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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
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Palm T3 disaster
I was about to write my miserable experience in agonizing detail, until I found that others have traveled the same path. It is a pity that a product that has come so far was (in my case, also) mercilessly deserted by its maker in the clinches - in this case a hotsync failure that eventually destroyed not only the data stored in the handheld but also the backups of those data that were religiously placed on the "official"
Secure File PDA Backkup SD card. I am now laboriously retrieving my "essential" passwords (and from now forward keeping copies on the old reliable - PAPER!) It may interest others that I tried the path of logging my problem with an internet chat-group hosted by Google that is focussed on T3 hotsync problems, where I found lots of company, but no answers after waiting several weeks. The best information I have found by far is that in the group in which I am now participating. What a pity! I do not have a beef with the product - even a Rolls has been known to miss a beat occasionally. I do have a serious beef with the maker. But, heck - even GM can screw up, so why not Palm? Where do I go from here? My T3 makes a rather mediocre paper-weight.
Rating: 
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Still a great PDA in (almost) 2006
If you're in the market for a PDA designed with the businessperson in mind, here are some reasons why you may still want to consider the T3 as we approach 2006:
- The T3 is easily and inexpensively accessorized with the large variety of add-ons that use the "old" universal connector (same as m100/m125/m130/m500/m505/m515/etc.)
- You can wirelessly browse the Internet for HOURS using the slim and convenient snap-on Power-To-Go external battery packs (again, only available AFAIK in a universal connector version). I've yet to locate a battery sled for the newer Palm devices that use the "multi" connector, and virtually every Wifi enabled device needs large battery capacity unless you want to be limited to less than an hour of wireless use between charges
- The T3 comes with the charge and sync cradle
- Really compact in size--easily fits in my suit coat pocket when it is not extended
- Has the 480 x 320 hi-res screen--once you try it, you'll never go back to 320 x 320 (or 160 x 160). Also, landscape mode is so much better when web-browsing some sites and trying to work your way around a spreadsheet. Having said that, battery life on probably all large screen PDAs is too short, but at least you have the universal connector battery sled option with the T3
- Speed of the T3 is very "snappy"
- Built-in voice recording
- Sounds great--comparable to my Sony minidisc players
- Uses the traditional RAM instead of Flash RAM (the benefits of Palm's implementation of Flash RAM are, IMO, still sketchy)
In summary, buy a keyboard, wifi adapter, a couple 1GB SD cards, an external battery sled or two, upgrade to Docs-To-Go Premium v8, and you can probably sell your notebook computer
I could probably think of more reasons why the T3 is still a Palm PDA that should be in your consideration set, but the points I listed above are a good start. I won't be upgrading until Palm releases a 480x320 screen PDA phone with a huge, replaceable battery (or nicely designed external battery packs).
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P.S. As a side note, Documents-To-Go Premium Version 8 is the most impressive mobile office suite I've seen. I am able to seamlessly open and edit native Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files with no loss in formatting or graphics. It reads Acrobat files, views photographs, etc. No more working with a desktop file and a separate mobile version of the same file and trying to sync back and forth. I simply copied every important office file on my PC to a SD card and work with the same file whether parked in front of my desktop or working on a plane. Compared with the latest QuickOffice Premier v7.6, which I also own, Docs-To-Go v8 is the hands-down winner. To be fair, QuickSheet is a really well-designed program.
Rating: -
A workhorse, even though it's an older model now.
This is my 5th PDA, if you count that Newton MessagePad 120 I started with back whenever. The Tungsten T3 has impressed me for a few reasons, not the least of which has been it's all-around usefulness. Stuffing a powerful processor, a voice recorder, SD card slot, big display in a collapsible shell, and Bluetooth have all been key to having the Tungsten survive well beyond the usual 1-2 year usable lifespan of the other PDA's I've had before.
The one gripe I do have with the Tungsten T3 is its battery life. Perhaps because of its supercharged processor (which manages to even run video smoothly -- google for TCPMP, which is a free & open source media player) it guzzles down the battery. Though it's a standard battery, between the display and the processor needs, I only get maybe 3-4 hours continuous use, though to be fair, that's with Bluetooth running. That's been upped by an hour or so by using another utility called "FullPower", which allows me to turn off the battery warnings until a lower voltage, but it's a risky proposition -- too low, and all the memory gets lost.
But the display is really quite nice and bright, and I've used this PDA now as 1) a medial textbook reference, 2) a way to read web sites offline with Plucker & AvantGo, 3) a voice recorder, 4) a GPS navigation device with the NavMan 4460 (see my other review), 5) an mp3 player, with the bundled RealPlayer, 6) a movie player, with TCPMP, 7) a portable email/web access device, using my Bluetooth connection to my GPRS-enabled cell phone with T-mobile, 8) an automatic podcast catcher/mp3 player, using QuickNews from Standalone software, 9) a Word/Excel document editor, using the built-in/bundled Documents-To-Go application (made easier with a Palm Portable Keyboard), and 10) oh yeah -- a handy datebook, contacts, notes, and to-do manager.
