Comments on: Palm Z22 Review

Palm Z22 handheldGuest reviewer Tam Hanna brings us this review of the Palm Z22 handheld organizer. Over the last few years, Palm has pushed the prices for organizers down. The original Palm Zire was the first organizer from a major brand that hit the sub – $100 price point, its successor the Zire 21 increased memory and CPU frequency. When the original Zire was announced, a Palm spokesman gave a mostly unnoticed interview to the german c’t magazine stating that Palm could do a color machine for the same price point – a few years have passed, and here is the Palm Z22! Read on for the full review.
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i like it

2xs @ 10/10/2006 4:59:07 AM # Q
thx for the review... i´ll give the z22 another try... for my girlfriend, of course ;-)

Palm Professional -> Palm III -> Palm Vx -> Palm m505 -> Palm TT2 -> Palm TT3 -> Palm TX
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Z22 is a good stocking-filler

freakout @ 10/10/2006 5:27:47 AM # Q
I got Mum a Z22 for her birthday this year. She keeps all her students and classes in it and carries it in her handbag. I was actually surprised at how quickly she took to it.

Tim
I apologise for any and all emoticons that appear in my posts. You may shoot them on sight.
Treo 270 ---> Treo 650
RE: Z22 is a good stocking-filler
PatriotAt13 @ 2/10/2007 9:33:17 AM # Q
aww... *tear*

i love my Z22! although im only 14, its a very good organizer!

http://b40huckers.com/boredboards

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try again

jackpipe @ 10/10/2006 5:55:01 AM # Q
It seems to me palm could have a real killer device in this category if they were a bit more adventurous. BTW, I don't think this device does it.

What I think they've got right here:
small size
memory not too big
simple USB connectivity, no complex expansion port
no bluetooth/wifi etc
color screen, but not a good (ie expensive) one
price

What I think they've missed:
No SD expansion
No stereo audio output

In fact, even the things they've got right, I don't think they've got right enough.

So what should a successful cheap device aim for, and look like.

In this category, it is primary a simple note-taker, reminder, and perhaps runs a couple of specialist applications, such as a 'pregnancy calculator', a couple of games, a unit converter, etc.
But there are a couple of functions that could make it much more useful.
The main one being, I think, that adding SD and a headphone output could make it an mp3 player.
What, you don't have one already?
Well some people do. But there are two kinds, hard-disk, and flash. The hard disk players are specialised, and rather like a digital SLR camera, it's going to be a long while before mobile phones or pda cameras can compete with SLRs. But the flash players are nearly all internal-memory devices of between 256Mb and 2Gig. These can easily be replaced by a Palm device equiped with a decent audio stage/headphone socket, and an SD slot (4Gig SD cards go for about $50 currently).
Mobiles phones are busy attacking this niche, but they seem to be making a mess of it (not least because of using varying standards of memory card) but palm could do it too.

The screen doesn't have to be up to much, in fact I'd say the current one is a good compromise - even fairly cheap mobile phones have color screens these days, so color is a neccessity, but making it a gorgeous hi-def screen is not.

Size is another crucial element here. Its the kind of device that needs to slip into a handbag, or unobtrusively into a suit jacket pocket - one that is already likely carrying a mobile phone, mind you. Why is the bezel so wide on this device? And the button area? Imagine the same sized screen/grafitti area, with a bezel the size of a trea, and the button area shrunk in half.

I think plam are probably right about leaving tcp/ip out ... but then again, since it's only software, what's the harm in including it?

If anything, I'd say they could put less memory in the device, if they had the SD slot, since this isn't going to be loading with every application under the sun - and the slot would allow things like talking books-on-an-SD-card.

The piezo-buzzer is probably fine, as long as it genuinely does save space/money, and is loud enough to use as an alarm. I don't see so much call for playing music/sound effects/etc over the speaker (though this is very popular in asia).

So, all in all, we'd like a similar device, possibly with less memory, definitely a little smaller (the wasted bezel space etc, not the screen), but with an SD slot and stereo headphones socket. Maybe this would cost a few $$ more. But not much.
I think someone was pandering a little too much to marketing's request to get it under $100.

RE: try again
jackpipe @ 10/10/2006 6:26:25 AM # Q
I'll add that the other reason mobile phone mp3 players just aren't working out is that the interfaces suck.. Palm have a huge advantage here in having a touch screen.

RE: try again
jackpipe @ 10/10/2006 6:35:42 AM # Q
I of course meant 2 GB cards go for about $50, or less, currectly

RE: try again
skennedy1217 @ 10/10/2006 10:15:52 AM # Q
For what I find myself using my Tungsten E for these days, a Z22 wouldn't be half bad (though I agree that the screen sucks). I used to use my PDA for everything, but have found that the time it saves is sometimes offset by the time it takes to maintain it. Lately, it's just been an electronic address book, calendar and information repository (i.e., SplashData). When I think back to how slim my M500 was, and then look at the Z22 next to that, I think that I could see myself getting a Z23 if/when it comes out. It's also cheap, so I wouldn't feel so bad about losing/breaking it (like I did my Sony TH55).

