Rating: Summary: Best PDA I have ever owned Review: I have had alot of PDA's: Palm VIIx, Palm IIIc, iPaq, Jornada, Workpad, Palm IIIxe, Sharp Zaurus and even an original Apple Newton. The Tungsten C is by far the best one I have had, the integrated keyboard - 400MHz processor and built-in 802.11b wireless make this an all in one great tool. I love my Sharp Zaurus running Linux, but the ease of use and data syncronization is not there - Palm has got the data sync and Documents to go going for it. Documents to go does a better job at converting documents between desktop and Palm than Microsoft does with its Pocket PC OS.The Screen is very bright, the wireless works without tweaking, the expansion slot is great,the bundled software is very good. Overall this is a great pda - my only negative is I wish it came with a better case.
Rating: Summary: So much good stuff but wait for the next version... Review: Having been a very satisfied Palm V user for years I was really excited about getting a top of the line Tungsten C. However, after three tech support calls and less than a week later I'm going to return it as something not ready for prime-time. First, a Palm rep (Scott) and his supervisor (Phil) both admitted that you can't (as of the writing with no future date known) actually open excel and powerpoint email attachments since relating to emails the Palm's viewer capability only works for acrobat and word files. Depending on what you work on this is a huge miss. My guess is if this is a non-event for you then you probably should look more seriously at a lower model. There is a manual work around saving the file from the email onto your PC, converting using the included program, and synching to the palm, etc. However, that both defeats the purpose of simple email synching and is often not practical. They'll figure this out; when seemed to be the unknown question. Second, the installation software needs another revision. It didn't install the documents to go software correctly, didn't install adobe acrobat correctly, and didn't ask if you wanted to filter any of your calendar or contact information in outlook before sending it all across the Palm. The first two were fixed after the tech calls with neither fix being intuitive (calls to the customer support are $25 a pop after the first 90 days). I won't bother echoing the "opportunity" areas for this product listed in the reviews below since you can read that for yourself. However, as of this writing it doesn't seem they have been addressed. Net, wait for the next version of this.
Rating: Summary: Generlly a good product but with some negatives Review: Palm finally made some high end product which can match the Sony and PocketPC. The 400MHz processor made this little machine very quick to response, sometime may be too fast :), especially when I'm scrolling down the document using the scroll bar. 64MB (51MB storage space) is a big plus, can store a lot of modern apps and data, refence materials. WiFi is another very convenient feature, very easy to set up. The screen is extreme good, the best I've ever seen. The battery life is excellent when you consider the features provided. It surely cannot compare with m50x or other older palm device. And it would be unrealistic to expect very long battery life with this kinds of features provided, at least at present time. However there are few negatives: 1. one of the problems for the old Palm user is the compability of the older applications. Some applications simply cannot work on the new OS and processor. This issue should fade away as more apps updated. However for those apps has discontinued development ain't so lucky. 2. Graffiti2, can be plus or minus, firstly old palm user needs to relearn some new ways to write the letters. Secondly The "two strokes" writing, ie "t" "i" "k", could be very annoying, as it is slower than the one in Graffiti ver 1. and these produce some compability issue to certain apps. If palm can have a option to disable "two-strokes" feature, this would solve the whole problem. 3. The mono phone jack as already mentioned by others 4. I've experienced more reset (soft) than m505, even I'm using built-in apps, but not something happens on daily basis.
Rating: Summary: Great Product Review: I bought the Tungsten C about six months ago to replace a lost Palm 515. When PDA's first came out they were not called PDA's, they were called Palms. I thought that they were the biggest waste of money that there ever was and openly revolted against them. My first palm was a gift and it was the Palm Vx. I found that I could add software (with the portable keyboard) that I used every day at work and I fell in love, I mean LOVE. My criticism of the Vx was the cradle connection. I had a period of three to five days that my palm would not sync with my computer and I did not know how I was going to function without my palm. I upgraded to the Palm 515 to get the color screen. The upgrade was absolutely seamless. I installed the new software, performed a hot sync and just like magic all my old adddress, calendar and third party sofware was there (even all my games). When I lost my 515 on a trip, I waited a couple of days to see if anyone would call saying they found it. But after the weekend, I ordered the Tungsten C. Again the upgrade was seamless. No one does it like Palm. One of the reasons that I picked the Tungsten C, besides the fact that it was the newest and greatest, was the wireless card built in. I have a wireless network in my house and so that made up my mind on which to buy. I did not mess with the wireless card until recently. I have to say I was blown away by it. I thought I had gotten a new toy all over again. Getting on the internet was one simple click and presto you were on. Two minutes later I was sitting on the couch downloading my email from my office email and my home email. The first day I drove my wife crazy with it (always a good sign that you got your money's worth). I have two comments, not really criticisms of the mighty Tungeston C. First, bluetooth. When I first looked at the Tungsten C, I assumed it had bluetooth built right in since the other Tungsten's had it. But I noted that the specs did not have it so I knew that it must have been a trade off for the wireless card (which I love). Second, since the writing area for the computer is the screen itself, I have had a few problems with writing vs. selection (more of a nusance than anything). Several days after I received the Tungsten C, a stranger called me to say that he had found my 515 and he federal expressed it to me. I could have returned the Tungsten C and been content with my 515. It did everything that I needed it to do. But it was too late. I was already in love. I gave my 515 to my wife and I kept the Tungsten C.
