Palm LifeDrive Mobile Manager

Other products by Palm

Product Details

Product Manual [6.81mb PDF]

• Item Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0009JMT38
• Item model number: 1044NA
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (191 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,226 in Electronics (See Bestsellers in Electronics)

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  Electronics > Computers & Accessories > PDAs & Handhelds

• Date first available at Amazon.com: March 27, 2006

Product Description

From the Manufacturer
Seven pounds lighter than your laptop, the LifeDrive mobile manager has all you need to take your life on the road. Carry all your important files and have them when you need them. With 3.85 GB of usable storage, you can store and access years worth of e-mail, thousands of Word docs, 1200 PowerPoint presentations, 300 songs, 1000 photos, 2.5 hours of video, and more...all with room to spare. And your information is always safe on your LifeDrive mobile manager, even if you're too busy to recharge the battery.

LifeDrive smart file management.
You have better things to do with your time than manage files. With new LifeDrive technology, you can quickly drag and drop thousands of files from your PC onto your LifeDrive mobile manager with the folder structure intact. Select the files you want to keep in sync, and they'll automatically be updated whenever you sync with your computer. Plus, you can use your LifeDrive mobile manager like you would any other USB drive to easily upload files to any PC or Mac.

Built-in WiFi 802.11b and Bluetooth 1.1 wireless.
Stay connected at any of the over 80,000 public WiFi hotspots in popular hotels, cafes and airports around the world. Access your POP, IMAP and Exchange e-mail accounts with the included VersaMail e-mail client. Download your latest calendar appointments from the office. Retrieve documents from your main computer with the WiFile software. Use the included Blazer web browser, optimized for the mobile experience, for surfing. Or, use Bluetooth to connect to compatible devices nearby--sync with a Bluetooth laptop, print wirelessly to a Bluetooth printer or dial a Bluetooth phone.

Support for Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF files.
Rehearse your PowerPoint presentation discreetly in an airport. Make last-minute changes to a Word document. Check the numbers in an Excel spreadsheet and update them on the spot. Download and view an Acrobat file. The LifeDrive mobile manager comes with support for native Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files and converted PDF files.

More room for MP3 files, photos and video clips.
Whether you're viewing schematics from business associates, listening to songs, or both, the LifeDrive mobile manager gives you room for virtually everything you might take with you. Plus the software you need is pre-installed. View photos and videos with the PalmOne Media application. And enjoy all the songs in your personal music collection with on-board support for MP3 files in full stereo.

Built-in voice recorder.
Capture that big idea anywhere. Tape important lectures. Take notes hands-free. Or, record a slideshow narration to accompany your photos. It's all possible with this integrated, go-anywhere audio functionality.

Camera companion.
Why take your laptop on vacation? Instead, download the images from your camera's SD memory card onto your LifeDrive mobile manager, and free up your card for more photos. Back at your desk, you can easily upload your photos to your personal web site or photo-printing service.

Expansion possibilities.
This mobile manager gives you plenty of options. The built-in expansion card slot supports SD, SDIO and MultiMediaCard formats. Transform your LifeDrive mobile manager into an in-car navigator with a GPS Integrated Car Cradle. Carry a portable, wireless keyboard that unfolds to full size to conveniently create or edit files on the go. The included Addit software makes it easy to try or buy popular software titles via Bluetooth or WiFi.

High resolution, color rich display.
Sit back and enjoy the view with this 65,000-color, 320 x 480 Transflective TFT display. Flip to portrait or landscape orientation with the touch of a button, and get a better perspective on work, photos, or anything else. The status bar gives you quick access to key functions on screen, like the current time and search.

Multiple security measures.
128-bit encryption keeps your valuable data secure. Password protection safeguards access to your device, while the Private Records function protects specific files when the rest of your device is unlocked. The optional Intrusion Protection function erases all data and returns the device to factory settings after a user-specified number of failed break-ins.

Sleek exterior, racy interior.
Everything is encased in an elegant, brushed silver finish. On the inside, you'll have fast performance for business and multimedia applications, thanks to the 416 MHz Intel XScale processor. The 5-way navigator lets you launch applications, select items, and view details all with one hand. The on/off/hold button keeps your MP3 player on without inadvertently launching other applications.

Stay organized with the basics and more.
And last, but not least, you'll have all the essentials of a good personal assistant with our award-winning PIM applications--Calendar, Contacts, Tasks and Memos. Not to mention the ability to sync with Outlook on a PC or with iCal and Address Book on a Mac.

What's in the Box
LifeDrive mobile manager, protective sleeve, a USB sync cable with PalmOne Multi-connector, an AC power adapter (108 to 132 VAC, 50 to 60 Hz), Desktop Installation and Software Essentials CD with tutorial, getting-started guide (PDF), and user's guide (PDF).

