Customer Reviews

PalmOne m125 Handheld

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(20)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(18)

 

 

Ok...I spent entirely too much time determining which Palm was right for me. I ended up purchasing the M125 (from Amazon) and don't regret the purchase. It's great carrying the Palm vs. my old Franklin Planner (a.k.a "male purse" ... as described by my wife).

For those of you on the fence trying to determine whether you should by the M100, M125 or the higher end M500/505's here's what I considered...

If you ABSOLUTELY only need the Palm for light use and don't care about additional memory or have an affinity for games, add-on's, etc...then purchase the M100/105. If that isn't the case, you'll pitch it or have given it away...because you will have run out of memory by the end of the year (and it isn't upgradeable).

The M125 is great buy because you get much of the M500/505 functionality at a lesser price, plus you have the ability for the expansion card -- for more memory, games, etc. The only thing I'm not crazy about is that the meeting reminder "dings" pretty loud. So if you're in a meeting it can become annoying listening to the reminder (along with the cell phone, pagers, etc). I believe the 500/505 has a vibrating option. Also, the 500/505 have rechargeable batteries, so you don't have to keep replacing batteries -- there's pro's and con's on both, I suppose it depends whether you travel a lot.

So, other than the "cooler" look, battery functionality and vibrating option that comes with the 500/505, for me...the M125 was a great a buy.

Regarding the cradle...if you're on NT at work, get ready to purchase the serial cradle, since the USB won't work. On the upside, I use the USB cradle at home.

Before you make a decision, be sure to check out Amazon's comparison table -- which enables you to line up each product that you're considering...it's extremely helpful.

One note -- if you believe that you'll buy a lot of the Palm accessories, I would do it with your initial order. You'll save shipping $$, probably get a pretty competitive price and not have to pay sales tax (and no, I don't work for Amazon).

Good luck!

Another disappointing effort from Palm.
They took the m100, which is plagued mainly by its SMALL SCREEN, and decided that what people really wanted was expandability. So they ramp up the price, add a couple of expansion slots, throw in a faster processor, a USB cradle and a couple of software extras, and Voila! the m125.
If you want the cheapest PALM-branded model with expansion capabilities, then the m125 is it.
But what PALM should have done IMHO is lowered the price of the m105, and given the masses what they they were demanding with the m125 -- a LARGER SCREEN. I can't emphasize that enough. With a monochrome screen to begin with, and the built-in difficulty of pointing and clicking on a Palm device, size matters. I'd recommend buying a Visor Deluxe or the new Neo in this price range. Not only are they a good bit cheaper, they have a larger screen, as well as expandability. If you want to stay with Palm, consider the Palm V. Although lacking in expansion slots, it comes in a super-slim package with a rechargeable lithium battery and a full-size screen.
I also have a friend who is very happy with his snazzy, expandable new m505, but in that price range I think a PocketPC might make more sense. Here's a basic product guide:
Palm m100/Handspring Visor -- Bargain basement models with 2 MB of Ram. Good starter models for the price. Distinguishing characteristics: Visor has significantly larger screen/expansion slot and fast USB cradle. Palm has slower serial.
Palm m105/Visor Deluxe -- Workhorse models with 8 MB of Ram (plenty for monochrome models). Visor has bigger screen/USB/expansion slot.
Palm m125/Visor Platinum -- Upper middle class models. Visor Platinum has larger screen. Both have USB/expansion slot.
Palm V -- Classic, not significantly expandable. Smallest full-function PDA with lithium rechargeable battery.
Visor Edge/Palm 500/505/Visor Pro -- All way too much for a Palm. Consider Compaq iPaq instead (which, although bulky, has a wonderfully brilliant screen and can double as a digital audio machine).

I'm thinking that the only people who post on this section of amazon.com are the unlucky ones. You know, the ones who buy a car, then after driving it off the lot have an accident? Yeah, that's the case. I've had my Palm M125 for about 4 months now, and have had NO with it. Now, you may think that this is an isolated incident, but several people I know have Palm M-series PDAs, and they are the same way (No problems).

