12-19-01 This
special series of Holiday
Buyer's Guides is dedicated to the holiday shoppers that
also happen to be terminal procrastinators. Every day through
the 21st, we will post a new guide covering gift ideas from
a variety of categories and price ranges.
PDA's have certainly come a long way since they were first
introduced. The original Pilot 1,000 came with 128k of memory,
enough to store 2,500 entries total. Today, you can get a
Visor
Pro with a whopping 16MB memory. Some of Palm's current
offerings can accept Secure Digital or MultiMedia Cards for
even greater storage capabilities. There is also a move to
merge several digital devices into one. Handspring's upcoming
Treo,
for example, adds a mobile phone to the PDA, some models even
sporting a miniature keyboard for entering information or
sending SMS messages.
Even without the extra whistles and bells, PDA's offer a
little something for everyone. I have several friends that
cannot make any plans without consulting the calendar of their
PDA. Likewise, it is very convenient having contact information
for all of your friends and associates just a few taps away.
The Palm OS enjoys a rich development community with literally
thousands of applications available in a variety of categories.
Many titles are "productivity" focused, but there
is certainly no shortage of games and other diversions, including
a vaguely annoying pocket
Psychologist. Below we have selected 6 highly rated PDA's
from Palm and Handspring, that should work within a variety
of budgets. Handspring
PDA specs|Palm
PDA specs
Notable Quotes
Palm m125
(8MB memory. No flash ROM)
MacUser
UK — "A
more stylish version of the m105, with metallic details to
add some cheer to the same curvy outline. It's a very different
machine, though, featuring a faster processor, a Secure Digital
and MultiMedia Card slot for external expansion and Palm's
full Internet software pack."
Handspring Visor Neo
(8MB memory. No Flash ROM)
MacUser
UK —
"The Neo features a lovely smooth plastic case and matching
snap-on screen protector that suggests a quality far in excess
of its mild price tag."
MacUser
UK —
"What the Neo does well is bring high-end features down
into the lower reaches of the range. It slots into place above
the Deluxe and Visor, and bings with it the same 33MHz DragonBall
VZ used by the Pro, which is a real hike from the 16MHz model
found in the Deluxe."
Palm m500
(8MB memory. Flash ROM)
macHOME
— "The
m500 delivers its own features like a flashing LED and a vibrating
alarm. Its metal stylus also feels solid. New to a Palm handheld,
the m500 incorporates an expansion slot that accepts Secure
Digital or MultiMedia Cards. This slot allows RAM expansion,
new ways to install and run programs, and the addition of
third-party peripherals."
MacUser
UK — "If
you ask people to think of a Palm computer, the shape and
styling of the m500 is probably what most people see in their
mind's eye. It's small and slim, not too heavy and finished
with a serious-looking dull metallic grey case. The stylus
action on the screen is smooth rather than just slippery."
Macworld
— "The m500 has a leather cover that folds back,
and you can attach it to either side of the PDA; the stylus
slips into a groove on whichever side is free, making the
m500 friendly to lefties."
Handspring Visor Pro
(16MB memory. No flash ROM)
MacUser
UK —
"The most notable feature of the Pro is that it's the
first Palm OS-based PDA with 16Mb of memory. ... You would
be forgiven for assuming that all this memory would come at
a price, but Handspring retains its reputation for value for
money with the Pro, which costs just £229. This is £40
less than the mono Palm m500, which only has 8Mb as standard."
Palm m505
(8MB memory. Flash ROM. Color)
MacUser
UK — "The m505, like the m500, is expandable.
At the top edge of the screen there's a small, 2cm slot called
the Secure Digital (SD) slot. This will accept SD cards and
Multimedia Cards. Each card is about the same size as a stamp,
but there are already 32Mb memory expansion cards available
for boosting the built-in 8Mb."
Macworld
— "Once you use a color palmtop, you'll wonder how
you ever got by without one. Sure, most Palm OS productivity
applications don't require color, and many don't even use
color. But when you work with an application that does, you'll
be dazzled by how much more enjoyable the handheld experience
can be."
Handspring Visor Prism
(8MB memory. No flash ROM. Color)
MacAddict
— "If you want a PDA to collect all your phone numbers
and remind you of that looming dentist appointment, read no
further - the Visor Prism is way more than you need. But if
you're looking for a device on which you can play beautiful
color games and store lovely color pictures of your baby,
the Prism should be at the top of your list of things to buy
(or, better yet, things to ask for)."
macHOME
— "The Visor Prism's feature list is rich, including
8MB RAM to store thousands of contacts, appointments, and
messages; a Springboard expansion slot to easily add a GPS
receiver, MP3 player, camera, or other hardware tool; a fast
processor for sprightly response; and a 65,000-color capable
display which offers slightly improved clarity over monochrome
options. These items make the Prism a potent option for first-time
PDA shoppers."
MacUser
UK — "Not surprisingly, the Visor range has
been a big hit. It has been especially popular with Mac users,
thanks to its USB interface and Mac compatibility. You need
to buy a special compatibility kit to connect a Palm organiser
to your Mac, but the Visor's little docking cradle has a USB
interface that allows you to plug it straight into a Mac and
swap information between the two machines with a single press
of a button."
*MacZone's description and specs incorrectly lists this
as the Visor Neo, but it is, in fact the Visor
Pro. We confirmed that their part number (#00868947) is
actually for the Visor Pro and not the Neo.
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This
special series of 
