Shop RadioShack for Great GiftsPalm Zire 21 Handheld
Manufacturer: Palm Part number: P80730US
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Palm's entry-level handheld now has more memory and a faster processor.
Read more
Where to buy
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com Marketplace |  | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 12/08/2009 |
CNET editors' review
Palm Zire 21 Handheld price range: $219.99
- Reviewed by: David Carnoy
- Reviewed on: 09/30/2003
- Released on: 10/01/2003
The good: Inexpensive; runs Palm OS 5.2; 8MB of memory instead of just 2MB; faster processor than original Zire; great battery life.
The bad: No backlight or expansion slot; monochrome screen.
The bottom line: Palm's entry-level handheld now has more memory and a faster processor.
Except for the $99 price tag, we weren't all that thrilled with the original Zire, which came with only 2MB of memory, a nonbacklit monochrome screen, and a poky 16MHz processor. No matter, the device went on to become last year's best-selling Palm, proving once again that price is king in the electronics business. Assuming that maxim continues to hold true, the new low Palm on the totem pole, the Zire 21, should do equally well in the marketplace, largely because it's identical to the original but has four times as much memory (8MB instead of 2MB), a faster processor, and runs the latest operating system. We just wish Palm had somehow been able to incorporate a backlight.
Like the original, the 3.8-ounce, 4.4-by-2.9-by-0.6-inch Zire is an attractively designed unit that feels solid in your hand. It also has a monochrome screen and a pliable plastic protective flip lid that has a tendency to flop around a little too much. The display is readable, but obviously, without a backlight, you're going to have a problem in dark environments.
All the standard Palm organizer features are onboard (Date Book, Note Pad, To Do List, Expense, and Calculator), and Palm has thrown in a couple of card games and a more robust expense-tracking application called PDA Money. A world clock and Palm Reader (for electronic books) are incorporated in Palm OS 5.2. But the Zire features the older Address Book and Schedule apps found in the original version, rather than the new, more full-featured Contact and Calendar programs that ship with Palm's latest Tungsten models.
As noted, the biggest improvements are the speedier Texas Instruments 126MHz OMAP processor, which improves the responsiveness of the device, and the larger 8MB of memory. This is still not a lot compared to what comes with other Palms these days, but this isn't a multimedia handheld, and the 7.2MB of actual storage space give you plenty of room to add several applications and save thousands of contacts. As for accessories, an AC adapter is included for recharging the internal lithium-ion battery, while a USB cable and Palm Desktop Software are provided to sync the Zire with your Mac or PC.
At $99, the Zire 21 is an excellent value and a good buy for those on a tight budget who want an attractively styled, basic electronic organizer that offers several weeks of battery life. That said, if you can afford to make the jump to the step-up $199 Tungsten E, don't hesitate. It's easily twice as good as this model.
User reviews
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Fatal flaw dooms the product
by jvrudd on November 3, 2005
Pros: Looks nice
Cons: Vanishing information makes it completely unreliable
Summary: After buying this for my wife she came to rely on the Zire to have her contacts and schedule ready for use. Despite the lousy monochrome screen she used this ...
Summary: After buying this for my wife she came to rely on the Zire to have her contacts and schedule ready for use. Despite the lousy monochrome screen she used this cheap imatation regularly.
Then, after about 6 months of use, the WORST thing that can happen, did happen. All memory was lost, all contacts and schedules vanished. Since she used this independently of a computer, there was no backup.
After calling it a fluke, she re-entered her information into the Zire and continued using the device. The exact same thing happened within about 4 months. Once again, she diligently re-entered her data, but this time it only took 2 months before the data vanished.
At this point the Zire was shelved and a paper scheduler was purchased. The Christmas present that I bought her was useless in less than a year.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Waste of money...no longer works after 6 months
by Casual_one on June 22, 2005
Pros: Fits in my purse nicely
Cons: waste of money
Summary: I received this as a gift from my Mother and was very excited about the compact nature of the device and the fact that I could store all my information ...
