Comments on: Review: Sony PEG-SJ30, Part II

Sony began offering a new mid-range model, the SJ30, last week. It has a 320 by 320, TFT, color screen and all the features typically found on Sony models, including a Memory Stick slot and a Jog Dial with a Back button. It runs Palm OS 4.1 on a 33 MHz Dragonball processor and has 16 MB of RAM.

News Editor Ed Hardy now brings us the second part of his review of this model.

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Excellent review

c_blue @ 9/10/2002 11:08:18 AM #
Excellent as any review from you Ed. I guess you rush this out while cleanning the to do list before moving to brighthand!!!

C_Blue

RE: Excellent review
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 5:48:14 PM #
I highly doubt that Ed is moving to Brighthand.. Brighthand is a Palm AND POCKET PC site. Ed is a Palm guy. ;)

Mario
http://www.wc101.com

RE: Excellent review
drw @ 9/10/2002 10:28:47 PM #
I almost thought yall were serious till I went over to brighthand and read the boards for an hour. It's definitely off the beaten track as many boards have posts on page 1 which are over a year old. Sadly, none of the users in the kyocera forum had heard of smartphonesource.com. There's about as big a chance of Ed going to brighthand as me accepting a CEO position at Palm. :-)

---
David
RE: Excellent review
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/11/2002 1:15:29 AM #
Notably absent is Ed's reply to this.
RE: Off Topic
Ed @ 9/11/2002 9:28:51 AM #
Guys, this conversation is off topic. Please continue it here:
www.palminfocenter.com/view_Story.asp?ID=4147

---
News Editor
RE: Excellent review
rokiteer @ 11/5/2002 9:13:43 PM #
After reading this review over the weekend, I felt very strongly that the SJ30 would be an excellent replacement for my aging 72Mbyte Prism (w/CF Memplug). Off to Best Buy!

Numerous hard resets over the last week spurred me on, but the Prism's battery is on its last legs. So far, I'm very satisfied after the first two days of my migration.

The good news: The 320x320 screen is much better, there's twice the RAM, the battery life is great, I've got a jog wheel and back button, and no brand new OS issues. The only application I have had any trouble with so far is iSilo (only in autoscroll mode, and only intermittently.) The best news of all: I got my SJ30 at Best Buy for only $199.95 (as a previously opened product.)

The bad news: Haven't got any to report at this point.

So thanks for the great review.

SJ30 or T615?

huggy @ 9/10/2002 11:22:39 AM #
I know this model is the last one, but I can't help comparing it to the T615.

The fact is, I'm returning my wife's m130, so I'll get 300 euros back... and for 280 I can get a T615, for 320 an SJ30. What would YOU get? I mean, the T615 has the anhanced speaker and IR ports, is smaller, ... is there any drawback I do not know of?

Btw, I HATE doing this to palm by returning the m130. but I can't help it. I'm a geek. I NEED to buy new things regularly, and this is a golden oportunity!

-------------- huggy ---------------

RE: SJ30 or T615?
c_blue @ 9/10/2002 11:40:14 AM #
I'll get the 615... or just wait 3 months for the T665 at a reduced price.

been a geek and a sony fan means you will be spending money 4 times a year!!

C_Blue

RE: SJ30 or T615?
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 12:43:30 PM #
T615 has enhanced IR & Speaker
SJ30 has a better screen (and I think a better battery life, based on Ed's review)

See which one is more important to you, and get it!

Personally I'll get SJ30 -- screen & battery life are the top two features of a PDA.

RE: SJ30 or T615?
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 2:27:36 PM #
don't forget that the SJ30 has better buttons also!!
RE: SJ30 or T615?
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 3:55:19 PM #
I love the buttons on the 615, they just look and feel cool. The up/down rocker doesn't bother me at all. I play games on it all the time.
RE: SJ30 or T615?
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 5:05:16 PM #
Wait for the SJ40(!). According to sony's product cycle, it should be out in approx. 4 weeks.
RE: SJ30 or T615?
huggy @ 9/11/2002 7:37:58 AM #
Well, It's clear that I want to buy something NOW, not wait 4 weeks. If I was to wait, I'd wait forever!

