Lately it seems a new Palm PDA comes out each month. However despite the flooding of the Palm market, the Palm IIIxe remains as one of the best values for those looking to get a Palm. I will say however, that the Visor Deluxe is slightly superior to the Palm IIIxe and only $25 more in price. Nonetheless the Palm IIIxe is an exceptional value - for $220 (or less if you pick one up on Ebay) you get 8 MB of memory, which is becoming necessary as many well made Palm programs eat up large chunks of memory. In this review I'll focus on the features of the IIIxe, compare it often to the Visor Deluxe (its arch rival), highlight pros and cons and offer some final thoughts.
Features
With the Palm IIIxe you get the updated operating system OS 3.5. OS 3.5 is slightly better than OS 3.3 with several new features such as easier menu opening and faster hotsyncing. In additon, you get the Palm datebook, addressbook, memo pad, to-do list, expense conduit, email, and calculator. I will say that as a power user many of these applications that come with the Palm are not very useful.
For example, the Palm datebook has only several views and limited features. I use Datebook4, which is a comercially available datebook that is PACKED with features. The Visor comes with Datebook3, which is MUCH better than the default Palm datebook but not nearly as good as the updated Datebook4
The calculator that comes with the IIIxe and all Palms is decent but limited. It cannot do any advanced mathematical functions. Again, the Visor comes out the winner... it comes with Calculator+ AKA Parens. Parens has many features, does unit conversions and more. I use Parens and never touch the Palm calculator.
Some default Palm applications that are in all Palm PDAs are completely pointless. Expense is a horrible waste of memory and I won't waste my words on it. Email is pointless for the most part unles you have a modem.
PROS •COST- The Palm IIIxe is the cheapest PDA that comes with 8 MB of memory. For that reason alone it is well worth its price and deserves high praise. However, the Visor Deluxe costs $250 (again the IIIxe is $225) and the Visor has many more features.
•STURDY!- Here the Palm IIIxe is MUCH better than the visor Deluxe. the Palm IIIxe is made of a very solid plastic that is hard to break. All in all the unit is much better crafted than the Visor Deluxe.. it is harder to break the IIIxe. Also the screen on the IIIxe is MUCH more scratch resistant than the Visor. The Visor screen scratches easily and needs to covered with a screen protector. By comparison, the Palm IIIxe has a solid screen that does not need screen covers
•Flash Memory- The Palm IIIxe comes with internal Flash memory and the Visor models do not. This has two advantages. 1)You can update the operating system whenever Palm releases an OS upgrade. 2)With a program such as FlashPro or JackFlash, you can store programs on the flash memory. If you use these programs, the Palm IIIxe has 8.6 MB of memory versus 8 for the Visor. For all owners of a Palm brand PDA I highly recommend using one of these two programs.
•Flip Cover- I absolutely love the IIIxe for this the Flip cover is by far the best of any PDA case. it makes using the IIIxe a breeze and protects the screen at the same time. The Visor Deluxe comes with a plastic screen cover that you have to remove and put back on after each use...trust me it is a hassle to use.
CONS •Expandibility- This may not be fair to call a flaw, but hey I'm doing it anyway. If this product is compared against the Visor, the Visor wins because it has the Springboard slot. The springboard can be used for Flash Memory, mp3 player, and more. Now when I owned the Visor, I did not make use of the Springboard. But many people do and slowly decent springboards arecoming out.
•Programs it comes with- Again the Visor Deluxe beats the IIIxe on this one. As I explained above, the Visor comes with an advanced Datebook that is FAR superior to the default Palm datebook. Plus the calculator of the Visor Deluxe is great... the Palm IIIxe's is only average. The Visor Deluxe also comes with a program called City Time, but I'll be honest it really isn't all that useful.
•Speed- The Visor Deluxe is much faster than the IIIxe. This only makes a difference in a few programs. But when the difference show up it is huge.
Misc cons- here are a bunch of assorted cons:
•No internal rechargable battery (the visor Deluxe also has no rechargable battery
•No color screen- then again, the color screens aren't that great
•size- The same size as the Visor Deluxe, but much larger than my best friend the Palm Vx
VERDICT
You cannot go wrong using the IIIxe. I bought and use the Palm Vx because I love the small size and internal battery. But the IIIxe is sturdy, cost-efective, and reliable. For the price, it is a great deal as 8 MB is essential nowadays. It is a fantastic unit for those starting out with a PDA. I will say again that the Visor Deluxe may be slightly better but don't be let that stop you from getting a IIIxe. I know many who use the IIIxe and know it is as solid a choice as any Palm PDA. For more details on other Palm PDAs check out my other reviews.
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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