Clié PEG-N610C - the better Palm.
Written: Sep 11 '01 (Updated Jan 27 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Hi-Res color screen, memory stick, jog dial, sleek, stable PalmOS 4.0, very compatible with Palm
Cons: flimsy cover, limited accessories, expensive, poor stylus retention, poor support, slow WinXP update
The Bottom Line: Overall, a better Palm because of the screen and interface, but at the price of limited accessories. (Don't get me started on the cover, stylus or support though ...)
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| theuerkorn's Full Review: Sony CLIE® PEG-N610C Handheld |
So here I am, loving my PalmV despite all the limitations (2MByte Ram, grey scale etc.) but mainly for it's size and handsome design. Then one fine day, a water compatibility test shortened it's lifetime considerably. Argh! A replacement of the battery would have cost me $150. A good investment for a new one, as it seems.
So I went out to explore what else is out there. And the Palm M505 caught my attention (in color), but admittedly at a steep price. Another contestant was the Sony with it's similar sleek Clié series. After much of comparison, I ended up with the PEG-N610C ... and yes, it's a Sony.
The package
... contains the actual PDA, the cradle, a flip cover and the installation CD. Very basic, but anything one needs for a successful start.
Basic Features of the Clie PEG-N610C
* Palm OS Software v4.0
* High resolution color display
* Displays over 65,000 colors
* Jog Dial navigator
* Memory Stick media slot (media sold separately)
* PictureGear Pocket image software
* gMovie video player
* Lithium-ion rechargeable battery (internal)
* USB HotSync cradle
* Protective cover
Sony actually doesn't call this a personal digital assistant anymore, it's now a personal entertainment organizer. This is certainly a good description for the PEG-N710C as it sports mp-3 playback (DSP included). The PEG-N610C does not have audio capabilities, but is otherwise identical to the PEG-N710C. It can be extendet with audio (external dsp module) for a mere $130.
Also, the 710 includes an 8MByte Memory stick (and so does the successor 760), however, I am already using 15Mbytes on my 32MByte extension. (Of course I could clean it up a little, but I am just trying to make a point. Besides, once audio comes into play, the 8MByte is virtually nothing anyway.
The hardware
... is nicely fitted into a sleek package, that comes in either silver or metallic light purple (Sony typical) as the only choices. The housing is equally long, but not as wide as a PalmV. It is significantly thicker though. An aspect that may count when carrying this gem in a pocket.
The standard buttons of the palm are all replicated with exception of the contrast button, which has been moved to the graffiti area. The standard buttons however are very small and hard to access. A fact that makes some games almost unplayable. The biggest novelty (for me) are the additional controls. A jog dial and a "back" button do complement the pen-based OS nicely. It want's to be held in the left hand, to be able to conveniently use the dial. Though it's not impossible to do it with the right hand.
The IR port comes in handy for beaming data to another Palm (or Clié), exchange software or sync the handheld up to the desktop or laptop. Something I already loved on the PalmV.
With storage becoming a problem, especially once looking into pictures etc. on the palm, the included Memory Stick interface holds one standard (Sony) memory stick to provide additional capacity. Currently available are 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128 MBytes. The advantage over the Palm's version is the pricing though and versatility. Sony's memory can be used in many cameras etc.. (I found: 32MBytes Sony = $45, Palm = $60)
The USB port is easy to set up, but one will need to download the Hotsync updater 4.01 from www.palm.com if some conduits take longer. In version 4.0 the palm would time out before the conduit might be ready. I encountered this issue with Intellisync trying to sort out 1000 new calendar entries. (The USB Switcher needs to be disabled in order to use the IR port on a Laptop.)
Yet another strength of the new Clié handheld is its stamina battery operation. The N610C's built-in lithium-ion polymer rechargeable battery lasts up to 15 days* on a single charge -- provided you don't sync a lot and keep the light out most of the time. This translated into 8 - 12 hours of continuous use (depending on the brightness of the light) and significantly more the light disabled.
A questionable feature of the hardware is the flimsy protective cover, which provides minimal protection to the screen under easy conditions, but fails terribly once thrown into a duffel bag, for instance.
The stylus is well designed in a way that it fits nicely in your hand. However, you have to watch it since the retention in the housing (at least mine) is everything but secure. I lost it during normal transport between the office and the car. The replacement comes as a set of 3 for 12.99 - considering that I actually never would have lost mine to begin with.
The Screen
... is the winning argument for me in favor of the Sony. While Palm avoids to mention that the m505 only sports standard resolution of 160x160 pixels, Sony is proud of it's hi-res mode that quadruples the available number of pixels on an identical size display. The 320x320 little dots make a big difference. All in color and TFT clarity.
