Sony PEG-N760C Clie Handheld Review

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(More customer reviews)Sony initially entered PDA market with a somewhat weak PALM unit in the Clie PEG-S300. With little fanfare and poor design, it was destined to fail up against PALM and HANDSPRING. Many thought that was the last we would hear of the Clie. Only a few months later, not only did Sony introduce two new models, but they took the PDA market by storm. Although the Clie line is still relatively unknown to many people, among PDA aficionados the Clie line has arguably surpassed HANDSPRING and even PALM as the number one palm unit in the market. Its combination of innovative initiative, sleek design, affordable prices, multimedia capability, enhanced screens and battery source that has really made SONY the new driving force in the PDA market where PALM once was. Considering that SONY is a baby in the PDA market this is an amazing feat.
After much contemplation and research I decided that the Clie N760C was my next PDA. Owning a Vx for about a year and a half, my next PDA certainly had big shoes to fill. Now that I've had my N760c for about 2 months, those high expectations were not only met but in some areas exceeded. I will break down this review into three criteria's, which I feel are critical in reviewing the N760C.
The first criterion has to be the SCREEN. Both fans and critics of this unit will agree that the screen is its crowning glory. It's an accepted fact that to date it has the best screen of all Palm OS units and even Pocket PC units. Its high resolution of 320X320 is a far cry from all of Palms and Handsprings 160X160 resolution. Text look so much better in hi-res particularly Avantgo. Also its 16bit screen (65,546 colors) displays a far better range of colors then the m505 and the Prism. Even at the lowest brightness level, the visual output is comparable to the m505. Viewing pictures is quite amazing. It's really like looking at a (sony) flat screen TV. The screen is bright enough that it is really adequate at one third setting. (equivalent to m505 with backlight on) Keeping it at this setting conserves the battery considerably. The only grip I have about the screen is that it seems to be softer then most silkscreen displays. Although it doesn't bother me now, the screen is noticeably softer then the Vx's. It is also a known fact that Clie's, had the ability to get dust on the inside of the screen. Fortunately Sony addressed this problem with the N760C model. They plugged up the holes and the screen is sealed well. I also suggest that before you buy one, check the screen for dead pixels. These are pixels that don't display any color, just white. Although it's rare, it occasionally happens.
The second criterion is FORM FACTOR. It has a sleek case with a combination of brushed silver aluminum, metal and plastic. It quite a looker. It has a jog dial, which is standard on all Sony electronics. The integration of the jog dial to the operating system and applications is really a huge plus. With the combination of the jog dial and back button, only does it eliminate wear and tear on the screen, you can virtually navigate through applications with one hand. Although this unit is longer and thicker than the famous V/m500 shape, it is noticeably narrower. Strangely enough, because it is narrower then the V/m500's, it actually feels smaller in your hand. One thing about this unit that might bother a few people are the buttons. They simply weren't made for game play, particularly the rocker buttons. If you're a serious Galax or Pacman fan, I suggest you go elsewhere.
Another criteria is the MEMORY STICK. There is a huge debate on which medium is best, Secure Digital or Memory Stick. I'm not even going to attempt to convince you one way or another. With the recent price drop of memory sticks, 128mb memory sticks are almost half the cost of Secure Digital cards. I'm sure SD price drops will follow. The only I/O devices available between memory sticks and SD cards are the memory stick cameras and GPRS devices. Although there are rumors that SD devices are on the way, its still pretty much wait and see.
Lastly there is the built in MP3 player. To my surprise it is quite amazing. It was a little trick to figure out how to transfer MP3's at first, but once you got the hang of it, it's as simple as drag and drop. In terms of audio output, maximum volume is loud while not losing clarity. After all "It's a SONY". It is certainly comparable to dedicated MP3 players in sound quality.
I would certainly recommend the N760c to both old and new users of PDA's. The N760C is really a class in its own in that it bridges the best of both worlds with PALM and Pocket PC's. For those who want color and multimedia capabilities of PocketPC's but the hassle-free, intuitive aspect of PALM with its endless database of practically free applications, then the N760C is really the only PDA to chose from. The only downside about Clie's is its anemic choices of accessories. (unlike PALM accessories) But with 5 new brands and 2 upgrades in less then a year, Sony has made its mark as a serious player in the PDA industry. Accessories will surely follow.
The last thing I recommend is read a lot of reviews before you go out and buy your PDA. There is really no one ultimate PDA. From the m100 all the way to the PEG-T615, they certainly have their strengths and weaknesses. Other then the criteria's which I mentioned, there are many others to consider like power consumption, durability, customer support, upgradeable OS, application compatibility and many more. The only way to find out all those things is to read as many reviews as possible.
Good Luck!

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The PEG-N760C combines leading-edge technologies to bring you a full multimedia handheld organizer. The 65,000-color, high-resolution LCD display turns your CLIE handheld into a personal photo and video gallery. MP3 audio playback, with included remote control headphones, lets your handheld double as a personal stereo.Of course, the PEG-N760C comes complete with all of the standard Palm OS applications you need for organizing your life. Plus, it's fully compatible with hundreds of add-on applications available for download. What's in the box: Clie Handheld, Headphones, Audio Remote Controller, USB HotSync Cradle, Detachable AC Adapter, Memory Stick (8MB), Stylus, Installation CD-ROM, Application Guide, Graffiti Sticker, Protective Cover.

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