Palm TX Handheld

by Palm

• Sleek, stylish handheld with 128 MB of flash memory and big 320x480 screen
• Built-in wireless connectivity via Wi-Fi (802.11b) and Bluetooth
• Easily manage email on the road or access files on your office desktop PC
• Expansion slot that supports MMC, SD, and SDIO memory cards
• Palm Desktop Software for Windows and Mac

Product Details

Product Manual [6.49mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 4.8 x 3.1 x 0.6 inches ; 5.3 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000BI7NHY
• Item model number: 1047NA
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (828 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,177 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
  • #5 in Electronics > Computers & Add-Ons > PDAs, Handhelds & Accessories > PDAs & Handhelds
• Date first available at Amazon.com: April 2, 2004

Product Description

Amazon.com

Created for today's fast-paced mobile landscape, the sleekly lightweight Palm TX handheld keeps you connected to your most important data--from email to files stored on your office PC--while you're away from your desktop with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless connectivity. It also features a high-resolution 320 x 480-pixel screen (with portrait and landscape orientation modes), a fast Intel 312 MHz ARM-based processor, expansion slot for Secure Digital (SD), MultiMedia (MMC), and Secure Digital I/O (SDIO) cards. The 128 MB of non-volatile flash memory (of which approximately 100 MB is available for files and software) protects your documents and information, even if the device is not charged and the power runs down. And, of course, the Palm TX features Palm's suite of information management applications, the ability to edit Word- and Excel-compatible files, and synchronization with Microsoft Outlook (Windows only).

Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Wireless Connectivity
Stay connected easily when you're on the go with the built-in Wi-Fi wireless connectivity (802.11b), which enables you to access email and browse the Web at hotspots such as at coffee shops and in airports, or in your office if you have a wireless LAN network. You can even retrieve documents from your main computer with the included WiFile LT software. The Palm TX also comes the following enhancements:

• Added ability for the device to scan for available networks
• Improved connection logic to automatically connect to available compatible networks
• Three steps to easily set up a new network connection
• A free 30-day subscription to all T-Mobile Wi-Fi hotspots

With built-in wireless Bluetooth connectivity (version 1.1), you can synchronize the Palm TX with a Bluetooth-enabled computer from across the room (within a range of 10 meters, or approximately 30 feet). But that's just the start. Using a compatible Bluetooth-enabled phone, you can send and receive e-mail and connect to the Web, send multimedia (MMS) or text (SMS) messages, and even automatically dial any number in your handheld's Contact's application. (You can also synchronize data the "old-fashioned" way via the USB connection at the base of the handheld.)

For mobile professionals, the Palm TX provides all the conveniences of managing email on the road. With Wi-Fi access or Bluetooth technology, you can check corporate or campus email as well as personal accounts; download, read and edit a Word or Excel report on the fly; synchronize Outlook contacts, calendar, tasks and memos; and work with Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, using VersaMail software, to synchronize email and calendar

Expansion Capabilities
The expansion card slot for MMC, SD and SDIO formats lets you insert a memory card from a digital camera and view photos on the large, color display; you can even can add transitions between photos and present them as a slideshow. The Palm TX handheld's compatibility with SD Cards up to 2GB lets road warriors carry a few favorite home videos and be entertained on long trips.

Support for Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF files
With the included DataViz Documents To Go software, you rehearse your PowerPoint presentation discreetly in an airport, make last-minute changes to a Word document, and check the numbers in an Excel spreadsheet and update them on the spot. The Palm TX comes with support for native Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. And with the included Adobe Reader for Palm OS, you can download and view converted Acrobat files.

Multimedia
The Palm TX comes bundled with Pocket Tunes MP3 player for playing music files or Podcasts, which allows you to create and edit play lists, shuffle songs and navigate by album, artist or genre. The Palm TX also includes built-in software for viewing digital photos and video clips. And with MobiTV software (sold separately), you can view a wide range of television programs, including news, sports and entertainment, directly on the Palm TX handheld.

