor in one megabyte.

It takes a few minutes to get a fix when you first start it up, but I didn't have to do anything special. I've been able to get a fix from the backseat of my car--which really surprised a friend of mine who has a GPS unit for his laptop.

GPS now goes down to 10-meter accuracy which means you can see yourself cross a street or if you're heading north or southbound.

All in all, it's very accurate, versatile and makes a great navigation companion. It even makes me want to get outside more! That means next I'll want a springboard with weather information.

I purchased the Magellan GPS Companion and I was wowed from the start. It shows your position on the included map software (includes maps broken down by state, county, and city) and can calculate your current speed, direction, position, ETA, and other useful travel info. I'll never get lost again!

A few downsides, but nothing earthshattering: the included maps are based on 1998 data. Maps based on 2000 data are available from Marcosoft for an additional $20. Also, the GPS can't lock on to the sattelite signals if you're indoors near a lot of computer equipment (such as at my office).

Overall I'd recommend this device to anyone looking for a basic, top-of-the-line GPS plugin for your Visor. You'll always know where you're going when you've got a Magellan GPS Companion!

IT is easy to review Radio Your Way, because it does EXACTLY what the description says. You set it to record shows by DAY and Time and it does that fine.

But be warned, it does not allow you to adjust the Bit rate of the recording. All recordings are recorded in a compressed .RYV format that, for people who understand MP3 sample compression, I would say couldn't be higher then like 20KHZ, The worst thing is that if you have an iPod like me, you then have to convert .RYV -> .Wav -> .Mp3. This sucks, the recorder should just record strait to Mp3 format.

Yes...the recording quality is horrible. DO NOT CONSIDER THIS if you plan to record music radio. I personally bought it to record Howard Stern, as I am a huge fan. Unfortunatly, the RYW audio quality is so low, it is almost too annoying to listen to the recording. If there is any reason not to get RYW it is the awfull recording quality.

Everything else, controls, etc, are adequate. By adequate I mean HORRIBLE...but dueable. The MP3 player does not display ID3 tags. The controls are completely illogical. And OS is jerky at best. But who cares about those things right? As long as I can get my Stern fix everyday? Wrong...because the audio quality is the dagger in the heart.

Simply put: This product is bad. I gave it two stars because it does everything it says it does without deception. But the audio quality is so low, you might not be able to sit through one of your recordings. Wait for something better to come out because this is simply a gimmick.

_______________________________________________________________

I recently read a review that states "all people who think that this is a bad product must work for a competitor." This is rediculous. I can assure you that as a student, I work for nobody! Simply put, this is one of the crappiest products on the market today. I returned mine. The quality is so awful.

You know, I went to camp and lost my CD/mp3 player. SO I decided it was time for an upgrade. I am saving for a car, and I'm being very VERY careful with my money. At first i thought i wanted an mp3 player, with an fm tuner, atleast 64mb built in and expandable. As I researched about 100 different mp3 players, from every single company I could think of, and many hours, I found FM and Voice Recording. This seemed like a miracle for me! I no longer have to struggle to find the name of the song i'm looking for! Just record it! I did contact the tech support from ......(which has very good service) and they said it will record in some strange file type, but I can convert it to mp3 on my computer. Kinda a hassle, but easyier and way cooler than downloading. The super good parts are that:
1. The earbuds are the fm antenna, giving it great reception.
2. There is a speaker on board, and when listening to the radio on the speaker, it has an fm antenna to plug in, giving it great reception.
3. The audio-in port. This means, I could plug in my friend's cd player to this machine, and use it as a speaker, or record directly from that or any source.
4. It's able to switch to an external hard drive mode
5. The great price from Amazon.com, from the pogo website, it is $$$ and has a 10% restocking fee. Amazon.com is much cheaper, and I trust them.

The bad parts:
32mb on-board memory, but its expandable. And with the $$$ i saved buying form amazon, i will buy an external memory card.
to recieve radio, you have to use earbuds (which i find uncomfortable) or the antenna, which will be bad for working out.

I ordered this machine this morning, and i cant wait til it gets here. As you can see, with all these plusses, and no restocking fee except S&H, if returned in 30 days, The only thing that can POSSIBLY go wrong, is the antenna being bothersome. But, from the xtensive research, I think I will be extremely pleased.

