Rating: 
Summary: Warranty secret
Review: For those of you who don't know (and I am sure there are many of you, since it is unusually hard to find out): the warranty is ONLY 90 DAYS! Keep that in mind when the $150 get out of your wallet.
Rating: 
Summary: Palm Desktop inconsistant with WinXP security features
Review: Got my first PDA, a Zire 31, for Christmas.
I was shocked to discover that the Palm Desktop application for WinXP has to be run from a user account having Administrator privileges, or "Run As.." from an account with Limited privileges. (We don't do day-to-day activities from an Administrator account, do we?) This loosens the security features that MS has incoporated in WinXP, and prevents Palm Desktop from being a Microsoft approved application ... note that the "Designed for Windows XP" logo sported by approved applications does not appear on the packaging. See
http://www.microsoft.com/winlogo/benefits/default.mspx
for more information.
Part of the problem is that user account information is stored in c:\Program Files\palmOne. What's up with that? Why store individual user files in c:\Program Files? The "My Documents" tree exists to fill just this need (among others).
I'm flabbergasted that one of the *top* names in business devices, palmOne, has produced a product that does not meet current Microsoft standards, and in fact is awkward to use in the more secure, Least-priviliged User Account (LUA) that MS recomends (admitedly, they don't make that recomendation very loudly... that will change in the next version of Windows)
Aside from that, the Zire does mostly what I want, but I'm somewhat surprised that $150 doesn't buy more features. For example, I can't set a repeating task to use as a reminder. I can get the same functionality by setting a repeating schedule entry, but this is a task, not a scheduled event, that needs reminding. But this is my first PDA, so maybe I'm expecting too much. There are a few other minor omissions. Given the current price of cell phones and calculators, I would have expected to pay around $85 for the included features.
Rating: 
Summary: Most bang for the buck...
Review: Have had my 31 for a couple of weeks now and it has been working flawlessly. I don't need a camera with me 24/7, or a big phone hanging off my hip that is awkward to use. I already have these items. The color screen is a nice feature, and being able to occasionally listen to some favorite tunes while you wait for what ever it is, is nice. I highly recommend it for the price.
Rating: 
Summary: Wireless Keyboard
Review: I am wondering if any one has tried using the Palm Wireless keyboard with the Zire 31. I really like the Palm, but I am having a hard time getting the keyborad to work. Wondering if anyone else has had the same trouble, and how to fix it.
Rating:
Summary: A solid inexpensive PDA
Review: I bought this PDA and the Tungsten E for my fiance and myself. I have to admit, the screen in comparison is much dimmer and murkier. Also, I prefer the Tungsten's look and form.
However, the Zire 32 has performed just as well as it's more expensive cousin and handles plenty of programs smoothly. As an entry PDA, it is stable, warm and easy to use.
I'd recommend spending the money on the Tungsten E for the screen, software suite, solid form and memory, but if you simply don't have the money to spend, this is a fine first color PDA.
Rating:
Summary: A great first PDA
Review: I got my Zire 31 a couple weeks ago. It's my first PDA, and I did quite a bit of research before buying. Don't pay attention to the guy who doesn't even own this nifty little gadget; his review is worthless!The Zire was easy to start using right out the box. I've had no problems getting it to synch up with multiple computers. My main goal was to have a small PDA to keep track of basic info (tasks, lists, my calendar, etc). I wasn't looking for something expensive or too powerful for my needs. The Zire 31 is perfect. The only two gripes I have are related to the battery. While the battery life is fabulous (I can use it for days without having to charge it), there's no indicator that shows when it's plugged in and charging or when the charging is complete. Also, there's a little battery meter that appears at the top of the home screen, but it's purely graphical; you can't tell how long the battery will keep working. I highly recommend this as anyone's first PDA or for those of you who don't need something mega-powerful. The price makes it a very reasonable investment.
Rating:
Summary: Some minor difficulties, but overall a good unit
Review: I have been using low end Palm PDAs for the last five years. This translates into three models, the last one being the M100. This is my first color model. Strengths are very nice resolution and clarity, much better than the old black and white. Clarity suffers in bright sunlight. The screen is almost impossible to read in sunlight. Easy operation, nice layout of functions overall. I am not that crazy about Graffiti 2. For some reason, my machine is very finicky about making the letter K with G2. With time I find myself getting used to G2 however. The rechargable battery holds a charge for a decent period of time. The flip cover seems cheap and will probably wear out in a short period of time. Picture viewing is not terrific. I have not used the MP3 player.
Rating:
Summary: A Solid Purchase
Review: I just picked up a Zire 31 yesterday, and already I'm finding that it's is a pretty nifty piece of equipment. Granted, I did very little comparison shopping before I bought this PDA, but for something that costs half as much as the next comparable model, I couldn't be happier. The user interface is great. The color is great. The sound is great. I guess that the hardcore of the PDA world will complain about the reduced number of buttons, or the 160 x 160 resolution, but I'm a guy who just needs to keep track of appointments and phone numbers, not run my own personal video arcade. A very versatile tool, and unlike 90% of the PDAs out there, something that I can reccomend to my cheapskate friends. Go for it!!
Rating:
Summary: Great item for the price!
Review: I received the Zire31 as a gift, and it's great! It's very easy to use and easy to sync with my desktop. Yesterday, I bought a 512mb expansion card, and the mp3 playback is very impressive for such a small unit (especially one not made specifically for such a function). I've had no problems with Graffiti 2, in fact, it's so similar to the way I already write that I didn't even have to practice it. For those of us who may have a hard time remembering certain special characters though, it comes with two reference stickers (which I put on the underside of the very handy screen cover). You can't connect to the internet or retrieve emails, but I have in internet-ready cell phone, so this is not a very big deal to me. I also like that it lets you store a picture along with a person's contact info. Extremely helpful for me, as I am terrible with names and faces. The ebooks it comes with are fun for a ride on the train when I forget to bring a book with me, and I'm excited to download some of the game packs that are available. The battery lasts for days. I went about a week without having to charge it, and the battery still hadn't worn all the down before I finally did. I can't say enough good things about this PDA. Great value.
Rating:
Summary: Great Gadget for the Price!
Review: I recently purchased the Zire 31 handheld, and so far, it is pretty neat. I have a Tungsten E, but I wanted another Palm for work that I could leave at work. (I know the whole point of the Palm is mobility, but I am forgetful and I know I would leave it at work or home and then feel helpless without it) In comparison to the Tungsten E, the icons and such are not quite as sleek, I guess that would be resolution, but other than that, I find them to be comparable machines. The Zire 31 is expandable and handles all my programs just as well as the Tungsten. (a great place for freeware and shareware is palmgear.com) Little side note is that the back is white, like the Zire and Zire 21, not blue, like the front of the Palm itself. For under $150, it's a great color Palm. I have no regrets about buying it. Hope this helps, enjoy!!!
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