New Palm Model...Sleek Design...Slim Price
With PocketPCs from Casio, Hewlett Packard and Compaq taking the high road in the battle to put computers in your pocket….high in terms of capability and price…the folks at Palm are taking the opposite approach. A new, low cost Palm…with colorful, snap-on faceplates. The 149 dollar m100. Group Manager David Christopher…says this model uses a cable instead of a cradle, has 2 megabytes of memory and has an operating system that can't be upgraded. But the bet is…for many consumers…less will equal more…
"What entry level users or people who have not purchased to date really care about are ease of use, simplicity, elegance in design, a lifestyle appeal…how it's actually going to fit into my life. A comfort level that they can actually purchase this device and feel confident that it won't wind up in their sock drawer."
One new application included is the ability to jot notes down and save them in your own writing. Skipping the handwriting recognition saves time. The m100 is small and lightweight…much like the more expensive, sleek Palm V. Of course, it retains the same ease of use that has made the Palm devices so popular. I like them, but if money is no object, the Pocket PCs can do more…playing MP3 music and reading digital books and viewing color photos. The choices are getting more difficult…and better all the time. You can find us on the Web at Bootcamp.com. Bootcamp, I'm Fred Fishkin for CBS News.