Any T615 users: does it come with Clié Mail (app + conduit)???

-------------- huggy ---------------

RE: SJ30 or T615?
big_raji @ 9/11/2002 5:03:38 PM #
I just picked up an NR70v. Very happy with it.

I grabbed a T615 about 3 days before that, and ended up returning it. I was actually very annoyed with how washed out all the colors were. I know it's not a big deal to anyone else, but it really bugged me.

If you're going from an m130 to a T615, the washed out colors will really piss you off. From what I hear, the SJ30 has a much better screen. The colors still aren't as vibrant, but if it's on par with the NR70v, you'll be happy.

The enhanced IR is nice, but it's something I've only really found useful as a novelty (changing the channel in places other than home)

The enhanced speaker is ok, but I've really got to import my own wav files. If I don't get around to that, then it's completely useless to me, since the included sounds are very annoying.

After playing with the T615, my choice would be the SJ30. Plus, I think the SJ30 has 16mb of RAM, doesn't it? If not, I'd still go with it.

---
What's Wrong With This Picture?
http://raj.phangureh.com/picture.html

RE: SJ30 or T615?
lpdc @ 9/25/2002 12:14:15 PM #
Those of you considering a T615: I just picked one up and was horrified when I looked at the "color" screen. Believe all that you've heard about how muddy the colors look. A friend of mine looked at a picture and asked if it was actually a black and white picture and not color!

I've seen the colors on the m130. They are gorgeous compared to the 615. No kidding. In fact, I'd be tempted to take an m130 over the 615 for that reason - even though the screen is at half the resolution. PLUS - the m130 is totally usable indoors without the backlight on. The 615 is un-usable without the backlight indoors.

Based on Ed's review, the Sj30 looks to have the same screen as the 665. I haven't seen either screen myself. However, I have talked with people who have seen the 665 screen and agree with Ed in saying that it does not have the muddy colors of the 615.

If you care at all about color on your supposedly 65,536 color, high res 320x320, full color screen (and you should) skip the 615 and seriously look at the sj30.

I've already returned my 615.

Works with Mac

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 11:27:33 AM #
http://makeashorterlink.com/?J1E7240C1

All you have to do, is use Palm Desktop 4. The real problem is Sony's negligence of providing this on the CD. Enjoy the Clié.

Works w/ Mac
macfixer @ 9/10/2002 12:53:08 PM #
Actually, HandEra isn't too swift with their Mac support. None of the included apps works with a Mac.

Thanks, HandEra!

K

RE: Works w/ Mac
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 1:11:50 PM #
Hard to blame HandEra for QuickOffice not having a Mac conduit. Otherwise they work fine with a Mac.
RE: Works with Mac
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 1:17:34 PM #
It has been tested to work with Palm Desktop for OSX. This is stupid on Sony's part for not marketing this fact or at least offering this app on cd.

I believe the Sony palm's are the best out there and if anyone is looking for a low cost color model to replace older monochrome palm's.

RE: Works with Mac
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 3:47:17 PM #
The Palm Desktop does not have all the features of the Sony version of the desktop. You can't use MS Import, for example. The Missing Sync does a much better job.
RE: Works with Mac
Ed @ 9/11/2002 12:08:12 AM #
Perhaps a better description would be that Sony doesn't support using Macs with their handhelds. If you run into problems with a SJ30 and a Mac, Sony won't help you. If you have The Missing Sync, you can get support from Mark/Space.

The fact that the Palm Desktop for OS X works with most Sony models is entirely as a result of work by engineers at Palm Inc., not because of Sony.

Also, as someone pointed out already, the Palm Desktop for OS X doesn't support all the features of The Missing Sync. You can get a regular HotSync, but you can't mount a Memory Stick on your desktop. I'm not sure if there are others.