With such resolution and a color depth of up to 65,000 the resulting capabilities are rather stunning, comparing it to the similar priced m505. The display is front-lighted and the grafiti area is somewhat illuminated as well -- just enough to allow full usability in the dark.
To visualize the difference in resolution visit www.sonystyle.com/clie. Compare an image on the new CLIÉ? handheld with the same image on any other handheld (Most Palm and Compatibles stick to the 160x160 pixels.)
Visibility in bright daylight is good, while the display really shines under indoor conditions. Very crisp display due to reflective TFT. The light is relatively even distributed.
Most applications do support the hi-res of the Sony. All system fonts most lines are adjusted by the Clié and make it look a lot nicer. As an example, the StockManager software displays the graphs much more detailed and therefor easier to read. If an application is not compatible (I only found DiddleBug to not comply.) it can be excluded and that way forced into lo-res. Big kudos to Sony for making all that possible.
The ball is now in Palm's court to make the OS easier adaptable to different screen resolutions. I actually think that's absolutely necessary to not loose the battle to the strong coming PocketPCs (which are still cumbersome to use, but much better than WindowsCE).
The processor and bus make the clie 2.14 times faster than the PalmIIIe (Benchmark 2.0). While that may be an old model, it's still slightly faster than the recent Visor Platinum. (5%) Whether that's fast or slow depends on the application. Demanding software like Streetfinder virtually crawls, especially when accessing the memory stick.
Software
... Specialties of the Clié are mainly around the hi-res color display. The included software reflects that. PictureGear? software displays wallet-size photos on the screen. Almost like a Family Album in the palm of your hand. (If you desire.) The Slide Show feature will display a new photo every few seconds! And the Movie Player will display family videos and short business presentations. Just record videos on a Memory Stick and pop it into the handheld! (if you can live with 10 fps max.)
Launching applications off the memo stick is very easy as they are transparently integrated in the user interface (as long as they are in the 'launcher' directory on the memory stick. Databases (that need to be modified etc.) most of the time are not recognized in the memory stick and must reside on the Palm memory. Watch out for software that supports the VFS (virtual file system) in order to make best use of the additional software.
Also, especially larger applications start significantly slower when launched off the memory stick. In my case I verified this with Datebk4.0e (477kB), which took several seconds to start versus one or two when launched from the RAM.
The excellent Silverscreen add-on (not included) does deal nicely with the memory stick and allows to move applications into the memory stick while keeping databases in the memory -- simpy by using the category feature. Version 2.1 added full launcher capabilities to the memory stick and provides quick access to virtually all applications. (Most databases still need to be in the actual RAM.) Issues exists though with the hires, but only in refreshing fonts after using the drag and drop function.
Palm Organizer Software - The Sony CLIÉ handheld comes with these standard Palm OS® (4.0) applications:
- Address Book (allows you to insert pictures, cool)
- Date Book (no changes, good)
- Mail (no changes, okay)
- To Do List (no changes, good)
- Memo Pad (no changes, basic)
- Expense (no changes, very basic)
- Calculator (improved, but still basic)
- Security and HotSync software (no changes, good)
'Value-Added' Software was one reason to consider the Sony, since the packaging boldly claims to have quite a nice wealth of software included. Well, it forgets to mention that some are not the full version or simply time limited demos that one can load off the web anyway.
- Intellisync Lite (PumaTech): Additional conduits for increased transferability. (Check out my separate report on the full version.)
- Acid Solitaire (Red Mercury): card game (in hi-res) 15 day demo
- AvantGo (AvantGo): download internet content to handheld freeware
- Bejeweled (Astraware): Match pairs of gems. Careful, addictive! demo
- Amy Reiley's Pocket Gourmet? (Neohand): restaurant notes, 2300 dining terms, tip calculator (hi-res). 30 day demo
- Amy Reiley's Pocket Vineyard? (Neohand): nice wine guide - if you need it (hi-res) 30 day demo
- Race Fever (Digital fiction): A 3D racing game. Good graphics (low-res, incompatible with hi-res mode) demo
- StreetFinder® Express (Rand McNally): view interactive city maps on your CLIÉ handheld. (hi-res) 1 free map·
- Vindigo (Vindigo): a free city guide. (didn't work off the CD, can be downloaded anyway)
Protect your investment
... as already mentioned the Clie includes a cover that takes care of the screen under easy conditions. While this type of flip cover seems the industry standard, it's even less useful than the one the PalmV cam with.
