palmOne Zire 72
by Volker Weber
While my Tungsten T3 is being serviced -- its digitizer is broken -- I am happy to use the Zire 72 that came with the navigation system. And I start to like it a lot. If I would not have enough PDAs already, it would receive the prestigious editor-refuses-to-give-it-back award*. Stefan, don't worry, you will get it back. :-)
I was initially turned off by its blue color which made it look more like a toy than a serious machine. I was surprised that palmOne did not go with the original white design of the Zire line. 
A white and steel machine would be closer to that iPod look. After using the device for a few days now I have changed my mind. The blue surface feels soft and gives you a good grip. Much better than a shiny surface would have been. The metallic surfaces make the machine feel expensive. The cheap plastic stylus however breaks that experience. palmOne should spend that extra buck to put in a serious metal stylus.
The Zire 72 has everything you might want, including bluetooth. With the notable exception of wireless LAN. They do sell an expansion card that will add this capability. I have 25 meg of memory available and you can add SD storage to hold more data and applications. The machine doubles as an MP3 player if you want and it has the best digital camera that I came across in a handheld device that is not a camera. The screen is bright and sharp. I also like the fact that the device uses a standard USB mini connector. No expensive options are needed if you want a second sync cable.
While the entry level Zires leave a lot to be desired in terms of screen and storage, this machine cuts it. If you are shopping for a Tungsten, you should also consider this machine. The camera actually makes all the difference.
*) Actually, I give back those editor-refuses-to-give-it-back units as well. It just may take a whole lot longer than initially planned. :-)
Comments
Don't worry about the blue color: http://forum.mypdacafe.com/viewtopic.php?t=12208 ;)
