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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating - Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 53 reviews
- See all user reviews
Product summary
The good: High-resolution, color screen; rechargeable batteries.
The bad: Cradle not included.
The bottom line: The SJ30 is a good choice for those looking for an expandable color PDA that won't break the bank.
Specifications: OS provided: Palm OS 4.1 ; Installed RAM: 16 MB DRAM ; Wireless connectivity: IrDA ; See full specs
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 09/23/2002
- Updated on: 11/05/2002
- Released on: 08/16/2002
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| From the front, the SJ30 is diminutive. | A side view shows that it's thicker than most new PDAs. |
Below the screen and the Graffiti area are the typical four application buttons and the scroll rocker. Sony's T-series CLIEs have a small and nearly useless scroll key; perhaps in response to this problem, the company has made the SJ30's buttons bigger and easier to use. However, the controls are still not large enough to play a fast-action game comfortably. Fortunately, there's a jog dial and a back button on the side of the unit to speed up scrolling and switching between programs.
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| Hurry up: The jog dial aids navigation. | Style over form: The cover looks good but offers little protection. |
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 The tiny and easily misplaced dongle. |
In lieu of a cradle, Sony includes a small, plastic adapter; a power cord; and a USB cable. This is a lightweight and efficient package for the frequent traveler, but we would have preferred an adapter that's not so easy to lose. If you must have a cradle, you can purchase one from Sony.
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 The easy way to add memory. |
Sony includes a suite of CLIE programs with the SJ30, the most notable of which are geared toward showing off the handheld's high-resolution screen. PictureGear Pocket, when used with the included PictureGear Lite desktop application, lets you convert and view files on your PDA. This is a nice perk, but we would have preferred JPEG support out of the box. Once you have images on the SJ30, you may either display them as a slide show in Photo Stand or edit and embellish them using CLIE Paint.
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| Ever wonder what you'd look like as a Vulcan? | Workflow: Documents To Go takes charge. |
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 World Clock is a useful and full-featured alarm clock. |
The SJ30's built-in lithium-ion battery delivers an acceptable amount of operating time. With the auto-off function disabled and the screen set to maximum brightness, the battery lasted 3 hours, 50 minutes. This is a far cry from Sony's estimate of 15 days of usage at 30 minutes per day. Of course, you can extend the battery life by using this PDA without the backlight whenever possible.
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| Imagine imaging: The SJ30 presents a flower. | While the text looks fantastic, the icons are still blocky. |
However, when the white backlight is off, it's difficult to read text on the high-resolution (320x320-pixel) screen under certain conditions. If you happen to be outdoors, it's easy to see the screen display and even most of the colors, but when you're inside, the backlight is a must. And while the text is much crisper than that found on competing 160x160 handhelds, the icons are still blocky compared to those of a Pocket PC.
User reviews
- Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 53 reviews
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