But I'm not here to yap about how wrong the previous reviewers are. So I'll hop on my soap box and start reviewing.

From the very instant you turn on the Palm M125, its smooth sailing. Palm OS 4.0.1 is easy to use, yet has the complexity that techno-geeks like me crave. Think of it as a safe haven from "Windows" OS. The applications are stored under various files, and they are all easy to exit (there isn't an alert window that says "Are you sure?"). But it's really the little things that set the Palm apart from Pocket PC or the Apple Newton (although the Newton isn't a bad choice either ^_^). Palm OS is very much unlike Pocket PC for the following reasons:

1.) The people who wrote the OS obviously know that the Palm computing platform can't be a full portable office. They Accept that. Instead of trying to create this universal bridge between the PC and the PDA (as Pocket PC horribly tries to do), it tries to ASSIST you. Keeping track of names, phone numbers, addresses, web clippings, word and excel documents, and task lists. However, even though it's not a full portable office, the Palm OS lets you take the bare minimum that you need. You can send you Excel and Word documents to you PDA via "Documents ToGo" (which came with my Palm), and you can edit them as well. You can synchronize your e-mail, and respond (when you HotSync, the respond e-mail will be placed on the "Response" queue of the e-mail client.) That to me is enough to buy it (and the Franklin Covey suite is a nice addition as well). But you`re probably saying "But Pocket PC can do all those things too" or "I'm going to buy a Palm, I just don't know which one. I'm already convinced." I will address each one individually.

2.) The Pocket PC is a lot like its Windows counterpart. It has to be the center of attention. Just go to a place where you can demo a pocket pc. You'll find it more stress than anything else. But I notice this: The people who complain about errors in the Palm OS don't complain about the errors in Pocket PC. You know why? Because they've come to expect errors from Microsoft products. I'm not trying to sound like a renegade, but think about it. When was the last time you batted an eye when you're Windows XP machine said "Fatal Error line 33334.222x 32" and then froze? You didn't because we have low standards for Microsoft products. Palm is the other way around. I've had about 4 errors on Palm, none of which were fatal (mainly just me taking up to much memory). But I almost freaked out, because it was so out of character for my PDA to do that. Besides, Pocket PC is expensive compared to the Palm Pilot.

3.) Which one are you going to get? I would recommend this one. The M100 doesn't have an I/R port and doesn't have an expansion slot. M105 has an I/R port but no expansion. Jump up to the M125 you get both plus 8 Megs of memory. You might want to bump up to the M130, which is the same except the screen is color. The M505 and M515 are big steps up. A few hundred dollars, so I would only advise those for the serious Palm fans.

But why shouldn't you go to the Palm VII or Palm IIIc? Simple: Compatibility. Most of those PDAs are running Palm OS 3.0 or lower. That's fine if you never want to add software or anything like that. Most (95%) Palm software requires Palm OS 3.5 and up. M125 comes with Palm OS 4.0.1.

4.) Regarding the "sharp edges" and "hard to read screen". Again, I think we have an isolated incident. This sharp edges thing cracks me up. I wonder if when he reviews a book he says "It was a fine book, but the edges on the hard back almost hurt me." Give me a break. The screen is small, but it's easy to read if you have eye balls.

I jumped on the PDA bandwagon a couple of years ago...but instead of doing research, I purchased the cheapest model on the market, and regretted it almost immediately. I won't even go into what I was duped into buying (partially because I have my dignity to maintain...), but suffice it to say I was most disappointed that I purchased a product that was NOT Palm Powered. Simply put, if you buy something that cannot support Palm OS products, you are selling yourself short.

