Palm Z22 Handheld Reviews

• The best PDA ever (almost).

  
  By A31VN2RT9KPH4T on 2005-11-10
  After 10 years Palm have finally returned to their roots and released
  a PDA. Not a wannabe phone/walkman/portable dvd/game console/wireless
  web browser/photo album/book. It's an actual, honest to God, Personal
  Digital Assistant. Yes, it can do some of those other things too, but
  I'm not having to pay for expensive features like bluetooth and hifi
  quality audio.
  
  The Z22 is being marketed as an entry level PDA. But that's wrong. I
  am a long time PDA user who has owned, among other devices, a Palm
  Pilot Professional, an m505, a Zire 71 and a Tungsten T3. But this is
  my favourite device of all. For a start it's the best looking PDA ever
  sold. Palm must have taken a leaf out of Apple's book. When I look at
  my Z22 I think it could have dropped out of the clean futuristic sets
  of movie like 2001. This is the future that Stanley Kubrick promised
  us and never arrived. But at least my Palm looks like it's from that
  future. It's also light due to not being weighed down by a metal case
  and a ton of hardware I don't want.
  
  It does all the usual PDA stuff well: Calendar, Memos, Contacts and so
  on. 32MB is completely adequate for these tasks, even if you decide
  to add photos to your contact list. For these tasks the hardware is
  completely up to the task.
  
  I also use my Z22 for reading eBooks. It's great for this. 160x160 is
  enough for completely clear text. Unfortunately I do miss one feature
  of my T3 - the SD card slot. Without this I can't use my unabridged
  Webster's dictionary that weighs in at 37MB. But the 10MB Webster's is
  good enough for most tasks.
  
  One place where I feel Palm have cut corners is the display. There are
  sometimes unsightly vertical streaks in it, I'm guessing due to using
  a poor digital-to-analogue converter. For most tasks this isn't an
  issue. Photos can look a little ugly however and you often see aliasing
  artifacts. One place where the poor display quality is visible is when
  you read books in autoscroll mode. The display really isn't fast enough to
  keep up with scrolling text. But hey, this device costs $100 new!
  
  The device has only 2 application buttons instead of the usual
  4. Surprisingly I haven't noticed the loss at all.
  
  There are a couple of other annoyances that are common to almost
  all current PDAs so I'll just list them quickly: difficult to replace
  battery, display not visible in sunlight (unlike my Palm Pilot), use of
  Graffiti2/Jot making reliable text entry next to impossible (Palm won
  the lawsuit, bring back Graffiti 1!).
  
  Palm have dropped the universal connector in favour of a new small USB
  port. That means I can't use my old peripherals. I do hope I can use my
  wireless keyboard however, when Palm release Z22 drivers.
  
  By paring down the PDA to its essentials Palm have made a winner. But
  there's one feature I would have liked to have kept - the SD card
  slot. Providing such a slot would at least have given a choice about
  how much to spend on storage. But like I say, apart from the dictionary
  I don't miss it that much. (Hmmm...I have to admit that I did enjoy
  playing Infocom games on my T3 using Clifrotz too, but I'll survive...)
  
  

• Nice for the Price

  
  By ANP4A72YDTZJA on 2005-10-26
  I've been using the z22 for a few days and have found it to be a great product for anyone not concerned with wireless, a large handheld display screen or extended memory. I've used palms for several years and keep a lot of technical notes in the Palm memo app for use when I'm in remote locations doing system adminstration work. My previous palm was a III xe - it was trailing edge technology but very durable and useful as long as I could find a synching machine that still had a serial connection.
  
  The install for the z22 was easy and worked flawlessly. I tried the install via the usb port on Macintosh System X and Windows XP formats. The installation program pulled all my old palm info into the Z22; memos, contacts, calendar and task functions were all maintained in the upgrade. Some of the older applications were not compatible with the Palm 5 OS on the z22. Most of the problems apps were old games that I was not that concerned about.
  
  For under $100 dollars, I'm very impressed with the following;
  
  1) colors are bright and reading the screen is easy in light or dark settings.
  2) I currently have 17.5 mbytes memory left on the z22 after the upgrade. In the PC world, this is very little memory, but for a Palm environment this is a lot of entries. If I was concerned about using mp3's, video, doc, or Excel files on a palm format, I would consider another device.
  3) The battery lasts a long time. I once used a Palm M515 color palm and it needed recharged a lot more than the Z22 does. The advertised time of 8 hours between charges is probably accurate.
  4) The size and weight of this device is very light - it is not much bigger than my pager and fits very comfortably in a pocket.
  
  The only problem I've had with the Z22 is that when I use it with a Taurus wireless keyboard, the response is somewhat slow and delayed. Also, the 160X160 screen size might be of concern to some people, but I find it to be very readable with bi-focally challenged eyes.
  
  Is there anything really innovative about this device? Not really. But I think Palm did a great job of combining the right features into an entry level color organizer for a double diget price.
  
  

• Return to Simplicity and a Better Life

  
  By A3J8LPP6GLM14L on 2006-08-11
  I guess you can call me a gadget freak. I've got a drawer full of electronic gadgets and gone through numerous inventions of our modern world. I've owned and used three generations of iPods (mini, 4G, nano, and video iPod), countless cell phones (from TDMA times to GSM), notebooks and computers, and most importantly (and the reason we're here today), PDA's.
  
  This isn't my first time with a personal digital assistant. My first foray with PDA's was a PalmOne Treo 600, then Motorola MPx200; after the Treo died and MPx200 bored, I went to a Palm TX, then SMT5600; after those I transitioned into a HP iPaq RX1955, and finally I just had to do it and get back to the Z22.
  
  If you take the time to read reviews and consider your purchase choices before you click the checkout button, you have probably thought about getting a Windows Mobile device, and trust me, I've been down that route (as you can see from the boring list above).
  
