Sony Clie PEG-SJ30 Color Handheld

Display
The PEG-SJ30 features high resolution on its 320 x 320 pixel backlit color display, which can display over 65,000 colors.

Expansion
With this Sony Clie's Memory Stick expansion slot, you can get virtually unlimited data storage with Memory Stick removable media. You can transfer digital content between your Clie handheld and other Memory Stick-compatible products, including digital cameras, digital camcorders, and PCs.

Operating System
The Sony Clie PEG-SJ30 is powered by Palm OS 4.1, which means it comes complete with all the standard Palm OS applications you need for organizing your life, including Date Book, To Do List, Memo Pad, Mail, Expense, and Address Book. HotSync software is also included.

Extra Software
In addition to the built-in applications that come with Palm OS 4.1, the PEG-SJ30 comes with the following Sony software: Clie Paint, Clie Photo Stand, Memory Stick Autorun, Memory Stick Backup, Memory Stick Export (for PCs), Memory Stick Gate, Memory Stick Import, PictureGear Lite (for PCs), PictureGear Pocket, and World Alarm Clock. Value-added software includes: AcidSolitaire, Amy Reiley's Pocket Gourmet, Amy Reiley's Pocket Vineyard, BalanceLog, Bejeweled, Bump Attack Pinball, ContactsPro, Documents to Go Standard Edition, gMovie, Mobipocket Reader, powerOne Personal, Presenter-to-Go, Race Fever, simpliWrite, StreetFinder Express, Vindigo, WorldMate, and Zap!2016.

Synchronization
Connect to your PC and synchronize your contacts and date book using the included USB cable. You can also beam information to other Palm OS handheld owners using the IrDA infrared port.

Compatibility
The Sony Clie PEG-SJ30 is compatible with Windows 98 SE, 2000 Professional, Me, XP Home, and XP Professional editions. PCs must have a minimum 133 MHz or faster processor, 64 MB RAM (128 MB recommended), and at least 128 MB of available hard drive space. A USB port is also required.

In the Box
The Sony Clie PEG-SJ30 comes with a USB HotSync cradle, AC adapter, stylus, protective cover, installation CD-ROM, application manual, Graffiti sticker, and registration materials. The Sony Clie PEG-SJ30 is covered by a one-year limited warranty.

1. Color screen with high resolution so as to allow me to show my huge collection of pictures.
2. Good form factor - so that I felt at ease as I continued to use my new PDA.
3. Expandibility - because the gap between the PDAs and the PCs are closing faster than you think.
4. Battery life - Often times I take notes on my PDA during long meetings and the last thing I wanted was to have the battery drained out in the middle of an important meeting.
5. 802.11b compatibility (if possible, NOT a key decision factor)

I had been using Palm OS based devices for over 5 years but still I was very open to move to Pocket PC because of a huge upper hand of the Pocket PCs over the Palm devices in networking capabilities. And also because in the last couple of years, the Pocket PCs have shed a lot of their bulk have become reasonably small to be carried in a pocket.

I narrowed my search down to 4 PDAs -

1. iPaq 3975 - mainly because of its bluetooth capabilities and highly sharp transflective TFT screen
2. Toshiba e740 - because of built-in WiFi (802.11b), expansion slots for both secure digital as well as compact flash and changeable battery pack
3. Sony Clie T665
4. Sony Clie SJ30

Eliminated iPaq 3975 because even after paying that high a price, the PDA would still not have compact flash and built-in 802.11b. The screen resolution was good but not close to that of the Clie.

Eliminated e740 mainly because of extremely bad form factor. The device just did not feel good in hand. The record and power-on buttons could easily be unintentionally turned on. Its battery consumption was also a little peculiar. All of a sudden, it would drop from 80% to 10%.

The Clies beat every other PDAs in their screen resolution. The iPaq and the Toshiba appeared amateurish as compared to the Clies as far as image sharpness was concerned. On paper, the difference in resolution was only 25% (240 horizontal dots as opposed to 320,) but it looked a lot different.

