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 - Terminal HotSync problems!I have had hotsync issues with this Palm device since day one. after wasting way too much time, I have never been able to fix these issues. And yes, as everyone reports, Palm customer service is essentially non-existent. Rating:  - Excellent PDAI purchased this PDA to use for all of the things a teacher has to account for. There is a wealth of educators' software that works very well with this PDA and this PDA works very well with the Macintosh. While cell phones may be able to do more, they tend to be more of distraction than a help for my purposes. The Palm OS is great compared to the alternatives so, all in all, I would have to rate the Palm TX as a first rate piece of equipment. Rating: - Palm TX for the college studentWhen I was graduating and moving on to university my parents decided they'd get me a gift for graduating with honours. I decided that I wanted some sort of handheld device to keep me organized. After reading tons of reviews on this very website, reading product specs and even visiting office max a few times to talk to the sales clerks, I decided on the Palm TX. I always wondered how a product could have a five star rating from one person, who thinks it's the sexiest thing since sliced bread, but a one star rating from someone else, who thinks the creator of the product should be put to death for crimes against humanity. It all comes down to what you're expecting from your Palm. The TX has the same (or similar) calendar, address book and to do list features as every other handheld I've seen. I use them all regularly. The reason I picked this one was the things that made it different from all the other handhelds. I was drawn to the WIFI, which was a major selling point for me. So was Documents To Go, as I am an avid reader and writer. Well, it was over a year ago that I finally got my TX. After about 16 months of use, I feel I'm armed with enough info to write a review now. When I bought this handheld, it was the only make and model that offered WIFI. I use the WIFI at home and at school most often (a few times at coffee shops or McD's). Though I don't use it often, I have found it indispensable. It's great for when you have to quickly read an email or check something online. It can be slow at times, and aesthetically and kinaesthetically it's an inferior way to browse the web as compared to a desktop or laptop, but anyone expecting otherwise from a handheld device like this is either exceedingly optimistic, or delusional. It works fine for checking figures, reading text and the like. The only time I use the BlueTooth is when synching my Palm to my computer, which is not very often. I prefer to plug it in to the wall to charge it. I know you can also go online using Bluetooth if you have a web-enabled phone, but I don't, so I've never used this feature. My computer has a Vista operating system, and the version of Docs To Go that came with my Palm has trouble synching with Vista. The easy way around that is to buy a memory card, and transfer docs manually. There's a new version of Docs To Go (I believe it works with Vista) but I'm a poor college student, and a memory card was cheaper. I found the to-go version of PowerPoint helpful for studying. Since many profs include PowerPoint in lecture, this made having the Palm nice (colour formatting and some images won't display in the PowerPoints, but the words all work). I also make slides myself and used the Palm as a kind of electronic flashcards for studying in the hall before a test. The only annoying bit is that you can't edit the to-go version of PowerPoint slides on the Palm itself, so you have to edit them on a computer and transfer them over. Still very worth it, and the Word and Excel files CAN both be edited on the Palm itself. I keep a few photos of my loved ones on there, mostly to bore people with pictures of my dog and my girlfriend. My girlfriend and I are also photographers, so I like to keep a few of my favourite shots on there too. The screen is good for displaying pictures, but it will crop certain edges out when the pic isn't the same size as the screen. The easy way around this is to crop them to the right size/resolution in some photo editing software before putting them on your Palm. I've heard people complaining about the other media aspects of it (video/mp3), but I doubt many people would actually buy this for that purpose. There are so many MP3 players out there that cost very little, why would you expect to use your Palm as an MP3 player? To turn it on or off you have to press and hold the power button for a few seconds, and the button is recessed a bit into the device, so this can be tricky if you're trying to hold the Palm and a coffee in your hand while doing it. The case I carry my Palm in is leather too, which just accentuates the recession, but I kind like the fact that it takes a bit of effort to turn it on. It's less likely to go on when jumbling around in my bag full of books, pens and whatnot. I'd rather take two seconds (it's about that, I just timed it) to turn it on, than reach in to use it, and find that it's gone on in there and drained the battery. It takes pressing the power button for four seconds to turn it off. The battery life is good and still going strong. I've found that using WIFI and BlueTooth drain the battery much quicker, so I turn them off when not using them, which you should do for security reasons anyway. When just playing games, reading/writing, or using any of the typical handheld features, I'm just having to plug it in overnight once every week or two. I'd estimate I average about 2-4 hours of use each day, but only about 10 minutes a week of that is using WiFi. There's also complaint about some third party software not working on the TX. I've only downloaded a couple of things to my TX (CheckBook, PacMan, BeJeweled, and Diet Assistant) and they all work fine. The Palm website offers most things in trial to download first before you buy them, so I just try things out before spending money on them. I've had no problem with freezes or crashes yet, so have nothing to say about that. Overall, the WIFI is why I chose this Palm. If you're not going to use WIFI, there are almost identical ones you can get, still have Bluetooth, and pay about $100 less for them. The WIFI is what makes this Palm stand out, but I expect that those using it for business/academic purposes are the ones that would be happy with it. It's not the greatest for the casual surfer. Someone who is expecting an overtly visual web browsing experience, video, MP3, games... in short someone who's looking for ENTERTAINMENT rather than organizational properties should perhaps look at an iPod touch. Someone like me who is looking for a handheld ORGANIZATIONal device for business or for school, and is willing to let his iPod do the entertaining, will be very happy with the TX. And someone who can invent a device that can both entertain and organize equally well could become very wealthy indeed. A few recs on accessories I've found crucial: 1. An SD card - to transfer files to the Palm if they won't work when synching 2. A Krusell Orbit Multidapt leather case - has slots for debit/credit cards, IDs, and two SD cards and has kept my Palm looking pristine, comes with a belt clip. 3. The CheckBook app from the Palm website - I don't even use my paper ledger any more, and since so many places no longer take checks, why carry a big check book? I just stick my CheckCard and drivers Licence in the case and use it as a wallet. It's too bulky for a guy to wear in his back pocket, but I'm a girl and either hold it in my hand like a clutch, stick it in my backpack, or put it in a purse when I carry one. Plus, there's always that belt clip. Rating: - Tech supportI called to on 9-15-08 9:45 est Tech support and i was routed to India. The rep gave me hard time to assist me with the palm tx. I purchased the Palm less than 30 days ago. The Palm was not turning on and the tech requested to fax her a copy of my receipt. I will not recommend to anyone to buy any Palm products as long as the tech support is routed outside the USA. Rating:  - Nice stuff for this moneyI bought this device for my wife for her medical references needs (using epocrates and other medical tools). Pro: fast, a lot of memory, big screen Cons: does not show charge process in progress when power is off
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