Entered CNET Catalog: 10/06/2005
SKU: 2113008
Manufacturer: Palm
Product summary
The good: Light and compact; 32MB of memory; lets you view and store photos; affordable.
The bad: Low-resolution screen; touch screen isn't always responsive; doesn't play music files.
The bottom line: The Palm Z22 provides an affordable, very basic, and easy-to-use PDA suitable for first-time buyers and technophobes.
Average user rating: from 61 users
3.5 stars
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 10/19/2005
The Palm Z22 is absolutely adorable. Showing off a sporty white and midnight blue color scheme, it's probably the smallest and lightest (2.7 by 4.0 by 0.6 inches; 3.4 ounces) PDA we've seen, and it slips easily into your bag or pocket. Yet, we worry about the durability of the plastic casing (think iPod Shuffle) and screen, which tends to hold a lot of fingerprints and smudges. We recommend you invest in a protective case or, at the very least, screen overlays to prevent scratches. Palm is offering a two-pack of Flexi cases with four screen protectors for $14.99.
Minimalist styling: The Palm Z22 features two shortcut keys to your Calendar and Contacts, but that's it.
Speaking of the screen, the Palm Z22's 2.5-inch-diagonal screen displays thousands of colors, but with its low 160x160-pixel resolution, the viewing experience is a little painful. Images and text just aren't as sharp as those of other PDAs, but you can improve the situation a bit by adjusting the contrast and holding the PDA farther away. We also noticed that the touch screen isn't particularly responsive. Oftentimes, we had to tap an icon numerous times in order to call up an app or maneuver around the display. Below the screen is the virtual Graffiti input area, as well as shortcuts to the Home Page, Menu, HotSync, and Find functions. Additionally, there are two shortcut keys to your Appointments and Contacts, as well as a four-way navigation toggle with a center Select key. Finishing out the Z22 are a mini-USB port and a stylus holder on the top, as well as a lone Reset button on the back.
The Palm Z22's feature set is bare bones, but you get the staple Calendar, Contacts, Memos, and Tasks applications for organizing your most important data. Within those programs, you can customize your data even more. For example, you can designate your Personal and Business appointments by color-coding them, plus you can add photos to your contacts. The Z22 also syncs with Microsoft Outlook for e-mail. With 32MB of memory--20MB of it user-accessible--the PDA can hold about 6,000 addresses, 10 years' worth of appointments, and more. You also get an expense-tracking program, a world clock, a notepad, and a calculator. Palm provides a couple of fun extras, including a game called Crazy Daisy and an eBook reader with three complete books: The Duke and I, Never Eat Alone, and Smoke and Mirrors. Unlike with the Zire 31, however, you can't listen to music on the Z22, but you can carry and view photos individually or as slide shows.
The Palm Z22 is powered by a 200MHz processor that delivers smooth operation with no real noticeable lag when switching between programs. Palm says the Z22's rechargeable battery can last up to one week with casual use. We've been using the Z22 for about four days on a single charge, and the battery indicator says we still have about one-quarter of the charge left.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Only worked 11 months
Pros: It did everything quicker than my Z21 (especially synch) and had a prettier screen.
Cons: It only lasted 11 months (my Z21 lasted 42 months); screen stopped accepting stylus input. Palm insists only remedy is to pay minimum of $75 for repair.
One positive: there *is* free tech support available via chat at:
http://www.palm.com/chat
Review: Too short a working life for $99.
User Rating:
1.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
bad... no... beyond bad
Pros: inexpensive, cute, light, small, relatively simple... and all those other things people like
Cons: Screen is so unresponsive as to make the instrument useless. The screen seems to decide for itself whether it will respond to the stylus at any given moment. I'd like to say you get what you pay for, but I spent more than $10 for it, so I can't.
Review: see above
User Rating:
1.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Nightmare!
Pros: Look good, that is about it!
Cons: The clock does not work that makes it a useless piece of pick the word. Customer service is out of this world: you cannot return it and if you want to replace it you need to put a $300 deposit.
Review: Total waste of money!
User Rating:
1.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Died after 4 months
Pros: Easy to use, basic handheld.
Cons: Died after four months, but the warranty only lasts 90 days. May be cheap, but started having issues just after warranty expired and PALM will do nothing at this point.
Review:
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
A Great Palm! Well Worth the Money!
Pros: Smooth interface and sleek design make up this Palm. Small enough to fit COMFORTABLY in the palm of your hand (I make that in bold because other PDAs can be big, clunky, and hard to hold). Trust me, read the summary for better information.
Cons: Can't handle Hi-Res applications, though I'm not really surprised by that considering it isn't a Hi-Res palm. Photos can become brighter on the Palm, so I recommend "dimming" them with the desktop photos application first.
Review: The pros:
- Rechargeable!
- HotSync by cable.
- Easy, simple color choosing
- An option to choose backgrounds for the "main menu", calendar, and more
- 5-way navigation (additionally, there are 2 buttons to the side, contacts and datebook)
- Graffiti 2 is much more like ordinary writing than it is with other Palms, such as the Handspring Visor.
- Smooth, sleek design.
- 32 MB of space!
The cons:
- Photos can become brighter, grainy, or out of focus when installed on the palm.
- I have not found a way to download new themes thus far, and most of the themes available on the Palm are either too strange or completely unreadable. Try Basic or Original.
- Only 2 application buttons. I can't access more than 2 of the programs I use the most.
So, the bottom line is, the Z22 has its faults, but all-in-all, it's a sleek, comfortable little palm that is simple, yet has some sort of air about it that makes you want to get it.
Its functionalities, in way of amount, are practically endless. Really, the only applications that you CAN'T put on it are High Resolution.
Luckily, color is included, so you can put your favorite apps on there without difficulty.
Included apps are:
Crazy Daisy Game
Calc Calculator (not many functions, I recommend www.infinitysw.com/palm)
Calendar Calendar (Includes default background, but totally customizable)
Contacts Address book (This comes with a slot for contact photos)
Memos Memo writer
Note Pad Visual Notes or Drawing
Photos View Photos (This also stores all your background and contacts photos) (you must install the desktop software to install photos onto your palm)
Tasks Task Tracker
World Clock Keep track of your favorite locations' time
Today A little program that brings it all together
And more!
Don't judge the palm until you try it. I guarantee that you won't regret TRYING it. For more experiences Palmers, I would recommend something with a little more functionality, but otherwise, this little thing is great and perfect for people looking for a small, cheap handheld.
Programs I would recommend:
Adobe Reader For PDFs
Palm Reader For DOC files (MakeDocW will convert TEXT files to DOC)
ReadThemAll A simple auto-scroller for scrolling in eBooks with no hands!
MobiPocket For every eBook (except MS Word documents)
DIgital Collection Keep track of all your CDs, DVDs, video games, and more! Comes with a handy bar graph for viewing costs or titles in certain categories.
MegaMemo 2 For lengthening the available space for Memos
MobileDB Keep track of anything and everything! A handy, easy-to-use database app
Palm Basic v1.0 build 2 An easy-to-use programmer for your Palm!
- Rechargeable!
- HotSync by cable.
- Easy, simple color choosing
- An option to choose backgrounds for the "main menu", calendar, and more
- 5-way navigation (additionally, there are 2 buttons to the side, contacts and datebook)
- Graffiti 2 is much more like ordinary writing than it is with other Palms, such as the Handspring Visor.
- Smooth, sleek design.
- 32 MB of space!
The cons:
- Photos can become brighter, grainy, or out of focus when installed on the palm.
- I have not found a way to download new themes thus far, and most of the themes available on the Palm are either too strange or completely unreadable. Try Basic or Original.
- Only 2 application buttons. I can't access more than 2 of the programs I use the most.
So, the bottom line is, the Z22 has its faults, but all-in-all, it's a sleek, comfortable little palm that is simple, yet has some sort of air about it that makes you want to get it.
Its functionalities, in way of amount, are practically endless. Really, the only applications that you CAN'T put on it are High Resolution.
Luckily, color is included, so you can put your favorite apps on there without difficulty.
Included apps are:
Crazy Daisy Game
Calc Calculator (not many functions, I recommend www.infinitysw.com/palm)
Calendar Calendar (Includes default background, but totally customizable)
Contacts Address book (This comes with a slot for contact photos)
Memos Memo writer
Note Pad Visual Notes or Drawing
Photos View Photos (This also stores all your background and contacts photos) (you must install the desktop software to install photos onto your palm)
Tasks Task Tracker
World Clock Keep track of your favorite locations' time
Today A little program that brings it all together
And more!
Don't judge the palm until you try it. I guarantee that you won't regret TRYING it. For more experiences Palmers, I would recommend something with a little more functionality, but otherwise, this little thing is great and perfect for people looking for a small, cheap handheld.
Programs I would recommend:
Adobe Reader For PDFs
Palm Reader For DOC files (MakeDocW will convert TEXT files to DOC)
ReadThemAll A simple auto-scroller for scrolling in eBooks with no hands!
MobiPocket For every eBook (except MS Word documents)
DIgital Collection Keep track of all your CDs, DVDs, video games, and more! Comes with a handy bar graph for viewing costs or titles in certain categories.
MegaMemo 2 For lengthening the available space for Memos
MobileDB Keep track of anything and everything! A handy, easy-to-use database app
Palm Basic v1.0 build 2 An easy-to-use programmer for your Palm!
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
This is a simple yet powerful Palm
Pros: Small size, light weight, great looks
Cons: Being realistic about what it is........None!
Review: I'm an old Palm user (literally!)I have owned almost every model Palm have made, including Treo 600, 650 & 750 smartphones. I also own 3 x Blackberrys - 7290, Curve and 8100 Pearl.
Being addicted to these things, it dawned on me one day that the features I use most are the 4 Pims that came with my ancient (but still working) Palm Pilot Professional. Most of my email isn't so important that it can't wait until I get home at night. In my 50's I don't listen to a lot of music (i'm in a car most of the day with a radio on anyway) If I want to take a photo, I want it to be a good one, and own a good digital camera. What I do need every day, is a good diary, calculator, a 'to do' list (so things actually get done)and a large telephone book, for all of my business and personal contacts. I also need to be able to look things up reasonably quickly. In an electronic organizer I like something small and light, that fits easily into the breast pocket of the business shirts I use for work each day. The best Palm I had (until now) that fitted all these requirements, was my old m515. The Tungstens both E & E2 I had nothing but digitizer and other problems with, and they were heavy in the pocket. Enter the simple elegant Z22! Although a bit wary at first, I now absolutely love this thing! It does what I need it to do. I am happy to leave the Blackberrys and Pocket PC's, Smartphones etc to all the techo geeks, I generally found them expensive and more trouble than they are worth! Many made me LESS productive in my working day, through stuffing around trying to get them to work correctly, or being interrupted constantly by 'junk' emails.
A minimalist at heart, give me my simple practical Z22 any day!
