The T5 is a business-worthy PDA; we just wish it had Wi-Fi.The technological rumour mill has been abuzz for months about PalmOne's upcoming line of handhelds. Now the speculation can stop as the first model -- the Tungsten T5 -- has finally surfaced. Modelled after the best-selling Tungsten E, the T5 sports a similarly sleek design but also gets tricked out with goodies such as Intel's latest 416MHz XScale processor; a crisp, 320x480 colour screen; and a new drag-and-drop file-transfer method. Touted as a productivity tool, the Tungsten T5 costs AU$749 and will be available in early November.
Upside: Like its older sibling, the Tungsten T3, the T5 is built to be an office workhorse. PalmOne gave the PDA a jolt by shipping it with 256MB of flash memory (215MB of which are user accessible), which goes nicely with the T5's ability to double as a USB removable drive. In addition to the PDA's hardware upgrades, this feature will be a major selling point, as you can now more easily transfer files and folders between your handheld and your computer. There's also native support for Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. Of course, all work and no play makes for a bore. With that in mind, you can also use the T5 to listen to MP3s, as well as to create digital photo and video albums.
Downside: While the T5 comes equipped with Bluetooth, Palm fans who want Wi-Fi are, once again, left out in the cold. This is particularly disappointing since the T5 is a business-class PDA, and many of its Pocket PC counterparts come with the wireless combo. The one saving grace, according to PalmOne, is that the company will update the driver on its Wi-Fi card to support the T5. But you have to fork over the extra dollars.
Outlook: With Sony's exit from the Australian handheld market, PalmOne is the only one left to answer the call for Palm OS-based PDAs. The Tungsten T5 should please the mobile professional, with its corporate-centric features and its ability to double as a USB drive. However, if integrated Wi-Fi is important to you, take a look at the Tungsten C. That said, the PalmOne Tungsten T5 shows plenty of promise, and we can't wait to get it into CNET Labs. Check back soon for a full review.
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