In the illustrious family of computers Palm completion. Palm Company has announced new models of junior and senior levels - m130 and m515. And, this time upgrading is not cosmetic in nature, as is the case with the release of m125. Suffice it to say that it is now very affordable series Palm m1xx head model with a color screen and built-in lithium-ion battery. This means that the era of handheld computers with monochrome screens coming to a close. Soon all the PDAs will be colored.
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In fairness it should be noted that changes in the computer Palm m515 is not so radical as a model m130. All innovations are reduced to a small change in dimensions of the computer (at 0.3 cm increased the thickness of the casing) - with unchanged outline, the installation of the new polymer lithium-ion battery, which is due to reduced size of the m515 has a slightly lower capacity (the manufacturer claims a week of work on a single charge), and finally to a doubling of installed RAM - 16 MB instead of 8 in the m505. Given the small size of programs for machines Palm, you can say - now the Pocket PC can be easily converted into a storehouse of software (whether or not - the question tenth). Both new computers have an updated operating system. Her Room - Palm OS 4.1. Good news for owners of m505, who wish to upgrade the operating system (Computer Series m1xx upgrading the operating system is unavailable). But first things first.
Meet the color Palm m130
The first thing that you pay attention, picking up a Palm m130, its appearance. The new patent detachable front socket looks very good. It can be replaced by any of the panels produced by choosing, in such a way, the color of your computer to your liking. The rest of the hull form is the same as its predecessors - a series of m1xx.
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Continuing examination of the new machines. Screen size has not changed, the buttons are the same as that of the m125 ... There is no cover for replacement batteries. What is in the Palm m130 battery installed? Yes, exactly: a new lithium-ion battery. The stated duration of the work - up to one week. Hence, for a day of intensive use should be enough for sure. By the way, now it becomes clear why the company Palm, releasing a model m125, completed its cradle of the CCP series m5xx. One-hundred-twenty-fifth Palm was a model of transition - from machines with replaceable batteries to computers with built-in rechargeable battery. The use of built-in battery in the low-end line of Palm - the news is good. Despite the seeming universality and availability of AAA batteries (you can buy them anywhere there's at least some kind of shop sells small things - and in hot Africa, and in the Russian province), batteries for everyday use is still beneficial and convenient. The service life of built-in battery - no less than two years. This coincides with the term of the obsolescence of the computer. Although, if we talk about typewriters Palm, their average life span is much longer. Computers most of the first series, bearing the name of the now-forgotten Pilot, well, you can use now, even without any kind of modernization of the operating system. Annoying feature - the cradle for the Palm m130 is also not the same form as the lower part of the typewriter as a model m125, since it is one and the same "bed". It is a pity that the filling cradle m130 has not been installed in a constructive cradle m105. In the design of computer looked perfect. Well, come on.Maybe the manufacturer is preparing a complete upgrade of the buildings in the junior series? Although such savings leads to some reflections ... look further - card slot SD / MMC is the same as in computers m125. Switch, infrared port, a jack for a passive robot arm - stylus. Changes seems to be no other cover .... Shape and its fixing device is the same, but the other stuff. Cover more plastic, more can be damped to the screen in the event of a PDA on a hard surface. And now it's time ... to include machine? No, first see what's inside her.
Has not forgotten old
Structural innovations in the m130 bit. Processor - one size fits all new models with a frequency of 33 MHz. Thus, a processor with such a frequency of 16 MHz is only set has not yet removed from the production of Palm m105. This aligns the computational capabilities of these PDAs, facilitating selection of software. Now the "brake" on the handheld machine simply nothing. The amount of memory m130 - the same 8 megabytes, and that in models of m125 and m105. Operating System stitched in mask ROM capacity of 4 megabytes. This news upset willing to do aprgeyd OS, since you can not overwrite the mask ROM. This is the price affordability. The reason for increased capacity ROM compared with previous models is the new operating system and support for color images.
