Rating: 
Summary: It worked fine.... for about one and half months
Review: I purchased refurbshed version of this PDA from one of the marketplace seller, and I thought it was a good deal. Well,,, I have to admit that the PDA itself is awesome (very thin, light weight, palm os, reasonable memory, expansion slot, etc). However, the hotsync function suddenly failed after one and half of use. In my opinion, this pda doesn't worth a thing without the hoysync- writing schedule directly from PDA is one of the most annoying things EVER! ...P.S. those who are having the same problem, this might help. =>
Rating: 
Summary: Same Experience as Electronics fan from Chandler, AZ
Review: Buyer Beware!!!! My unit no longer hot syncs either! After getting 3 Refurbished units, one new 500, one new cradle and HOURS on the phone to Palm, I found out there is an electrical static problem with this unit (and most of the other Palm products, except the new one)!!!! There is a "patch" that was just written but it is NOT a FIX. I FINALLY got a great technician (at the corporate office) that explained that the only way to fix it was to get a serial port cradle.....
Rating: 
Summary: THE Best Monochrome PDA Around!
Review: For $$$, you will receive THE best monochrome PDA around. It's one of the smallest, thinnest, and overall, the best PDA for it's features and price.
Rating: 
Summary: Still one of the best
Review: Beautiful, slim, lightweight, shockproof body. (I have already dropped it once.) Simple, reliable operating system with battery life to last for weeks and a clear, low resolution LCD screen. I am deducting one star because beaming from another PALM stole information I never intended to share and because the stylus does not work at the outer edges of the screen. Overall, this is a good buy. You won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Use it every day
Review: My only regret with the 500 is that it's not color, but when I bought it I didn't feel like spending extra for the color screen. There have been very few times when I missed a color screen; as I use mine for work rather than photos and games, a monochrome screen is fine. Otherwise I have no regrets - I literally use the Palm every day in many different settings. There is an abundance of excellent software (if you're in healthcare as I am, Epocrates (www.epocrates.com) is a must have, and it's free) available at sites like www.palm.com and www.download.com for either low prices or for free. Even my 67 year old father who still regrets the passing of ink and quill uses one! Some criticism has been written about the battery life. I have never had the battery die on me and I use mine a lot. It recharges in under an hour, usually by the time I'm done HotSynching. One really neat feature of the whole Palm concept is that many programs (such as Epocrates, a medication reference guide) will access the Internet and update themselves everytime you Hotsynch. You always have the most current information available, and it's automatic. AvantGo is another program I use which does the same thing. I am certain that you will find these devices more useful than you expect, and in ways that you can't imagine.
Rating: 
Summary: it's pretty good, but
Review: Although I like the Palm products (started with the m100, graduated to the m500 when the m100 crapped out after 2 years), I'm finding this palm nice but with a few problems. The screen is harder to read than the old m100 or other Palms that I've seen (the text seems dimmer or something; it's not as sharp and clear, and the backlighting can only be read in *complete* darkness). Also I dislike the rechargeable batteries because it's a hassle when I travel (so I not only have the cradle charger that it came with but I had to buy a separate charger/hot sync cable that was smaller, and which is not very reliable and only works when the computer is *on*, and I will have to buy a straight charger for trips on which I don't have my computer with me -- yes, that's *three* cables I will have). I *much* preferred buying AAA batteries and simply keeping spare ones in my bag or desk. Also now I'm having a problem in which the battery is drained after 1 day in which I *didn't* use it. Hopefully Palm will be able to fix this soon/efficiently but in the meantime, and not choose to replace it with a reconditioned one, but this Palm is only 4 months old. Overall I really like the Palms and the m series -- they are great, and I get lots of use out of them (my whole LIFE is on it!) but the fact that the screen is harder to read and the problems with the battery and charging just make me wonder whether it's time to try another brand.
Rating:
Summary: Serious design flaw and Palm knows it.
Review: I have had to replace my M500 4 times since I purchased it less than 6 months ago. The electrostatic discharge problem, acknowledged on the Palm website as a design flaw, has not been remedied by the "enhanced" cradle. Most importantly Palm has not done the right thing, refund the cost or replace the PDA with a working alternative model. Terrible policy, terrible product. Caveat emptor and check out the Sony's.
Rating:
Summary: "Was" a Great Product, Overpriced
Review: I bought an M500 over a year ago & truly loved it. Unfortunately, it stopped sync-ing with my computer. I learned that there was a problem with the cradles for M500s & had mine replaced. It never worked again however, & my warranty expired. They cost about [$] to fix, so I thought I might just look for a new one & get an extended warranty. The price is getting down near [$] (though not consistently) for refurbushed models at Palm.com. Right now (Feb 1,2003) , Palm is selling them new at [$]. I'm still shopping.... but carefully. Many vendors are currently selling them used or refurbished for this amount.. or more! Before Christmas, Palm noted the expected retail price as [$], but the actual selling price rarely reflects this. Overall, the selling price has remained inflated for this b&w screen product due to customer demand. So, for now, I'm biding my time.....
Rating:
Summary: Palm m500 USB Sync Fails
Review: The m500 Palms fail on sync. Tech support is of little or no help. They will send a used and repaired replacement for $40 if you bought it withen 90 days of failure. Mine lasted 14 day. Don't buy a palm!
Rating:
Summary: Working wonder
Review: My wife has totally enjoyed her new play thing. This item not only helps her with the personal things but she uses it mostly for work. It beats all those scrap papers she use to make notes and and half those gets lost!!...
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