The Palm T|X is much like the LifeDrive with some important exceptions:

• It is memory based, not hard drive based.
  • This makes it much faster when choosing from menus etc.
  • This makes it less likely to be rendered useless by rough handling
  • There is no “drive mode” function or it’s associated “files” view.
• It is missing some things the LifeDrive had.
  • There is no microphone and therefore no “voice memo” function (although you can add your own microphone if you know what you are doing and care to void the warranty).
    • http://palminfocenter.com/view_story.asp?ID=8230
  • Or, you can buy an add-on microphone:
    • http://forum.brighthand.com/showthread.php?t=222044
    • http://home.earthlink.net/~gmayhak/catalog.html
  • Or, you can make your own add on microphone:
    • http://www.jamerican.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=94

Overall, I found the T|X much more responsive and easier to use than the life drive.  The wireless mode worked well in places where the LifeDrive didn’t function. If the microphone is a showstopper, it can easily be overcome.  If capacity is an issue, then add an SD card and your T|X can have as much capacity as a LifeDrive.

If I had to choose between these two models, it would definitely be the T|X, then I’d think about how much memory to add and whether to add a microphone.

But, is there a better PDA/Multimedia device out there?

Introduction

I recently was able to obtain a Palm LifeDrive Mobile Manager and T|X Handheld.  I wanted to evaluate these products for possible use at Morrisville State College, aka SUNY Morrisville, where I teach in the Computer & Information Technologies department. I have been a longtime PDA users starting with the original Palm Pilot.  In addition to testing for MSC, I also wanted to see how the current generation of Palm devices compared to my outdated but trustworthy Handspring Visor.

LifeDrive review:

I was really hoping to have a good experience with the LifeDrive.  It appeared to be a viable PDA with most of the bells and whistles and more.  It also would serve as video player, audio player, photo album, and file storage with lots of capacity (4 GB. total or actually 4,000,000 bytes or about 3.8 GB).

Unfortunately I was disappointed from the beginning.  After charging the unit overnight, the first feature I tried was connecting to my wireless network.  I have had no difficulties whatsoever connecting to this wireless network from the same room during the same time frame with a variety of other equipment including a number of laptops, a desktop, and the Palm T|X.  The LifeDrive would not connect.  After double checking and triple checking settings it eventually connected to the network, but I believe that was just an instance of getting lucky.  Connecting to the network continues to be a problem. The LifeDrive fails to make a connection more frequently than it succeeds.

Another problem with the LifeDrive is the annoyance that comes with the hard drive that gives it such large capacity. Accessing a particular application or menu on this hard-drive based system can be painfully slow at times, especially after being used to memory based PDAs.

There were a number of things I liked about the LifeDrive.  I found the software easy to install and use.  The audio, video, and photo applications were easy to use and there is a great deal of capacity to store all of these. The VersaMail application worked well when I could connect to the network.

I did not test any of the Bluetooth capabilities.

It does not quite have the ease of use of the iPod with iTunes.  Although the tutorial software that came with it showed how to synchronize the audio player’s library with Microsoft’s Media Player, this would not work.  A little research showed that the only Palm device currently supported by Microsoft for synchronization is the Treo 700w.  (http://www.playsforsure.com/KeywordSearchResults.aspx?searchtype=keyword&show=1&keyword=palm) Perhaps not so coincidentally, this is the only Palm device that runs Windows Mobile OS.  I was able to get good synchronization with Rhapsody which was recommended by Palm.

Conclusion

The LifeDrive attempts to be both a PDA and a generic iPod.  Although it is a capable device in both of these areas, it doesn’t shine in either.  The hard drive sometimes annoyingly slows access to PDA functions.  It’s a capable multimedia device, but requires special software on the PC to get the synchronization wanted and it has some quirks, like the phono jack being installed on the bottom of the unit.

Stay tuned

More later on both the LifeDrive and the T|X

Hi!  I'm Greg Tyler.  I'm a professor in the Computer & Information Technology Department at Morrisville State College.  I've decided to finally get involved in using blogs.

Stay tuned for posts on my first area of interest; Palm PDAs.  I'm testing the LifeDrive and the T|X and hope to be publishing my thoughts soon.