  If you did think about Windows Mobile, then maybe this is the device for you (yes, I'm serious).
  
  You can never have too many electronics devices, however, you only have two hands, two ears, two eyes and a brain. Sure, you can have one device that does it all, or multiple devices that do things well. It's your choice, but now if you take a moment and look around you - your cell phone probably plays MP3's; your MP3 player probably has calendar functions on it; your laptop does everything you need including internet; oh wait your phone also does internet AND play mp3's AND videos; d'oh, your PSP plays better quality videos, etc...nowadays the rage is toward convergence devices, yet eventually you'll find yourself, out of all your gadgets and what-not, leaning toward just one thing...
  
  Then why did you waste money on everything else? You buy a product because you have a need for its primary function, not the extra things you're using, right?
  
  In the times of maddening convergence devices, I've returned to the Z22 for my day planner needs. Simplicity is the most elegant form of art.
  
  
  Ok, enough on the bull. You want the dirt, and here it is:
  
  The Z22 isn't outfitted with the prettiest screen (if you want a gorgeous screen try the Palm TX or Lifedrive - guaranteed to be amazing, especially when you play videos via TCPMP), the most powerful processor (in fact, Z22 has just the opposite of that), or the most memory (modern Windows Mobile devices has 128+ MB of memory, but more on that later), but it's outfitted with design and thoughfulness.
  
  First of all, Palm makes the Z22. Palm also happens to be the company whose predecessors brought handheld organizers to the mass market. In its most recent form, Garnet (V5.4), has evolved into an operating system that promotes simplicity, function, and usefulness. Surely, WM5 (Windows Mobile 5.0) has better multimedia capabilities, Office-"compatible" suites, and supports more connectivity options right out of the box, but the OS isn't mature enough compared to PalmOS in terms of user-friendliness and design.
  
  WM5 strives to be the OS that does everything and ends all competition, and while its feature set offers the promise, the execution is poor. WM5 brings the Windows interface to a handheld, and that translates mouse clicks to stylus taps, scrollbars to (well, scrollbars), and menus to cascaded menus. Everything in WM5 is organized as options in a menu. To get something done, you find yourself having to rely on your stylus to click, click and click. Some, like me, find this completely annoying. What's the need for a PDA for quick notes if I have to click through 5 or 6 menu options to get there? WM's model renders keystrokes and buttons completely useless, and this in terms complicates things. Try this out in person and compare to the same thing you're trying to accomplish in PalmOS, and you will see what I mean.
  
  PalmOS, on the other end, has gotten more of the things worked out. You still need a stylus, but a lot of the operations and navigations between menus and programs can be done with the directional buttons and softkeys, quicker and better, than WM in a lot of cases. It's also a more organizer-oriented system where it puts users and their data first. Take HotSync (Palm) vs. ActiveSync (WM) and you'll see the difference. One of them carefully backs up your PDA and syncs your personal files, displaying progress along the way, and gives your a detail log, color-coded and with OK in front of each line item, if something goes wrong; the other rushes through synchorization quickly and loads your files in bundles - you'll never know what they're copying from/to your PDA - then if there's an error you get a generic "Unresolved Item" error, then it's off to manually guess which items are not copied correctly; installing programs on a Palm means to click on the Palm file, and HotSync'ing it the next time, whereas on WM you'll have to figure out which file to click (programs can come in three different flavors, .CAB, .EXE and even .ZIP files), then upon ActiveSync you'll need to worry about if an unsigned program will corrupt the system or not, etc. Furthermore, PalmOS offers you a choice of syncing between Outlook and PalmOS, while if you use a WM device off to Microsoft Outlook you go. Where's the flexibility and choice?
  
  Now to the device itself. Z22 comes with an older-generation processor and 32MB of memory. 32MB may not seem too much but it's pretty standard affair on Palm devices, and with the way PalmOS works it's just about enough (WM on the other hand...a different ballpark). Z22 has plenty of speed for the applications you'll run on it, and since it comes with no audio/video capability, expansion, or wireless connectivity you'll end up using only PIM features, which are completely acceptable and well laid out on the Z22. The softkey and directional buttons have tactile response, and while the screen isn't too great it has enough room to display all the key and basic graphics you need. Despite its basic feature set, you can use it with Datavis Documents to Go and an infrared keyboard for quick keyboarding; graffiti also has a wide range of recognition.
  
  Now if you see the Z22 not for its lack of features, but more for its intended purpose, then this is the perfect match for you - a digitalized (and smart) personal day planner.
  
  When I had the Palm TX, Treo, and the various WM devices, there was always a major afterthought - that I wasn't putting everything to full use. When I could play music on the TX via Pocket Tunes, I no longer needed the iPods; when I wrote emails and surfed the web on my laptop, I wouldn't touch the PDA's for the same function...eventually this "forced" convergence diverged again, and it ended up that most of the time the PDA was sitting in my desk drawer collecting dust...and every time I opened the drawer to get a pen or white-out, I would see the PDA sitting there a paperweight, and I died a little inside. I just didn't have the time, energy, or mood to play with these devices all day...and what good is a PDA if it sits in a drawer doing anything BUT working for you?
  
  The Z22, however, reversed all that. Because of its small size and weight, I actually manage to bring it everywhere besides the days or places that I didn't need to; its quick response to basic note-taking and looking up an event in the calendar made organization an ease. No longer had I worried about not using a device fully - the Z22 was working at its fullest potential being what it excels best: a personal organizer.
  
  Then all other little things it offered were simply bonuses, like being able to run Documents to Go, tethering an IR keyboard, and running LyME (a basic computational package similar to MATLAB for Palm devices - I'm an engineering student and sometimes I need to do quick math that a calculator can't readily perform). When you think about an electronic device that way, then it has made all the difference for you.
  