---
News Editor

RE: Works with Mac
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 4:29:54 PM #
Why doesn't SONY simply license the Missing Sync and get with the Mac program?!

Geesh!

On the other hand, if you already have the Palm Desktop or download it from the Palm web site palm.com, you'll be generally set!!

Typo?

Harlin @ 9/10/2002 11:34:36 AM #
>Conclusion
>I like the SJ30. It is a good combination of features
>for a good price. It compares well with other mid-range
>models, like the Treo 90 and SJ30.

SJ30 compared to SJ30? Are you mean SJ20?

BTW, I have preordered SJ20 but want to upgrade to SJ30. Alas, the distributor in Singapore don't allow me to change my pre-order to SJ30. Well, I guess I can live with SJ20.

My question is SJ20 suffered the same weak sound too?
And since SJ30 can change backlight power, can SJ20 do it too?

Thanks.

RE: Typo?
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 9:42:02 PM #
Huh?? I think upgrading shouldn't be a problem. I did just that. Pre-ordered the SJ20 but upgraded to SJ30 after viewing the 2 units at wisma sony gallery. Just called them up and told them i wanna change my order.

I even got the unit on 6th Sep, 4 days ahead of the supposed delivery date on the 10th.

Anyway, i think the upgrade is well worth it. Go for it!

RE: Typo?
Ed @ 9/10/2002 11:52:58 PM #
> SJ30 compared to SJ30? Are you mean SJ20?

I meant to say the Palm m130. Sorry, I was at the NetWorld+Interop conference all day and couldn't fix this typo.

> My question is SJ20 suffered the same weak sound too?

I'll check for you tomorrow. It's midnight here, my wife will shoot me if I start playing around with alarms.

> And since SJ30 can change backlight power, can SJ20 do it too?

No.

---
News Editor

RE: Typo?
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/11/2002 1:47:47 AM #
Too bad, I didn't preordered via Sony at Wisma Atria. I preordered it when exhibition at one of the booth. I have called the distributor, but he said I can't change my pre-ordered SJ20. Too bad, or good since it saved my money. It depends...
SJ20 screen
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/11/2002 6:24:44 AM #
Ed, is SJ20 backlight is blueish too or bright/pure white?

And have you tried using Cruise Control or Afterburner to turn-off waitstate to see if the ghosting disappear?

I have never seen this ghosting, though. But I think I'll get annoyed with it.

RE: SJ20
Ed @ 9/11/2002 9:26:07 AM #
You should read my review of the SJ20:
www.palminfocenter.com/view_Story.asp?ID=3999
and continue this dicussion there.

---
News Editor
SJ20's Speaker Compared with the SJ30's
Ed @ 9/14/2002 2:46:41 PM #
I just did a side by side test and, much to my surprise , the SJ20's speaker is noticeably louder than the SJ30's, though not as loud as an m505's.

---
News Editor

Is 16Mb the limit of OS4?

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 11:39:22 AM #
16Mb Internal RAM the limit of OS4? That seems to be what Ed implied in the article. Is it?
RE: Is 16Mb the limit of OS4?
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 11:58:13 AM #
The 16mb limit is due to the maximum amount of RAM the Dragonball processor can address.
RE: Is 16Mb the limit of OS4?
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 1:50:31 PM #
and unfortunately PACE...
RE: Is 16Mb the limit of OS4?
Ronin @ 9/10/2002 9:45:08 PM #
"and unfortunately PACE..."

I don't think this is an accurate statement. My understanding is that the limitation on 16MB is caused by the processor not the Palm OS. For example, there was a time when the max memory a Palm device could have was 8MB and the limit was due to the fact that the Dragonball processor used in Palm's at the time could only address a maximum of 8MB. I doubt strongly the ARM based processors of the OS5 devices will be only able to address 16MB of RAM.

