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27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An *excellent* PDA, a fantastic value..., September 3, 2002
I've owned 4 PDA's in my time, and have had extensive experience with everything from a PalmPilot Professional (my first), to the Handspring Visor Edge (my most recent before the SL10). Here's the scoop:It does everything that you need it to do. It handles all the software, has enough memory to hold all the dates and addresses you're likely to need, and is *very* compact. It's solidly built (unlike the Handspring units, which feel flimsy and fragile - and are flimsy and fragile), very light, and the interface is the standard Palm. It easily fits in a pocket unobtrusively, and is so light you can barely feel it in there. The jogwheel and back button are *ridiculously* amazing additions to the interface, and I can honestly say that while I thought it was kind of gimmicky in the past (the jogwheel has been featured on many Sony products), now that I'm using it, it's downright indispensable. It allows for excellent one-handed operation. It's b&w, but colour, in my experience, is pretty useless in a PDA (except to suck battery life). The screen is clear, crisp, high-res, and is clear in all lighting conditions. The backlight is also excellent, and provides clear operation in near-dark to dark conditions. Graffiti recognition seems to be enhanced, perhaps because of the higher-res screen. I find that there's less backspacing (if at all), even when powering through notes. It comes with an excellent set of included software, most of which is utterly useless for the most part, but with a few gems (the drawing program is quite nice). Also, the memory-stick utilities are excellent. The memory-stick capabilities are also yet another compelling quality in this PDA. You really will be hard-pressed to use the 8mb of onboard RAM, but why pay more for 16mb when you have near-infinite storage? Very nice. All of this for around [price]. There's simply nothing on the market that can compete at that price-point. Honestly, this PDA competes with *much* higher-priced units for sheer usability and convenience. It fills a niche for a disposable PDA; I'm not afraid to lose it or handle it (unlike a [price] PDA, where it's a ritual to use, and you're always afraid that it'll break, or fall, or whatever.) If anything happens to it, your data is backed up and you simply pick up another one. At that price, it becomes a secondary data-retrieval device, much like a cel phone, instead of a high-priced toy. The only caveat is that it's battery-operated (as opposed to the Lithium Ion rechargeables out there.) Personally, I'd prefer a rechargeable, but it adds a *lot* more weight, and the unit lasts a good two weeks with constant use, so it's not bad. For an excellent PDA with functionality, convenience, and style, the SL10 is, in my opinion, the finest choice on the market. After a month of operation, I am both impressed and happy with my decision to purchase this unit.
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