When I finally got around to buying mine, I did the research in advance, and decided I wanted something small, yet I wanted it to be able to upgrade if I wanted or needed it later on. This ruled out some of the cheaper models that are both offered by Palm and Handspring. I ended up choosing the M125 simply because it had the built-in memory I wanted (8MB) and was capable of upgrading with a number of cards that offered everything from maps to games to an additional 16MB of memory. This seemed to me to be not only the best choice, but also the most practical as well. The M125 is also smaller, too -- which was one of the selling points for me. I could've gone with a PDA with a much larger screen and still small (such as the Visor Edge or the Palm M500) but overall, they didn't seem to offer much more than what the M125 came with, and they were both a great deal more expensive, which helped to cement my decision even further.

From the programs that came with the M125 right out of the box, to the host of free programs available on the web (if you look in the right places...) to the multitude of cards I can choose to upgrade my PDA, I have been most thrilled with my purchase.
Yes, for those nay-sayers out there, the screen IS small, but my eyesight is fine, and it hasn't seemed to be a problem for me at all. Plus, the accessories the M125 has (along with the M100 & the M105 models) make this a pretty nifty choice to make. From over a dozen different styled covers, specially fitted leather carrying cases (I happen to use mine as my wallet now and carry it with me everywhere) to peripherals that are being added to on a nearly daily basis, the prospects for my new handheld are almost limitless. In short, I am VERY happy with my purchase.

Pros: SMALL, sleek, 8MB memory, upgradable, thousands of programs available (many are free) & fashionable accessories

Cons: SMALL screen (if your eyesight is good, this is NOT a problem), the touch-screen sometimes has the tendency to not match up with the stylus and needs to be re-calibrated every once-in-a-while

Weigh these specifics versus the other PDA's out there, and if price IS a factor, the M125 quite possibly could be YOUR next purchase. Hope this helps, I know reading other reviews certainly helped me in MY decision. Good luck.

I've had my m125 for about a month now and it has instantly become a useful part of my daily life. The Palm OS is very user friendly that any technophobia will easily be overcome. This specific product is also so loaded with programs and features, along with the potential to easily add several third-party software tools that you'll constantly be discovering new uses within this small device.

The reason I chose the m125 over others is because of its outstanding price for the value and features it comes with (...). It has many of the same features that the m500 series has but for slightly more than the cost of the m105. The m105 may be fine for most people, but the m125 will grow with you for a while as it has an expandable slot and internet capability. The size and shape is also very nice and less bulky than the Handsprings within the same price range.

One frustrating thing I have discovered with owning a m125 however is the support for accessories. For whatever reason, Palm barely contains specific info for this model in many of its catalogues. The m125 also falls into a weird category as its shape and size makes it compatible with most m100 cases, however for things like hotsync cables and stylus you need to use m500's accessories. Because of this, shopping for add-ons can be a little confusing and require extra research.

Another negative feature with this specific model is the poor battery life. The m125 requires 2 AAA batteries (included), however they only last aprox. 2.5 weeks under normal use (compared to the 1-2 months of the m105 and most other PDA's). I did invest in some rechargeable AAA's to solve this problem, but it is annoying to keep changing batteries so frequently.

There is a nice backlight feature (hold down the power button) that allows you to use this model in the dark (also available on the m100 and m105). I found this out by accident as the manuals included only give you the basics to get you up and running. The more you play with this device, you'll soon find several options that help make this very user friendly and customizable to your personal style.

Overall, I am very happy with my m125. It is durable, compact, and has helped make my life instantly more organized. (along with nice spoils like avantgo downloaded webpages of news, weather, and more....and a great game of Othello). At first, my wife complained that I got myself this new toy....now after she's used it, she has me shopping to get her one of her own.

If you are looking to get a PDA to help organize your life and do not consider yourself a "techno-nerd" or "power-user", the M125 is perfect for you.

If you have young eyeballs this smaller screen with smaller fonts might be just fine. But if you are over 30 I suggest you go with a full-sized Palm screen or a larger Handspring display. I liked the m125's convenient flip-screen (much better than Handspring Visors) and the m125 *would have* fit the hand very comfortably. But that new expansion card creates a sharp, uncomfortable edge in the otherwise smooth, glove-like fit.

