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Pros:
• Ability to view pictures, listen to MP3’s, and
watch supported videos.
• Able to read and create Microsoft Office documents as
well as PDF files.
• Employs a portrait/landscape screen
orientation button on the side to easily switch back and forth.
• USB 2.0 connectivity that allows use of the
LifeDrive as an external disk drive.
• Big sharp screen.
• If within range of a Wi-Fi connection, one can
configure the LifeDrive to automatically check e-mail using VersaMail
on a desired schedule.
• Built-in stereo speakers and headphone jack.
• Data will not be lost if the device runs out
of battery power.
Cons:
• Much thicker than Palm’s other products,
and also much heavier.
• No included software to synchronize over Bluetooth or
Wi-Fi on the Mac platform.
• Battery life is short when compared to other 4
GB MP3 players.
• Slider power button is hit or miss.
• Buggy firmware that sometimes prevents the
LifeDrive from going to sleep, and occasionally requires the work around of
resetting the unit.
Summary:
The LifeDrive is too costly ($499) to appeal to anyone with a small
budget. The built-in 4 GB drive would attract those that need to carry
around more data than a regular PDA holds, without the need for an
additional device. This device is not recommended if all that is needed
are basic PDA functions like calendar, tasks, and notepad. It may be
best to wait until a second or third generation model is released
before investing in a PDA with a built-in hard drive. It’s
believed that later generations of this device will result in smaller
and less expensive models with more stable and mature firmware.
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