Operating System and Software
Veteran Palm OS handheld users will immediately notice the new Favorites view, which provides easy access to applications, files, and folders. The installed Palm OS 5.4 also introduces the Files application, which enables easy navigation among folders and files. It uses the intuitive and easy-to-learn Graffiti 2 writing software to input data into the handheld (as well as an on-screen keyboard). Windows users can synchronize their calendar, contacts, tasks, and notes with Microsoft Outlook. The Palm OS features the following organizer applications:

• Contacts: Lets you store several addresses for each contact, and with new fields for more phone numbers, multiple e-mail addresses, instant messenger IDs, and Web sites.
• Calendar: Use the new Agenda view to see upcoming calendar events, tasks due, and important e-mail, and color-code your events to provide an easy way to reference your calendar in the Agenda, Day, Week, and Month views. Take more notes, or synchronize more details from your desktop, in the larger Memos and Notes fields.
• Tasks: Use tasks with alarms and repeating tasks to set reminders for important commients.

Compatibility
The Palm TX is compatible with PCs running Windows Windows 2000 (SP4) and XP (Outlook synchronization requires MS Outlook 2000, 2002, or 2003; sold separately), and with Macs running Mac OS 10.2.8 to 10.4.

What's in the Box
Palm TX handheld, flip cover, USB sync cable, power adapter, 3-step setup poster, Graffiti 2 sticker, Software Install CD-ROM with Palm Desktop, Tutorial, Getting Started Guide, User Guide, and bonus software.

Product Description

The Palm TX Handheld features 128 MB of flash memory ,Built-in wireless connectivity via Wi-Fi (802.11b) and Bluetooth, Easily manage email on the road or access files on your office desktop PC,Expansion slot that supports MMC, SD, and SDIO memory cards and Palm Desktop Software for Windows and Mac. It also features a high-resolution 320 x 480-pixel screen (with portrait and landscape orientation modes), a fast Intel 312 MHz ARM-based processor, and expansion slot for Secure Digital (SD), MultiMedia (MMC), and Secure Digital I/O (SDIO) cards. The 128 MB of non-volatile flash memory (of which approximately 100 MB is available for files and software) protects your documents and information, even if the device is not charged and the power runs down. And, of course, the Palm TX features Palm's suite of information management applications, the ability to edit Word- and Excel-compatible files, and synchronization with Microsoft Outlook (Windows only).

See all Product Description

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

299 of 309 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Very pleased with this unit December 28, 2005

By Stephen M. Charme HALL OF FAMETOP 10 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

I have been using a Palm m515 for the past several years and was waiting for the right moment to upgrade. I purchased the TX with some reservations because Palm has had quality issues, and I wanted to avoid the aggravation I initially had with my m515. I have owned my TX for about a month and have no complaints so far.

In reading my review and other reviews, keep in mind that each person buys this unit with different expectations and uses, and what matters to one person may be irrelevant to another. With that perspective in mind, let me go over the features that I like.

The TX has a nice feel and appearance;the stylus is nicely weighted and fits snugly in the slot. The color screen is vivid and beautiful to look at. I read literally dozens of e-books each year, so screen resolution and brightness are important to me. The TX excels. Even when the brightness is dimmed to the lowest setting, which I sometimes do when reading in bed at night, reading is very easy.

Wi-Fi access is effortless. I took it on vacation and had no trouble using the wireless network at the resort where I was staying. The same is true when I use it at home. I purchased the Handmark Pocket Express software, which comes as a trial version, which I find a very convenient way to keep up with the news, sports, stocks, weather etc. when traveling. Even in my own house I use it since it is often easier to reach for my Palm TX rather than my laptop or go to my desktop. I have also ordered a cable from SupplyNet to connect my TX to my cell phone(I don't have a bluetooth phone) when wireless is not available.

I own an ipod mini, and found that trying to use the TX as an mp3 player was not worth the bother compared to the ease of use with my ipod.... There is a reason that Apple dominates the mp3 player field.

Downloading photos is easy, but they don't look as bright and sharp as I would have liked, though the quality is still acceptable.

As other users have pointed out, the power button is too recessed and can be a bit of a nuisance to use. I seldom bother with it anyhow and use a free program called Off-It to turn the TX off, and one of the buttons at the bottom to turn it on.

