Organizer Reviews

It's refreshing to see Palm come out with a competing product to the Sony Clie's. Lots of cool stuff for the price point. My review is more critical of the flaws of the device. It's still a good PDA, but there are some quirks. The Zire 71 is meant to compete against the Sony Clies. In the effort to get a product quickly to market, there are some rough edges.

PRO: Lots of cool toys - MP3 player, web camera, SD slot, and a great color screen. There are plenty of positive reviews, so see them for more positives.

NEG: BATTERY LIFE: Color screen, digital camera, and MP3's eats up battery life like crazy. This becomes a problem if the battery dies before you can hotsyc. MP3 FUNCTIONALITY: You'll need 1) a separate SD card - from $60 to $100 AND 2) a SD card reader for transfering files to and from the SD card. I found that a 5 meg song took about 20 minutes using the serial interface. RealPlayer, which comes with the Palm, works ok, but it's a pretty lousy player/burner. Another irritation is that you can't "lock" the PDA when playing MP3 files. DESIGN: Seems that the engineers and the designers didn't talk with each other. It's too easy to accidently turn on the Palm. The Palm cases available can catch the "joystick" or allow the hot keys to be depressed. In addition, you can accidently turn on or off the PDA when you remove or replace the stylus.

Overall, if you can live with the shortcomings, then the Zire 71 is a buy.

OK, the people that designed this baby, should be fired, or given a crash course on not getting cheap with a product of this price.

I love this little baby; mp3, buttons, video fx, pictures (fair at best,). But, I have my distaste for certain things which may sound trivial, but are important to many of us.

1-Can't Palm supply this expensive device with a quality belt carrying case? I paid 20 bucks for mine at Staples, and the button is starting to become loose. A 4 dollar product for Palm, if they decided to buy them and including them with the product. Instead, they give you this piece of crap cover, which is the most impractical case you can see.

2-The blue paint on the side, peels like a banana. What the hell is that made of?

3-The power on button is awkward, somtimes turning on when the case touches it out of random motion. Couldn't have placed it on the bottom of the unit?

Apart from the aforementioned, the unit is pretty good. But why would Palm get so cheap, and not address these petty problems which could of been rectified with some practical designers?

Next time I buy a PDA, I will do my homework, and see if the competition can offer a solution to these petty problems.

Otherwise, I'm somewhat satisfied. I hope not to encounter the battery life nightmares that some people have. Not able to replace the battery, is like spending $$$ on a car, and not being able to replace its battery. Makes you wonder if Palm wants you to replace them every year.

Disposable Palm is what the message is conveying.

I've been using handhelds/PDAs for many years, and I've been a Palm OS user for the last 3 years. When my aging Handspring Visor recently started giving me troubles, I began to casually look around for a decent upgrade. A review of the Zire 71 in MacAddict caught my eye, and a couple of days later I went and bought one. To say the least, I am very satisfied with this purchase.

The Zire 71 has a beautiful display, which is very crisp and vibrant indoors. The color is a bit washed out when outdoors in bright sunlight, but it is still quite usable. Multimedia playback works nicely on the Zire, although movies don't play quite as smoothly as I would like. The need to purchase a memory card just to store MP3s is also a bit of a bummer. But then again, the device only comes with 16MB of RAM as it is, so you'd probably end up buying a memory card at some point anyway.

The Zire 71's camera takes good pictures, and is very handy for those moments when you don't have a regular camera with you. Granted, the photos are 640x480, there's no flash, no zoom, etc. This is obviously not going to replace a dedicated digital or film camera for serious picture taking. But sometimes you spontaneously need to take a picture or two, and if you carry your handheld with you everywhere (as I do), the Zire's built in camera will no doubt prove useful.

My only real complaint about the Zire is the little navigational stick. I like the stick itself, but the fact that pressing it turns on the handheld (to display the time) is troublesome. The included case is a tight fit, and it would always press the nav stick when I was putting the Zire inside. The last thing I need to worry about is bumping the stick while the handheld is in my pocket, and thus wasting battery power. Fortunately, there is a solution: a program called "Disable Buttons" that lets you disable the physical buttons when the handheld is off. You can disable the various buttons (date book, contacts, etc) or just the navigation stick if you want. Search for it on Google or PalmGear.com (it's freeware).

