The m500 series will be the first devices to ship with Palm OS 4.0. It brings many improvements to the interface and functionality of the device. The new OS provides out-of-the-box support for Mac OS and more intelligent user alarm to compliment the Palm's PIM features, but the most impressive feature of the new OS is it ability to make the card-based memory and application access a genuinely plug-and-play experience.
Palm's new expansion port supports MMC and I/O capable SDIO memory cards. Similar in concept to the Sony memory stick both cards support SDMI (Secure Digital Music Initiative) and are theoretically capable of 10M/s data transfer but the latter standard is the most interesting of the two. The SDIO standard gives Palm and third-party developers a platform to provide add-on applications, e-books, memory modules and even entire third-party devices such as cameras, GPS receivers and Bluetooth hardware that snap into the unit for instant usage.
Responding to user complaints about the Palm HotSync cradle, its interface has now been standardised and the company will launched the first examples of the new design with the m500 series. Palm owners will also have the option of USB or serial interface for connectivity to their PC. Unfortunately, Palm users who currently own a PalmModem may be disappointed with this step. The changes to the interface necessary to bring about the change will render existing modem kits incompatible.
Connectivity is a dominant theme in the design of the m500, which represents a way-point on the design path for all future Palm branded PDAs. Palm wants to make their devices integrate with as broad a range of services and devices as possible. This means that the company is looking to the back-end to make their devices easy for IT managers to deploy in corporate fleets.
The Palm m505 and m500 are expected o be released on the Australian market sometime toward end of June. The m500 is expected to retail for around AU$979 while those demanding the luxury of a colour screen can expect to pay $1149 for the privilege.
Palm m500
Company:Palm Australia
| Price: | •m500 AU$979 •m505 AU$1149 |
Phone:1300 360 558
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