The Palm Z22
Palm Z22
Today, I feel like playing gadget critic. I feel so disappointed and let down with the Palm Z22 personal digital assistant.
The major problem is where to start with the review.
I suppose that I’ll start with the operating system. My laptop is a Windows Vista Business model and we get along fairly well. We all know that Windows Vista Business was released to the world in the Fall of 2006. Most all software vendors had been given developmental copies of the new operating system so they could write upgrade patches. Most were released in late 2006 or early 2007.
I purchased the Z22 in very late December 2007. Let’s call it a full, fat year after the laptop’s operating systems was released. You agree with me on the time, right?
You would think that a PDA product, sold in very late December 2007, would be compatible with Windows Vista wouldn’t you. Z22 wasn’t compatible as it came out of the box.
I had to download a software upgrade to make the Z22 work with Windows Vista. This was a Beta version of Palm’s operating system. It was released in late July 2007.
A Beta version?
Hello people? That means that you, Palm, are at least nine months late on your development. It isn’t like Microsoft as hiding the development of Vista or that the Vista launch caught you all by surprise.
“What were you thinking?” [In my best Dr. Phil voice].
My old Handspring Visor is much heavier than the Z22, no doubt about that. By the same token, the Visor feels more solid in my hand. The Z22 feel kind of flimsy and cheaply made. [Full and Fair Disclosure: The Visor was assembled in Singapore or Malaysia and the Z22 was made in China.]
My old Visor came with a nice aluminum stylus. It fit my hand well. The Z22 came with a smaller plastic stylus. I will keep the old stylus since it fits my hand better. I will need it because I will have to enter all of my contact information by hand because there is no way to connect the two devices and swap information.
The Visor has a monochrome display while the Z22 has a color display. Minor plus for the Z22. I only need it to keep my schedule; monochrome was fine.
The old Visor came with a solid, durable plastic cover that went over the display screen when it was not is use. I’m dead solid certain the plastic cover helped keep the display screen looking nice as it bounced around in my brief case; either while it was in the trunk of my car or in the overhead storage bin on the airplane.
The Z22 came with a cut out plastic film cover for the display screen that you have to cut out yourself, hopefully following the correct line and pattern for your machine. The film that came with the device has directions to trim to fit multiple Palm models. I can purchase more plastic film display screen covers.
One of the reasons why I liked the Visor was the display screen plastic cover inside was a perfect place to tape the Graffiti alphabet. It was always with the Visor and easy to use when I wanted to write something, the cover was off before I could write on the screen.
The Z22 came with some plastic film stickers with the Graffiti alphabet on them that can only go on the back of the case, a near perfect place for them to be rubbed off, scratched, torn, or otherwise damaged to say nothing of being terribly inconvenient to use.
Buying the Z22 online from Best Buy cost me USD$89. I think the Visor was in that price range.
I guess the only good thing about the Z22, in my mind, is its low price. That isn’t very much to say in favor of it.
When I think further about the Z22, I just hope it lasts as long as my Visor did. If Palm has not released a final version of upgrade to Windows Vista by now, will it ever release a final version? Will Palm be around that much longer as a company with a product to sell?
If the Z22 lasts ten years, I will be retired and a big wall calendar will work fine for me.
My cell phone can be upgraded and I don’t have to reenter the phone numbers. Microsoft Outlook can be upgraded from time to time. My current version is Outlook 2007 so I am safe for several years before I have to consider an upgrade. I know and hope Microsoft will have finally figured out how to do a smooth and simple upgrade by then.
My Life Today
I indulged myself by sleeping in until 6:30 AM and I finally rolled out of bed by 7:30 AM. That was sweet.
I went out to school today to pick up a paycheck and get some information for a report that I have to turn in next week. I also checked my Saturday class and found that three more students have dropped the course. I have gone from 29 students to 15 students in three weeks, I never saw the three students who dropped once in class.
More non-calorie sweetness for me.
I came home and a simple lunch. I followed lunch with another walk.
Life is good for me today.
Be well and stay happy.