When I upgraded from my m515, I did run into some compatibility problems, but this is no different than buying a new computer(and the TX is indeed a computer) and trying to download programs that are several years old. For programs that did not wind up on the TX after I synced, I simply beamed them from my m515 to the TX; some worked and some did not. I also had to beam my contact database and datebook database because for some reason they did not hotsync. I strongly recommend a free program called FileZ that enables you to manage your files, and beam databases. If you are upgrading from an older handheld, make sure that you have it installed in case you run into a problem, as I did, during the hotsync process.

Graffiti 2 is a bit different than the original Graffiti, but not a big deal to learn. If this is your first Palm, Graffiti 2 is so much easier to learn.

The TX comes with VersaMail, which unfortunately does not retrieve Hotmail. But it does retrieve email from most major internet providers, so when I travel I just use one of my other accounts. You do need a bit of technical knowledge to configure your mail settings, but once that is done, sending and retrieving messages is effortless so long as you don't need to send or view attachments, which always has certain problems.

I strongly recommend purchasing an SD card and a well known program called BackupBuddy, which will enable you to schedule daily automatic backups to the SD card(the TX does not need to be left on to do this--my backups are at 4am each day). When I had my m515, more than once when I was on vacation and not able to hotsync, I had the unit crash and lose all the data, which I then restored from the backup on my SD card.

I use Datebook 5 instead of the built in calendar, and find that the version for the operating system on the TX has some nice extra features that I did not have when I used my m515.

For my purposes the TX is perfect, and so far has worked without any problems. You really have to decide what you are looking for in a handheld before making your purchase decision. That way you won't be disappointed.

Update January 1, 2009: After three years and a new motherboard, my Palm TX needed a new LCD display. Rather than spending any more money for repairs or buying a new unit, I instead decided to purchase an iTouch 16 GB second generation. I have written an extensive review showing how the iTouch can be used as a pda in place of a Palm TX. Here is the link: [...]

Update November 1, 2009: I have had a great experience using my iPod Touch as a PDA in place of my Palm TX. Unless there are specific applications that you need (such as medical applications) and which exist only for the Palm TX, I would definitely NOT buy a Palm TX as a PDA, especially since the price has increased dramatically even though no improvements have been made to the OS. The iPod Touch is just a superior product in so many ways.

Update December 3, 2010: I am still using my same iPod Touch 2G as a pda and am very happy that my Palm TX days are long gone. As of this date my lengthy review of the iPod Touch and how to use it as a pda is under tab 30 of my reviews, though that number will change as I continue to write more reviews.

Update July 21, 2011: Still using iPod Touch 2G as a pda. My review of the Touch telling how to do this is currently under Tab 47 of my reviews. However, that number increases as I write additional reviews, so just note that I wrote the Touch review on January 1, 2009. That way you can always find it.

Update April 12, 2012: Since a number of people have contacted me to say that they had trouble finding my review of the Touch, I am pasting it in its entirety below:

REVIEW OF IPOD TOUCH 2G 16GB

For the past seven years I have used various Palm handhelds. When my Palm TX recently became unusable, rather than spend any more money on repairs or buy a new unit, I decided to buy the iTouch 16 GB second generation. With all of the applications currently available, the iTouch has been able to serve as a great pda and do everything that the Palm TX did for me plus much more.

I am writing this review to share my many hours of research as to using the iTouch to replace a Palm pda. I used to sync my Palm TX with a PC whose OS was Windows XP Pro, but now sync my iTouch with iTunes on a Mac using Leopard 10.5. I mention this because there are other possible setups, so you may have to modify what I say depending on your own setup. Make sure that you are using the most current version of Palm Desktop whatever setup you have.