In the Spirit of Umoja,
Ronin

RE: Is 16Mb the limit of OS4?
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/11/2002 8:46:06 AM #
But don't all the rumours thus far regarding the Oslo (or whatever it's called) claim that it'll still have only 16 megs of ram? I don't know about you folks, but i'd really rather have 32 megs of ram and a 66 mhz dragonball and os 4.1 (even though I know it's technically not possible) than an ARM-based OS5 model with the same skimpy amount of ram we've already got...SD cards are nice for occasional storage but it's maddening trying to repeatedly access large amounts of data.
RE: Is 16Mb the limit of OS4?
Ed @ 9/11/2002 9:34:31 AM #
> But don't all the rumours thus far regarding the Oslo (or whatever it's called)
> claim that it'll still have only 16 megs of ram?

Actually, the one feature of Oslo/Tungsten I have totally been unable to get any info about is its RAM. And I'm not alone. I think I've read every rumor on every site about it and not one of them I have seen has been able to come up with how much RAM it has. If someone can point me to one I've missed that does give the amount of RAM, I'd be very grateful.

BTW, we are off topic here. If you want to talk about Oslo or OS 5, I'd suggest you go check out our forums:
www.palminfocenter.com/forum/
or the most recent article on the Oslo/Tungsten:
www.palminfocenter.com/view_Story.asp?ID=4093

---
News Editor

What ever happened to hard screen covers?

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 1:01:55 PM #
I really liked the hard cover on my Palm IIIxe. I think small models like the SJ30 would gain a lot more "on-the-go pocketability" if they were given a scratch-resistant pebbled plastic casing (like the Palm III series...the pebbled surface hides scratches well) and a hard cover.

I love my N610 and its EB leather case but I find myself leaving it home a lot when I'm not taking a bag or pack with me. It's simply to heavy and bulky for my pants pockets.

Screen protection for Clies??
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 4:19:07 PM #
I have an extended warranty on my Palm that covers screen replacement--even if it falls out of my pocket, Palm will replace the device.

Does Sony have such a thing?

Do any of the major marketers have it? The Circuit City warranty info I got and confirmation from the sales person is that they do NOT cover accidental drops or screen replacements of any type!

RE: What ever happened to hard screen covers?
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/17/2002 11:55:38 AM #
CompUSA has a warranty that covers anything at all. At least, that is how my local store honors it and being such a chain I would think others would as well.

Hotsync problem

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 1:28:11 PM #
Ed what Os are you using?

I use XP and have problems hotsyncing from day 1. Hotsync proceeds properly an d the windows conduit ends gracefully but the SJ30 would freeze right after and I have to soft reset every time... It's not a major problem but is certainly a nuisance.

Anyway around this? Noe that sony's xp patch do not apply to sj30

Thanks

RE: Hotsync problem
Doo @ 9/10/2002 2:12:58 PM #
I have this trouble with ME and a 760. By any chance are you useing Mobimate's World Mate? I don't have to trouble if I disable that conduit.
RE: Hotsync problem
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 4:19:29 PM #
No I don't have WorldMate but there are a host of hotsunc problems related to Clies; just search in Google for "clie hotsync problems" and you will get a lot of hits and some suggestions for solutions. Unfortunately, noone seems to have come up with one fot SJ30 yet.
RE: Hotsync problem
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/23/2002 5:59:34 PM #
Hi I just bought the SJ30 last weekend. I had used Hotsync with ME and 2000, no problem at all. Everything seems to run smoothly.

screen problem

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 1:42:40 PM #
Excellent review Ed

I bought a SJ30 a few days ago but took it back when I noticed that the screen appeared "rotated" a few degrees to the left, as if it hadn't been seated properly in the housing. Anyone else had this problem? Was this likly just a defect due to this being the first run of these machines?

RE: screen problem
smooveB @ 9/11/2002 8:06:06 AM #
I have this problem with my T415. The screen is rotated slightly to the right, its noticeable when I try to read ebooks. I always assumed I was trying to find a reason to dilike my 415.

