PalmOne Zire 72 Handheld

I've used a PalmOne Zire 72 for years. It simply has all the features I want. When it went down the toilet I was happy to get a direct replacement for one third of what I paid for the original. I had invested in plug-in software that will only run on the Zire and I couldn't see any reason to upgrade.

Not willing to drop hundreds of dollars and be tied with yearly cell-phone bill contracts by getting an iPhone or Blackberry? Can't say I blame you. Did you realize that cell phone companies can change your plan without notifying you and that this practice is legal?


Although Palm no longer makes the Zire 72, it is very useful. (note: this review applies to the silver Zire 72).

I've had the Zire for a couple of years now and I like it.

Other reviews here have listed the pros and cons of the Zire 72 in great detail. I don't have the WiFi card so I can't review that part of the 72. You can use it to:

take so-so pictures
read Ebooks
listen to music and audio-books
record video and audio
play games
draw
keep track of your finances
sync to Microsoft Outlook
create and edit Office documents
use as a TV remote control (software is separate)
and--supposedly--watch DVDs.

Other uses:

**This is great for teachers--there are all kinds of software for grades, lesson plans, attendance and more.**

**The Zire is also good for ADDers--there's a great software program called "Bug Me!" that lets you personalize reminder notes and attach neat-sounding alarms to them. The Voice Memo feature is useful for recording spur of the moment thoughts, especially on the road.**

BLUETOOTH: I don't have any "bluetooth-enabled" devices so this aspect of the device was completely useless to me.

INTERNET ACCESS: There is not a separate WiFi card slot so you'll have to take out your media SD card to put in the Wifi card. I don't know if you can use one card for both; I doubt it! I also don't know how effective the card is or if it is worth getting (they run about $30-$50 on eBay).


HELPFUL HINTS:

1. You'll have to buy a separate SD card [$15-25 dep on size] in order to take pictures or listen to music, so factor in that cost when deciding how much you want to spend.

2. To listen to music you'll have to download Real Player to your computer and the Palm. Warning: not all music can be downloaded directly to your Palm because of conflicting formats. There were times when I purchased songs especially for the Palm only to find out that they couldn't be downloaded. In some cases you can burn them to a CD and then transfer them, but it's a hassle.

3. When adding software, always add it to the SD card as the handheld itself doesn't have much room.

4. KEEP IT AWAY FROM WATER. This sounds obvious but is easy to forget if you're an "on the go" type who never eats a meal without doing 2 other things at the same time.

5. Keep the installation CD in a safe place. You may need it later--I've re-used it several times.

6. Palm support isn't great. Any help I've gotten has been through various message boards on the Internet.

7. The battery life is less than spectacular.

8. Don't get this if you run with a "techie" crowd. Next to their iPhones and Blackberrys, you'll quickly feel like a Neanderthal. At least you'll be a Neanderthal who isn't spending $100+ per month on their cell phone and data bill.

9. If you take advantage of Audible.com, don't forget to cancel your subscription BEFORE the annual renewal date --otherwise it gets renewed automatically. I was really enthusiastic about Audible.com for a month or so but stopped using it after that.

10. Costs can add up. I got mine wet (DUH) and spent a lot of money to get it fixed. It was cheaper than buying a new unit--and I didn't want the contractual obligations and headaches that come with smartphones (the new AT&T my big fat foot). I bought this for $299 when it was new, plus the metal case, plus some software, the repairs, a replacement charger, yada yada yada. But this type of situation can probably be avoided by more careful types.

11. Don't give it as a gift to someone who isn't willing to put in some time to install software and experiment with the camera, video recorder, etc. or to someone who isn't comfortable with "gadgets" (Hi Dad!).

12. If you're a woman, keeping this handy can be a pain. Most women's clothes don't have pockets (God forbid our clothes become more functional than ornamental) and even if they do, this won't fit comfortably into them, especially with the case. You can keep it in your purse but then you're constantly taking it out and putting it back in if you use it often. When I was teaching, I compromised by keeping my regular purse locked up (it was that kind of place) and getting a very small, cute purse which slung across my torso to keep the Palm in during the day,

13. GET THE METAL PROTECTIVE CASE. Trust me on this one. They're about $20-$30.


In conclusion, the Palm Zire 72 is suitable for:

first-time handheld users
anyone who wants to avoid contractual obligations
teachers
ADD-ers
people who want to be organized but who don't want a cell phone

and NOT for people who are constantly calling and IMing others or those who need to be "connected" at all times.

Suggested software:

Bug Me! $20

Splash Money, $30 for handheld alone. Compatible with Quicken and Microsoft Money.

Microsoft Outlook sync software, $30. {$70 if you want the top-notch Key Suite.!!!)

Plus the case,$20-$30, and an SD card--$20. Don't forget tax and shipping.

its was a very good agenda to me until one day.... i drop it..
i used with a aluminium case and i have been drop it many times until from my legs drop it and the screen become blank, i heard this is the problem but overall its very good agenda, used about one year.. if i got to buy another i will do it.. but i think to buy the treo 650, its the one i need for now....

I have both the Palm Tungsten E and the Zire 72. I've owned both for over 2 years and honestly haven't had a problem aside from losing data. This happens when the battery dies completely (I'm terrible at recharging electronics). However, I must say the voice recorder and digital camera on the Zire 72 have been lifesavers in certain situations! I have been able to take clear voice records of lectures within large classrooms.
At the time I purchased the Zire 72, it came with a free expansion card (mail-in offer). When the card didn't arrive, the girl at their customer service number was very helpful and friendly. I will definitely continue to buy Palm products in the future.

got the zire 72 ~2 years ago, replaced with t/x 12/05 (see my review on it). thought i should still write a review because i thought it was a great palm overall.

pros: very quick, quicker than the t/x and locks up less; also very important for music lovers: you can lay the palm flat and actually hear the music fairly well with its speaker (volume overall much louder with 72 than t/x; and when flat, can barely hear stuff on t/x). similarly, if you connect it via the headphone jack to your car stereo, it produces a much louder sound (important to minimize static noise if using a cassette adapter); has a voice recorder!; has a decent camera as a backup in case you need a pic and no real camera around

cons: comes with only 32 mb internal memory but can use an external card; blue "paint" will flake off...i just peeled all mine off so it had a nice silver look but then they came out with the zire 72s which is basically the same thing!; some of them will start making the high-pitched buzzing noise when on...mine started doing that after i had it for a year or so; screen size is the usual size, not bigger like the t/x

all in all i think a great palm, definitely get it and not the t/x if you plan on using it more for music than other productivity stuff!