Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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208 of 218 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Big improvement from m125, but still a compromise, March 16, 2002
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!
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67 of 68 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best PDA Deal for the Average Consumer, September 15, 2002
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
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55 of 55 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best value for the money, April 26, 2003
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.
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