PalmOne m515 Color Handheld
by Palm

Our Price: $144.00
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $20.00 (click here)
Category: CE
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Digital Photo Product Details

• Palm organization and style at an affordable price
• Easy to learn and use--even if you've never used a handheld before
• Mini-USB connector allows easy transfer and backup to computer
• Keeps addresses, appointments, and important information safe and secure
• What's in the box: Palm m515 handheld, USB HotSync cradle with built-in battery charger, Getting started manual

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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of PalmOne m515 Color Handheld

Customer Review: Comarison with the Handspring Prism - 515 is a winner!
Summary: 5 Stars

The 515 kicks the Prism... on size. I don't know how they came up with the published dimensions on the Prism, but they're not accurate. The 515 is over a half inch shorter than the Visor. But, the most important dimensions for carrying it in your pocket are thickness and weight. The 515 is half as thin as the Prism and weighs 30 percent less. Believe me, it makes a huge difference in your pocket. The Visor would bulge awkwardly wherever you put it, but the 515 can slip into nearly any pocket and you (and everybody else) will hardly notice it's there.

The quality of the screen on the 515 is better in most respects. The Prism is still brighter and the colors are more vivid. However, the resolution on the 515 is much sharper. The Visor has better brightness control, which is a sliding scale, whereas the 515 only has the option of low and high. However, this is really only relevant if you're using it in the dark. Another big advantage of the 515 is that you can see it in bright daylight because it has a reflective screen. You can turn the backlight off without turning off the display. With the Prism, turning the brightness way down affects how the whole picture is displayed, not just the backlight. I could never see the Prism screen in daylight without shielding the screen with my hands. The 515 is as clear as any B&W display in daylight. And, you can save batteries by turning the backlight off.

The 515 has an upgradeable OS. With the Prism, you are stuck with the version that it shipped with. The advantages of the 515 should be obvious in this regard.

So far, the 515 has given me much better battery life than the Prism. Sometimes I couldn't make it through one whole day with the Prism without it running out of juice! It seemed to get worse the longer I owned it.

The Palm has an advantage on expandability in my book. Although there are more different types of springboard modules available for Handsprings, the Palms are catching up quickly (BlueTooth is a big advantage), and their small size puts them over the top when comparing cards that serve the same purpose. You can carry four Palm cards in the same space as one Handspring Springboard.

I know this is subjective, but the 515 looks far more elegant, especially when you see it in real life. The silver metal finish looks much more professional than the blue plastic of the Prism.

The prism does have some advantages over the 515:

First, Handsprings come with better software than Palms. Handsprings come with CityTime and DateBook+, which are much better than the Clock and DateBook that come with Palms. However, you can but CityTime and DateBook4 (even better than +) online for not too much.

The touchscreen reacts better on the Prism than on the 515. On the prism, all you have to do is touch an area and it reacts; on the 515, you actually have to press slightly. Some people may like to have to press, but I have a light touch, so I prefer the softer reaction.

The Handsprings fasten to cases in a much superior way than Palms. By clipping into a two-point hold, they are held far more securely. The Palms fasten with a pseudo-stylus, which only secures one side and allows them to flop around more. A little stick-on velcro can solve the problem, but it's not as elegant as it should be.

So, overall, I think the advantages of the Palm m515 are clear. I really like Handspring as a company, and I think they make some great models for those who need the basics at a lower price. However, for those who want the top of the line, especially business users who need to keep their PDAs on their bodies all the time, Handspring needs to do some catchup. The Prism is not a bad product, but it is just too chunky and heavy to be practical.

Description of PalmOne m515 Color Handheld

We were among the many who voiced disappointment with the Palm m505, and while the m515's color screen still isn't at the top of the class, it's an obvious and welcome improvement. With display support for over 65,000 colors, icons and images (viewed in the included PhotoSuite application) have a nice richness and depth of color. However, as the screen resolution is only 160 by 160 pixels, the m515 doesn't achieve the crispness found in the Sony T615 (which has a 320 by 320 pixel resolution). But ultimately, unless you need a high-end multimedia viewer integrated into your handheld, you should be suitably happy with the m515's display.