Contacts
Over the years I have accumulated thousands of names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, etc. that were grouped into different categories. In order to export them from my Palm TX to the Contacts on my iTouch, I did the following:
1. On my Mac I set up various groups in the Address Book (e.g. Personal, Business, Medical, Financial, etc.).
2. As to each group I did the following:
a. Open Palm Desktop on my PC, open contacts, highlight all of the contacts that I wanted in a specific group.
b. On Palm Desktop click on File, Export vCard. A popup appears titled "Export As". Name the file, for convenience select your desktop as the destination for it to be saved, and click the export button on the right of the popup.
3. Email the saved file from your PC to Mac, and drag it onto the desktop of the Mac.
4. Open Address Book on the Mac, highlight the group in Address Book into which you want to import the file, then click on File, Import, vCards, and select the file that you just dragged onto the Mac desktop. Those contacts will then be imported into the group that you have selected in Address Book.
5. When you are finished doing this for all of the different groups, Sync iTouch with the Mac using iTunes. All of the groups and contacts in the Address Book will be transferred to the ITouch.

Memos

This is a bit trickier.
1. Sign up for a free account with Toodledo on the web.
2. Buy Notebook from Appigo in the Appstore. It currently costs $4.99.
3. Open Palm Desktop on the PC, open Memos, click on File, highlight all memos you want (on Toodledo if you click Notebook, you can set up different groups for your memos, e.g. Computer issues, Auto expenses, etc.) Export, name the file, save it to the PC desktop, and click Export in the popup window.
4. Follow same procedure as above re Contacts to get the saved file on the desktop of your Mac.
5. In Toodledo, click on the Notebook for the group that you created, then Import, then CSV Notebook Import, then select the file on your desktop.
6. Open Notebook on the iTouch, tell Notebook that you have an account with Toodledo, and sync it by pressing the circle arrow icon in the lower left hand corner. This requires a wireless connection.

Calendar

My calendar was very cluttered so I started from scratch. However you can use Google to find out how to import a calendar from a Palm.

I recommend the following:
1. Set up a free account on Google Calendar. You can create multiple calendars that show up in different colors (e.g. red for Home, green for Work, etc.).
2. Install a program called BusySync (you can try it free for 30 days, then it costs $25).
3. BusySync automatically syncs my Google Calendar with iCal on my Mac, which I in turn sync with iCal on my iTouch using iTunes. It is very convenient. It doesn't really matter whether I make my calendar entries on Google Calendar, iCal on my Mac, or iCal on my iTouch because everything stays in sync.

To Do List
I never really used this on my Palm, instead preferring to enter my tasks on the calendar. However, once again you can use Google to find out how to import Palm tasks onto the iTouch. Using Toodledo, it is similar to importing memos.

There are three main ToDo applications for the iTouch available in the Appstore: Toodledo, Remember the Milk, and Appigo's Todo. All work in conjunction with the web pages of either Toodledo or Remember the Milk.

Movies
Converting DVD's to movies was always a pain on the Palm TX. There are two free applications (you must install each) that make conversion easy on the iTouch. Those applications are Handbrake and VLC Media player. Make sure you install the latest releases.

Splash ID and Splash Shopper

These were two of my favorite applications for the Palm. Splash ID stores user names, passwords, and other info for hundreds of different sites that I access. Splash Shopper is a great tool for organizing your shopping trips.

You need to have these installed on both your desktop and iTouch. They are not free, but are well worth the money.

Splash Shopper I did from scratch because the lists on my Palm were cluttered, and I didn't bother to see if there was a way to export my data to the iTouch. For Splash ID, follow the these directions:
1. Download Splash ID desktop for Mac (no charge if you already have the latest version for Windows) and create whatever groups you want. Then for each group proceed as below.
2. Open Splash ID on Palm Desktop, highlight desired items, click File, Export, Splash ID (version 3.x), Export Selected Records, OK.
3. In the popup window name the file, save it to the PC desktop. A popup appears that says Get Password; leave it blank and press OK. You should get a message saying "The file export process was completed successfully."
4. Email the exported file from the PC as an attachment to Mail on the Mac.
5. Download Splash ID from Appstore and set up password.
6. Make sure Splash ID on desktop is open, then click on the file that you emailed from your PC, and Splash ID should ask if you want to import it.
7. Sync your iTouch with Splash ID on the Mac desktop.

PDF files
There are many programs that will let you read pdf files on your iTouch. I purchased one called Readdle from the Appstore.

