palmOne, previously called Palm Computing,
Inc., has an impressive market track record for handheld devices. Because of
recently increased competition from Hewlett-Packard, Asus, and Tapwave, palmOne
has been forced to develop better products with a strict concentration upon
providing reasonable prices. Today, we take a quick look at the one of palmOne's
more popular devices, the Zire 72.
Marketing Hype
Now you can shoot photos and
capture and watch video clips anywhere you go. Or listen to MP3s as you take
your tunes wherever life takes you. When it comes to productivity, the Zire 72™
handheld means business. Create and edit Word- and Excel-compatible files. Or
get wireless e-mail and Internet access with its built-in Bluetooth technology
(requires a compatible Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone and an ISP, both sold
separately). All on a brilliant color display that keeps your whole life
looking good.
Features
Prospective customers can expect to spend around
$299 for the Zire 72 at most retailers, though promotional deals can often
be found for well under $250 for cost conscience shoppers. When considering the
general feature set, the price is quite reasonable.
| Input
Method: |
Stylus
|
 |
| Dimensions: |
4.6
in. x 2.95 in. x 0.67 in. |
| Weight: |
4.8
ounces
|
| Battery
Type: |
Lithium
Polymer
|
| Operating
System: |
Palm OS 5.2.8 |
| Processor: |
Intel
XScale ARM 312MHz |
| Wireless: |
Bluetooth
1.1 |
| Digital
Camera: |
1.2MP
with 2x zoom |
| Support: |
One
Year
|
Design
The standard color of this device is royal
blue. A common complaint is the paint will peel off when constantly used, though
we didn't experience any peeling with our review unit since we only possessed it
for a short-term evaluation period.
Underneath the display is the Graffiti 2 area.
If customers are purchasing the Zire 72 for its Graffiti 2 feature, then
they will appreciate the size of the writing area. The rest of the users,
unfortunately, are likely going to want the size of the rather large
writing area to be reduced.
Below the designated Graffiti 2 area is the
four-way navigator with action button in the middle and four quick launch
buttons. Obviously, being able to click a button and have a certain task
immediately load is critical, but the four-way navigator was not as useful.
Display
The display is a square 320x320 pixel TFT color
display, which can display 65,000 colors. The display is the same type as the
highly praised screens found on the Zire 71 and Tungsten C. The colors are
accurate with excellent contrast and viewing angles and is consistently backlit
without any shadows or bright spots. It has an on-screen slider to set the
backlight brightness. The screen fades and slightly washes out in direct
sunlight, but is still useable. The screen also has a neat little fade out
effect when it is turned off.
Digital Camera
Built
into the handheld is a 1.2-MegaPixel digital camera with a 2x digital zoom
capability that is great for taking pictures when another digital camera isn't
available, especially with its ability to generate images up to 1280 by 960
pixels. Users should consider the built-in camera as a gift, because even more
expensive PDA models often do not included integrated camera features.
Using the camera is extremely easy. Simply push
the camera button on the PDA, the screen acts as the view finder, then push the
camera button when ready to take a picture. Be prepared for a lag of about two
seconds once the button is pressed.
Even more impressive, the Zire 72 is also the
first Palm-based handheld capable of capturing digital video. Users can shoot
video with sound turned on or off at 320 x 240 pixel resolution and 15 frames
per second - not great when compared to standalone devices, but perfectly fine
for an integrated PDA feature.
Voice Recorder
On the left side of the Zire 72 is where the
voice recorder is located. This particular feature would probably be popular
among busy college students or workers. Instead of having to scribble important
plans and notes onto a sheet of paper and worrying about losing the paper, just
record a quick memo.
Audio
To
enable the ability to listen to MP3 music files stored on an expansion card,
RealOne Player comes bundled with the Zire 72. Unfortunately some users may not
be pleased that RealOne Player is the default program due to past concerns,
though this is mainly a personal preference issue these days.
For the users that are going to add an
expansion card and plan on listening to MP3's on the device, we strongly
recommend investing in a pair of quality headphones. As expected, the small
built-in speaker is certainly not fit for music playback
in any environment.
Operating System
Currently the Zire 72 is powered by Palm OS
5.2.8. This version of Palm OS includes numerous upgrades with several perks - support for Bluetooth wireless networking, "enterprise-class
security," increased system performance, and Graffiti 2 writing software,
which allows users to enter data into the handheld. Windows users are also now
able to synchronize their contacts, tasks, and calendar with Microsoft Outlook.
Performance
When we tested Bluetooth support, we were able
to easily connect the Zire 72 to another Bluetooth-enabled Pocket PC for a seamless
data transfer. Maximum range proved to be about 25 feet between the two devices
when no obstructions were present. In addition to data, we were also able to
easily send text messages (SMS) and multimedia (MMS) messages. For those on the
go, a connection to the Internet can be established via a wireless Bluetooth
access point or a mobile phone.
Our only major complaint about the palmOne Zire
72 is the battery life of the unit. Because of the faster processor, detailed
color display, and built-in camera and video recorder, battery life is more akin
to a true full-blown handheld computer instead of a traditional PDA. Even worse, the
lithium polymer battery is internal, so it is not user replaceable.
For basic use an external keyboard is not
required, but if you are entering large amounts of data, a compatible portable
keyboard is highly recommended.
Conclusion
If I was in the market for a PDA, would I buy
the palmOne Zire 72? I probably would. When compared against other models in its
class, the integrated 1.2-MegaPixel digital camera with 2x digital zoom is
probably the best selling point for the Zire 72. On the downside, most people
that frequently use the Zire 72 will eventually succumb to investing in various
expansion cards for increased functionality, meaning the Zire 72's price can
quickly increase over time. palmOne and palmOne partners currently have over two
dozen expansion cards for sale, not to mention a near endless list of other
accessories like hard shell cases and wireless keyboards. Despite a few concerns,
such as the fixed internal battery, the price is still cost efficient when
compared against the feature set.
|
Pros:
- Competitive price
- Expansion slot
- Integrated 1.2MP digicam
- Bluetooth support
- MiniUSB connector
Cons:
- No cradle included
- Marginal battery
life
- Fixed battery
|
|
Overall Rating:
9.0/10
(higher is better)
Manufacturer Info:
|
4-6-2005 10:04pm