  I never thought that a device so simple and seemingly "ineffective" can turn around and become one of the greatest electronic gadget I've ever had. This isn't an exaggeration...I spent a better part of the afternoon writing this, and now if I wasn't serious about this wouldn't I have spent that time doing something else instead?
  
  

• great for what it is

  
  By A2457QHC25ENTL on 2005-10-26
  Please note that I have given the Z22 five stars taking into account the relative value of the price and features. Obviously this is a low-end device, so it is rated accordingly.
  
  I bought one of these for my mother, who is still using a heavily erased and crossed-out address book and paper calendar. She has been reticent to move to electronic organizers, and I eventually decided to get this one for her partly because of the following features:
  1) it has NVFS, which means that when my mother invariably forgets to charge it she will not lose all of her information.
  2) it is small, light, easy to use and has a color screen.
  3) it is a palm, which i've used for years and can easily show her some helpful usage tips.
  
  One feature that I didn't know the Z22 had, and have found to be the real 'hook' as far as my mother is concerned is the ability to add images to contacts. Now my mother has pictures of each of her children and grandchildren, which are linked to their contact info. For her, that was the clincher. I think she will finally now give up her address book.
  
  The Z22 has a great form factor, and it resembles the ipod in appearance and size - but the Palm is lighter. The screen isn't hi res, so don't expect hi definition with your photos - but it gets the job done. And the processor is certainly speedy enough.
  
  One other nice touch is that a screen protector is included in the package - which I put on first thing. The software is pretty basic, and it includes a silly game called Crazy Daisy which will not likely get any usage.
  
  There is one thing that I found frustrating, but it has to do with the packaging. They must be using a heavier gauge plastic for these packages, because it took me ten minutes to carefully cut through and open it without damaging the contents. Be sure you have a heavy duty exacto knife handy or a very large pair of shears.
  
  

• Defective Product, Poor Support

  
  By A31WCHZXWXICPD on 2006-04-27
  My Z-22 did not last a single business trip. By the second day, the screen would not respond to the stylus. There I was--stranded without my schedule and address book. The most frustrating part was trying to get help from Palm. It took 4 phone calls which involved rudeness, disconnection, incorrect transfers, and incorrect information to finally be granted the privilege to return the item at my expense. Who knows if I'll ever see it again. I am soured not just on the product but on the company.
  
  
• A perfect PDA for a beginner
  By A2PKMVPX8JUPS5 on 2005-12-01
  I bought this PDA for my wife as she wanted one instead of having to deal with a hefty paper calender. She wanted something that was basic without all the extras such as a camera, or internet access that add $'s and can become confusing. After a little research I found this was the best option for its price.
  
  The Palm Z22 has a great color screen and is super easy to use. Even after playing with it myself for 5 minutes I was comfortable with the stylus tool and was able to write very easily. My wife stores everything she needs on it and is VERY happy with it. The device is very easy to set up and the software is easy to install on your PC. The sync-ing between the PDA and PC is fast and easy as its through a USB port. Entries can be input on either the PDA or by typing on your PC and then sync it with the PDA. I think one of the best features for such a basic model is that you can transfer photos and veiw them. The quality is fairly low but its nice to have them on hand. I downloaded various extra programs for the PDA from the internet and they installed quickly and easily.
  
  The only complaint I have is the quality of the materials. The plastic casing feels a little cheap, but you are paying base price for a PDA with a color screen. Also the rubber case that comes in the box is annoying to get on and off. This didn't stop me from buying the PDA though as I had read planty of good reviews about the actual PDA itself. Unfortunately there is a very limited selection of cases that support this model. A friend gave my wife a nice leather PALM case to keep it protected but its too big for the Z22 so it falls out easily. The only option as of now is a clear hard case.
  
  Overall my wife is very happy, which makes me happy. So I would recommend this to any beginner wanting a basic PDA to keep track of their calendar, contacts, photos etc. but not want anything more.
  
  
• A low cost, no frills, gem
  By A1HKFBINJGGQ26 on 2006-09-22
  The Z22 will not do the following: make phone calls, send email, do text messaging, play music or videos.
  
  So if that's what you want - the Z22 is not for you.
  
  If you want a reliable, low cost, digital organizer for contacts, a calendar, writing memos, making notes, storing photos (not high quality, but good enough if you are like me and never remember to carry pictures of your family), logging expenses, making lists, playing games (comes with a good chess game on the add on software), dividing the check and figuring the tip, this is for you.
  
  Also - eliminates the need to carry a calculator or an alarm clock. Has a built in dictionary (again in the add on software)Is easy to back up on a PC (can't vouch for a Mac). And there's other software which comes with the basic device, that I never use, and plenty of memory if you want to purchase or get free additional programs.
  
  I love it. It's better than the prior no frills palm pilot I had, and has done something I never thought was possible: I have virtually eliminated my pen and pencil daily organizer.
  
  A bargain at about 90 bucks, as long as you don't want to use it to make phone calls.
  
  
• I love, love, love my Palm Z22!
  By A3TPNC3TKGCCEI on 2006-08-21
  This is my first PDA and now I wonder how I lived my life without one. I'm a stay at home mom with plenty of responsibilities to take care of. I never realized how helpful (and how enjoyable) this tiny device could be even for my home life.
  
  I understand that this is a basic featured (but still fabulous) PDA without all the fancy bells and whistles - that is absolutely fine for me. All the bells and whistles just add up to distraction for me. This properly featured yet powerful Z22 helps keep me focused on the tasks on hand.
  
  I love that it's attractive and diminuitive. It easily goes everywhere with me. I just wish I could attach a wrist strap. I do keep mine in a protective Flexicase, which has worked out great for my needs.
  
