For me, my Palm IIIxe is one of those gadgets that I now wonder how I ever lived without.
With 8mb of memory, this handy, powerful device has more capacity than my first desktop computer! In the past, I’ve used a Dayrunner to jot down important notes, meetings, and contact information. The problem with that system was that it was bulky and subject to loss of everything when the planner got misplaced. Now, I’m still capable of losing my Palm IIIxe, but at least it’s less to carry, and I can backup everything to my computer. Unless I wanted to spend a few hours with a copy machine, backups simply weren’t possible with my DayRunner. Not to mention that 8mb of memory will handle more info than I’d ever care to write into a old-fashioned planner.
For those new to PDAs, the user concept is pretty simple: PDAs are small, digital storage devices whereby you enter information through a stylus pad. Within the Palm OS, there are separate sub-programs to store names/addresses, expenses, notes, memos, and important dates/meetings.
While the concept is simple, sometimes the execution leaves something to be desired. The biggest learning curve for me was getting used to Graffiti, Palm’s shorthand for entering words into the device. While most of the time I can write fairly quickly, I find myself getting delayed when I can’t remember a Graffiti shortcut for say, an apostrophe. I’ll find myself searching the manual for the shortcut, when I really think it should be documented on my Palm. After all, this Palm has plenty of memory, so I shouldn’t have to carry around the manual. Wasn’t my Palm supposed to reduce the clutter of paper in my life?
Don’t get me wrong. I love my Palm, as its proved its usefulness far above its previous, paper counterpart. I used to depend on Post-its and business cards for important numbers, but this would create an unmanageable clutter in my wallet, car, and office. Now, it’s reassuring to know that I can upload all that info to one central device, and make a backup. It’s so handy that I wonder how I ever got things done without it.
In addition to the basic functions of calendar, contacts and notes, here are some of my favorite uses for my Palm: Storing all those passwords. If you do any amount of web-surfing, you know what I mean. To date, I probably have about 50 passwords, and I simply can’t remember them at all. In the past, I used to write these down into my rolodex, but that doesn’t help when I’m off-site. So, nowadays, they all go into my Palm, where I never worry about losing them!
Reading. In those idle moments on a plane, train, or even movie theater, I’ve used my Palm for the pleasure of reading. Many classic novels are available in Palm format at www.memoware.com. In addition, you’ll need a document reader which you can find at: www.tealpoint.com.
My Palm also has the advantage of being more compact than most books, and with the back-light feature, I can even read in the dark! Note: back-lighting puts a serious strain on my batteries, which brings me to my next subject:
If you use your Palm as much as I do, get rechargeable batteries! I used to go through a set of batteries a week, and this bothered me. Batteries cost $, and besides, they aren’t easily recycled in the US, which means they end up toxifying a landfill somewhere. I bought a few sets of NiMH rechargeable batteries for my camera, walkman, and Palm, and it’s felt good not to toss batteries in the trash!
Another fun Palm program is Vindigo. Vindigo is a Palm-based entertainment guide that serves metro areas such as NYC, London, SF, Seattle, LA, Boston and more! The concept is simple: you enter your city location, and from there, Vindigo will offer you choices in dining, shopping, and entertainment. And, once you choose your destination, Vindigo will provide many details, such as average cost of meal, ratings on service, decor (for restaurants), as well as their address and walking directions from your location. It very useful for locating fun activities in the big cities. Check it out at www.vindigo.com
Other impressions:
While I think the Palm is a well-executed concept, a few details could stand improving. For one, the screen is too dependent on temperature. Whenever I leave my Palm in a hot car and return, the heat has affected the polarization of the LCD to the point that it’s unreadable. Perhaps this is a limitation of LCDs, but I notice that LCDs on my watches and cycle computers aren’t quite so sensitive. Another point is that I believe the Palm should be more ergonomic. That’s right. While the Palm is compact and fairly easy to hold, it really doesn’t fit the hand in an organic manner. It’s rectangular, hard, and rather slippery. I think Palm could be designed with a softer, grippier shell, such as polyurethane outer case that grips easily and shields from minor impacts. As it stands now, we who own Palms must buy an additional case to protect it. I think ergonomics and protection could be better integrated into this product. It’s a great device, but there’s many ways Palm could improve its portability.
Summary
My Palm IIIxe has simplified my life greatly by allowing me to centralize a lot of data in a convenient, portable device. While the interface has some quirks, it’s much more useable than earlier PDAs, such as the Newton. With all my day-to-day info within easy reach, this device has increased my peace of mind, and connectivity to the rest of my world.
Same size and weight as earlier Palm III models 8 MB RAM (4 times that of the popular Palm IIIe connected organizer) Upgradable features and operating...More at Amazon Marketplace
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