Alot to be deZIREd About A Zire - Palm Zire Handheld Personal Organizer
Written: Aug 14 '03 (Updated May 05 '04)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Lightweight. Cheap. Long lasting battery. Easy to use. Infrared. Hotsync capable.
Cons: Only 2MB of storage. Monochrome display. No color, no backlite. Cheap plastic cover.
The Bottom Line: I recommend the Zire for beginners, not for the technologically advanced. If you don't need color, backlite, and alot of memory, then this is it.
|
|
|
| shippo225's Full Review: Palm Zire Handheld |
Simple Palm - Maybe Too Simple:
.....The palm Zire is the simplest Palm out there. Right out of the box, the Zire is ready to use. Even the most novice will find this pda to be a breeze to learn and use.
.....The Zire computer is great for anyone of all ages, such as students, shoppers, business owners, the retired, the handicapp, or anyone who needs a touch of organization in their life.
Display:
.....The Zire has a 2.75 inch monochrome display of one color; black. Monochrome simply means that it displays several shades of only one color. The screen resolution is 160x160 pixels, which is the minimum on any palm handheld.
.....There is also no backlite. This might not irratate you, but if you've lived with a backlit palm, you just can't go back to no backlite. There are advantages to this, however. Your battery will last longer. Backlites tend to suck up the batteries.
.....The screen is also the most used source of input for information. It is a touch screen like all other palm computers. Screen input is performed by the included stylus.
.....The refresh rate is sort of slow. You really won't notice this if you've never used a faster palm before.
Expansion:
.....The Palm Zire does not come with an expansion slot like most other models. If you don't plan on expanding the Zire's memory or software, then this won't be of much issue to you. If you do, however, then you might want to upgrade to a higher palm with an expansion included. You can get one for only mere dollars more than the Zire itself.
Memory:
.....There are 2MB of memory on the Palm Zire. It isn't a lot, but enough if you only use the Zire as an organizer. It doesn't allow for many add-ons that you can download from the internet and hotsync onto the Zire.
Graffiti:
.....The Zire has a graffiti area located about three quarters of the way down the unit. This is where you input text using the stylus. It is able to recognize hand writing. The Handwriting recognition is fairly good on the Zire. Once I learned graffiti, I could write as fast on the screen as I could on paper, almost.
.....If the graffiti area is not big enough for your preference, then I know of a program that can change that. This app is called NEWPEN. It can be downloaded from the internet at PALMGEAR.COM and installed ontot the Zire via hotsync. Once this program is enabled, you will be able to write graffiti anywhere on the screen in most programs. The programs that I know work are: memo pad, address book, and mostly any program with lines to write text. And to separate the numbers from the letters, the screen is separated like the graffiti area, numbers on the right, letters on the left.
Hotsync:
.....Unlike my Palm Tungsten T, the Palm Zire does not include a hotsync cradle, nor is one available. However, the Zire does include a hotsync cable for a USB connection. It plugs in to the top of the unit.
.....Hotsyncing links a pda with a desktop computer that has PALM DESKTOP installed. A CD is included with the package with the program on it. The process can range from a minute or two, to several minutes, depending on what kind of mood the computers are in.
.....Hotsyncing your palm should be performed as often as you use it, or once a week to every other week. This will ensure that there is a second copy of the Palm's data on the desktop. This comes in handy if the Zire, or any palm computer for that matter, either shuts off and won't turn on or freezes and won't soft reset, causing you to perform a hard reset. This will erase all data and third party apps from memory. If so, just plug the cable in a hotsync and adata will be replaced as if nothing ever happened.
Infra-Red or IRport:
.....Located on the top of the unit is the IRport. This feature will allow you to exchange data between the ZIre and other IR supported devices - pdas, cell phones, laptops, etc - wirelessly.
