all handhelds and pdas

I've owned several PDAs over the years and had abandoned the Palm platform for Sony Clies - the Clies were faster, more stylish, had more features and fantastic screens. I was intrigued by the features of the Tungsten C and tried one out at a local store and immediately purchased one online. In short, the C is a power user's dream PDA. My impressions after 3 weeks of use:

Screen: incredible, very bright, robust colors - rivals the Clie NX70V, maybe even a bit brighter

WiFi: immediately connected to my home Airport network - range is about 70-80ft - I have been able to connect effortlessly to T-mobile hotspots in several Starbucks

Speed: nothing like it on any PDA - the C truly flies - the browser speed is next to incredible - much faster than browsing on a PocketPC

Keyboard: I have never liked thumbpads, but the one on the C has the keys spaced so they can be accessed via thumb typing - I rarely need to use the new Graffiti 2

Memory: you will not run out!

Battery: very good, I'm getting 10-15 hours

The mono sound issue doesn't bother me at all - I have an iPod for mp3 listening - the C is fine for Audible content - the mono/stereo doesn't make much difference with the spoken word

It would have been nice to have built-in Bluetooth - the only limitation I have found so far.

I would also would have liked to have a travel charger included - it's a pain to have to carry the cradle around.

...P>Simply put, Palm has hit a home run with the Tungsten C. The screen is beautiful, right on par with the Sony Clies and any of the Pocket PCs. Colors are bright and clear, text is crisp and clean on a bright white background -- it looks amazing.

Consider the 400Mhz processor, which zips through apps with blinding speed. Consider the 64MB ram, enough for apps, docs, pictures, just about everything I'd ever use this Palm for (and even if I run out of memory, the unit is upgradeable via the expansion slot, which accepts memory, application cards, etc.). Consider the built-in Wi-Fi, which worked automatically for me on my Linksys 802.11b home network -- super-fast browsing with a browser app that, in my opinion, outperforms the comparable Pocket Internet Explorer app that ships with PocketPCs. Consider the built-in keyboard, which feels and works great, with tactile response and easier thumb-typing than the comparably priced Sony models.

The unit comes loaded with excellent software, including Documents-To-Go, Palm Reader, Adobe Acrobat, Handmark Solitaire, and more. The new Palm OS 5.2.1, which includes a brand new preferences interface, allows you to apply themes to your screens, and makes everything much easier to access and customize.

I've owned earlier editions of Palm, and while I loved their simplicity and reliability, I always felt they came up short when compared with the Sonys and PocketPCs. No more. With a killer feature-set, an attractive form-factor, and across-the-board hardware and software upgrades, Palm should easily maintain its narrowing lead in the PDA market. The Tungsten C gives me the Palm simplicity I love, and the power I crave. I can't rate this unit highly enough.

Palm's update corrupts the MAC address and renders the WiFi functionality useless. Support does not respond to any of my requests. BUY SOMETHING ELSE!!!!