Palm m130 Handheld

I've been an active advocate of Palm handhelds since the m100 came out several years ago. I liked the size and functionality of that model but soon found that the 2 MB memory was just too small for all the features the computer itself could handle. I spent a few bucks to upgrade the RAM to 8 MB, basically making it an m105. Who would have thought at the time that 8 MB of RAM wouldn't be all I'd ever need. (I remember thinking the same thing with the original Tandy desktop computers in 1975: wow, 4 Kb of memory—who would ever use all that?) But, of course, needs and wants evolve over time.

The memory thing was a limiting issue; the handheld only has value it can do all your necessary tasks without constantly having to stop and "reload." I liked reading e-books sitting in the airport terminal but what good is it if you can only store chapters 1-3 and have to wait until you get home to finish the book. The issue was resolved with the introduction of the models m125 (monochrome) and m130 (color). You get spoiled with the color screen of the m130 so, due to an offer I couldn't resist (whole nuther story), that's the direction I chose.

Everything about which I oozed in my view of the m100 is still true of the m130. The substantial feel of the case doesn't leave me feeling like I'm going to break it accidentally. The screen seems a little more prone to getting scratched than the m100 but perhaps that's due to the greater volume of work I put this one through. I like the speedier processor that slices through spreadsheets and text docs faster than before and I especially like the more intuitive feel of Graffiti 2.

The two biggest selling points of this Palm are the memory card slot and the color screen. First the necessary: the memory issue was resolved with the addition of the memory card slot. You run out of memory, you simply inset a different (or bigger) memory card. The SD or MMC cards are available in sizes to fit any need and the prices are dropping like a rock. My 64 MB SD card holds about a dozen Mapopolis maps (www. mapoplis.com), four Bible versions, a handful of novels, several dozen family pictures and a smattering of games for when boredom cannot be assuaged by other means. 64 MB of RAM might not be enough for a handheld with the Microsoft OS but the Palm OS seems to be less of a memory hog with more efficient software handling.

The color screen is more than a nice touch; the image viewer programs will run on monochrome Palms but with color you don't have to squint and hold your head at strange angles. This is a function of the improved display type on this model compared to the b&w models. It's just easier to read and view, except in blazing sunlight, but who wants to plow through a Tolstoy novel in the middle of the desert anyway. Battery efficiency of the m130 is much improved, in my opinion. The battery pack recharges through the USB sync cable so I really don't have to worry about it in normal usage. If you take the m130 on vacation, though, with a novel you really want to finish—and forget the sync cable—you could end up having to do a hard reset when the juice finally runs out.

What it doesn't have that might bother gadget freaks:

The m130 does not have an mp3 player or a good, multi-format video player. The m130 is not also a phone but it will talk to your phone if it has an IR port. It doesn't have wireless (as in wifi or Bluetooth) connectivity. It doesn't have the new 320x320 hi-res color screen but I can tell that those are our kids in the pictures and I'm not a hard-core gamer. Finally it is constrained (as far as I know) to the Palm OS v4.1 but the applications I need are happy with it and so am I.

As an information and entertainment device I think it's outstanding. The m130 has a current price tag under $200.00 so it's not like investing in something from Cray. With the software enhancements you can find it's unmatched at finding and retrieving information, news, books and your business documents for review or editing. If you want an mp3 player get an iPod, if you want a phone get a phone, if you want a toy get a GameBoy. If you want to carry with you what you keep in your computers and not break the bank this is the right handheld at the right price.