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Expansion slot for memory card standard Secure Digital / MultiMediaCard remained unchanged. Today, this slot is available set of cards with the software and peripheral devices. In general, it can recognize - the standard settled down, and handhelds Palm, thanks to replaceable cards, have expanded their functionality. To connect the cradle to the new items to the sync cable and an external device is a fungible for m125 and PDAs Series m5xx universal connector Palm universal connector. Here, while no changes ... It's time to turn on the machine, because the front - the most curious.
Let There Be Color!
Screen a new computer Palm m130 is based on a passive matrix color LCD (LCD). This is a reflective display with switchable and adjustable white backlight. That is, the screen is set reflector that allows the use exterior lighting to illuminate the image. Advantages and disadvantages are the same as that of the PDA m505. The image is soft, does not hurt the eyes. In bright daylight the picture is well distinguishable, but in a room with a backlight on the screen does not look as colorful as constructed by the traditional technology aktivnomatrichnye screens. M130 screen size is smaller than the second debutant Palm m515 - the differences are the same as that between the m125 and m505. But picture quality is very good: the m130 uses 16-bit color, capable of displaying 65,536 colors. Permission is unchanged - 160x160 pixels. Evaluate the quality of the color screen to work we still have, but until we can say that the opportunity to get a PDA with a color display at an affordable price - that's really cool. Dimensions of machine (incidentally, 12,2 x7, 8x2, 2 cm and weighs 153 grams, which is 2 grams heavier than the m125 and the complete coincidence of external dimensions) and which has already become a familiar design make the Palm m130 is very attractive acquisition. We can say that this is a good response to competitors. At least so it seems at first, and something to hide, friendly look ...
Computer for the boss
The second new product from Palm - PDA older series m515. Externally, it is not unlike his predecessor m505, but the changes still are. Firstly, it is as we have said, double the amount of memory - up to 16 megabytes. Secondly, an enhanced reflective screen with high brightness (resolution remains the same - 160x160 pixels).
Card slot for SD / MMC, housing design and the cradle is the same as in the m505. The infrared port is present in m130, and m505. Mode of vibration and light alert (silent vibrating alert and flashing LED during operation of a pre-signal) to the Palm m515 is saved, and m130, as in previous models, is absent. A major improvement of the two models - the new version of the operating system Palm OS 4.1.
More programs, more amenities
With the new operating system, future users of Palm handhelds will have a familiar set of programs for their digital assistant. The composition of the base software includes scheduler Date Book, Address Book, Address Book, a program of Business Planning To Do List, editor Memo Pad, a text editor with ability to save handwritten annotations Note Pad (new version 1.7), e-mail program Mail, Clock Clock, Calculator Calculator , the program is synchronizing with a desktop HotSync, the program works with removable memory cards Card Info program and personal data protection Security. That is a complete set for use with Pocket PC as a personal organizer. Remained unchanged and the system of entering text, which includes handwritten - Graffiti (around which recently not abating scandals). Practically remains and appearance basic applications and programming buttons. Improvements to the operating system deal with memory cards (lifted restrictions on its scope - in previous versions of the problem was solved by installing a special patch) and control backlit screen (the computer stores the set the brightness and the next time you turn it on restores this value). Improved text editor, Note Pad, you can now customize the background color and line. Changes have affected, and synchronize data between a PDA and the task scheduler (it would seem - which would be better, but the list of compatible programs expanded). To synchronize with your desktop computer has been used for well-known program Palm Desktop 4.0.1, optimized for the new operating system Windows XP. Additional program features include a custom look - the technology of "desktop themes, as in most Windows. It is worth noting for the traditional program-synchronizers of Palm stability. Probably on part of a sustainable communication handheld machines with desktop Palm remains the champion. Good news for computer users Macintosh - new PDA communicate with Macs through a synchronization program Palm Desktop 2.6.3. And bad news for them is - Palm still is not compatible with Mac OS X, although the situation is about to change (such as, in any case, the promises of the manufacturer). Still a lot of extra programs, along with new computers supplied in the CD-ROM. In particular, the disk can be found Link to Microsoft Outlook - a program to synchronize data from Microsoft Outlook (this is easy to guess from the title) with Palm'om. DataViz Documents To Go 4.0 - an application that provides user Palm opportunities that were previously available only to owners of Pocket PC. Now with the help of programs from a pocket on a typewriter, you can view and (Warning) to edit MS Word documents and Excel, while preserving the basic font and table formatting. When you synchronize with your desktop computer formatting will be automatically restored. The same program allows you to view presentations MS Power Point, but without editing capabilities.