Being addicted to these things, it dawned on me one day that the features I use most are the 4 Pims that came with my ancient (but still working) Palm Pilot Professional. Most of my email isn't so important that it can't wait until I get home at night. In my 50's I don't listen to a lot of music (i'm in a car most of the day with a radio on anyway) If I want to take a photo, I want it to be a good one, and own a good digital camera. What I do need every day, is a good diary, calculator, a 'to do' list (so things actually get done)and a large telephone book, for all of my business and personal contacts. I also need to be able to look things up reasonably quickly. In an electronic organizer I like something small and light, that fits easily into the breast pocket of the business shirts I use for work each day. The best Palm I had (until now) that fitted all these requirements, was my old m515. The Tungstens both E & E2 I had nothing but digitizer and other problems with, and they were heavy in the pocket. Enter the simple elegant Z22! Although a bit wary at first, I now absolutely love this thing! It does what I need it to do. I am happy to leave the Blackberrys and Pocket PC's, Smartphones etc to all the techo geeks, I generally found them expensive and more trouble than they are worth! Many made me LESS productive in my working day, through stuffing around trying to get them to work correctly, or being interrupted constantly by 'junk' emails.
A minimalist at heart, give me my simple practical Z22 any day!
User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Palm Z22 is not worth it
Pros: Great way to organize
Cons: Touch-Screen is poor
Review: I just got the Palm Z22 and because I live a very busy life style thought it'd be great for me to keep organized. Everything about it is great and handy except the device is missing the most important feature- a touch-screen keyboard. The only way to write anything on this device is with the pen that it comes with and writing each letter onto the touch-screen as if you were writing on paper. The only problem- the screen is not sensitive enough to pick up the letter you are writing- therefore it takes forever to write the right message or note onto the palm. It mis interprets everything i write with the pen. If there was a keyboard- like touchscreen I would be able to get my notes in effectivly.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Good with some flaws
Pros: Battery life, screen, operating system
Cons: operating system
Review: Palm critique
I currently live on a boat on a round the world sailing voyage. We have have a laptop on board for writing emails, maintaining a website, making maintenance lists, keeping accounts, keeping a calendar and other small tasks. The Compaq laptop we use is excellent but requires significant amount of electrical power. I wanted a method of drafting emails and documents which didn't use so much electricity and that I could use at any time without having to get the laptop out of its protective case, plug it in, insert mouse, boot it up (minutes), use it, power down, put it away in case, stow power supply and mouse and put case away. In fact my mostly wonderful Psion 5 would have been perfect but I got fed up having to send off the unit every year to fix the built in design flaw in the hinge. Why can't someone make a PDA with the Symbian software and some decent hardware?
My wife had an early generation Palm in a slinky transparent green case which she loved. I thought something similar would do the job allowing me to use it as and when the time was available and thoughts thoughts occurred to me. As I didn't need wireless, extensive memory, ability to play and record sound, etc, the lightwight Palm Z22 combined with an external keyboard looked like a good solution. The internet reviews of the screen, battery life and Palm operating system were postive. Buying it was a bit of a gamble as the only shop in the vicinity which had Z22s sold them in sealed bombproof plastic containers which could not be opened and would not allow testing in the shop and the assistants knew nothing about the products they were selling. Plus ca change. However, subsequent use has shown the lightweight Z22 to be a very usable PDA with some reservations.
Good stuff
- The screen is surprisingly clear, bright and usable screen at 160x160 pixels when used indoors.
- The Graffiti handwriting system took 10 minutes to learn although I am still struggling with one or two letters
- The internal rechargeable battery life is good, I have yet to use more than half of the good battery life in several days of use including reading some eBooks on the screen. The system recharges quickly via the power adaptor or USB cable.
- The core applications are nice. The tasks, and calendar work well together with a nice summary of the events and tasks of the day.
- The 'category' system effectively emulates organising tasks, appointments, documents and notes into folders.
- The synchronising with the laptop works well via the supplied USB cable although the desktop Palm software has to be started first. Once the synching is done, the Z22 has to be disconnected before it can be repeated.
- There is a good system for importing most other organiser data via a comma delimited file format. I managed a Lotus Organiser import without difficulty.
Disappointments
- The screen is not really daylight readable particularly in sunshine. Again, not something you can test if the shop does not have a demo model and will not let you turn it on.
- The alarms are very quiet and almost inaudible from more than a few metres away. In a car or noisy office, you would struggle to hear them at all.
Unsatisfactory
- The core software seems to have some flaky edges. Tapping the 123 symbol to enter digits on the soft keyboard often crashes the system, even core programmes. Initially, this was happening two or three times a day. I have learnt to overcome the problem by going to the numeric keyboard via the alphabetical keyboard. Looking on the bright side, the data and most setting seem to be retained during the crashes with only the screen brightness and contrast having to be reset.
I have since purchased a Palm universal keyboard to work with the Z22 which I have reviewed elsewhere. Again a bit of a gamble as the Palm website did not list the Z22 as being compatible, with their keyboard but as they were both had IR capability, it was worth a try and they do talk to each other.
I currently live on a boat on a round the world sailing voyage. We have have a laptop on board for writing emails, maintaining a website, making maintenance lists, keeping accounts, keeping a calendar and other small tasks. The Compaq laptop we use is excellent but requires significant amount of electrical power. I wanted a method of drafting emails and documents which didn't use so much electricity and that I could use at any time without having to get the laptop out of its protective case, plug it in, insert mouse, boot it up (minutes), use it, power down, put it away in case, stow power supply and mouse and put case away. In fact my mostly wonderful Psion 5 would have been perfect but I got fed up having to send off the unit every year to fix the built in design flaw in the hinge. Why can't someone make a PDA with the Symbian software and some decent hardware?
My wife had an early generation Palm in a slinky transparent green case which she loved. I thought something similar would do the job allowing me to use it as and when the time was available and thoughts thoughts occurred to me. As I didn't need wireless, extensive memory, ability to play and record sound, etc, the lightwight Palm Z22 combined with an external keyboard looked like a good solution. The internet reviews of the screen, battery life and Palm operating system were postive. Buying it was a bit of a gamble as the only shop in the vicinity which had Z22s sold them in sealed bombproof plastic containers which could not be opened and would not allow testing in the shop and the assistants knew nothing about the products they were selling. Plus ca change. However, subsequent use has shown the lightweight Z22 to be a very usable PDA with some reservations.
Good stuff
- The screen is surprisingly clear, bright and usable screen at 160x160 pixels when used indoors.
- The Graffiti handwriting system took 10 minutes to learn although I am still struggling with one or two letters
- The internal rechargeable battery life is good, I have yet to use more than half of the good battery life in several days of use including reading some eBooks on the screen. The system recharges quickly via the power adaptor or USB cable.
- The core applications are nice. The tasks, and calendar work well together with a nice summary of the events and tasks of the day.
- The 'category' system effectively emulates organising tasks, appointments, documents and notes into folders.
- The synchronising with the laptop works well via the supplied USB cable although the desktop Palm software has to be started first. Once the synching is done, the Z22 has to be disconnected before it can be repeated.
- There is a good system for importing most other organiser data via a comma delimited file format. I managed a Lotus Organiser import without difficulty.
Disappointments
- The screen is not really daylight readable particularly in sunshine. Again, not something you can test if the shop does not have a demo model and will not let you turn it on.
- The alarms are very quiet and almost inaudible from more than a few metres away. In a car or noisy office, you would struggle to hear them at all.
Unsatisfactory
- The core software seems to have some flaky edges. Tapping the 123 symbol to enter digits on the soft keyboard often crashes the system, even core programmes. Initially, this was happening two or three times a day. I have learnt to overcome the problem by going to the numeric keyboard via the alphabetical keyboard. Looking on the bright side, the data and most setting seem to be retained during the crashes with only the screen brightness and contrast having to be reset.
I have since purchased a Palm universal keyboard to work with the Z22 which I have reviewed elsewhere. Again a bit of a gamble as the Palm website did not list the Z22 as being compatible, with their keyboard but as they were both had IR capability, it was worth a try and they do talk to each other.
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Not Long Lived
Pros: Overall Value for Money
Cons: Sudden Tap Screen Death
Review: I have had this palm for 2 years, owned Handsprings before this and was very happy with them. This morning I charged up my palm to get ready for my grocery shopping, I use a database program to make my lists, and suddenly the tap screen won't work.
I have reset, powered on and off etc and because it had always worked I didn't set up the hot keys for anything other than the default settings. I have always had it in a hard case and though it has dropped a few times I figured it was fairly protected and never had issues afterwards. Then suddenly this morning the touch/tap screen up and died. I know it is farcical to even bother trying to send it for repair since it will cost more than to replace it.
I wish this had been as reliable and well built as the Handsprings, which of course now are not made anymore.
I have reset, powered on and off etc and because it had always worked I didn't set up the hot keys for anything other than the default settings. I have always had it in a hard case and though it has dropped a few times I figured it was fairly protected and never had issues afterwards. Then suddenly this morning the touch/tap screen up and died. I know it is farcical to even bother trying to send it for repair since it will cost more than to replace it.
I wish this had been as reliable and well built as the Handsprings, which of course now are not made anymore.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Wonderful PDA, really miss it
Pros: Ease of use, not too many features to get lost with
Cons: Screen was a little hard to tap on, a little austere
Review: I really liked my z22, before getting involved in an auto accident and destroying it, and I ended up buying an IPAQ. This is a little easier to get used to than the IPAQ is. I did not have to read the manual, in order to get started and going. Once I was going, I had my addresses entered into my address book in no time at all, and I was able to repeat entries. I liked the fact that the interface is a little easier to use, than other PDA's that I have used in the past, however, the screen could have used a little work in the sensitivity department. It was a little austere, with no pocket word, or excel, and that was fine for me, however, the new IPAQ that I bought, has those features. A great starter PDA for those who are not into gadgets.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Nice little Unit
Pros: contact sync, Calendar Sync, Task Sync
Cons: no email sync, no wireless/bluetooth sync.
Review: I did not buy this little unit for anything flashy like wireless or multimedia, or even picture viewing.
The Z22 is perfectly targeted at individuals who just want to use it as a replacement for your typical day planner. With the addition of Pocket Quicken this unit fits my needs perfectly.
I have never experienced any issues that i have read about, such as crashing etc. Even with the default applications and the bonus apps plus my financial software, i still have a good deal of memory left.
If i wanted all the jazz and flashy things, i would have bought a different handheld, but i have other devices that fit my needs there. My only wish is that there was a wireless way of syncing, which the higher end models have, but with the higher end models, you also get a lot of junk you really dont need or i wouldn't use.
All in all, a good little unit, i highly recomend it.
The Z22 is perfectly targeted at individuals who just want to use it as a replacement for your typical day planner. With the addition of Pocket Quicken this unit fits my needs perfectly.
I have never experienced any issues that i have read about, such as crashing etc. Even with the default applications and the bonus apps plus my financial software, i still have a good deal of memory left.
If i wanted all the jazz and flashy things, i would have bought a different handheld, but i have other devices that fit my needs there. My only wish is that there was a wireless way of syncing, which the higher end models have, but with the higher end models, you also get a lot of junk you really dont need or i wouldn't use.
All in all, a good little unit, i highly recomend it.
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Great for Organization, Bad for Communication
Pros: Small, Lightweight, Inexpensive
Cons: No Wireless/Bluetooth Communication
Review: The Z22 is a great tool for replacing your paper organizer and address book. I have been using my own for a year now, and use it mainly for my work schedule, my address book, taking notes, viewing driving directions, and keeping a small photo album.
Although it is great for organization, it definitely lacks behind when it comes to Wireless Communication. There is no wireless networking or support for Bluetooth devices.
Although it is great for organization, it definitely lacks behind when it comes to Wireless Communication. There is no wireless networking or support for Bluetooth devices.