To sum up: The Zire 71 is a very capable little machine. It's certainly enough to organize the contacts and data in your life, and the multimedia capabilities are a nice touch. Definitely a worthy successor to my ol' Visor. Highly recommended.

After a bunch of research, I decided to make my jump to Handspring from Palm. I checked out all the current models and decided on the Sliver Metallic Visor Edge, being used to a Palm IIIx that I definitely loved. The Palm had been losing time and crashing until I figured out that my email hot synching took up too much memory. Anyway, the Visor arrived with its small USB cradle and was easily installed over my Palm desktop. I was able to beam all my extra applications with no trouble. After almost a month I am very pleased with the size and performance of the Edge. It's a very classy looking "second brain". I have no need for color, or expectations of using it with modules, so can recommend the Edge for all who would like a powerful package in a compact case. My only quibble is not being able to change the display intensity--you can put the backlight on, but you can't ease the light on or off the way Palm allowed. In spite of this, I won't miss my Palm when I'm in such good hands with the Edge.

Ever seen these guys that carry around wallets an inch thick? I wonder to myself "how can they not feel that?" If I had a brick continuously jabbing my leg, I sure would. That's why I carry an ultra-slim wallet in my right pocket and a Visor Edge in the left.

For me, the choice between Palm and Handspring is black and white. Handspring is the clear choice with its USB interface, Palm OS and wide range of accessories.

The Visor Edge is awesome. You've really got to handle one to realize just how thin it is. The only down side is that, when using a module, you double its size. Then again, how often do you use a module? If the answer is never, who cares?

The Edge has a nice, high-contrast screen, rechargeable battery, and strong flip-cover (which adds no depth). The Edge has a classy touch and feel with its silver finish. If you're looking for a sleek PDA you can carry in your pocket - I highly recommend the Handspring Visor Edge.

- Steve Keiser

Practical, portable, durable, expandable, and it looks good.

Practical - The Visor Edge ("VE") uses Palm software. Unlike Windows CE and the like, its quick and easy to jot down biz information and to retrieve it.

Portable - Check out the specs. This is the thinnest and lightest PDA around.

Durable - Metal case with metal flip cover. My VE has been in backpacks, back pockets, and in cargo pants for almost 3 years and it's still going strong.

Expandable - A plethora of useful and fun applications are developed for the Palm platform.

It looks good - My VE is brushed silver: sleek with a futuristic feel.

When someone manages to fit a color PDA into a VE shell, I'll consider upgrading.

After a bunch of research, I decided to make my jump to Handspring from Palm. I checked out all the current models and decided on the Sliver Metallic Visor Edge, being used to a Palm IIIx that I definitely loved. The Palm had been losing time and crashing until I figured out that my email hot synching took up too much memory. Anyway, the Visor arrived with its small USB cradle and was easily installed over my Palm desktop. I was able to beam all my extra applications with no trouble. After almost a month I am very pleased with the size and performance of the Edge. It's a very classy looking "second brain". I have no need for color, or expectations of using it with modules, so can recommend the Edge for all who would like a powerful package in a compact case. My only quibble is not being able to change the display intensity--you can put the backlight on, but you can't ease the light on or off the way Palm allowed. In spite of this, I won't miss my Palm when I'm in such good hands with the Edge.

Ever seen these guys that carry around wallets an inch thick? I wonder to myself "how can they not feel that?" If I had a brick continuously jabbing my leg, I sure would. That's why I carry an ultra-slim wallet in my right pocket and a Visor Edge in the left.

For me, the choice between Palm and Handspring is black and white. Handspring is the clear choice with its USB interface, Palm OS and wide range of accessories.

The Visor Edge is awesome. You've really got to handle one to realize just how thin it is. The only down side is that, when using a module, you double its size. Then again, how often do you use a module? If the answer is never, who cares?

The Edge has a nice, high-contrast screen, rechargeable battery, and strong flip-cover (which adds no depth). The Edge has a classy touch and feel with its silver finish. If you're looking for a sleek PDA you can carry in your pocket - I highly recommend the Handspring Visor Edge.

- Steve Keiser

Practical, portable, durable, expandable, and it looks good.

Practical - The Visor Edge ("VE") uses Palm software. Unlike Windows CE and the like, its quick and easy to jot down biz information and to retrieve it.

