Rating: 
Summary: varied price
Review: the price for the casio em-500 is verry ranged in price.
why pay ...for this machine? when you can buy it brand new at casios web site for... some of the prices for these devices are steep.and dont take me wrong i dont work for casio.but take my word for it go to casios web site.i relly like this pda.its a great value.and accessories arnt that hard to find there to. i dont know why prices are so high some places!?go to ... and i am not promoting there site.
Rating: 
Summary: Lasted only 18 months, then died completely
Review: The title says it all - I now have an extremely expensive paper weight after less than 18 months of use. I realize that no electronics equiptment seems to last long anymore, but this is ridiculous! Stay away from Casio!
Rating:
Summary: Lasted only 18 months, then died completely
Review: The title says it all - I now have an extremely expensive paper weight after less than 18 months of use. I realize that no electronics equiptment seems to last long anymore, but this is ridiculous! Stay away from Casio!
Rating: 
Summary: THE BOMB
Review: This Casio Pocket PC with Windows lets you do so much more than the Palm's. This you dont have to spend the extra money to buy a MP3 springboard or voice recorder and so on. This is all in one listen to MP3's with the windows media player. Dont just look at word documents, make them, edit them and more. The Palm you can only view, not edit or create. This is much more than an expensive organizer like the Palm's and this Casio has +65,000 colors. This is the best handheld in the world, better than Ipaq, HP Jornada, and more that dont have the convienent Casio menu. They also only have 4,096 colors. The good thing about the Windows CE base Casio handheld is that when you connect it to the docking cradle it automatically sends all the updated files to your comp without having to convert from PALM OS. Since it has Windows you dont need to learn how to write in "Graffiti", this has an on-screen keyboard which allows you to get things done faster. You can also buy tons of upgrades for this Casio, the EM-500 has the best memory type of card, the new MMC slot about the size of your thumb to your nuckle. The scrool button (the round silver thing) is great for games, you can also get a free fun pack at PocketPC.com the Microsoft website that is worth $75. If you need more than an organizer this is the best thing. If you want an ugly yellow looking expensive organizer then by the hard to learn PALM (with of course the crappy PALM OS). This is the way to go.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent value
Review: This Casiopia EM-500 is excellent value for money. The pocket pc platform is excellent fun too. The active sync software integrates well with Outlook for contacts and email. Using avant go and IE to download news and other info is great too. I would highly recommend this to anyone. I have a 64mb mmc card on order now to expand the memory for MP3 use via the headphone socket
Rating:
Summary: Cassiopeia-EM 500
Review: This is a great product I use it for my bussiness. Once you learn how to use it, it is as easy as a home pc. The only reason I don't give it five stars is because you cannot delete any programs that came pre-loaded for example all the internet programs that came with it. Also I can't seem to find a auto adaptor or a cable to connect to my pc anywhere. If you purchace this product make sure you buy the screen covers with it or you will scratch your screen. Sincerely: Aaron
Rating:
Summary: AMAZING!!!
Review: This machine is amazing. I can't see why anyone might want the "other" operating system over it. The screen is clear, the processing is great, and the functioning plus controls are intuitive and well designed!!! Ok, the one drawback might be lack of software -- but it's slowly coming. You have the strength of Microsoft's R & D plust the fact that it's the same as, for better or for worse, the basic operating system used by 90% of the world. Applications are already coming and you will not have to worry about it. Plus, when you already have Word, Excel, Outlook, Microsoft Reader, and can get streets plus other great classic titles for it, I have not felt burdened by this "lack" of software. Plus, you can web browse if you buy a modem -- at 56.6 connected and a bit slower wireless but that will get faster as time progresses. Why this Casio? 1. Well, it's the entry level and for students and young professionals, it's great. 2. The screen: It's active matrix (unlike Jornada's more passive screen) and can be seen well in the light or at angles. Plus, it has 65,000 or so colors. It's just so beautiful. If you are going to spend a lot of time looking at something -- let it be beautiful I say. 3. The controls -- This Cassiopeia lets you scroll a screen using a button on the side or the "jog" dial -- WHICH NO OTHER POCKET PC HAS. The "jog" dial is great because you can play a lot more games on it because it always 4 way movement and the other buttons can understand simultaneous and multiple clicks. Quite a few classic arcade games can be used on this device. 4. The MMC Card -- First, people are worried that this type of memory will limit expansion capabilities versus Flash memory. In the short term, that's slightly true, but you can get a lot of expansion utilities or what not for this Cassiopeia nonetheless. Serial modems are available, and, I think you can also get a serial expansion device that accepts Flash memory. I am not entirely sure on that point, but you can always get a Flash reader, Active Sync to your computer and read from Flash in that sense. Also, MMC memory seems to be very price competitive [with the] Flash memory. Please verify that for yourself, but in the initial term I feel it's true. Finally, the MMC are very small so it's not going to sacrifice design as much as Flash might. The industry sees the obvious benefits of MMC cards and will support them fully. You should really not be wary of this memory choice on this machine. 5. Casio has great multimedia support. They have their own video viewers but can also easily use all the regular WinMedia, .wav, mp3, or mpeg files. 