Organizer Reviews

The Handspring Visor Stylus Rainbow Pack is the stylus that should have come with the Handspring Visor Deluxe.

It comes in five colours to fit any Visor of any colour.

The advantage these styli have over the standard stock stylus that comes with the Visor is that they are made of metal and have a nice heft to it when you write.

The coolest thing about the Rainbow styli is that they all have a reset pin integrated into the stylus body (something glaringly missing in the stock stylus. Just unscrew the writing tip and there it is. This is about the most important part of the stylus and will save you when your Visor hangs on you.

A surprise is that when you unscrew the other end of the stylus, you get a very nice Philips screwdriver that can be used to open your Visor, if necessary. I found that the screwdriver also works really well for tightening the screws on my glasses! :)

I didn't even have my Handspring Visor for a week before I lost my stylus. I didn't want to pay the shipping fee from Handspring's Website .... Then I found out that Amazon sold Handspring stuff. I would much rather pay the Amazon shipping fee ... than I would the Handspring fee.

I also like the colors. I was expecting to get a yellow stylus in the pack, but in the place of the yellow one, there was an orange one, which is great because my Visor is Orange!

Also, the reset button that unscrews from the tip and the mini philips screwdriver that unscrews from the top of the stylus are wonderful (no more hunting for a paper clip!).

I highly recommend this product if you need extra styli and are scared off by Handspring's high shipping cost.

Just like the one your handspring came with but,In five different colors.Nice

I've had a very good experience with the pocket viewer. I like the way the various menus are laid out and the included features. Although this device does not allow add-on programs, I really have not missed this feature. The pocket viewer has a good scheduler that supports repeating items and multi-day events. I don't find data entry with the little on-screen keyboard a problem. I can keep up with a friend who uses a Palm with handwriting recognition. The "quick memo" feature is very handy... no more scraps of paper. The long battery life and flash memory (keeps your data without power applied)are good features. The included PC software works as promised. Data can also be transferred from the windows clipboard into the memo area. It's a little awkward to use, but with this feature and the 4MB memory, I have moved a lot of text into my Casio with no problems. It must be pretty sturdy...I've dropped it 3 times onto the floor and it still works! Some things I don't like are that the backlight will only stay on for 15 seconds, and that accessories such as an extra cradle or stylus have been near impossible to find. If you don't need the programmable features of some of the other PDA's this is a good choice. The large amount of memory available coupled with well designed functions works for me. I've been using it every day for about two months now with no problems.

I HAVE USED THIS PRODUCT FOR 3 YEARS IN OUR CARPET BUSINESS. IT IS QUICK TO USE, WINDOWS FORMAT. VERY USER FRIENDLY. I PAID 100.OO FOR MINE AND NOW THEY ARE 1/2 THE PRICE. YOU WON'T BE DISSPOINTED.

I started looking for an inexpensive PDA to help me remember appointments and daily work schedule stuff. I intended to buy either a Palm III or a Handspring Visor, figuring that [it] was a good price compared to all the other prices I'd seen. Thank goodness I searched the Internet. I came across the Royal daVinci and the PV-400Plus, both cost [the same]. I bought the daVinci, and like what it offers, despite a minor glitch it had. You can get an optional mini-keyboard, you can upload new features into it, and it syncs with MS Outlook. Then I found a local store that had the Casio and decided I'd compare them. The Casio is half as thin, doesn't have a mini-keyboard (yet), you can't load new features into it, but it comes with what I needed. The one-handed dial is a bonus for looking up something quickly, and its size makes it easier to find a wallet case for (it'll fit into almost any Palm case). It syncs perfectly with MS Outlook at the touch of a button, using 95/98/NT, whatever. It comes with everything you need right out of the box. I kept the Casio and took the daVinci back the next day, and I've been loving it every since. Several of my friends are now re-evaluating their PDA options. As long as you don't need a PDA you can connect to the Internet with, I highly recommend the PV-400Plus.

