Palm for Dummies, Second Edition (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Palm OS, the functional core of the Palm series of handheld computers from 3Com and the Visor series from Handspring, is easy to learn and fun to use. With its simple elegance and range of available software, it's great for people who need to keep track of details and don't want to use a big laptop computer all the time. In Palm for Dummies, Bill Dyszel shows you how to use the operating system and the suite of applications that ship with it on 3Com and Handspring platforms. For the most part, this book is straight documentation of the Palm OS environment, with explanations of what it can do and procedures that detail processes for you.

This an approach is better suited to a ponderous productivity application, or a business-oriented operating system. The author should do more in this book to introduce the reader to the fun of Palm OS computing. He should share more opinions on favorite aftermarket software, too. Also, the forced casual tone of the Dummies series--this book includes a chapter called "Ten (Or So) Troubleshooting Tips"--is beginning to show its age. The tone that seemed friendly when it was a novelty, now, more frequently than not, seems sloppy. Readers don't want to be bored, and dry presentations of unadorned facts certainly are no fun. But a book about a computing environment as vibrant as the Palm OS, with its colorful communities of users and developers, shouldn't have to rely on dumb jokes and cutesy lines to engage the reader. This isn't Dyszel's fault, as he wrote in the Dummies series's standard style. But David Pogue's PalmPilot: The Ultimate Guide is a better book, despite being somewhat dated. --David Wall

Topics covered: The Palm OS operating system for handheld computers, including Palms and Visors. Specifically, coverage touches on the Graffiti handwriting-recognition system, applications (those that come with the operating system) for managing appointments and contacts, and connectivity via the HotSync cradle and modem hardware. Wireless operations with the Palm VII get attention, and there's a directory of aftermarket software that's organized by profession. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Description

* Covers the capabilities of the latest Palm operating system, OS 5.0, including the ability to make phone calls and access "always-on" corporate e-mail.
* Author is a nationally-known expert on personal information and sales automation technology.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 2 edition (October 16, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764516744
• ISBN-13: 978-0764516740
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #125,195 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Winner, August 5, 2001

By	Randy Given (Manchester, CT USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Palm for Dummies (Paperback)

This is yet another winner in the For-Dummies series. I am often amazed at the series in the amount of in-depth knowledge that is presented in a friendly manner.

My Handspring Visor Prism came with a very simple and small introduction booklet. The online PDF file was a little more help. It wasn't until I got the Dummies book that I learned a lot of neat tricks and things I never knew.

There are chapters on wireless, which is helpful information for those that might consider that avenue in the future. If you have a Handspring, you might consider the "Handspring Visor for Dummies". I would probably get "Palm for Dummies" instead.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Skip this book if you've got Graffiti 2, July 16, 2004

By	Bonnie (Bay Area) - See all my reviews

Wait until the 3rd edition comes out as this book is too old.
His website is junky too.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dyszel is certainly no dummy!, May 5, 2004

By	Corbie Dillard (Crane, TX) - See all my reviews

Bill obviously knows the ins and outs of the Palm OS through and through and it really shows in this book. Extremely well written and does a great job of highlighting some of the strong points of the Palm OS. I especially found this book to be one of the funniest, if not THE funniest, of all the Dummies books I've read. Also having also purchased two other Palm OS books at the same time I bought this one, I can tell you this book is easily the best of the three. If you want a little more than the meat and potatoes the other Palm OS books out there offer then pick this book up. You'll be extremely glad you did, trust me! Outstanding.