PalmOne Tungsten T3 Handheld

First, just the technical facts:

• Palm OS 5.2.1
• 32-bit, 400 MHz Intel XScale processor
• 64 MB internal RAM, with 52 MB usable for applications and file storage (an improvement over the T2's 29 MB usable RAM)
• Bluetooth wireless connectivity
• Secure Digital memory card expansion slot
• 4.3 (closed) x 3.0 x 0.66 inches, 5.5 ounces

The T3's Stretch Display

The T3 includes the familiar suite of Palm applications (Calendar, Contacts, Memos, and Tasks) as well as a number of third-party software title (ranging from Acrobat Reader to RealOne Player for listening to digital audio). Calendar has been given an Outlook-friendly makeover, adding an Agenda view that consolidates all of today's appointments, tasks, and new e-mails. With full-screen mode on, Calendar's month view now displays smaller calendars for the previous and next months.

Bluetooth wireless functionality is built in, and the Tungsten T3 still includes the BlueBoard and BlueChat for sharing information with other Tungsten users. For Web communication, Palm includes VersaMail and WebBrowser Pro, both of which can be used along with a Bluetooth phone. Additionally, VersaMail can access a corporate e-mail account, including Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino servers.

Java has also now entered the Palm OS arena, expanding the application development opportunities. The T3 comes with a few sample applets (including a periodic table that would be handy at our local pub's trivia night), but we'll have to wait for more development before Java becomes a full Palm OS tool.

Our only complaint, design-wise, is the placement of the Voice Memo button, which as been placed toward the top of the left side of the case, below the on/off button on the top panel. When turning on the device, our left hand's thumb continually triggered the Voice Memo app when attempting to turn on the T3. Note that you can also turn the T3 on by pressing one of the application buttons surrounding the Navigator, or by sliding the bottom case open. Overall, the Tungsten T3 is a Palm powerhouse, blending its traditional information management strength with new multimedia and connectivity functionality (both wired and wireless). It's about as perfect a personal productivity agent for professional settings as it gets. --Agen G.N. Schmitz

Pros:

• Crisp, bright color screen
• Fast processor, ample internal memory, and expansion slot to boot
• Digital Graffiti input area can be hidden for full screen display
• Screen can be rotated to landscape view
• Access to corporate e-mail and Bluetooth wireless connectivity

Con:

• Voice Memo button gets in the way of turning on and off

First, just the technical facts:

• Palm OS 5.2.1
• 32-bit, 400 MHz Intel XScale processor
• 64 MB internal RAM, with 52 MB usable for applications and file storage (an improvement over the T2's 29 MB usable RAM)
• Bluetooth wireless connectivity
• Secure Digital memory card expansion slot
• 4.3 (closed) x 3.0 x 0.66 inches, 5.5 ounces

Overall, the Tungsten T3 isn't that much smaller than the Zire 71, but it does feel nicely compact in the hand and its larger navigation button is easier to manipulate with just your thumb. However, the "wow factor" comes into full force when you slide down the bottom of the T3's case to reveal the full screen mode. And it gets even better. The standard "silkscreened" Graffiti input area (so-called because its icons and borders are printed onto the screen's glass) is now replaced by a digital version, which can be hidden to reveal an even larger screen. We found this useful when writing long notes in Memos and viewing an expanded daily calendar view.

You don't actually need the Graffiti writing area to input data into notes or Calendar items. With the Full-Screen Writing preference turned on, you can write Graffiti characters anywhere on the screen (you'll even see an outline traced on the screen as you write). But the crowning display enhancement is the ability to rotate the screen to landscape view, which was especially handy when viewing downloaded movie trailers (using the included Kinoma video player). If you're left-handed, you can change the orientation in landscape view so that the status bar and Graffiti input area are more accessible to your own orientation.

The T3 includes the familiar suite of Palm applications (Calendar, Contacts, Memos, and Tasks) as well as a number of third-party software title (ranging from Acrobat Reader to RealOne Player for listening to digital audio). Calendar has been given an Outlook-friendly makeover, adding an Agenda view that consolidates all of today's appointments, tasks, and new e-mails. With full-screen mode on, Calendar's month view now displays smaller calendars for the previous and next months.