I use this wallet with my Handspring Visor and it works great. Nothing fancy here, but hey, it's cheap. Black leather looks nice and is supple enough to fold in half backwards. Little elastic loops hold two spare AAA batteries so there's no excuse to get caught with dead ones. The wallet also has a handy stash for business cards, receipts, etc. The only drawback I've found is that, without the Visor hardcover, it's possible to turn the power on and drain your battery. My solution was to put the velcro on the front of my Visor's hardover and have it held in place by the wallet. This allows the Visor to be held in the wallet screen up or screen down. All in all, a great buy.

Summary: I bought this case for my Palm Vx and love it! I admit I was skeptical -- but for the price I figured I didn't have much to lose. I'd seen other cases at prices between $... and $..., and I just didn't want to spend that much unless I was convinced I was really getting value for my money. Although not the ultimate PDA case by any means, the Sumdex offers a great combination of usefulness and style at an unbeatable price.

Features: Very good quality leather, zipper and stitching. Compact design still allows room for credit cards, small memo pad, folding green. Velcro strip (included) securely attaches PDA to case. Clean, unobtrusive exterior with subtle Sumdex logo. Elastic battery holders also fit compact pens/pencils.

Drawbacks: Compact design will not hold checkbook or larger memo pad and may not be suitable for larger PDAs (verify dimensions before purchasing). Not reversible -- PDA must be placed on right side of interior. No choice of color (black only). No dedicated window for business cards or other owner information.

General comments: Overall, a great value in a stylish, well-designed case. Recommended.

Chances are, if you are reading this review, you are looking to see if this is the case for your PDA. I say it is! I have a Palm Zire Handheld, and was worried that the [EXTREMELY] flimsy plastic flip top would not protect the screen from scratches. I shopped for a good case that was small, had a wallet, inexpensive, and would protect my Zire. This is great on all counts! I got it on sale here on Amazon.com for about ten dollars.

This case has:

All leather construction
A couple of elastic loops for batteries (which I use for a pen, since my Zire is rechargeable)
Velcro to hold your PDA in place
Pockets for cash, credit cards, buisness cards, memory cards, etc. (One large and two small)
Zipper Closure

On the box it came in, it shows a list of PDAs that it will most definitely fit (and any other one that you may have will most likely fit). Here is what is guaranteed to fit:

Palm Zire
Palm Zire 21
Palm Zire 71
Palm Tungsten C
Sony NX series
Sony TG50
Visor Platinum
IPaq h1900 Series
IPaq h3900 Series
IPaq h5400 Series
Toshiba e750
Dell Axium
ViewSonic V35

My favorite part? The ease of getting to the charger. My Zire has the charger cable and Mini USB ports on top, so I just move the zipper a little and plug it in!

I hope this helps you!

I purchased this puppy for my new Visor Prism - Color. Overall, very impressed with this MP3 Player:

Here are the Pros/Cons:

Pros: Awesome sound quality(better than the Rio 500 I own), Small Size (fits flush into Visor), great user Interface (in color) for the Visor, excellent desktop client software (again it kills the RioPort software)

Cons: No add-on memory, earphones included are weak

Highly recommended

I just received it today and am enjoying the tunes. It uploads music to my Platinum fast (all 64 megs in about 4 minutes) and the sound is crystal clear. This is my first springboard and it was a good one (no pun intended).

Here are the reasons I went with this one over the MiniJam:

1) It fits nearly flush into the Visor. You can put your cover on the front just fine and barely fits on the back due to the fact that the springboard is raised about 1/16 of an inch from the back of the Visor. The MiniJam on the other hand doesn't look like you can put the cover on at all.

2)Although this doesn't support extra memory, 64mb is enough for me. That's over an hour of music. The MiniJam with 32mb costs the same price and then you get to pay extra for more memory.

3)I have issues with the company that makes MiniJam, InnoGear. They were supposedly going to come out with a SixPak module last year that I was totally planning on buying. Then, with no explanation, all traces of the SixPak development and schedualed release dates disappeard. They dropped the ball, I dropped them.

4)SoundsGood comes with a nice case to put everything in.