The batteries on this unit last longer than 3 hours unless you are using used batteries or those sold at the 99 cent store. Batteries on the unit will last from 8-10 hours and if you understand electronics you can get the most life from them. There is an AC adpater that you can buy for 9.99 to record at home (so you only need to use batteries if you want to take the radio with you) Since most recording will be done at home, you will not be using batteries at all. As far as Customer Service goes before you buy the product email or call them and you will see two things.

1.In the case of email a reply usually in minutes.

2.Actually beiing able to get through the phone lines and talking to someone who knows the product.

You can't beat the service. People like "Greg" are just IDIOTS who bash a product with other agendas.

This just didn't work out for me. First, the on/off button kept getting hit while in my travel bag, leaving me with no Palm on one trip and virtually no power left on another. On top of that, blank notes kept being left due to this issue. The leather flap is constantly in the way when you try and enter something. I gave up and bought the hard case as a replacement. It's smaller and much sturdier so shouldn't have any of the above problems. Plus it opens up all the way for easy use.

I've used this case for my Palm 500 for several months now; it suffices, but could be improved upon. Here are a few things that bug me: Over time the slots that hold the expansion cards loosen and the cards fall out easily. Since the case isn't completely closed, this could be a problem. I've also found that the design of the case causes the front buttons to be depressed if only a little pressure in applied to the case, for example, I couldn't put it in the cargo pocket of my work pants - I'm a RN and a paramedic - without hearing the distinctive clicking from a depressed button just from the movement of my legs. If you're a bit less active with the Palm, then that's probably not a big deal.

Aside from those concerns the case looks great, protects the screen quite well (I usually just toss it into my backpack and it's been fine) and does hold all that Palm claims. My biggest problem has been the expansion card slots loosening too much. I'm ordering the closed zippered version; that should resolve my concerns.

This is -the- case for the m50x series. Not only does it have plenty of space and slots for SD cards, credit cards, and ID cards, but it has a zippered closure that protects the Palm from lint and dust. Your screen will be less likely to be scratched. It also contains a tiny notepad that attaches to a leather flap. A nice touch, but I would recommend that you just discard the notepad and use the plain leather flap as a buffer between the Palm and the SD and credit cards. You lose a bit of functionality with the loss of the paper, but you gain tons of additional screen protection. When most wallet style cases are closed, the edges of your credit cards are pushed up against the screen. This is bad. This case actually provides the much needed added protection with that leather flap. The Palm is held in by a slide-rail, this allows the Palm to connect to the cradle while still in the case. It is somewhat ackward, but less ackward than taking it out of a case. And to top it off the case is a nice quality leather. If you have a m50x, get this case!

This just didn't work out for me. First, the on/off button kept getting hit while in my travel bag, leaving me with no Palm on one trip and virtually no power left on another. On top of that, blank notes kept being left due to this issue. The leather flap is constantly in the way when you try and enter something. I gave up and bought the hard case as a replacement. It's smaller and much sturdier so shouldn't have any of the above problems. Plus it opens up all the way for easy use.

I've used this case for my Palm 500 for several months now; it suffices, but could be improved upon. Here are a few things that bug me: Over time the slots that hold the expansion cards loosen and the cards fall out easily. Since the case isn't completely closed, this could be a problem. I've also found that the design of the case causes the front buttons to be depressed if only a little pressure in applied to the case, for example, I couldn't put it in the cargo pocket of my work pants - I'm a RN and a paramedic - without hearing the distinctive clicking from a depressed button just from the movement of my legs. If you're a bit less active with the Palm, then that's probably not a big deal.

Aside from those concerns the case looks great, protects the screen quite well (I usually just toss it into my backpack and it's been fine) and does hold all that Palm claims. My biggest problem has been the expansion card slots loosening too much. I'm ordering the closed zippered version; that should resolve my concerns.

This is -the- case for the m50x series. Not only does it have plenty of space and slots for SD cards, credit cards, and ID cards, but it has a zippered closure that protects the Palm from lint and dust. Your screen will be less likely to be scratched. It also contains a tiny notepad that attaches to a leather flap. A nice touch, but I would recommend that you just discard the notepad and use the plain leather flap as a buffer between the Palm and the SD and credit cards. You lose a bit of functionality with the loss of the paper, but you gain tons of additional screen protection. When most wallet style cases are closed, the edges of your credit cards are pushed up against the screen. This is bad. This case actually provides the much needed added protection with that leather flap. The Palm is held in by a slide-rail, this allows the Palm to connect to the cradle while still in the case. It is somewhat ackward, but less ackward than taking it out of a case. And to top it off the case is a nice quality leather. If you have a m50x, get this case!

