Customer Reviews

PalmOne m130 Handheld

5 star:		(65)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

I've slammed the earlier version of this device (the m125) for its SMALL SCREEN, but adding color (and TFT at that) and rechargeable lithium battery are significant improvements that puts this unit into the realm of contenders.

However, keep in mind that this is still a compromise unit, with several drawbacks relative to the higher-priced m515, or to the color Clie models.

The m130 is functionally identical to the m105 (which costs about half), with the exception of an expansion slot that you will probably never use, a faster processor, a fast USB cradle,a couple of software doodads, and now the color screen and rechargeable battery.
If you want the cheapest PALM-branded model with color and expansion capabilities, then the m125 is it. (You can get a used color IIIc model for a lot less, check around).

This model is still plagued by a small screen, and it's low-res at that.
With the built-in difficulty of pointing and clickin on a Palm device, size matters. But the color makes it far easier to see, so it's a trade-off.
The color Visor Prism has significantly greater screen real estate.
If you want to stay with Palm, consider the Palm m515. It comes in a super-slim package with a rechargeable lithium-polymer battery and a full-size screen (although low-res).
In that price range, however, a Pocket PC might make more sense (Palm still can't compete with the gorgeous iPaq active color screens).
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/Visor Neo -- Workhorse models with 8 MB of Ram (plenty for monochrome models). Visor has bigger screen/USB/expansion slot. Neo has faster processor.
Palm m125/Visor Platinum/Visor Pro -- Upper middle class models. Visor has larger screen. Both have USB/expansion slot.
Palm Vx -- Classic, not significantly expandable. Smallest full-function PDA with lithium rechargeable battery. Sharp, full-size mono screen.
Visor Edge/Clie slimline -- ultraslim mono models sell at a premium.
Palm m130 -- Fills consumer color niche. Compare to color Clie models, Visor Prism. Small, bright screen, rechargeable battery, expandable.
Palm m515 -- top of the line. Screen is now brighter, 16 mb included, now we want higher resolution. Still, a great improvement over the horrible washed-out color on the Palm m505. Compare with top Sony models/iPaq.
Enjoy!

The Palm m130, for its price and what it offers, is probably the best deal on the PDA market right now.

The m130 offers the same basic functions like any other PDA on the market: address book, calendar, notepad, beaming and other tools and accessories. Like most other PDA you can also upgrade it and download additional tools and utilities to it. The HotSync feature with your PIM software (Outlook, Palm Desktop, etc) is still there (and gradually getting better). Its biggest advantages over its competitors are simple, but important.

1. IT'S IN COLOR!!! For those of us who grew up in the "Gameboy generation" users will quickly come to appreciate it's easy-to-read color screen and you'll save yourself a few trips to the optometrist this way. Previous generations of PDA (and most current ones) are still on small screens (or even bigger screens) that are black and white and still difficult to read. Readability is not an issue for the m130.

2. Built in lithium batteries. No more Energizer or Duracel worries as this babies basically like a cell phone with Lithium batteries that are easily rechargeable, like your cell...

If you are looking for a fairly inexpensive, high-quality PDA, this is a good start.

Highly Recommended

If you are thinking of buying this handheld, make sure you understand what you are getting. It is not top of the line anymore. It does not have a high-resolution (320x240) screen, a super-fast ARM processor, built-in wireless connectivity, and it cannot play MP3's or videos. If you want these features, take a look at the Tungsten models or the Zire 71.

That being said, however, this handheld is simply the best in its price range. Indoors, the color screen is phenomenal and outdoors it is readable except in the most direct sunlight. The battery life is quite reasonable and the battery charges quickly. The m130 comes bundled with DataViz Documents To Go, for easy editing of Word and Excel documents on the go. DocsToGo also lets you view PowerPoint shows. There are hundreds of free games available for download, as well as both shareware (Liberty) and freeware (Phoinix) Game Boy emulators, which further expand the library of available games.

If you ever *do* decide you want some more advanced features, many are available with add-on accessories. The m130 may have only 8MB of memory built in, but the SecureDigital / MultiMediaCard expansion slot provides virtually limitless storage. It may not have built-in Bluetooth, but the Palm Bluetooth SDIO card, which snaps into the SecureDigital slot, provides this capability. The Palm Universal Connector on the bottom snaps into a lot more than just the charger / sync cradle, including wired and wireless modems, digital cameras, keyboards, printers, and GPS units!

If you want an afforable handheld with a high "cool" factor and lots of room to grow, the m130 is the best pick.

I have owned Palm's since the first one. I recently owned a Palm 5x. I was hoping to hold out until a future high-end version came along but my Palm Vx had taken one too many knocks and I needed more storage space.

This new M130 allows me to get all the features of the high-end models: (color, rechargable, MMC/SD slot, USB connection to my PC, the software bundle and expansion). The price was just right for me.

The screen is bright enough but a bit smaller. I've downloaded some pictures on a 32MB card and they look ok.

The unit seems pretty sturdy, the case is hard plastic and has a flip down screen protector. I like the one-button time feature of the M1xx models.

