Sony Clie UX50: Is it Worth the Cost?
Written: Sep 04 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easy to use, excellent upgrades, options, bluetooth
Cons: Schizophrenic battery, expensive
The Bottom Line: A great hand held, but an expensive one. As easy to use as any you will find.
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| hwz1's Full Review: Sony CLIE® PEG-UX50 Handheld |
My fiance's company has recently upgraded all of their reps to the Sony Clie UX50. Why would they do such a thing when their current hand held's are just over a year old? I am not sure, but she was told that the new Sony is just that good. Ok, fair enough, but why not wait until the next "too good" wave comes around in another year? You got me, but I decided to do some poking around to see just how good this machine really is and if I was missing out on anything.
She loves it because- with mediocre typing abilities- the keyboard is larger and makes it easier to type. That is a concern of mine, but among the least. I want to know how well it does what it is supposed to do.
THE SPECIFICS:
* 4" wide, 3.5" deep, .75" thick weighing 6.2 ounces
* Built in wireless and bluetooth technology
* 480 x 320 color display
* Built in digital camera with 310,000 pixels
* Built in voice recorder and MP3 Player
* Compatible with memory stick pro media
* 29 MB internal memory
WHAT I LIKE:
1. The Clie UX50 is a neat little hand held. Yes, it is a little larger than some models, but the convenience of being able to type and navigate slightly quicker is well worth the added size. The added size is really not all that noticeable anyway.
2. The swivel screen is a nice addition. You have the ability to move the screen in various directions in order to make navigating a more comfortable experience. I think this is most useful when doing things other than typing- such as taking photos. The bottom line is that I would a screen on my laptop or desktop that could be moved as easily as this one.
3. The camera is a cool idea. The built in camera is functional and easy to use. I could see it being used to tape meetings and other similar type ideas. The photos are not too bad to email, but a little bit on the fuzzy side when viewed on a full screen. In other words, I would not use this as my primary digital camera. It is nice to have it available, but there are much better options.
4. The memory is quite good. The Clie UX50 has 29 MB of multimedia file internal memory and this is more than virtually anyone will need. In addition, the Clie UX50 is compatible with a memory stick should you need more memory.
5. The connections are smooth, quick, and easy. The ability to connect to the internet via Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth technology is amazing. The connections are quick and easy and the resulting connection allows you to send and receive email at broadband speeds. The browser is called Netfront and does an adequate job of displaying web pages.
6. Bluetooth, hallelujah! What bluetooth does that is so neat is allow your various multimedia machines to talk to each other. In other words, you can transfer data to your PC or connect to the internet via your cell phone. These are useful and relatively easily accomplished with the Clie UX50. On occasion, the process can be slow, but my guess is that as bluetooth continues to be built out and improved, this will improve.
7. Ease of use. The Clie UX50 is fairly simple to use. The hand held includes a back button, and a dial that can "swing" you to where you want to go. Additionally, there are three buttons that will direct you to where you want to go. I find it hard to get lost and not know how to get to where I want to go. My fiance loves that the UX50 is so easy to use as she is a relative beginner when it comes to this stuff. I would recommend this for those who are new or inexperienced in the hand held world.
WHAT I DO NOT LIKE:
1. The battery is schizophrenic. Granted, there are a bunch of different options available and depending on which you are using your battery performance will differ. However, this is ridiculous. The Wi-Fi connections provide you with a battery life of a few hours while the PDA functions only will let you go for days. Somehow there has to be a middle ground.
2. The price. Thankfully, my fiance did not have to purchase the UX50 with her own money. The cost is close to $700. We can argue all day whether or not it is worth it, but the bottom line is that $700 is a lot of money for the convenience- some might argue inconvenience- of being able to be in touch all the time.
3. No phone. Previous models have had a built in phone. While I would question how often you would actually use it, it is nice to have the option of a phone. My guess is that it would be used more than the digital camera.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
The best compliment I can give the Sony Clie UX50 is that it is a technologically advanced hand held that is easy to use. My fiance is far from advanced when it comes to technology and she is able to get around the UX50 without any difficulty. A big surprise and a huge compliment to Sony.
That being said, I have a problem with the price. If your company is going to purchase this for you, by all means a free Clie UX50 is a great addition to your arsenal. However, purchasing one on your own can be pricey. You have to weigh how much you will actually use it and whether or not pouring the money into another segment of your business is more worthwhile.
Though I love the Clie UX50, I would have to say that you should wait until the price comes down or another version comes out, from Sony or a competitor. I will give the UX50 an HR because of all the aspects that I like, but with reservations when it comes to the cost.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 700.00
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hwz1
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Location: Philadelphia, PA
Reviews written: 845
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Just got a big promotion that will move my new wife and I to Atlanta.
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