Portable - Check out the specs. This is the thinnest and lightest PDA around.

Durable - Metal case with metal flip cover. My VE has been in backpacks, back pockets, and in cargo pants for almost 3 years and it's still going strong.

Expandable - A plethora of useful and fun applications are developed for the Palm platform.

It looks good - My VE is brushed silver: sleek with a futuristic feel.

When someone manages to fit a color PDA into a VE shell, I'll consider upgrading.

I bought a m105 in June 2003. It worked fine for a few months, then I started to lose all my data during battery replacement. Now, it takes me 30 minutes and half my battery power to hotsync after battery changes. There should be a recall from Palm but they are not "man" enough to deal with this problem. If you call them they will charge you $75 to fix this problem.

Lots of storage capacity... All the cool features of the Palm™ m100 handheld, plus 8MB of memory, the Mobile Internet Kit, and a HotSync® cradle for fast and easy backup... Web and email friendly... The included Mobile Internet Kit makes it easy to stay in touch...Send and receive email wirelessly or tap into your favorite websites using your compatible modem or cell phone from practically anywhere... Totally customizable... Change the color of your handheld with an assortment of snap-on faceplates...Plus, add on any of the thousands of software applications available, from business productivity tools to games...Many are free... Keeps your data safe. Backup all your important data onto your desktop with the touch of a button using the included HotSync® cradle... At-a-glance timekeeping... Conveniently-positioned clock doubles as a travel alarm to get you up on time... Size/Weight: 4.66" x 3.12" x .72" / 4.4 oz...

Display: Advanced LCD with backlight...

Expandability: Serial connector...

Software Applications: Date Book, Address Boook, Mail, To Do List, Memo Pad, Expense, Calculator, Notepad, Security, Games, HotSync® technology for local and remote synchronization with your PC...

Desktop Import/Export: Import CSV, Tab delimited, TXT. Drag and drop links to Microsoft Excel and Word...

Infrared Port: Yes, for data/software sharing...

Operating System: Palm OS Software v3.5...

Flexible Storage Capacity: Highly efficient operating system w/ 8MB of memory stores thousands of addresses, years of appointments, hundreds of to-do items, notes, memos, and more than 50 add-on applications (based on an average size of 50k, size of applications may vary)...

Requirements: • IBM-compatible 486 PC or higher running Windows 95/98/2000/NT or Macintosh Power PC running OS 7.5.3 or later • Macintosh Power PC running OS 7.5.3 or later • 16MB recommended for Windows 2000 • 30MB free hard disk space • Mouse • CD Rom Drive • 6MB free RAM for Macintosh • One available serial port (USB and Macintosh serial adapters sold seperately)

Included in the box: • Palm m105 handheld • HotSync Cradle • Two AAA alkaline batteries • CD-ROM (Palm™ Desktop software, Link to Microsoft Outlook, AvantGo software) • Mobile Internet Kit • Black faceplate and protective flip cover

Cool Piece...IIIxe Is Now Discontinued...Great New Piece, But The Screen Is Smaller Than The IIIxe...

I've had my m105 for two years before experiencing loss of data, which is a result of an internal capacitor not holding a charge on the motherboard. So why the five stars then? Because it's a GREAT starter PDA.

It served my initial purpose--which was eliminate lugging around my bulky Franklin planner. From there, I kept track of various budgets, i.e., weekly expenses and saving for vacations, as well as tracked time I spent writing. I even *wrote* chunks of various novels-in-progress on the m105 with folding keyboard (keyboard sold separately.) I also enjoyed ebooks, which I wasn't interested in reading pre-PDA because I didn't want to read the books at my computer or waste paper printing them out.

If you're looking for a great starter PDA, or if you're aren't too sure about whether or not a PDA would be of use to you, I HIGHLY recommend the m105. Even the battery situation isn't a problem: I've used rechargeable AAA batteries for my entire two years of use.

Let me start by saying that the only reason I did not give this Palm only 1 star is because while it was working, I absolutely loved it. This was a great Palm pilot and I used it for pretty much everything. I loaded it up with third party software, filled my expansion card with e-books and played games with very few problems. I cannot highly recommend this unit and give it a 5 star rating due to the short life span compared to the price of $300 - $400 when I bought it a little over a year ago.