User Rating:
1.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Short life span
Pros: Back to Palm Basics
Cons: Short life span
Review: This is the 3rd Palm I've owned and all have been great. The Z22 only lasted months. It began to have difficulty with precision on tapping locations. Shortly after that, it just quit. Nothing I tried would boot it. Waste of money. I even housed it in the clear plastic shell, which should have offered perfect protection from shock.
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Palm is going downhill
Pros: Compact, good battery, does what is was designed to do.
Cons: 90 day warrenty, weak power button, flaky touch screen, crashes
Review: Well, I was an owner of the z21 (the monocrome cousin to the z22) and was very happy with the purchase. It only made it through 2 years of use, but I used the thing non-stop. I was slightly sad it failed, but i only paid $120, so it felt fair.
The z22 on the other hand... well, the current palm line is horrible. All models have bad power buttons (I work at staples and two of our displays - z22 and e2 will not power off or on without using another key). The warranty is unheard of for a major company. I have stopped selling them at work, and suggest just getting an IPaq (which are over-priced) or a paper organizer. If you still want the buy it, go to staples, get the replacement plan, and when it fails - take the credit and buy some paper. That's what I am going to do. I've had my palm z22 for 8 months, and it freezes (from what I don't know, all that's on there is the OS), power button is going, and I am simply not happy with it.
Bottom line is it works, for a while.
The z22 on the other hand... well, the current palm line is horrible. All models have bad power buttons (I work at staples and two of our displays - z22 and e2 will not power off or on without using another key). The warranty is unheard of for a major company. I have stopped selling them at work, and suggest just getting an IPaq (which are over-priced) or a paper organizer. If you still want the buy it, go to staples, get the replacement plan, and when it fails - take the credit and buy some paper. That's what I am going to do. I've had my palm z22 for 8 months, and it freezes (from what I don't know, all that's on there is the OS), power button is going, and I am simply not happy with it.
Bottom line is it works, for a while.
User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Very low quality product, screen failure after one year of use
Pros: small size
Cons: reliability
Review: I am not recomending to buy this product.
Palm technical support offered a repair for $70 or sell me another one with 20% discount. If you are lucky this product can work up till four years.
Palm technical support offered a repair for $70 or sell me another one with 20% discount. If you are lucky this product can work up till four years.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
reliable, inexpensive calendar & contact pda
Pros: inexpensive, rounded corners &slips into the pocket, great calendar & contact info; use either write-on-screen or use the stylus to poke the letters on the keyboard; touch screen (mine) works great!
Cons: Screen resolution could be better
Review: An inexpensive, reliable, no-frills pda. It's great for calendar & easy-to-find contact info. I've had mine for over 2-1/2 years, use it daily, never a glitch. No titanium stylus, no fancy cover, no eye-popping style, but for simple & reliable calendar & contact info - it just works. Slips easily into the pocket, no cover needed; can type notes/memos into the PC Palm, and it syncs without a hitch; easy navigator, fast & sure. For the price, cant' be beat.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Not perfect, but good enough for basic Palm use
Pros: Fits in pocket, light weight, bright screen, fast enough, good amount of memory
Cons: Low res screen, graffiti 2 is no improvement over graffiti 1, can not add more memory
Review: I jumped to this model from a 2 meg black and white Handspring Solo, so to me even having color on a Palm is jazzy, let alone 32 meg of memory. I need something light, small, basic and easy to charge, and this more than fills the bill. It is fun to have photos but certainly photo viewing is not the strong suit of this device. Entering text with Graffiti 2 is just as frustrating as the old Graffiti - it takes me three tries just to do the letter 'h'. I am used to Palm devices and therefore this one is generally easy for me to operate, but if Palm thinks that people who use paper will switch to the Z22, then woe unto Palm! It's still a computing device with all the confusing characteristics that people who like paper will hate. Other people report crashes--I have not had that problem except when accidentally installing programs meant for high res devices or that can not run on OS 5. So what? You just reset and then delete them. As others point out, the Z22 looks like an iPod and no doubt intentionally so. I get the impression Palm is trying to market this primarily to younger women because it is "cute". Cute or not, I am an older guy in his fifties, yet as a whole I am glad I purchased this model. However--I got it much cheaper than the street price on an auction site. I am not at all sure it is worth the full $95 to $105 it normally costs.
User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
No Features
Pros: Newer OS Thats It!
Cons: No Sd, Camara, Wifi, Too small, Not enough buttons, Not enough memory
Review: Virtually useless just a bit above the original Zire or M-series, product aimed at soccer moms or teens.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Excellent stripped down PDA
Pros: Runs all the Palm OS Software I need
Cons: No memory expansion
Review: Z22 is perfect for a little organizer/pda for someone who does not care about multimedia (or has other devices to fulfill that need). If I could change one thing that would make this perfect for my purposes is to increase the memory from 32 to at least 64 MB. As it is there is no way to increase the memory whatsoever, thus I find myself removing and adding software and ebooks all the time to stay within the memory limitations. If you just want a basic PDA and don't care about multimedia
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
basic PDA, inexpensive yet reliable
Pros: Simplicity, practical apps
Cons: Stylus & resolution (as casualties of cheap price)
Review: Palm Z22 is very basic, inexpensive yet very practical for me.
I use the Memo as a journal on-the-go, the Calendar to ensure that i don't miss meetings, responsibilities, birthdays, & TV shows. The MobileDB app is great too, I use it to store my passwords, and other personal databases. The pre-installed Expense app could have been better if it can sum up my expenses daily, weekly and monthly basis. E-reader is great especially the embedded dictionary. The Crazy Daisy game is quite feminine, and unfortunately it cannot be deleted on the system. To appease myself, I downloaded Wiggleword game from the net, and it works pretty well with this gadget. The Photos app is an added bonus but it won't impress you especially if it's a group picture you'll be viewing.
As per hardware, palm z22 reminds us of an Ipod, very stylish. The stylus is very light since it's plastic, but could sometimes be hard to pull from its slot. The screen is ok for its price, even if it's not transflective. The included memory is but enough since this is not capable of storing mp3s or megapixel photos.
It's my very first PDA and i have no regrets buying it.
I use the Memo as a journal on-the-go, the Calendar to ensure that i don't miss meetings, responsibilities, birthdays, & TV shows. The MobileDB app is great too, I use it to store my passwords, and other personal databases. The pre-installed Expense app could have been better if it can sum up my expenses daily, weekly and monthly basis. E-reader is great especially the embedded dictionary. The Crazy Daisy game is quite feminine, and unfortunately it cannot be deleted on the system. To appease myself, I downloaded Wiggleword game from the net, and it works pretty well with this gadget. The Photos app is an added bonus but it won't impress you especially if it's a group picture you'll be viewing.
As per hardware, palm z22 reminds us of an Ipod, very stylish. The stylus is very light since it's plastic, but could sometimes be hard to pull from its slot. The screen is ok for its price, even if it's not transflective. The included memory is but enough since this is not capable of storing mp3s or megapixel photos.
It's my very first PDA and i have no regrets buying it.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
My second Palm, and I love it!
Pros: User-friendly interface, perfect size, priced right, simple design
Cons: No SD, Graffiti 2 not always accurate
Review: The first PDA I ever bought was a PalmOne Zire 32. I quickly fell I love with it, and used it mainly as a electronic checkbook, remind myself when bills were due, and when I had appointments. A few months later, I wanted to upgrade, so I gave my Zire 32 to my mom, and purchased a Dell Axim x51 for nearly three times as much as the Zire cost. Big mistake.
I had nothing but problems with the Axim, and it was quickly returned to Dell. The old saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies here. I recently purchased this Palm Z22 and have fallen in love all over again. I use it everyday, from checking my calendar and tasks, to jotting down lists and debiting and crediting my checkbook (using Handmark's PocketMoney). I'm a MUCH more organized person with this little thing.
My only complaints with this would be the lack of an SD card slot and sometimes what you write in the Graffiti 2 area, doens't always translate correctly. Other than that, this is an amazing little device.
I had nothing but problems with the Axim, and it was quickly returned to Dell. The old saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies here. I recently purchased this Palm Z22 and have fallen in love all over again. I use it everyday, from checking my calendar and tasks, to jotting down lists and debiting and crediting my checkbook (using Handmark's PocketMoney). I'm a MUCH more organized person with this little thing.
My only complaints with this would be the lack of an SD card slot and sometimes what you write in the Graffiti 2 area, doens't always translate correctly. Other than that, this is an amazing little device.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Five Reasons to Buy the Z22
Pros: Pretty Much Everything
Cons: The screen could be better...but not for $99!
Review: Here are five solid reasons to purchase the Z22 instead of the TX or LifeDrive, both of which I owned prior to the Z22...
5. The TX and LifeDrive both attempt to be "multimedia" devices; unfortunately, they are extremely buggy/unstable, and are ultimately useless for this purpose, defeating the purpose of purchasing them; the LifeDrive will last about a month before it decides to, well, never turn on again (at least from my own experience); both will eventually decide never to synchronize properly again, especially when using Windows Vista, with which Palm's software has yet to be fully compatible (by their own admission)...
4. The TX and LifeDrive's pretty screens offer nothing of true benefit (unless, of course, you're actually able to get photos onto your device) and don't justify the 3x price...and to get those photos onto your device, you'll need Palm's non-standard USB cables, which, incidentally, you'll need to carry with you (in your pocket, I suppose...?), or buy an extra, to sync away from home (say, the office). In fact, with the LifeDrive, you'll also need to lug around the power adapter (or buy an extra)(especially as the hard drive sucks the power down like nothing I've ever seen before), because it can't be charged via USB. Alternatively, the Z22 conveniently syncs and charges with any standard mini-USB cable...
3. Chances are you'll never use the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or anything else that doesn't come with the Z22, because you already own other devices that perform the multimedia/internet surfing functions better (i.e., playing music, viewing photos, acting as a storage device, etc.). Everything useful that the TX and LifeDrive do, the Z22 does just as well, and more reliably (and that's pretty much all that matters)...
2. The TX and LifeDrive are both big, heavy devices in comparison to the tiny Z22, and they simply won't fit in your pocket (especially when in cases) comfortably. To me, smaller is better. I don't need a heavy, outdated hard drive, especially when one can buy a 4GB SD card or flash drive for far less than the price of the LifeDrive...
1. You can buy three Z22s for the price of one TX or LifeDrive, and share the gift of Palm with two of your friends or family. That's three times the benefit of a TX or LifeDrive!
The point is, don't waste your money on products that simply won't be reliable and simply won't perform as you want them to. The Z22 will do the job perfectly, for 99% of Palm users. Is the screen ugly? No uglier than the typical cell phone (which you're probably unreliably and inconveniently using to store contacts/appointments as we speak)...
5. The TX and LifeDrive both attempt to be "multimedia" devices; unfortunately, they are extremely buggy/unstable, and are ultimately useless for this purpose, defeating the purpose of purchasing them; the LifeDrive will last about a month before it decides to, well, never turn on again (at least from my own experience); both will eventually decide never to synchronize properly again, especially when using Windows Vista, with which Palm's software has yet to be fully compatible (by their own admission)...
4. The TX and LifeDrive's pretty screens offer nothing of true benefit (unless, of course, you're actually able to get photos onto your device) and don't justify the 3x price...and to get those photos onto your device, you'll need Palm's non-standard USB cables, which, incidentally, you'll need to carry with you (in your pocket, I suppose...?), or buy an extra, to sync away from home (say, the office). In fact, with the LifeDrive, you'll also need to lug around the power adapter (or buy an extra)(especially as the hard drive sucks the power down like nothing I've ever seen before), because it can't be charged via USB. Alternatively, the Z22 conveniently syncs and charges with any standard mini-USB cable...
