The Grade 'A' Palm!!! - Palm Tungsten T Personal Organizer
Written: Aug 07 '03 (Updated May 25 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Excellent Hi-Res, Backlit colour display. Voice recorder with headphone jack.
Cons: Short battery life with backlite on. Not 16megs of space. Cheap plastic cover??
The Bottom Line: All-in-all, I would recommend the TT to anyone looking for a simple organizer with some spice. It is half the price now than when I bought it.
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| shippo225's Full Review: palmOne Tungsten T Handheld |
.....I got the Palm Tungsten T, or TT, about 8 months ago. The feature you'll notice first will probably be the sliding mechanism. This features allows the TT to be compact and sleek designed. It feels great in the hand, though it may be slightly heavier than most other models. The hi-res color display along with the backlite make the TT great for viewing movie clips and other animations.
What Is Da Palm Tungsten T?
.....The TT is one of the first Palm pda's to hit the market with the palmOS 5.0.It comes with 16 megs of memory and a faster proccessor at 175MHz. You will get a cheap plastic cover for the unit that is more trouble than help.
There is a voice recorder, expansion slot, IRport, spring-loaded stylus, and a universal connector.
The Display:
.....The dispay is 320x320 pixels. It's Hi-res with 65,536 colours. What more could you ask for? Well, you get a backlite also, great for viewing in pitch black. The display is also one of the input methods using the stylus pen included.
Voice Recorder:
.....The voice recorder is located on the left-hand side of the unit. With the 16 megs of memory, you can store up to about an hour of sound or record to an expansion card. I use the voice recorder to store music (and also to catch secret conversations that could be used as evidence in some cases). It is great for leaving a Voice-Post-It-Note for the spouse or kids. Or you can use it to catch babies first words at a glance. There is also a headphone jack above the microphone. I like using headphones when I listen to music that I have recorded. Anyways, you're better off not jamming loud songs on the Tungsten T speaker as it might crack up a bit.
Expansion Slot:
.....With the expansion slot located at the top of the unit,you can expand the memory of the Tungsten T. You get a blank plastic card to fill-in the slot to keep dust out until you get expansion cards. There are back-up cards available to insure your information is safe. Programs can be purchased that can be put into the ex-slot, like dictionaries, road atlases, and game paks.
Memory:
.....There are 16megabytes of space available on the TT.That is enough for most users. But for people that like to download 3rd-party Apps off the internet, like me, an external memory card is recommended. But there is one issue. When they say there is 16megs, its really only 14 because the computer needs some working space. I wouldn't use any more than that because the computer will need a hard reset which will erase all the information and it will be like you just got it.
Graffiti:
.....Graffiti is just the term for the input of information via the graffiti area with the stylus. The graffiti area is revealed by sliding the bottom of the Tungsten T down. Handwriting recognition is excellent once you learn how to write all of the characters. When you're done writing, just push the slider back up into it's sleek design.
The Universal Connector:
.....The palm Tungsten T has a universal connector located at the bottom of the unit. This is where the TT connects to the hotsync cradle/cable for hotsyncing with a desktop computer or just to charge the unit. Collapsible keyboards can be bought that have a stand to connect the pda with it for typing long word documents that would be to hard for use with the graffiti input. Also, GPS systems can be attached to the universal connector for on the map location, and better than other GPS units because the TT screen is Hi-res and colour with a backlite.
Hotsync:
.....Hotsync, for those of you who are new to pdas, is the process of connecting you TT with your desktop or laptop computer via the USB or serial port on your PC. Syncing with the Tungsten T is exceptionally fast and simple. For a normal hotsyncing proceedure, it only takes about 10 to 30 seconds to finish. WOW!!!!. I would consider getting a cable rather than using the bulky cradle. It just irritates me. Hotsyncing once a week or monthly is recommended to insure that all your information is on your desktop in case your TT suffers a hard reset, or memory loss.
Infra-Red or IR:
.....Located at the top of the unit, where it belongs, is the IRport. Unlike most other Palms and Pocket PC's out there, the Tungsten T has a strong IR beam. This comes in handy if you are like me and must use your TT as a universal remote for controlling everything in your house, like a TV. I use NOVIIREMOTE, which can be d-loaded at HANDANGO.COM. I can operate most A/V devices about twenty or more feet away. The IRport can also be used for hotsyncing your TT with a laptop or to connect to GSM phones. You can send messages to friends with the push of a button with IR chat.
Bluetooth:
.....This is the name given to the radio chip inside the Tungsten T, probably because it is blue, LOL. This feature is like the IRport, but you don't have to face the computers at each other. Instead, it sends information wirelessly to other Palms and BT equipped devices via radio waves. Certain printers offer bluetooth connectivity for printing documents without wires. The internet can be used through a GSM phone. Better than IR? Maybe for some, but not for me. I like my remote.