Battery life
Good battery life. I've noticed a slight increase in battery usage while the module was in use. Somewhat more than other Springboard (SB) modules such as memory expansion modules. Also, when the module is plugged in, it seems to affect the reading of the battery gauge, making it seem like there's less power than there should be. As a result, you may get a low battery warning sooner than you should. This is normal, but if you're using rechargeable batteries, you may want to swap fresh ones, since they have less capacity per charge than normal alkalines to insure you don't lose handheld data. The gauge returns to normal when the player is removed from the slot. My suggestion, if you use your Visor a lot and/or foresee using this player a lot as well, it may be worth your while to spring for nickel metal hydride rechargeable batteries. You'll swap batteries more often due to its lower capacity per charge, but you'll get your savings back after a month of usage.

Sound quality
I'm no audiophile, probably nothing to brag about, but the sound quality is good enough for me. Very close to the sound you get on a PC with "average" speakers and sound card. I can't put my finger on it, but the provided headphones sound "tinny", so using a better quality set ought to take care of that. Max volume is more than enough in quieter places, but on a "rickety" subway like the older NYC trains, you'll be almost hard pressed to hear much of anything.

External controls
There 4 controls: play/pause (technically play/stop, as when you DO "pause", it actually turns off while remembering where you last were), skip forward one track, skip back one track, and a volume jog dial control. The first turns on and plays the player, or pauses and resumes play. The next two are self explanatory, but further adding that reaching the first or last track will wrap around to the last or first track respectively. Unlike many CD and mp3 players however, there is no search mode available (done by pressing and holding these buttons). The last controls volume, but also can be depressed (like the wheel of a scroll mouse), which will automatically bring up the control screen regardless the current state of your Visor. The jog dial gets you to your desired volume setting after a few flicks, but the controls are just rounded knobs, so you'll have to press hard or use your nail. Also, you may accidentally lift and pull out the head phone jack (mine plugged in wasn't snug, but a little loose) when you try to press the button next to it. It has it's faults, but is still a nice alternative to having to whip out your stylus and cover just to control the audio. One thing I do like about this is the play button will light green (dim or bright) if you set it that way. This takes more battery power, but I recommend it so that you can tell if the unit is on or off, without having to turn the screen on or plug in headphones to listen and potentially draining your power without knowing it.

Software interface
It's simple and intuitive. Similar to Winamp minus the skins and fancy equalizer. You can bring down a pull down menu of all the songs you've loaded, there's an simpler equalizer where you can adjust bass, treble, and general frequency settings (none of which I really used), sliders for volume and track position (volume adjustable through the up and down keys as well), options to view details of mp3 tracks, and set modes of play (repeat, shuffle, etc.), as well as oversized standard buttons for play, stop, etc.

Loading music
Easy enough. All you need to do is ensure that all your music files are indeed mp3 format, drag and drop, and your next hotsync op will transfer the songs over. On the desktop software, it even tells you how much space you've got left before you transfer. Takes about a minute to transfer the full capacity. Pretty reasonable considering it Is USB 1.1.

Stability/reliability
Reliability has been good. I've never needed any tech support, and the thing's never broken down on me before. There have been times where upon plugging it in, I get "module was inserted improperly" or "Module seems hung, please try again". I sometimes get that once or twice in a row. The only time I get it 6 times in a row was when I left it in the car for weeks, in 35F degree weather, which I guessing was due to the cold.

Tech support
N/A as far as I'm concerned. The company is still there, but they've changed their business model. I tried calling them up about months after they changed their ways (this was approximately around summer of '02) and only one guy was there who had a decent understanding of what this product is and does. He wasn't able to answer my question though. Don't count on getting ANY tech support. IMO, this product is well made, so assuming there's nothing wrong with your Visor, tech support won't be needed.

Other notes
First, you can play games, take notes while the music is playing simply by hitting the home button. You actually need to hit the 'stop' button either internally or externally to actually turn it off. You could also leave the screen off to save battery. Next, you don't have the option of rearranging your playlist on the handheld. You need to do that before you load the music on there. Finally, only 64MB of nonexpendable memory? That makes this best suited for workouts, grocery shopping, and "low-end" users. 128MB would've been IDEAL. 4.5 stars is my actual rating, since there are some trivial issues with this, but it does deliver what it says smoothly and acceptably.

