Palm TX Handheld
by Palm
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Palm TX Handheld
Customer Review: Almost perfect PDA for the average user
Summary: 4 Stars
Are you interested in having a smaller day planner? Do you want to listen to music or watch movies on the go? Do you want to do all this and more at a modest price? Do you hesitate to buy another Microsoft branded device? Then the Palm TX may be what you're looking for.
I want to talk about the general usefulness for the average user. The official Palm TX specs can be found on Palm's website.
I had read a lot of opinions about laptop replacements. It seems kind of odd that desktop replacements (laptops or notebooks) are themselves being replaced by smaller and smaller devices. The TX has decent speed but has a lot more internal memory than most of the other similarly priced PDA's, which makes it less of a necessity to have an expansion card, although you'll need one if you want to watch movies or listen to podcasts or music.
Now to get into some specifics:
PIM--The TX is shipped with Calendar, embedded in Palm Desktop (PD). For your average user, Calendar is quite adequate. I'm not a real mover/shaker when it comes to social networking so I need Calendar to just keep my appointments and have the enough options to categorize the entry. The desktop program has a few more options than the TX program, but you are able to get what you need to be entered either way--desktop or PDA entry.
Email--The TX uses Versamail out of the box. I find that Versamail has minimal but adequate features to use email on the go at wireless locations. You can set up accounts, check email, send or receive attachments, among other things. I had a little trouble at one point with the account settings. I entered my SMTP/POP settings into the TX and could receive email, but I couldn't send email. I found the user/account settings on the desktop portion of the program, and like Calendar, it seemed to have a few more options to tweak settings and such. Somehow, the entry into the Palm with the SMTP setting had garbled, even after several reentries. I was able to fix it on the desktop, Hotsync and then sending email worked like a charm. I will say I don't use Versamail all that much. I don't spend a lot of time near a hotspot unless it's at home. Then it's easier to use my regular computer email client.
Internet--This is another function that I don't use much, but just on occasion if we are eating at Panera or IHOP. The program that the Palm TX uses inherently is Blazer. I find it barely adequate, but when you think about it, browsers are large programs on regular computers. In order to have the wealth of functionality that a regular browser has, then it would likely be too large for a PDA to use effectively. Blazer has all the rudimentary features of a browser (bookmarks, direct address entry, back/forward, home, etc.). Blazer is pretty decent at rendering the simpler webpages. I browse a few forums quite a bit and Blazer does only a fair job at rendering forums. It is fairly fast and will connect easily with public wifi hotspots. There aren't many options for Palm browsers out there. Opera has one, but it requires you to install Java (which was a little fickle for me) and the Opera/Palm browser was also a bit fickle.
Screen--The screen on the TX is really good! Its resolution is 320x480 (or the other way around if you are in landscape mode...which is what I keep it at.) The colors are great and you can adjust the brightness. I don't have anything bad to say about the screen.
Contacts--Palm's address book is another item that it's probably best and easiest to enter the data on your regular computer. Again, as an average user, Contacts is quite adequate for my needs. It stores the information I need.
Hotsync--With a program like Hotsync, you basically just want it to do its job. It does it quite well....although there are a few hitches that I ran into while setting it up. First, the initial sync has to be done via the cable that is supplied. Once set up, you can store the cable in a drawer, maybe to never use again. From then on, you can sync wirelessly (which only applies if you have an access point, otherwise, keep the cable out). Hotsync over wifi is fast and quite satisfactory. The other big issue I have with the Hotsync program in particular has to do with legacy settings. Hotsync uses what is called conduits to match Palm Desktop (the repository for Calendar, Contacts, Quick Install, and other utilities). The user can control the conduit behavior by right clicking on the Windows taskbar icon for Hotsync and clicking Custom and also on the TX by tapping the menu in Hotsync and tapping Conduit Setup. Both have to be done to assure proper conduit function. The TX includes legacy conduits for older Palm programs. These might go by names such at Address Book, Date Book or Memo Pad, which all have newer versions (names). If both conduits of a type (i.e. Address Book and Contacts) are selected and then a Hotsync is performed, the device can lock up. It takes quite a bit of paring down if you've installed very many programs on the Palm, but once trimmed, Hotsync is fast and simple. There are some file functions that I won't use with Hotsync, like transferring large files. It takes too long and the signal can often be lost during sync. For this purpose, I use a card reader to transfer larger files (mp3's, pictures or movies) to my TX.