I started with a Palm xe, then a Palm IIIc, and ended up with a Palm m515. The Palm xe literally fell apart - the buttons snapped apart making it useless. When the Palm IIIc stopped working, I gave Palm the $125 to refurbish my unit which they did. Then about a year later it was accidentally put into the laundry while I was in the hospital after giving birth to my daughter, which is how I ended up with the m515. Now, just over a year later my Palm m515 just stopped working.

As much as I miss my Palm, I can't justify giving Palm another $125 to "refurbish" my unit or go out and purchase another brand new unit for $200 or more. I have spent SO much money on Palm PDA's and related items over the last three or four years that I feel like a junkie. I've been doing my research here at Amazon trying to find out if Sony is any better and it seems they are pretty much the same.

The irony is that Palm is selling products that do so much, but if you use all of the functionality, you drastically limit the life of the unit. So until these guys can make a sturdier product that has a longer life, they have lost me as a customer. And COME ON, give us a replaceable freaking battery already!

I absolutely loved this handheld until it stopped syncing.

When I started having this issue I contacted Palm immediately. They said it was a problem with static electricity - or something like that - and promised to send me a card to reset the thing. Well they took months to send it and it still didn't work. Now my warranty is over and they won't honor my claim although it started during the warranty period. I am not going to pay $125.00. It just isn't worth it.

Now it is nothing more than a play toy for my children.

I bought an m515 as an upgrade for my worn-out IIIxe. This is not a logical upgrade path. It makes more sense to upgrade to an m515 if you are ditching a Palm V, because essential peripherals like your keyboard could be reused.

Because of the 16MB of RAM, compared to the elderly IIIxe, the unit is very fast. This is noticable in operation as well as synching. The color display is very sharp and attractive, though a little hard to see in direct sunlight.

The appearance of the unit is trim and elegant, though it feels heavier than earlier models.. It is hard to believe that it packs the computing power that it actually does.

The biggest drawback that I have found so far is that the rechargeable battery does not last as long as AAA batteries, particularly if the screen contrast is set to "high", which makes it look really pretty. Fortunately, it takes a charge quickly as well. I am going to have to get the car recharger in order to be sure I don't run out of juice at a critical moment.

My wife has a palm m500 that she likes, I have a palm m500 that works so inconsistently I am looking for something else. My wife's will not sync with the computer, so I had the computer looked at and tuned up by the computer doctor. That did not help. We received a court document saying we could change out the sync modules, but we had to have the receipt proving we bought the palm. OF course, they had our warranty certification and address, but that was not good enough. Overall, My wife is decently happy with hers, but with all the problems we have had, I would never buy another Palm. Oh, the 90 day warranty is not too great either. I assume that the the Palm people have little trust in their product or they would offer a year warranty. I'm sure the 25 dollars they charge for service after the 90 day warranty is a major profit center for them. After thinking about this some more, I not only won't buy from them, I hope they go out of business.

I have the Vx and love it. I purchased this for my girlfriend and love the updates that Palm has added to this model over the Vx. For starters the screen on the M500 is much nicer than Vx. The image is clearer and the backlight is a hugh improvement. The Vx screen has a greenish color to it as well as with the backlight while the M500 has a eye pleasing white color to it.
Other improvements are the USB cradle, Palm 4.01 OS, and secure card slot. There are not a lot of current uses for the secure card slot but that might change over time.

If you are looking for a Palm I would highly recommend the M500 compared to some of the other models. Don't be fooled by some of the lower priced models. Some of the lower priced models use batteries where the M500 has rechargeable batteries, a big advantage. The lower priced models also have smaller screens and are made of plastic. For the extra money go for the M500, you won't regret it.

This is my first PDA, and I think it was a good choice. I was looking for something with expansion possibilities, and Palm OS.

While I wasn't willing to pay [price] extra for color, I have some pictures that would certainly look better on a color screen. Still I was quite surprised at how well some of them display on the m500 -- depends on the picture. The screen is very sharp and easy to read, especially compared to an m130 and IIIx I have looked at closely.

I think I have loaded up my m500 with lots of data and applications (51 items on the "Info" screen, including a Bible, AvantGo, and several documents and spreadsheets) and still have almost 3MB of memory left. When I start school again this spring, I will probably be glad I have that expansion slot.

The m500 is so easy to use, I was comfortable with it in minutes, and my 4-year-old son has mastered it.

