Toshiba made a splash with its first handheld, the e570. Its newest product line isn't as revolutionary, but may appeal to budget shoppers. Find out more in our first look.

Pocket PC devices have been slimming down with each successive generation, but Toshiba's e310, which measures only 1.19 centimeters thick and weighs 139 grams, is the first to approach Palm V -sized territory. If that weren't impressive enough, the device sports a full-color, reflective LCD; a 206MHz Intel StrongARM processor; 32MB of both RAM and ROM; and a Secure Digital (SD) expansion card slot. The unit is set to go on sale in the US for a list price of US$399. At this stage Toshiba Australia is remaining quiet about its plans for the model locally in terms of price or release date.

We got our hands on a preproduction model, and needless to say, our initial impressions are positive. The e310 has all the makings of a groundbreaking product that will have the kind of impact on the PDA market that the original iPaq did.

Big features in a slim package
Since the 12.45x7.87x1.19-centimeter e310 runs the Pocket PC 2002 OS, you can expect all of the usual features, including MP3 and video playback; Pocket Word, Excel, and Internet Explorer; and compatibility with the growing library of third-party software. However, because this Toshiba lacks a Compact Flash expansion slot, you can't use the wide range of accessories--such as VGA adapters, Ethernet and Wi-Fi cards, and digital cameras--that are available for Toshiba's more expensive e570 model. The SD expansion slot will allow you to add memory cards for storing applications, data, music, and video clips.

While the e310 probably won't be able to match the battery life of high-end Palm-powered handhelds, its US price is competitive with those models and may help Microsoft convert more PDA owners--and potential PDA owners--into Pocket PC users.

We're still waiting for a production unit before we render our final verdict, but everything points toward the e310 being the product that levels the design and economic playing field between Palm OS-powered devices and Pocket PCs. Sorry, folks, but it looks like the choice of which handheld to buy just got a little harder.

Toshiba Pocket PC e310
Company: Toshiba Australia
Phone: (02) 9887 6000