Good entry level or budget color PDA
Written: Jun 24 '03 (Updated Jun 26 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Excellent color screen, variety of programs, good expandable memory with MMC
Cons: Only 16MB built-in memory, lack of expandability
The Bottom Line: The EM-500 is a great color entry-level or budget PDA. It performs routine functions such as calendering, tasks, contacts wonderfully. For serious PDA programs or games, get something faster.
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| tabeyler's Full Review: Casio Cassiopeia EM-500 Pocket PC |
My PDA Requirements
When I was shopping for my first PDA, I had several requirements. First, I wanted an excellent color screen. Second, I knew that I wanted the Windows based Pocket PC operating system for compatibility with my PC and other Windows based programs. I also knew I wanted some sort of memory expansion. Other than that, I still didn't know enough about PDA's to further narrow down my search.
My Selection
I chose the EM-500 after reading several reviews and spec sheets, and also after trying out a friends EM-500 and several competing models in local electronics stores. Basically, the EM-500 won out because of its lower price with comparable features.
One Year After Purchase
I purchased the EM-500 in July of 2002 and it has served me well ever since. I have had to soft reset the unit several times, mainly due to my running of large, demanding games built for more modern systems.
Features
It has an excellent color screen with outstanding color and clarity. It has 16MB of built in memory that it automatically allocates to RAM or ROM, depending on the usage. The memory is expandable via MMC cards, which are a great medium for memory and are available in sizes up to 1GB. I used mine for the Outlook (PC version included) applications (Calender, Tasks, Contacts), with Microsoft Money, Word, and Excel, and for games. Day to day usage is excellent, and it handles most programs well. I have experienced some difficulty when trying to run large, demanding games. I opted for a 128MB MMC card and have not yet filled it up despite loading 2 hours of MP3's on it. It also features Windows Media Player and can play MP3's via a built in speaker (weak) or headphones (great).
It can be syncronized with your PC via USB cable (included) and is able to download webpages such as NY Times, USA Today, Weather Channel, sports, etc. on a daily basis. It can also download your email inbox from Outlook. The programs available are very numerous. I even downloaded a Nintendo emulator and played old school Nintendo games on it (though they run slightly slower than norm). Overall, I recommend this to anyone who will use a color PDA for day to day scheduling and contacts and MP3 listening. For serious PDA gamers, I'd go with something with more memory and a faster processor.
The EM-500 has a built in microphone activated by a button to the right of the screen which I found useful on occasion for leaving brief messages to myself. The navigational key is located below the screen and has a good sturdy feel to it. Programmable hot keys are located to the right of the navigational key, and are helpful for accessing your most used programs (Calendar and Contacts, for me) at the press of a button. There is also a scroll key on the left hand side of the unit. I mainly used the stylus for navigating the EM-500, and rarely used the buttons.
Service and Support
I never had the opportunity to call their support or customer service departments, so I can't comment on them.
Note
If you are looking at an EM-500 today, there is a good chance that it is a refurbished unit as they are now a couple of years old. Be sure to look into the vendor's ratings and ask about what warranty, if any, is offered. Mine came with a 90 day warranty.
Pros:
Excellent color screen (64K colors)
Easy to use
Number of programs
Windows operating system
Durability
Good battery life
Great for listening to MP3's
Uses MMC for storage
Cons:
Limited expansion
Only 16MB built-in memory
Slower compared to today's top PDA's
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 150
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Epinions.com ID:
tabeyler
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Location: Pittsburg, KS USA
Reviews written: 10
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
Avid fan of computers, audio equipment, and electronics, with a taste for power tools.
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