I have had one crash. A game I loaded crashed, and required a reset. All data was gone, but all it took was a HotSync to get everything back -- that simple. I can see why many are unhappy with the included USB cradle, but it hasn't given me any trouble.

All-in-all, I am very pleased. Now my wife is thinking about getting one for herself!

The Zire may be cheap, but not nearly cheap enough. It's not even as good a value as the old m105. Zire's disadvantages: no backlight, 2 MB vs. 8 MB (that's the big one, and in case you didn't know, it really makes a difference), unit is disposable when rechargeable battery wears out vs. indefinite useful life w/replaceable AAAs (and you could always use rechargeables in m105 if you wanted to), less bundled software, rubbery gel flip-flop cover (try sliding *that* easily in and out of your pocket - and soft cover means buttons can get pressed accidentally), missing app buttons (some games and other apps use all 6!), weaker peripheral support (e.g., I could get a keyboard for the m105). Against all that weigh these advantages: attractive styling, standard mini-USB cable (so easily replaced - a nice touch), a slightly better screen (according to some - but only in good lighting!), rechargeable battery, small/lightweight (though the m105's not what you'd call bulky). Unless you're a slave to fashion, it doesn't seem close, does it? Since it seems the m105 has already been phased out, I'd recommend going for the m125. I've occasionally seen this priced BELOW the Zire (go figure), even though it adds to the m105's advantages the all-important SD/MMC card slot and Universal Connector expansion features.

If you need a handheld for basic PIM tasks such as phone numbers adresses and e-mail this is the one for you, read on. If on the other hand you need a powerful handheld computer able to do multimedia I recommend you look at the Sony Clie line of Palm OS handhelds.

The Zire provides all you need to substitute your paper based agenda out of the box.

About the OS:

Palm OS is actually the standard OS on handhelds (most like Windows on the desktop). This handheld includes a desktop PIM(personal information managers) as well as software to sync with Microsoft Outlook.

There are thousand of programs available for the palm OS add such as enhanced PIM , Personal finance program to syncronize with MS Money and Quicken as well as office suites and games.

Hardware:

Zire has a very stilish design it is almost as small as a Palm M515 or clie T 665. Also this handheld as all Palm branded handhelds is build to last with a tought elegant casing.

It is compatible with Windows and Machintos desktops. The only limitations I find in this computer are that it only has 2 MB of memory (but I am a power user), for most peple 2 MB is plenty to store thousand of addresses as well as and office suite and other programs. Another minor limitation for gammers it that there are only four buttons.

Sumarry:

The zire is arguably the best possible solution for someone just entering the world of handhelds. This is the best entry level handheld computer for the money

Last year I asked my wife for a PDA for Christmas which I received. She bought a good brand, a top seller, but I was totally frustrated with learning how it works. It shouldn't be that complicated. Maybe the Yippees and the Yuppies are smarter than I am or just determined to overcome any tough challenge. Not me! I bought a Palm Zire and fell in love. It has everything and does everything I need and I learned it in three minutes. The front cover is a soft, plastic flap which seems to be a pain to some but is easy to cope with and who needs backlighting? The battery is rechargable so I don't replace batteries. My calendar stretches on for years, my address book has about 250 entries and I've only just begun, my to do list is brilliantly simply, my note pad goes on forever with ideas, reminders, shopping list, etc. and I can switch from one category to the next with a simple touch of the handy stylus and back again. It is a delight to work with and anyone who slams it is an idiot! You want a stylish Cadillac with a phone and color TV screen, fine, go buy one, but for the price and simplicity you just can't beat it! In the world of sophisticated electronics, this little, light-weight, shirtpocket pal goes the distance for me . . . and probably for you. Simplify your life, get it all done and relax. Anything you need is right there in the Palm of your hand. Zire!

The handheld itself is great. I upgraded from a Palm m100. The color screen is beautiful and the bundled software is a nice feature. My only complaint with the device is that it seems to transfer data to the SD slot slowly. I've tried transferring some MP3s to the card and it takes FOREVER! The sync typically fails if I try to sync more than two songs at a time. With a 128MB card, the idea of synching up 20 times to fill up the card with music doesn't appeal to me.

For adventures in customer support with Palm, read on. Bottom line, limited technical support from Palm has made me regret my purchase of the Tungsten E.