Wifi--We live in a wireless world and the TX has a good wifi setup. Once setup, it connects quickly and does its job. I haven't had any problems with it.
Bluetooth--I had wondered why Palm would include Bluetooth capability when the TX already had a very good wireless setup. Then, a few months later, I upgraded my wireless phone to a phone that was Bluetooth-enabled. This allowed me to transfer files and such. I know there are more uses for a Bluetooth PDA, but I don't use them.
Multimedia--This is, honestly, what I spend most of my time doing with my PDA. Since my car stereo isn't Ipod ready, I plug in my earbuds with my TX playing podcasts. pTunes comes with the TX and is has all the features I need...track/play/pause/stop. It has shuffle and a volume control.
Another thing that makes the TX attractive is being able to watch movies. It takes a bit of preparation, but IMO, it's worth it. First you have to rip and then encode a movie, which in itself may or may not be legal, depending on what you read and where you live, and I won't go into how to do it. I use a movie player program called TCPMP. After researching how to do all this, this program seemed to be the easiest to use. If you have good headphones, it'll give great stereo sound. For watching movies, you'll definitely need an expansion card.
You can also store pictures and videos on the internal memory or expansion card. The program called Media stores and organizes your pictures and videos.
Ebooks--I love to read. I love the feel of a hardback book in my hands. I love being able to carry a paperback around fairly inconspicuously, but sometimes you just can't take an actual book with you. At work, when we have downtime, I turn my TX on and continue where I left off reading my current ebook. There are plenty of programs out there for reading ebooks on a Palm. Mobipocket is one that I use frequently. The TX can natively read Word (and Excel) and text documents using Documents to Go. Both programs can be set to scroll a page at a time with the navigating button. Most all ebook formats can be read on the TX except the Microsoft Reader's lit format.
Buttons, connectors and such--The Palm TX comes with a weighted stylus that feels good in the hands. The power button can be difficult to push if you aren't paying attention to it, but it's not that bad. The headphone jack is conveniently placed on the top of the device. The function buttons are well-placed and can be reprogrammed to your own needs, although they do have images on the buttons to suggest what they are preset to. The power jack is on the bottom of the device and must be securely inserted. It can slide out if the power cable is laying at an angle to how the device is laying. I don't own a cradle. The simple flap cover that comes with the TX is adequate for me, although I have been considering an aftermarket case. The flap cover seems to have a weak point at the fold. Mine, after 4 months, has a crease that isn't really close to breaking, but probably will, eventually. The flap cover keeps the device relatively slim. The reset button is located on the back of the device. If you buy an aftermarket case, make sure you can get to all the buttons, jacks and plugs.
Battery--I'm quite impressed with the battery on the TX. Although you can't change it out, it is an internal rechargeable that has good life. After "training" the battery properly after I bought it, I've had it last for nearly 3 hours constant use with the wifi being on most of that time. I've watched movies on it...in fact, movie watching only uses about a third of the juice from a full battery. That's without Bluetooth or wifi being on. With pTunes running while I'm driving, I can commute 4 hours in a day, read a little on my breaks at work and have plenty of battery left at the end of the day. I'm quite satisfied with it.
Overall, the Palm TX is a robust mid-priced Palm PDA that has lots of boxed features and programs and the ability to install other programs and games that you buy or download. It is fast, has good connectivity options, plenty of internal memory and has a good battery. It will accept SD or miniSD expansion cards up to at least 4 GB...maybe more. It has a vibrant screen that makes viewing pleasurable. I would highly recommend the TX to home/home office users that want to ditch their paper day planner, or have a good option for personal multimedia.
Customer Review: Palm TX for the college student
Summary: 5 Stars
When 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.