I was thinking about buying some of the software that is included with the M130. So this made the decision to buy a new device even easier. It comes with DataViz Documents ToGo Pro, Palm Reader, the MGI Photo application and a few other apps.

There are a few minor trade-offs like screen size and slower processor but I'm just amazed at the value combination of this product. The trade-offs are worth it. You can even get it with a bundle from Amazon for less that SRP. Great!

The M130 is my 6th PDA, having previously owned the m100, m125, m500, Sony CLIE PEGS320, and a Handspring Visor Prism. In terms of form factor, features, price, and dependability it blows them all out of the water! I bought my m130 the day it came out on the market (March 7, 2002) and I haven't been disappointed one bit. It's been completely trouble free, hotsyncs every time without fail, and has a brilliant color display that in my opinion is superior to the m515. I personally prefer the m130's slightly thicker form factor and smaller screen over the m515, and I really like the ability to change faceplates to suit whatever mood I'm in at the time.

I've heard that the m515 has the same manufacturing glitch that has plagued the m500 and m515 and after three warranty exchanges on my m500 I cannot in good faith recommend the m515. I can and do recommend the m130 though.

I've had the Palm m130 Color Handheld for about a year now and I must say I'm quite please with it. When it first came out, I was excited that Palm finally came out with a handheld that had a color screen that was, at the time a little less than three hundred. At the time the m515 and m505, its competitors, were around five hundred.
This is my first handheld and I consider it very easy to use. Though the manual provided with the m130 was no help at all, I really didn't need it.
Here are the pros and cons with the m130:

Pros:
* Absolutely beautiful and bright color display.
* User friendly. This is not a complicated unit to use. It doesn't have any fancy features or feaures that only a computer whiz would know.
* Palm OS. Palm OS seems to be the somewhat stardard as far as OS for handhelds, so therefore finding free software on the net to download to your unit is easy. You won't have to really buy those expensive programs.
* Tons of accessories. Since this is of the m100 series, you can purchase the same accessories as you would for the m100, m125, etc. Most of the time you don't have to buy accessories that are made specifically for the m130.

Cons:
* The backlight stays lit. Though this is a feature I liked at first because unlike the m515 or m505, you don't have to keep turning the light on to see the screen, I quickly found out this can drain the battery after minimal use.
* It's hard to to take off the faceplate. However, once you have the handheld for a while you will become a pro at taking the faceplate on and off.
* Only 8 MB of memory. Believe me once you start putting some software on this unit that 8MB will start dwindling to nothing.

Palm m130 Color Handheld is perfect for first time handheld users who want a color screen but something simple enough for storing dates, phone numbers, etc.
I know there are more advanced color handhelds with much more detailed features but this one can more than meet the challenge.

Palm has a true winner with this device. Sure, it's not as [nice] as the m515, but at this price, who cares?! If you are wondering whether or not color is worth the extra expense, I can say YES it absolutely is. I find the color devices so much easier to read, particularly in the somewhat dim lighting where the dreaded reverse backlighting of the greyscale Palms just makes the screen even harder to read. Color is a delight in these situations! And of course, games really rock with color. Bejeweled is one for instance, that I find a LOT harder to play without the color.

The screen is a bit smaller, but that actually makes the fonts and images a little crisper since there's not as much space between pixels. The unit is nice to hold, and gets a fair amount of life out of the rechargeable batteries. The screen is tough to read outside like the IIIC, so do keep that in mind if you intend to use it outside much.

Plenty of memory and the SD slot if you need more should make this a PDA you won't need to replace for quite some time.

-Like others, I did a ton of research before buying it. I was mainly deciding b/w the Palm m130 and the Treo 90. I wasn't into all the MP3 player/ digital camera accessories that Sony offered. Treo 90 comes with 8MB more of internal memory, is smaller and has a larger screen, but I chose the m130 because I liked the way it felt in my hand, the long-lasting durability of Palm products in general (the quality of treo's and Handsprings is not very good from some people I heard from), and the construction of it, which seemed very sturdy (made of plastic, not metal or glass) and able to withstand an accidental drop, unlike most of the other PDA's out there.

-The screen is very good, being able to show over 50,000 colors. Handspring Treo 90 can only show several thousand, so the m130 is good if you want to hold pictures.

-One concern I had was that the m130 only had 8MB of internal memory. I'm in the medical field and being able to run drug databases and references is a must for me. I invested in a 128MB SD card (which is WAY more than you need) and most of my programs can be run off the card. Some programs, like Avant Go can't. From what I hear, most drug programs can run off the card, but some can't, like ePocrates. Others require a portion to be stored on the internal memory. But thus far, I still have plenty of space left on my internal memory, despite filling it with lots of programs.

-All in all, it's really quite a fun toy to use. It's been really helpful with my work. With Avant Go, you can get all the latest movie listings, news, sports, etc with a quick HotSync. I also find that it fits nicely inside my coat or pant pocket.

-If you don't want to spend an exhorbitant amount and still want a good, decent and durable color palm, go for the m130. If you hate Graffiti, get the Treo 90....