Obviously new software products come out daily. The bottom line is that if you have been a Palm user and want to switch to an iTouch, there is plenty of software to make the transition possible, and to enable you to use the iTouch as a pda that is even better than your old Palm unit.

Update Jan. 6, 2009: eBooks
I had purchased dozens of eBooks from eReader.com over the years to read on my Palm TX. There is a free program called Stanza that you can download for the iTouch that gives me access to these books. Open the Stanza online catalog, click the + sign to add a site, and in the URL for the new site type mobile.ereader.com. Once you are directed to the site, enter your logon information and voila, you will have access to all of your eBooks, which can be downloaded onto your iTouch.

Update April 6, 2011: My iPod Touch still works fine. Since my last update many new applications have come out. For example, there is a Kindle application that lets me read a Kindle book on my Touch (say when I'm on line at the store), and when I get home and open up the same book on my Kindle 2, it syncs to where I left off on the Touch--and the same thing works in reverse. I do not miss my Palm TX at all, and am very happy that I made the switch.

Update August 19, 2012: Since January 2012 I have been using an iPhone 4S instead of the Touch. I simply transferred everything onto it with no problems. Read more ›

485 of 510 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Some quirks, but really good in the end October 19, 2005

By Eduardo Villanueva

Without being aware of its recent unveiling, I just bought a Palm T/X at Fry's, October 15th, 2005. I was looking for a PDA with WiFi to replace my nice and useful but somehow limited Tungsten E. I've been using it for just a few days, so I'm not ready to give it a full 5 stars rating just yet...

First of all, WiFi works really fine and the Blazer browser is perfect. So I'm happy with that. Bluetooth I haven't try yet, and probably won't for a while since I have nothing with it at home or at the office.

Second, the form-factor is great. Having a "retractable" Graffiti area is really good, since it leaves room for photos or graphs that need better room that the one offered by the previous Palms.

Other things to comment: good applications, including a nicer Media Player (Pocket Tunes for music). Sound with headphones is good too, although it cannot be compared with my iPod Nano! Even the included Solitaire is nice. Battery is quite good, long lasting and charges fast through the USB cable, even from my old ThinkPad A21 at home.

And now, for the problems: many apps don't work, thanks to the great improvement, Flash Memory. The new memory model is not necessarily compatible with many shareware and freeware around, and looks like the SD cards have to be reformatted to work correctly (at least, my old SD from the Tungsten E doesn't work right). Many apps do install, but give problems like hanging the PDA, requiring a soft reset; annoying but not actually harmful. A few old apps, like Cesium (great clock/timer/stopwatch) and the classic masterpiece SF Cave work allright.

As for now, I will use for a couple of weeks before having a definite opinion. But the price is great (299, just like my first Pilot 500 a zillion years ago!).... One day or the other someone will produce a software add-on to turn it into a USB drive, something more or less obvious with just 100 megs of internal memory.

My only complaint so far: it came with a fancy clock app, that shown the world and the areas at night and with daylight, but it simply disappeared after I sync it with my old data, going back to the useful but not as nice World Clock. Natively, it comes in many languages, so I can use it in Spanish (translation fine although it has some typos). I do recommend it over the more "home-oriented" Palms like the new Zire. Maybe I'll come in a while to change the rating. And if someone at Palm does read this, please tell me how to bring the nice Clock back!

Final update, after almost a year of use: My final opinion is that four stars are just right. Why? Well, the old two complaints, not big but anyway relevant: slow turn ons and bad media playing. And the fact that it doesn't really work with a Mac.

It does takes its time to turn on. I don't know why. When using the nifty center button just to see what time it is, the time it takes to show the clock is long enough to almost make impossible to see the hour!

And regarding media playing: I agree with some of the reviewers, the included software is not good enough. I disliked the realone player that came with my Tungsten E, and the Kinoma encoder took ages to compress and re-encode content, but at least they didn't force you to use Microsoft Media Player. This one does. Now I'm using TCPMP although it can be cumbersome to convert video; music playing is fine but better to get a real music player, cause playback quality is second-rate.

