advertisement

Ask CNET Asia

Find Products

  • Brand
  • Price
  • Operating system
  • Phone type
  • Connectivity options
  • Touchscreen
  • Built-in digital camera?
  • Filter »

Buying Advice

Editors' Top 5s

CNET Features

 

Sony CLIE PEG-S320/G

 Print    Email     Bookmark     Share

By Darren Gladstone
Aug 13, 2001

When it comes to handhelds, a lot changes in a year. But in the case of Sony's CLIE PEG-300-series PDAs, the new monochrome PEG-S320/G is more of a gradual evolution than a major revolution. While the original had a number of extras and new features, the PEG-S320/G offers a sleeker design, a few tweaks and patches, and--most importantly--a very affordable price point.

More Than Skin Deep
The new model's case closely resembles that of the high-end PEG-N610C--jog dial and all. Not only is this look easier on the eyes than the original CLIE design, it also means the cradles and other accessories will work with all the models in the CLIE line. But in place of the PEG-710C/G's more metallic surface, here you'll find silver-toned hard plastic. This is one of several cost-cutting choices that Sony made to deliver the PEG-S320/G at a list price of just S$369. Overall, the design is attractive, but it's not as sleek as those of the Palm Vx or the iPaq.

If you like the price and don't mind the plastic case, the PEG-S320/G has the guts to go toe-to-toe with more expensive PDAs. Like the S$729 Palm m500, this CLIE runs Palm OS 4.0 on a 33MHz DragonBall VZ processor with 8MB of RAM to store all your contact and calendar information and third-party applications. This model's 4MB of flash ROM gives it a longer lifespan, too, since you'll be able to upgrade the OS later on.

Stick-y Situation
Should you need more than 8MB to store all your applications, the PEG-S320/G has a Memory Stick slot. But Sony doesn't include a Stick in the box, so you'll have to buy your own. The lack of a dust cover for the empty Memory Stick slot concerns us; pocket lint and other junk could easily lodge in there. For the moment at least, Memory Sticks are only for storage. (Handspring's similarly priced Visor Deluxe can accept memory cartridges, digital cameras, and MP3 players in its Springboard expansion slot.)

Other minor concerns include what you get--and what you don't--straight out of the box. In order to keep costs low, Sony opted not to bundle a Memory Stick. This makes economic sense, but the utter lack of a dust cover for the expansion slot can only mean trouble until you buy at least an 8MB Stick. The nylon flip cover for the PEG-S320/G may give you that cool, Star Trek-communicator feel, but there's no latch to keep it in place, so it'll just flop around a good deal of the time. Meanwhile, road warriors will be fond of the fact that the PEG-S320/G comes with a travel charger and cable (but there's no cradle). The downside is that you can't simultaneously plug in the sync cable and the Lithium-ion battery charger.

People using Windows 95, Windows NT, or Mac systems will want to avoid the CLIE because it won't sync with their desktops. Mac users who have their hearts set on a CLIE, though, can buy third-party software to make it work. Here's one of our pet peeves: poor conduit software for contact managers. The Intellisync Lite software that Sony includes is mediocre at best when compared to the Chapura PocketMirror conduit that comes with most other Palm OS devices.

Comparing the PEG-S320/G to last year's PEG-S300, you will see a greatly evolved PDA. But when you stack it up against the Handspring Visor Deluxe and the Palm m500, finding a true winner becomes a tougher decision. Though we like the m500's sleeker design and the Visor's Springboard slot, the PEG-S320's sharp, easy-to-read display and budget-friendly price make this handheld a solid pick.