.....If you are interested in using the Zire as a universal remote, as I do with my pda, for controlling all of your home electronics - TVs, VCRs, DVD players - you can download a program called NOVIIREMOTE. It is a free trial. If you like the app, it is $25 to purchase, and it will last forever. It comes with codes built-in for several brand name devices, but yours is not in it, then you can teach it your remotes signals easily. I was surprised at how far the range is with the remote. I can control a tv from ten to twenty feet away.
.....All-in-all, the IRport is one of the most useful tools to me.
The Tag-Alongs:
.....The Palm Zire comes with all of the basic programs that you would find with any organizer. Here is a list of all the programs and brief descriptions:
---Address Book - Store hundreds of names, numbers, and addresses. I don't know that many people, do you?
---Calculator - A basic calculator for simple to hard addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and percentage problems.
---Date Book - Calendar for up to the year 2031. Store important dates, such as appointments, birthdays, meetings, and anniversaries. Also put an alarm on any date at a specific time of day to remind you of an event.
---Memo - Similar to WORDPAD on your desktop. Jot a quick note using graffiti. At a meeting, write nasty notes about your boss to make the time fly. (kidding)
---Notepad - Virtual POST-IT-NOTE. Draw right on the screen, as you'd do with paper. Write notes or draw pictures.
---To Do List - Name implies. Makes for a simple grocery list. Keep track of school or business assignments. Check items off as you complete them.
Is The Zire What It's Cracked Up To Be?
.....For the price, yeah. The Zire is great for being used as an organizer, not for expanding. It does has it's flaws, too, as does any product. For one, the refresh rate is very slowwwwwwww, giving the illusion that one screen is fading into another which can be annoying if you own a fast pda also. Also, the plastic cover that comes with it is stylish and all, but it is flimsy and irritating. Don't bother. You're better off buying a case.
..... The Zire itself feels sturdy in the palm of your hand. It is lightweight, as if it weren't there at all. And the stylus feels firm. Its not really fragile enough to break from a drop or two(hundred). But you never know. Just don't go tryingto break it.
Behind The Scenes:
>>>Display:
-----2.75 inch screen
-----Monochrome display
-----160x160 pixels
>>>Dimensions:
-----Height - 4.4 inches
-----Width - 2.9 inches
-----Depth - 0.6 inches
-----Weight - 3.8 ounces
>>>System:
-----Operating System - Palm OS v4.1
-----Motorola 16MHz Dragonball EZ processor
-----Power Support:
.....---120v AC, 60Hz power adapter
.....---Rechargeable lithium ion battery
>>>All Pieces Included:
-----Palm Zire Personal Organizer
-----Plastic stylus
-----Removeable plastic cover
-----Power adapter
-----Palm Desktop installation CD
-----Standard USB hotsync cable
-----Getting Started manual
More Pros And Cons:
>>Pros:-)
.....Long battery life
.....Does what it does well
.....IRport
.....Compact, lightweight design
.....Cheap
.....Easy to learn/use
.....Hotsync-able
>>Cons:-(
.....Cheap cover
.....Not color
.....No backlite
.....Slow refresh rate
.....Unviewable in dark conditions
Installing The Palm Desktop Software On Your Desktop:
.....Included in the Zire bundle is the Palm Desktop Software . To install, just place the CD into the CD-ROM drive of your desktop and follow through with the on-screen instructions. Once you install the software, you will be prompted to perform your first hotsync operation. After that, you can hotsync your Zire whenever you find it suitable.
My Conclusion:
.....The Zire is great for the beginner. It is idiot proof basically. I wouldn't recommend to the more technologically advanced person. The Zire is primerily to be used as an organizer, not to be expanded, unlike most other pdas out there.
.....So, if you just want a palm without the fancy features, such as color and backlite, then this is it, the palm Zire Personal Organizer.
Please Visit..:
My Profile
My Reviews
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 99
Recommended for: Beginners - Simple and Easy to Use
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
shippo225
|
 - Top 1000 |
|
Location: Left @ Albuquerque
Reviews written: 99
Trusted by: 98 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.