The housing of the Clie is made of a coated plastic and will scratch up over time if not especially cared for this little thing. (The PalmV, m50x has the advantage of a metal housing).
The fitted cases offered by Sony are hard to come by, and I only found them available on Sony's website www.sonystyle.com. So I opted for the 'Classic Flipcase PEGA-USC10', which looks neat on the picture and costs 39.95 (just like the other version offered by Sony).
I was waiting almost 2 weeks for this case, and finally holding it in my hands didn't relieve me as much as I hoped for the following reasons ...
- Orientation of the handheld allows stylus to get lost, which is not very securely held in anyway)
- snap button broke after 2 (!!!) matings
- belt clip makes this a whopping 2 inches thick (!!!)
- palm held by permanent velcro strip (potential interference with attachements, and unsightly)
- IR port exposed (may be unwanted)
As much as I love the Clie, this case is not worth it's money, and I would have expected better from Sony. And a cover is still highly recommended, since the coated plastic housing of the Clie scratches easily under heavy abuse.
So I bit the bullet and tried the "slim case PEGA-USC11", which is much better. Still with velcro and stuff, but at least without the shortcommings of the flip case.
Support
... is one of those things that doesn't rate very high until one needs its. In this case, the website provides marginal help and a few files to update your system.
Worked fine for me until WinXP moved onto my computer. The needed USB switcher (for IR syncs) would be disabled by the system and therefor no sycs are possible right not with my home computer.
Looking up the help revealed little information on anything regarding the Clie (total 11 FAQ's). One of the sparse answers was that the Clie320 (a 'cousin') does not support XP. (No other solution offered on their website.)
(I am still running Win2000 on another computer and therefore it's not that bad, but I may revise when this should change.)
Here the statement (11/15/01) off the Sony support website to illustrate the lack of commitment ...
"SONY offers no device drivers, support or troubleshooting for the installation, configuration, or hardware compatibility issues for the listed CLIE models below under Microsoft's Windows eXPerience (XP) operating system. As stated on the product package, the PEG-S300/S320/N610C/N710C and N760C CLIE models were designed specifically to work with PCs running Windows 98/98SE/Me or 2000 Professional. As such, SONY does not guarantee the usability, or functionality, of any part of these CLIE Handheld models while connected to the Windows XP operating system."
(Since January, there is finally an update available to address issues with WindowsXP.)
Conclusion
I mentioned before that I went out and compared numerous Palm devices. The reason why I ended up with the Clié is obviously the screen and the handling. A big enough Plus for me to ignore short-comings like the limited availability of accessories.
In the end I do believe this is the better Palm - at least the hardware (and some of the OS). I may be corrected by the next Palm device or a PocketPC, but right now the Clié is certainly one of the most versatile handhelds out there.
In a nutshell, this is an amazing piece of technology, but the protective cover and the optional case are below average. Another fly in the soup would be the poor online support, which by far not reaches the standard Palm.com sets.
Pro:
- Palm OS 4.0
- excellent display (320x320, 16bit)
- Jog dial
- sleek, compact housing
- memory stick (up to 128MByte)
Con:
- limited accessories
- flimsy cover
- tiny buttons
- little retention of the stylus in the housing
- not WindowsXP compatible (yet), 11-7-01
- easy scratchable housing (no metal protection)
Recommended Software
- AvantGo 4.0, internet content - free (****-)
- EasyCalc 1.15, calculator - sharew. (****-)
- DateMate 2.7, commercial (****-)
- DrawIt 2.0, Paint Prog. - shareware (****-)
- StockManager 3.2, commercial (*****)
- X-Master 1.3, hack manager - sharew. (****-)
- SyncTime 1.1, time sync. - sharew. (***--)
- JackFlash 2.2, ROM storage tool - comm. (****-)
- FileZ 3.01, filemanager (w/ ms) - free (*****)
- McFile 2.0, file manager (w/ ms) - free (*****)
- Silverscreen 2.1x, GUI enhancement - comm.(*****)
- 1 Of Us, duplicate data removal - comm. (***--)
- Ababall, addictive Arkanoid clone - comm. (*****)
- Bejeweled!, commercial (*****)
- DateBk4, date book enh. - comm. (*****)
- QuickWrite 1.43, text entry enh. - comm. (****-)
(Quickwrite can corrupt databases, OS4.0)
... essentials in bold
for downloads please check out ...
www.palmgear.com
www.handango.com
www.tucows.com
www.palm.com
you can download McFile at
http://www.jade.dti.ne.jp/~imazeki/palm/data/McFl20b7.zip
or
http://gxonline.uhome.net/scughk/clie-files/McFileEng.zip
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 399
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