Summary: I received this as a gift from my Mother and was very excited about the compact nature of the device and the fact that I could store all my information in it. After six months of use the device lost all the information I entered. Thinking perhaps it wasn't charged enough I charged overnight and still the same issues. I tried to reset and download the information back into the palm and it still wouldn't respond. Because I don't have a receipt I'm out of luck in that regard. However, based on the other reviews I believe it wouldn't be worth my while to have it repaired either. What a waste of money,time and energy spent entering the information into the Zire 21. I'm extremely disappointed.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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No soft reset button, as per user's manual.
Pros: Small size (albeit hard on eyes) and weight
Cons: 2 Month old unit became stuck in " System Lockout" and will not accept password. Manual indicates use a "soft reset", this buttone is not on the unit I have. Error in unit or error in user's manual.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Not with a Cell Phone
Pros: Low Price and more memory than the original Zire
Cons: And this is a big one. If you have a cell phone near your Zire21, when the cell phone rings, the Zire21 completely resets itself. This problem is even documented on the Palm website. Their advice--keep the cell phone away from the PDA. How 'bout a rec
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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so far so good
by kool10 on January 8, 2007
Pros: cheap, versatile
Cons: monochrome, no backlight
Summary: Bought it from palm for a very low price..
loaded ereader which allows me to read any text file after conversion with makedocw, also loaded adobe reader for palm os ...Summary: Bought it from palm for a very low price..
loaded ereader which allows me to read any text file after conversion with makedocw, also loaded adobe reader for palm os version 3, so can read any pdf file on it.
operation is very, very intuitive. So far, great! -
Only now retiring mine
by MarkusMurray on August 2, 2006
Pros: reliable, efficient, intuitive
Cons: monochromatic
Summary: The Zire 21 was/is my first PDA, bought shortly after it hit the market (nearly THREE years ago!). I have used it constantly and loved every minute of it. ...
Summary: The Zire 21 was/is my first PDA, bought shortly after it hit the market (nearly THREE years ago!). I have used it constantly and loved every minute of it. I am a basic non-professional user: regular but not heavy. It was my day-planner, address book, organizer and notepad. I have used up all the memory now so I need to move on. I have NEVER had any problems with it and will see if I can pass it on to someone like the me of 3 years ago.
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cheap, effective, excellent durability, portable and stylish
by cadmans on August 14, 2005
Pros: good connectivity, battery charge, light and does the job
Cons: no backlight
Summary: Now available for a song (my 'refurbished' - but in practice - new Palm Zire 21 was only £20 from eBay), this meets all my needs for diary, contacts and ...
Summary: Now available for a song (my 'refurbished' - but in practice - new Palm Zire 21 was only £20 from eBay), this meets all my needs for diary, contacts and occasional notes; a colour screen, entertainment function all belong elsewhere and take their toll in battery consumption. This is just perfect for its stated purpose.
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Great Little PDA
by mthor on August 4, 2005
Pros: Price, basic features
Cons: No backlighting
Summary: I purchased this baby brand new for under $50. It does just what you would expect from a PDA originally priced under $100. It serves it's purpose and does ...
Summary: I purchased this baby brand new for under $50. It does just what you would expect from a PDA originally priced under $100. It serves it's purpose and does it well. Address book, date book and 8MB of memory are perfect for me; and still have room left for 3rd party software.
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Good basic device
Pros: Great if you're looking for a PDA with basic features. Outstanding battery life. Have had mine for a year with no problems whatsoever. My cell phone does not cause the Zire 21 to reset.
Cons: No backlight.
