MaximumPC 2004 08

T

oday’s Pocket PCs are bulk-
ing up faster than Kirstie Alley
with multiple wireless options,
higher-resolution screens, and just
about every feature save a pregnancy
test kit. Leave it to Palm to keep a
cool head and offer not one, but two
new models designed for a somewhat
more relaxed crowd. Here’s a close
look at how well the Zire31 and the
Zire72 serve up the essentials in the
budget PDA category.
—LOGAN DECKER

PalmOne Zire 31

At first glance, PalmOne’s Zire 31 is
exactly what it appears to be—a com-
petent but by no means luxurious
PDA that throws in just enough mul-
timedia features to keep you from
death-by-boredom at the airport.
Inside you’ll find a 200MHz ARM
proc with 16MB RAM (14MB avail-
able to the user) running Palm OS
5.2.8. The handheld weighs less than

five ounces, and the most notable

departure from previous designs are

the two dedicated program buttons

on the face (instead of the traditional

four). The display resolution remains

at a homely 160x160, but if you use

your PDA for expense reports and

quick notes, you’ll be fine. A bigger

disappointment is the Zire 31’s aban-

donment of the so-called “Universal

Connector” found on the Tungsten

models. Instead, it uses an AC adap-

tor and USB miniport cable combo.

We got slightly more than four

hours from a full battery charge,

switching between MP3 and video

playback. PalmOne says the PDA

should last about a week between

charges under “normal use,” and

our tests suggest this is accurate

if you don’t frequently use it for

media playback.

The Zire 31 benefits from the

signature ease of use of the Palm

OS (and the bundled Outlook con-

duits don’t hurt either), but if you

want to take advantage of the mul-

timedia capabilities, you’ll need

a built-in MP3 player. You’ll also

need to buy a hefty SD card for the

expansion slot—MP3s can only be

loaded and played from these flash

memory cards.

The Zire 31 may lack the frills

of higher-end PDAs, but it has

something they never will—a $150

price tag.

PalmOne Zire 72

The Zire 72 is a big step up from

the Zire 31. At $300, it had better

be. The most significant upgrade

is Intel’s 312MHz XScale PXA270

processor which Intel claims should

provide more speed than the previ-

ous PXA255 series while simultane-

ously using less power—a strategy

obviously designed for PDAs that

expect heavy multimedia use.

There’s 32MB of internal memory

(24.7 of which is available for use)

and a bright 320x320 display.

Unfortunately, like the Zire 31,

the Universal Connector has been

dropped in favor of a USB miniport

and power jack combo. Tragically,

no docking station or cradle is

included; that’s an accessory we

expect in a PDA at this price.

One of the great successes of

the Zire 72 is its implementation

of Bluetooth. A convenient, wiz-

ard-like front end connected us in

seconds to our PC, laptop, and a

Sony Ericsson 616 phone without

a hitch. Unfortunately, we eked

out a mere three and a quarter

hours of multimedia playback

with Bluetooth enabled compared

with more than four hours with

Bluetooth disabled; you’ll have to

remember to disable it when not

in use. Wi-Fi users are out of luck—

this PDA doesn’t support it.

The Zire 72 throws in a 1.3 mega-

pixel camera that’s also capable of

recording short video clips. Photos

and video are recorded only to your

SD card, and are of course limited

by its capacity. The camera’s shutter

speed feels extremely slow, so much

so that it was nearly impossible to

eliminate blur from our pictures.

And the video clip results wouldn’t

likely be admissible in court.

Given the advancing threat

posed by Smartphones like the Treo

600, we’re extremely disappointed

by the Zire 72. Although it’s got

the processing muscle for handheld

gaming, it does little else to justify

its price besides a lame camera and

weak battery life.

PalmOne Zire 31 and 72

WeVe a few Qualms witH tHese upgraded 0alms

Fast proc, bright screen, and fantastic Bluetooth

implementation.

CIVIC BEAUTIFICATION

COW MUTILATION

Distressingly short battery life and crappy

camera.

$300, http://www.palmone.com

MA XIMUMPC VERDICT 6

PalmOne Zire 72

Inexpensive yet cheerful looking PDA with all the

essentials.

.

SURROUND SOUND

BROWN NOISE

Display somewhat dim. No Universal Connector.

RAM-deprived.

$150, http://www.palmone.com

MA XIMUMPC VERDICT 7

PalmOne Zire 31

2.95“

4.6“

2.9“

4.4“

Reviews

Modest and utilitarian, the Zire

31 is still a slightly better value

than its big brother.

Sexy on the outside, but less

so on the inside, the Zire 72

disappointed us.

AUGUST 2004 MA XIMUMPC