And the fact that syncing with a Mac is a complicated and uncomplete affair, unless you're willing to buy a $30 software like Missing Link, and add other stuff for AvantGo. Palm software for Mac is just adequate if you're using a Palm Pilot! I'm a recent switcher and I miss the ease and transparent syncing with Windows (actually, the only thing I miss about Windows). Read more ›

124 of 128 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Almost perfect PDA for the average user August 14, 2006

By Allen W. Law

Are you interested in having a smaller day planner? Do you want to listen to music or watch movies on the go? Do you want to do all this and more at a modest price? Do you hesitate to buy another Microsoft branded device? Then the Palm TX may be what you're looking for.

I want to talk about the general usefulness for the average user. The official Palm TX specs can be found on Palm's website.

I had read a lot of opinions about laptop replacements. It seems kind of odd that desktop replacements (laptops or notebooks) are themselves being replaced by smaller and smaller devices. The TX has decent speed but has a lot more internal memory than most of the other similarly priced PDA's, which makes it less of a necessity to have an expansion card, although you'll need one if you want to watch movies or listen to podcasts or music.

Now to get into some specifics:

PIM--The TX is shipped with Calendar, embedded in Palm Desktop (PD). For your average user, Calendar is quite adequate. I'm not a real mover/shaker when it comes to social networking so I need Calendar to just keep my appointments and have the enough options to categorize the entry. The desktop program has a few more options than the TX program, but you are able to get what you need to be entered either way--desktop or PDA entry.

Email--The TX uses Versamail out of the box. I find that Versamail has minimal but adequate features to use email on the go at wireless locations. You can set up accounts, check email, send or receive attachments, among other things. I had a little trouble at one point with the account settings. I entered my SMTP/POP settings into the TX and could receive email, but I couldn't send email.... I found the user/account settings on the desktop portion of the program, and like Calendar, it seemed to have a few more options to tweak settings and such. Somehow, the entry into the Palm with the SMTP setting had garbled, even after several reentries. I was able to fix it on the desktop, Hotsync and then sending email worked like a charm. I will say I don't use Versamail all that much. I don't spend a lot of time near a hotspot unless it's at home. Then it's easier to use my regular computer email client.

Internet--This is another function that I don't use much, but just on occasion if we are eating at Panera or IHOP. The program that the Palm TX uses inherently is Blazer. I find it barely adequate, but when you think about it, browsers are large programs on regular computers. In order to have the wealth of functionality that a regular browser has, then it would likely be too large for a PDA to use effectively. Blazer has all the rudimentary features of a browser (bookmarks, direct address entry, back/forward, home, etc.). Blazer is pretty decent at rendering the simpler webpages. I browse a few forums quite a bit and Blazer does only a fair job at rendering forums. It is fairly fast and will connect easily with public wifi hotspots. There aren't many options for Palm browsers out there. Opera has one, but it requires you to install Java (which was a little fickle for me) and the Opera/Palm browser was also a bit fickle.

Screen--The screen on the TX is really good! Its resolution is 320x480 (or the other way around if you are in landscape mode...which is what I keep it at.) The colors are great and you can adjust the brightness. I don't have anything bad to say about the screen.

Contacts--Palm's address book is another item that it's probably best and easiest to enter the data on your regular computer. Again, as an average user, Contacts is quite adequate for my needs. It stores the information I need.

Hotsync--With a program like Hotsync, you basically just want it to do its job. It does it quite well....although there are a few hitches that I ran into while setting it up. First, the initial sync has to be done via the cable that is supplied. Once set up, you can store the cable in a drawer, maybe to never use again. From then on, you can sync wirelessly (which only applies if you have an access point, otherwise, keep the cable out). Hotsync over wifi is fast and quite satisfactory. The other big issue I have with the Hotsync program in particular has to do with legacy settings. Hotsync uses what is called conduits to match Palm Desktop (the repository for Calendar, Contacts, Quick Install, and other utilities). The user can control the conduit behavior by right clicking on the Windows taskbar icon for Hotsync and clicking Custom and also on the TX by tapping the menu in Hotsync and tapping Conduit Setup. Both have to be done to assure proper conduit function. The TX includes legacy conduits for older Palm programs. These might go by names such at Address Book, Date Book or Memo Pad, which all have newer versions (names). If both conduits of a type (i.e. Address Book and Contacts) are selected and then a Hotsync is performed, the device can lock up. It takes quite a bit of paring down if you've installed very many programs on the Palm, but once trimmed, Hotsync is fast and simple. There are some file functions that I won't use with Hotsync, like transferring large files. It takes too long and the signal can often be lost during sync. For this purpose, I use a card reader to transfer larger files (mp3's, pictures or movies) to my TX.

