Powerhouse in your pocket...
Written: Jul 28 '02 (Updated Jul 28 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: 1. SD/MMC & CF Slots
2. Graffiti echo can be turned off with GraffitiEchoDA
Cons: 1. Monochrome screen
2. Cracking plastic
3. Larger form factor
The Bottom Line: If you need a truely productive PDA, the HandEra fits the bill. With more features than most and support second to none... Just Buy It!
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| DBLJ's Full Review: HandEra 330 |
For a tiny little company in Iowa, they sure can build a great piece of hardware. The HandEra 330 is the latest unit from the progenitor of the famous TRGpro. With the HandEra's many features, and the honest-to-goodness best tech. support, I really can't find a reason not to recommend this unit.
What it's got...
1. 240x320 monochrome screen --> if you need color, go somewhere else, but the hi-res screen is quite readable in any light, inside or out. There are also a number of programs written to take advantage of the 240x320 screen, including iSilo, Omniremote, QuickOffice, and MedCalc to name a few...
2. Dual expansion slots (SD/MMC and CF) --> CF is fast, faster than SD (for the moment, until manufacturers take advantage of the 4lines of data that can be moved on an SD/MMC, only two are used now). Wit two slots, you can use a CF modem or ethernet card while still being able to access external storage. One drawback here, the SD/MMC slot does not support IO devices (bluetooth) as it was developed before the IO standard was fully developed. CF is getting really cheap too! It is also great to look at, or carry pics from your digital camera.
3. Wonderful Technical Support --> For one year, if you have a problem, they replace the unit with no questions asked. When you call their tech support line, you talk to an actual person, and even better, they can talk "tech"... E-mail support is equally good. They have not released a new OS in one year (currently uses a special version of 3.5.3, that has the VFS support of OS 4.1, so it really doesn't matter.)
4. The other little details --> 8MB Ram, 2MB flash ROM (HandEra says the next OS update will fit in two MBs!), a built in voice recorder, the best little speaker you ever heard, Palm III form-factor so all the accessories you buy are about "half-price" now. Graffitti echo can be turned off using a hack called GraffitiEchoDA available for free from PalmGear.com
5. Dual Power options --> It comes with four AAA batteries that will last about one month with a ton of use. For about $70 dollars, one can purchase a Lithium Ion battery that will literally last for weeks of use... One can also use direct AC power if typing with an external keyboard or such (charges at the same time!)
What it lacks...
1. Color -> Not a really big deal, unless its a priority for you.
2. Games --> Due to the non-standard display, most games don't play well. This is really better PDA for work. But there are several games written for the HandEra screen that work flawlessly... and there are more every day.
3. Cracking Plastic --> The plastic back of the unit is notorious for cracking along the CF slot and along the stylus silo, but HandEra says that they have this fixed... I personally have had three units crack here, but HandEra replaced all of them promptly.
4. MP3 --> If you need this, you need a Clie!
5. USB --> The connection is still serial, HandEra says they did this to appeal to business owners with older PCs, but it makes for an occasional long hotsync. It actually isn't a big deal, as I hotsync a lot, and it isn't an issue at all. Many folks have purchased ethernet CF cards and sync through these an greater than USB speeds, anyway. Also make sure to get yourself a card reader (CF and SD/MMC) as it would take a week to sync a really big (4MB) file.
The final verdict...
I actually own two separate units, which I purchased the first day they were available, more than a year ago. My fiance uses one and I use the other. Both of us are medical students, and basically have the thing out all the time. Neither one of us has had major problems, outside of the cracking plastic, and these units were replaced (by the way it took 5 days from phone call to new units in our hands and we live in Arkansas). I have more than a year experience with these units and I have recommended them to several of my collegues... even to residents that would fail me if I led them astray... ;)
If you want eye-candy, get a Sony. If you want a solid unit with outstanding support, give the folks in Iowa a call.
-DBL J
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 300
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Epinions.com ID:
DBLJ
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Member: Jeff Johnson
Location: Little Rock, AR
Reviews written: 4
Trusted by: 0 members
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