I have used PDAs for a few years, starting with a basic Palm 100. I received my Sony Clie as a gift for Christmas 2002. During the first year, the cable started to fail to charge up the device and I sent it away to the Sony workshop. It was fixed on the second attempt under warranty (apparently it needed welding and I was not impressed with the service). However, the same fault has recurred and I gave up and bought another PDA, chancing another Sony with a 2-year guarantee. Guess what? The new cable charges up the old PDA no problem. Also, I wonder if anyone else has a problem with displaying pictures from a Sony memory stick - my PDA shows a pixillated mess!

The Sony is a great value for those who don't need all the fancy bells and whistles. Think about what you really need in a PDA. Do you really want [an expensive] address book?

Pro's: Clear, crisp color screen, small size, stylish, Palm OS, rechargeable batteries, durable feel

Con's: Slightly thicker than other PDA's, significantly shorter battery life than advertised (need to charge about every other day, depending on use), cradle sold separately

Recommendations: get a PDA case - the protective cover doesn't stay put, remember to register with Sony to get the 1 year warranty

Overall: great mid-priced model, best display out there

Why I bought this PDA?
1.This is smaal and attractive. looks better than any other PDA. made with unbrackable plastic.
2.Screen is superb. in my opinion best..just best.
3.Best battery life(this is my third PDA. I have used T615c, and T665c. But I can say that the battery life in SJ30 is superb. I was really upset with my T665c.
4.My friends told me that I should have waited till last of October, becoz now OS 5 is ready to be launch. But in my opinion this OS is enough for my use. processor is 33mhz....good enough. sony drops their model easily...and I found that this was the model, I was looking for. I like clean shapes, that's why I bought GRX series sony laptop. and that is why i bought SJ30 too.
Now read my viwe in detai and i'm sure after reading this you will love SJ30.
MY DETAIL OPINION-
This is a real winner from Sony; it's color screen is clearly the best in the industry. Why? Sony supplies the LCD screen to palm, handspring, HP, Compaq (now HP), Toshiba, etc and of course has reserve the best screens to use in its own organizers. This is easily verified by comparing units in Best Buy, CompUSA, etc. Make no mistake, if you want a pure productivity tool; this is one of the best Palms (in this case I am using Palm to decsribe all PDAs including units that use PalmOS, Pocket PC, Psion, etc) you can get. It is very fast in all day to day usage (please ignore the 33MHz to 206MHz comparison of some Pocket PC troll; the Audiovox Maestro he mentioned may have a faster chip but when it comes to real program switching for example, it is painfully slow. Don't take my word for it either, try it out in a store for yourself. I must admit though that the 206MHz chip processes audio and video files properly and that's why listening to music or watching video is possible on a Audiovox Maestro. However, battery life is then naturally shortened and who wants to watch a 2 hour movie on a 3.5" screen?) Backl to the review; it's true that Sony has cut some corners in making this unit; the body is made of plastic but I find it of high quality and will stand up to good use. The short lenght of the unit makes using the scroll wheel a little difficult for me and I also find the scroll wheel slightly difficult stiff. However, I expect this stiffness to go away with time. The datebook, todo list, address book are simple to use for most computer illiterate; for the advanced users there exist Datebk5, Supernames shareware programs that you can install that will let you customize to your heart's content. All in all this is a great organizer. I suggest that is you want to buy it to test drive it in your local store and at leat compare it with a few other models. As of now (Sep 26,2002) the Sony T615 and T665 are still available for comparable prices so you may want to check those out too..but remember battery life in both the models are really bad.

If you compare the Dell Axim to other Pocket PCs and as well as to the entire handheld market, you will find that nothing else can top it. I bought my Axim X5 400mhz a couple of months ago and still have yet to wipe the grin off my face whenever I use it or even think of using it. Here are some things you can do if you have one:

1. Organize your life. The calendar, tasks, and email program as well as supplemental programs you can find for FREE on the Internet keep you on track whether you're a business person or a student (like me!). I have entered my class schedule into my Axim and it lists which classes and the times I have to take them every day (Pocket PC 2002 is smart enough to let you repeat items. For example, you can tell indicate that you have Roman Civilization every Tues. and Thurs. from 2:00-3:30PM from April 1st to June 10, and it will mark your calendar for you and remind you on each occurance if you'd like).

