The CLIE SJ33 is a midrange PDA with all of Sony's usual visual flair, including a transparent clamshell cover. Read our Australian review.
When you first look at the Clie SJ33, the first thing you'll notice is the sleek, transparent flip-top cover. The removable hard plastic cover protects the screen well and is semi transparent. With the backlight fully lit it's just about possible to read text onscreen through the cover, although we wouldn't recommend it for lengthy periods. Underneath the cover is a high-resolution 320 x 320 pixel, 65,536 colour TFT which displays clear looking pictures using the included PictureGear Pocket software. The backlit LCD makes it easy to see under a in a variety of sunny and dark conditions.
The SJ33 is powered by a 66MHz Dragonball VZ processor, which is a step above the SJ30's 33MHz CPU. Similar to the SJ30, the SJ33 runs Palm OS v4.1 and has 16MB of DRAM (with 15MB actually available) and 4MB of ROM. Predictably, Sony have stuck with their proprietary memory format and included a Memory Stick slot at the top of the unit which allows for up to 128MB of memory to be added. The SJ33 also supports the Memory Stick BlueTooth module for wireless communication and the miniature Memory Stick camera.
If you have a Memory Stick then the SJ33 can act as a MP3 player using the built-in Audio Player, which supports MP3 and ATRAC3 music files. There is a mono headphone jack at the top of the Clie and a speaker on the back of the unit. Next to the headphone jack is an enhanced IrDA port which can be used to share information between other Clie and Palm OS devices, or as a remote control for a variety of IR controlled devices.
The SJ33 measures 72.5 x 107.8 x 22mm and its rounded edges and reasonably lightweight (172g) design make the PDA comfortable to hold and use. The JogDial button on the left hand side provides easy scrolling and selection. Just below it is a handy back button and below that is the power switch which doubles as a hold button.
The SJ33 has four quick launch buttons at the bottom of the PDA separated by scroll buttons. The scroll buttons are tiny; in our testing we found them almost unusable. Thankfully, the jogdial can be used to duplicate most of the scroll button functions. Directly above these is the classic fixed-graffiti area, unlike the NZ90G's virtual-graffiti space. The SJ33 comes with USB HotSync cable and and AC adaptor, but if you are after a USB cradle to use as a base when synchronising data with your PC, you'll have to purchase it separately.
Compared with other Clies, the SJ33 seems to have the most in common with the T665CG. However, the SJ33 boasts a longer battery life -- the internal lithium polymer rechargeable should last 17 days under 30 minutes per day use (with the backlight switched off) as opposed to 10 days for the T665CG.
Pre-installed is the Kinoma Player (plays both gMovie content from PictureGear Lite and movies from Kinmoa producer), Audio Player, PictureGear Pocket, the addictive Bejewelled game, a variety of Memory Stick utilities and more. Sony has also provided a heap of software on the accompanying cd -- including Photostand, Clie Paint, Documents To Go, World Alarm Clock and Audio Player skins.
For AU$699, you get a mid-range PDA with a slick, practical design that fits snugly into both pocket and hand. The downside is that to get the most out of your SJ33, you must purchase Sony's Memory Stick, which is around AU$245 for 128MB. Still, for only AU$50 more than the slower SJ30 and when compared to the $AU849 T665CG which is similar in specification, the SJ33 delivers good value for money.
Sony Clie PEGSJ33
Company: Sony Australia
Price: AU$699
Distributor: Selected resellers
Phone: 1300 137 669
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