Bluetooth wireless functionality is built in, and the Tungsten T3 still includes the BlueBoard and BlueChat for sharing information with other Tungsten users. For Web communication, Palm includes VersaMail and WebBrowser Pro, both of which can be used along with a Bluetooth phone. Additionally, VersaMail can access a corporate e-mail account, including Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino servers.

Java has also now entered the Palm OS arena, expanding the application development opportunities. The T3 comes with a few sample applets (including a periodic table that would be handy at our local pub's trivia night), but we'll have to wait for more development before Java becomes a full Palm OS tool.

Our only complaint, design-wise, is the placement of the Voice Memo button, which as been placed toward the top of the left side of the case, below the on/off button on the top panel. When turning on the device, our left hand's thumb continually triggered the Voice Memo app when attempting to turn on the T3. Note that you can also turn the T3 on by pressing one of the application buttons surrounding the Navigator, or by sliding the bottom case open. Overall, the Tungsten T3 is a Palm powerhouse, blending its traditional information management strength with new multimedia and connectivity functionality (both wired and wireless). It's about as perfect a personal productivity agent for professional settings as it gets. --Agen G.N. Schmitz

Pros:

• Crisp, bright color screen
• Fast processor, ample internal memory, and expansion slot to boot
• Digital Graffiti input area can be hidden for full screen display
• Screen can be rotated to landscape view
• Access to corporate e-mail and Bluetooth wireless connectivity

Cons:

• Voice Memo button gets in the way of turning on and off

The Screen! As I write this you simply cannot buy a better handheld device (Pocket PC or otherwise) that gives you a better screen. PERIOD. You just won't believe how the screen looks in the extended position, especially when looking at downloaded pictures. Outstanding. You can view them upright or simply at the touch of the stylus you can turn the screen sideways and voila! the picture rotates into a panoramic view. Bravo to Palm for instituting this program!

The Voice Memo feature is unbelievably useful. I tend to do a LOT of thinking and planning while driving around and my biggest problem is that when something truly great suddenly pops into my head, I just cannot stop and write it down while in traffic -- however with the convenience of the voice memo on my T3 I can record my thoughts on-the-go with one-handed operation. Easier than answering my cell phone, too. I was incredibly surprised to see just how ground breaking this feature was for me personally. Sure, the quality isn't all that fantastic, but for the purpose it serves, it does GREAT.

Memory: A whopping 64mb! 'Course you can only use around 59 of that, but still, finally a Palm device that can compete with a Pocket PC for memory storage! I remember thinking I'll NEVER need more than 8mb on my handheld -- well I currently have well over 32 used at the moment and I have plenty more I am planning to install.

Expansion: I guess there are two kinds of people who fall into this category, you either like and appreciate what expansion can do or you hate it. Personally I really LOVE this particular ability of most the Palm's I have owned. I have loaded the RealOne player onto my card and use it to play mp3 files, which can be seamlessly copied from my cd collection within minutes. The connection, thanks to the lightning fast processor makes access to my expansion card almost immediate.

Some have noticed that the T3 is slightly taller than the T2 and at first I thought that might be a problem, but the advantages of what the T3 can do far outweigh ANY kinds of problems the extra size may cause. At first I was NOT happy with the new navigational button at the bottom center of all the Tungsten models -- at FIRST. I was SO familiar with my older Palm models that I was very skeptical that it was an actual improvement, and more a cosmetic upgrade to make the device more streamlined. Well, yes it IS a nice looking addition, but after some initial getting used to, I can whole-heartedly endorse this improvement 100%.

The free software that came with my T3 was absolutely invaluable. I have used the Adobe Reader almost instantly when I finished downloading it to my desktop. Documents to Go is also a MUST in today's business world. I never would have thought that I would or even COULD use any of these, and yet as the world has technologically progressed right on by me, I have had to adapt -- or be left behind. The T3 has allowed me to keep right up with everyone else in this techno-savvy world.

The Bluetooth connectivity may be a major plus down the road, but my particular area hasn't been blessed with a lot of Bluetooth compatibility -- for the moment. However down the road I can definitely see myself making my next mobile phone purchase based upon the carrier's Bluetooth ability. I know many who are die-hard Wi-Fi users (and you can buy a Tungsten that will work specifically for that, too) and still others who will never stray from their trusty down-right ancient-looking Blackberry's out there, but for me, I'll be perfectly satisfied with what mine already has. This IS one thing you ought to look into before you make a purchase just to be sure.