Rating: Summary: Fixes not mentioned in early reviews Review: There are aleady several great, in-depth reviews of this palm, but some of the problems mentioned in early reviews have been corrected. Palm has released a patch for the Tunsten C that fixes two problems that were often mentioned: screen clicks still occuring when system sounds were turned off, and mac addresses being improperly assigned. You can download the patch from Palm's web site, and it's simple to install. The criticism that the headphone jack is mono has been handled in some prior reviews, but just to re-iterate, palm is open about this and has explained that that the jack they used will allow for cell phone mic/headphone combinations and the ability to use voice over ip apps when they are released. Personally, I don't care... I don't like to use my palm as an mp3 player. Unfortunately, there is still no definitive news on if and when this palm will be able to use a bluetooth card. My own opinion is that criticism of the WiFi range on the palm is unfounded. It has slightly less range than I get with the wifi PCI card in my laptop, but it's very close. A shareware version of net stumbler-like software is available for the Tungsten C, and I'm amazed at just how many networks my palm can "see" and just from the road. On my daily commute from MD suburbs to Washington DC, I pass over 60 networks that the palm can see from my car. Really, I don't think anyone should have a problem in their own home and with a decent wireless router.
Rating: Summary: The Next Best Thing. Review: Like many business professionals, I've become a handheld junkie. It seems my functionality drops without the crutch of my latest handheld but then, that defines the purpose of these devices. I've been through many handheld iterations and while none of them have been perfect, I feel the Tungsten C sets the pace...at least for the very near forseeable future. The Tungsten C is almost identical in size and weight to the Tungsten W, with only minor differences (for 515 users, the C is lighter albeit a tad larger). However, the one major difference between the C and W is the the lack of external antenna on the C. The antenna on the W is just cumbersome (reminds me of the old Palm VII). The screen is the same size as the W and Zire 71, and also uses the same screen technology as the Zire creating an incredibly bright, clear display. Like the W, the C skips the graffiti area in favor of an integrated QWERTY thumbboard. In my opinion, the move away from graffiti to the thumbboard is a boon to most handheld users. All of the keys are hard plastic with a very reasonable feel. Getting used to the Caps and Function keys is different but with an extremely short ramp time. A minor downside to the C...the speaker and audio port are mono. While audio players such as the RealOne player will still work on the C, the audio output remains mono. With the other features being so rich, this is a disappointment albeit not a big one(wouldn't be surprised if Palm issues the Tungsten Cx soon...with all the adds many reviewers are griping about!). The coup' de gras on the C has to be the integrated Wi-Fi, although the brute processor is something many of us loyalist have been desperately seeking. Like many reviewers, I found the Wi-Fi connectivity range to be marginal but not unacceptable (we're still dealing with a handheld, remember?). Still and all, being able to log on, check email and surf with few, if any, obstacles on a handheld (particularly one with a screen like the C's) is very liberating. While many concentrate on the mono audio as the C's one giant malady, for me it is the battery. If one makes use of the Wi-Fi connection frequently, one will find the C in it's cradle quite often. Additionally, to fuel the horsepower of the new processor drains the battery cells as well. Palm compensates for these gripes with just about any type of recharging tool you could name. Still, it would be nice to have a bit more life out of each charge but then, giving up the rich features of the C for battery life is a tradeoff I wouldn't be willing to make...until the next iteration. The Tungsten C...definitely the Next Best Thing.