2. Entertainment. Buy a Secure Digital or Compact Flash card and you've got a working entertainment system. With the help of a program called Pocket MVP as well as the standard Pocket Windows Media Player, I have been able to listen to MP3s and watch Divx/AVI movies and trailers on my Axim. There are also many, many Pocket PC games you can buy online and many you can find for free.

3. Surf the Internet. Buy a wireless compact flash card (and you can find these for really cheap prices if you look for deals online) and find a wireless portal or use your home wireless router to do everything online that you can do on a PC. You can also download instant message programs to chat and IM with other people online.

The Axim lets you do this and more. It looks stylish and is a great toy and tool that you won't get tired of.

I forever shopped for a pocket PC. Never owned a palm, all I knew was that I wanted a color pocket PC. The price originally won me over compared against the IPAQ. However, with the advent of the HP IPAQ 1910 at [amount], the same price of the AXIM after rebate, I was torn. The IPAQ is incredibly small and light and has a slightly larger screen. However the process is half of the Dell and the battery life is not great from what I have read. I realize the Dell in larger in size, but I really had nothing to compare it to. The HP is so small that I am sure I would drop it. The HP also has less with it. For roughly the same price, the Dell is fully loaded with software, comes with a case, and includes a very slick and modern docking station. I even bought the extra battery just in case but that ended up being a waste money since battery life is so good!

I am very happy with this product as a new user. Overall design, price and performance cannot be beat. Enjoy!

This is a great pocket PC. I am not a hard core techie like my husband and I find it easy to use. It synches with outlook, which was key for me. Also, there is plenty of good software to download for it. I like Avant-go and e-wallet. The buttons are programmable so you can use your downloaded software with ease. For example, my home button now simply brings me the news. I do reccommend getting more memory if you want to store photos or video clips, etc...

this was the second Palm I owned, and was a closeout model, and it was terrible. Battery life is non-existent unless one week counts. In fact was away from unit for a week and not only were the batteries completely dead, but lost all data. I love the convenience of a PDA, just not THIS PDA

I've spent 6 months with the Palm VII my wife bought me for my birthday and I'm satisfied with it.

In spite of being a disk pig who has used up over 4 Gigs of space on his laptop with data and programs, I've had no problem living within the 2 Meg memory of the VII. My favorite add-on programs are DateBook3 and STRIP, which I use to store passwords. I still have room for Tealdoc, a couple chapters of a book, and hundreds of contacts and reminders.

I have installed dozens of web applets, but I'm not a heavy user of the Internet and rarely exceed the lowest rate of $9.95. The web clipping applets are very stingy with data, making them economical to use even with the relatively expensive per byte rate. I've found Internet access especially useful for checking traffic conditions, getting weather reports, and checking on arrival times for planes when meeting someone. I also use the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, and sometimes use the GoNetwork translator as a 5-language foreign dictionary. Want to know what's playing in your neighborhood, but you don't have the newspaper? Look it up on your Palm on Moviefone.

The VII really comes into its own when travelling. Having access to driving directions or phone numbers is a big convenience, and when returning to DFW, it helps to be able to tell the taxi driver what gate your flight is leaving from so you can be dropped off at the correct terminal building. Even if you do your reticketing through the airline or an agent, it is useful to pull down a schedule first. Ever been in a hotel room without "USA Today" and not known what was on TV? Look it on your VII with Rick-T-Land.

I rarely use iMail, and normally limit it to outgoing messages. I've configured it so my return address is my normal work address, and only give my palm.net address out when I explicitly want someone to address mail to my PDA. (I have such a heavy volume of mail that it would be hopeless to ever use a Palm to read it). It's cool to send a message home when you are waiting to board a plane. Although I used Amazon's applet to buy a book once, I don't trade stock with my Palm. It might be useful to buy entertainment tickets, but I never have.