The Clies were also a winner in the category of third party applications (Palm clearly out numbered Pocket PCs in this category).

The Wireless compatibility of the iPaq and the Toshiba was negated by the terrible battery life especially when the wireless connectivity is ON. If your PDA battery is drained out in minutes, there is no point in having networking advantage.

The SJ30 beat out the T665 because I did not want to pay the extra money for MP3 because I have a good MP3 player and I want to use my PDA as a PDA not as a music system. Secondly, the SJ30 is significantly smaller in length though its depth is a little more. But overall, the device felt good in hand and the difference in processing power (33 MHz as opposed to 66MHz for T665) did not make much difference in the performance of the device.

My conclusion was that the Pocket PC based devices are closing the gap with the Palm based devices but the Palm devices are still ahead in feature over price ratio. Pocket PC have a huge advantage in networking and wireless connectivity but the Windows operating system drains out so much power that the devices start groping for it very very quickly. And when it comes to Palm OS based devices, you just can't beat a Clie.

I have been using my SJ30 for a couple of weeks. All my colleagues and buddies who have seen my new PDA have all been amazed with the sharpness of the screen and the amazing form factor for a price that does not dent holes in your pocket.


A stylish balance of form and function   December 6, 2002
Ed Z (Chicago, IL United States)
48 out of 48 found this review helpful

The Clie PEG-SJ30 may not have all the bells and whistles of the more expensive PDA's like an MP3 player and digital camera, or built in keyboard. But what it can do, it excels at. I held onto my Palm IIIxe until I could find a reasonably priced color unit with some real improvements in features and performance, and this fit the bill. Sony has combined the most important high-end features, i.e. color, HiRes display and memory expansion, in a stylish, compact unit.

The Clie has several nice features. The screen takes maximum advantage of the form factor of the unit with just a small border around the sides and top. At 320x320 and 65,000 colors, the beautifully bright and clear screen beats any other PDA I've seen at this price point. Photographs can be imported using the included Sony PG Pocket software, and are crisp and clear. The extra memory comes in handy. With 16MB of RAM and a Memory Stick socket, I've been able to load all my favorite apps, games, and e-books, and still have 8 MB free. Sony struck a nice balance between size and feel with this unit. It's small enough to fit in a large pocket, but big enough to hold comfortably in the hand. The application buttons have been enlarged so that they are much easier to use than the T series which looked slick but felt awkward. The Jog Dial and Back buttons on the side are helpful for scrolling through documents or moving between apps. A lithium-ion rechargeable battery provides reasonable life - I get 6-7 hours of use from a full charge. The stylus has a removable top which can be used to push the recessed reset button on the back of the unit.

There are a few limitations of the SJ30 versus more expensive models. Instead of a cradle, the unit comes with a rather flimsy cable which provides a USB connection and a connection to the AC adapter/charger. It lacks an MP3 player or video camera, but it's fine as an organizer, photo viewer, and mini game console. The screen is not as large as the Clie NX70, but it's quite easy to view text and graphics with its HiRes color display. The flip cover has somewhat limited usefulness -- you wouldn't want to throw it in a bag without putting it in a case, but it's fine for protecting the screen while it is carried around or put in an empty pocket. The case is plastic rather than metal, but seems to be pretty sturdy, and doesn't seem to scratch easily.

There is plenty of great software (and a lot of freeware) for the Palm OS, and this is a big advantage for the Clie. I had several applications that I had purchased for the Palm and so I was reluctant to switch to a Pocket PC. The Clie comes packaged with several applications, including Documents to Go which synchronizes Excel and Word documents with the PC and supports the HiRes display. I had this app on the IIIxe but it was hard to get more than a few cells on the screen at once. With color and the HiRes display it's easy to use and view several lines of text at once. There are quite a few games and applications that now support the HiRes 320x320 screen of the Clie and they look great. I recommend a third party launcher such as Launcher X (my favorite) or Silver Screen. These smooth access to data and applications on the handheld, make it easier to manage them on the memory stick and look very nice in HiRes. Several applications support accessing files on the Memory Stick including Documents to Go. Memory Sticks are available in sizes up to 128 MB so there's plenty of room for applications and data. In addition, a backup program is included that copies the entire system to the Memory Stick.