Sure, WiFi or a built-in camera would have been neat to have -- but the unit, as is, packs in more than enough functionality for most users. That, and everything seems to have a low-quality built-in camera these days. I bet even cameras will have built-in cameras some day soon.
Rating: 
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Mediocre
I wanted to try it out, I did and now I know. - First for the good points: it's practical to have an electronic agenda - although good old fashioned scribbling by hand onto paper is more convenient than typing in letter by letter on the tiny keyboard or using the handwriting application. It's practical to have all your addresses incl. telephone nos. and e-mails always with you. It's pleasant to listen to mp3's while sitting on the train or waiting for a plane. - Now for the bad points: The making is rather flimsical. Forget about going into the internet while on the go. Most webpages are not made for it, especially the interesting ones. The only thing that goes is reading news - but you can as well read a newspaper or wait until back in your hotel room and turn on the tv. You don't want to recieve e-mails while sitting in a taxi in Jakarta (if it works in the 1st place). If it's urgent they'll call you. Otherwise you can certainly wait for the next opputrunity to hook up your notebook somewhere. SMS function doesn't work with Nokia 6230 (one of the best mobiles according to test results). Dialing function doesn't work either. You definetely don't want to use Word, Excel or Powerpoint with this thing (unsless you want to carry around a magnifying glass). Downloaded some games (made sense to me to listen to mp3's AND playing chinese chess while hanging around airports) but installing didn't work within one hour and I'm not interested in spending another hour finding out why. You don't want to look at photos on this thing (well, again the magnifying glass comes to my mind). I didn't try the movie solution because I refuse to carry that magnifying glass with me. Palm's webpage is a maze (in particular when it comes to support). Customer support is awkward. - As an alternative I suggest you buy a simpler solution with merely an agenda, an address book and mp3 function (you hear me Steve?). Games maybe?
Rating: -
Why a T|T3 is still a great PDA as of May 2005.
As every product review arises from the unique preferences and tastes of a particular individual, I begin with the following disclosures. (a) I'm a medical professional and I think that the volume of medical references and tools available for PDAs, and especially palms, is transforming the medical professions for the better. (b) I do research and I use Windows laptops, and UNIX workstations, regularly, almost all day. (c) Scheduling and reminder notices are a key part of my work and
personal life.
More on (a): It follows that I'm partial to the Palm platform and the medical software for PalmOS that I've accumulated over the years. The medical software available for Palms makes continuing medical education a pleasure for me. In a few free moments, or even as a break from the work routine, I like to read up on medical subjects from 5MCC or Harrisons' or epocrates. In casual interactions with other medical professionals, or while reading the newspaper, or looking over
content.nejm.org, sometimes I want to look up some quick information to refresh my memory. Medical information on a Palm is often at the perfect level of detail. It's key, however, that the Palm be accessible, that it be in my pocket with my wallet or in my labcoat. If it takes me more
than 20 seconds to find the information I am wondering about, often, the information may not be worth tracking down. The T|T3 has a near ideal size, the size of a wallet. I would think that the T|T5, the T|Es and the Sony TH55 would be very comparable, but the T|T3 is still smaller. The upcoming LifeDrive looks too large and heavy. Many of my medical programs want to reside in
volatile RAM; that argues against the 16MB limit of the TH55 and, perhaps, the 32MB limits of the T|Es. The T|C appears to be an important contender, but I prefer the security of short-range Bluetooth to 802.11b WiFi without WPA-PSK/AES. Also, it is likely that unencrypted 802.11b violates HIPAA.
More on (b): For research work, there is a clear separation from the heavy-weight computing tasks for which I need a workstation, the medium-weight tasks for which I need a luggable laptop, and light-weight scheduling, quick notes, reminders, etc. that a PDA does well. I don't want my PDA to
be a database or have the feature sets of office productivity suites. Still, adding research info. management to medical info. management increases demand on volatile and non-volatile storage. This argues for the T|Ts, the T|C and the LifeDrive.
More on (c): I want my PDA apps to be useful day-to-day, quick to launch and nimble to use. Keeping this in mind, I was disappointed that PalmOne did away with voice recording on the T|T5. I like the idea of using voice recordings for quick memos while driving or just before going to bed or adding voice-over notes on calendar and to-do apps. The T|C will do voice recording, but with the hassle of an external mic. Unfortunately, that little hassle could be too large a barrier to my using a voice-memo feature regularly. That takes me back to the T|T3.
The Treo 650 would be a reasonable contender. But I like my PDA to be available for scheduling and note-taking while I am talking on a cell-phone. So for me, the two should be separated. Besides, I've recently signed up for another two years with Nextel. That excludes the Treos. In the back of my mind is also the fact that cell phones aren't compatible/safe with many hospital wards. Unfortunately, as of today, there precious few sources of new, warrantied T|T3 available in the US. Amazon & associates just sold the last of the warrantied OEMs; I squeaked by and managed to get one of these. Ebay may be the only remaining source. I bought a spare T|T3 and some spare parts from ebay last week and I've been happy with this route.
To conclude, I assert the T|T3 is still a great PDA as of May 2005.
Onion Loaf