I assume that someday I will need more than the 2Megs available in this device, but by then, there will probably be some newer color version (at a premium price). For now, having access to the Internet makes up for the reduced memory. You don't need to download that foreign language dictionary--just query one on the web. If you finish the book you brought, download another one.

The VII really comes into its own when you are outside of the office, or don't have immediate access to a web browser. It also has major prestige value. The next time you get into an argument over what movie Minnie Driver was in before "Good Will Hunting," you can be the one to whip out the wireless PDA and impress your friends by finding the answer on the Internet Movie Database.

To be honest, I think most people won't have the quality of their life greatly affected one way or the other just by having a Starbucks locator hanging from their belt, but it is fun. Not everyone will be able to live with the memory constraints of the VII, and it can't synch with your laptop using the IR port (carry the synch cable in your laptop case). I still have plenty of RAM left, though, and I have lots of calendar entries, notes, and contacts that I synchronize with Outlook. I'm very pleased with the Pocket Mirror synchronization applet, also. I was able to drill down into the configuration and set it so that the categories I had already defined on my Palm were uploaded to Outlook on my laptop. Very convenient.

Favorite accessory: Black leather case on a quick-release belt clip.

OK, here is my scoop on this device.. I have seen some people saying that 2MB was not enough memory. BULL****. I have 88 applications on it and still have 900k free, which is a little under half left!.. I am an avid stock trader and use it to make my trades at work. Mytrack and Fidelity both allow you to trade via the palm if you have an account. I have one with Mytrack and recommend them. I also use it for weather, travel directions, email, news, movie times, white pages lookup, shopping comparison, checking flight schedules, UPS and FEDEX package tracking.. This device is SWEET! I had never had any interest in a palm device until I heard about the VII with wireless connection. I have had mine for a week now and can't put it down.. Very handy.. The internet connectivity through palm.net is a bit pricey but I am sure it will come down with time.. Unlimited access is 44.00 month.. They do have other plans available by the amount of data transmitted. Lifting the antenna gets you connected to the net in about 3 seconds.. The web clipping is fine, stock quotes, directions, phone number lookups, email, etc.. Granted this is not an Internet browser but a great second best, the email rocks, when you sign up with palm.net you get a free email account that you can check and send email from the palm.. Very cool.. I guess I only have one minor complaint, there is a bit of a glare sometimes when held at a certain angle.. Like I said a minor issue.. I bought it for the internet access but the built in address book and planner are nice too.. It is a little pricey at 450.00 but I do recommend it to anyone that has an interest in it but needs that confirmation from someone that has it already.. One last note, there are hundreds of applications for it that can be found on the Internet.. Some are shareware and some are freeware, Alot of the good one's are free.. Out of the 88 I have, there is only one that I have to pay for, a stock portfolio manager.. ENJOY!

This is a very handy organizer. However, an alternative should have been provided so that data can be entered directly to the REX without the need for a PC.

As a part-time trainer in Time Management I'm always looking for better softwares and simpler yet powerful solutions for controlling one's work and personal life. I've always come back to Sidekick which is effectively the software that goes with Rex (or Rex Pro). I load, sort, manipulate, all my info during the day and synchronise everytime I leave the office - then carry on making calls from my limo. Rex is infinitely simpler than the Palm and fits nicely into your vest pocket along with your cellular and a small notebook. In fact I've bought every one of my 18 office staff a Rex and oblige them to use it. We do not permit loose paper in our office nor inefficient work processes!

I will not repeat all the excellent reviews already posted. However, I do give REX five stars because although you cannot enter data directly with the basic REX, you can move up to the REX Pro, if you really need that capability. Otherwise, why bother? The leather wallet that comes with it has a handy packet of business-card size note paper that I use to record any information I need to enter later on my PC. Using a Zip drive at home and at work, I can also easily update and transfer the latest data between work and home, working at either place to update my REX card.

