Review: a Palm-size Sony VAIO?

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Sony's CLIE handheld runs on the Palm OS and features 8MB of internal memory and 2MB of flash memory

by Keith Kirkpatrick

(IDG) -- Sony is the latest company to jump on the personal digital assistant bandwagon. The electronics giant's new CLIE handheld runs on the Palm operating system and combines the sleek lines of the Palm V with the expandability of the Handspring Visor, another Palm OS-based device.

But the $399 CLIE (an acronym for Communication, Link, Information, and Entertainment) does not simply pay homage to its predecessors. In other respects, it's all Sony, with exclusive features such as a Jog Dial navigator, a Memory Stick expansion slot, and the ability to download and view multimedia files.

A Handheld, in Sony Style

This 4.27-ounce unit--which measures 4.6 inches long, 2.9 inches wide and 0.6 inches thick (roughly the size of a monochrome Handspring Visor, but an ounce lighter)--features the slick industrial design of Sony's VAIO line of desktop PCs and notebooks. It's small enough to slip easily into a shirt pocket, even though it uses a separate case instead of a fold-over lid to protect the display. The Jog Dial navigator, also found on Sony mobile phones and VAIO notebooks, speeds navigation through your address book and e-mail.

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The Jog Dial is located on the unit's upper-left side, placed so that you can easily move it with your thumb while you hold the PDA in your left hand and write with your right hand. The stylus holder is located on the right rear, convenient if you're constantly removing and replacing the stylus to take notes. It's not quite as easy to move the Jog Dial with your right index finger, so left-handers may not be quite as comfortable with the arrangement.

Like the Palm Vx, the CLIE has 8MB of internal memory, 2MB of flash memory (used to update the unit's ROM via a software download), an infrared port, and version 3.5 of the Palm OS. It also comes with many of the same apps that come standard on a Palm device--a date book, a to-do list, expense reports--plus an enhanced address book into which you can insert pictures. These features make the CLIE look and feel very similar to other Palm-based handhelds.

In addition, the CLIE ships with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that yields about a week and a half of heavy use. It can be recharged in the combined charger and HotSync cradle, which connects a computer to the CLIE by a fast Universal Serial Bus or slower serial connection. (A serial adapter is included.) Using the USB connection, we were able to easily synchronize the CLIE with Microsoft Outlook on a notebook PC and add new applications with the Palm Desktop application.

A 'Handy' Feature

But the most interesting of the CLIE's attributes is its 8MB Memory Stick slot and GMedia video-player software, which permit you to view images and converted video samples. You can convert clips and images to the CLIE's format on a desktop or notebook, using the included Picture Gear software.

A Palm-Size Sony VAIO?A 'Handy' Feature

It took just seconds to copy the GMedia software and sample videos from the included Memory Stick to the handheld. While the video samples were somewhat grainy, they ran smoothly and without skipping. The CLIE also includes Picture Gear Pocket software to view still pictures and animations. It's unlikely you'll want to view the latest Britney Spears video on the CLIE's monochrome screen, but the video and picture-reading functionality might be useful for viewing corporate animations or Flash presentations.

The Memory Stick expansion slot is also included on Sony VAIO computers, allowing easy transfer of data between a main system and the CLIE through the Palm Desktop application. This slot also allows you to pop in 8MB, 16MB, 32MB, or 64MB Memory Sticks that expand the CLIE's data capacity, and will in the future allow you to swap in Memory Sticks used in digital cameras and possibly other peripheral devices.

Looking for a Sharper Image

We were less pleased with the CLIE's 160-by-160 monochrome display. With the backlight off, it was hard to read compared with the displays of the Palm V and the Handspring Visor, simply because of the lack of contrast between the display and the type. However, with the light turned on, characters and images became much crisper and easier to decipher, matching the backlit displays on the Palm V and Visor. (Of course, using the backlight on a regular basis will drain the unit's battery more quickly.)

All told, the CLIE is a nice mix of sleek design and multimedia integration, and users of VAIO desktops will appreciate the easy data transfer. But the Sony-esque features don't make the pricey CLIE sufficiently powerful or easy to use to warrant your choosing it over a Palm Vx or Handspring Visor.

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Comdex: Handhelds may grab attention but PCs here to stay
November 14, 2000
Handspring introduces color version of Visor
October 17, 2000
Palm announces cell phone add-on
September 26, 2000
Microsoft reinvigorates handheld PC
September 20, 2000

Metricom WebPad offers a taste of the future
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Microsoft, Texas Instruments team on wireless handhelds
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Comdex: Synchronizing PC and non-PC won't get easier
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Palm unwraps wireless Net services
(IDG.net)
Xircom unveils credit-card size PDA
(IDG.net)
Microsoft Player downloads video to Pocket PC
(IDG.net)
Sony to launch wireless adapter, service for Clie
(IDG.net)
Microsoft to promote tablet PC at Comdex
(InfoWorld)

Sony CLIE Product Page

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