3. Chances are you'll never use the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or anything else that doesn't come with the Z22, because you already own other devices that perform the multimedia/internet surfing functions better (i.e., playing music, viewing photos, acting as a storage device, etc.). Everything useful that the TX and LifeDrive do, the Z22 does just as well, and more reliably (and that's pretty much all that matters)...
2. The TX and LifeDrive are both big, heavy devices in comparison to the tiny Z22, and they simply won't fit in your pocket (especially when in cases) comfortably. To me, smaller is better. I don't need a heavy, outdated hard drive, especially when one can buy a 4GB SD card or flash drive for far less than the price of the LifeDrive...
1. You can buy three Z22s for the price of one TX or LifeDrive, and share the gift of Palm with two of your friends or family. That's three times the benefit of a TX or LifeDrive!
The point is, don't waste your money on products that simply won't be reliable and simply won't perform as you want them to. The Z22 will do the job perfectly, for 99% of Palm users. Is the screen ugly? No uglier than the typical cell phone (which you're probably unreliably and inconveniently using to store contacts/appointments as we speak)...
User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Not a long lasting pda
Pros: Easy to use
Cons: Photos got good quality for viewing
Review: I purchased a Z22 on 0/26/06. It lasted until 2/28/07 then died. Wouldn't turn on or sync.
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
limit your expectations
Pros: Calendar & contact list were adequate to the task.
Cons: Operting system does not support Word, Excel or PowerPoint.
Review: Never having owned a PDA before, I naively expected it to run programs such as Word and Excel which it does not. The OS simply doesn't support those them; nor does it support at least one book reading program I find I need in the course of my work. In short, I found the Z22 absolutely frustrating within a very few days.
I might have lived with its limitations, chalking up to experience its shortcomings, had it not been for the fact that 18 days after purchase it completely fried when I went to hot-synch it on my office computer. A message appeared on the computer screen saying the computer didn't recognize the device after having successfully completed the synch over a dozen times before. The Z22 screen then turned gray and lines of 0s and 1s flashed across it for a couple of seconds before the screen went utterly black. I tried to reset it in both soft and hard modes after recharging the battery but to no avail.
I've returned it to Circuit City but asked for credit toward a Tungsten E2 instead that would more adequately fill my needs. It hasn't come in yet, but when it does, I'll review it in a month or so.
I might have lived with its limitations, chalking up to experience its shortcomings, had it not been for the fact that 18 days after purchase it completely fried when I went to hot-synch it on my office computer. A message appeared on the computer screen saying the computer didn't recognize the device after having successfully completed the synch over a dozen times before. The Z22 screen then turned gray and lines of 0s and 1s flashed across it for a couple of seconds before the screen went utterly black. I tried to reset it in both soft and hard modes after recharging the battery but to no avail.
I've returned it to Circuit City but asked for credit toward a Tungsten E2 instead that would more adequately fill my needs. It hasn't come in yet, but when it does, I'll review it in a month or so.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
This is my new best friend!
Pros: great battery life, u can get cool software, and does everything it says to its fullest abilty
Cons: screen isnt always responsive, hot syncs dont always go well, included screen protector SUCKS staw away from <b>bad software</b>
Review: I purchased a Z22 Friday from Staples and I havent put it down once. I'm starting high school next year and I just needed something to help me get my school work in order. I was on a budget and I didnt want anything too expensive. I already have every electronic in the book: Mp4 player(music+videos), digital camera, camcorder, playstation 2, cell phone, and since this christmas I recieved a laptop, so i didnt need anything to replace what I already have. So after reading about a thousand reviews I decided to buy this and I'm glad I did.<P> Ok I'll start with the bad stuff so you'll remember all the good stuff I'll say at the end. lol. The screen is ok, not recommended for high quality pictures though 
The included screen protector SUCKS, u have to cut it just right, but really it just needs to go in the trash. I dont use the graffiti 2 much because it was complicated at first, then I got used to it but i still prefer the keyboard because its faster and easier. Also I recommend buying something to protect this thing because its VERY fragile(I bought an air case and it suits me well). Now for the goods...<P> Out of the box it came with the basics, calendar, memo pad, ect. I put in all my upcoming tests dates, played crazy daisy for a little while, then decided I needed some more software. So I googled "free palm software" and found tons. I probably downloaded about 20 games including demos and a couple of tools for school. I just wanted to see if a music plaer would work on it, so I tryed one and they were right, it didnt work I knew the z22 wasnt internet capable either, but I found this one software that diplays web pages offline called "channels" and it worked wonderfully. Now I could get the news, weather, product reviews and a couple of other websites that I like on this pda. I was so proud and the best part was that the software was FREE. yea I am the queen of cheap. So by this time there was no way the z22 would leave my hands.<P> In a nutshell, this is a great pda. It has many uses, all of which are just out there waiting for you. I give this a 9 out of 10 just because of the minor bad things but overall this thing is grrrrEAT. It does everything it says, but if u want a multimedia player, look somewhere else. But if you just need something to keep track of your life, with a few extras, then the Palm Z22 is DEFINATELY for you!!! so go buy the Z22 RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!<P><P>~Shabria
The included screen protector SUCKS, u have to cut it just right, but really it just needs to go in the trash. I dont use the graffiti 2 much because it was complicated at first, then I got used to it but i still prefer the keyboard because its faster and easier. Also I recommend buying something to protect this thing because its VERY fragile(I bought an air case and it suits me well). Now for the goods...<P> Out of the box it came with the basics, calendar, memo pad, ect. I put in all my upcoming tests dates, played crazy daisy for a little while, then decided I needed some more software. So I googled "free palm software" and found tons. I probably downloaded about 20 games including demos and a couple of tools for school. I just wanted to see if a music plaer would work on it, so I tryed one and they were right, it didnt work I knew the z22 wasnt internet capable either, but I found this one software that diplays web pages offline called "channels" and it worked wonderfully. Now I could get the news, weather, product reviews and a couple of other websites that I like on this pda. I was so proud and the best part was that the software was FREE. yea I am the queen of cheap. So by this time there was no way the z22 would leave my hands.<P> In a nutshell, this is a great pda. It has many uses, all of which are just out there waiting for you. I give this a 9 out of 10 just because of the minor bad things but overall this thing is grrrrEAT. It does everything it says, but if u want a multimedia player, look somewhere else. But if you just need something to keep track of your life, with a few extras, then the Palm Z22 is DEFINATELY for you!!! so go buy the Z22 RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!<P><P>~Shabria User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Great PDA for the price
Pros: Price, Style, Applications
Cons: Delay when using Graffiti input
Review: My first Palm was the Palm III 1998. I think I paid about as much for it as I did for the Z22. The Z22 is far and away a much better product with a much brighter color display, many more features, more memory, and about the same battery life between charges.
My last Palm was the Tungsten E which did have a higher resolution screen but the only advantage I see was viewing photos which were so small I didn't use that feature much. I also experienced all of the failures related to the Tungsten E.
Although the display is not as sharpe as the Tungsten, it is just fine with my sixty five year old eyes. The screen is also a little smaller but ok for all applications.
I love the size and if you are looking for a basic oranizer and don't need wireless connectivity and multimedia, the Z22 should more than fill your needs. I keep mine in a leather zipper case so finger prints and scratches on the screen aren't a problem.
The only negative I might have is the slight delay of the character display when entering graffiti text.
My last Palm was the Tungsten E which did have a higher resolution screen but the only advantage I see was viewing photos which were so small I didn't use that feature much. I also experienced all of the failures related to the Tungsten E.
Although the display is not as sharpe as the Tungsten, it is just fine with my sixty five year old eyes. The screen is also a little smaller but ok for all applications.
I love the size and if you are looking for a basic oranizer and don't need wireless connectivity and multimedia, the Z22 should more than fill your needs. I keep mine in a leather zipper case so finger prints and scratches on the screen aren't a problem.
The only negative I might have is the slight delay of the character display when entering graffiti text.
Updated
This is my fifth palm device and probably my last. As an inexpensive basic PDA this is a nice product but I am not happy with it's reliability. After about the first week, the screen started to develop color bars and stop working. I would have to do a soft reset to bring it back. This went on for about two weeks and then the unit wouldn't power up. Again, a soft reset would bring it back to life. Today, exactly 33 days after purchase it stopped working all together. Oh yes, this is three days beyond the replacement warranty. I was told to return the device and they would be happy to repair it. I purchased a two year extended warranty from Office Depot but when I went to them I was told:"Oh it is still covered under the Mfg. warranty, so we can't help." After these problems and the year I got out of my Tungsten/E before the screen started to fail, I think I am going back to my trusty old Franklin Planner.
This is my fifth palm device and probably my last. As an inexpensive basic PDA this is a nice product but I am not happy with it's reliability. After about the first week, the screen started to develop color bars and stop working. I would have to do a soft reset to bring it back. This went on for about two weeks and then the unit wouldn't power up. Again, a soft reset would bring it back to life. Today, exactly 33 days after purchase it stopped working all together. Oh yes, this is three days beyond the replacement warranty. I was told to return the device and they would be happy to repair it. I purchased a two year extended warranty from Office Depot but when I went to them I was told:"Oh it is still covered under the Mfg. warranty, so we can't help." After these problems and the year I got out of my Tungsten/E before the screen started to fail, I think I am going back to my trusty old Franklin Planner.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
=> Genial <=
Pros: Precio, pantalla
Cons: Ninguna queja de la PDA
Review: La Z22 es una PDA barata y sin capacidad multimedia, y realmente hace bien su trabajo.
En comparación, estaba mas contento con el funcionamiento de la Z22 que con la T|E2 que tengo ahora. No se tildaba, o sea que cada vez que quería usarla... la prendia, la usaba y punto.
Por ejemplo, nunca tuve problemas con el Documents to go 8 (a diferencia de la E2)
La unica queja es con las fundas de silicona que trae en el paquete: tapan al IR y el Stylus. Ah y creo que la alarma tiene poco volumen, pero nunca la usé realmente, asi que no me importaba.
En comparación, estaba mas contento con el funcionamiento de la Z22 que con la T|E2 que tengo ahora. No se tildaba, o sea que cada vez que quería usarla... la prendia, la usaba y punto.
Por ejemplo, nunca tuve problemas con el Documents to go 8 (a diferencia de la E2)
La unica queja es con las fundas de silicona que trae en el paquete: tapan al IR y el Stylus. Ah y creo que la alarma tiene poco volumen, pero nunca la usé realmente, asi que no me importaba.
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
planned obsolesence?
Pros: cute, does what it should, very handy
Cons: stops working after 11 months
Review: I bought the Z22 about a year ago and found it very usefull when it came to taking notes, etc. However, one day about a month ago it does stopped working; nada, zilch. Ordinarily this wouldn't bother me since it only cost about $100, but the exact same thing happened to a zire21 that I bought the previous year. Makes you wonder if Palm plans these things.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Change my life!!!
Pros: Compact (fits in my back pocket), it's relatively cheap, does everything my planner did and soooo much more! I love it.
Cons: I wish it had wi-fi... but then it would cost more
Review: I'm a young professional who is currently the marketing director of small company and involved in numerous charity events. I’m extremely busy and it’s very important to keep track of all my appointments and stay organized!!! I’ve always had a cumbersome planner, which was getting thicker and thicker by the year (It was like carrying a Bible around). I had gone to Franklin Covey training and was basically told, "My planner is my life and I shouldn't go anywhere with out it." I didn't like the fact that all my personal information was in planner, and if it was stolen or lost, I would be screwed.