Customer Review: More gadget than serious business tool
Summary: 3 Stars
I bought the Palm TX to upgrade from a Palm m515 that I had for three or four years. I upgraded because I'm opening a solo law firm, and I wanted the capability to send/receive email, and occasionally access the web. The larger screen of the TX also looked like a plus, but as I'll describe later, the screen isn't larger when in actual use.
I rely heavily on internet reviews now before making purchases. In that spirit, I wanted to pass along my experiences to other people who may be considering the Palm TX. You're going to see that I repeatedly compare the m515 to the TX because I found the m515 to be a very stable and reliable PDA. I've now been working with the TX for the past few days and I've really tried to be fair in understanding that it will take a while to get used to the TX.
Pro: The screen is backlit and beautiful. Although my m515 was also backlit, there are more colors available on the TX, and the screen can also be flipped to let you look at things with a landscape portrait. Pictures look better than ever.
Con: The screen is so crowded with buttons and menus, you actually have less viewing area than on previous Palm PDAs. Palm has also put a virtual writing area on the TX screen (as opposed to the permanent grey writing area on previous models). The people at Palm thought this was clever, but it's very annoying. You find yourself having to constantly open and close the virtual writing surface: Opening it to write, closing it to view things, then opening it again and clicking on a different button to access the little keyboard, etc. It's tedious. The keyboard also has buttons in odd places (every time I try to press the "shift" button, I accidentally hit the button to access the international keyboard). Palm has also made their graffiti language much more difficult to write. On older PDA's, you wrote in the number column or the alphabet column. Now, you still have to use the separate columns, but you have to write capital letters in an area overlapping the two. If you miss the totally unmarked area, who knows what character will come up. Palm also thought it was cute to get rid of the idea of a "Caps Lock" button on the keyboard. So if you want to quickly type something in all caps, you have to use a whole different keyboard. It gets very old, very fast, and it makes you wonder if tech companies are still using focus groups to test products. The new interface was designed by a sadist-- a slow and unproductive sadist with carpel tunnel syndrome.
Pro: As with previous models, Palm gives you some decent software on an install disk.
Con: It took me longer to setup and install the Palm software than it took to completely setup my new Dell laptop received the same day. The Palm software has become a little clunky and sketchy. It used to be the most reliable software on my PC, but now I question it. As of today, Palm doesn't even technically offer software for the TX that is compatible with WinXP. I had to go to the Palm website and "pretend" I was using Win98 in order to download a version of Palm Desktop. Why would a company sell a product incompatible with the software running on most personal and business PCs!?
Pro: The TX allows you to check email and access the internet. The email and internet access really does work as advertised and are pretty amazing. It's like something out of future. Unlike the main Palm Desktop software, the setup of email and Wi-Fi was painless and very quick. I was surprised.
Con: Internet access is much, much slower than using Wi-Fi on a PC/laptop, and the tiny screen of the TX makes navigating most webpages an effort in futility. That being said, there are some websites with dedicated PDA/smartphone versions, and they work well. I have already used my TX to look for directions, the Yellow Pages, and the latest news. However, in all seriousness, it would be faster for you to call the "movie line" to get showtimes for a movie, or to call a specific business and get directions, than to try and look them up on the TX using the internet.
Pro: The TX has a compact and streamlined USB HotSync cable, and a separate power cable.
Con: Syncing the TX is much, much slower than Syncing my m515. Although I am really only using my TX for the most basic functioning at this point (tasks, contacts, and calendaring), it still takes three times as long to Sync my TX as it did to Sync my m515. This should not be the case.
Pro: The TX came with a free screen protector.
Con: Palm needs to figure out a better system for installing screen protectors, or design replaceable screens. If you don't get the screen protector on just perfectly, you'll have fingerprints and/or bubbles under the plastic layer, and you'll be unable to view or access parts of the screen. It's a miserable experience that mimics putting a condom over your cell phone, and then trying to dial using buttons you can't see.
Pro: The TX has a central "navigation" button.
