A Great PDA for Beginners!
Written: Nov 10 '00 (Updated Nov 10 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Price, Design, Color Face-place options, Palm OS 3.5, New note-taking software, Very practical
Cons: 2 MB of memory, OS not upgradeable, 2"X2" display
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| isong's Full Review: Palm m100 Personal Organizer |
FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
“…a PDA for under $150?” Hmm… I wonder how useful this device can be? Considering it’s made by Palm, it should be alright. Right? It’s actually very nice. The more curvy design (compared to its siblings) and the different color faceplates makes this device more desirable with the younger folks. Also, the price makes this a very attractive buy for all. My younger brother is in his second year of college and I thought this would be a perfect tool for him. So, I decided to buy one and test it out before handing it over to him. After 2 weeks of strenuous testing, these are my results:
SIZE, LOOKS, PORTABILITY, OVERALL AESTHETICS:
It’s smaller than the Palm III series and looks very attractive with its flip cover. The m100 has a cover that has a see-through window for viewing the time. Nice touch. The buttons are smooth and have a nice ‘clicking’ feel to them. The smaller size means that the display needed to be reduced. The viewing area is about 2 inches by 2 inches. Not that big, but the m100 uses it well. The display is very crisp and clean and won’t fail you in direct sunlight. I hear that the m100 is basically a Palm IIIe in disguise. The Palm IIIe actually has a screen that’s a little larger and a case that looks a bit dated.
The m100 is almost exactly the same size as a Palm V series except that it’s about two times thicker. Weighing in at 4.4 ounces, the m100 can be put neatly into a bag or purse. Although it comes encased in a black case, you have the option of purchasing different colored face-plates.
BATTERY-POWERED:
The m100 uses two AAA batteries. This has its ups and downs. The positive side to this is that AAA batteries can be bought just about anywhere. And when you’re traveling, you can pack a few AAAs and feel assured that you’ll be prepared just in case your PDA goes dead. But, over a period of time you’ll notice that AAA batteries become integrated onto your weekly grocery list, and the cost of batteries (depending on how many years you’ll be using your m100) may soon catch up to the worth of your device. With a set of fresh Duracells, I managed to use the brand new Palm m100 rigorously for about a week and a half. The battery power was at about 25% after 2 weeks. The instruction manual says that on a set of fresh batteries, the m100 can last up to two months on normal use.
RAM, ROM, and OS:
With 2 MB of RAM, you can do a lot of things. It’s not much but it’s enough to keep a ton of addresses, events, notes, and various other programs to keep you happy. The 2 MB of ROM houses the Palm OS 3.5. Although it’s not upgradeable, it will keep you satisfied until the next round of technology break-throughs.
IR BEAMING:
One of the coolest features of Palm devices is its ability to beam files, addresses, schedules, etc. back and forth. Instead of frantically searching for a writing device and a clean sheet of paper, you can easily beam your friend you business card (assuming that your friend has a Palm OS PDA). And if you want to take it to the next level, you can even download a shareware program that will enable you to use your Palm to change channels on your TV! Yes, use your m100 like a remote control. Not only can you use it for your TV, you can use it for your VCR, receiver, CD player, just about any electronic device that can be controlled by a remote!
SYNC COMPATIBILITY:
The Palm desktop sync software is very compatible with Windows 95, 98, NT, and 2000. It is also compatible with the Mac OS but you’ll need to purchase additional software and hardware. Unlike the other Palm devices, the m100 does not come with a sync cradle. It comes with a sync cable which attaches to a serial port on your computer.
SOFTWARE:
The m100 has a new note-taking program that allows you to store notes and scribbles instead of having you use the horrible Graffiti program. This is definitely a plus!
There are tons of Palm software available for download at many sites on the Internet. I would recommend Palm.com, Palmgear.com, or www.pda.tucows.com/palm. All these sites offer downloadable programs (whether freeware, shareware, or demo versions) that you can add to your Palm device. The m100 comes with several programs such as Avantgo (an offline web browser service) and Chapura PocketMirror which enables you to link with Microsoft Outlook.
ACCESSORIES & ADD-ONS:
Like any Palm handheld device, the selection of accessories are just about endless. Not only does Palm manufacture the accessories, other third party manufacturers market them, as well. The expansion slot on the m100 will allow you to connect various add-ons that will enable you to turn your PDA into a more useful tool.
SUMMARY:
The m100 is a good PDA for people who want to test the waters before diving in to make a big investment on a more expensive unit like the Palm IIIxe (2MB flash ROM & 8MB of RAM) at $249, Palm Vx (sleek design and 2MB flash ROM & 8MB of RAM) at $399, Palm IIIc (color version with 2MB flash ROM & 8MB RAM) at $329, or the Palm VIIx (with 2MB flash ROM and 8MB RAM and wireless capabilities) at $449.
Comparing the m100 with similar products such as the Handspring Visor or the Palm IIIe, I’d say that the m100 is the best-looking out of the bunch. Performance is pretty much identical and the price is exactly the same.
Currently, a lot of people still carry paper-based organizers. Bulky, yes. But the reason why they carry them is because they’re reliable: they won’t run out of batteries, they won’t crash, and they don’t need minimum requirements of any sort to be compatible with anything. Slowly, the same crowd is re-evaluating their situation and are contemplating on whether to test the waters of the PDA world. Some like it some don’t. A lot of them don’t bother trying because of the cost. The Palm m100 is a good entry-level Palm that will quickly become an everyday tool for them. What used to weigh 2 to 4 pounds, wrapped up in a leather case, held together with a big rubber band now weighs a mere 4.4 ounces and flashes the time through a cute little window.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 149
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Epinions.com ID:
isong
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Member: Ingi
Location: Beaverton, Oregon
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