  I LOVE that the Palm Z22 can be used as a e-book reader. The Palm Software CD comes with the E-reader software you can load onto your PDA if you want it. By far, it is my most favorite program on my PDA. Now wherever I go, whether I'm across the house or outside my home, I keep a library of books with for me to read.
  
  I love how I can write down my thoughts at anytime. The Graffiti 2 handwriting recognition program is quite easy to learn and, when in a pinch, I can alway easily use the onscreen keyboard. Overall, very easy to use. The amazingly easy-to-use touchscreen technology makes these PDAs a gem.
  
  The internal battery in the Z22 lasts a long time and quickly recharges either by using a wall plug or when synching with the PC. Palm includes a power-off feature which will shut off the Z22 automatically unless you purposely deactivate it when you turn it on. It also shuts off after so many minutes of inactivity. No worries about it accidently turning on or forgetting to shut it off draining precious battery power. So when I'm taken away from my task because of my toddler or other family necessity, I don't worry about the power draining.
  
  The included Palm desktop program also makes it easy to keep my Z22 updated. No grievance there. The hotsync feature sometimes doesn't always connect the first time, but it's not a consistent problem. The desktop program also is programmable for different users of different palm products. So while I can use it for my Palm Z22, I can also use it to program my young son's M100 PDA without our files getting crossed. (I'm getting him started early - laf! Plus they're cheap and work great. I keep kid-friendly programs on his.)
  
  The internal 32K (?) memory is sufficient for Z22. It's plenty enough to add several extra programs (my favorites: e-reader, handyshopper, listpro), keep lots of data, and store several e-books. I still have plenty of room left to work with.
  
  The size of the screen is also not a problem for me. I'm not always crazy about the resolution, but again, I got my Z22 to be my PDA workhorse, not a movie theatre.
  
  I have absolutely no regrets getting my Palm Z22. It frees me from being tied to my computer. It frees me from cluttered thinking. Not a day has gone by since I've gotten the Palm Z22 that I haven't used it. I've been very grateful to have it. Thank you, Palm, for making such a great device that is powerful yet affordable.
  
  I love my Palm Z22! It's helping me change my life. :)
  
  
• Great E- Reader!
  By ATN4J5VS8Q0YM on 2007-03-12
  I bought his palm specifically for reading e-books. I'd never used an e-reader or a palm before, relying on good old fashioned paperbacks mostly, and was nervouse that the smallish screen and scrolling would be both confusing and unenjoyable. Not so!
  
  The screen is more than decent for reading and if you still have trouble you can always enlarge the font, something you don't have the option with on printed texts. Also I never had to worry about keeping my place since the e-book program always opens up on the last spot you left off on. And instead of scrolling like you would on a regular computer program, the palm just has you toggle the center button to flip pages! No words running together as I constantly scroll and give myself a head ache!
  
  The battery has a great life and in two weeks of rabid reading I've gone through 4 books and only had to charge up 3 times. Plus, having this has given me an extra bonus. Not only can I pull this little gem out of my purse and read on the go whenever I'm bored ( i.e. the line at the grocery store, waiting for my freinds to try on clothes at the mall, ect.)but, since I'm a nightowl, my husband doesn't have to deal with the night stand light being on while I read. The light that illuminates the screen internally is plenty bright to read by. He loves my palm so much that he' getting one of his own.
  
  A handy little stilas is kept in a sneaky compartment of the palm and the games, calendar, notes, and lists have been great for helping me organize. This palm doesn't come with a case, but for less than $5 I was able to pick up a small samsonite digital camara case that fits it perfectly without hogging space in my purse. This has been a great purchase!
  
  
• Excellent value for money
  By ANRQC38TN5G12 on 2005-11-14
  This is quite a versatile handheld computer. I run Beyond Contacts, Adobe Reader, Ultrasoft Money and AvantGo on this. In this way, I am able to keep up with my finances by synchronizing with Microsoft Money, take my email, tasks and contacts on the road by syncing with Outlook and I can keep websites and ebooks stored on the Z22 for reading on airplanes and in doctor's offices and places like that. The colour screen is quite good and nice for the websites. This is a great handheld computer for $99.00. No wifi, but at $99.00, you get more than what you pay for.
  
  
• Great for young and old professionals!
  By A2GSLO6QB8DEKQ on 2006-05-21
  I got this PDA because I needed something to take the place of the 4 calendar's that I normally have around the office, along with the never ending list of phone numbers that I use on a constant basis. THIS DID/DOES THE JOB!
  -It's not internet accessable, but that is the point! I don't need to check my email, txt someone nor make a call while on the train with this thing...THAT IS WHAT A CELL PHONE IS FOR!
  -The alarm function is real good, and loud, as long as you are not outside or bury in a backpack or purse.
  -The syncing function takes a few tries to get use to, but after you figure it out, it's golden. I have a mac and once you download the isync addition (2MB max), then you can sync your address book (THANK GOD!) and ical together, along with pictures onto your palm.
  
  Cons:
  -The on/off button is small not pushed up and all, so you need to press it a few times to turn it on..although, by pressing the calendar or contacts button, the palm turns on as well.
  -The face protector sticker sucks! It is not easy to apply, but in the long run it probably wouldn't do much good, and would just cloud the screen
  -The stylus is one of the old fashion full plastic one's. I know the treo's have a similar one, but the point is soft, thus protecting the screen.
  
