electronics store

Ok, this is my first PDA...so i dont know very much about it. But if youre in the same boat, then read on.

I searched and searched...looked at the Zire 21, Sony Clie TJ-27, and every other PDA in this price range.

And then i came across an amazing deal: a Zire 31 for $142...

wow, what a bargain. This PDA does everything i want, and MORE. Not only can i keep track of all my contacts, etc etc...i can view photos (and put them in the background)...

it comes with two e-books...Last of the Mohicans and The Wizard of Oz...

it comes with a really cool Database system that has area codes all over the U.S., airline phone #s, Hotels, dietary info for a whole bunch of foods and drinks...

it comes with solitaire...and an Expenses program to keep track of credit card and bank account balances...

there's an MP3 player included, which i havent used (because you need to purchase an SD memory card separately...and because i just dont want to drain the batteries for that...i mean, for the same price as an SD card, i can just buy a Sony Minidisc player that runs on one AA battery, and save my PDA battery -- which isnt user replaceable, so only has a certain life-span).

Hot syncing...where you transfer info from your computer to the PDA and vice versa is incredibly easy. Just touch the button on the screen, and tada! magic. Done.

This PDA gets a 4 out of 5 for one reason and one reason only: the screen. 160x160 isnt bad resolution...but it isnt good either. I mean, it's just fine for me, because im not using it too much, and im not serious about viewing pictures and stuff like that. However, i often find myself playing around with the brightness, contrast, backgrounds, and color to find something that's easy and beautiful on the eyes. It takes a while, but youll find a setting that makes you happy.

If youre a beginner, get the Zire 31. A big step up from the Zire 21...and better than the Sony Clie TJ-27 in terms of price and practicality...i mean -- who wants a real crappy digital camera anyways? Dont bother with it...if you want digital pictures, get yourself a real digital camera (i.e. Canon Powershot A75).

One last thing -- i almost forgot --... dont listen to people babbling on about the 90 day warranty. As long as you get this PDA from a self-respecting retail store, youll automatically get a one-year warranty from them. And you can purchase an extended warranty for about $20 or so. For something this cheap, they'll most likely replace your PDA right away if there's a serious problem. Check with them first.

I got my Zire 31 a couple weeks ago. It's my first PDA, and I did quite a bit of research before buying. Don't pay attention to the guy who doesn't even own this nifty little gadget; his review is worthless!

The Zire was easy to start using right out the box. I've had no problems getting it to synch up with multiple computers. My main goal was to have a small PDA to keep track of basic info (tasks, lists, my calendar, etc). I wasn't looking for something expensive or too powerful for my needs. The Zire 31 is perfect.

The only two gripes I have are related to the battery. While the battery life is fabulous (I can use it for days without having to charge it), there's no indicator that shows when it's plugged in and charging or when the charging is complete. Also, there's a little battery meter that appears at the top of the home screen, but it's purely graphical; you can't tell how long the battery will keep working.

I highly recommend this as anyone's first PDA or for those of you who don't need something mega-powerful. The price makes it a very reasonable investment.

I recently purchased the Zire 31 handheld, and so far, it is pretty neat. I have a Tungsten E, but I wanted another Palm for work that I could leave at work. (I know the whole point of the Palm is mobility, but I am forgetful and I know I would leave it at work or home and then feel helpless without it) In comparison to the Tungsten E, the icons and such are not quite as sleek, I guess that would be resolution, but other than that, I find them to be comparable machines. The Zire 31 is expandable and handles all my programs just as well as the Tungsten. (a great place for freeware and shareware is palmgear.com) Little side note is that the back is white, like the Zire and Zire 21, not blue, like the front of the Palm itself. For under $150, it's a great color Palm. I have no regrets about buying it. Hope this helps, enjoy!!!