Rating: 
Summary: Skip Zire - get m125 now!!
Review: The Zire may be cheap, but not nearly cheap enough. It's not even as good a value as the old m105. Zire's disadvantages: no backlight, 2 MB vs. 8 MB (that's the big one, and in case you didn't know, it really makes a difference), unit is disposable when rechargeable battery wears out vs. indefinite useful life w/replaceable AAAs (and you could always use rechargeables in m105 if you wanted to), less bundled software, rubbery gel flip-flop cover (try sliding *that* easily in and out of your pocket - and soft cover means buttons can get pressed accidentally), missing app buttons (some games and other apps use all 6!), weaker peripheral support (e.g., I could get a keyboard for the m105). Against all that weigh these advantages: attractive styling, standard mini-USB cable (so easily replaced - a nice touch), a slightly better screen (according to some - but only in good lighting!), rechargeable battery, small/lightweight (though the m105's not what you'd call bulky). Unless you're a slave to fashion, it doesn't seem close, does it? Since it seems the m105 has already been phased out, I'd recommend going for the m125. I've occasionally seen this priced BELOW the Zire (go figure), even though it adds to the m105's advantages the all-important SD/MMC card slot and Universal Connector expansion features.
Rating: 
Summary: There's a better handheld out there for the same price!
Review: The palm Zire is overall an "okay" handheld, but if you shop around, I know you'll get more bang for your buck. The Zire has some good points to it, like packing a newer OS verison 4.1, new design as opposed to other Palm Handhelds, and a rechargable battery. But it lacks many basic features that everyone needs! For example, there is no backlight on the Zire, so forget about using the handheld in dim or dark light. It also had a 16MHz processor, so if you plan editing a spreadsheet or playing a game, your performance will be a slower than with other higher priced handhelds. Also, the Zire has only 2MB of RAM, so plan on keeping only contacts and To Do lists. I prefer keeping a E-Book on my handheld with takes up 2-3MB of data. Overall, the zire is an okay handheld I'm sure once the price comes down, the Zire will be the ultimate handheld for the first time user.
Rating: 
Summary: Good for the first-time users
Review: There are a lot of PDAs out there with more power and features.
No doubt about that, but for [the money], I think it's a good buy. I just bought this for my mom, and she loves it because it does what she needs, using it mostly as a organizer + a few programs like Avantgo that allows you to read news and programs for her shopping list, etc.I would have liked this unit to be a little cheaper since you can probably buy a refurbished PDA or older models w/ a bit more features, but if you need rechargeable batteries and you want a better looking PDA that does everything it advertises to do, I recommend this product.
Rating:
Summary: Go Ahead, Take the Plunge
Review: As a committed paper calendar user I've always been reluctant to make the heavy investment of both time and money in switching over to a PDA, but the Zire with it's affordable price and easy to use functions lowered the barrier to the point where I felt I could take the plunge. The biggest surprise was how much I like it. The learning curve for Zire is surprisingly short and it's clean, uncluttered design and compact size makes it easy to slip into purse or pocket. My husband, who uses a Palm Pilot reports that it's somewhat easier to transfer data between desktop and PDA using the Palm, but I don't find it a hassle. And besides, I spent [$$$] less....
Rating: 
Summary: Great Value
Review: I am very pleased with my Palm Zire. It is a great value.
Rating:
Summary: Entry level device is less filling, tastes great.