I was VERY hesitant to buy a Palm. I was afraid I wouldn't use, it would be hard to use, and it would be expensive… I wouldn’t be able to figure out the graffiti function. But I've had it for about 3mths now, and I've chucked my planner! I love my little Palm. It’s very practical. It completely syncs with my Outlook calendar, which really helps me stay on track. I was using three calendars before (my planner, my outlook, and my big office calendar). I don’t have to move uncompleted daily tasks from page to the next (which is great!). I love how I can easily change deadlines, move lunch dates, and do a quick search of everything! I keep all my clients and employees phone numbers and email addresses in case I need to contact them quickly. I don’t have to jot it down in my planner and in outlook because with my Palm, I only have to do it once. I can write quick notes, keep track of grocery lists, inventory, contracts, things that might need to be discussed in an upcoming meeting… everything. It’s right at my fingertips! I love the fact that it’s in color; it has a calculator, a split bill function. I can keep up with my bank account and balance my checking account.To my pleasant surprise, the graffiti function is really really easy to use!
Plus I can put a password on it, so no one can access all my information. And if I loose it, I have all the information backed up on my desk top. And I can transfer the same information from my work computer to my home computer.
I like the fact that it’s not a phone. If I don’t need it (like if I’m going for drinks with friends) it stays at home. Those Treo phones are so big and clunky. I don’t need to check my email constantly. I just need a planner!
I read reviews on CNET and went to the Palm website before deciding on what to get. I’m soooo glad I went with this Palm.
I was VERY hesitant to buy a Palm. I was afraid I wouldn't use, it would be hard to use, and it would be expensive… I wouldn’t be able to figure out the graffiti function. But I've had it for about 3mths now, and I've chucked my planner! I love my little Palm. It’s very practical. It completely syncs with my Outlook calendar, which really helps me stay on track. I was using three calendars before (my planner, my outlook, and my big office calendar). I don’t have to move uncompleted daily tasks from page to the next (which is great!). I love how I can easily change deadlines, move lunch dates, and do a quick search of everything! I keep all my clients and employees phone numbers and email addresses in case I need to contact them quickly. I don’t have to jot it down in my planner and in outlook because with my Palm, I only have to do it once. I can write quick notes, keep track of grocery lists, inventory, contracts, things that might need to be discussed in an upcoming meeting… everything. It’s right at my fingertips! I love the fact that it’s in color; it has a calculator, a split bill function. I can keep up with my bank account and balance my checking account.To my pleasant surprise, the graffiti function is really really easy to use!
Plus I can put a password on it, so no one can access all my information. And if I loose it, I have all the information backed up on my desk top. And I can transfer the same information from my work computer to my home computer.
I like the fact that it’s not a phone. If I don’t need it (like if I’m going for drinks with friends) it stays at home. Those Treo phones are so big and clunky. I don’t need to check my email constantly. I just need a planner!
I read reviews on CNET and went to the Palm website before deciding on what to get. I’m soooo glad I went with this Palm.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
This is a great little PDA if you don't need all the features of a more expensive handheld.
Pros: Inexpensive, small, light, photo viewer, Addit for trying and buying new applications.
Cons: Small screen, low resolution, low memory, sometimes freezes up.
Review: If you don't need all the features of a more expensive handheld, then this is for you. I would like to see more memory and a music player though.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Great Basic PDA - Love it!
Pros: Great integrated contact & calendar system
Cons: I'm sure you could find some but I'm happy with it!
Review: I'm the opposite of a technophobe so was worried this pda wouldn't measure up. To my surprise, it's been terrific! All I needed was a fast, easy way to keep track of my calendar & contact information on the go and the Z22 does a great job. The calendar is nicely fully featured with capacity for day, week, month & year views as well as repeating appointments and alarms. I love the way the contacts show right in the calendar (on the Desktop) because I often need to call someone when checking my schedule. If you're looking for a nice, basic organizer for home/office and on the road, you can't go wrong here.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
The PERFECT affordable PDA
Pros: Perfect for people in need for a cheap PDA
Cons: Logo, button image are fade.
Review: A palm Z22 is the most durable, affordable PDA I've bought. My Casio I had didn't even last a year. This is my 2nd and best PDA!
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Traded down from a TX, best PDA for my needs.
Pros: Extreme battery life! Inexpensive. Does all I need.
Cons: Screen resolution is really the only thing I miss from the TX and maybe the SD slot.
Review: I have had a progression of Palm PDA's. Handspring, T, T2, T3, TX and now Z22. I did like my TX however when I needed to replace it (Office Depot gave me credit for a defective one after about a year of use) I nearly got another TX. I paused and thought do I really use WiFi?....No. It was a novelty however not really necessary. Do I need to rotate my screen? No. Do I really need MP3 play? No, I have an MP3 player that outperforms it anyway. Do I miss the voice memo? Wait..the TX did not have voice memo anyway. That was something I missed going from the T2 to the TX.
I do use my PDA a lot each day and now appreciate the incredible life between charges on the Z22 compared to the TX (even with the TX wifi off). I also like the 99.00 price. If it breaks, buy another and synch. I have used this Z22 for about 2 months and have not had a problem or needed to reboot once!
It may not be for everyone. Definitely not for those that need the latest and 'greatest'. But if your needs are met by this unit, and I bet most business person's would be, it just makes sense.
I do use my PDA a lot each day and now appreciate the incredible life between charges on the Z22 compared to the TX (even with the TX wifi off). I also like the 99.00 price. If it breaks, buy another and synch. I have used this Z22 for about 2 months and have not had a problem or needed to reboot once!
It may not be for everyone. Definitely not for those that need the latest and 'greatest'. But if your needs are met by this unit, and I bet most business person's would be, it just makes sense.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Great buy for upgrade from older Palm
Pros: Color screen (not the best, but compared to a monochrome...) Mini USB port, dosen't have the flash memory that erases when the battery dies
Cons: fingerprint magnet
Review: I just got this to replace my Sony CLIE PEG-SL10, and it is a wonderful upgrade. I would recommend this if you have an old monochrome screen PDA and dont need a whole bunch of extra features
Updated
If you get this I would recommend a poly carbonate case that covers the screen. Corner of desk + Palm = Broken Glasstop
If you get this I would recommend a poly carbonate case that covers the screen. Corner of desk + Palm = Broken Glasstop
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Just what the doctor ordered.
Pros: small, easy to use, synchronises with PC and Mac, cheap.
Cons: small screen with low resolution
Review: I do not need email, I have a laptop for that. And I have my perfect phone, the good old Nokia 6610i.
The Z22 has all my contacts, notes, to-do lists and calender items from Outlook on my office PC. At home I use the Palm Desktop software on my G5 iMac. So my planning is always available. No more: shall we go away for a long weekend after next? Answer: sorry, I do not have my schedule, can you call me tomorrow at the office?
I also installed the Palm version of AI Roboform, so all my access codes and safenotes are just a tick away.
This is just perfect for me.
The Z22 has all my contacts, notes, to-do lists and calender items from Outlook on my office PC. At home I use the Palm Desktop software on my G5 iMac. So my planning is always available. No more: shall we go away for a long weekend after next? Answer: sorry, I do not have my schedule, can you call me tomorrow at the office?
I also installed the Palm version of AI Roboform, so all my access codes and safenotes are just a tick away.
This is just perfect for me.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
great for the starter
Pros: cute, tons of battery juice
Cons: unimpressive color display
Review: If have have used the tungsten e, e3 or tx you will be very unimpressed with the z22. Its a solid performer though for entry level use.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
It fits the budget especially when you have none to work with
Pros: Ease of Use
Cons: Mac Compatible disks didn't work
Review: So I did my homework both here and on CNET and the general consensus was you get what you pay for and that I did. The CD's that came with the device are supposed to be Mac compatible but I guess someone messed up on mine. None of the CD's worked as my G4 kept spitting them back up. Trying to run the hot sync in the classic environment is another headache in itself. I eventually made it to their website (http://www.palm.com/us/support/macintosh/macdesk421_legal.html)
and got the appropriate download so the device would work on my machine. It got 4 stars in reality but the extra work I had to do lost it one. Yea "you get what you pay for.”
and got the appropriate download so the device would work on my machine. It got 4 stars in reality but the extra work I had to do lost it one. Yea "you get what you pay for.”
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Great PDA!
Pros: great grip, easy to use, and decent memory
Cons: poor resolution, smudges easily, and low speaker volume
Review: I bought this PDA about 3 days ago and I have to say, despite the bad reviews, I think that it is a wonderful PDA. For under $100, it has alot of good features and capabilites along with decent on-hand memory. I bought this so I wouldn't have to lug around a big, bulky PDA that has too many features, and is complicated to use. When I first opened up the box and charged it up, it automaticly interacted with me and it worked smoothly ever since setup. It dosen't have too many, (or too little for that matter) features. It fits firmly in my hand, and it always runs smoothly. If you are looking for a PDA with alot of "bells and whistles", this one is not for you. I would then reccomend the palm life drive, or the palm tungsten. Overall, I think this is a good beginner PDA for anyone who wants to replace the 'ol pen and paper, with the technology substitute.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Very good entry level PDA!
Pros: Simple to use and navagate.
Cons: Touchy touch screen.
Review: I've thrown out my old day planner and upgraded to the the Z22 late last year. I like the fact that the device itself is a breeze to use for the funtions that I need it for (day planner, contact keeper, keeping notes). It is small and light enough to take everywhere with me, instead of lugging around a pen and my paper day planner. I actually end up using this more than my old day planner.
The touch screen is a little touchy though, and when using the graffiti area, I sometimes end up redoing a letter multiple times, but it is decently responsive.
The Hot Synch option took a little while to configure so that it worked every time (I ended up having to uninstall and reinstall the software a couple of times because my PC thought I was trying to install a new device every time I plugged the Z22 in). But I have now got it to work pretty flawlessly.
All the applications work well, but a few add on applications (games) that I have added on sometimes cause the unit to freeze when I try to exit them, requiring me to hit that little reset button on the back.
My only last complaint is that the resolution makes reading things a little rough sometimes (except for in the calander application), espically in the included AddIt newsreader application, and the resolution on the letters can get a little chunky and pixellated. Also the side scroll bar on the touchscreen in this application is very touchy, and I usually end up going from not scrolling ahead enough to scrolling to the end of the entire document.
All in all, it is a nice unit for someone who just wants to replace thier old pen and paper day planner with something a little more modern, but doesn't need all the bells and whistles and confusion of higher end models.
The touch screen is a little touchy though, and when using the graffiti area, I sometimes end up redoing a letter multiple times, but it is decently responsive.
The Hot Synch option took a little while to configure so that it worked every time (I ended up having to uninstall and reinstall the software a couple of times because my PC thought I was trying to install a new device every time I plugged the Z22 in). But I have now got it to work pretty flawlessly.
All the applications work well, but a few add on applications (games) that I have added on sometimes cause the unit to freeze when I try to exit them, requiring me to hit that little reset button on the back.
My only last complaint is that the resolution makes reading things a little rough sometimes (except for in the calander application), espically in the included AddIt newsreader application, and the resolution on the letters can get a little chunky and pixellated. Also the side scroll bar on the touchscreen in this application is very touchy, and I usually end up going from not scrolling ahead enough to scrolling to the end of the entire document.
