What About Windows CE?

I Paid $500 For This?

Forget it.  While Windows CE is slowly creeping towards being almost as good as the Palm OS, it still isn't.  Windows CE (now called PocketPC) devices are costly things lacking the large program base of the Palm, they have a shorter battery life, and their ease-of-use still hasn't touched the Palm.  While these devices pack more memory and faster processors, rest assures the OS bloats up to compensate for them.  The funniest thing is how all the PocketPC ads always boast MP3 playing ability.  It's funny because on a 32mb or even 64mb device you'd only be able to pack 3 or 4 songs if you plan on running any other applications.  Of course, this still hasn't stopped the inane "solid state" MP3 player craze where these little devices come just loaded with 64 megs of RAM for a solid hour of listening enjoyment...and don't forget how much flash media will set you back...But I digress from my tirade on MP3 players, since this is a Palm Buyer's Guide.  Just stay away from Windows CE.

What About Handspring?

Look into the LCD of the Bastard PDA From Hell.

Ah Handspring, the little PDA that couldn't.  Couldn't do a lot of things, that is.  Like look good.  Or be sturdy.  Or deliver products on time.  Or have something called "Customer Support."  Can you feel my seething hate yet?  These bastard children of the iMac sport several fruity colors and just about the ugliest case this side of Cupertino.  Handspring markets these devices for the same price of a Palm m100 or IIIe (for the Handspring Standard) or the Palm IIIxe (for the Handspring Deluxe) and offer absolutely no reason to go with them instead of Palm.

I've heard nothing but bad things about Handspring.  Their cases are flimsy and are more prone to screen-breakage than a Palm.  And god forbid you try to RMA your broken PDA (if you ever get it from them to begin with) because this will plunge you into a special circle of hell made just for you, the valued Handspring customer. 

The Handspring Deluxe doesn't even come with a Flash ROM to update the Palm OS software.  I hope you like Palm OS 3.1.1.

Handspring's only claim to fame is that they have a "springboard module" on the back that lets you plug in gameboy-like cartridges.  Big friggin' deal.  Every Palm model except the m100, IIIe, and the V series has an expansion module as well, only it's internal, and Palm doesn't hype it up like it's the second coming because Palm, unlike Handspring, knows that these expansion ports aren't good for much more than add-on memory.

Next page: So what model Palm do I buy?

[Page 1] [Page 2] [Page 3] [Page 4] [Page 5] [Page 6] [Home]