PALMONE ZIRE 31

IN BRIEF: A competent device that manages to miss many of the key features of an ultra-affordable handheld

When PalmOne launched its Zire series, the premise was a very simple one: to deliver a sub-£100 PDA that would meet the needs of the first-time user. It was so successful that it became PalmOne’s fastest-selling device and sold around 1.5 million units. The Zire 31 (£110 inc. VAT) builds on that success, as well as the feedback garnered from its predecessor

CONSUMER FOCUS

The Zire 31 keeps the chassis design of its predecessor as well as the plastic body construction, but PalmOne has opted for the blue colouration of the more exclusive Zire 71. The large five-way navigator button is flanked by two – as opposed to the normal four – quick access buttons, which in this instance are set up for Calendar and Contacts.

Powered by an Intel 200MHz ARM processor, the Zire 31 is responsive enough for all standards tasks. Expansion is provided in the form of a Secure Digital (IO) slot. On the lefthand side of the unit is an AC power slot and also a mini-USB port for connecting to a laptop or desktop PC. These ports are protected by a small plastic cover, preventing dirt and moisture from getting in.

With its consumer bias, the Zire 31 comes with a number of applications, including RealOne Player for Palm (which allows you to listen to MP3 files), a Palm eBook reader and photo-image viewer software. A 3.5-inch audio jack is located on the top of the unit for use with the audio player.

When PalmOne carried out its research with buyers of the original Zire line, one of the points raised was the need to add colour to the device. This has been applied to the Zire 31. However, rather than opting for the standard transflective screens that are found on most standard PDAs, PalmOne has kept the price of the unit down by using a 160 x 160 pixel STN display. When laid side-by-side with a device using a transflective screen the difference in quality is enormous, and it’s unlikely that anyone accustomed to using the higher definition screen will wish to switch to using the STN display.

However, as the first-time user is the prime target for this device, it’s more than sufficient and it’s possible to view applications with ease. The screen brightness can only be set to low or high, although the contrast can be set with a sliding control, which is fine for viewing still images. The display of the Zire 31 is not designed for multimedia, so users looking fora device to run video clips on will be disappointed.

PalmOne has moved away from an integrated Graffiti area in many of its high-end devices, but it remains a prominent feature in the Zire range. What this means in real terms is that the screen has a 2.5-inch viewable area.

BATTERY POWER

With its standard 900-mAh Lithium Polymer battery, the Zire 31 is expected to last up to a week under normal PDA usage. However, this will be dramatically reduced if the device is used regularly as an audio player. In use, we found that a fully-charged Zire 31 could last for up to five hours when running on continuous mode, giving you plenty of music listening time.

The success of the original Zire lay in its aggressive marketing and an excellent price point that appealed to first-time buyers. While the PalmOne Zire 31 has its place as an affordable device, by breaking the £100 price mark it looses its entry-level status and must compete with more competent and higher-specified units, such as the PalmOne Tungsten E.

RATING: 6

PRICE: £110/£130 (EX/INC. VAT)

PROCESSOR: INTEL 200MHZ ARM
OPERATING SYSTEM: PALM OS 5.2.8
MEMORY: 16MB (14MB USABLE)
EXPANSION: SECURE DIGITAL (IO)
SCREEN: 160 X 160 PIXELS STN DISPLAY
BATTERY: LITHIUM POLYMER
LINK: USB
SIZE: 112 X 74 X 16MM
WEIGHT: 116G
CONTACT: 020 7365 9820 WWW.PALMONE.COM/UK