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Good replacement for my dead Vx
Pros: Price (won't feel near as bad when it dies), 8MB memory (only used 4 MB in my Vx), USB hot synch, good battery life, holds all my old Docs-toGo and Handbase clinical files
Cons: Lack of small hard cases for it; never used back light in old Vx so don't miss it here.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Palm
- Part number: P80730US
- Description: Zire 21 is the easy and affordable way to balance the demands of your busy life. Keep all your important information - from appointments to addresses to notes - at your fingertips. With 8MB of memory, bonus software and a fast processor, the Zire 21 handheld is a great value from the handheld leader. Intuitive software makes staying on top of your life a snap. Keep track of your schedule with reminders and alarms for appointments. Carry thousands of contacts - family, friends, co-workers, doctors, emergency contacts - and always have your important addresses and phone numbers at your fingertips. Keep your to-do list with you and check things off as you go. Synchronizes with Outlook so you can use the calendar, contacts, tasks and notes you already have. Getting organized has never been so affordable. The Zire 21 handheld has all the tools you need to stay on top of your life. 8MB of memory means you'll have room to store years of appointments and thousands of contacts with room to add software like an exercise log or shopping list manager (sold separately). Keep track of birthdays and anniversaries. Track your automobile maintenance and passwords, play games and read an eBook with valuable software included in the box.
General
- Product Type Handheld
- Width 2.9 in
- Built-in Devices Display
- Depth 0.6 in
- Height 4.4 in
- Dimensions (W x D x H) 2.9 in x 0.6 in x 4.4 in
- Color White
- Localization English / Canada, United States
- Weight 3.8 oz
- Color White
- Included Accessories Protective cover
- Localization English:Canada, United States
Processor
- Processor Texas Instruments OMAP311 126 MHz
- Processor Texas Instruments 126 MHzOMAP311
Memory
- RAM 8 MB
- Installed RAM 8 MB
- Max supported RAM 8 MB
Display
- Display Type LCD
- Display type LCD
- Image 4-bit (16 gray levels)
- Display Resolution 160 x 160
Operating System / Software
- OS Provided Palm OS 5.2.1
- Software Prefs, Expense, HotSync, Memo Pad, Note Pad, Date Book, Calculator, Graffiti 2, Quick Tour, To Do List, Palm Reader, World clock, Address Book, Handmark MobileDB, powerOne Personal, Handmark PDA Money, Handmark Magic Dogs, powerOne Calculator, Chapura Pocket Mirror, Palm Desktop Software 4.1
- OS Required Apple MacOS 9.x, Apple MacOS X 10.1.2 - 10.2.6, Microsoft Windows 98/ME/2000/XP
Input Device
- Input device type Stylus, Touch-screen
- Type Stylus, Touch-screen
Audio
- Audio Input None
- Audio input type None
- Audio Output None
- Voice Recording Capability None
Telecom
- Modem None
- Modem None
Telephone Features
- Band None
Expansion / Connectivity
- Expansion Slots Total (Free) None
- Wireless Connectivity IrDA
- Interfaces 1 x USB - 5 pin mini-USB Type B
- Port / Connector Type:Interface 1USB
- Port(s) Total (Free) / Connector Type:Free Qty 1
- Connector Provided 5 pin mini-USB Type B
- Expansion slot(s) total (free) None
- Cable(s) included 1 x USB cable
Power
- Battery installed (max) 1 Lithium polymer
- Max supported batteries 1
- Power Device Power adapter + battery charger
- Voltage Required AC 120 V
- Power supply device Power adapter + battery charger - External
System Requirements for PC connection
- Peripheral / Interface devices CD-ROM, USB port
Miscellaneous
- Cables Included 1 x USB cable
GPS
- GPS Navigation None
Battery
- Installed Qty (Max Supported) 1 (installed) / 1 (max)
- Technology / Form Factor Lithium polymer
- Talk Time None
Warranty
- Service & Support 90 days warranty
- Service / Support Details 90 days Limited warranty, 90 days Technical support Phone consulting
System Requirements for PC Connection
- System Requirements Details MacOS - RAM 5 MB - HD 30 MB, Windows 98/2000/ME/XP - HD 30 MB
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - 90 days, Technical support - Phone consulting - 90 days
Manufacturer info
- Palm
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Palm products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.palm.com/us/
- Address:
950 W. Maude Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94085 - Phone: 408-617-7000
- Fax: 408-617-0100