All in all, it is a nice unit for someone who just wants to replace thier old pen and paper day planner with something a little more modern, but doesn't need all the bells and whistles and confusion of higher end models.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Way beyond expectations!
Pros: small, functional, easy to use, great battery life
Cons: no expansion slot, low onboard (but comes with price point), does not come with a flip cover.
Review: I spent a lot of time reviewing reviews of PDAs before buying one. And I decided on this one. I wanted to see if I would actually use a PDA before throwing down a couple hundred on something bigger. I expected to hate this thing, and be frustrated by its lack of Office compatibility, no expansion port, etc etc. But it's really quite super. 32MB gets you more than you might think.
I downloaded Plucker and can read newspapers on it. I download Projects which is a freeware app allowing a more functional ToDo list. And I am quite happy with it.
I use it all the time, and find it to be indispensible at my job. No more post-it notes and scraps of paper. I can jot notes quickly in Notepad during a meeting to transcribe later on my computer - and I don't feel bad about wasting paper!
I bought a PhD multifunction pen and it works great with this. The Graffiti is so much like regular hand writing - this REALLY surprised me. Sure, the recognition can be a bit slow, but that comes at this price point.
Overall, I am extremely happy with this. It is exactly what it is advertised to be. And for the money, I am extremely impressed with what it can do.
I downloaded Plucker and can read newspapers on it. I download Projects which is a freeware app allowing a more functional ToDo list. And I am quite happy with it.
I use it all the time, and find it to be indispensible at my job. No more post-it notes and scraps of paper. I can jot notes quickly in Notepad during a meeting to transcribe later on my computer - and I don't feel bad about wasting paper!
I bought a PhD multifunction pen and it works great with this. The Graffiti is so much like regular hand writing - this REALLY surprised me. Sure, the recognition can be a bit slow, but that comes at this price point.
Overall, I am extremely happy with this. It is exactly what it is advertised to be. And for the money, I am extremely impressed with what it can do.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Exactly what I needed, and that's all!
Pros: Very simple, very small and lightweight, all the features you need to stay organlized, plus a few extras and a great design to keep it fun! And CHEAP!
Cons: Can't connect to the internet, no bluetooth, resolution is not top-notch, limited capabilites
Review: While this is definitely not a top-of-the-line PDA, that's not what I wanted. I just wanted an easy way to keep track of my appointments, contacts, and to-do lists. I didn't want to use my phone's awful calendar anymore, lose a doctor's phone number, or watch my room get covered in to-do lists written on random scraps of paper and post-it notes. With my new Z22, I can stay organized, but I don't have to worry about (or pay for!) a bunch of extra features that I really don't need. I can still play games, store pictures, and dowload applications if I want to, but only if I really want them.
In conclusion, if you're just looking for a simple organization tool that won't make a dent in your wallet, get the Z22!
In conclusion, if you're just looking for a simple organization tool that won't make a dent in your wallet, get the Z22!
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
For the price, It's a great deal!
Pros: Size, Speed, Ease of Use
Cons: Screen Size, Resolution, Plastic scratches easily
Review: I bought one of these after my Palm Zire 72 (a 250 dollar pda) started to not work properly. I have always used high-end PDA's but I do not have much money to spend on one, but need to be organized, So, I bought this Palm z22. It is a great little PDA. I love the proccessor, very smooth for such a small PDA, It's size is very tiny, which could be a bad thing, but to me it's very nice. It fits in my hand perfectly, I love how it grips, It's very easy to use, very easy to install..The Resolution isn't that great, but it's definatly not bad, I like this pda a lot.
Now here's the bad
-Sometimes when your typing there is a lag from the time you enter the letter, until it appears, which can be annoying if you make mistakes
-The screen pixels "shake" like in the CNET video, this can be annoying, In some games there is a "ghosting" effect, but photos still look good.
-The sound (my least favorite part) the speaker is so tiny! I can't hardly hear my appointments! This thing's highest is my zire 72's lowest, not even!
-the casing scratches easily, especially the black...
Overall: I think this PDA is a great buy for the money! It is definatly an entry level pda, but it's worth it, I have 46 photos on this thing, and it only took up 4 megabytes! if you're looking for a great organizer, with an affordable price tag, and decent screen, Look no further, if you want something with "the bells and whistles" then, this is not for you.
Now here's the bad
-Sometimes when your typing there is a lag from the time you enter the letter, until it appears, which can be annoying if you make mistakes
-The screen pixels "shake" like in the CNET video, this can be annoying, In some games there is a "ghosting" effect, but photos still look good.
-The sound (my least favorite part) the speaker is so tiny! I can't hardly hear my appointments! This thing's highest is my zire 72's lowest, not even!
-the casing scratches easily, especially the black...
Overall: I think this PDA is a great buy for the money! It is definatly an entry level pda, but it's worth it, I have 46 photos on this thing, and it only took up 4 megabytes! if you're looking for a great organizer, with an affordable price tag, and decent screen, Look no further, if you want something with "the bells and whistles" then, this is not for you.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Cute, fun and easy to use
Pros: Love how you can see your agenda for the day
Cons: Poor screen resolution
Review: I bought this little guy 2 days ago and have fallen in love with it. Having never owned a PDA, but in need of something to help me keep track of school projects, classes and work, it does the job well, with a small price tag. Sure, some people want internet access, music, etc. but thats why I have my laptop and iPod. The only complaint I have is the poor resolution for the screen, and the fact that you can't add memory. The Z22 is small enough to keep in my pocket, I keep it in an iPod sock, tried to use the provided screen protector but didn't like the fact that it had adhesive on it, and showed air bubbles on the screen, so I removed it (some residue was left behind). Not a lot of problems with the touch screen, although when using graffiti, some letters get screwed up or just won't show up at all... but eventually it works. I don't use the buttons on the face of the palm, don't really see the need for them when you can do everything with the stylus.
Overall, its a great little pda that lets you organize your life for a great price!
Overall, its a great little pda that lets you organize your life for a great price!
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Does exactly what it was designed to do!
Pros: Small, light, inexpenseive, no frills.
Cons: If you want bells and whistles, this one is not for you.
Review: Palm has a real winner here. I am giving it a perfect rating because it does precisely what it was designed to do. They really filled a market niche with this unit. The Z22 is a no frills PDA and it works as advertised. I believe it rates a perfect rating because the features and performance equal the price you pay for it.
It was impossible to find a no frills PDA. I wanted a bare bones PDA and couldn't fine one until the Z22 came along. It’s small and light. It practically disappears inside my pocket. I've used PDA's for years and I like this one the best because of its light weight and small size.
I found that the graffiti 2 is actually a little easier to use than the original graffiti, but anyone who uses a PDA knows that graffiti never works as smoothly as you'd like. You just have to learn to work with it or just call up the keyboard. Graffiti is just part of having a PDA and I wouldn’t rate the unit lower because of the graffiti. It is what it is.
I think the reason why some people think the screen doesn't respond to stylus taps quickly is because sometimes it has to wait to determine, for instance, if you are going to enter a second stroke to complete a letter. For instance, there may be a pause if you are entering an "L" so that it can determine that you aren’t entering a "T," which requires a second stroke. Other than that, I've had no problems with the speed of tapping the screen or the responsiveness of the screen.
The screen is just fine. It’s not as bright or sharp as screens on higher priced PDA’s, but remember that it’s a screen on a bare bones, $100 PDA and it works fine for the price and how it was intended to be used.
If you are looking for a no frills, inexpensive PDA, this one fits the bill perfectly.
It was impossible to find a no frills PDA. I wanted a bare bones PDA and couldn't fine one until the Z22 came along. It’s small and light. It practically disappears inside my pocket. I've used PDA's for years and I like this one the best because of its light weight and small size.
I found that the graffiti 2 is actually a little easier to use than the original graffiti, but anyone who uses a PDA knows that graffiti never works as smoothly as you'd like. You just have to learn to work with it or just call up the keyboard. Graffiti is just part of having a PDA and I wouldn’t rate the unit lower because of the graffiti. It is what it is.
I think the reason why some people think the screen doesn't respond to stylus taps quickly is because sometimes it has to wait to determine, for instance, if you are going to enter a second stroke to complete a letter. For instance, there may be a pause if you are entering an "L" so that it can determine that you aren’t entering a "T," which requires a second stroke. Other than that, I've had no problems with the speed of tapping the screen or the responsiveness of the screen.
The screen is just fine. It’s not as bright or sharp as screens on higher priced PDA’s, but remember that it’s a screen on a bare bones, $100 PDA and it works fine for the price and how it was intended to be used.
If you are looking for a no frills, inexpensive PDA, this one fits the bill perfectly.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Perfect for Palm first timers
Pros: Excellent for Palm beginners!
Cons: Screen resolution is not good
Review: This was my first Plam purchase and I am completely satisfied with it. Simple to use, not too many features, but just the basics that I wanted.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Basic PDA with a Nice Price Point
Pros: Very small, lightweight, good basic set of apps.
Cons: No protective case with cover for screen. No multimedia support.
Review: It should be clear that this is not a Palm LifeDrive or TX PDA. Not even close. It's a basic organizer with a narrow scope, and it fills its niche very well. It operates with the desktop software smoothly and effectively (I use Windows), interacting with the Palm Desktop Calendar and Contacts or using MS Outlook conduits. The Z22's color screen is pleasant, but won't do justice do your family's digital images. However, you can take a lot of digital images with you. The photo software does a great job of coverting large images into Z22-friendly files. If you want an integrated music/video player and a phone, get one of Palm's upscale models. If you're after basic organizer capabilities, the Palm Z22 will have you covered very well.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
A life in a pocket
Pros: Good Design, Lightweight, Powerfull, Good Spec
Cons: No sound (only i can think of)
Review: This PDA is great it is powerfull and it can run basically all of the palm games and software that are available on the bigger models, its an eye catcher because of its smooth white look and its a very friendly design which will fit in your hand great, the personal organiser is brilliant and also the whole unit, software and commands are all easy too learn/use- Highly reccommended!
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
It is what it is - and that's more than enough!
Pros: Clean, easy to use, no distracting frills
Cons: Pen recognition is a little fussy
Review: Wow, if any review better demonstrated the chasm between gadget geeks and the rest of the world this would be my pick. The Z22 is a PDA, and it's both stylish and inexpensive. It organizes your to do lists, keeps the calendar handy, and stores all your address book contacts. As a bonus, you can toss some favorite pictures on it. Sure, the screen isn't top-notch -- but so what? It's small. If I want to see perfect pictures I'll crank up my computer. Music? No, thanks, I have an iPod for that. Apparently, it won't walk my dogs, either. Bummer.
Seriously, the problem with all-in-one gadgets is that they typically are hard to control and don't do any one thing terribly well. This PDA is for those folks out there who just need, well, a PDA. Whether you're new to these gizmos or are (like me) sick and tired of wading through tons of interface junk just to see a simple to-do list, then the Z22 is for you.
Seriously, the problem with all-in-one gadgets is that they typically are hard to control and don't do any one thing terribly well. This PDA is for those folks out there who just need, well, a PDA. Whether you're new to these gizmos or are (like me) sick and tired of wading through tons of interface junk just to see a simple to-do list, then the Z22 is for you.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
the first pda i ever loved
Pros: cheap, beautifu,l not over-complicated
Cons: nothing at all
Review: its my first pda. i have seen a lot of pda's and none of them can match up to this one.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Nice, basic and good for the price
Pros: Small, light, good battery life, cheap cheap cheap
Cons: Display resolution not that hot, but acceptable
Review: This was exactly what I was looking for, something basic to carry around and didn't cost a lot so I wouldn't mind so much if it got lost or trashed (even though there's a big "no trash" symbol on the back).