Con: The navigation button is almost totally useless. In almost every Palm application, you need the stylus at some point. Having the navigation button doesn't speed anything up. I would prefer that they have used the space for an additional button to allow quick access to the tasks/to do lists.
Pro: The TX allows you to listen to music and view videos.
Con: There is no voice recorder so there is no way to record a short memo while driving, or record a meeting. Palm deliberately left this out as a marketing tool to force people into the more expensive LifeDrive. Also, with respect to the MP3/video player, I bought this as a business device and I'm not going to sit like some idiot and listen to/watch rap or techno all day. Even if I did so choose, I would buy the Apple iPod Shuffle because I would want the simplicity of the Apple user interface. What are you going to do: Put the TX in the sweaty pocket of your running shorts and then stop every block to pull it out and wade through endless menus and toolbars with the stylus to select new songs? Good luck.
In a nutshell, I would recommend the TX only because it's a decent PDA with email and internet access for under $300. The internet and email functions really do work as advertised, but the classic Palm PDA is nearly dead. The interface is cluttered and confusing and I'm not just throwing that out there as if I'm some 80-year-old technophobe curmudgeon. I like useful technology to the extent it makes me more productive. But I sincerely miss the absolute simplicity, reliability and sheer effectiveness of previous Palm PDAs. I remember having the m100 and even today it would do 90% of what I need a PDA to do. If you are on a budget, or can live without Wi-Fi and email, I would highly recommend you select an older Palm PDA.
Customer Review: Good PDA but many lingering problems
Summary: 3 Stars
I bought this PDA a year ago after I lost my Sony Clie. I have been using a palm device since I first bought the Pilot Pro in 1996. Main motivation for purchasing a PDA is to keep track of your contacts, calendar, memos and todo lists. I like the pilot pro for this reason. It has a very simple interface with sync ability to keep all of my logistical information at hand without having to carry around a big book with me. I also don't have to copy information every year when I buy a new organizer. These are the main reason why I bought the previous Palm devices and the TX. Of course, the other major reasons for buying the TX is the multimedia capability and the wifi/bluetooth connectivity. However, there are some cons to the device that would keep me from buying the Tx if I was to make the same decision today.
The Pros
o All of the basic features are still there with some improvements. The calender can now be color coded by category. It also has the new view that shows the events and the task list for the day that gives you a quick view of today. I find myself slowly using the categorization in this way to filter different events.
o Migration from the previous version was simple. Just install the new version of palm desktop and it incorporated the data that was already on my computer. Yea, it goes all the way back to 1996.
o The new multi-media features. It is easy to add photos, music and video on the device through the new palm desktop. I also bought a new 1GB SD card and that allows me to carry around the most important pictures around with me to show my friends. It was quite useful to show the highlights from my wedding, honeymoon and other travels. I don't use the audio player that much because I have a separate mp3 player for that purpose. But I did use the TX when I ran out of battery and the sound quality was good enough.
o The wifi feature is a life saver. I use it all the time when I need to check email quickly. Most public libraries in the US now have free wifi and some cafe as well. This makes it easy to check your email or browse the web. I've use the TX in the past year countless times to check my email on the go by connecting to free wifi around England and the US. You can also log on to Tmobile's hotspot at starbucks around the US and England for emergencies. Tmobile customers can also subscribe to monthly service, which is reasonable if you are working. 10 pounds extra a month and you can get the service also on the Brighton-London train. Another nice thing about the wifi feature is that you can also download mp3s over the web. I like to download mp3s from the NPR website and I did that over the wifi directly into the TX.
o Document to go and the pdf reader is also handy at times to write some notes or read simple pdf. You definitely do not want to be working on your thesis or book on the TX. The formating problems itself will just drive you up the wall.
o Sync and recharge using USB. To my pleasant surprise, the TX sync and recharges though the USB cable. You do not need the separate charger. Since I am on the computer frequently, I rarely need to use the separate charger. I only use the sync cable for that purpose. However, the sync button on the cable need to be redesigned. I accidentally press the sync button when I am plug the cable into the TX all the time.