  Pros:
  -Besides what I already said, the price is great, it looks good, the screen is color, fits perfectly into any pocket, no batteries and can be charged either through the USB plug or an outlet.
  -I would recommend this to anyone who carrying around endless notepads, and who do not want to have a large PDA-cell phone-mini computer, ala Treo.
  -This is a scheduler's dream device!
  -Having something this simple really helps in our tech-inundated world
  
  
• I expected more from this PALM...it's cheap and sluggish!
  By A152C8GNFWGFYN on 2005-11-26
  When my Tungsten E wore out I purchased this Palm Z22 thinking I was getting a good deal, since the price is considerably less than other models out there. From the moment I got it, it seemed "sluggish". I'm fairly adept at graffiti-writing and I found this Palm seemed to record my letters/numbers in slow motion. Still, I stuck with my little Palm Z22, trying to get used to the smaller screen, and cheap plastic stylus. I thought the screen was sluggish because I was used to a heavier stylus, so I bought a new one, but that didn't help. I guess I was grasping at straws. I even went out and bought a case for my Z22, since it didn't have even a simple protector. I laboriously transferred most of my data on it, and didn't even have it a month before the whole Palm fried out. That's right. I charged it up yesterday and was using it for a grocery list, went to shut it off, and bam. Maybe I got a defective unit, but I am not happy. Save the time and aggravation. Upgrade to a more expensive version, even if you don't use all the options.
  
  
• Busy mom? College Student? Don't have tons of $$$
  By A3T3OWAFTEWCWP on 2006-05-31
  This is a great litte PDA for organizing your life. I got it because I wanted to move to an electronic organizer, I got tired of shelling out $30 ~ $50 a year for organizer pages.
  I needed an easy way to keep track of my work schedule, class deadlines, and task list.
  My work schedule changes from week to week and I can keep this with me while I work. If someone needs to trade a shift I can quickly look up my hours to see if I can trade with them. Plus I can see what else is on my schedule, to check for other conflicts. Plus I can keep track of schedule changes easily and still have a hardcopy to refer to, if needed. Also when I am writing my schedule down it is nice not to have to scramble to find a piece of paper and try to keep track of it. I just pull this out and tap in the information. And Hey presto! I am good to go for another week. I snyc this with the Palm software provided. From that I am able to print out my schedule and share it with my family.
  The task list is handy. I have a very long list and I tend to forget things, I don't know what I would do without it. I also use the shopping software that came with it to making my shopping lists. It is very easy to add new items to those lists. I have shopping lists set up for Office Supplies, Groceries, School, etc. I like the fact that I can keep my contacts listed in it, even though I don't access it day to day.
  I purchased a Holiday program from the Palm Store for $10.00 to keep track of Holidays. That is the only thing I would fault computer organizing software on, there are no Holidays listed anywhere. Though my experience is limited to the Z22 and MS Outlook.
  I like the fact that I can import pictures. I run a small business and it is nice to have some pictures on hand to show people what it is I do. While the picture quality isn't that great, it is nice to have some pictures handy. I can change the background picture to that of my neice, how cool is that? It's an added bonus.
  I have also discovered that I can purchase ebooks and read them. Since I like to read this will be handy for me not to have to carry 4-5 books in my lap top case when I travel. Plus ebooks are usually cheaper.
  This is an entry level PDA - That is all it is, people need to remember that. It does what it says it does. I have never had mine crash. If you just want to move from a paper day planner to an electronic day planner this is the one.
  I needed something to keep track of my work hours, school deadlines, business deadlines, shopping, and to-do lists.
  Don't ask this device to do more than what it is designed to do.
  I think Palm was marketing this Device to Busy Moms and not Business Professionals.
  I purchased mine in Novemember 2005 and have never run into any problems. Well worth the money.
  
  I would also recommend the air case, the extra stylus, and screen protectors. I bought all of this at the same time and spent about $125.00.
  
  
• Very Affordable
  By A35VG5NCAWKUI on 2005-11-09
  I am an original owner of a USR Palm Pilot Professional. I paid $300 for it. The bad news is that I rarely use it at all. The reason is that the Pilot is not a pocket computer like my Sharp PC-1350. So, it has been collecting dust like any other gadgets in my house. I already have alot of expensive paper weights. So, what make me buy the Z22 is primary the price and the use of flash memory in this unit. I can finally store all my phone numbers in this Palm without worrying that my numbers will be gone when the battery runs out (I hope). Another thing I like the Z22 is the size and the shape. It is a perfect size for my pocket. The screen is kinda "sink" into the case. So, the screen is kinda protected inside my pocket. The screen is smaller than the other models but it is bright. I am so surprised that I can read the screen so clearly. Another thing I am surprised is that it comes with a database program called Mobile DB. It comes with alot of different ready-made databases. This is the most useful program for the Z22 beside the games I download from the web.
  
  To sum it up why the Z22 is not another gadget:
  1) Price
  2) Size
  3) Useful Database Program
  
  What make it only 4 stars:
  1) The Palm Desktop won't work well with Windows NT/2000 or XP Professional (must be admin to use it. good luck if you want to use it in your office)
  2) The power button doesn't have a little pit/hole for me to use the styli to push the power on.
  3) Graffiti 2 is bad. (need 2 strokes instead of just 1. Why don't they just pay Xerox for the original Graffiti?)
  
  
  In conclusion, the Z22 is an affordable and a very practical Palm .
  
  
• Best low-end Palm yet
  By AGVB3UZIPFHEF on 2007-03-21
  I just switched from my old Palm V to this new Z22. It's a little smaller and much lighter, and all I really need is a device that keeps track of my appts.and holds all my contacts and notes I use in my business. And yeah, it has a few nice games in it, too -- for those long meetings where your turn seems to take for ever.
  
  The setup was painless, and the upgrade and sync of my data from my old software to the new software and Z22 went smooth as silk. I only had two problems. The first was I couldn't find any of my contacts in the computer, but I didn't have the right list selected. The second was I thought some names were missing on the computer, but the list was organized by Firstname,Lastname so no wonder they didn't match. All was there on both the Palm and my computer.
  