Software Tip: If you're having trouble writing fast with Graffiti (like me) check out FitalyStamp. The application works by providing a stick-on overlay that has a stylus-travel optimized keyboard layout and the overlays can be cut to fit over the graffiti area. It's easy to get 30-40 words per minute with practice.

Performance vs. the Palm IIIxe is significantly better. Even large apps (1 MB) launch quickly and scrolling and switching between screens is very rapid. Reading files or launching apps from the Memory Stick is significantly slower, however. For example it takes about 15 seconds to load Zap!2016 (approx 337 KB) from the Memory Stick, but it's a small price to pay for nearly unlimited expansion.

I only ran into a couple of minor difficulties when using the Clie SJ30. After I took the unit out of the box (and charged it) I tried to beam apps from my old Palm into the device, but the IR port wasn't working. Finally, I hit the reset button on the back and then it worked fine, and hasn't had a problem since. Also, using the Memory Stick to store data and applications isn't explained very well in the documentation. After poking around a lot, I finally figured out how to transfer apps to the Memory Stick using Launcher X. I'm not sure if there are other ways to load apps on the Memory Stick, but with Launcher X, you can drag and drop the icon and then later launch it directly from the memory stick via its icon. I'm not sure how this compares with using SD cards on the Palm since the IIIxe didn't have that capability.

Overall, I'm very pleased with the device. It lets me use my existing Palm software, looks good, feels comfortable, has the color screen that I've been waiting for and does it all at a great price.


Does What You Need it to Do!   October 2, 2002
Jasmine T. Baer
46 out of 46 found this review helpful

My old Palm V, which was purchased in late 1999, never was the same after I dropped it early in 2001. I tried to be patient, but having tasks disappear when a due date is assigned sort of defeats the gadget's raison d'etre, right? To make a long story short, I needed to get a new PDA PDQ!

This Sony Clie is a great little device! I looked at more expensive Sony models like the T665C and the NR70, but didn't feel I needed the 66 mhz processor, MP3 capability, or the ability to use it as a remote control for my home entertainment center. If you use a PDA to keep your contacts organized, remind you to do things, keep track of appointments - in short, the basic things a PDA was created to do when it started to replace those old bulky organizers - avoid over-spending and buy this device.

Naturally, the Palm OS works flawlessly, and it remains as intuitive as it did back in the Version 2.0 days. Sony throws in other programs that enable the device to display and edit Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and Powerpoint presentations. There are other applications, too, but I haven't had the chance or the need to use them. I will say that spreadsheets look terrific!

The screen's resolution is magnificent, and is superior to the resolution found on the Palm M515. 320 x 320 beats 160 x 160, or whatever poor resolution the M515 has. The plastic case is beautiful and matches the other Sony appliances around the house. It appears to be thicker than the Palm M series, but it is still light enough to put in your pants pocket and not make you feel uncomfortable.

Set up was really easy. I have a Windows XP computer at home, and I can't for the life of me understand how anyone could mess it up! I was up and running in no time at all, with my first Hot Sync completed, and all my data sitting on MS Outlook in my Sony Clie. Follow instructions, and you should have no problems.

The one thing that is missing is a cradle. The USB cable and power connector provided is nice, but I miss seeing the device standing tall in a cradle. Sony offers cradles, but I'll let you decide if the price tag is worth it.

If you are looking for fancy bells and whistles, and are able to afford the inflated price tags, this is not the PDA for you. But if you are looking for a high-res color screen, expandability (via Memory Sticks), Palm OS simplicity, basic functionality, lithium-ion battery, an attractive package, and a fair price, this PDA deserves lots of consideration.

I have no problems recommending this device wholeheartedly.


