Pros: Outstanding display, colors are beautiful; small and light PDA. A good value.
Cons: Doesn't use Palm universal connector, lack of case options, short battery life.
The Bottom Line: If budget is a consideration, but you really want color, this is the right PDA. Otherwise, consider the m5xx series. Lack of universal connector is a drawback.
reengler's Full Review: Palm Tungsten™ E Handheld
I purchased the Tungsten E as a replacement for my Vx which finally died after years of service. My primary consideration was size and weight. I got very used to the small form factor of the Vx and didn't want to go to one of the larger PDAs. I strongly considered one of the older Palms or even a replacement for my Vx, but wanted the color screen.
The transflective color screen is beautiful. It's much easier to read than the old b/w LCD screen of the Vx and of course, it's in brilliant color.
The suite of included software is a nice feature, especially documents-to-go (read/edit MS Office documents on your PDA).
I'm a little disappointed by a handful of drawbacks. The biggest for me is the lack of accessories. There aren't many cases available (the Palm hard case is large and bulky, rendering the small form factor moot)and I haven't yet found a way to buy a spare charger or USB sync cable. Hopefully this is mostly due to the fact that the E is pretty new.
A related, but minor disappointment is that the absence of a cradle means there is no one-button hot sync, although I may be able to reprogram one of the buttons to perform this function.
The pretty brushed metal case is prone to picking up fingerprints. Again, this would be less of a problem with a case.
Probably the biggest drawback is the short battery life. I used to get a week or more from my Vx, but now only get about two days from the Tungsten E. I'm sure this is related to the energy demands of the display, but it makes the need for a second charger much greater.
Overall, I like the Tungsten E, but I would have happily paid more for the equivalent PDA with the universal connector.
Added 3/18/04 - I still love it and am about to buy my wife one as well to replace her still-functioning Vx.
I have recently found third party accessories for the Tungsten E:
A sync/charging USB cable from Eforcity.com and a slimmer hard case from PDApen/Zxpro. The cable is wonderful and really reduces the downside of not being able to use standard Palm accessories. The case is nifty because it has openings for charing/syncing, removing the memory card, beaming, and getting at the stylus/power button. Holes in the case mean that dust gets in, but the sturdy case protects the Palm very well. I do wish the case was a bit thinner, I could live without the slots for extra memory cards, but I haven't gone back to the little screen cover that comes with the Tungsten E.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 180 Recommended for: Students - Stylish and a Best Value
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