If you're looking for the most affordable PDA that will work for most users, the m100 is it.

Calendar, Contact List, short note-taking, various applications... it has it all... and what it lacks, you can surely download from the Internet! =)

- Key Differences between the m100, and other Palm/Handspring products:

Sturdiness:
The m100 is possibly the sturdiest PDA from Palm or Handspring, and with a price of $149, you don't have to baby it. It has tons of beefy plastic all around it, and the screen and innards are well-protected. Of course, the downside is that it makes it feel pretty cheap. Even the screen is made of plastic, but this is a good thing (others use glass). I've easily crushed a non-working Palm III with my hands (while wearing leather gloves, of course), but when I tried that on the m100, I found that I could not even get the m100 to noticeably flex.

Screen/Stylus/Sync-Cable:
The m100 has a pretty small screen, even though its resolution is the same as other Palm/Handspring products. This actually annoyed me, since despite having the same resolution, the screen area got smaller, and it's not as if the stylus got a sharper tip. (meaning overall, I lost accuracy) The stylus is flimsy plastic, and feels cheap, but alas, what can one expect? The included sync-cable works fine, but a desktop cradle to place the PDA in would have been nice.

Screen Cover/Sound:
The screen cover is stylish and thin, and the little window showing the clock is quite functional. It folds completely back, and out of your way, and can also be easily removed. Lastly, the sound volume on the m100 is supposed to be considerably louder than previous Palm OS products, and indeed it is. Compared to the Palm III and earlier PDA's which were inaudible, this one can be set to be very loud. Good job for Palm on listening to their customers.

Features:
It does NOT synchronize mail anymore, via conduit or network. This may not be an issue with folks who use this strictly as an organizer, or folks who check mail all day at school/office anyway. Also, it does NOT come with the "Expense" feature anymore. If you never used these features before, you probably won't "miss them" greatly, but if you're purchasing the m100 as a replacement unit to another Palm OS device, beware. These applications can NOT be added.

Accessories:
The m100 has its share of cases, faceplates, and cases. However, don't expect more than that... Popular accessories for PDA's include wireless modems, GPS's, and foldable keyboards, but... with those units starting at $100, how many m100 owners will buy them? If so... Palm may not make them. Unless all Palm products adopt the m100 chassis, you may not see high-end accessories, and you should keep that in mind.

In general, take care not to spend too much on accessories for the m100. Granted, this is just my opinion, but the more you spend on accessories, the more pointless it becomes for you to own a m100. The whole point of getting a m100 over, say, the $179 Handspring Visor is to save $30, and get a simpler-to-use, sturdier PDA. If you're going to spend close to $100 in accessories, the Handspring Visor Deluxe is clearly the better buy.

In closing:

Well, I went back to using my Palm III because of the all-important mail synchronization feature. But... if that's not a big issue to you, then *functionally*, the m100 is virtually the same as the Palm III, which I bought for $350 two years ago. Very usable, highly functional, and is the best PDA if you're going for variety of applications.

For $149, it synchronizes with your PC, and can even download web articles, news clippings, and perform off-line transactions (that get sent when you synchronize again)... For $149... As usual, these will sell like pancakes during back-to-school season, and Christmas.

For YOU... know the key differences, and if they don't bother you, go for it! =)




Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 150