Etant un voyageur d'affaires je suis toujours à la recherche d’instrument me permettant de réduire la quantité de bagages que je devrez porter. Je porte toujours une montre – ainsi qu’un GSM, un PDA, un laptop, etc.. et je pensais à la combinaison. Donc quand Fossile a finalement sorti leur montre PDA j'ai sauté sur ce dernier jouet de technologie -- quelle meilleure manière de réduire mon bagage que de l'ajouter à ma montre? Après avoir passé une semaine avec l'unité, j'ai trouvé que la montre PDA est un bon début mais pas la solution idéal.(traduction de l'intro d'origine de l'article, pour plus d'infos sur la montre PDA, lire ci-dessous
)Specs
Operating System: Palm OS Version 4.1
CPU: Motorola Dragonball Super VZ 66MHz
Memory: 8MB (RAM), 4MB (Flash)
Approximately 7.7MB RAM available
Screen: 160 x 160 pixels
16 level grayscale
EL backlight
inch x 1 inch display area
Built In SW: Standard Palm PIM (i.e. datebook, address, todo, memo)
Watch Interface: USB with PC or MacIntosh
Infrared Port (IRDA v1.2a)
Battery: Lithium-ion rechargeable (advertised life of 3-4 days without backlight or IR, with 30 minutes use per day)
Weight 3.2 ounces
Retail Price $199
As you can expect from the OS and CPU specs, the PDA in the Wrist PDA is pre-OS 5 and is not built for speed. The screen is also a basic black and white crammed into a 1-inch square display area. So don't expect to run something like Warfare Incorporated, or view movies on this thing. The 7.7 MB available RAM makes me almost nostalgic for the good old days of pre PalmOne -- but not quite. Also note that there is no expansion slot of any kind. So from a spec standpoint alone -- what good is this thing? If I can carry my essential info with me at all times without a hassle then I could care less about specs. I mean let's face it, other than the standard Palm programs (datebook, address book, memo, todo) there is probably just a few programs that you use on a daily basis or just cannot live without. In my case, I need Teal Auto and an expense program. Throw in a few small games for those times when I'm stuck at the airport, and 7.7 MB is more than enough. If the Wrist PDA can pull it off, then I'm down to a cell phone and a laptop for complete mobility capability.
During my review, I loaded up Zlauncher, Datebk5, Teal Auto, SubHunt, and Yahtzee. All worked without a problem - except SubHunt, which requires the standard Palm function buttons for game control. This short-coming was a minor inconvenience at first. But then I noticed that I could not adjust the Wrist PDA buttons to mimic the Palm function buttons at all. Looking up an address, datebook, todo list, or to jot down a quick memo required me to first hit the rocker button to get out of watch mode and into PDA mode, then scroll through the application launcher, then hit the rocker button again to open the desired application. Way too much effort.
Despite the lack of button control, I found the PDA to function reasonably well for a 1-inch square black and white display area. It's small size did require a steady hand and good eyes, especially in non-idea lighting conditions (e.g., dim lighting or outside on a sunny day). But all in all, I found it easy to use after some practice -- and I can't say enough about having my PDA on my wrist.
sources: www.bargainpda.com
