The Palm m130 handheld is a stylish, affordable tool that will keep you organized at work, school and even during your (few) spare moments. You'll be ready to go right out of the box - in no time at all you'll be loading your address book and checking off items on your to-do list.Flip open the cover, and you'll find a backlit, easy-to-read display with support for thousands of colors. Games and photos never looked so good. A built-in lithium-ion battery automatically recharges in your HotSync cradle. With normal use, it will last for up to a week between charges. Add games, applications, eBooks and more on MultiMediaCard and SD expansion cards. Snap an MP3 player, portable keyboard or GPS receiver to the Palm Universal Connector. It couldn't be easier to extend the capabilities of your handheld.Palm's m130 enters the handheld market as one of the least expensive color units available. Basically a colorized version of the earlier m125, the m130's bright backlit screen displays 58,621 colors on its 160 x 160 pixel screen.
It also boasts an 8 MB memory with an expansion slot that accepts both MultiMediaCard (MMC) and Secure Digital (SD) cards for adding both memory and special applications. The SD card slot will also connect to SDIO (Secure Digital Input/Output) devices, including Bluetooth cards for wireless connectivity, and upcoming peripherals like digital cameras and bar code scanners.
You can also attach peripherals to the base of the unit via the Palm Universal Connector, which enables you to use the m130 with keyboards, modems, and GPS receivers that are also compatible with the i700 and m500 series handhelds.
The universal connector is where the handheld meets up with its USB cradle, which not only serves to sync up the m130, but to recharge its lithium-ion battery as well. On the highest setting (you can drop it down a notch in well-lit environments), the display backlight sucks juice at a moderate rate. But since the battery recharges at each sync-up, it's not much of an issue. Even if you run out of battery life and your m130 shuts down, you have about a week to recharge it before you lose the data on your Palm.
Nicely contoured, with an attachable faceplate that flips up (letting you play Captain Kirk and Dr. Spock, if you're so inclined), the 5.4-ounce m130 rests solidly in your left hand with the right manipulating its standard buttons and screen with the stylus. One complaint we did have with the m130: at the edges, the screen doesn't appear to be as sensitive as in the middle and it can sometimes require a repeat tap with the stylus before it registers.
In addition to the standard Palm Desktop software, the m130's impressive handheld software bundle includes Palm Reader (for taking e-books along with your Palm), DataViz's Documents To Go (for viewing and editing Word and Excel files; Windows users can also view and edit PowerPoint documents), and MGI PhotoSuite Mobile Edition (for viewing images and videos on the full-color screen).
An IR port on the top of the m130 lets you beam contact information, such as your business card, or even an application, to another similarly equipped handheld.
An inexpensive color handheld with a decent amount of memory and lots of room for growth, the m130 makes a great PDA for users looking to add color to their portable world. --J. Curtis
Pros:
- Inexpensive, full-featured color PDA
- 58,621-color display looks great
- Loaded with software extras
- Rechargeable battery
Cons: - Stylus doesn't register, at times, around the edges
The curvy Palm m130 handheld has all the classic information management features you expect from Palm, as well as a bright color display with support for 58,621 colors. Plus, it's loaded with valuable productivity and connectivity software and has a built-in expansion card slot for additional memory storage, applications, and content. It comes with 8 MB of built-in memory, enough to store thousands of addresses, years of appointments, hundreds of to-do items, and more than 50 software applications.
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 m130) 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 m130 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, powerOne Personal Calculator, 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 m130 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 m130 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 m130 handheld
- USB HotSync cradle
- Getting Started manual
- CD-ROM with Palm Desktop software, bonus software, and complete documentation
