Rating: 
Summary: Great PDA for the beginner on a budget
Review: I recently bought this and I love it. I was able to get rid of my bulky address book. I was looking for a basic PDA and the Zire is it. Easy to use and fun to learn all the quirks etc. Best of all the price is right for someone on a tight budget. Only drawback is it is not backlit, other than That I love it. Might have been nice to have a memory expansion card, but I can live with what this has.
Rating:
Summary: Perfect price, decent machine
Review: The positives: inexpensive, lightweight, stylish, easy to use interface, runs all current Palm software and syncs the same as any other Palm PDA.The negatives: flimsy construction; cheesy protective cover (buy a better case); 2MB memory (enough for most users, but not enough for power users); USB cable is separate from power cord, so you have two cables instead of one.
Rating:
Summary: Computers for everything else...
Review: I am currently a college student so I was looking for a PDA that was simple, inexpensive, and fun. I currently have a mac and am saving up to buy a laptop pc so I was looking for a low end PDA that I would not have to spend a couple of hundred dollars on. I have computer for such things as editing files, picture and I can check the internet with my cell phone - I do not need a PDA that does that! I was looking for a PDA that could organize all of my addresses and play a few games and still sync with my mac; as well as keep track of all of my class assignments. After being wakened at night by a mysterious alarm I wished for a backlight - so I took off one star for that. Plenty of space for some games with room to spare for special utilities - even downloaded a left-handed menu program. After messing around with my Zire my entire family would like one for themselves!
Rating: 
Summary: Worth every penny spent on it
Review: I have long found myself disorganized with several address books, online address books, pieces of papers with dates and phone numbers on them, lists of things to do on the work computer, home computer, and laptop. I am an extrememly heavy computer user and things get confusing real easily. I have always wanted some sort of PDA but have always known (as a method of self-restraint) that if I wanted a PDA, I would want to play games, get programs, twiddle with settings, etc etc and complete DEFEAT the purpose of a handheld organizer. After several months of research, I chose the Palm Zire. Why would a heavy computer user pick the Palm Zire over a far more powerful MS Pocket PC? Simple. It just plain works. Similar to the philosophy of the Apple Macintosh, with the Palm Zire I find myself using it only to organize my address book, calendar, and to do list. There is very little to play with (great for a beginner user), and little to mess up (great for people with me that like to play with things). I have never been so pleased with an electronics purchase since my purchase of an Apple iBook. The Palm Zire is a perfect companion to anyone who wants a standalone PDA or anyone who is a frequent mobile user. Backlighting is obviously not a very big deal for me since the only time the lights are off is when I am driving or am asleep. Contrary to a few other reviews, 2MB is roughly equivalent to several rolodexes of addresses and a few years of a calendar. You also get a nice take-a-break type puzzle game (which my girlfriend LOVES!). The price tag is perfect ..., so I don't have to worry about carrying something equivalent to a Rolex watch everywhere I go. I would recommend anyone buying the Palm Zire to get the carrying case and some screen protectors to prolong the life of the product. (They make nice small gift....). Also, something I would recommend is to syncronize your Palm Zire with your Yahoo! Calendar and Address book. This has quickly solved my "multiple address book and calendar" problem, and the software and service is completely free at Yahoo.com.
Rating:
Summary: Affordable and Neat
Review: Bought it for my wife. She loves it, The Zire has everything she needs to have all har information at hand
Rating:
Summary: Perfect for what it's meant for
Review: The Zire perfectly matches what it is designed for and promoted as; a basic PDA for addresses, date book, and to-do list. If you're looking for a pocket PC with the ability to add Word or Excel and play color games, this is NOT what this is for. I think those who review it poorly in that light don't do it justice. It's like judging a Honda Civic vs. a Lexus - the Civic is tops for the class it's in.