Today, I feel like playing gadget critic. I feel so disappointed and let down with the Palm Z22 personal digital assistant.
The major problem is where to start with the review.
I suppose that I’ll start with the operating system. My laptop is a Windows Vista Business model and we get along fairly well. We all know that Windows Vista Business was released to the world in the Fall of 2006. Most all software vendors had been given developmental copies of the new operating system so they could write upgrade patches. Most were released in late 2006 or early 2007.
I purchased the Z22 in very late December 2007. Let’s call it a full, fat year after the laptop’s operating systems was released. You agree with me on the time, right?
You would think that a PDA product, sold in very late December 2007, would be compatible with Windows Vista wouldn’t you. Z22 wasn’t compatible as it came out of the box.
I had to download a software upgrade to make the Z22 work with Windows Vista. This was a Beta version of Palm’s operating system. It was released in late July 2007.
A Beta version?
Hello people? That means that you, Palm, are at least nine months late on your development. It isn’t like Microsoft as hiding the development of Vista or that the Vista launch caught you all by surprise.
“What were you thinking?” [In my best Dr. Phil voice].
My old Handspring Visor is much heavier than the Z22, no doubt about that. By the same token, the Visor feels more solid in my hand. The Z22 feel kind of flimsy and cheaply made. [Full and Fair Disclosure: The Visor was assembled in Singapore or Malaysia and the Z22 was made in China.]
My old Visor came with a nice aluminum stylus. It fit my hand well. The Z22 came with a smaller plastic stylus. I will keep the old stylus since it fits my hand better. I will need it because I will have to enter all of my contact information by hand because there is no way to connect the two devices and swap information.
The Visor has a monochrome display while the Z22 has a color display. Minor plus for the Z22. I only need it to keep my schedule; monochrome was fine.
The old Visor came with a solid, durable plastic cover that went over the display screen when it was not is use. I’m dead solid certain the plastic cover helped keep the display screen looking nice as it bounced around in my brief case; either while it was in the trunk of my car or in the overhead storage bin on the airplane.
The Z22 came with a cut out plastic film cover for the display screen that you have to cut out yourself, hopefully following the correct line and pattern for your machine. The film that came with the device has directions to trim to fit multiple Palm models. I can purchase more plastic film display screen covers.
One of the reasons why I liked the Visor was the display screen plastic cover inside was a perfect place to tape the Graffiti alphabet. It was always with the Visor and easy to use when I wanted to write something, the cover was off before I could write on the screen.
The Z22 came with some plastic film stickers with the Graffiti alphabet on them that can only go on the back of the case, a near perfect place for them to be rubbed off, scratched, torn, or otherwise damaged to say nothing of being terribly inconvenient to use.
Buying the Z22 online from Best Buy cost me USD$89. I think the Visor was in that price range.
I guess the only good thing about the Z22, in my mind, is its low price. That isn’t very much to say in favor of it.
When I think further about the Z22, I just hope it lasts as long as my Visor did. If Palm has not released a final version of upgrade to Windows Vista by now, will it ever release a final version? Will Palm be around that much longer as a company with a product to sell?
If the Z22 lasts ten years, I will be retired and a big wall calendar will work fine for me.
My cell phone can be upgraded and I don’t have to reenter the phone numbers. Microsoft Outlook can be upgraded from time to time. My current version is Outlook 2007 so I am safe for several years before I have to consider an upgrade. I know and hope Microsoft will have finally figured out how to do a smooth and simple upgrade by then.
My Life Today
I indulged myself by sleeping in until 6:30 AM and I finally rolled out of bed by 7:30 AM. That was sweet.
I went out to school today to pick up a paycheck and get some information for a report that I have to turn in next week. I also checked my Saturday class and found that three more students have dropped the course. I have gone from 29 students to 15 students in three weeks, I never saw the three students who dropped once in class.
More non-calorie sweetness for me.
I came home and a simple lunch. I followed lunch with another walk.
Life is good for me today.
Be well and stay happy.
posted by Chuck Reinhardt at 4:40 PM
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