PalmOne m100 Handheld
See it at Amazon.com for $109.99Average Customer Rating
(4.0 out of 5)
Amazon Customer Reviews
Most Helpful First | Newest First
(5 out of 5)Palm M100- Super Buy! Highly Recommended
I Recently bought the M100 after comparing the IIIE, IIIXE and Handspring Visor Models. What made me buy the Palm M100. Three reasons. 1. Palm's reputation of quality, and the look. I'm sorry but it's cool. Sure the screen is a bit smaller, but I'm not writing War and Peace on this thing! 2. The fact that I only wanted to replace my organizer and have room for a couple of games. Actually I have over 15 games on this along with a good chunk of info and still have over 75% of memory. Sure 8 mb is nice to have, but it's also another $100 bucks. I can't see myself spending more money on additional game-boy like cartridges. Sure for developers and heavy power users the visor is probably the way to go, but I didn't like the fact I had to pay $179 for a visor and another 30 bucks to serial link it with my older computer. That's $209 plus tax to start versus $149 for the Palm. Moreover, the Visor 8mb would have been over $279 dollars vs. $149 just to start out. FORGET IT. Like I said remeber what you are buying it for.!! 3. The way the standards are evolving and the way new devices are coming out, the next best thing is always around the corner, so again remind yourself what you are buying this for. The way I figure if something too cool comes out, (say after 6 months or so,when the flash module palms, new visors or the next best pocket pc version comes out, I'll just give the m100 to my daughter.
(4 out of 5)more of the same
All things considered, the M100 is remarkably similar to the Palm IIIe and also to the Handspring Visor. They all run the Palm OS, have 2MB of RAM, and are powered by AAA batteries. They also all sell for $149. But the monochrome screen on the M100 is just 2 inches square--almost a half inch smaller than the Palm IIIe's screen. It's still large enough to be useful, but it feels cramped.
The M100 does have two handy additions to the Palm formula: the first is an integrated clock, and the other is a piece of software designed to replace Memo Pad. This feature, called Note Pad, allows you to draw and take notes directly on the screen rather than using Graffiti to enter text. I found it very handy for jotting down a phone number, which you can later transcribe with Graffiti. Don't think you must get an M100 to do this, though; third-party software, such as BugMe can do essentially the same thing on any Palm OS device.
By far the most appealing change is the small, light, new body. Although at 4.4 ounces it weighs little more than the Palm V, the M100 is much thicker than that model. When you tire of basic black, just snap off the faceplate and replace it with another color.
A new, double-hinged screen cover has a little window through which you can see a portion of the screen and a hole that allows you to access the scroll button. If you press this button when the M100 is turned off, the clock will be displayed through the window of the cover. When an appointment alarm sounds, you can read it right through the window as well. The cover can be folded behind the device, an improvement over the III series, but it tends to flap around a bit.
I like the price since, for $150, a Palm OS device with 2MB of RAM is plenty of computer. However, I recommend a Palm IIIe or, if you're fond of colors, the Handspring Visor because they offer slightly larger screens for the same price. The M100 is cute and the software tweaks are nice but its not really all that great compared to the IIIe.
(3 out of 5)Why the prices keep dropping...
In other reviews, I have slammed this product, the m105 and the m125 for what I consider to be their fatal flaw -- a SMALL SCREEN. I returned my m105 (a gift) after a week of squinting.
The dropping prices suggest that the marketplace has spoken loud and clear, and I hope that PALM soon remedies its problems at the low-end of the market with a full-sized screen in a basic unit for under two hundred smackers.
I can't emphasize that enough. With a monochrome screen to begin with, and the built-in difficulty of pointing and clicking on a Palm device, size matters.
However, I have to admit that at these fire-sale prices, the m100 is becoming a steal for folks who have missed out on the PDA revolution because of the cost.
Make no mistake, with a little patience, this is a device that will change your life. After a transition period, you will be able to toss away your Rolodexes (I used to have three) and your paper calendars.