Product Description
PalmOne introduces the all-new LifeDrive mobile manager. With a 3.85 gig user accessible hard drive and built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support, you can easily carry all the essentials of your busy life and use them as you will. Files and folders from your desktop computer, 300 songs, 2.5 hours of video, vacation photos, and more are right there with you. Quickly drag and drop files from your PC onto your LifeDrive mobile manager. Folder structure remains intact so you can easily locate important information when you need it. Select the files you want to keep in sync, and automatically update them whenever you sync with your computer. Use your device like you would any USB removable drive to easily upload files to any PC or Macintosh. Built-in Wi-Fi 802.11b and Bluetooth v1.1 Access your POP, IMAP and Exchange email accounts via Bluetooth Use Bluetooth to connect to compatible devices nearby-sync with your Bluetooth laptop, wirelessly send a document to a Bluetooth printer or dial a Bluetooth phone. Retrieve documents from your desktop computer with the WiFile software. Use the included web browser, optimized for the mobile surfing experience. Service provider and an ISP, sold separately. Some Wi-Fi hotspots require fee for usage. Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 or VPN may be required. Within wireless service coverage area and requires a connection to the same network that the networked computers are on Support for Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Acrobat More room for MP3 files, photos and video clips Built-in voice recorder Camera companion and camera companion software Expansion possibilities with built-in expansion card slot which supports SD, SDIO and Multimedia Card formats. Optional GPS Road Navigator transforms your LifeDrive device into an in-car navigation tool. Portable wireless keyboard unfolds to full size for work on the go, which is bought separately. Included Addit

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

253 of 274 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good start, but not perfect yet., June 4, 2005

By	Udaya Liyanage (Saint Louis, MO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I got the Lifedrive one week ago to replace a sony Clie. The following comments are based on one week experience.
Pros:
1. New lifedrive manager software which in most cases obviate the need for hotsync. This is truly revolutionary.
2. Larger hard drive. Finally we are catching up with the rest of the world. You may be able to replace your iPod mini with this more versatile handheld.
3. Good voice recorder. I just got back from a meeting and recorded one whole days worth of talks from the back of a room with 60 people and record quality was quite good and no software bugs were noticed. In addition to the time allocated under your voice memo section, you can directly record to your hard drive allowing you to record more stuff.
4. This machine can store an enormous number of powerpoint presentations. This is a big plus for if you do any teaching e.g. quick review of a topic with a med student before a surgery.
5. Nice metallic finish. Looks better than cheap looking T5.

Cons:
1. Poor battery life. After a whole day of heavy use, the battery dies without warning.
2. Repeated powering down of the hard drive causing a few second delay in opening new applications. Annoying as hell!!!
3. No way to customize turning off the screen after a short period of inactivity. If you play chess on this machine, it becomes annoying. By the way, Hiarcs chess engine runs quite well on this machine(Downloadable for 39.99).
4. Adobe reader formats most documents well, but some with complex formatting turn into incomprehensible amorphous text.
5. Price. I don't understand why a piece of cheap looking electronics made in china should cost this much money.
6. No integrated cell phone or camera.
7. Some applications don't run on this device. I signed up for audible.com membership to get a $100 rebate. But so far I have been unable to make the audible manager recognize this device and download audiobooks to this device.
8. It is very disappointing palm decided to put the cheaper and slower WiFi. I suspect their next device will have the faster version.
9. Size. More bulky than other palm handhelds. Not a true shirt pocket device.
10. No headphone provided. Why can't they throw in a $10 headphone for this $499 device. I am using my old sony clie headphones which works fine.

Overall, 4 stars. I am sure I will find a lot more annoying problems as I use it more.

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great device-- Very pleased!, February 26, 2006

By	Kevin Stinson (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've had my Lifedrive for about 3 mos. now and have been very pleased with it. There seems to be quite a few negative reviews about the Lifedrive so I was a little wary at first. Many of the complaints seemed to stem from running older Palm software that didn't operate on the new Palm OS or from people who weren't used to using Palm PDA's. Although Palms are very easy and intuitive to use I think the Lifedrive is a little more complex due to the integrated hard drive, which at first doesn't seem integrated at all.

I didn't reuse any of my older Palm OS software which must have spared me from some of the re-starts and lock-ups some people experienced. Once my unit was charged I started with a new user name (so a new synch profile is created) and then immediately installed the 2.0 software update. I've only had 2 restarts on the device since I started using it, but I use it quite a lot. One restart was apparently due to a poor wireless connection and another I think was caused by Versamail while downloading an e-mail with an attachment. Other than that the device has been very stable and the restarts haven't been repeated.

At first I wasn't very pleased with the new Graffiti II but now that I'm used to it I'll concede that maybe it is an improvement over the older version. Handwriting recognition on Palms has always seemed far superior than on Pocket PC's to me and the Lifedrive's no exception.

Some reviewers have mentioned a "lag" problem when starting a new program. I was a little worried about this before I purchased the Lifedrive after reading it in several reviews. However, I tested a couple of Lifedrives first at electronic stores and didn't really notice any lagging or hesitating. It might have been 3rd party software issues as I haven't noticed this problem-- and I'm very impatient.

www.palmfocus.com has a list of Palm software rated for compatability with the Lifedrive. Before installing older Palm OS software it would be a good idea to check this list rather than struggle with your device. (Any software written for the new OS isn't an issue as far as I know.)