This just didn't work out for me. First, the on/off button kept getting hit while in my travel bag, leaving me with no Palm on one trip and virtually no power left on another. On top of that, blank notes kept being left due to this issue. The leather flap is constantly in the way when you try and enter something. I gave up and bought the hard case as a replacement. It's smaller and much sturdier so shouldn't have any of the above problems. Plus it opens up all the way for easy use.

I've used this case for my Palm 500 for several months now; it suffices, but could be improved upon. Here are a few things that bug me: Over time the slots that hold the expansion cards loosen and the cards fall out easily. Since the case isn't completely closed, this could be a problem. I've also found that the design of the case causes the front buttons to be depressed if only a little pressure in applied to the case, for example, I couldn't put it in the cargo pocket of my work pants - I'm a RN and a paramedic - without hearing the distinctive clicking from a depressed button just from the movement of my legs. If you're a bit less active with the Palm, then that's probably not a big deal.

Aside from those concerns the case looks great, protects the screen quite well (I usually just toss it into my backpack and it's been fine) and does hold all that Palm claims. My biggest problem has been the expansion card slots loosening too much. I'm ordering the closed zippered version; that should resolve my concerns.

This is -the- case for the m50x series. Not only does it have plenty of space and slots for SD cards, credit cards, and ID cards, but it has a zippered closure that protects the Palm from lint and dust. Your screen will be less likely to be scratched. It also contains a tiny notepad that attaches to a leather flap. A nice touch, but I would recommend that you just discard the notepad and use the plain leather flap as a buffer between the Palm and the SD and credit cards. You lose a bit of functionality with the loss of the paper, but you gain tons of additional screen protection. When most wallet style cases are closed, the edges of your credit cards are pushed up against the screen. This is bad. This case actually provides the much needed added protection with that leather flap. The Palm is held in by a slide-rail, this allows the Palm to connect to the cradle while still in the case. It is somewhat ackward, but less ackward than taking it out of a case. And to top it off the case is a nice quality leather. If you have a m50x, get this case!

This just didn't work out for me. First, the on/off button kept getting hit while in my travel bag, leaving me with no Palm on one trip and virtually no power left on another. On top of that, blank notes kept being left due to this issue. The leather flap is constantly in the way when you try and enter something. I gave up and bought the hard case as a replacement. It's smaller and much sturdier so shouldn't have any of the above problems. Plus it opens up all the way for easy use.

I've used this case for my Palm 500 for several months now; it suffices, but could be improved upon. Here are a few things that bug me: Over time the slots that hold the expansion cards loosen and the cards fall out easily. Since the case isn't completely closed, this could be a problem. I've also found that the design of the case causes the front buttons to be depressed if only a little pressure in applied to the case, for example, I couldn't put it in the cargo pocket of my work pants - I'm a RN and a paramedic - without hearing the distinctive clicking from a depressed button just from the movement of my legs. If you're a bit less active with the Palm, then that's probably not a big deal.

Aside from those concerns the case looks great, protects the screen quite well (I usually just toss it into my backpack and it's been fine) and does hold all that Palm claims. My biggest problem has been the expansion card slots loosening too much. I'm ordering the closed zippered version; that should resolve my concerns.

This is -the- case for the m50x series. Not only does it have plenty of space and slots for SD cards, credit cards, and ID cards, but it has a zippered closure that protects the Palm from lint and dust. Your screen will be less likely to be scratched. It also contains a tiny notepad that attaches to a leather flap. A nice touch, but I would recommend that you just discard the notepad and use the plain leather flap as a buffer between the Palm and the SD and credit cards. You lose a bit of functionality with the loss of the paper, but you gain tons of additional screen protection. When most wallet style cases are closed, the edges of your credit cards are pushed up against the screen. This is bad. This case actually provides the much needed added protection with that leather flap. The Palm is held in by a slide-rail, this allows the Palm to connect to the cradle while still in the case. It is somewhat ackward, but less ackward than taking it out of a case. And to top it off the case is a nice quality leather. If you have a m50x, get this case!