  I don't know how long the thing will last on a charge, but it certainly is lasting way longer than the eight hours someone else claimed. I charged it last night, and after using it "normally" all day today, the battery still shows a full charge.
  
  I looked at some cases for it, but opted to go with the screen protectors instead and just stick it in my pocket. I don't like the way the cases open and close, and someone said the soft/gummy cases can make it hard to get out of your pocket. If I can't get to it fast and use it quickly what's the point? An integrated flip cover, like on some of the other Palms, would have been nice.
  
  I don't miss the extra buttons that were on my old Palm, and I can still get to most things I need just using my finger and fingernail without using the stylus.
  
  The color screen is clear and bright and easy to read in daylight or darkness, but being smaller than its bigger brothers you will need to break out your reading glasses. I just got new progressive bifocal glasses, so I'm having no problems.
  
  The icing on the cake is that a small program which loads on your computer allows you to manage photos on the Palm. You don't need to load it, but it was nice to be able to put a photo of my girlfriend in there.
  
  I guess the only negative thing I can say about it is why white? Does every new electronic device have to look like an iPod? Some colors would be very cool. Oh, yeah. I wish the alarm was a little louder. You can hear my Palm V across the room. Even cranked up all the way the Z22 just doesn't cut it in the volume catagory. Just loud enough, but would never get your attention with the car windows rolled down or the stereo cranked up.
  
  Anyway, the bottom line is that if you don't need all the whistles and bells the larger Palm's have, this is a great little device with just enough tools to make your life a little easier.
  
  
• It was a mistake to switch to the Z22
  By A2JLL2FZ6FW6OC on 2006-01-03
  I've used Palm products since they first came into the market. I bought the Z22 to replace my Tungsten E because I was seduced by the lighter weight, clean white design and bright color options. This was a big mistake! It has been an overall disappointment! It has less command buttons on the front and I miss them. It has a "cheap" feel to it. The screen is significantly smaller, so small that I had to enhance the font in order to see it. It has very little memory available after initial set up. But worse of all, in less than one week, the Z22 has needed to be reset 4 times because of freezing up! This is a surprisingly poor product from the otherwise superior Palm family of products. True, it is inexpensive at under $100, but it doesn't need to be "cheap" because of the price!
  
  
• Simple, Uncomplicated, and Inexpensive
  By A1IEV9LXZ74XHQ on 2005-11-23
  I ditched my Dell Axim and its Pocket PC operating system for this simple device. I had had it with trying to work through software conflicts. I never knew if my calendar was correct. My contacts were lost a couple of times. This little number is just what I need: a simple, straightforward device that does what it does simply and well. The Palm operating system is so elegant. Yes, it is not as robust as PPC, but I've given up my dreams of using my handheld as a mini laptop, MP3 player, cell phone, etc. I just want my calendar and my contacts accessible.
  Pros: price, weight (3 ounces), Palm OS, color screen, battery life, appearance, clean lines
  Cons: screen is small, resolution is bare bones
  
  
• Great PDA, but watch out for false advertising!Not all software stated on the box is included!
  By AKAY2YA21HJKV on 2006-01-07
  This is my 3rd PDA in 8 years (I am always wanting the newest features). I do not need it for business, only personal use, so the Z22 is perfect for me. It is very easy and simple to install and use, even for a non-techie like me. I love the color coding system on the calendar and the contact list is so much better organized than my Visor was.
  
  I have a very big gripe. When I purchased my z22, I was mislead into believing that SplashShopper was included in the $99 price. SplashShopper is a fabulous program that lets you keep all sorts of list (I am a major list keeper, and always have lists all over my house, purse and car of things I need from Cosco, or the grocery or books I want to read or all the sizes of my family members, etc.). Splash Shopper organizes all of that info. in the fastest, most accessable way I have ever seen. It states on the Z22 bos AND in all Z22 advertising, that SplashShopper is INCLUDED (check in out on this website). I was so excited to download it and get started. I soon discovered, the only thing included in the original purchase price is a 30 day free trial! I will have to purchase SplashShopper for $30. No where does it say this program it costs extra. I contacted Palm about this problem. I asked for a $30 reimbursment or a $30 credit in a Palm store. They refused both requests AFTER admitting I was correct in my statments. They told me that I could have returned my Z22, when I found out SplashShopper was not included. That was their solution! What the did was false advertising. The old "bait and switch".
  
  I will next speak to the legal dept., but am thinking I will have to report this to the FTC, or some Consumer Advocacy group. It is not about the lousy $30 anymore, but I hate when huge corporations think they can take advantage of their loyal customer base.
  
  
• Back to basics done right... Simple w/lots of power
  By A140J899GHRLN2 on 2005-11-29
  I don't believe in do it all products. Cumbersome and confusing-- too many options. My PC at home and laptop are used for data entry (Outlook- contacts, calendar, tasks-- plus work customer / sales info--- pricing / quotes.. etc). I wanted this unit to sync up with the work I do at home / in office so that if I'm away I can easily reference everything. This unit does that. 2 biggies:
  1) It syncs very well with Outlook- for simplicity, stick with Outlook instead of trying Palm's proprietary software
  2) It includes a program on CD called MobileDB-- basically- any customer data you have in a spreadsheet or database can be exported to this program and synced with your Palm. i.e. - if in Excel- highlight the table-- export to CSV or comma delimited file .. save the file somewhere you'll remember .. open MobilDB.. click import .. then save.. then click the icon that includes the db in your Palm sync. Next time you sync up your data appears on your Palm
  Simple... useful... powerful.
  I've imported about 5000 database records for reference (each database has about 5 fields per record) and still have about 65% of the memory left.
  Best electronic unit I've purchased since my Garmin C300 car GPS.
  
