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Introduction
The Palm was a revolutionary concept in organizer design when it was originally introduced. Using its Graffiti writing system, and a very intuitive interface, the Palm slowly but surely began capturing the eyes of businessmen everywhere. The original Palm didn't meet with much success, but the 2nd edition, the PalmPilot, gained much acclaim and respect everywhere. US Robotics, after getting purchased by 3Com, spun off the handheld unit into the Palm Corporation. Thereafter, the Palm has been through numerous revisions and modifications. Palm even went as far as licensing the design specifications and operating system so that 3rd parties could create their own Palm devices.
At the time, Microsoft had some versatility gains up on Palm's devices, with Internet connectivity and other device functionality. This is where vendors like Visor and HandEra stepped in. Visor created a stylish Palm, called the Handspring, with modular hardware add-ons available. HandEra originally had its business by performing custom memory upgrades to beef up application space on Palm III units. Later, bringing with them an intimate familiarity with the Palm III and IIIx, HandEra moved on toward making its own customized Palm-based PDAs. Today, we take a look at the TRGpro from HandEra.
Features/Specifications
As a note, when we obtained our review unit of the TRGpro, the company was known as TRGpro. They have since changed their name and introduced a new unit, the HandEra 330. While some might saw that it's pointless to look at the TRGpro when its successor is just over the horizon, it should be noted that the TRGpro is still a very useful device and quite a bargain at its price point of $249, making it an attractive investment for geeks and IT departments alike. We will be reviewing the HandEra 330 in the near future.
To begin, let's have a look at the specifications of the TRGpro.
Product Information
- Motorola DragonBall-EZ MC68EZ328 operating at 16MHz
- 160 x 160 FSTN LCD
- 16 Gray scale - Active area 2.2 x 2.2 in. (55 x 55 mm)
- Resolution 4096 x 4096 points
- Active area 3.1 x 2.3 in. (79 x 59 mm)
- 8MB RAM
- 2MB FLASH
- Standard Palm applications, including Datebook, Address Book, Mail, To-Do List, Memo Pad, Calculator, Security and HotSync technology for synchronization with your PC
- Palm OS 3.5
- Palm OS extensions for accessing CompactFlash cards
- Auto CF
- CFPro utility for moving applications to and from CF storage devices in TRGpro.
- FlashPro - data safety/memory utility software
- CF Backup - B/u 8MB in 45 seconds on the device
- Drag and drop links to Microsoft Excel and Word
- Desktop Import/Export formats: CSV, TAB delimited and TXT
- Palm Desktop Software
System Requirements
- 486 or better PC or Macintosh
- Windows 95/98 or Windows NT 4.0
- 8MB RAM minimum
- One available serial port
- Mouse
- 20MB available hard disk space
- CD-ROM drive
What's in the box
- TRGpro Handheld Computer
- HotSync Cradle
- TRGpro Software
- Palm Desktop Organizer Software
- User Handbook
- 2 AAA Batteries
The specifications and appearance make the TRGpro seem to be just like your average Palm IIIx. While this may be true, the TRGpro is far from your average Palm IIIx. For starters, the Palm IIIx features a memory upgrade, bringing the total capacity of the unit to 2 MB of OS space and 8 MB of application/data space. The TRGpro also features integrated audio hardware that allows for .wav playback capability. By far, however, the most outstanding characteristic of the TRGpro is the integrated CompactFlash+ slot featured at the top of the unit.
>> CompactFlash+ And You
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