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Winner: Palm OS The easy-to-use Palm wins the first round.

If the slugfest were to end after just the first round, the winner would be the Palm OS, by TKO. We informally surveyed a range of PDA users--technology editors, first-timers, and hard-core enthusiasts who own models based on both platforms--and the consensus was clear. The Palm OS is easier to use, we were told, while Windows Mobile models are complicated and confusing.

And we agree. Neither OS is particularly difficult to master, but there's no question the Windows Mobile learning curve is steeper. That's ironic, given Microsoft's attempt to make it familiar to Windows users, right down to the Start button. But Windows doesn't work as well shoehorned into a PDA, as it often requires extra effort to accomplish simple tasks.

Take launching programs, for example. The Palm OS places all program icons on its main applications screen, with each little more than a tap away. Windows Mobile requires you to hit the Start button, just like in desktop Windows, and tap Programs. Only then can you look for the application you're after. Want to return from a subfolder to the main Programs window? You have to tap a tiny OK icon in the corner of the screen. Want to get from there to the main Today screen? This time, you tap an X in the same corner. If this sounds confusing and unintuitive, it is.

Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6 Round 7 Round 8 Palm               Windows Mobile 2003

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Try managing many files in a P ...Anonymous -- 27/02/04

Try managing many files in a Palm - the concept of directory structure or file management doesn't even exist on Palms (it may on the latest OS, but by then I'd moved to Windows)
How about having your review cover eBooks and readers - almost a raison d'etre for a PDA?
Put 800 eBooks into a SD memory unit, and see whether Palm or PocketPC copes best. It isn't even a contest.
That's 2 areas Pocket PC wins in - still sure Palms are better?

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I've been with Palm for the la ...Anonymous -- 02/04/04

I've been with Palm for the last 5 years and have loved it. However, it was unstable, a bit kludgy when trying to integrate to my PC and a friend introduced me to the Pocket PC. Well, I've just bought an iPAQ 5550 and can't believe I ever loved Palm. PPC is awesome, stable, better synchronisation with outlook and the desktop (no need for middle ware). I can't understand why you rated Palm better. Get with the times guys. PPC is the future and Palm should be worried.

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obviously the two respondents ...Anonymous -- 03/04/04

obviously the two respondents before me have not used the new palms with OS5+.

i used to own a handspring, then a toshiba e310, now i own the hp2210 and palm tungsten t2. palms by far are better. this review is accurate. actually i even disagree with the email part, palm should have won that too rather than draw.

another main palm advantage: battery life!
Palm last 3x longger than PPCs and thats with heavy use of bluetooth (i use it for sms and hotsync). PPCs cant last the day with me but Palms make it to 3 days without a recharge. That is KEY to owning a PDA why by a PDA if it is not truly portable?!?! i have to lug around a power supply everywhere i take my 2210.

My only gripes about Palms: Multimedia and GPRS websurfing. MP3 playback volume is way too low for palm and Kinoma is difficult to handle for video playback.

as with GPRS, Palm has to have the settings for your mobile operator. if they dont list your mobile operator it cant be used. PPC has customizable settings for IR/bluetooth GPRS connection through a cellphone.

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The report does not mention th ...Anonymous -- 13/04/04

The report does not mention the availability of Decuma, Calligrapher and other third party hand writing applications which can make both PDA's far more usable. Further there are add-ons (freeware)that do allow the use of the whole screen for text entry on Palm PDAs.

No mention is made that Palm only supports one application at a time (unlike Pocket PC which is multi-threaded) but Palm is much faster in loading apps, and unlike Pocket PC does not have the problem of the memory getting flooded.

Also not much comments are given about the fact that though Pocket PC offers a large screen estate, its mainly 240x320 as opposed to most palm based PDA's which are 320x320 and are much more crisp and clear when it comes to text.

But on the whole as mentioned Pocket PC is more suitable for multimedia oriented activities while Palm is more a business organizer (with multimedia in the newer models). Though one wonders if so much multimedia is needed when the main idea of a PDA is for "personal productivity" but that i guess is a "religious" argument.

I am sure if Microsoft can review their approach on Windows Pocket PC edition and change it from a scaled down Windows UI to something more useable (like Palm has or better!) it would make it a bigger hit as it seems the Pocket PC PDA's offer more features and software straight out of the box compared with Palm based PDA's.

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With a file manager system lik ...Anonymous -- 26/05/04

With a file manager system like "super utility" from Handmark for your Palm, you can create directories ets & have everything organised easily - just like windows!

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What a corrupt account of whic ...Anonymous -- 17/10/04

What a corrupt account of which is better, I can't believe the bias you can print and get away with it. I wonder how much ZDNet was paid for this shambles of a comparison. For a start you forgot to mention any of the Exchange Server 2003 features of Windows Mobile, while your account for better Office support relies on a 3rd party program, while you pan WM for not supporting Mac except via a 3rd party program. Hmmm, sounds a bit inconsistent. I personally would put Office documents ahead of Mac synchronization anyway. Then again if you have Exchange Server (which a lot of people do have) then you can sync over the air, very nice, I use it everyday. Yet you say that PC syncing is better on the Palm, even though WM comes bundled with Outlook, or did you forget that. When I have used a Palm with Outlook it came up with a very annoying security message every time, correct me if I'm wrong on that, but I would say that is not flawless.

As for the user interface in my "informal survey" I found all my respondents liked Windows Mobile much better. As for the PIM software you call it a draw then go onto mention that all WM devices support voice notes, and these sync with Outlook for later replay or you can email them.

As for saying Palm software is better than Windows mobile is one of the biggest mistakes you could have done. As a software engineer I can say that its definitely about quality not quantity. The tools provided to people such as myself are many times better on the windows front, Mobile or not. Perhaps the biggest thing you didn't mention was the .Net Compact Framework, which enables developers to produce high quality applications very quickly. Palm does not have the Compact Framework, and if your comeback includes the words Java then you are missing the point. My primary language used to be Java but it really doesn't stack up these days against the .Net Framework, not from a language POV but from the support given to developers.

It is a shame that so many people will read this article and go and purchase a Palm when they are inferior in so many ways. Shame on you ZDNet, I used to think you were for the most part impartial; this is a complete sham of a report.

I am not a MS supporter, I have no financial ties with any MS product, I just think they have a much better product in my many years experience. Perhaps you should have included a segment on cost, Palm knows they are not as good and charge less (or MS thinks they are better), however I didn't see that mentioned anywhere.

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i dont know pocket pc and pda ...Anonymous -- 20/10/04

i dont know pocket pc and pda hv difference

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Palm tx Anonymous -- 24/11/08

All i have to say is that the palm tx far surpasses any pocket pc

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