CNET Editor's rating: 6.2 out of 10
Reviewed by
Bonnie Cha
Review date: 10/19/05
Release date: 10/12/05
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.
Although the technology world focuses largely on the latest features and the flashiest design, there are many consumers who don't need or want all the bells and whistles. With PDAs, this means stripping away the wireless connectivity and multimedia features and going back to the core function of a handheld: organization. And this is exactly what the new Palm Z22 does. Targeting first-time handheld users, parents, and students, this $99 device has no tricks or gimmicks. It organizes your most important data--contacts, appointments, and so forth--and lets you view photographs, but that's about it. It's even more basic than the company's previous entry-level model, the Palm Zire 31. Still, if you're ready to graduate from your day planner to a PDA, the Z22 is a good start.
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.
Intro:
This Palm Z22 is a Palm OS-based, consumer-oriented handheld device.Compared to other consumer-oriented handhelds on the market, it is very inexpensive at around $100.
Noteworthy Features:
Weighs just 3.4 ounces weight.This is relatively lighter than the average handheld on the market today, but is to be expected for a handheld of this price.
Weaker Features:
Has a 160x160 screen resolution.Also, this handheld offers only IrDA wireless capability.This is not out of line with the product's price, but is less favorable than the average handheld on the market today.
Suitability:
A consumer-oriented handheld, suited for every-day use.Also, this handheld should be barely passable for viewing standard images (given that it supports standard at a resolution of 160x160).
Value:
In view of its very inexpensive price, this handheld has great features for the money.
Suggestions:
(1) If you plan to enter large amounts of data, consider getting an external portable keyboard for your PDA.(2) If you want to synchronize your documents with a Windows PC, consider a third party application such as Documents To Go.(3) For news and reviews of the latest handhelds, visit the Handhelds Feature on CNET Reviews.
4 out of 10 - Mediocre You get what you pay for
I picked up one of these after my Palm m130 developed a fatal error during a HotSync. My initial impressions ...
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.
Read more
by daveginatx (see profile) -
November 5, 2005
30 out of 32 users found this user opinion helpful.
10 out of 10 - Perfect Absolutely love it!
After reading tonnes of user reviews I decided to grab my own. Felt absolutely in love after seeing its website ...
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!
Read more
by sonicsand (see profile) -
October 29, 2005
9 out of 10 - Spectacular It is what it is - and that's more than enough!
Wow, if any review better demonstrated the chasm between gadget geeks and the rest of the world this would be ...
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.
Read more
by stuartde (see profile) -
March 31, 2006
14 out of 15 users found this user opinion helpful.
6 out of 10 - Good Ok but not great value for $99.
I've used a PDA for years primarily to keep my contacts and calendar synched between work and life. I ...
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.
Read more
by msteinwinter (see profile) -
December 1, 2005
13 out of 14 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Great little PDA!
This is a great little entry-level PDA. Purchased one for my wife as a paper organizer replacement, added key apps ...
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!
Read more
by wdtarver (see profile) -
October 17, 2005
9 out of 10 - Spectacular The device is essentially MS Outlook for your pocket. Reduce paper and increase portability.
If your looking for a PDA that essentially takes Microsoft Outlook and puts it all into a pocket sized device ...
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.
Read more
by sup909 (see profile) -
October 29, 2005
8 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
5 out of 10 - Average Depends on what you'll use it for.
I am not an entry-level user, nor am I a heavy user. I have an excellent PC, laptop, iPod video, ...
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.***
Read more
by TheGreenFairy19 (see profile) -
January 3, 2006
9 out of 10 - Spectacular My first PDA
Never had a PDA before. Looked at what I could run on it first as far as software. There are ...
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.
Read more
by matnpati2001 (see profile) -
December 2, 2005
4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
6 out of 10 - Good Great Beginner-Basic PDA for the Money!
I purchased this PDA for it's basic necessities. It's a notepad, address book, calendar, photo sharer, playing easy ...
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.
Read more
by ColoradoTech (see profile) -
October 26, 2005
4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
8 out of 10 - Excellent reliable, inexpensive calendar & contact pda
An inexpensive, reliable, no-frills pda. It's great for calendar & easy-to-find contact info. I've had mine for over ...
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.
Read more
by #1john (see profile) -
May 16, 2007
Hide
Watch product review video
Show
Print friendly version
Email to a friend
del.icio.us
Dell Inspiron Desktop Deal!
