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

Graphic By: Jonelle Thackston

Are you one of those horribly disorganized people? Yeah, so am I. That's why I was so psyched when my parents surprised me with the Zire for my birthday. I'd been wanting a PDA for awhile, but I didn't have cash to spare, didn't know what to get, and was really concerned about losing it if I did make the investment. Now I have the perfect Palm for me.

The Zire is the perfect starter PDA. It has 2 megs of memory, which is satisfactory if you just intend to use it as a basic organizer. It comes with all the basics to get you started in the world of PDA: an address book, calculator, clock, date book, memo pad, and to-do list. It also has basic system features such as the welcome set-up, security settings, preferences, a tutorial on the palm graffiti writing system, and hot sync. But don't think it doesn't have little extras to give it a little zing. Zire comes with four games, an expense tracker, and a notepad, which allows you to scribble notes directly on the screen.

Zire is honestly built for the beginner. After the necessary initial three-hour charge, I was able to pick it up, and after doing the initial settings and acquainting myself with the graffiti writing system, I was putting dates and notes in it.

Zire comes with all the peripherals needed to keep you going. It has its Hot Sync cable (no cradle available for this model, sorry folks), A/C adapter (it has a rechargeable battery built-in thus no more buying batteries), and Palm Desktop software.

Honestly, if you are looking to test the PDA waters then the Zire is the place to start. It's simple, lightweight, inexpensive, and very sleek-looking. If you feel you need tons of memory, color, and the bells and whistles, this obviously isn't for you. But like I said, if you're just starting out, the Zire is for you.