The Cons
o It does not support vista. I recently got a new computer and of course because of the monopoly, it came with vista. No on asked me if I wanted to upgrade. And of course, the palm desktop is only in beta (downloadable on the support website). It only has minimal features and does not support multimedia sync. There is also a bug where some data seems to just disappear. I've had events just disappear and the categories for the address book. Luckily, the events and the categories came back when I synced with the TX. So I am now using the TX as the backup to the desktop, which is opposite of what I want.
o The graffiti is just not useful. I figured out this past year that it is much faster and accurate to just use the virtual keyboard than graffiti. Mainly, the action for you to tap a key is much shorter and accurate than trying to draw a figure on the graffiti area. so, I don't use the graffiti anymore. beside, the graffiti 2 is just different enough to confuse and frustrate me. I also recommend buying the foldable keyboard for the palm. it is not much bigger than the TX but it increase my typing speed by at least a factor of 5. Definitely worth the $60 since I use it so often, especially when I am traveling.
o Not so compatible with older applications. I have found that some of the applications that I used to use do not work on the TX or there are some bugs when using them on the TX.
o Scanning for wifi network and the default browser is slow. Scanning for wifi network takes at least 20 seconds to accomplish. When compared to the ipod touch or the iphone's immediate response, that is forever. The default web browser is also very slow. it takes some time for it to render the webpages. Also, it sometimes hangs and you have to reset the TX. Again, compared to the browser on the iphone, it is antiquated. The webpages are drawn to fit the screen, which does an okay job or defaults to special webpages designed for mobile devices. However, the iphone's way of zooming in and out is a much better solution to navigating through webpages on a mobile device.
o Sync over bluetooth or wifi does not seem to work. I have tried several times to try to get the sync over wifi or bluetooth to work never succeeded. I went on the suppport website and followed the directions but it didn't seem to work. The laptop has a built in wifi and bought a bluetooth usb dongle. I couldn't sync over neither.
o It crashes or hangs much more often than the previous palms devices that I owned.
Summary
If your main requirement is to keep track of your appointments, contacts, memos and todo lists with some multimedia capability and wifi connectivity then get the TX. However, do not expect it to be a good mp3 player, video player, or internet terminal. The ipod touch does a better job, with the downside of not having an SD expansion slot and costing a little more. I am not so sure if Palm can ever get back on top with it's software quality going down and the hardware lagging behind. If the apple ipod touch came with bluetooth and provided as good of PIM software then that would kill palm.
Customer Review: Does the job, and does it well
Summary: 4 Stars
Only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because a 5 star review would imply it's perfect. Very few things are perfect, but this is darn close as long as you're a fan of the Palm OS.
I ordered a Palm TX to replace the aging Sony Clie Palm PDA I bought used an eternity ago. The Clie is still running which is an amazing testament to it's batteries (it has to be what, 6 years old?) but the battery only lasts a few days now instead of a week or more, and I figured I needed something with more memory and a brighter and easier to read screen.
I wanted to stay with the Palm OS. I love the Palm Desktop. People grumble that it's dated looking, but it's an excellent and efficient design that gets the job done. Plus all my data is already in the Palm Desktop so the migration to this new device was wonderfully painless.
ANYWAY ordered the Palm TX from Amazon for $[...] on 12/21/08 (it sells for $[...] most everywhere else and $[...] at ). Ordered it with 2 day shipping along with a bunch of other stuff I needed for Xmas and it got here frighteningly fast considering it's so close to Christmas. Kudos to Amazon: I ordered 3pm on 12/21 and it arrived on 12/23!!!
ANYWAY I just love the screen on the Palm TX. It's so much brighter and larger than my old Sony Clie. I did not install any software since I already had the existing Palm Desktop 4.1.4 on my PC that was being used with the old Sony Clie. First time I synced the new Palm TX the old Palm Desktop just asked me if I wanted to sync to the new device, and it synced without any problems. Absolutely painless migration.