Now for the CON'S: it has been noted that the battery life isn't exactly stellar -- and this pretty much sums it up in nutshell. Even my (much) older m130 had at least twice the battery life. Sure, this screen is quite a bit bigger and subsequently sucks more life from your batteries than usual, and this is something you need to consider when weighing in on battery strength, but even so, it seemed to disappear much quicker than I expected. One way to help minimize this I have found, is to lower the backlight to the lowest setting. You'd be surprised how much extra life you can squeeze just by doing this one thing, and it doesn't harm the clarity of the screen by doing so by much, if at all.

Other than this one single problem, I can see my T3 being (at the moment anyway) the absolute best Palm OS item on the market today -- and since I have become so familiar with Palm vs. the Pocket PC, and after sitting down with a PC for a few hours attempting to figure it out, I can state emphatically that the Palm platform is MUCH simpler and user friendly -- at least it was for ME. There are just as many out there who believe the opposite, which is just fine. A large part of purchasing this kind of item is personal preference, and I hope that I have been able to say my peace in enough detail to help others in making their PDA decision. Good luck and remember: the MOST important thing to consider when buying one is the MORE you know, the BETTER. Examine them side-by-side and if you cannot get any practical hands-on use out of one, maybe you ought to look elsewhere to buy your next product.


Excellent PDA   October 19, 2003
Paul Fabre (Miami, Florida United States)
52 out of 56 found this review helpful

There was a time when i felt that Palm was losing the fight against Pocket PC and even other Palm powered PDAs such as the Sony's due to their breakthrough in multimedia capabilities, however, the wait was worth it. Now, we all can enjoy magnificent PDAs such as my brand new Tungsten T3 handheld that allows me to do everything, from playing games and listening to music till serious work such as recording important business meetings. The best of it all is the compatibility with existing accessories such as the Palm Modem or the keyboard, not to mention this new and impressive high resolution screen that can be enlarged up to 320x480 pixels and to use it in sideways mode. As a software developer for Palm powered devices, i strongly recommend this PDA to everybody.. cheaper than PocketPCs yet equally (or more) powerful, fully featured and easy to use.


For the basic user, it's better than a Laptop!   October 7, 2004
J. Mijares (San Francisco, CA)
27 out of 27 found this review helpful

This is my fourth PDA in about eight years. I had the original Palm Pilot, then the Palm IIIxe, and then the Palm m515, and now the Tungsten T3. The previous three performed admirably until they were dropped, zapped by static electricity, etc.

I've been using it for almost one year now and I have to say that the Tungsten T3 is exceptional. Gone is the silkscreen Graffiti surface and now you can expand the screen for an even wider view. It's great for working with documents and if your day planner is crazy like mine, you can see just how maddening your day will be. Great bundled software include: Documents To Go (Word, Excel, & PowerPoint -- PowerPoint is a viewer only, but the other two are fully functional), WebPro, VersaMail, Kinoma video player, Voice Recorder, and RealOne for listening to mp3s. It's also Bluetooth compatible and as of September 2004 it's WiFi capable thanks to the new PalmOne SDIO Wifi Card.

Battery life is not entirely the best, averaging between two and five hours, depending upon what you're doing. Working with the base applications like Memopad or RealOne won't suck up battery life, but Documents To Go does use a lot of juice. There are a few shareware programs out there though where you can adjust the clock speed and save a little power. (For great freeware for the T3, check out www.freewarepalm.com. I've found neat little programs there for business use, education, entertainment, etc. All free!)

Video and mp3 playback are extremely smooth thanks to the ARM processor. Pictures look very crisp and clear.

I actually think this is better than a laptop at times. I have a folding keyboard (from my old m515) and I can sit on a plane and listen to mp3s and work on Documents To Go at the same time and still have a lot of room left on my seat tray for munchies and a drink, while the poor guy or gal next to me has a laptop that takes up the whole tray and has no room for anything. I have a small travel charger to take with me on business trips or short road trips. Also recommended are screen protectors (this is a must), some extra styli, LEXAR or Kingston SD cards (there are great deals now on 512 MB cards) and a good case like the Rhinoskin T3 aluminum case.

Highly recommended. If I'm on travel for a week, I'll take this with me and can work on documents, listen to mp3s, and even surf the internet. I call it my secretary. Without it, I'd be totally lost and disorganized...


