Palm Organizers (Visual QuickStart Guide) [Paperback]

Jeff Carlson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Handheld organizers rapidly are becoming more important than the PC as a computing device, in large part due to the popularity of the PalmPilot. True, the beauty of these devices--aside from their portability--is that they're easy to use. Nonetheless, you still could use a guide to show you how to get the most out of them--and this is a good one.

The book keeps its focus on organizers that run on the Palm OS. Although this obviously includes the various PalmPilot models, it also covers the Handspring Visor, the IBM WorkPad, and the TRGPro. Author Jeff Carlson could've done a better job of delineating the subtle differences between these devices, as How to Do Everything with Your Palm Handheld did. But he does a good job of providing detailed usability and productivity tips, such as how to improve the accuracy of the Palm OS Graffiti handwriting recognition tool.

Given the ascendancy of wireless Internet access, Palm Organizers Visual QuickStart Guide devotes sufficient space to a discussion of the Internet features of the Palm VII, including a brief rundown of the wireless modems currently available. And all PalmPilot users should read the chapter on security, given that most people store sensitive contact information in their organizers.

Just because you've mastered the basics of entering names and addresses into your Palm organizer doesn't mean you're getting the most out of it. Palm Organizers Visual QuickStart Guide will help you maximize your productivity. --John Frederick Moore

Product Description

Once the exclusive domain of techies and high-powered execs, Palm devices are replacing the paper-bound address and appointment books of regular folks everywhere. If you've made the switch or are considering it, pick up Palm Organizers: Visual QuickStart Guide, a concise guide to the most popular palmtop OS and the multiplicity of devices it runs on.

Palm Organizers: VQS not only covers the basics of working with Palm devices, it also shows you the best techniques for using your palmtop to make your daily life more efficient and organized. For example, the book thoroughly covers the Date Book and gives you strategies for improving your time-management skills. Devices covered in this edition include the Palm V and Palm III families, Palm VII, Handspring's Visor, IBM Workpads, and TRG's TRGPro.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Pearson Education; 2nd edition (April 26, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201700638
• ISBN-13: 978-0201700633
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #2,178,862 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Palm Organizers Visual QuickStart Guide, August 23, 2000

By	B. Belttari "Belttari" (Oak Hill, VA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Palm Organizers (Visual QuickStart Guide) (Paperback)

This is an excellent book that will transform the reader from novice to near-power user. The author details the product offerings, basic features, more advanced features, and third party offerings that increase the value of the Palm. With this book as a primer, I knew exactly what I was doing when I first picked up a Palm.

I scanned the Palm For Dummies book before settling on this book. In my opinion, the Dummies book was comparatively confusing and overly brief.

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great training resource for Palm OS devices, August 18, 2000

By	D. Maloney (California, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Palm Organizers (Visual QuickStart Guide) (Paperback)

I work in the training field for Palm OS devices - training call center agents for technical and customer support. This book is the best hands-on tool you can buy for Palm OS devices to give to students. It has a great format: 50% visual and 50% text. It differentiates the Palm OS variants from 3.1 to 3.5 very clearly and it presents lots of numbered step-by-step instructions which can be used to describe procedures to clients on the phone. The O'Reilly series books are really good too but do not cover all the newer devices and OS variants. The Osborne published, How to do everything with your Palm, covers more recent devices such as the Visor but lacks the usability and accessibility of this book. My company has bought lots of copies and its pretty cheap on Amazon compared to all the other books. Only downside is the lack of a cover CD with lots of shareware but for this price...

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Palm Organizers, May 12, 2000

By	"liquidbrett" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Palm Organizers (Visual QuickStart Guide) (Paperback)

I picked up this book to help me decide which Palm to buy for a Mother's Day gift. The first chapter provided great info on each system's features and benefits. The rest of the book proved to be a valuable resource for add-on programs that greatly enhanced the usefulness of my Palm, and it clearly went over the basics of the built in applications. Well done and concise!