Pros:
+Wireless works well and connects easily.
+Being able to store, view and edit MS Word and Excel in their native format is a plus. (no conversion step as on Pocket PC)
+Store tons of videos, music and photos and take it with you everywhere.
+Synchrone entire folders from your desktop computer (Only folders on the root drive of your device can be synchronized so nested folders won't be synchronized unless you spread them out in the root directory of the drive. This will change the folder heirarchy on your device but not your desktop if you want to keep all the folders synchronized)
+The USB synchronization and connection has been flawless. (This hasn't been my experience with Pocket PC's)
+Very powerful yet elegant PDA!



Cons:
-Battery consumption high when using wireless. Don't leave on any longer than you have to.
-It's a little big and bulky to hang on to compared to older Palm PDA's. (Wish it had a place for a lanyard)
-Working with other applications while listing to music causes interuptions in the music playback.
-Versamail synch setup didn't go very easily for me. Make sure your default e-mail profile on your desktop is Outlook before you even get started with mail sync setup.


I've installed Dataviz Smartlist which is an excellent and fairly sophisticated database application which can sync with Microsoft Access. It works very well on the Lifedrive.

Also installed Mapopolis and it also works well. You must install maps to RAM or on a SD card and not the hard drive.

73 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Do not buy this unit - Many problems, August 18, 2005

By	Adam Boettiger "Adam Boettiger" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Like many others, I am profoundly disappointed with Palm's latest release, the Life Drive Mobile Manager. There are many positive reviews posted here, but the majority of them are from users who are relatively new to the Palm PDA line.

As a power user, and having owned nearly every model they released, I can say with confidence that if you are a power user, you will be returning this unit within two weeks. The majority of the third party apps that I used to use are not compatible with it and that causes fatal errors and random soft resets. When the app is uninstalled, the error stops, but because the unit boots off of the hard drive memory and not flash memory as all previous models did, a soft reset takes approximately TWO MINUTES 16 SECONDS from start to being ready to use again. It is unbelievable. You should really drive down to play with one to look at the lag time BEFORE you order it here at Amazon. I promise you - it will be time well spent.

The power switch on the top of it is a slider that is made of plastic, looks very cheap and I'm guessing will last maybe 3 or 4 months tops before it needs to be replaced.

If you are thinking of buying this for watching videos and playing MP3s or as a replacement for your iPOD, keep your iPOD. Sometimes I wish Apple would buy Palm. Maybe then we'd start seeing some quality.

No cradle - a flimsy breakaway plugin to charge it.
The hard case looks sexy and sleek, but you will soon tire of having to pry it open several times a day with your thumbnail. And if you don't have any thumbnails, you're out of luck. Don't get the hard case or you'll never be able to open it.

Overall a big disappointment for me. I made the mistake of selling my T3 and putting the proceeds toward the LifeDrive. I still have time to return it - and I likely will - but am having a huge problem trying to decide what to downgrade to from the LifeDrive. T5 didn't get much better reviews and T3 is a few years old now...

If you absolutely MUST buy this unit, please wait until the LifeDrive 2 and LifeDrive 3 come out later this year or in early 2006. Remember the T, T2 and T3? My guess is the same thing is going to happen to this one. They would have saved themselves a lot of headaches if they waited until it was ready to be released as a quality product.

Now I don't know what the heck to buy to replace it. T5 maybe, but still nothing compares to the T3 thus far.

The only good thing the LifeDrive has going for it is a lot of storage and internal WiFi; HOWEVER, the version of wifi they chose to install is the slow version - it crawls; and I have no idea what all the fuss is about people being able to use this as a 4GB USB drive.

Yes, it works as an external drive. It's slow but it works. Big Hooey. Go down and get yourself a 1 GB USB flash RAM drive (tiny) if you want that level of portability. For me as a longtime Palm user, the ability to use this as an external drive is NOT a huge deal. I've been using USB flash drives for years to do what this does.

Perhaps the biggest annoyance - and primarily the reason why I am returning the unit - is the lag time switching between apps. You click the stylus on an app and since it is no longer booting from the flash drive, there is a two second noticable lag time before the app launches. It's ridiculous. They say that putting a hard drive in a PDA is an achievement that will allow for a great deal of things to come.

It would be. If they had left the unit booting to flash ram and used the 4 GB for storage only. Big mistake. Bad Developer. No cookie for you.

This crashes as often as a PocketPC, but it is much slower. That's the best way I can describe it.

Hope this helps!

Adam Boettiger

UPDATE: 22 AUG 2005 - Wanted to add a post script to this to let readers know that I did in fact return the LifeDrive to the store and purchased the Tungsten T5 and some accessories instead. While the T5 is not everything I want in a PDA, in my opinion it is the best unit Palm has on the market - primarily because it has fewer problems than the LifeDrive.

After setting it up last week, I've had no problems with the T5 since. As a longtime Palm user, it was nice to see the zippy flash drive again, with no two-second delays in switching between apps, no Fatal Exception errors, etc. It just worked.

If you must upgrade now, buy the T5. If you can wait 4-6 months, hold out for the OS 6 devices due out in Q1 or Q2 of 2006. You'll probably be glad you did.

Hope this was useful.

Adam Boettiger