________________________________
M100==>M500==>T|T==>T|T2==>TH55
RE: try again
jackpipe @ 10/13/2006 4:13:24 AM # Q
The device I want is of course a smaller Zire 31, released back in 2004, and which can be had for about $75.
Why would I want a Z22 ?
And WTF have palm been doing for 2 years (and longer).

RE: try again
CyberRaven @ 10/8/2007 9:24:43 PM # Q
I have had the Z22 for a year and 3 months. I got the software bundle and the goodies in the box. tho only thing I didnt get was the case.

I agree that its for people who are just starting out in Handhelds 101.

well thats me to an extent, but I want MORE.
I got it because I am poor and it was the only model in my price range. I got it at Best Buy, so of course you get what you can afford in the color and shape thats available. Wish I had $50 more so I could get the E3. Better yet, should've bought something at Overstock.com, I would've had a wider range at a nice cheap price.

I dont like that Ipod look, and wish I had more options for customization. that goes for both the look and the applications. I want more control on how the Applications look, and not just the ability to select the theme they give you, but to make your own theme without special software. I should have the option to make my own applicatikons as well that is built-in

Its a weird feel, having a flat front face with a back that has bevel-curved sides.

they dont even give you a wide variety of cases.

So I'll hang in there until I have enough money to get a better one. until then, I'm doing research on what's out there and making a list of what I want in a handheld.



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Reset with stylus tip....

alanh @ 10/10/2006 10:09:26 AM # Q
If I recall correctly, that feature debuted on PalmOS with the Handspring Visor.

-alan
RE: Reset with stylus tip....
hkklife @ 10/10/2006 10:31:13 AM # Q
Right, the Visors debuted the stylus tip reset but it didn't arrive on Palm's own devices until the T|T series of 2002/2003. The Zire 72 had it in '04 as well. I think it took the arrival of the T|E2 for that formfactor to get a "big" reset button; the T|E and T5 still had the aggravating old small &recessed reset button.

Did any of Sony's Clies have a larger reset button? It's been so long since I actually used one...

Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX-->Treo 700P

RE: Reset with stylus tip....
joad @ 10/10/2006 12:47:01 PM # Q
I believe it may have been TRG/Handera that first came up with the revolutionary idea of being able to reset the organizer without the need to bring along another dedicated pointy thing (usually I used a paperclip) for this purpose.

Well over 10 years since it's debut, Palm has figured out the heavy technological engineering feat of making the reset hole work with the already-present stylus.

Maybe within another 10 years Palm will achieve the unthinkable (for Palm nowadays) and finally engineer a way to reset a Treo with a stylus without the cumbersome act of removing your chosen case, prying off the battery cover, locating the proper reset hole and navigating the stylus deep enough to hit the activator, reinstall the battery cover and case.....

Hopefully NASA will be downsizing soon so Palm can pick up a couple rocket scientists to work this out for them.

RE: Reset with stylus tip....
hkklife @ 10/10/2006 3:22:16 PM # Q
Joad, that $10 rechargable flashlight I bought at the discount store years ago has a red/green LED on it to indicate charging status. If a $400 (at launch) Palm T5 flagship handheld and a $300 TX do not have a charging status light then we may as wel start writing the obituaries now for Palm's product innovation.
(RIP TRG/Handera)

Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX-->Treo 700P
RE: Reset with stylus tip....
pmjoe @ 10/10/2006 8:55:38 PM # Q
>I believe it may have been TRG/Handera that first came up with
>the revolutionary idea of being able to reset the organizer without
>the need to bring along another dedicated pointy thing (usually
>I used a paperclip) for this purpose.
>
>Well over 10 years since it's debut, Palm has figured out the heavy
>technological engineering feat of making the reset hole work with
>the already-present stylus.

I can't remember if this feature originated with the TRGpro or not, but it's unfortunate, if in all your paperclip carrying, you didn't realize that the Palm stylus had a screw off top with a built-in pin for resetting the device.

RE: Reset with stylus tip....
PatriotAt13 @ 2/10/2007 9:35:01 AM # Q
i found that if you hold the reset and power buttons, it will ask you to erase all data! my little sister did... i hate her...

http://b40huckers.com/boredboards
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Sound volume is too low

dsaroff @ 10/10/2006 3:32:57 PM # Q
While I generally agree with the review, a MAJOR criticism I have the the Z22 is that it has the quietest speaker I've EVER seen in a Palm. This is especially vexing since it is target at 'soccer moms' who would keep it in my purse. My wife never hears hers (at least, that's her excuse ).

RE: Could you please plug you apps/website even more?
PatriotAt13 @ 2/10/2007 9:36:36 AM # Q
oh. are you talking to me?
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Addit?

Sesshouru @ 2/9/2007 7:02:50 PM # Q
Anyone know how to get Addit back on my Palm Z22

Please write back

RE: Addit?
Gekko @ 2/9/2007 7:13:19 PM # Q

yes - go to the store and beam or BT it to yourself.

RE: Addit? - How weird!
SeldomVisitor @ 2/9/2007 7:35:14 PM # Q
I clicked on the headline of the original post of this thread as shown at the bottom of the PalmInfocenter home page and the message that appeared top of the new page was by TVoR.

Giggle.

[of course, and thanks to Heisenberg, now that I've posted on the same thread such a feature has automagically disappeared...]


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