Sony CLIE PEG-TJ27 Handheld

I had to turn in my Clie 615 C because of battery problems - it would get down to 50% and then just die. :(

I was able to buy this in Spring 2004 from Best Buy online. It was only $200 vs. the $240 I paid for the 615C. I exchanged the 615C at the store for the new TJ-27. (I had the extended warranty)

Overall, I like this Clie. It is compact, good looking, has a convenient screen cover on the side, has more memory than the 615C, and a faster processor. The screen resolution is pretty clear/sharp. The camera is kind of fun too. I bought the Sony because I already had a couple Memory Sticks and I have a Sony camera too.

The cons: the stylus is even smaller than the last one! Hey Sony - what are you doing? It compresses/extends, but it is not as easy to use as the Palm stylus. I carry an extra 615C stylus with me because it's easy to write with. The camera is OK, but only about 0.4 MP (I'm guessing). The screen contrast is okay, with crisp resolution, but not as bright and clear as the Palm screens (they look fantastic). This model's sound quality and speaker are quieter and weaker than the 615C, and audio is less musical. I miss the 'sound recorder' utility with the 615C that let you put wav files into the PDA. That was fun. Also, the TJ-27 claims to have "32MB RAM" yet only 23 MB is available to use.

I use a number of 'add-on' apps to make it more useful. Datebook 3 (like Handsprings used to have) is great, convenient, and not too cluttery. I dislike Graffiti 2, and think the change was a bad idea (apparently a patent dispute). I am pretty skilled with Graffiti 1, so I bought TealScript that lets you write with Graffiti 1 (or you can even customize your strokes).

All in all, I am satisfied with this palm, but it has room for improvement. Stylus, screen, audio and memory improvements would be my suggestions. Thanks for reading.