BoomerangIT:
.....BoomerangIT is a lost and found service that is optional. If you subscribe, you will get a little sticker to place on the back of the unit. If your device is stolen or lost, one way or another, BoomerangIT will return it to you if found. I would advise not losing it in the first place, though it can happen. For more info on Boomerang it, go to PALM.COM.
The Tag-alongs:
.....The Tungsten comes with all of the original applications that you will get with any palm. Except you will also get a voice recorder. Here is a list of the programs that come with the Tungsten T and descriptions:
--ADDRESS BOOK- Store up to 10,000 names, numbers and addresses. I don't know that many people, do you?
--CALCULATOR - A basic calculator with a new interface.
--CARD INFO - Gives storage space left on an expansion card, the type of media, and allows you to rename a card.
--DATE BOOK - Calander for up to 2031. store important dates and put alarms on special dates like birthdays and anniverseries. Comes in handy if you tend to forget your own one, surprise the wife this year.
--EXPENSE - Keep track of all expenses on a vacation, DUH!!
--HOTSYNC - Don't ask. I've explained it enough already.
--MEMO PAD - For typing quick notes during a meeting. Or to just write bad notes about the boss to send to colleagues. Ha-ha.
--NOTEPAD - A simple drawing pad where write directly on the screen. Still, draw notes about the boss at a meeting. He-he.
--PREFS - System preferences.
--TO DO LIST - I think the names is it's own description.
--VOICE RECORDER - Your voice-post-it-note. Described earlier in the review.
--WORLD CLOCK - Displays the current time in your time zone and two other parts of the world, maybe thats why its called WORLD CLOCK, LMAO!!
Is It What Its Cracked Up To Be?
.....Though the Tungsten T is a fast, sleek computer with an endless array of mind blowing features, it does of course have it's flaws. For one, the battery life is way to short considering i paid 500 bucks for it. I can get about three hours of use with the backlite on and six hours with it off. Just not enough. The new proccessor along with OS-5 causes some compatability problems in that many apps are not compatable with the Tungsten T.
.....If you are afraid whether or not it is sturdy, I can assure you that it won't fall apart too easily whether open or closed. Don't try to be all so cautious about dropping it either, because I have dropped mine many a time and it still has no scratches or dents. I not saying to go out and throw it down to the ground to test my theory, but just that it won't just shatter into a million pieces either.
Behind The Scenes:
>>>Display:
-----320x320 Hi-res display
-----65,536 colours
-----Super-bright backlite
-----Information input via stylus
>>>Demensions:
-----Height: 4.0in closed / 4.8in open
-----Width: 3in
-----Depth: 0.6in
-----Weight: 5.6oz
>>>System:
-----Operating System: Palm OSŪ Version 5.0
-----ARM Proccessor
-----Processor: Texas Instruments ARM-Based OMAP1510
-----175MHz speed with great refresh rate
-----Battery Support: Rechargeable Lithium Battery
>>>All Pieces Included:
-----The Tungsten T itself
-----Metal stylus
-----Cheap plastic cover
-----5v wall adapter
-----USB hotsync cradle
-----Palm Desktop installation CDs
-----About 10 cubic feet of air in the box, for show.
Mores Pros and Cons:
>>Pros:-)
---Vibrant colours
---Bright backlite
---Hi-resolution screen
---Fast ARM proccessor
---Voice recorder
---Headphone jack
---Sleek and compact design
---Hidden graffiti area
---Strong IRport for use as a universal remote
>>Cons:-(
---Short battery life with backlite on
---Sucky plastic cover
---More stuff that will never be used
---Not compatable with several different apps
Third Party Apps:
.....Third party apps are apps the can be downloaded onto your TT by hotsync from the internet. I have many third party apps, like the noviiremote, digidialer, filez, palm reader, etc. most of which are free.
Installing the Palm Desktop onto, well, The Desktop:
.....Included with the Tungsten T are two CDs. To install palm onto your desktop, just put the #1 disc into the CD-ROM drive and follow through with the onscreen instructions. Once this is installed, you will be prompted to perform a hosync operation. You can hotsync your computers thereafter whenever you'd like.
.....The 2nd disc contains some apps that you may install onto your palm and other information about online software for your Tungsten T.
My Conclusion:
.....I would recommend The palm Tungsten T to all of you of whom wish to have a quick and powerful organizer with many extra capabilities. Other than the few flaws, it is still an excellent performing pda.
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Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 500
Recommended for: Business Executives - Powerful and Professional
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Epinions.com ID:
shippo225
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Location: Left @ Albuquerque
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