The only missing feature is where to find additional business-card sized note paper to carry in the wallet. I have to use blank business card stock from an office supply outlet as the handiest replacement. Hopefully, I will find a supplier for the paper one of these and may be the manufacturer (or Amazon.com) will oblige.

For me, the ultimate benefit is size as well as function. I used to carry a Week-At-A-Glance mini-organizer (paper) in my pants pocket. And last year, I started using a Franklin Planner (paper). Now, I carry REX and will never have to replace an address book ever again! Plus, it holds so much more than the mini-organizer and most everything I really need from the Franklin Planner. Bliss!

I cannot understand the few comments I've heard about poor screen brightness. I compared the screen side-by-side with other makes / models and the Jornada's was by far the best. I use MS Reader and am halfway through a novel and have had no problems reading the screen for extended times.

Windows for Pocket PC 2002 is a very nice OS. Lots of functionality. Very smooth syncronization with Outlook (included). I like the Pocket versions of Word and Excel. Especially like the note function - I don't have to take paper into meetings any more.

If you use your Pocket PC at home and work (like me), you will probably want to buy a second cradle and power adapter. Battery life is good compared to other Pocket PCs, but not nearly as good as Palm units. I expect to be buying an extra standard or extended battery in coming weeks.

Although I still don't have a modem or ethernet card for mine, I like using AvantGo to get web clips during sync to my desktop. Very nice feature.

Overall very pleased. Better than a laptop / notebook computer (except for screen size).

This is a great PDA. It runs Windows 2002 Pocket PC Edition very well. I can play MP3's, use Pocket Word, and synchronize with Microsoft Outlook without a problem.

The only reason I gave it 4 out of 5 stars is that the screen scratches amazingly easy. I always keep the thing in a soft case, and it's already scratched up pretty good. I have no idea how these little blemishes got there, but it is very annoying when the light is just right and they stand out.

First, it has a built-in Type Ie Compact Flash (CF) card slot. Type Ie means Type I extended. It refers to the removable door behind the slot, allowing bulkier peripherals to plug into the slot. Cards that come in Type II that WILL NOT work include the IBM Microdrive. Also, there is no built-in Secure Digital (SD) card slot like some of the other Pocket PC 2002 PDAs. HP will be releasing an expansion sled that has an SD/MMC slot (more on expansion later). Personally, I'd rather have the CF slot over the SD slot since I use the slot primarily for memory expansion and CF cards come in larger capacities (currently up to 512MB) for less dollars.

Other features: The flip cover (it's removable) helps protect the screen when not in use. It doesn't naturally flip open to 180 degrees or flush with the back. You could force it but I wouldn't risk damage. The sides have a rubberized grip for a secure hold. There is an up/down rocker button on the thumb side (if you hold the PDA in your left hand) that is nice for one-handed scrolling. Below the rocker button is the record button which is nice for recording voice notes or for using the bundled Mobile Conversay speech recognition software. This software allows you to use a basic voice calendar as well as query the date/time, battery level, and open applications. The recognition quality is actually pretty good. The four "hot" keys (HP home menu, calendar, contacts, and tasks) can be mapped to four additional functions using a press-and-hold. For example, two of the keys can be mapped such that pressing and holding would bring up 4 volume profiles and 4 brightness profiles.

The 56x is slim and light. It is about the same size as a naked iPaq (without expansion sleeve). It feels very comfortable in hand. It's light and slim enough to be truly carried in one's cargo pants pocket without the feeling it's pulling your pants down.

The biggest advantage is the battery (rated 14 hours). Compared with the older iPaq's (36xx series), the 56x battery runs almost twice as long. The best part is that the battery is removable. So, you could carry two standard batteries for extended use. HP will also release an extended battery sled that is rated at 28 hours, according to their website. The battery slot also serves as an expansion slot. Other planned expansion choices, all due within the next 3 months, include a standard battery with a built-in SD/MMC slot and a PC card sled with battery and SD/MMC slot. There is also a backup battery that comes with the 56x for retaining your data in the event the standard battery is removed. So, you won't have to worry about losing your data if the main battery gets totally drained.