An Absolute Bargain   November 3, 2002
Donovan Smith (Denver, CO)
34 out of 34 found this review helpful

I had used my Handspring Visor Deluxe for nearly a year before I purchased this little machine. I wanted a well-built machine with memory expansion, a color screen, and a smaller form factor. And it had to be [inexpensive]. I didn't plan to spend any more than ...which meant that I was looking at the Palm m130, Handspring Treo 90, and the Sony CLIE PEG-SJ30. Due to the features and then a nice price drop on the SJ30 I ended up getting it.

The first thing that literally caught my eye was the screen. It is a spectacular 320x320 pixel 16-bit color screen that is brightly-backlit and also transflective. And the infamous grid-lines that plague 160x160 pixel color handhelds were almost invisible. It has 16MB of RAM, quite a nice amount for storing lots of programs. The Memory Stick slot is nice for adding expansion to hold lots of ebooks and pictures. The jog wheel is incredibly useful once you get used to it. It is also quite small and the thickness of the unit makes it comfortable to hold. It even comes with a well-designed removable flip cover.

I was a bit hesitant to get the SJ30 at first because I haven't had the best of experiences with Sony electronics as far as build quality goes. But the SJ30 is built very well. It feels solid, and even looks like the casing is metal (it's plastic).

My only complaints are the lack of a cradle and the slow speed of the Memory Stick slot. The supplied cable just isn't nearly as convenient as a cradle. I didn't expect the Memory Stick slot to be blindingly fast, but as reported by many reviewers the slot is a bit on the slow side. But these are minor gripes and I wouldn't even consider giving up this machine just for those reasons.

Overall I am extremely pleased with my SJ30. For the money, and a little bit above it, you can't get any better than this.


Best PDA for your use   October 19, 2002
31 out of 31 found this review helpful

Why I bought this PDA?
1.This is smaal and attractive. looks better than any other PDA. made with unbrackable plastic.
2.Screen is superb. in my opinion best..just best.
3.Best battery life(this is my third PDA. I have used T615c, and T665c. But I can say that the battery life in SJ30 is superb. I was really upset with my T665c.
4.My friends told me that I should have waited till last of October, becoz now OS 5 is ready to be launch. But in my opinion this OS is enough for my use. processor is 33mhz....good enough. sony drops their model easily...and I found that this was the model, I was looking for. I like clean shapes, that's why I bought GRX series sony laptop. and that is why i bought SJ30 too.
Now read my viwe in detai and i'm sure after reading this you will love SJ30.
MY DETAIL OPINION-
This is a real winner from Sony; it's color screen is clearly the best in the industry. Why? Sony supplies the LCD screen to palm, handspring, HP, Compaq (now HP), Toshiba, etc and of course has reserve the best screens to use in its own organizers. This is easily verified by comparing units in Best Buy, CompUSA, etc. Make no mistake, if you want a pure productivity tool; this is one of the best Palms (in this case I am using Palm to decsribe all PDAs including units that use PalmOS, Pocket PC, Psion, etc) you can get. It is very fast in all day to day usage (please ignore the 33MHz to 206MHz comparison of some Pocket PC troll; the Audiovox Maestro he mentioned may have a faster chip but when it comes to real program switching for example, it is painfully slow. Don't take my word for it either, try it out in a store for yourself. I must admit though that the 206MHz chip processes audio and video files properly and that's why listening to music or watching video is possible on a Audiovox Maestro. However, battery life is then naturally shortened and who wants to watch a 2 hour movie on a 3.5" screen?) Backl to the review; it's true that Sony has cut some corners in making this unit; the body is made of plastic but I find it of high quality and will stand up to good use. The short lenght of the unit makes using the scroll wheel a little difficult for me and I also find the scroll wheel slightly difficult stiff. However, I expect this stiffness to go away with time. The datebook, todo list, address book are simple to use for most computer illiterate; for the advanced users there exist Datebk5, Supernames shareware programs that you can install that will let you customize to your heart's content. All in all this is a great organizer. I suggest that is you want to buy it to test drive it in your local store and at leat compare it with a few other models. As of now (Sep 26,2002) the Sony T615 and T665 are still available for comparable prices so you may want to check those out too..but remember battery life in both the models are really bad.