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| Product: Palm V Connected Organizer |
Company: 3Com/
Palm Computing |
| Web: www.palmpilot.com |
Phone: 408-326-5000 |
Platform: 486 or better, Windows 95/98 or Windows NT 4.0
Macintosh (Palm Mac Pac required) |
SRP: US$449
Street Price: US$380 |
Cred Rating: | Special Award:
Object Value |
After surviving the media blitz surrounding the release of the new Palm
V, I'd made up my mind to hang on to my trusty Palm III. After all, on paper,
there didn't seem to be enough improvements to warrant the hefty US$450 price tag. Both units have 2MB of memory, an IR port and run essentially the same OS, bundled with the same software. Most of the changes seemed cosmetic. Add to that a non-removable battery and a sealed case that eliminates the possibility of a hardware upgrade, and I was pretty sure that the folks at 3Com were putting something funny in their coffee.
It was then, smug in my resolve, that I made a fatal error: I played with one for a few minutes. It was as if I had an out-of-body experience. As I floated above my body, I could see my debit card coming out in slo-mo and the silent electronic WHOOSH of $450 being surgically removed from my checking account. When I came to, I was poorer financially, but much happier with my new PDA.
The improvements in the V aren't so much improvements in the technology,
but improvements in the design. The V is significantly smaller and half as
thin as the Palm III. They achieve this by replacing the AAA batteries with
a non-removable rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery, and eliminating the
RAM/ROM daughterboard. The processor is Motorola's Dragonball EZ, which runs
at the same clock speed as the Palm III. Thanks to some firmware tweaking
however, the Palm V runs about 12% faster then the Palm III. The memory is
permanently soldered to the motherboard and is non-removable. The case is
sealed shut with silicone adhesive. Sealed shut as in "No Upgrades."
Before you gasp in horror, consider that Palm Computing's research showed
that the vast majority of their users never added applications or memory. If
you're looking to surf the Web with a PDA, read heaps of e-books or use
huge databases then, you'll probably look into the Palm IIIx, or one of
TRG's super memory boards. But then why torture yourself by using a PalmPilot in the first place?
If you're like me, you use the Palm as a day planner. I use the built-in
apps, plus Datebook3, Pocket Quicken to track my financial health (or lack
thereof) and Time Reporter to track hours and expenses. Even with four or five
hacks installed, I still have more than half my memory free on the V.
If memory gets really tight, I can utilize the Flash ROM's 825K of extra free space (with TRG's FlashPRO), yielding almost an extra meg of
storage space. By the time I've used all that up, I'll be ready for the next
model. Palm Vx, anyone?
The smaller case is one of the best improvements the PalmPilot has made. The size is perfect (at 4.5" x 3.1" x 0.4", 4 oz.). Any larger, and I would notice it in my pocket. Any smaller and it would be hard to hold and use. I used to dream about a Newton Message Pad being this size. The housing is also sheathed in smoky platinum anodized aluminum that feels great in the hand and adds some heft and stiffness to the casing. No more creaky, flexy housings. The buttons are redesigned and easier to press, and the power switch is now in the upper right-hand corner instead of the lower left. A stylus well on each side of the housing means that southpaws can slip the stylus in the left side where access is more convenient.
The added stylus wells serve another brilliant purpose: they're the way you
affix the Palm V to a case. At last, we Palm users are free from the fuzzy
shackles of velcro or stitched yokes that block application buttons! The V includes a leather cover that mounts via a stylus-like rail and
swings free on a rubber hinge. It's well made but is the only really
disappointing feature of the V -- clearly an afterthought. The cover
affixes to either stylus well, but it does not offer much protection and
doesn't stay closed against the screen. Its real fatal flaw is that while in your pocket, the slightest pressure on the cover can activate either the up/down switch or the application buttons, canceling alarms and running down your battery.
The $40 hardcase is a much better solution. Made of plastic and matching
aluminum, it reminds me of an old cigarette case I used to have. Even when
nested in the hardcase, the V is smaller than a Palm III without its flip
cover. The hardcase also has dimples in the cover to protect against the
buttons being inadvertently pushed. It's a terrific accessory but it only
affixes to the left rail (sorry lefties) and adds some dimension to the
unit. Still, for $450, the hardcase, or at least some sort of hard cover should have been standard equipment.