I purchased my Tungsten E from Amazon in October, 2003. No problems there. In January of 2004, the handheld kept turning itself on for no apparent reason. To my intense displeasure, I found out that Palm cuts of telephone support for the Tungsten E at 90 days. After that, you have to pay about $25 US per call.

Obviously, if you're buying an E, you're concerned about your budget. As a result, there is no way that I'm going to pay 1/8th of the cost of the handheld to call them when their product malfunctions. After three email exchanges with Palm Support, my issue still hasn't been resolved. I've had to perform a few hard resets (hold down the power button and hit the reset button in the back to perform a hard reset) to no avail.

I think this product has great memory!!! It works Great, but the first day i got it it it didnt make a anouying beep( which I don't think it should) and then in a couple days, it started making this wierd sound. But other than that it works great!! I totally recemend this!!!

one of palm's newest PDAs is the tungsten E. in my opinion, this palm is the sweet spot in palm's latest releases. for the price, it's an impressive package.

pros:
- bright, transflective 320x320 display is easy to read even in daylight.
- 126-MHz CPU and 32MB of RAM (28MB are available to the user).
- MP3 and multimedia support.
- small and light at 4.5 by 3.1 by 0.5" and 4.6oz.
- strong software bundle - now includes the new Contacts and Calendar applications (with Contacts, you can finally store multiple addresses for each contact)
- USB support.
- expansion slot supports SD, SDIO, MMC.
- impressive value - at this price point, no other PDA brings the complete package the tungsten E has.

cons:
- no built-in Wi-Fi (although you can use the expansion slot for an add-in).
- battery not replaceable.

this is a solid PDA and an incredible value. as mentioned above, you can use the expansion slot to install a Wi-Fi add-in so there's a work-around for this limitation. if you MUST have built-in Wi-Fi, consider the tungsten C. another upgrade is the tungsten T3 if you want a bigger, hi-res screen and bluetooth.

i hope this helps you in your buying decision. peace.

I've been waiting for the new Palm m505 for the longest time. Imagine, a color Palm the size of the Palm V? It's what every Palm V owner dreamed of. Well, that dream became a reality, but in the process, some issues ultimately downgrade my rating to 4 stars.

First, the good: the shape of the unit is nice. You have the slightly altered shape of the Palm V (it's shorter in height, but a tad deeper, most likely to accomodate for the color screen) that just looks so cool... It's a little heavier than the old Palm V, but that's expected. It fits very well in your hand.

The new Secure Digital (SD) and MulitMedia Card (MMC) expansion is welcome. Granted, there are only a few cards out there, but at least Palm finally noticed that this kind of expansion was necessary.

I like the fact that Palm added a vibrating alarm to the unit. Granted, it's not earth shaking, but it's a great alternative to an incessant beep.

Speedwise, the Palm is fast with the new 33 MHz processor. It's a tad faster than the Palm V.

Now onto the bad: Well, it's not exactly bad, but these are issues that will be a problem to some people, and it's only fair that I bring them up so you can make a smart purchasing decision.

The screen: The screen is a TFT reflective screen. This means that with direct sunlight, the screen gets brighter. So if you're in a dark room, you'll need the sidelight (yep, sidelight, not a backlight). Without the sidelight in a dimly lit room, you couldn't tell if this unit was color or not.

I have no problem with using the sidelight, and with the sidelight on it gives, to me, a clear view of the screen. Yep, it does drain battery life, but without the sidelight on, the Palm has an impressive battery life, so I take it as a good trade-off. The problem I have with the whole screen issue is that there's no way for me to adjust the brightness of it. Some people like bright screens, but if the sidelight isn't bright for you, you're not going to like this unit. I hope Palm makes a software update so that users can adjust the brightness of the sidelight to accomodate people who like bright and vivid colors. It just makes sense to me.

The "universal connector": You'll understand why I put that phrase in quotes in a bit. Palm had to redesign their connector to accomodate true USB support, so they make a new "universal connector." Bad news is none of your old Palm peripherals will work with this thing. You see the irony right now?

The stylus holder: If you're left handed, you might want to turn away right now. Palm had to make the Stylus Holder on the left side slimmer (to accomodate the new hardware), so you can't put the stylus on the left hand side. You can put the flip cover on, but not the stylus. As of this review, Palm hasn't made plans for creating a left handed stylus.