Pros and Cons of the m130
Pros:
- good bang for the buck
- fits nicely in hand
- good color screen
- durable design, Palm brand
- internal battery that charges to full in less than 15 minutes
- takes bluetooth, SD and Multimedia cards
- nice hearty software bundle included
- good battery life (I don't use the backlight)
- nice, loud alarm to wake me up during my naps

Cons:
- only 8MB internal memory (thus I recommend getting card)
- slightly smaller screen than other palms
- slightly difficult to put into Sync holder, takes some practice

Other issues:
- Some reviewers write that the m130 is thicker than other palms. True, but my opinion is that it's designed so that you don't need to buy an extra case or holder to protect it. I know somebody with a Sony Clie who dropped his and now there's a permanent dent in it. Being thicker means it generally fits better into the hand, but not necessarily in your pocket. However, if you're a guy, I don't think this is much of an issue. For the ladies, I can see why having something small like the Treo would be more convenient.

- Lack of Flash Rom. Not an issue, since Palm OS 5 won't work on anything other than the newest models (e.g. Tungsten) anyway.

- Readability in outdoors. Some people gripe that with a lot of PDA's you can't read them in direct sunlight. Well, if you could, your PDA would need to suck up more juice to make the backlight stronger than the sunlight. For me, it's not an issue since I know I'd use it mainly in the hospital or at home.

Hope this helps!!

I've slammed the earlier version of this device (the m125) for its SMALL SCREEN, but adding color (and TFT at that) and rechargeable lithium battery are significant improvements that puts this unit into the realm of contenders.

However, keep in mind that this is still a compromise unit, with several drawbacks relative to the higher-priced m515 or Tungsten T, or to the color Clie models.

The m130 is functionally identical to the discontinued m105, with the exception of an expansion slot that you will probably never use, a faster processor, a fast USB cradle,a couple of software doodads, and now the color screen and rechargeable battery.
If you want the cheapest PALM-branded model with color and expansion capabilities, then the m125 is it. (You can get a used color IIIc model for a lot less, check around).

This model is still plagued by a small screen, and it's low-res at that.
With the built-in difficulty of pointing and clicking on a Palm device, size matters. But the color makes it far easier to see, so it's a trade-off.
The color Visor Prism has significantly greater screen real estate.
If you want to stay with Palm, consider the Palm m515. It comes in a super-slim package with a rechargeable lithium-polymer battery and a full-size screen (although low-res). The Tungsten T is even more gorgeous, with built-in bluetooth, a drop-down graffiti pad and a high-res screen and the latest Palm 5.0 software.
In that price range, however, a Pocket PC might make more sense (Palm still can't compete with the gorgeous iPaq active color screens).
Here's a basic product guide:
Palm m100/Handspring Visor/Palm Zire -- 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. m100 has slower serial. Zire has rechargeable battery. Skimpy memory can not be upgraded on these Palm models.
Palm m105/Visor Deluxe/Visor Neo (hard to find) -- Workhorse models with 8 MB of Ram (plenty for monochrome models). Visor has bigger screen/USB/expansion slot. Neo has faster processor.
Palm m125/Visor Platinum/Visor Pro -- Upper middle class models. Visor has larger screen. Both have USB/expansion slot.
Palm m500 -- Classic. Smallest full-function PDA with lithium rechargeable battery. Sharp, full-size mono screen and expansion slot.
Visor Edge/Clie slimline -- ultraslim mono models sell at a premium. Edge is nearly discontinued and has a reputation for breaking. Sony models, while the new leader in price/performance, have a reputation for less-stellar customer service.
Palm m130 -- Fills consumer color niche. Compare to color Clie models, new color Handspring models (some with phones), Visor Prism. Small, bright screen, rechargeable battery, expandable.
Palm m515 -- the old top of the line. Screen is now brighter, 16 mb included, now we want higher resolution. Still, a great improvement over the horrible washed-out color on the Palm m505. Tungsten T -- The new top of the line. Triple Aces design, with top notch screen, bluetooth and drop-down graffiti pad. But no phone? Compare with top Sony models/iPaq.
Enjoy!

I first bought the green screen m125, but I work a lot in low-light situations and found it didn't work well then. After one weekend, I went back to the store and exchanged it for the m130, hoping that the color screen would rectify that shortcoming. It did, and I'm thrilled.

The capabilities of the m130 have revolutionized how I work. I no longer need a clipboard when I'm photographing weddings, and I've done away with my written appointment book in the studio. Everything goes into the computer, and is synced to the Palm m130. I keep it with me everywhere I go, so can easily and quickly add doctor's appointments, check my schedule, do EVERYTHING. Also, for the dead times when I'm sitting and waiting for whatever, the gaming capabilities are tremendous. Lots of excellent games out there for time-wasting.

I'm pleased with the rechargeable battery. While it does get used quickly (lasts much longer when the light's on low than on high), it fully recharges in just ten minutes! Wish my camera's rechargeable battery pack was that fast.

My family knows already that where *I* go, my Palm goes.