Very Happy with Palm's Latest   October 10, 2003
G. Crain (Houston, TX United States)
38 out of 41 found this review helpful

I am very happy with this new Palm. I've gone through three different Pocket PC devices and have never been happy with them. I have always been happy with Palm. And this one seems to have everything I've ever wanted from a Palm.

I have had the T3 almost a week now, and have had zero problems with it. I charged it overnight when I first got it, loaded all my Palm programs on it (a high-end calculator, "City Time," a few games including "Scrabble," a dictionary, and "Splash ID"), and have used it as I typically do: I turn it on 10 - 20 times a day, do my business, and turn it off. I have not re-charged it or synced since last Friday, and I still have 20% left in my battery. I will let it completely deplete before I re-charge to help condition the battery. I do not use it for any wireless functions, though I'm sure I will when a Wi-Fi card comes out, or I get a Bluetooth adapter for my desktop PC. I keep my screen brightness just below 50%.

And the new screen is absolutely stunning. I got a 256 Mb Lexar SD card, loaded about 25 Mb of photos on it, and they look great. I suggest shrinking your photos before loading them - you will not need high resolutions at all. A 75 kilobyte picture looks as good as a 1 megabyte picture, and loads instantly. I do have some trouble seeing the screen in sunlight - I have to tilt it until it is just right.

This T3 is replacing a Pocket PC I got as a test device. The Pocket PC replaced a Palm 515, which I gave to my wife. (She loves my old 515.) There is a marked increase in the speed between the T3 and the 515, and accessing programs now seems virtually instantaneous.

I rarely extend the device to access the Virtual Graffiti area. I love having everything I need in the non-extended layout. I am having some trouble getting used to Graffiti 2. It definitely takes practice. I still use the typewriter function for symbols and some punctuation marks (which means having to extend the device). I'm sure I'll get used to it, just as I did with the original Graffiti.

All in all, I highly recommend the T3. Highest marks for Palm.


Great value for a high-end PDA   October 16, 2003
Steven Falconer (Cameron Park, CA USA)
33 out of 36 found this review helpful

This is really a great PDA. I upgraded from a Palm VIIx, so it is a huge improvement all around. I kept waiting when I heard about the T2 and then the T3. I'm glad I waited since I got a lot more bang for the buck than the t2. More memory, much bigger screen, and a faster processor. The screen looks outstanding (except in bright sunlight outside), battery life is much better than I expected, and it has ample storage space and processing power.

I especially like the ability to write directly on the screen so I don't need to open it up. Also, if you like to use the virtual keyboard sometimes, then you get the extra area normally where the grafiti area was. I also like seeing what my grafiti strokes look like. It seems I get better consistency on my input. It does take time to get used to grafiti2, especially when making characters like "L Space" which can frequently turn out to be interpreted as a "T". I work around this by putting the space at the bottom of the grafiti area. Seems to help me out... Anyway, I REALLY like having a virtual grafitti area instead of the previous screens. It is much more flexible and is also easy to change it to what ever you need (or you can hide it).

Anyway, this is a well built PDA with all the power and more that any currently reasonable PDA user can currently expect. I'm sure I'll be laughing at this statement in 5 years though. The only downside I've faced with this PDA so far is that the display really does poorly in bright sunlight. Since I frequently work at job sites outside, this can be quite an annoyance. But the screen looks good in the shade and spectacular inside. I tend to do most work indoors except for quick contact lookups and making up lists in notepad.

This PDA doesn't have a camera, but I have pushed pictures via bluetooth from my camera phone to the PDA which has a much better display. (I'm using a Sony Ericson T616). It worked very well. I've also set this up using Bluetooth to surf the web off my home PC with a bluetooth USB dongle. It took a little time to get it configured and the Windows XP system configured to use Internet Connection Sharing, but it works great too. The extra screen real estate is really useful for web browsing, especially in landscape mode.

Overall, I don't think there is a better high-end PDA for the money anywhere. I don't need WiFi and personally find bluetooth more useful since it gives me quick connectivity anywhere with my cell phone. I also like the new Clie UX50, but I personally can't see paying that kind of money for a PDA and feel that this is a much better value when compared with it and especially compared with the UX40. Of course if you NEED a keyboard...