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111 of 115 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not Quite Ready for Prime Time :(, May 16, 2000
By A Customer
Most people who are considering a IIIc are probably also considering the Vx, so this review is partially by way of a direct comparison between the two. First, the screen. Color is cool, no doubt. But Palm has missed the boat with this screen. Yes, it's bright.....darn bright. You could light Chicago with the thing. But that's not what is important here. The real problem lies with the fact that the resolution is only 160 x 160. Palm had to keep it this way, as all Palm OS software is written for screens of this size. But when a color screen this size has such a low resolution, there are problems. In comparison to the Vx's gorgeously clear monochrome screen, the IIIc's seems very blurry and bleedy. The pixels are large and blocky. But worst of all is the fact that the pitch of the pixels (the space between individual ones) is too large. There is a visible space between each and every pixel. While this may not seem like much, it is very hard on the eyes after a few minutes. Your eyes begin to notice the "checkerboard" pattern of the screen, and it starts to make your eyes swim. The best way to describe it is to look at a pattern of tightly packed black and white lines for a minute or so. After a while, it's very distracting. That, unfortunately is what happens with the IIIc. After about 5 minutes, I just couldn't watch it anymore. And don't forget, when you use a Palm, you're looking at it from only about a foot away, at most. The other problem with the screen is that it DOES wash out in bright light. If you even consider using your palm outside in the sunlight, it's a BIG problem. Physically, the IIIc is noticeably larger in the hand than the other Palm III handhelds. And next to the Vx, it's absolutely gargantuan. Battery life is another consideration here. The IIIc has a battery life of about 6 to 7 hours of constant use. But that's with the brightness set to the default of about 25-30%, which is fine for low-light situations, but will not do for anything else. This, of course, will eat more power, dropping life even further. The Vx lasts between 30 and 40 hours no matter what. I applaud Palm for making the jump for color, and I'm sure that eventually, all Palms will have it. But for now, the technology is still in its infancy. If you absolutely must have a color handheld, I would suggest the Cassiopea, or the offering from HP, both of which have drop-dead gorgeous screens. The best way to look at it is this; the Vx represents the ultimate extension and refinement to the current monochrome technology. It's slim, elegant, powerful and light. While the Palm IIIc is definitely the wave of the future, it's just the first step. Bravo Palm, for your efforts, but I'm going to wait a while for the Palm V-color to get my color fix.
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