Palm m505 Handheld

Guide Rating -

Putting a workspace in the palm of your hand was the design objective of the Palm m505 PDA and it succeeds admirably.

First, it's light (4.9 oz.) and fits in a pocket perfectly. More importantly, the Palm m505 PDA lets you accomplish a plethora of business tasks with ease.

The Palm m505's immediate usability is impressive. The Palm 0/S is easy to install and it's easy to set up your Palm (or to upgrade from one Palm PDA to another). The transfer of data between the handheld and the computer, (accomplished through the USB HotSync cradle), is seamless. The Palm m505 is a true out-of-the-box task solution.

This handheld also scores high marks for functionality. You can, of course, keep all of your contact information in the Address Book, schedule events and meetings in the Date Book, prioritize tasks using the To Do List, and quickly enter notes directly onto the screen with Note Pad, but you can also read, edit, and write email, track expenses for your expense report, and view and edit spreadsheets and documents. Mobile connectivity software is included, so you can access the Internet, check your email and send and receive messages wirelessly (as long as you have a modem or data-enabled mobile phone). And that's all just for starters; with the many add-on applications available for the m505 PDA series, there's almost nothing you can't do with your Palm PDA.

Two features of the m505 PDA that I find outstanding are the integration with Microsoft applications and the flexibility provided by the expansion card slot. For instance, you can choose to synchronize your handheld data with Outlook, or export data directly to Microsoft Word or Excel, an incredibly useful feature for businesses that use MS Office.

And the Palm m505's expansion card slot handles both MultiMediaCard cards and Secure Digital cards, so you can easily expand your Palm's memory capacity (up to 64 MB) and/or transfer data to other digital devices. By expanding the memory, you can carry reference materials and large files such as presentations around with you. For even more functionality, there is a vast library of Palm-related software, including business applications, that you can purchase, such as SlideShow Commander, that lets you present PowerPoint presentations using your Palm.

Concerned about security? The Palm m505 lets you put an automatic lock on your handheld, protected by a password, and encrypt sensitive data. You can also set silent or vibrating alarms, and easily view and clear all the alarms you've set.

And what about the screen (my main criticism of the Palm m125)? I find the Palm m505 screen, which displays 65,536 colors, an improvement. And the m505 comes with both a backlit screen and a backlit graffiti area, which helps.

My only reservation about the Palm m505 is the price; the difference between the cost of the m125 and the m505 is several hundred dollars in most instances. You pay for that sleek design, color display, and added features.

However, if you like the Palm operating system, and are looking for a Palm handheld with a color display and a slim, lightweight design, the M505 PDA is the one for you.