The Palm TX Handheld --- An Easy to use Device For Even the Non-Technical Crowd
Written: Aug 01 '06 (Updated Aug 01 '06)
Product Rating:
Pros: easy to set-up, easy to use, great multimedia features, very speedy device, not too expensive
Cons: not many
The Bottom Line: Simple, and easy to use, the Palm TX is a great device for both the technologically savvy as well as the beginner to handheld devices.
three_ster's Full Review: RIM BlackBerry Pearl 8100 Smartphone
I have been using a Palm TX handheld on the job, for many different functions, and have come to really enjoy using them. My experience with handheld devices is fairly limited, having only really used one other model in the past five years. In the world of Palms, there are always new innovations and upgrades coming out, so that pretty much explains my technological awareness when it comes to devices such as these. The Palm TX though, doesn't require a whole lot of technological know-how, because it is so simple to put into use, and it has so many programs that make life easier for a person on the go.
Right out of the packaging, the T/X has a sticker on the front which warns that you should make sure to charge it up for 3 hours before you try to put it to use. It actually has another disclaimer to not worry if it doesn't respond to button pushes before you have everything set up either, because that is normal. To set up the handheld, you first are asked to connect the sync cable to the handheld and to the USB port on your computer. Then after plugging in the AC charger into an outlet, you can set about charging up the Palm. This takes three hours of charging time before it is fully ready, and it is good to be turned on. Using the stylus (the pencil/wand that comes with it and interacts with the touch screen), you can start going through the on screen steps when you have turned it on, and work your way through putting the software from the provided CD on to the Palm. The whole process is really easy, and the tutorial, along with the fold-out instructions lead you through it.
The physical/visual aspects of the Palm TX:
First off, it should be noted that the TX has a very sleek and attractive design to it, and when you are holding it you are thinking that this is a top of the line product. The screen is nicely elongated, and actually presents a really visible and bright picture during use. At the bottom of the screen, there are two sets of customizable application buttons which have many different uses once everything is set up. Working from left to right the basic function of each is (1)A Home button which takes you back to the main favorites page, (2) A calendar button which leads you into the hourly, daily, and monthly calendars, (3)A Contacts button which accesses your memory of contacts, (4) and the Web button which will open up a web browser and connect you to the internet for some surfing. Between those two sets is the 5 way navigation button which lets you scroll through all of the option menus when you are working with them.
On the right side of the palm, the stylus wand is attached in a nice cradle that allows it to slide up and out the top of the Palm. On the top (working from left to right) there is an expansion card slot, an IR (infrared) port, a headphone jack, and finally the power button that works as the on/off switch of the device. At the very bottom of the Palm, there is a multi-connecter which allows you to connect the sync cable to synchronize, or connect the AC charger to charge the handheld. Those are the physical aspects of the Palm, but when you have it turned on, there is a nice status bar that appears at the bottom and allows you to work through a lot of the different features. Those features include a Find button, a menu button, status information, Alert, the Bluetooth Controls, a Wi-Fi button, Controls, Full-Screen Writing, Screen Rotation, and Input. Each of the features has its own button which correlates to one of the above tools, and having them all on the main screen at all times can prove valuable when using the device.
The Main Functions:
Using the Home button you are taken to the screen, where you have a number of pre-set functions (favorites) that you can alter at any time. This is the list of main programs that you can access and work with. For instance, on this one, there is Office Documents, Music, Photos & Videos, E-mail, Web, Tasks, Memo, Notepad, Quick Tour, Calc (Calculator), SMS, Expense, and World Clock. You have 32 slots that you can use as your favorites, and they can be altered at any time to include games that you have fun playing or other things that you want to be able to jump to at a moments notice. Using that home button is also a quick way to exit any program that you might be using, as well as jumping from program to program. This saves the time of working through the program functions with the Stylus. The other way you can work through the favorites or other programs is with the navigation button, but I think that the Stylus wand is a much easier way to go.
The Multimedia Aspects:
In my humble opinion, the best thing that this particular Palm has to offer is its intense graphics/photo quality. It is geared very well for media applications as well as viewing photos and videos on the screen. The speed is very impressive, so if you are watching a music video, you don't have to wait around for things to re-pixilate for you. When you view photographs as full images (thumbnails enlarged), they are very clear and concise, even when transferred over from a 5.0 mega pixel digital camera. The full screen mode is very nice, because this way you aren't just looking at a picture with text below or above it, and you can use the navigation buttons to work through a slideshow. With the TX also comes the Blazer web browser version 4.3 which is a Palm product, and allows for surfing the web wirelessly. The browser works very quickly and although it is at times slower to load the images on the web than the text, at least you can be reading everything while the photos finish coming up. It is good enough for me though, because it doesn't take as long as we might think it does in our own minds. The TX does also support JavaScript and VPN connections.