Wifi--We live in a wireless world and the TX has a good wifi setup. Once setup, it connects quickly and does its job. I haven't had any problems with it.

Bluetooth--I had wondered why Palm would include Bluetooth capability when the TX already had a very good wireless setup. Then, a few months later, I upgraded my wireless phone to a phone that was Bluetooth-enabled. This allowed me to transfer files and such. I know there are more uses for a Bluetooth PDA, but I don't use them.

Multimedia--This is, honestly, what I spend most of my time doing with my PDA. Since my car stereo isn't Ipod ready, I plug in my earbuds with my TX playing podcasts. pTunes comes with the TX and is has all the features I need...track/play/pause/stop. It has shuffle and a volume control.

Another thing that makes the TX attractive is being able to watch movies. It takes a bit of preparation, but IMO, it's worth it. First you have to rip and then encode a movie, which in itself may or may not be legal, depending on what you read and where you live, and I won't go into how to do it. I use a movie player program called TCPMP. After researching how to do all this, this program seemed to be the easiest to use. If you have good headphones, it'll give great stereo sound. For watching movies, you'll definitely need an expansion card.

You can also store pictures and videos on the internal memory or expansion card. The program called Media stores and organizes your pictures and videos.

Ebooks--I love to read. I love the feel of a hardback book in my hands. I love being able to carry a paperback around fairly inconspicuously, but sometimes you just can't take an actual book with you. At work, when we have downtime, I turn my TX on and continue where I left off reading my current ebook. There are plenty of programs out there for reading ebooks on a Palm. Mobipocket is one that I use frequently. The TX can natively read Word (and Excel) and text documents using Documents to Go. Both programs can be set to scroll a page at a time with the navigating button. Most all ebook formats can be read on the TX except the Microsoft Reader's lit format.

Buttons, connectors and such--The Palm TX comes with a weighted stylus that feels good in the hands. The power button can be difficult to push if you aren't paying attention to it, but it's not that bad. The headphone jack is conveniently placed on the top of the device. The function buttons are well-placed and can be reprogrammed to your own needs, although they do have images on the buttons to suggest what they are preset to. The power jack is on the bottom of the device and must be securely inserted. It can slide out if the power cable is laying at an angle to how the device is laying. I don't own a cradle. The simple flap cover that comes with the TX is adequate for me, although I have been considering an aftermarket case. The flap cover seems to have a weak point at the fold. Mine, after 4 months, has a crease that isn't really close to breaking, but probably will, eventually. The flap cover keeps the device relatively slim. The reset button is located on the back of the device. If you buy an aftermarket case, make sure you can get to all the buttons, jacks and plugs.

Battery--I'm quite impressed with the battery on the TX. Although you can't change it out, it is an internal rechargeable that has good life. After "training" the battery properly after I bought it, I've had it last for nearly 3 hours constant use with the wifi being on most of that time. I've watched movies on it...in fact, movie watching only uses about a third of the juice from a full battery. That's without Bluetooth or wifi being on. With pTunes running while I'm driving, I can commute 4 hours in a day, read a little on my breaks at work and have plenty of battery left at the end of the day. I'm quite satisfied with it.

Overall, the Palm TX is a robust mid-priced Palm PDA that has lots of boxed features and programs and the ability to install other programs and games that you buy or download. It is fast, has good connectivity options, plenty of internal memory and has a good battery. It will accept SD or miniSD expansion cards up to at least 4 GB...maybe more. It has a vibrant screen that makes viewing pleasurable. I would highly recommend the TX to home/home office users that want to ditch their paper day planner, or have a good option for personal multimedia. Read more ›