6. The character recognizer seems very excellent. I have not had trouble with it and I have not even consulted the character guide all that much. It's intuitive. Plus, if you get the Pocket PC's for Dummies book..., you can get Microsoft Transcriber (plus a whole host of other utilities) which can understand connected, cursive handwriting! 7. The transfer of the files is real simple. Active Sync is easy to set up if you have USB and it's just essentially dragging then dropping the files. The Pocket PC comes up as a new disk on your computer is all. If I want to listen to a couple songs on the way to work or while outside, I just drag then drop the files to my Pocket PC. Since the memory can go up to a lot of megs (64, but you can substitute the cards!) -- you can get quite a few songs on it. 8. The reader plus web browsers are great! -- Even if you decide against buying the modem to surf the web with it -- you will still be able to get pages offline and read them later. Some news and entertainment sites are already set up for it. And, the navigation through them on the Pocket PC screen is very close to actual web browsing. I'll no longer have to fold the paper or whatever on the subway -- I'll just be able to get the day's news in the morning and look it at through the Pocket PC. 9. The Pocket PC is only going to get better and [less expensive]. Ok, I am not entirely sure about this one -- it's hard to predict in the future -- but with the strength of Microsoft and some high profile manufacturers behind it, I have already seen the technology improve and the prices drop in the year or so it's been introduced. I got this machine because it is one of the cheaper ones and it will allow me to get used to the Pocket PC until I can afford/understand a Pocket PC that has all the bells and whistles (wireless modem, printer outputs, scanning, etc., etc.!) later. 10. This machine really has no incredibly visible drawbacks. The battery life is decent it seems. The design is great. The weight is not too burdensome. [The money] is still a bit steep for a PDA, but the upside on this machine is amazing. If you are looking for a great entry level PC that will let you get familiar with all a great PDA is able to do, is incredibly cohesive with your desktop, and has strong potential -- this machine is for you. The price is steep but -- look at it this way -- if you are going to use a machine for two years or so it comes to near 50 cents a day -- that's not a bad price for so much at your fingertips! I really wish it be [less expensive], but we can't have everything. This machine comes close to getting you there however!
Rating:
Summary: Why Casio and not HP, IPAQ or Palms
Review: Well, being a old time Palm user (from Palm 2 to Palm Vx, I have finally turned to PocketPC after living with the rather premitive PalmOS and it's applications. First of all, to buy a Palm Pilot, you will actually get a very useless PDA. If you add all the usefull apps such as DocumentTOGO, T9 and then colour, you might as well buy any Pocket PCs. Size : Some hardcore will argue that PocketPC is so thick. Think again, once you add the casing to PALMVx (which I believe all PalmVx users must have), it will be very thick anyhow. Colour : Well, IIIc really sucks with very small screen. Voice Recording : I find we can't live without it. Try writing down note while driving with any Palm and you will know what I am talking about. Limited Memory : EM500 now comes with extra 28Mb FOC. Don't you worry no more. HP and IPaq comes with limited colour. Why do you need colour? Because you want realistic pictures,and not colour buttons. Browsing : The Mobile Explorer with any handphone with IrDA can be a very handy feature. Personally, I use a Nokia 8210. Weekdays, I will bring them both and weekend I will leave the organizer at home and bring only the small 8210. The Bad Points : It's actually more from Microsoft. PocketPC is still as confusing as the the desktop Windows. Too many folders etc etc. Users need to know where to move the files etc etc unlike PalmOS. The ActiveSyn 3.1 is also harder to use than the HotSyn from PalmOS. And Casio comes with a pouch rather than a folder type casing. Which organiser comes with a porch? IPAQ also comes with a pouch. I wonder why don't they think? Conclusion : I would rather learn the harder to understand OS than to limit myself with functionality. I will also spend and replace the pouch. And I am very sure Microsoft will improve dfurther. The hard core PalmOS users will sooner or later realize PalmOS will be replaced. Have you seen Franklin PDAs. Same price with additional features. Palm will be falling into deep trouble real fast if they don't come out with new versions. Those who refuse to admit will be like OS/2, Word Perfect, 123....being replaced by Windows, Word and Excel. Sadly, I see the path clearly for Palm.
Rating:
Summary: Top of the Holiday List=Casio EM-500
Review: What do I think of my Casio EM500? The best single purchase I have made in a LONG time. The speed is fantastic and compared to an Ipaq - I don't see the difference. I do see a difference in display - the EM500 wins hands down! I have stored a lot of music and documents on my EM500 and it works great if you're concerned about processor speed. For those music lovers - this is an incredible machine with INCREDIBLE sound. For you productive types like me - this gets the job done - fast - and it's enjoyable to work with too. And I don't want to forget about the movie player - WOW! I showed my fellow employee's mpeg movies that the EM500 can play - and they were blown away! Don't believe me? Then download some Mpeg's into this machine and see for yourself. Oh, and for you gamers.... this baby rocks the block - and you can load Mame roms and play the night away. I look at Palm and I recall the days of the old nasty green Nintendo's - YUCK! Color is where it is at! If I had a PDA on my Holiday list - this is the one I would want someone to buy me! Too late though, I had to have one asap!
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