The screen is a huge improvement. Pictures of it don't do it justice. You need to hold it and see it from different angles. Even with a screen protector, it's clear and crisp, glare-free and high contrast, whether in sunlight, under flourescents or in low light. The backlight leaves something to be desired, however. The default is to have the backlight reversed so you'll see green type on a black background. The only problem is that unless you're in near-pitch darkness, it's hard to see the screen. There's a shortcut you can use to make the screen more like the Palm III, but even in that mode, the lighting still looks funky. Fortunately the screen is so good you rarely need the backlighting.
The battery was my biggest concern. Non-removable batteries make me
suspicious as a rule, but the battery they use is quite good. You charge the
battery through the newly designed cradle. Initially, the V requires three
hours for a full charge, and then requires only "a few minutes each day" to keep the battery fully charged.
The cradle itself is intelligently designed. It is weighted at the bottom
with cast aluminum, preventing it from creeping around my desk as the Palm III
cable did. Another nice touch: the AC adapter plugs "piggyback" into the
serial connector on the back of your desktop/laptop computer so there's only one cable between the cradle and your computer.
Unlike NiCads, Lithium-Ion batteries don't suffer from the memory effect. In fact, discharging the battery fully is what limits the life of a Lithium-Ion
battery. With light-to-moderate daily usage, the Palm V's battery takes only
five to ten minutes to fully charge up. The folks at Palm claim the battery
will last up to a month between charges, but figure more like a week if you
use the V more than once or twice a day.
There are plenty of accessories coming down the pike including a spiffy new
33.6 modem and a travel kit that include a HotSync cable and AC charger, but
these new accessories are not compatible with older PalmPilots, nor can you
use older accessories with the Palm V. Buying an extra cradle is also more
expensive, setting you back $50, mainly due to the extra power supply
the cradle requires to charge the battery. A $45 Travel kit will be
available that includes a multi-voltage power supply, European adapter plugs
and a HotSync cable.
So is it worth the $450? Yes, if you're the type that feels naked without
your PDA. The design alone makes it convenient enough so that I can think of
it as part of my wardrobe, like my wallet, watch or fountain pen, rather than
feeling like I am toting around a computer. It doesn't require complex cases
and belt clip holders (though they'll no doubt be available). The V is easy to
open and use in a variety of lighting conditions. It feels more solid. It's
way cooler. It's design does not offer more capability than the Palm III,
but much more utility, because it's always there.
The specs of the V might be seen as evolutionary on paper, but the
effect in your hand is revolutionary. Palm once again challenges us to
re-think what a PDA should be. Remember the first Pilot? No keyboard, no
handwriting recognition, limited applications, limited memory, tiny screen.
It forced users to learn a new way of writing. Remember thinking the
Pilot would die a quick and painful death? Then we tried it and got hooked.
We realized that a specialized device with limitations wasn't such a bad
thing, if it was simple and reliable and did what it was supposed to do. We bought into the concept to the point that 66% of all PDAs out there are now Palms.
Palm III's are going for $300 list. The V is $450 list. Is $150 too much to pay for superior design? Is it too much to pay for a better user experience? I sold my Palm III for $200, making my net cost $250. I don't regret it one bit. The Palm V's elegant design makes this the truly personal personal digital assistant.
If you're looking for more muscle in a PDA, consider the less expensive IIIx, with its 4MB of memory and improved screen. If you're happy with your older Pilot, or your budget (or spouse) won't allow for an upgrade, hang on to it and
upgrade later. But for your wallet's sake, steer clear of the Palm V
displays in your local computer store. And whatever you do, don't pick one
up!
[Note: At the time I wrote this there is a shortage of PalmV's. 3Com has
withheld Palm V's to most Internet discounters until the supply increases.
That means that if you want one, you'll probably have to pay list and
purchase it locally. If you do find it on the net, make sure you check
availability before you place your order.]
- Eric Diamond [3/18/99]
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