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These properties of multimedia computer program gives Palm MGI PhotoSuite ® Mobile Edition 2.23 with the addition of PhotoView.This package is a versatile viewer graphic and video formats including JPG. TIF. GIF. PNG. BMP. MOV. AVI. WMV - so not just because, as with the option to edit! (Ah, Palm `y would still sound like the computers Sony CLIE - but give it time). Very interesting possibilities provided "makeweight» PhotoView. This is an image viewer in JPEG, which works directly with cards MMC: You can rearrange the memory card directly from the camera into the slot PDAs and view only that captured footage. The main thing that the camera was working just with the cards MultiMediaCard. The next program on the CD that came with the new machines, designed for reading electronic books - Palm Reader. Here, a few books in English, German and Italian (for those who know one another, or even third). In addition to alternative calculator powerOne personal calculator, the disk has a great selection of programs to work with the Internet. Palm HotSync Mail for offline browsing and mail synchronization with popular email programs; AvantGo 4.0 Mobile Internet Service - to view optimized for Palm channels with 16-bit color; MultiMail SE - full POP3/IMAP4 mail client, but without the support of investments; Palm Mobile Connectivity software - a package for use with cellular phones, including the preparation and sending of SMS messages and browse WAP-pages ...
The new Palm computers in Russia
At this time we do not have to wait long to see the new cars "alive", but if you like, then buy one of them for personal use. MacCentre Company has already started shipping new models to the Russian market, where, completely Russified and framed with a full set of peripherals and accessories. Range is great, but special attention should be paid to the memory expansion cards MultiMediaCard from Pretec, having hardly any better value for money and designed specifically for use with handheld Palm m125/130 and m500/505/515. Spectacular views and, simultaneously, practicality have suede covers Xigma. In such a case the new machine will look even more spectacular.
A few words after
What awaits PDAs Palm, reversed, whether they are in competition - decided today. Two new models released in response to active actions of competitors - including the issue of affordable color PDA from Casio. But with certainty we can say - PDA Palm in 2002 will be in color. The only question is - how much affordable. In the meantime, the developer produces just two main lines of models. Younger (low-end) consists of low-cost handheld m105, m125, and now has a new color m130, senior - a series of m5xx - represent a model of monochrome Palm m500, m505 with a color screen and the latest m515. If desired, you can choose ...
And a little more about the accessories
New items novelties, and for owners of Palm computers life goes on. Your car must be maintained at the technological frontier level. And here are the latest design proposals that will help ease the serious and improve the performance of your PDA and save your time and energy.
- USB cable with charging function Battery for Palm Handheld m500/505 USB-PA500-01. Wonderful thing, we must take, and cradle to exile in the pantry
- COM serial cable for Palm Handheld m500/505/125 COM-PA500-01
- Car Adapter for the Palm Handheld m500/505 AUT-PA500-01
- Cable GPS-Receiver Garmin eTrex / eMap for Palm Handheld m500/505/125 GPS-IP360-02
- Cable GPS-Receiver Garmin 12/12XL/II/III for Palm Handheld m500/505/125 GPS-IP360-01
- Universal power supply for the Palm Handheld m500/505 ADA-PA500-01
- Cable Connector for Palm Handheld m500/505/125 CNN-PA500-01
- Much, much more, no less elegant and sweet ...
All of this for sale yet no information is secret, we can say spy. When will be? Soon, very soon - literally, these days) looked before. The authors, translation:
Nicholas Nadezhdin