Review: Palm's latest offering is aimed squarely at the first-time, non-power user. The Zire is a nifty looking device with a chromed case that is not much bigger than the m105 device that was the previous offering to the entry level market. This is easily the nicest looking handheld Palm has come out with in recent memory. So what's different? Apparently, Palm has decided that less is more for this device and got rid of the buttons for the To Do and Memo applications. The applications are still included, the buttons on the front of the unit aren't. Is this a big deal? Probably not...you may have to tap around a little to get to those two, but most entry level people will use Contacts and Calendar more often than not. There is also less memory in the Zire than the m105 (2 megs vs. 8), which won't matter for the basic functions but will limit you in terms of adding some of the thousands of third-party applications that make the Palm OS so attractive and functional. On the plus side for some people, the Zire comes with a rechargeable lithium ion battery instead of using two AAA batteries. While it costs less money to have the rechargeable battery, there were times with my old IIIxe and VIIx that I was glad to be able to stop in a store and get batteries instead of madly looking for an outlet to plug into before the device lost all power (and data). It also appears from looking at the cables that you cannot synch it and charge it at the same time which may prove mildly annoying once in a great while. What really makes the Zire attractive to entry level users are the price and the gentle learning curve and overall ease of use of the Palm OS and Graffiti characters. Palm OS devices are far easier to deal with than Pocket PC's and getting one for [this price]is a good deal. The Palm Desktop software is also easy to use and understand and if you currently use Outlook to manage your info, there is a third party program (Chapura PocketMirror) that synchs with the Zire flawlessly. If you are looking for a gentle introduction to PDA's or are looking to get someone else started on using one, this is a great way to go. However, be warned that if you expect you may want to download extra software or otherwise expand the device beyond the basic Calendar/Contact/To Do functions, you may want to look into a different device. Only having 2 megs of memory (memory can't be added to the Zire) is not enough to fully take advantage of the all the great software out there for Palm's. Also, the 160 x 160 monochrome display is a touch on the small side for some people and those people may want to look at a color device instead.
Rating:
Summary: Nice Palm for beginners
Review: This is a cute little unit that's perfect for students or first timers. The screen is nice and sharp and it doesn't need batteries. The memory is small though, and the rubber flip cover is annoying. You should opt for the blue carrying case which lists for an additional [amount]. Overall, this is a nicely done product for the price.
Rating:
Summary: a easy tool
Review: This would work for everyone. I would want to get this for my business just for an average user that has no computer experience it should work because it looks user friendly it also has a good price tag too.
Rating:
Summary: Much better then people think
Review: Coming in at under the century mark there is really no doubt in anyone's mind that the m150 or more commonly known as Zire is an entry level PDA. Pictures really don't do it justice. After holding one in my hand i knew instantly that PALM has a winner here, an ENTRY LEVEL winner. Looking at it's exterior specs the first noticable thing is that its light. Not only do the numbers prove it (3.8oz) but it feels much lighter. The great thing about this unit is that unlike the m100 (which looks cheap and feels cheap) this unit is made of excellent material. It almost feels like ceramic. Great to the touch. Lastly its thin. almost as thin as the m500 series. If you liked how the m100 looked, it pales in comparison to the Zire. I just wished it came in another color. The only negative aspect that i can think of is the fact that it only comes with 2mb of RAM. Considering that it has no expansion capabilities and when most units come with 16mb, it might pose as a problem. However as an alternative to paper this is more than adequate. Despite only having 2mb it can still hold a bunch of games. If you've been holding back to buy a PDA all this time because of the price, then this is might be what you've been waiting for. I guarantee that you won't be disappointed. I almost want to buy one for fun! With very low expectations of the Zire i must admit that i absolutely loved it when i saw it in person. Again pictures really don't do it justice. But at this point i would hold out for a few weeks before picking up any PDA. There will be a better selection by christmas.
Rating:
Summary: Not worth the money.
Review: I bought this palm to replace one that I had lost (Palm IIIxe). I thought why not go with the newest Palm out. I got the Zire happy that I did not have to worry about batteries and a hot-sync cradle and I thought the price was great. Once I got it home and took it out the package I plugged it up to the computer and turned it on. The screen was nice and crisp, great size and weight, but no back light. My wife said that is something you can live with out so against my feelings I decided to keep it so I synced my palm to put my info into the new palm. During the sync process it froze my computer and the palm froze. I tried this about 4 times then said something is wrong here so I took it back to the store for a new one the ran out so I got the M105. This one worked well it synced with no problem. Then I realized what happened when looked at all the info I had on the M105 It was 3.2 MB's of memory. The Zire only has 2MB's. Bottom line is if you are a serious Palm person this ... 2MB's gives you no room to add anything to this PDA. The Zire may be good for a H.S. kid or some one who is looking for a glorified phone book. All in all this is overpriced and should not have the palm name behind it.
|