It has all your basic functions which is all I ever used on my previous handhelds. It's a great replacement for a notepad and all those snippets of paper and pictures you keep in your wallet. I don't need to store phone numbers (that's what a cell phone is for) and I don't need to read e-mail (that's what this here computer is for) ... what I do need to carry around with me are things like the dimensions of my kitchen cabinets when I go to the lumber yard, a drawing of the pin outs for that old Colecovision power supply I found at the flea market, shopping lists of books, CD's and DVD's I want to buy since I always forget when I get there etc.
Oh yeah, one thing that's good is that the size of the Z22 is almost exactly the same size as my 2nd generation (2002) iPod ... which means that there are quite a few new old stock cases available that will fit this *at the dollar store*. If you're a cheapskate (like me) this is definitely a plus.
Did I mention that it's cheap? I paid $90 for this on sale. So far I haven't had any of the problems some of the other posters seem to have. Perhaps by now they've worked out the bugs.
There aren't many cons here for something at this price range. The display could have better resolution, but most of the time you don't notice it. I'm used to being able to scroll up and down using the middle buttons on my older Palms, and most of the time it works here as well, but sometimes you have to tap on the right side of the screen to go through menus. This isn't that annoying if you're right handed, but if your left handed this means having to cover the screen with your hand to do it and covering the information you're looking for. The cheap plastic they make this out of smells like a big can of oil based paint too, but I'm sure this will pass.
I'm a gearhead, and I was thinking about spending $300+ for a handheld, but as a practical matter, I ended up buying a quiet spare desktop system instead since, when I'm not working (on my big, noisy, hot, dual disply machine) I'm just checking e-mail and surfing the internet ... quite frankly for me these palmtops are too dinky to do e-mail and web very well. If those are the kind of things you want to do however, you need to buy something else, this isn't for you. However if you just want to replace the venerable paper notepad, and don't want to carry around a $300 brick that can fall out of your pocket, this might just be the ticket.
It has all your basic functions which is all I ever used on my previous handhelds. It's a great replacement for a notepad and all those snippets of paper and pictures you keep in your wallet. I don't need to store phone numbers (that's what a cell phone is for) and I don't need to read e-mail (that's what this here computer is for) ... what I do need to carry around with me are things like the dimensions of my kitchen cabinets when I go to the lumber yard, a drawing of the pin outs for that old Colecovision power supply I found at the flea market, shopping lists of books, CD's and DVD's I want to buy since I always forget when I get there etc.
Oh yeah, one thing that's good is that the size of the Z22 is almost exactly the same size as my 2nd generation (2002) iPod ... which means that there are quite a few new old stock cases available that will fit this *at the dollar store*. If you're a cheapskate (like me) this is definitely a plus.
Did I mention that it's cheap? I paid $90 for this on sale. So far I haven't had any of the problems some of the other posters seem to have. Perhaps by now they've worked out the bugs.
There aren't many cons here for something at this price range. The display could have better resolution, but most of the time you don't notice it. I'm used to being able to scroll up and down using the middle buttons on my older Palms, and most of the time it works here as well, but sometimes you have to tap on the right side of the screen to go through menus. This isn't that annoying if you're right handed, but if your left handed this means having to cover the screen with your hand to do it and covering the information you're looking for. The cheap plastic they make this out of smells like a big can of oil based paint too, but I'm sure this will pass.
I'm a gearhead, and I was thinking about spending $300+ for a handheld, but as a practical matter, I ended up buying a quiet spare desktop system instead since, when I'm not working (on my big, noisy, hot, dual disply machine) I'm just checking e-mail and surfing the internet ... quite frankly for me these palmtops are too dinky to do e-mail and web very well. If those are the kind of things you want to do however, you need to buy something else, this isn't for you. However if you just want to replace the venerable paper notepad, and don't want to carry around a $300 brick that can fall out of your pocket, this might just be the ticket.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Just right; meets basic needs for organization, calendar and phone numbers. Handy digital wallet.
Pros: Small, compact and easy to use. Color is great, beats grayscale any day.
Cons: Resolution could be better. Miss having expandability, but suffices for basic needs in organization.
Review: I really like this little PDA because it meets my basic needs. I think it is highly under rated in the reviews. The cost factor was an incentive for my buying this model; I feel I got more bang for my buck than with the last PDA I bought.
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Depends on what you'll use it for.
Pros: Has all of the classic organizer functions; color screen; has a keylock function; cheap - so it's not a big deal if you break it or lose it.
Cons: Poorly built; looks as cheap as it is; poor response when writing (sometimes takes a second or two for the letter to appear); No To-Do button; No Memo Button; crap stylus; like a kids toy.
Review: I am not an entry-level user, nor am I a heavy user. I have an excellent PC, laptop, iPod video, bose sound dock, titanium flash drive, nikon digital camera, etc.
My most recent in a long line of palms, was the m515 and when it's battery life became a joke I bought the Z22. I figured that all I really needed (or would even use for that matter) was the classic organizer functions. I'm not that interested in checking my email or web surfing on a tiny screen and I have the iPod for music and videos. I just needed a good solid organizer that didn't "forget" all of the info I fed it if the battery died. (I think the power button was getting hit often enough to drain my battery life and was causing constant data loss.) The Z22 has a keylock function that should solve that problem.
At it's fantastic low price, this thing should be a no brainer! Not so fast... I *almost* hate the thing.
• It's housing is cheap, lightweight, plastic. Older palms were heavier but sturdier.
• The screen resolution is terrible.. It's given me a headache because the pixels "shake".
• The plastic stylus doesn't communicate with the touchscreen very well. However, when I used one of the older, but sturdier styli, the touchscreen worked much better.
• There was a noticeable lag between the time I wrote a letter and the time it appeared on screen. In fact, there are a lot of lag times with this device.
Conclusion:
If you just need a calendar, to-do list, memo and contact device, this is your best bet. It gets you organized without breaking your bank. At least you won't feel like you wasted hundreds on a device you only use for it's basic features. Perfect for students, soccer moms and dads, and those new to the technology. Or really, anyone who just wants the basics.
If you need, or just want, more bells and whistles;
if you like sturdier handhelds;
if you don't like taking a backwards leap in technology (even if you don't utilize the technology you have now);
if you prefer to not have headaches...
***Do not buy this palm product.***
My most recent in a long line of palms, was the m515 and when it's battery life became a joke I bought the Z22. I figured that all I really needed (or would even use for that matter) was the classic organizer functions. I'm not that interested in checking my email or web surfing on a tiny screen and I have the iPod for music and videos. I just needed a good solid organizer that didn't "forget" all of the info I fed it if the battery died. (I think the power button was getting hit often enough to drain my battery life and was causing constant data loss.) The Z22 has a keylock function that should solve that problem.
At it's fantastic low price, this thing should be a no brainer! Not so fast... I *almost* hate the thing.
• It's housing is cheap, lightweight, plastic. Older palms were heavier but sturdier.
• The screen resolution is terrible.. It's given me a headache because the pixels "shake".
• The plastic stylus doesn't communicate with the touchscreen very well. However, when I used one of the older, but sturdier styli, the touchscreen worked much better.
• There was a noticeable lag between the time I wrote a letter and the time it appeared on screen. In fact, there are a lot of lag times with this device.
Conclusion:
If you just need a calendar, to-do list, memo and contact device, this is your best bet. It gets you organized without breaking your bank. At least you won't feel like you wasted hundreds on a device you only use for it's basic features. Perfect for students, soccer moms and dads, and those new to the technology. Or really, anyone who just wants the basics.
If you need, or just want, more bells and whistles;
if you like sturdier handhelds;
if you don't like taking a backwards leap in technology (even if you don't utilize the technology you have now);
if you prefer to not have headaches...
***Do not buy this palm product.***
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
My first PDA
Pros: Low Cost, works great and solid
Cons: 160x160 resolution, sound is simple
Review: Never had a PDA before. Looked at what I could run on it first as far as software. There are a lot of programs for both. I added like 5 or 6 programs beyone what comes with it. Was very straightforward and easy install. I only needed a contact manager and calendar. It does that very well. Completely satisfied with the purchase.
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Ok but not great value for $99.
Pros: Cheap, bright display, perfect size.
Cons: Crashes every day, like old Windows machines.
Review: I've used a PDA for years primarily to keep my contacts and calendar synched between work and life. I also download the New York Times, Wired, etc. with Avantgo for reading during my commutes, and I play a couple games.
When my old iiiC touch screen quit working, the $99 Z22 caught my eye, even though the screen is smaller than what I'm used to.
First the pluses.
I was impressed by how easy setup was, especially configuring my PCs to synch the PDA with Outlook at work and the Palm desktop application at home. Synching with Outlook used to require a slow and expensive 3rd party add-on.
I was also delighted with the screen's brightness which more than compensated for its smaller size, especially once I figured out how to select a sharp-looking font my older eyes could see easily.
It's an ipod look-alike, and succeeds in being both cool looking and handy to carry around.
I'm less keen on the operation of the 5-way navigator control. It's a great idea, but I often find that when simply scrolling down, a click on the lower edge of the ring button either jumps down more than one screen at a time, or requires me to hold it down for a second or two before anything happens.
Here's the really bad part. The device "crashes" a lot, usually at least once a day. That means it freezes during operation, allowing none of the buttons (including power) or touch screen controls to function. Depressing the reset on the back of the device is necessary to shut down and restart. Sometimes, it freezes during reset, and requires a second reset which happily has always worked.
I thought the device might just need repair, but a little investigating revealed that this is not an unusual problem.
Crashes seem to happen mostly one of two ways. When using the 5-way navigator control, or during a synch. In the former case, the system just freezes with the display looking normal. In the latter, the display shows a kaleidoscope of colored shapes, or a cryptic message about a fatal error with hex addresses and other computer gobbledygook.
As an old-time Windows user, I'm not overly concerned about having to restart a couple of times a day. It takes less than a minute, and always works. I've never lost data or settings, but I do have to readjust the contrast after every reset.
Poor Palm. I think it's ironic they promote this as an entry-level version. Maybe Palm presumes that entry-level users won't bother with synching, or stressing the device enough to crash it very often. But if I was new to Palm, I'd drop their product line like a nail clipper at airport security. Palm might fool new users at first, but I think they won’t become loyal customers inclined to graduate to more expensive models.
I'm willing to deal with the irritating instability only because I'm used to the Palm applications. Resetting the PDA is faster than rebooting Windows and no slower than reconnecting a dropped cell call (the old and new de facto standards for tech usability).
It takes the Z22’s strong pluses combined with my experience and loyalty to just barely net out the minuses. This is a good product, but definitely not a star, and I’d steer first-time PDA users to a much more reliable - if expensive - alternative.
When my old iiiC touch screen quit working, the $99 Z22 caught my eye, even though the screen is smaller than what I'm used to.
First the pluses.
I was impressed by how easy setup was, especially configuring my PCs to synch the PDA with Outlook at work and the Palm desktop application at home. Synching with Outlook used to require a slow and expensive 3rd party add-on.
