[selowitch]

Awesome! Palm just released two new competitively priced PDAs: the Zire 31 and the Zire 72.

Unfortunately, the Zire 72 does not have built-in Wi-Fi, which puts it at a competitive disadvantage vis-à-vis the Sony Clié TJ37 of the same price. Both models run Garnet (PalmOS 5), so there are no Mac compatibility issues yet (and there are going to be third-party solutions for Cobalt [PalmOS 6]).

This is good news.

EDIT: The Zire 31 looks particularly attractive at only $149.

[fisherKing]

the 72 has some great features, but...is one ugly pda; not a tungsten replacement, anyway.
sticking with my t2, while i wait for a tt with wifi...and a camera, and...better audio...and...

.....

[selowitch]

Originally posted by fisherKing:
the 72 has some great features, but...is one ugly pda; not a tungsten replacement, anyway.

Ugly? I'm not sure. I'd have to see it in person to be sure. I agree that the Tungsten line has a nice appearance. Personally, I like to buy cheaper PDAs because the pricier ones go obselete so quickly, which is why I am considering the Zire 31.

What was Palm thinking in not including 802.11x compatibility?

[Wiskedjak]

Originally posted by selowitch:
What was Palm thinking in not including 802.11x compatibility?

$

[selowitch]

Originally posted by Wiskedjak:
$

Yeah, but how is the Zire 72 supposed to compete with the Sony Clié TJ37 at the same price point?

[Wiskedjak]

Originally posted by selowitch:
Yeah, but how is the Zire 72 supposed to compete with the Sony Clié TJ37 at the same price point?

No one is saying that Palm thinks clearly when it comes to competition. Ever since the M series it's been apparent that Palm doesn't seem to think it has any competition. Between the III/V series and the Tungstens, Sony's were a much better deal. It wouldn't surprise me if Palm lets the appeal of the Tungsten decay in the same way they let the V decay.

[fisherKing]

for the record, i saw the 72 in person at staples yesterday, much to my surprise (i thought it was released today).

sitting next to a clie tj37...

72 is kinda ugly
(but in all fairness...the sony is kinda dull)


guess it comes down to features...and the clie DOES have wifi... (but no bt)

[selowitch]

Originally posted by fisherKing:

guess it comes down to features...and the clie DOES have wifi... (but no bt)

Why do you need Bluetooth if you have Wi-Fi? You can HotSync via Wi-Fi and it would be faster. If you have a BT phone and your Mac has BT, you could HotSync to the phone in turn, right?

[Immortal K-Mart Employee]

I was watching Palm based PDA's since they first come out. I wanted to get one but each model was lacking in one major way or another.

That was until the Zire 71 came along.

For me it is perfect. I like the way it looks, I like the Camera, I like the OS.

Sure Wi-Fi or bluetooth would be nice but I don't really need it that much. Also for the cost of the Zire it was a non-issue as to weather or not I should get it. it is cheap as hell!

I don't like the sliders of the other high end palms and the cost double for very little more.

I do think the Zire 72 looks sorta ugly next to the Zire 71 though.

[selowitch]

Originally posted by Immortal K-Mart Employee:
That was until the Zire 71 came along. For me it is perfect.

Perhaps the price of the Zire 71 will come down a bit now so I can snatch one up.

[SupahCoolX]

A major flaw in the Z72 is lack of camera lens protection. I just would not feel comfortable keeping it in my pocket without a protective case, but that added bulk defeats the purpose of a "palm" device. A simple metal slider over the lens would have been all.

[Socially Awkward Solo]

Originally posted by SupahCoolX:
A major flaw in the Z72 is lack of camera lens protection. I just would not feel comfortable keeping it in my pocket without a protective case, but that added bulk defeats the purpose of a "palm" device. A simple metal slider over the lens would have been all.

Get the 71 then.

[rag on a muffin]

man im old skool. just stick me with a good old apple pda this one is mine:

[torifile]

Aren't these new PDAs running Cobalt (Palm OS 6)? If they are, mac compatibility is out until mark/space comes out with a conduit for them. :/

[Socially Awkward Solo]

Originally posted by torifile:
Aren't these new PDAs running Cobalt (Palm OS 6)?

Palm OS® 5.2.8

[Wiskedjak]

Cobalt isn't due out 'til sometime this summer. In theory, though, couldn't you stick OS 5 on any Palms running 6?

[Immortal K-Mart Employee]

Originally posted by Wiskedjak:
Cobalt isn't due out 'til sometime this summer. In theory, though, couldn't you stick OS 5 on any Palms running 6?

Pffff, ya right.

[selowitch]

Originally posted by rag on a muffin:
man im old skool. just stick me with a good old apple pda this one is mine:

If Apple would just make a Newton Extreme (small, compact, Apple-proprietary PDA that syncs w/ iCal.app, AddressBook.app, Mail.app, etc., I'd buy it in three seconds flat!

[rag on a muffin]

Originally posted by selowitch:
If Apple would just make a Newton Extreme (small, compact, Apple-proprietary PDA that syncs w/ iCal.app, AddressBook.app, Mail.app, etc., I'd buy it in three seconds flat!

me too. especially if it was a universal cellphone (works with any service)

[macdevil]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by selowitch:
If Apple would just make a Newton Extreme (small, compact, Apple-proprietary PDA that syncs w/ iCal.app, AddressBook.app, Mail.app, etc., I'd buy it in three seconds flat!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



me too. especially if it was a universal cellphone (works with any service

By the time they can there is a universal phone...lets not go there. There are too many standards to try to make compatible. I would buy one if it worked with my service, I might even change service providers to get a PDA/phone that was Mac friendly. Unfortunately, I think Apple will wait and release one PDA/Phone instead of making one for each standard CDMA, GSM,...