Print
Discuss
Send to friend
Even the svelte Palm m505 looks tired when compared to this smaller than average PDA or, as Sony would have us say, personal entertainment organiser.
There is only one word to describe the screen: unbeatable. Its resolution is 320 x 320 pixels, but the characters are so finely rendered that you could believe it was almost twice that.
Colours are bright, corners are sharp and curves are smooth. Quite simply it is the best screen we have seen on any PDA, ever. Even Compaq hasn't produced a screen like this.
The device itself is fairly heavy, but that only makes it feel more sturdy and trustworthy. It's a shame, then, that the stylus is something of a cocktail stick and rather uncomfortable to use.
The top screws off to reveal a pointer that fits snugly into the reset port on the back of the unit. We're not sure how often you'll be using it, though. When was the last time you saw anyone reset a Palm-based device?
There are two Sony trademark features here. To the top of the device is a recessed Memory Stick slot. A spring-loaded flap keeps out the dust that might accumulate in a pocket, bag or whatever you use to carry it around.
To the left, perfectly positioned for a thumb or index finger, depending on which is your dominant hand, is a jog dial like that found on almost every Sony product and, interestingly, Pocket PC device.
A simple notch in the back of the case keeps it firmly secured in the docking cradle which is used to synchronise data and charge the battery.
But Sony's master stroke is in sticking with Palm OS when the rest of the world was going Pocket PC potty, so you can expect a small device and an impressive battery life. Sony claims 12 days of normal use.
Hidden within the stylish silver body is 16Mb of D-Ram and 4Mb of Flash storage for data. Sony has provided a range of bespoke applications that take advantage of the Memory Stick slot, including a backup utility that will copy across your data, giving you a sense of security even if you're away from your PC for some time and unable to sync.
Rather confusingly most of these applications are prefaced by the letters 'MS' which, in this instance, stand for Memory Stick not Microsoft.
MS Gate copies data to and from the Stick, and performs a number of housekeeping tasks, while MS Autorun acts like the auto-run function of CDs running under Windows. Slightly more ambitious is the Photostand, which displays a slideshow of images.
With careful balancing you can coax the Clie into standing upright, resting back on the screen protector, making this the most expensive rival to a set of 99p frames from the High Street.
We weren't overly keen on the very narrow application buttons, and the scroll button that moves your on-screen information up and down the display is fiddly.
It's just as well, then, that you can pretty much ignore this selector entirely in favour of the jog dial. The application icons above the hardware buttons are engraved in a metal strip that runs across the bottom of the screen. In some lights these can be difficult to see, and more conventional printed icons may have been a better option.
We're a little confused by the term personal entertainment organiser. Yes, Sony has provided a universal remote control application that uses the Clie's infra-red port (although the instruction manual warns that it can't be guaranteed compatible with other devices, so 'universal' may be a little over-optimistic).
But there is no headphone socket for MP3 playback, and a handheld isn't the best device for playing back movies, in spite of the bundled Gmovie software. You could use it as an e-book, but that doesn't make it an entertainment device.
Let's not dwell on its shortcomings, though. The build quality of the Clie is exceptional, and it is a thing of beauty that will make you the envy of your friends or colleagues.
It is the most desirable PDA going and, while Palm OS may be missing some of the more exciting features of Pocket PC, this will suit a business user down to the ground.
Price: £329 (inc. VAT)
Contact: Sony 0870 240 2408
www.sony.co.uk
See also:
Be the envy of your friends with the Clié PEG-NR70V's great features - it even has a built-in camera. 23 Oct 2002
A great all-round PDA with loads of style and plenty of excellent software. 13 Jun 2002
All Palm PDAs
del.icio.us
Digg this
reddit!