I am running Windows XP-64 bit edition which does not support USB syncing for the Palm (this is also true for Vista 64) but I already knew that ahead of time. I used to have to sync my old Sony Clie with a serial cable to get around that, but with the new Palm TX I instead decided to use Bluetooth for sync although I could also have used Wifi (Bluetooth sync seems to be faster and easier though). I ordered an IOGear GBU321 USB Bluetooth adapter from Amazon along with the Palm TX. I had done some research prior to ordering and the GBU321 does work with XP and Vista 64-bit (many Bluetooth adapters don't) HOWEVER you need to use the generic Microsoft drivers (allow the Windows Device Installer Wizard to search for them from the Internet - DO NOT use the drivers that come with the GBU321). The MS generic drivers work fine, and you can use the Windows built-in Bluetooth manager (in the Windows Control Panel and it can be put on the taskbar) to manage your BT devices. I never needed to look at the Palm TX manual - the device itself walks you through a wizard for setting up your sync connection and it was intuitive enough that I setup the Bluetooth connection in about 10 minutes without much of a hassle. You have to setup your Bluetooth connection in Windows as a virtual COM port, but this is very simple and done through the Bluetooth Manager in Windows. Bluetooth syncs are fast - nearly as fast as using a USB cable.
As for the PDA, it's a wonderful step up from the Sony Clie. The newest version of Grafitti (the letter recognition language) is much better than it used to be. It was almost worthless on my Clie. I still enter text faster just using the tap keyboard, but with the newer Grafitti I am finding myself entering it that way more often. Calendar and Contacts works the same as it always has on a Palm device, just more legible on this much brighter and bigger screen. I use large fonts since I can't easily see default small fonts without my reading glasses and they aren't always handy.
This is my first PDA with Wifi. It's not something I need, but it is handy. It easily connected to my home Wifi using WPA encryption. I setup the email client to access one of my spare Gmail accounts so I can send and receive email if I need to (I see more of a need to send emails than receive). It was easy to setup - the Palm TX already has presets for Gmail and other popular email services so all I needed to do was give it my email address and password - it already knew the POP3 & SMTP server settings for GMail. Mail downloads and sends are fast.
As for web browsing, I really haven't used it much yet except for news and maps. The browser is nothing like an iPhone so like most mobile devices the browser is fairly limited, but if you stick to mobile websites it works fine. The default Palm Portal homepage is nearly useless though. The homepage you WANT to use (trust me) is Google's mobile home page: [...]. Google really has it together. For instance I tried using Mapquest on Palm's Portal but it was worthless. So I went to Google mobile, clicked on Google Maps, it detected I had a Palm PDA and had me download a Google Maps application and BAM! I have access to a Google maps interface that's nearly as good as using it on a regular browser, including satellite image views and traffic information (if available for your area). Maps load fast. A nice feature is that Google maps can pull an address directly from your Contacts list.
I've also used Google News and NPR News on the device and both work very well. The PDA itself feels very snappy. It doesn't lag like some underpowered PDAs and PDA phones I've tried. Even running Google maps in satellite view - which you have to assume is taxing it's little processor pretty heavily - it's very snappy.
There's other features on the phone, but I haven't used them yet. My major need is Contacts, Appointment Calendar and writing notes. Frankly I have no need for music & video (I have a Zune for that).
Not much comes with the PDA: a USB cable (which I wouldn't recommend you use except in an emergency - it's hard to disconnect and feels like you'll break it when you do as you have to twist and yank it), a wall charger, a clear screen protector, and that's it. I ordered spare styluses and a docking cradle (just for charging - I'm used to using a cradle with my old PDA) from Amazon at the same time so the AC charger that came with it will go in my laptop bag for travel (unlike my old PDA you can't charge the Palm TX from the USB cable which is one of the very few disappointments).
The Palm TX itself is built well enough. It's plastic as opposed to my old metal Sony Clie but then again it's also lighter than my Sony Clie.
Pros: bright display, fast response, does the job
Cons: can't charge via the USB cable, USB cable is not easy to disconnect, dated looking Palm OS GUI if that bothers you (it doesn't bother me)