MP3 accessory

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 1:45:42 PM #
Will Sony's MP3 accessory headphone playback sound from Kinoma Player?
RE: MP3 accessory
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/15/2002 8:45:20 PM #
Sony's Audio Adapter (PEGA-SA10) does playback sound from Kinoma videos. I have the T615, and I havn't had any problems with the Audio Adapter.

''Standard speaker''

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 1:47:42 PM #
This phraseology in the review seems to lend some confusion. What historically has served as a "standard speaker" on PalmOS PDA's is no speaker at all. It's piezoelectric element, which in general without contortions (sort of an audio version of dithering) it can only produce one tone at one time. It's a small point but it's probably more instructional to refer to it that way. It's more of a 'buzzer' than a speaker. "speaker" in this case gives shades of definition that just aren't there. And if one is to qualify to word "speaker" to reduce it's inferred definition then I'm not sure "standard" is the qualifier to use here. What first arrived on the PalmOS scene on the TrgPro, and then the HandEra 330, Sony T and NR series were real speakers. Though of the miniature size you might see in small headphones. These give the benefit of producing a wider audio range and wider volume range (notice the increased decibel level on two of the models mentioned above - http://www.deeptec.com/info/misc/alarm.html ). Further, as in any speaker, the ability of reproducing multiple simultaneous frequencies. This is what gives them the ability to playback (albeit monaural on our devices without use of headphones) of .wav's on the TrgPro and HE330, and mp3's on T and NR series, or even polyphonic midi. It notably also allows DTMF tones for dialing from the phone book as several apps such as fonehome allow on speaker equipped PalmOS devices.

Apologies in advance for necessary pedanticism.

-Craig Bowers

RE: ''Standard speaker''
ardee @ 9/10/2002 6:32:01 PM #
Thanks for the useful and enlightening info.
RE: ''Standard speaker''
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/11/2002 1:34:34 AM #
Would it be possible to change the piezo element for an earphone speaker and get a better sound?
RE: ''Standard speaker''
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 1:00:39 AM #
The terminology in the review is not confusing, but your fixation on the difference between a true speaker and a "buzzer" is. The hardware that produces sound in a Palm PDA has always been referred to as a "speaker", whether that term is correct or not. Therefore, when the article refers to a standard speaker, everyone and their brother knows exactly what it is referring to, including you, and instruction in the difference in attributes between a "speaker" and "buzzer" is not required.
RE: ''Standard speaker''
fenfen @ 9/13/2002 11:37:07 PM #
Piezo to go please.


Simuation rather than picture

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 5:10:45 PM #
Ed, maybe it would have been better if you inserted a taken screenshot simulation, so the picture of the handheld doesnt appear as blueish as most models do via the camera.

RE: Simuation rather than picture
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/10/2002 11:55:56 PM #
I rather like seeing a real shot of the device - you'll never see what a screen really looks like without seeing it in person anyway, so I only look at a picture of such a device to say "yeah, LOOKS like hires and LOOKS color" - beyond that, ya just gotta see it in person to be sure.

If you want a simulated image, goto sony's site - it's not like it will be indicative of the model, it's simulated :)

RE: Simuation rather than picture
Ed @ 9/11/2002 12:03:16 AM #
Here's an picture of the SJ30's screen:

www.palminfocenter.com/images/img_Sony_SJ30_3_L.jpg

It shows the slight bluish tinge to the screen and the light gray shadows along the bottom edge I mentioned in the first part of this review.

---
News Editor

Flash ROM??

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 11:44:05 AM #
Heard that it is not Flash ROM. True?


RE: Flash ROM??
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/23/2002 8:23:45 PM #
SL-10, SJ-20, and SJ-30 are all mask ROM. No flash.
Perhaps a safe bet, although I would like to have used
JackFlash.

SJ30 digitizer?