Rating: Summary: Blazing fast, great for wireless networking Review: I have had this model for 1 week now, and so far I am very pleased. Although this model has plenty of new features, they are still easy to use. I was especially impressed with the ease at which it connected to my home Wi-Fi network. It's a mere couple of button clicks and up and away, you are surfing the web. The 320x320 screen is incredibly vibrant and the high-resolution is a must for web surfing. The high amount of memory I already found useful when loading street maps for the entire NYC area. As has been well documented by previous reviews, the mp3 capabilities are a bit understated because of the mono headphone jack. This is apparently because the TC supports Voice over IP over this jack. This application will be released shortly by Gphone. Anyway, I'm not to dissappointed by the mono mp3. I don't expect too much fidelity from a handheld anyway. This is the first time that I'm using a thumbboard. I never had much problems with Graffiti, and though the thumboard is convenient, eg. when looking up addresses, I'm fine with either method. The transition from Graffiti to Graffit 2 has been easy too, and I like the fact that I can write anywhere on the screen. One thing about this little machine. It's fast! Blazing fast. It downloads webpages almost as fast as my laptop. Address, memo lookup and the like are instantaneous. Same with viewing jpeg picture files, or pdf documents. Very impressive. Too my knowledge this model leaves every PDA, PalmOS or PPC, biting it's dust. A major attraction of this PDA is the wireless function. Don't plunk down the money unless you have a wireless network to use it with. Unless ofcourse you want it for the 64Mb, or 400Mhz Xscale.
Rating: Summary: Wow! Review: After only a day with my C I couldn't be happier. I'm retiring a Sony NR70V that I've had for a little over a year. I've loaded tons of software on it and barely made a dent into the available memory. The screen is beautiful; I don't miss the hires 320x480 on my Sony like I thought I would. The wireless is great, you don't know what you were missing until you've browsed the web or checked your email from you PDA. Wireless setup was a breeze. I wish there were more sites that were PDA friendly or had PDA friendly versions but on the whole the built in browser works well. Well worth the price if you need the power!
Rating: Summary: Palm...great technology in a reliable package Review: This is my third Palm unit; first was a Palm III which lasted 4 years before I sent it out to pasture. I bought a 515 but a friend wanted to buy it from me so I looked at the Tungsten T, W, and C. I ended up with the C due to the speedy CPU and wonderful color screen. I won't bore you with the details, but here's my opinion after three weeks. WiFi- works great in my home. The range is not as good as my laptop, but the difference is nominal. I live in a masonry constructed brownstone, and distance from wireless router to the furthest section of my home is ~ 80 ft (passing through three walls). The laptop can get good reception up to 60'; the Tungsten up to ~ 50'..not much of a difference. I then moved my router and situated it in the middle of my place and now I get a good reception in every corner. New color screen. I downloaded a handful of pictures and they look great. Reading an ebook is much easier on the eyes now. Unfortunately, there appear to be very few applications that can take advantage of the new screen, but the developers are catching up. Clicking noise. Yes, this exists, but I rarely notice it. Further, it's not a loud sound, so I don't see it as much of an issue. I heard that Palm just released a patch for the Tungsten T rectifying this problem; I assume they'll do the same for this model. Running time. I just spend 4 hours reading an e-book with Tungsten C, with the brightness at 50% and the power level now shows about 2/3, which is very good. Interestingly, I read a review that stated that the running time of the C is better than the T and I'd believe this. I suspect that I could get at least 10 hours of usage with the Tungsten C, which is at least as good if not better than my M515. Size- When I went to the M515, I purchased an aluminum hard case and the unit would fit neatly in my suit jacket pocket. Unfortunately, the Tungsten C is a bit bigger, so I leave it in my briefcase. So far, the size is my biggest gripe. Headphone Jack - contrary to what many say, this is not *just* a mono jack. It's a headset jack similar to those used with mobile phones, with a mike and a headphone (the jack has four contact points). Palm didn't "short-change" people by using inferior technology, but plans on using the technology for Voice over IP...a technology that is almost ready for the masses. Until that time, I've downloaded Pocket Tunes and purchased the Palm Headset. I had an old set of headphones and wired the headphones to the Palm connector. I now have an MP3 player with two headphones. Granted, it is not in stereo sound, but will that make you enjoy listening to music any less? If you are listening to MP3 you are already listening to poor quality sound..reducing that to mono makes little difference. Keyboard. Great idea, but I liked graffiti. Graffiti 2 is more intuitive, but I am having a problem "unlearning" regular graffiti. All that said, the keyboard *is* a faster method of input. The Tungsten C is serious organizer, built around new and upcoming technologies. WiFi is really taking off and it's nice to able to easily capture the weather report, email, and AvantGo without having to hotsync. In summary, I highly recommend this unit.
Rating: Summary: very fast PDA Review: I just got my Palm Tungsten C about two days ago and it's great. I was in the loacal mall and tried the WIFI feature and found some "Hot Spots". I was on the net in less than 2 clicks.
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