  
• PDA's come and go, But Palm PDA's Rock!
  By A2RAHCZ1YUP69Z on 2005-12-19
  I used to use Casio PDA, but didn't like changing the battery. So than I went for Palm, because Palm has been at PDA's for a long time. Palm is still making the best options avalible. The Palm OS is easy to use. Palm has 7 PDA's. Palm Z 22 has a lot of memory for the Palm OS and Storage. Palm rolls out Winners time and time again.
  
  I like the Palm Z 22 for the high quality, the programs and the price. It looks like Apple's IPod only being a Palm, it does more. Inputing information is easy. Graf. 2 is great for shortcuts that I put in and write cursive l and go, and it spells Garbage out. Sinc is fun and important to put information on to the computer. So much software and three games that gets lots of use.
  
  Z 22 comes with Contacts - Street address - Work phone - Home phone - Email address, Mobile Data Base, Date and time, Alarm, Memos, World Time, Calculator, Graffiti 2 writing system and Graffiti 2 drawing and pointing, Crazy Daisy game, Chess, Carbs diet, CheckSplit, 1st Aid, Knowledge, Solitaire, News, Shopping, Calendar, Expense, Note Pad, Splash Shopper, Tasks list, Photos, Find File, Quick Tour, Manual.
  
  Z 22 Hardware: 200MHz ARM CPU, 32 MB total memory w/20 MB for the user, Palm OS Garnet 5.4, 160 X 160 color touchscreen display, Mini USB connector on device, Long life battery, 3.4 ounces.
  
  
  
• Good replacement for paper contact/calendar organizer
  By A2OS3DOVLINRFT on 2006-02-06
  I can't give it a 5 because I have not used other PDAs before to have a comparison. I hestitate to give it a 4 because there are things that I do not like about it.
  
  Pros:
  1) A cheap electronic replacement for my calendar and contacts. It's small and light
  2) Task list is very useful and has alarms
  3) Memos and databases are also very useful utilities.
  4) Tons of freeware/shareware you can download to enhance your Palm experience.
  
  Cons:
  1) Touch screen sometimes lag or not very responsive
  2) Sync-ing on windows sometimes require multiple tries
  3) I have the Z22 for about 3 weeks now. There's 1 incident so far where it won't turn on and require a reset. The Z22 is protected in my air case and has not been dropped or knocked against, so I am hoping that this is not an indication of any hardware problems.
  4) There's a Photo ability, but the resolution is really OK. My phone has better resolution. They could make a better screen but then given the price you get what you paid for.
  
  This PDA is for those who want a simple paperless organizer, no bluetooth, no wireless, internet ... all that fancy stuff.
  
  
• Most Practical PDA Available
  By A188G2XR43OJJW on 2006-11-15
  This is the most practical, straightforward, reliable PDA around. If you want a great, easy to use personal organizer, look no further than the z22-- It has the perfect feature set for the job (stylish compact design, color screen, Palm organizer software, Graffiti 2, USB Hotsync, incredible battery life, etc.) It is small, adequately featured, and to the point.
  
  If you're looking for something that will surf the net, edit office documents, display pretty pictures, and play music, look elsewhere. (However, I would seriously question whether such battery-consuming features are really necessary or practical in a handheld device like this, anyway).
  
  More importantly, at $100, you can actually afford to buy another z22 if you lose it and not be so concerned about keeping the unit in ship shape. It's also the smallest PDA around, which makes it easy to carry around in your pocket. Get a screen protector and you're all set. (I do highly recommend the screen protector, as the screen is a bit less durable than the more expensive PDA's).
  
  
• Excellent all around organizer!!
  By A1GVL37AMUJQPK on 2005-10-28
  I had been looking for a daily planner/organizer to keep track of school, work and everyday events for sometime now. I looked at all the 'analog' planners and none of them worked. They're either too big to carry with you everywhere, or they don't give you any function other than to waste paper and frustrate the user. Then I figured a handheld organizer or pda was the best solution to this. Except then you had to either get some cheap 'fisher price' looking monochrome display organizer; or you get an overpriced behemoth with more functions than I need or want. Then I came across this little beauty! I compared it to the other handheld's I was considering and the Z22 beat all of them in style, function, size and most importantly PRICE. I recieved mine about a week ago and I couldn't be more satisfied with it. It fits comfortably in your pocket without taking up too much room or buldging. Weighs about the same as most cell phones on the market, around 3 ounces. Best of all you don't have to be totally computer savvy to get full use of it, but it never hurts to know a little.
  
  
• Looks like it would be mac-like, but isn't
  By AYVNHY4J603N6 on 2006-01-17
  I bought a Palm Z22 for use with an iBook running OSX 10.4. All the reviews, features, information that I saw mentioned that it works great with macs.
  
  It turned out not to be the case. I got all of my contacts showing up on the z22. I browsed through them, and I saw that a friend of mine didn't have her birthday filled out. So, I put it in and synced it. The info did not make it back to my mac. For a different person on the mac, I entered their birthday on the mac and synced again. The info did not make it over to the z22.
  
  Then I noticed that one of my contacts had the home address listed as a work address on the z22. Oops, I thought, I need to change that, so I went into the abook on the mac. It was correct there, it just didn't copy it to the z22 correctly.
  
  I go to palm's support site under mac syncing, and do a search for birthday, and nothing comes up (actually, if you include archives, you will see someone had this problem over a year ago with a mac syncing to a palm). I notice there are a bunch of questions there, but no answers.
  
  After a little more searching, I find that there is a company out there called markspace that sells software that is supposed to make these things work. I haven't tried it yet, because it costs $40 and I'm not sure I want to pay for functionality that should have been included with the pda.
  