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 4:08:44 PM #
I tried an SJ30 at Circuit City. It had trouble recognizing my taps. . . Often, it wasn’t responding to them at all! The tap would have to be exactly centered and I'd have to tap harder than usual! This was true was for the application and menu buttons, selecting cancel in the find dialog, etc.

Also. I had trouble selecting “all” for categories—the top choice, I had to tap below where expected.

Also, I had problems with getting brightness to work--the little sun icon wouldn’t take the tap!

I am a veteran Palm user--IIIxe, IIIc, 615--so this took me aback. Has anyone else noticed this problem?

Other than that--and that screen still isn't as bright at the IIIc, though noticeably better than the 615--it's a sweet device. Could be the USB based replacement for the IIIc.

RE: SJ30 digitizer?
fenfen @ 9/13/2002 11:39:27 PM #
Interesting - sounds exactly like my current (old) Palm, which for many years has required that I digitize every time I use it.
RE: SJ30 digitizer?
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/14/2002 10:25:05 AM #
> I tried an SJ30 at Circuit City. It had trouble recognizing my taps

Did you calibrate the digitizer or did you assume it had been done properly by someone else? I'd guess someone was playing with the SJ30 and ran the digitizer calibration part of Prefs, then just tapped a couple times on the screen, not knowing that you have to do it precisely.

If you ever see something really wrong with a display model at a store, assume some jerk customer has been beating on it with a hammer to see if that would break it, not that there is something wrong with the design. Those things get really mistreated.

IR beam problem

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/20/2002 10:53:31 AM #
I have bought a SJ30 & a SJ20 yersterday in Circuit City everything is fine, for 299 and 199 respectively with $25 rebate each but I got seriously problem when I try to beam files to my old TRGpro, can somebody got the same problem with the IR port?
RE: IR beam problem
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/23/2002 2:13:58 PM #
a soft reset is usually required for sony products before it will beam. not sure why, but i've had to do this for every sony i've owned.

How about a modem?

cdavidhess @ 9/23/2002 7:48:04 PM #
I am very impressed with the SJ-30. Great screen! Nice size! Decent buttons! The only thing that keeps me from upgrading from my Palm IIIc to the SJ30 is the lack of a modem.
RE: How about a modem?
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/23/2002 7:55:53 PM #
modem just like floppy ...... is dead ....

Battery life

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/24/2002 7:02:15 AM #
I think its a really good idea to have two reviews so there's a chance to check on the battery life. My only reservation is that you only quote hours active (under a range of conditions). Its extremely important to me to be able to go on trips (holiday or businesss) without worrying about loosing data as the batteries are flat, and for this the stand-by time is cruical.

Pocket PC machines such as Toshiba 710 quote very good battery life, but the reality is even if you don't do anything with it, the battery will be dead within 3 days (I've tried and had to send it back). After looking around I bought a Palm M500 on grounds that it has best all round battery life.

Please could you give information about stand-by battery life as well as active time. What would it be for the Sony SJ30?

Thanks!

RE: Battery life
fenfen @ 9/28/2002 10:44:02 PM #
Anon -
I think you'll be fine there. I've had my SJ30 for 2 weeks now - battery life was the big reason for not going to the T665C. During the week I'm not yet using it an awful lot; sometimes a few days go by with me not touching it, or just picking it up for some chess. My general impression is that it always seems to be at the % where I left it. If I walk away for a few days after a full recharge, I would be surprised if it weren't showing 99% when I got back.

Haven't run any tests, you understand, but it's looking good so far.

RE: Need help
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/25/2002 3:23:11 AM #
compatible but might not fit well since the body is different but the connector is the same

Went for the SJ30 (vs. T665C0

fenfen @ 9/28/2002 10:48:54 PM #
OK, for the reasons I cited previously (last review in PEG-SJ30, Part I), I opted to go for the SJ30 over the T665C. Had it for two weeks now, and I'm very happy.