Also, my m125 screen was defective (left side would not respond to stylus) so I sent it back and bought a Palm Vx instead.

I don't find any PDA screen big enough for multimedia, web browsing nor even e-mail. So I don't think color is worth paying for and there's no need for "expandibility" if you choose a monochrome PDA with 8 MB of memory. Also, I find serial port better than USB for synchronizing a monochrome PDA, because it is plenty fast for plain text and leaves one more USB port available on your computer for devices that really need it.

So the Palm Vx was a better choice for me ($50 more than the m125 but $150 less than the m505). Your "mileage" may vary.

I think that the new m125 will turn out to be a fantastic product for any new Palm user who would like to have the basics of a Palm Handheld. The software which is included is very functional and it is very easy to acces the Internet with the m125 as with most other Palm's. The expansion memory slots are a God-sent and and because it uses the newest Palm 4.0 OS, you know you will be getting a quality product which will remain at the bleeding edge of compatability for years to come. If you are thinking about purchasing a handheld computer, you should seriously consider the new m125. It's a great value buy for the functionality and compatability it offers.

UPDATE:

My Palm 125 only lasted less than two years. It was a power issues.... it erased all its memory every time I changed the batteries.

Totally unacceptable and a product this expensive should last much longer.

I replaced it with a M130 which has servied me well.


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The Palm 125 works great and is an amazing piece of technology. So user friendly! I recommend it.

However:

1) I first bought a M105 that was defective out of the box.(touch screen) Thankfully Amazon took it back.
2) The stylus on the M125 is a step backward in design. It is harder to get out than on the M105 and a true annoyance when my Palm is in the Hangdglove case.
3) The batteries are being used-up at a much higher rate than the literature suggested. (I do, however use the backlit screen a lot but this is because of #4)
4) The normal screen is often hard to read in low light. There are often low light situations where neither the regular screen nor the backlit screen are highly readable.
5) There are very few titles for the plug-in cards even though the M500 series Palms have been around for some time. (the cards are compatible.)

Despite these things, I am very glad I bought it and have been using it so much that it annoys my family!

I received this organizer for Christmas and I must say I have been very happy with it. I upgraded from a Palm V that I had been using for a decent amount of time. Rather than talk about what's good (the company hype will tell you that), I'll offer a few warnings.
-The screen on the m125 is somewhat small compared to other handhelds on the market, but still very readable. However, I could see this as being a problem for someone who has vision problems.
-The m125 runs on AAA batteries, rather than the rechargeable batteries I had grown used to on the Palm V. I can usually go almost a month without replacing the batteries, but it is still a hassle, considering that all the time it spends in the cradle could be spent recharging.
-The connection to the cradle seems somewhat tight and I always worry that I am going to break the serial port when tugging on it to get it out.
-The expansion card slot would be better suited on top (like the m500 series), with the slot on the side it is easy to accidentally press whatever you have in there and that takes you away from any program you are currently in.

Besides those few minor issues, I am very happy with this. Synchronization with Outlook has been flawless, and I have found some other apps (like Pocket Quicken) to be very useful. There are thousands of programs out there for Palm OS, making it a clear choice for someone who wants a handheld and doesn't need really rich media ability (otherwise, look into Pocket PC). I recommend this organizer to anyone who needs a lot of information in their hands.

I was so excited to hear about the debut of this new Palm. The m125 has all the funtionality I wanted and was considering buying an m500 to get, while being inexpensive and allowing me to use the accesories I already own from my m100. The slightly smaller width of the m100 series fits much better in my hand than my husband's Vx, and I love having the ability to change the faceplates to suit my mood. While my m100 is less than a year old, I have already filled up its 2mb of memory. The 8mb of memory the m125 has, along with the ability to use the multimedia cards, means this should be the Palm a use for quite a few years. I would definitely recommend this Palm.