I was also delighted with the screen's brightness which more than compensated for its smaller size, especially once I figured out how to select a sharp-looking font my older eyes could see easily.
It's an ipod look-alike, and succeeds in being both cool looking and handy to carry around.
I'm less keen on the operation of the 5-way navigator control. It's a great idea, but I often find that when simply scrolling down, a click on the lower edge of the ring button either jumps down more than one screen at a time, or requires me to hold it down for a second or two before anything happens.
Here's the really bad part. The device "crashes" a lot, usually at least once a day. That means it freezes during operation, allowing none of the buttons (including power) or touch screen controls to function. Depressing the reset on the back of the device is necessary to shut down and restart. Sometimes, it freezes during reset, and requires a second reset which happily has always worked.
I thought the device might just need repair, but a little investigating revealed that this is not an unusual problem.
Crashes seem to happen mostly one of two ways. When using the 5-way navigator control, or during a synch. In the former case, the system just freezes with the display looking normal. In the latter, the display shows a kaleidoscope of colored shapes, or a cryptic message about a fatal error with hex addresses and other computer gobbledygook.
As an old-time Windows user, I'm not overly concerned about having to restart a couple of times a day. It takes less than a minute, and always works. I've never lost data or settings, but I do have to readjust the contrast after every reset.
Poor Palm. I think it's ironic they promote this as an entry-level version. Maybe Palm presumes that entry-level users won't bother with synching, or stressing the device enough to crash it very often. But if I was new to Palm, I'd drop their product line like a nail clipper at airport security. Palm might fool new users at first, but I think they won’t become loyal customers inclined to graduate to more expensive models.
I'm willing to deal with the irritating instability only because I'm used to the Palm applications. Resetting the PDA is faster than rebooting Windows and no slower than reconnecting a dropped cell call (the old and new de facto standards for tech usability).
It takes the Z22’s strong pluses combined with my experience and loyalty to just barely net out the minuses. This is a good product, but definitely not a star, and I’d steer first-time PDA users to a much more reliable - if expensive - alternative.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Quick, sleek and has everything I need.
Pros: Sturdy and fast.
Cons: Small screen
Review: I really like it.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
EXCELLENT PDA, Definitely woth the 99$
Pros: bright and sharp color screen, very easy to use, neat photo album, only 99$, and did I mention it can play hundreds of games?
Cons: Cant really think of none.
Review: The palm z22 is an impressive pda. It has a color screen. It has 20 Mb of built in memory, and its very easy to use. The z22 also comes with plenty of extras including 4 screen protectors, 3 stylus pens, a rubber case, and plenty of cool built in software: including 3 games, a photo album, and a really cool program called addit. contrary to what some of the reviews say, i had no problem at all with the touch screen and the z22 feels very solid and durable. If you are looking for an nice functional pda pick up the z22 you wont be dissapointed!!
Updated
The palm z22 is an impressive pda. It has a color screen. It has 20 Mb of built in memory, and its very easy to use. The z22 also comes with plenty of extras including 4 screen protectors, 3 stylus pens, a rubber case, and plenty of cool built in software: including 3 games, a photo album, and a really cool program called addit. contrary to what some of the reviews say, i had no problem at all with the touch screen and the z22 feels very solid and durable. If you are looking for an nice functional pda pick up the z22 you wont be dissapointed!!
The palm z22 is an impressive pda. It has a color screen. It has 20 Mb of built in memory, and its very easy to use. The z22 also comes with plenty of extras including 4 screen protectors, 3 stylus pens, a rubber case, and plenty of cool built in software: including 3 games, a photo album, and a really cool program called addit. contrary to what some of the reviews say, i had no problem at all with the touch screen and the z22 feels very solid and durable. If you are looking for an nice functional pda pick up the z22 you wont be dissapointed!!
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
You get what you pay for
Pros: Very portable, more capacity than previous entry-level Palm devices
Cons: Touch screen sporadic, grainy picture
Review: I picked up one of these after my Palm m130 developed a fatal error during a HotSync. My initial impressions are not positive. The first time I HotSynced, the device would not restart so I had to do a hard reset and start over. By putting programs on in several syncs, the problem did not repeat.
The picture on the z22 is brighter and the colors more vivid than the m130, but the resolution is not good.
My main issue is with the touch screen. I think Palm's intentions with Graffiti 2 were good, but the execution was off, as there are at least three letters that I simply cannot do. The screen is also very spotty about picking up stylus movements, so you may have to tap a radio button two or three times before the device processes the action.
I got one of the "special editions" that included the two rubber slip cases. Those should be good to protect against drops, but you'll need to get separate screen protectors because I suspect the touch screen could be scratched and damaged rather easily. The light green slip case did not fit well around my device, but the clear one did. Choose carefully which one you decide to use, because once it is in there, it is a Herculean task to get it out.
I'm hoping that I will eventually make my piece with the z22, but if you can find a closeout on an older Palm device for a similar price, I would go that route, as Palm still has some bugs to work out on the z22.
The picture on the z22 is brighter and the colors more vivid than the m130, but the resolution is not good.
My main issue is with the touch screen. I think Palm's intentions with Graffiti 2 were good, but the execution was off, as there are at least three letters that I simply cannot do. The screen is also very spotty about picking up stylus movements, so you may have to tap a radio button two or three times before the device processes the action.
I got one of the "special editions" that included the two rubber slip cases. Those should be good to protect against drops, but you'll need to get separate screen protectors because I suspect the touch screen could be scratched and damaged rather easily. The light green slip case did not fit well around my device, but the clear one did. Choose carefully which one you decide to use, because once it is in there, it is a Herculean task to get it out.
I'm hoping that I will eventually make my piece with the z22, but if you can find a closeout on an older Palm device for a similar price, I would go that route, as Palm still has some bugs to work out on the z22.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
The device is essentially MS Outlook for your pocket. Reduce paper and increase portability.
Pros: Super simple to use; extreme portability;sleek design; great software;eliminate the need for paper date book and increase portability; amazing battery life; good handwriting recognition software
Cons: Soft touch screen;images are poor; unnecessary programs prepackaged; packaged screen protector protects, but aesthetically looks bad; stylus is plastic.
Review: If your looking for a PDA that essentially takes Microsoft Outlook and puts it all into a pocket sized device then this is a must have. It is extremely small and much more portable then any paper based book. In fact it is much smaller then it looks in pictures and videos. I also highly reccomend investing in the air case or something else to protect it.
The Calendar software for syncing is very simple and looks much like Outlook Calendar does. Import vCal easily.
There are some nice software additions like Splashshopper to manage your grocery lists and other lists as well as a small database program and ebook reader.
The only downside to the software might be the addit program. Addit is very useful for trying out demos of software and receving some news information, but it is full of advertisements and is very hard to delete from the PDA.
The device does not play mp3's, but do any of the PDA's avaliable play mp3's particularly well or work as amazing mp3 players? If your looking for an mp3 player you would probably be best to simply invest in a small flash mp3 player. Lets remeber that this is a PDA or Personal Digital Assistant and not a media player.
For $100 this is well worth it for the portability and simple outlook type features alone. The addition of the database and shopping lists as well as easy installation of programs like adobe reader and avant go make the price well worth it. Palm definatly nailed the target audience for this device: People who want to ditch the paper organizer and those who have not used a PDA before. This PDa is really for personal information rather then business. If you are a college student, parent, teenager, or anyone else who does not need a PDA for handle business information or Microsoft Office files then this would be a good investment for a PDA.
The Calendar software for syncing is very simple and looks much like Outlook Calendar does. Import vCal easily.
There are some nice software additions like Splashshopper to manage your grocery lists and other lists as well as a small database program and ebook reader.
The only downside to the software might be the addit program. Addit is very useful for trying out demos of software and receving some news information, but it is full of advertisements and is very hard to delete from the PDA.
The device does not play mp3's, but do any of the PDA's avaliable play mp3's particularly well or work as amazing mp3 players? If your looking for an mp3 player you would probably be best to simply invest in a small flash mp3 player. Lets remeber that this is a PDA or Personal Digital Assistant and not a media player.
For $100 this is well worth it for the portability and simple outlook type features alone. The addition of the database and shopping lists as well as easy installation of programs like adobe reader and avant go make the price well worth it. Palm definatly nailed the target audience for this device: People who want to ditch the paper organizer and those who have not used a PDA before. This PDa is really for personal information rather then business. If you are a college student, parent, teenager, or anyone else who does not need a PDA for handle business information or Microsoft Office files then this would be a good investment for a PDA.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Absolutely love it!
Pros: Tiny, very cute and lovely, extremely light, bright colours, useful, has all i need
Cons: None actually - unless you're expecting a lot more features
Review: After reading tonnes of user reviews I decided to grab my own. Felt absolutely in love after seeing its website on palm.com.
What I really like about it:
1. The bible I downloaded from olivetree.com - the fact that I can enlarge its font and highlight on it
2. The task list and daily schedules. And how you can choose 'repeat' for every other day/week/month.
3. The memo pad - best for me to jot down stuff on the spot without fuss with paper and pen
4. The alarms - best for forgetful people like me
5. The fact that it's so easy to use. You literally figure things out without the manual.
6. The photos - how I can show my friends photos without lugging out my laptop
7. The fact that it's really really so affordable
8. How you can change the colour scheme. I've set mine to my favourite pink colour, so it's always pleasant to look at.
The resolution ain't extremely great, but if you really want something useful (as opposed to something impressive to show off), this is really good.
I named it my iPalm because it looks so much like an iPod!
I've also downloaded a mini guitar tuner from freewarepalm.com.
Some of my girlfriends fell in love with it already, having only bought it for 4 days!
What I really like about it:
1. The bible I downloaded from olivetree.com - the fact that I can enlarge its font and highlight on it
2. The task list and daily schedules. And how you can choose 'repeat' for every other day/week/month.
3. The memo pad - best for me to jot down stuff on the spot without fuss with paper and pen
4. The alarms - best for forgetful people like me
5. The fact that it's so easy to use. You literally figure things out without the manual.
6. The photos - how I can show my friends photos without lugging out my laptop
7. The fact that it's really really so affordable
8. How you can change the colour scheme. I've set mine to my favourite pink colour, so it's always pleasant to look at.
The resolution ain't extremely great, but if you really want something useful (as opposed to something impressive to show off), this is really good.
I named it my iPalm because it looks so much like an iPod!
I've also downloaded a mini guitar tuner from freewarepalm.com.
Some of my girlfriends fell in love with it already, having only bought it for 4 days!
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Great Beginner-Basic PDA for the Money!
Pros: Ease of Use, and Price
Cons: Limited Features, Plastic Case
Review: I purchased this PDA for it's basic necessities. It's a notepad, address book, calendar, photo sharer, playing easy games, and that's about it. A NO frills, BASIC PDA. Perfect for students, or anyone wanting a basic PDA. My wife needed something to keep track of addresses and phone numbers, jotting notes, and a calendar. It fits easily in her purse, and does what she wants it to. If you want a software intense PDA, look elsewhere. This is a great PDA for the money.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 61 user reviews
Great little PDA!
Pros: Simple, easy, small, light, good battery life.
Cons: No screen cover included, flimsy stylus.
Review: This is a great little entry-level PDA. Purchased one for my wife as a paper organizer replacement, added key apps like dictionary and subway maps. It fits the bill almost perfectly. Ordered Air Case to protect the unit - no screen cover included. Great job, Palm! Keep this up and we won't care so much about Franken-Garnet!