I'd recommend buying a Handspring Visor Deluxe or the new Visor Neo for folks who want a full-sized screen, although they now cost a bit more. They also have an expansion slot for adding everything from memory to a cell phone to GPS. You will also need 8MB (the m100 model only comes with 2MB) if you want to run some of the cooler downloadable programs for your Palm. Three free programs that I use all the time include Mapopolis (free maps from mapopolis.com, streets are searchable), Vindigo (a restaurant and city guide with movie reviews and showtimes at vindigo.com), and Avantgo (a news service where you can get the likes of The New York Times, the Weather Channel and CNN on your Palm).
If you want to stay with Palm, but can spend a bit more, consider the Palm V. Although lacking in expansion slots, it comes in a
super-slim package with a rechargeable lithium battery and a full-size screen. I also have a friend who is very happy with his snazzy, expandable new m505, but in that price range I think a PocketPC might make more sense. Here's a basic product guide:
Palm m100/Handspring Visor -- Bargain basement models with 2 MB of Ram. Good starter models for the price.
Distinguishing characteristics: Visor has significantly larger screen/expansion slot and fast USB cradle. Palm has slower serial.
Palm m105/Visor Deluxe -- Workhorse models with 8 MB of Ram (plenty for monochrome models). Visor has bigger screen/USB/expansion slot.
Palm m125/Visor Platinum -- Upper middle class models. Visor Platinum has larger screen. Both have USB/expansion slot.
Palm V -- Classic, not significantly expandable. Smallest full-function PDA with lithium rechargeable battery.
Visor Prism -- Cheapest and brightest Palm-branded OS, but bulky for its pricetag.
Visor Edge/Palm 500/505/Visor Pro...
Good luck!
(5 out of 5)Sweet price point for a basic organizer
I am a computer programmer. Yet I hate to deal with complicated interfaces. I want to press as few buttons as possible to get the job done. This Palm, or any other Palm allows you to do what you want without fuss. With a Palm organizer, you spend far more time using the device than in the care and feeding of the device.
Where this one does well is that it is a perfect entry-level organizer for people who have been put off by the high price of, say, a Palm Vx. It is simple. It is clean. My mom could use it.
Most people need a basic organizer, with maybe, one extra application. For them, this Palm shines. 2MB is a whole lot of memory unless you want to jam half-a-dozen AvantGo channels into it.
That said, the flip cover looks really cheap and does not snap to the bottom of the device. It does not add much protective value to the device. The plastic casing seems sturdy. Mine has already withstood a 7 foot drop onto carpeting with not a scratch. The screen though smaller is sharp (when compared to my older PalmPilot, and easy on the eyes). The clock is a nice additional touch.
If you've been waiting to ditch your paper organizer, this is the time.
(1 out of 5)Nice Idea for Those on a Budget, but Cheaply Made
The m100 is a pretty good idea and is great for people who don't want to buy one of the more expensive palms. But when it all comes down to it, it is just a cheaply made palm IIIe with a few new features. The alarm feature is really useful to alert you of something due on your schedule. The notepad feature isn't all that great though. The screen is smaller than the usual palm and really isn't comfortable when trying to jot something down. The cover that comes with the m100 is different than used before. You can rotate it all the way to the to the back of the palm which is really nice. The only problem with this cover is I wish there was a way to secure it. The cover very easily flops around if not held down by your own hand, and is a very tempting part of this device to leave home. As mentioned before the screen isn't very big, and this is noticeable if you've used an earlier model palm. The feel of the m100, when using it, does not feel as though you have a quality product as well. I would have to say by far the most annoying thing I have come across with this particular palm is the power on/off switch, and is what really affirms it was made cheaply. It is very sensitive and sometimes does not even work. After reading other reviews about this device, it seems as though I'm not the only one to encounter this either. This was very disappointing. Another disappointment it, if you want a cradle for this device you have to shell out [more money]... I actually believe this device isn't worth the [money] they charge. I have also read an article that states that the price of this device will be [lowered] in the coming months. If you really want to buy this device I would wait untill then. You would be almost getting your moneys worth.