Gripes: The stylus is a cheap, flimsy plastic stylus. I would prefer they use a heavier weight stylus. The screen is smaller than the iPaq's. However, the screen is the same resolution (320x240 pixels), so images will appear tighter in the smaller screen. There has also been a big stink over dust creeping underneath the screen. So, if you view something with a dark background, you could see dust particles that make the 56x look like it has a dandruff problem. HP is aware of this problem (since so many people have complained about it) and assures that those devices made in November on will have better sealed screens. If you want to know when your 56x was manufactured, check the serial number written inside the main battery slot. The number begins with SGXYY... X is the year (1 = 2001). YY is the week of the year. So, SG144 and later devices should have the dust problem remedied. Mine has not had a dust problem, so I consider myself lucky.

Like it's Pocket PC 2002 cohorts, it sports a 206MHz StrongARM processor, 64K colors, and the full Pocket PC 2002 OS. Since PPC2002 only uses about 24MB of the 32MB ROM, there is 8MB available for storage (called HP Safe Store) on top of the 32MB/64MB RAM. This is a nice place to install essential applications you want to keep even if you have to hard reset the device or for backing up your contacts and calendar info.

Overall, this is a wonderful PDA that is very well designed. Definitely a serious competitor with the iPaq.

I got a really good deal on my III, and I'm happy I bought it. However, the Palm V would fit my (and most people's) style better due to its size. 2 meg is plenty of memory, unless your outlook contacts measure in the 5 figures and you must have 50 different applications.

Graffitti is fine once you learn it, which isn't hard. But while the recognition is light years ahead of that Apple piece of junk that I was stupid enough to buy a few years ago (I had to have something), you can't write things down on the fly and expect the system to convert to text. Although I don't have one, I believe there are digital ink applications there which allows one to scribble notes in whatever handwriting you have. As long as you can read it, that's fine.

I have no idea whether Palm compares favorably to Windows CE, but if you judge by sales, Palm runs away with it. The battery life is not what I would like, but its adequate. But if you want a shirt pocket PDA, the Palm V is the only solution.

I'll be the first to say it - I love my pilot. I take it everywhere & it has saved me driving to the office on numerous weekends. I had the Palm Professional too, and have since upgraded to the Palm III. My Palm Professional was dropped numerous times, with minimal damage. I've had my new Palm III for 3 months. I dropped it - for the first time - this morning. It fell a distance of no more than 5 inches to a tile floor and cracked the screen. When I called Support - they informed me that they could a) send out a reconditioned model that I could keep but send my own in return, or b) they would send out an empty box w/a prepaid airbill to return my device for repairs. This would cost me $100 either way. Now, I'm a reasonable person, but paying 25-30% of the original cost for a cracked screen seems a bit high. Seeing as they are the only folks able to repair these things, it looks more like a nice after market than anything else. The support rep mentioned that 60-70% of their calls are for cracked screens. Pilot should re-evaluate the amount of money they charge for repairs of this type - especially if they are so numerous. I haven't decided whether I want to go ahead and spend the money to have it repaired or put that $100 toward another PDA - from another manufacturer. Its a great tool - and if you buy it you'll love it. But be prepared to never, EVER drop it. ;-)

I have been having my PALM II for more or less 1 year and am very happy with it. The handling of directions, appointments, alarms, to-do's, cocktails, even TV-shows is excellent.
The memory capacity is something limiting when you begin to use 3rd-apps (Irda Remote Control emulation, DocuemntsToGo,etc). The back-light is very shining, and its consumption of batteries (alkalines) is fair (1 pair every month).
I bought this one from a friend that boght it from another friend. i'm the 3d owner, but even so, keeps totally useful, no scratchs and good-looking.
It's some heavy and big (it's not a ZIRE!) but for the beginner that wants to wipe out all the papers and the phone book, it's perfect!
A point important to consider is the size of the screen, in my opnion, is a bit greater than the rest, so the fonts appear more clear and you read them easier.
And finally, the price: It's an old model (it's a Classic!) therefore if you can get one of this, just do it!, it's very cheap for their services.
Come to the Palm world = )