  So, if you are going to buy a palm device to work with your mac, be prepared for it to not work completely, or to pay an extra $40 to possibly get it to work completely.
  
  
• Could not sync with Outlook
  By AIW3PMGVJ908M on 2006-07-16
  I bought the Z22 specifically to synchronize with my Contacts and Calender in Outlook. I had an old Palm V that I had been pleased with, but it has long since died and I finally got around to buying the latest product. I didn't want anything fancy - just the ability to look up information when I don't have my laptop with me. I followed the setup directions, but received an error message when synchronizing with Outlook. No detail was provided in the error log. After fruitlessly searching the Palm website, I contacted Palm support. 5 emails later, one of their representatives identified my problem as the "OLERR error". Apparently it's very common, and he sent me 3 pages of instructions to find the offending Outlook entry that caused the synchronization to fail. According to the email, the solution was "time-consuming." I bought this product to help me be more efficient, not so that I could spend hours trying to isolate instances that are not supported by their synchronization software. What a disappointment. Back it goes.
  
  
• 90 day warranty on this and Zire 31
  By AZB5C6BNYAI4T on 2005-11-11
  I'm only placing my Zire31 review on this Z22 page to warn potential buyers of short 90 day warranties and poor hardware on these less expensive units. Hmmm, I wonder why they only offer 90 day warranties then? The more expensive ones carry 1 year warranties. I bet those hold up a year or more. I don't want people to think I mean the Z22 will have the Zire31 problems I had, just be wary of the product carrying a shorter warranty like mine. See below for my Zire31 review....
  
  "I originally bought this Zire 31 after having good luck with my previous m105. I just got tired of the AA batteries hard resetting the unit when changing them, and the m105 didn't sync with Outlook natively without buying extra software. Anyway, there is a reason why the new Zires have 90 day warranties and other more expensive Palms have 1 year warranties. After 4 months (one month beyond warranty) the mini-usb port on the side went bad. Every time I plug in a cable, it hard resets itself and loses all data. Even if you jiggle the cable slightly it does this. After 20 minutes on the phone with a tech support person in the far east, I still could not convince him of this. He kept saying I needed to try this or that, totally unrelated to the real problem. I guess it wasn't in his script! He just didn't understand. When I finally talked to someone else, they informed me of the 90 day warranty, and that I would have to pay $75.00 minimum to repair. It only cost $130! After shipping, why bother! Spend the extra money for one with a longer warranty, or better yet, don't buy a Palm. Don't buy this one even if you buy the extended warranty. Why hassle with it breaking at all. Very disappointed with the unit, and with Palm in general. Hope this helps anyone who may even be considering this unit."
  
  
• I like it.
  By A2SJZ285MXKENI on 2005-12-09
  I have been a palm user for many years (Palm IIIe, Palm VII). My PalmVII finally gave up the ghost and I've had my Z22 for about a month.
  
  So far I am very happy with it. I have been looking for a Palm that does not have a ton of fancy features for a very fancy price and this unit fits the bill perfectly. I am able to keep track of my family's social calendar and my appointments using the color coded calendar.
  
  In Outlook, contacts can have more than one category, I wish the palm mirrored that feature, but other than that, it's a great tool for the price.
  
  
• Stopped working within 2 weeks w/o reason
  By A1SGWO4WQ9XG3O on 2005-12-12
  I'm really disappointed with the quality of this product. I was leery about buying this or a more expensive PDA for my wife because I've heard about problems with Palm PDAs. However the high ratings for this product on Amazon had me convinced that perhaps the QC had improved for the z22. My wife was extremely excited about using this as it had all the features she wanted and was the most economically priced one we found. After using it for about two weeks, it decided to stop working. It won't power up anymore. I just returned it back to Amazon. I'm now looking for something less flashy but definitely more reliable.
  
  
• Won't work with XP at the office
  By AVZARCWTYYZWB on 2005-12-31
  This Palm "lite" may be fine for home users, but if you have Windows XP at your office, it is probably Windows XP Professional. Palm Z22 won't consistently synchronize with XP-Professional, and Palm does not support it. This is very disappointing...all I want is the basics (a portable roladex and day-planner). Since I'm buying this out of my own pocket, I don't want to pay for bells and whistles I won't use. Palm needs a KISS handheld for professionals. The Z22 is not it.
  
  
• A PDA for those who want a PDA.
  By A8KF46HSPGKHY on 2006-02-01
  This PDA doesn't have a camera, an mp3 player, high-end video games, or a cell phone on it. And that doesn't bother me much, because I already have all of those items, and they do just fine. I needed something to keep my day organized, and this -$100 beauty was just what I needed to accomplish that.
  
  This was the first time I have owned a PDA, and I was impressed by how easy it was to use. I consider myself a fairly technology-savvy individual, but I still like being able to get where I want to do without going through a myriad of submenus.
  
  The small size allows it to fit in my front shirt pocket with minimal difficulty. Considering my pants pockets are filled with my iPod, my phone, and my wallet, this was a blessing.
  
  Reading e-books is also quite easy. I found myself in an unexpected waiting period of over an hour, and I had only my PDA. I was able to keep the screen a reasonable distance away from my face without squinting, and the navigation buttons made scrolling through the pages a breeze.
  
  I had to take away half a star for lack of memory expansion. A jump drive is a short-term solution, but it would have been nice to have. It might have added bulk to the device, but I would have paid extra to have that feature.
  
  The other half-star I had to take away was for its near-unreadability in direct sunlight. Granted, most of us are using our PDA's in office environments and not outside under the sun, but I had to adjust the contrast a significant amount to barely read what was on the screen. It might have been the screen protector, but screen protectors are a neccessity with these devices.
  
  Regardless, the price for what it provides cannot be beaten. A good, solid PDA for those who want a PDA.
  
  

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