Essentially, it boiled down to the T665C having attractive superior features (MP3, enhanced IR, S/W, a speaker), but inferior attributes that I just could not tolerate (battery life, unusable buttons). Hard choice to give up the MP3 especially, but I ultimately decided that Sony overreached on the T665C - without a "battery capability", it's just not viable as a portable. That's how I feel anyway.

I didn't mention this, but I'm upgrading from a Palm Professional - purchased in late 97!! So bear in mind that maybe everything looks good to me.

So after two weeks, I have a few comments:

- The screen is beautiful, just fantastic, as I expected. The "small icon" and "small list" displays are amazing. Now I need to wear my reading glasses in bed to play games, increasing the chances that my wife will catch me. I found the shadows at the bottom as mentioned in the review - I would never have noticed them without looking, and now that I've found them, I surely won't notice them again.

- Despite being plastic, it feels solid, the jog wheel feels good, etc. The unit feels no cheaper than other devices I've held. Feels great in my hand.

- The up/down button is much better than the 615/665, but is only adequate when you look at the whole Palm world. The stylus is fine for me, and I'm 6 foot 220; it's not like I've got teeny skinny fingers.

- After I charged it up fully (100% bright level), I spent like 5 hours downloading/syncing/playing, hard resetting, etc, etc - and another 1.5 hrs tonight playing before I got the warning. Not bad at all.

- Filled up 16 meg pretty damn quick, so I gotta score a memory stick soon. Trying to run lots of old, old programs with like 150k available was causing the need to hard-reset. Do yourself a favor and don't do that. One time even repeated resets couldn't shake that baby out of the bright-light hang mode - I thought I was going to need to wait all night.

- The little plastic connector thing is kind of lame. Both the AC cord and the hotsync cord have different entry ports to the plastic thingie, there's nothing in the instructions that say you can use both simultaneously. I was afraid to try, but finally I did. You can sync and recharge at the same time. In any case, too many little snap on parts involved here.

- As a data point, my personal preference is probably going to be 75% bright. 100% is nice, 50% is too dark for me. Recharging now, but yesterday/today I used 100% brightness.

- I feel that the screen is reasonably responsive to my taps, but not super-responsive - the 615 definitely has an edge. Like others, I feel grafitti recognition seems to be a bit more challenging than with other Palm devices. I need to remind myself to "write large."

Basically, everything is as I hoped it would be, and I'd have to say I'm a happy camper. I did my analysis, made my tradeoffs and picked. I definitely would have loved MP3; it's too bad Sony didn't choose to offer this year - in a portable.


RE: Went for the SJ30 (vs. T665C0
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/29/2002 2:22:10 PM #
If you really want mp3 playback you can pick up the audio adapter for the clie for around $100-$150 bucks.

video with sound?

ikke @ 10/6/2002 3:33:24 PM #
Can you play a video on there with sound?

Screen Size

Lorne @ 11/23/2002 3:05:23 AM #
Asides from the higher resolution, is the physical screen the same on the SJ30 as the Palm Vx? Or is it smaller?

RE: Screen Size
trayip @ 1/1/2003 4:33:39 PM #
Yea it does have the same size, i forget where i read it, but i know it does

Matt, the C Programmer, who codes for a SMAUG MUD (mudconnect.com).

Make MUDs accessible from PDAS!

SJ30 w/ Windows NT -- Any Help in Sight!

Gabe @ 6/24/2003 2:09:08 PM #
I purchased the SJ30 November 2002 & I'm very happy with it. I needed to solve a specific life function; to collaborate my 3 different Calendars into one system. The SJ30 was sold to me as a solution. I have Windows XP on my Laptop at home, I have Windows NT 4.0 at work, then I use it in the field on appointments. My XP works great & I've never had a problem yet with it, however, I recently found out from Sony that the Clie' SJ30 is not NT compatible. I need a serial cable for my SJ30 too. Any answers or solutions of how I can accomplish this task or was I oversold. Please help! Thanks.

LUCK-- Labor Under Controlled Knowledge
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