There are only three levels of brightness contrast control--high, low, and off. At first we were taken aback by the "off" setting, as it rendered the screen almost invisible in our office, but it's fine for outdoor usage and will help conserve battery power.

With its curved angles, thin design, and light weight, the Palm m515 feels very comfortable, both in the palm of your hand and resting in your pocket. Also, with the m515's 33 MHz DragonBall VZ processor, we found switching applications to be very fast.

The applications and desktop software (version 4.01 for Windows and version 2.6.3 for Mac) haven't changed, and that's just fine with us. (Note that a beta version of Palm Desktop 4 for Mac OS X is available for download.) The Palm interface is one of the most elegant and simple to understand--yet powerful--operating systems around.

But Palm adds more power with a variety of add-on applications that you can choose to install, ranging from Documents To Go for viewing and editing Word and Excel documents, to Palm's collection of mobile connectivity apps, to the aforementioned PhotoSuite for viewing images and short movies. Our favorite is AvantGo, an app that downloads Web content to the m515 whenever you synchronize, which enables us to keep up with the latest world news as well as Aussie Rules Football scores. You can add even more content and applications via the expansion slot, using optional Secure Digital or MultiMediaCard memory cards.

You can choose to synchronize the Palm m515 with the Palm Desktop application or link to Microsoft Outlook (Windows only). Palm Desktop is more than adequate, but if you are in a corporate environment and Outlook is your scheduling/e-mailing/tasking brain center (which it is for us), the synchronization is seamless.

Overall, we're very happy with the Palm m515--it's quick on its feet, has a nice color display, and is loaded with great software additions that can enhance both your productivity and your fun. --Agen G.N. Schmitz

Pros:

• Improved color screen--brighter, with contrast controls
• Good range of additional software, from Internet connectivity to e-book reader
• Expansion slot enables you to add even more content and applications to customize the m515 to your needs
• Easy synchronization with Palm Desktop or Microsoft Outlook

• Continued use of high brightness level can wear on batteries
• Palm Desktop for Mac still behind the times, but new software on the way

The expansion card slot is a dual-purpose slot that can hold Secure Digital and MultiMediaCard (MMC) memory cards. Both types of cards are small, inexpensive, and easy to plug in. Much like computer diskettes, they hold information for upload or download onto a handheld. With them, you can instantly add software programs, e-books, large databases, graphics, or even video files to your handheld without sacrificing memory space. The Palm Universal Connector (at the base of the m515) enables you to add peripherals such as a keyboard, GPS receiver, and more.

In addition to Palm's built-in organization applications in Palm OS 4.1--including Address Book, Date Book, To Do List, Memo Pad, and Note Pad--the Palm m515 also features the following bonus software: Documents To Go by DataViz (for synchronizing Microsoft Word and Excel documents), Pocket Mirror (for linking to Microsoft Outlook), MultiMail SE, MGI PhotoSuite, AvantGo, Palm Reader, and Palm Mobile Connectivity software.

The native USB HotSync cradle allows you to quickly back up and exchange information between your handheld and your PC or Mac. The Palm m515 handheld comes equipped with a rechargeable lithium-ion polymer battery, which is charged using the HotSync cradle. Palm Desktop software is compatible with Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0, 2000, Me, and XP, and Mac OS 8.6 through 9.x. Note that for connecting to Windows 95 and NT you will need an optional serial cradle or cable.

The Palm m515 comes with a stylus, USB HotSync cradle with 120 VAC/60 Hz charger, internal rechargeable battery, Palm OS 4.1, and an infrared port. It is backed by a one-year warranty.

What's in the box

Palm m515 handheld with bonus software
• USB HotSync cradle with built-in battery charger
• Getting started manual
• CD-ROM with: Palm Desktop software and bonus software
• Complete documentation
• Protective flip cover