My Thoughts on the Palm TX Handheld:
Using the Palm TX Handheld is a very easy process, and it is one of those devices that only requires a basic understanding of the technology in order to enjoy everything it has to offer. I think that if someone went through the tutorials, and used all of the instructions, which include a feature overview, writing tips, thoughts on cool applications, how to stay connected, and how to customize your handheld that anyone could become a quick expert at this little gadget. Measuring at 4.76 inches by 3.08 inches by .61 inches it is very compact, and weighing only 5.25 ounces this is one light device that is really easy to carry around with you. It has 128MB of nonvolatile RAM, a 312 MHz Intel PXA270, and a screen that rivals some of the best at this size. That screen is 320x480 pixels, shows up to 65 thousand different colors, and has a great back-light that works best with photos and documents. It also has great speakers, so if you are playing music, it is as good as any computer I have used. All of these are really valuable reasons why I have enjoyed using the TX.
There are a couple of downfalls that I have come across when using the TX that I should point out to those considering purchasing one. The first is that the writing pad feature isn't the easiest one to use. The pad correlates to any of the writing programs, and serves as a great function when you are searching your Palm for file names or programs. When you write using the Stylus, it comes up in the window as the letter you have written. Unfortunately characters such as X don't work very well, because you have to life the pen, thus confusing the program into thinking you are finished. You can end up with a period, a L, or a 1 depending on what the program feels like seeing. It's a minor thing that is overcome using the key pad, or if you wish, you can hook up an external keyboard to make use even easier. There is a "language" that it instructs you to use at the bottom though, so if you adhere to the Palm language you shouldn't have the same problem that I did at first. The only other thing I don't like, is when you are cycling through the favorites list using the navigation button you scroll to the right, but it doesn't loop around; meaning that there are four pages, and once you get to 4, it doesn't go back around to 1, instead forcing you to scroll back through 3 and 2 before you get to 1. I know it is a minor thing, but it is a tad frustrating when you are scrolling quickly.
The battery is something that is not top notch with this Palm, consisting of a 1250 mAh lithium ion rechargeable battery. It lasts between 5 and 7 hours of use, so depending on how vast the program is that you are using will determine what side of the scale you go to. This can probably be spread over a couple of days of use if you aren't looking at keeping the Palm on for a constant duration of time. Using the Wi-Fi connections will cut into the life of the battery, so plan on needing to recharge more often if you go that route. Recharging isn't that tough of a process though, as you can just plug it in at night when you are not planning on using the Palm. Plus, you can set an alarm on the Palm if you want to use it as a back-up alarm clock or something. Setting up that Wi-Fi is quick and easy by following a few steps, and the Palm also allows you to use Bluetooth via a mobile phone if you are on the go.
As I had stated, this is a Palm that I really enjoy using, and I don't profess myself to be any sort of expert in the field of handheld devices such as these. The video and sound aspects make it well worth the purchase price of only $299.99. This one was picked up at CompUSA, which also sells some flashy carrying cases that you could pick up on the same purchase. Palm TX Handheld is easy to set-up, easy to use, and flattering in all aspects of use that I have put it through. This is a very affordable product when you factor in its capabilities with Wi-Fi in such a compact little toy. The color screen and video capabilities could really make this an interesting product to just about everyone, and has served as an added bonus to me. I highly recommend the Palm T/X, and suggest that if you are in the market for your first handheld device that you give heavy consideration to this one.
Full List of Applications on the Palm TX Handheld:
*Quick Tour
*Addit (adding software)
*Calculator
*Calendar
*Card Info
*Contacts
*Documents To Go
*Expense
*Favorites
*Hotsync
*Media
*Memos
*Note Pad
*pTunes
*SMS
*Solitaire
*Tasks
*VersaMail
*Blazer Web Browser
*World Clock
From the CD:
*Adobe Acrobat Reader
*Audible Player
*eReader
*HandMark Express
*WiFile
The BlackBerry Pearl 8100 smartphone comes complete with digital camera, multimedia capabilities and expandable memory. And it offers users everything...More at eBay
Wireless email Weight Approximately 3.1 oz Bluetooth v2.0; headset, hands-free and serial port profiles supported Standby time 360 hours or 15 days Fl...More at Amazon Marketplace
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.