That's about it. It's a good unit, don't get me wrong, but there are just a couple of issues there that doesn't warrant a perfect review. My suggestion: If you've always wanted a color PDA with an expansion slot, and have not been introduced to a Handspring Prism or Palm IIIc, get this unit. Hey, you others might like it, but don't say I didn't warn you...

Yes people, its true about the screen. Ive been loyal to Palm since the first PDA they introduced when it was 3Com, have owned 4 Palms, .... and was very excited to hear about the color m505. I bought it sight unseen over the net, and received it a couple of days ago. But I will NOT return it for many reasons...even though the display is ridiculously dim looking in mixed office lighting (flourescent lighting with sunlight through the windows ) and the color is sometimes there, and sometimes not...( depending on the ambient lighting )

The first thing you must know is the Palm m505 publicity photo is pure propaganda, the screen in no way resembles it. The screen is not able to produce a white background even while backlit under ideal circumstances. You will be using the backlit feature alot of the time while indoors, but read on to the pros of this unit.

Why am I rating the m505 with 4 stars then?

The most obvious aspect to this Palm is durablity in the field, and battery life. The screen problems everyone touts as the main reason to NOT buy is actually one of the reasons Im keeping it. After all, what good is a PDA if theres no electricity to power it? Palm knows this and gave us a color screen that can last up to two weeks of use before recharge. The battery life to me is more important than an insanely beautiful screen at this point of time with the technology available to Palm. AND, they have given us a REFLECTIVE screen, it actually is in full color and VERY bright in the sunlight or outdoors.

With the Palm 4.0 OS, everything syncs perfect and FAST via the native USB cable, although not much new stuff in the OS. The software included is very valuable... deduct that off the sales price The palm cradle feels solid (although it has a plastic case).

The m505 is a solid unit, buttons and case are incredible, feel good and the unit is FAST, moving through the interface is FAST.

The bottom line here is that the color of this unit is a frill, not a great feature for anyone who is really interested in a super display. I personally dont have any problems reading the display... yes it appears washed out, but still its more fun to look at than a monochrome display... the unit functions perfectly, has a vibrator alarm, as well as better and louder sounds....the unit is trick but the display is not perfect. Just remember when deciding about buying it whether battery life is important, and that the reflective display is a different type of technology that views indoors differently.

The Palm M505 is a neat little PDA. It's features are perfect for students to business people. There are many positive elements to this little Palm.

The Palm M505 is the perfect companion for a student. It's small size and low price makes it perfect for somebody on the run and someone in need of a durable, compact Palm Pilot. In it's life, my Palm has been dropped numerous times, gotten soaked in water, and gotten thrown into the bottom of a backpack countless times. Again, it is perfect for anyone in need of durable database.

This case is no good. Won't stay closed. Beware of the cheap price, you get what you pay for.

After getting my Palm V I had the fear of dropping it and breaking it. That problem is solved here with this nifty hard case. The case itself is very nice looking. It comes in different colors (I got the regular silver one) and is sleek. This doesn't add on a lot of size or weight to your Palm V. Which is a main reason a lot of people got it for.

The case is sturdy and does protect as per my experience when I accidentally dropped my Palm V. I picked it up, dusted it off, turned it on with nothing amiss. It is also nice that it prevents it from accidentally turning on while in your pocket or purse or what not. Also if you forget to turn it off then this allows the Palm to auto turn off thus saving power.

It also fits on your hot syncing cradle. All you have to do is elevate the cradle (ie put it on top of a book) and then open the case front and back and voila, fits right on. The case also has a small cut-away in the top to make room for the IR. This case is well worth the price that Amazon has it for. Get it and you will not be sorry when one day you drop your Palm and get saved by this.

Ater taking the time to read all of the pros and cons found in the various customer reviews here, I decided to purchase this hard case for my Palm Vx and decide for myself. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised with the overall construction, look, feel and perfect fit that this item provides. This is by far the best way to protect your investment. I also found how easy it was to use with my hotsynch cradle without taking the plam V completely out of the case; simply raise the cradle a few inches up off your desk with a book, open the case at a 160 degree angle and the palm fits very easily on the cradle. This case satisfies all of my criteria for a product worth buying.