Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Best entry level handheld available.
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
Rating:  - Nice little Handheld
I am seeing a lot of negative reviews for this item. I have to say that I do not agree. This is an extremely easy to use, stylish, and SMALL handheld. Those who want the bells and whistles of a $200-$300 handheld need to buck up, pay for one and stop complaining about this extremely useful little device. The Zire is a back to basics handheld and as such, needs to be viewed in that light. What it does, it does well. The palm date book , expense list, to do list, address list, and memo functions are all extremely useful and the unit has enough ram for a few 3rd party applications. I loaded mine with pocket Quicken, and a wonderful little application for more serious chess players called Chess Tiger. I have my schedule, address-phone books, To do listings, shopping lists, and complete financial info in a small package that fits discreetly in my front shirt pocket. (BTW - Nice to have one of these things that doesn?t look too geeky.) One push of a button and everything is synchronized in Quicken and my Calendar. As a self employed professional & busy freelance musician, I need to check my date book often and add things on the fly quite frequently. This Zire has made it all very easy for me and I have a great little handheld chess unit when I get a spare minute. The rechargeable battery is a great feature as is the IR beaming function. I would liked to have seen a bit more ram. The lack of a back light doesn't bother me at all. In short, this little handheld will fill the bill for someone who wants a good basic unit. If you want internet connectivity, zillions of games, E books, & the like, then pay more and get a fancier model. If you need a neat little Organizer that's easy to use, I'd recommend the Zire. I like mine. P.S. The cases do indeed have a peculiar odor to them as several reviewers mentioned. I think this fades in time. The glue or the plastic must be responsible. The case is attractive and protects the unit well however.
Rating: - Palm Lite.
I've been a Palm user for about a decade, and I have generally been pleased with their products and their service when needed. This particular model replaces the former M100 entry level unit. It's obviously geared toward younger users, with a slicker, chromed design and even a zippier new name. However, it has the smallest memory of any Palm, and unfortunately, it's not able to be ungraded. Now as it's shipped it's plenty large enough to manage your address book and routine PIM (Personal Info Mgr) chores, but it falls flat once you become interested in downloading more than just a couple of the literally thousands of free or low-cost Palm apps available on the web. If you become Palm-dependent, you'll want to have more room. However, at that point, you'll probably buy a new, higher end unit and keep this one (as I do with my M100) as a backup. My advice then is to buy this rather hip looking Zire if you're not sure you'll get a lot of use out of a PIM, or if you want to give someone a gift to get them started in this direction. As I learned the hard way after a few Casio PIMs long ago, you cannot ever change brands easily (without having to manually reformat or even re-enter all your accumulated data), so it's wise to select a brand that looks like it's here to stay.
|
