Small and stylish, though overpriced compared to competitors such as the Handspring Visor, the Palm m500 is a fitting successor to the Palm V series. With its new Secure Digital expansion slot, the m500 offers add-on capabilities in a tiny form factor.
However, changes to the connector on the bottom of the device render the older Palm V peripherals useless on the m500.
The Palm m500 makes things that once seemed tiny feel positively gargantuan. Like its predecessor, the popular Palm Vx, the stylish m500 is thinner and lighter than most handhelds and can hide comfortably in shirt pockets and tightly packed purses.
In addition, the gray-scale m500 has a new postage-stamp-sized expansion slot that makes CompactFlash cards and Springboard modules seem huge. The new slot, which Palm also integrates into its colour m505, supports Secure Digital (and therefore MultiMediaCard, as well) technology. At this writing, only seven add-ons are available for Palm's new slot, including memory and backup modules and some reference titles, but the company promises that many more will be available soon.
We tried a MultiMediaCard travel application and found that it works like Springboard and CompactFlash add-ons. The card containing the application is hot-swappable, and it installs files automatically without the need to switch off the device.
The m500's other changes focus on connectivity. The device uses version 4 of the Palm OS, which has USB support built in, and the docking cradle that ships with the handheld now attaches to PCs and Macs via that connection. The new cradle provides significantly faster data synchronisation and file transfers than previous serial-port connections.
In addition, Palm changed the connector on the bottom of the device, which the company claims will simplify development of hardware add-ons. Unfortunately, it also means that peripherals purchased for older Palm V-series handhelds, such as wireless modems, won't work with the m500.
The m500's software bundle includes connectivity software, such as an email client and software for Short Message Service text messages sent and received via wireless GSM networks, but you'll need to buy a wireless modem to use them. It also includes Documents To Go for reading and exchanging Microsoft Office documents and reader software for images and e-books.
Palm took some chances with this handheld by employing comparatively unused expansion technologies and preventing the use of previously purchased peripherals. However, if the promised flood of add-ons becomes a reality and you haven't already invested in peripherals for the Palm V, then the m500 is a stylish, highly usable choice.
Palm m500
Company:Palm Australia
Price: AU$979
Phone:1300 360 558
Rating:
7%
3%