I want to add some things that are not so obvious. First - you need the additional case. It's only ... With it, I can now toss the Zire into my briefcase and not worry about scratching up the screen (the case does NOT smell bad as some reviews say). Second, I didn't know that the Zire has a "note pad" where you can write in notes right on the screen -great for those "need a scrap of paper" moments. Third, the desktop software is excellent - easy to use, very versatile. Fourth, I was skeptical about the Graffitti function, which lets you write in your entries into the date book, memo pad, address book and expense area and have it logged as typed text. But it works GREAT. It took me 10 minutes to familiar with some of the odd letters (such as k), but now I can write into it faster than typing.
Down side: it can be a bit hard to read in dim light. But that's ok with me becaus it saves battery power. The rechargable battery was a big sell with me as well - - 3 weeks using now, and I have not needed a recharge.
For the record, I have a full business calendar and address book. This thing is changing my haphazard collection of printed sheets and my stack of business cards from various colleagues. It works and it easy to use. UPDATE in September 2003: Coming onto a year of using this, and I still highly recommend it. I use it every day, many time per day. I have hundreds of contacts in it. I edit my calendar on the fly every day. And it fits into my shirt pocket. It's as part of my day as my watch or wallet - and the size is right. The battery only needs charging about every 3 weeks. I synchronize ith with my desktop each night w/ no problems.
For a basic scheduler , contact list, memo pad, it's great. I can't imagine spending hundreds of dollars for a PDA when I have this. Buy it!
Rating:
Summary: Easy to use and affordable
Review: I have been avoiding the whole PDA craze until now. I purchased a Palm Zire Handheld just two weeks ago, and, already, I can't live without it. It is easy to use and helps me keep track of dates, events and addresses. I use a Macintosh, and I have been impressed with the Palm Desktop software to "sych" my computer with the handheld. This little machine is worth every penny,
Rating:
Summary: Does the most important tasks
Review: I bought a Zire for my wife for Xmas and she loves it so far. I switched to a PocketPC last year, but I still enjoy showing her how to use the Palm Zire. Sometimes complexity (power of the PocketPC) robs efficiency (ease of use and data access quickness of the Zire). The Zire is a "back to basics" model, bringing a PDA's most useful functions to the surface. This unit feels sturdy and fits well in your hand, thanks to its curved back. One feature they never picture in the photos is the rubber flip cover that comes with the unit (at the bottom of the package - don't throw it away!). When flipped behind the unit, this cover can be grasped in between the fingers of your non-writing hand, helping you prevent accidentally dropping the unit. My wife also found a good spot for the graffiti stickers, sticking them on the inside of this flip cover. The rechargable batteries are a big plus for an entry level PDA. This eliminates the worry of conserving AAA batteries. A nice bonus (at least on the Mac side) is that the PDA recharges while plugged into PC via the USB cable. (While recharging, the battery icon contains a lightning bolt). I would have given a five star rating if they had managed to fit in a back light to illuminate the display when it is dark. Although it would be used infrequently, it would still help when you want to check why your PDA is beeping at you in the middle of the night!
Rating:
Summary: AWESOME for low techies!
Review: I love my palm zire. I have been wanting a palm for a long time, but did not want to pay $$ for a fancy high tech item that I would only use for a few things. So, when the zire appeared I new this was for me. It is perfect if you don't need all the gadgets that the other palms offer. I just wanted a date book, calendar, and to do list that I could carry in my purse at all times and this fits the bill to a T!! I also love the alarm function so that it can serve as a travel alarm. So, this palm is perfect for those who don't need internet and color display and all that jazz, they just want to be organized.
Rating:
Summary: Great Starter
Review: I really like this product. It is fairly easy to learn. The instructions could be better but the e-mail support is excellent. This is my first PDA & I mainly need one for events & addresses. I like the look of it & it does all I wanted & more. I do not feel I need a back light & can see the display fine. Easy to download to from the internet for games & such. Nice shape & size. Can't beat it for the price. Get the case also. You will want it to carry in your purse.
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