View Feedback | Send this Article | Published 2/21/03

Graphic By: Nick Pietron

So you are a college student, and you are in the market for a handheld. Or maybe you are a mom who needs to keep track of her daily activities without a supercomputer to store it all. The main point is that you want simplicity and a good number of features, but you don廠 want to spend a fortune on a handheld. Introducing the Palm m130.

Cosmetically, the m130 features a small, lightweight, stylish design. At 5.4 ounces, it will go anywhere with you. The ability to express yourself is simple since the handheld features the "cell phone trendy" interchangeable faceplates so you can make your handheld device show your mood or personality. A flip cover keeps your screen safe when the handheld is not in use. The cover has a clear window letting you see the time at the push of a button.

The m130 runs on the Palm OS v4.1 and connects to your PC or MAC via a USB HotSync cradle, which is included in the box. The cradle also serves to recharge the internal Lithium-Ion battery inside the handheld. It features 8MB of internal memory, an expansion slot for stamp-sized memory cards, including SDmedia cards. Above all other features though, the m130 has a sharp backlit, full-color screen capable of displaying over 50k colors.

Software included with the m130 features the desktop handheld software to connect to your device, and Documents To Go, among other software titles. Documents To Go lets you carry and edit Microsoft Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, and JPG images right on your handheld. The m130 also has the ability to connect directly with Microsoft Outlook so you can read your mail while you are on the go.

All of these features come with a price tag of (brace yourself) $199. That廣 right, for less than 200 dollars, the m130 is now the cheapest color handheld on the market. And with many stores offering rebates, it isn廠 uncommon to find the m130 at a final price of $170 or less. This is incredible compared to the other color handhelds costing well over $300, $400, or even $500.

If $199 is still too expensive for the simplicity of a handheld, then the m1XX family has you covered. For $139, the m125 has all the same features less the color screen. The clear, crisp, advanced LCD screen still features a backlight for using your handheld in the dark and makes a great handheld under $150.

Even still, if that is too much for you, the m105 is a step down from the rest but still has great features. The m105 runs on two AAA batteries rather than a rechargeable one. It has the same advanced LCD screen with a backlight, like the 125. It is web and e-mail friendly with the included software and boasts 8MB of internal memory with no expansion slots for media cards. This handheld is a great deal for the absolute beginner at a price of $99. Surprisingly, this is the exact same price as Palm's Zire handheld, which only boasts 2MB of memory and no backlight. Someone help us figure out that marketing plan.

Finally, now retired from Palm廣 family is the m100, featuring 2MB of memory, a backlight, and runs on 2 AAA batteries. It is essentially the same as the m105, with one-fourth the memory. While Palm does not sell this handheld anymore, you may find it in their refurbished section or on e-bay for as low as $20. A handheld for less than $50 is quite an impressive find, so look for this one if you want the absolute beginner廣 model. Even the m100 has more features than the new Zire at a fraction of the cost.

The Palm m-series is certainly the best beginner廣 handheld. With four to choose from, an m-series will make anyone happy. And the m130 has enough features to compete with the top handhelds on the market, but at a price even a college student could afford.