Sony CLIE PEG-TJ27 Handheld

I find the TJ27 Clie excellent for business purposes. Having looked at the specs for everything out there, this model came closest to my needs, and it works well except that battery life is very short. Half the capacity was taken by two hours of playing solitaire, for example. For ordinary reference, jotting down memos and appointments, etc., I'm guessing that the dongle it ships with will be an absolutely necessary take-with component for even overnight travel. At this time, the cradle is not available, though Sony offers buyers a short-term discount on "accessory" purchases and states that the cradle will be available within a few weeks.

Good features that work well: Palm datebook, addressbook, memo pad, IR for transfers, camera (for quick snapshots only -- screen is highly reflective outdoors so view cannot be precisely determined, which is a problem for outdoor use of all apps. The images are only 640x480, and color is washed out. Still, definition is good, and saving images to memory is very fast. The little camera is quick and easy to use, though images are not great quality.) Other apps are excellent. Screen definition is excellent, clear, sharp, bright (brightness controls easily set).

There is a re-learning curve with the new controls: jog dial navigator that you use to select programs from the Clie launcher display. With very little use, one settles on one of the four options and it becomes very quick and efficient. I can imagine that the tiny, slim Sony stylus is difficult for people whose hands are not very small; it feels flimsy even to me, and I find myself using an old PalmV stylus instead sometimes. Graffiti 2 is also a learning issue for those of us who overlearned the original strokes; again, I can see why the new version was developed -- it is more like regular printing, though I don't see any efficiency improvement in the strokes needed, but rather the opposite. Maybe it is easier for people who never learned graffiti (which is not rocket science).

Every app except the basic Palm OS/desktop has to be purchased separately. Trial versions are included on the installation disk. The Clie ships with a useless gift case -- why would anyone want to put it in a case from which it must be removed for use or storage? The cover is good, flips back without covering the camera lens, and protects controls/screen while unit is in your pocket.

32 MG of memory is standard, giving lots of space for apps, data, and even photos. However, the unit is not really functional without a memory stick for storage and to serve as the external disk that permits file transfers between handheld and computer. That adds another $100, minimum, to purchase price.

Overall, a really good, solid, kind of fun handheld for those of us who prefer to keep our telephones separate from PDA. If the Clie had bluetooth and a more powerful camera, it would be perfect.