.KEYWORD clie
.FLYINGHEAD PRODUCT REVIEW
.TITLE The Sony CLIE PEG-N710C: lust, pure and simple
.FEATURE
.SPOTLIGHT FIGALT cover.gif
.SUMMARY Confessed Sony-phile Dan Velasco has added to his collection of Sony products by finally getting his hands on the Palm OS-based CLIE PEG-N710C. In this article, he examines the features of the device, describes the three versions of the Sony CLIE now available, and compares the CLIE to other handheld products on the market.
.AUTHOR Dan Velasco
Lust, pure and simple. That’s the reason that I paid $499 (plus tax) without question for my Sony CLIE PEG-N710C. A color screen. An integrated audio player. Video playback capabilities. And the Palm OS. It was a winning combination that I could not resist.
Let me take a moment to describe the day I bought my CLIE, because I think it explains a lot about how I feel about the device. It was the last Sunday in May, and I was walking through Fry’s Electronics in Sunnyvale, CA. I meandered through the PDA section, like I always do, just on the off chance that there might be anything new. Imagine my surprise when I saw someone holding the new color Sony CLIE, which I wasn’t expecting to come out until mid-June. I immediately went over and started drooling over it with the guy who was looking at it, whose name turned out to be Frank.
After getting a chance to hold it and finding it was everything I had hoped for, I went to the sales clerk who told me they didn’t have any left. My heart dropped. In desperation, I asked if any of their other locations had CLIEs in stock. I found out that the San Jose store across town had ten of them as of that morning. It was just after noon already, so I knew there was probably only a few left.
I knew without question that I was going to go across town, and Frank decided he was going as well. I said goodbye to Frank at the front of the store and literally started speed walking, almost jogging to my car, keeping an eye on where Frank went as well to see if I could beat him out of the parking lot.
To make a long story short, in spite of taking what I thought was a shortcut, we ended up arriving at the San Jose Fry’s at exactly the same time. As we started walking towards the store, I turned to him and said, only half-joking, "I hope they have more than one. I’d hate to have to fight you for it." Fortunately, they had three CLIEs left, so I didn’t have to kill him, which definitely would have put a damper on the enjoyment of my new device.
The last time I can remember having had a similar level of excitement about a computing device was when I first saw the Palm V, about two and a half years ago. I bought my Palm V the first week it was available, even though I didn’t have approval to expense it at the time. Sometimes you’ve just got to follow your instincts.
.H1 What the heck is a CLIE?
CLIE is actually an acronym that stands for "Communication, Link, Information and Entertainment." In fact, Sony boldly calls the device a Personal Entertainment Organizer, further setting it apart from other PDAs on the market. It stands out on store shelves just by virtue of its bright green box, which you can see in Figure A.
.FIGPAIR A You can tell that the Sony CLIE is different than other PDAs just by looking at the box.
There are currently three new Sony CLIE devices to choose from, all of which I’ve already seen in stores:
.BEGIN_LIST
.BULLET PEG-N710C: This is the device I described in the introduction, priced at $499. Mine was shipped with Palm OS version 3.5.2.
.END_LIST
.BEGIN_LIST
.BULLET PEG-N610C: Same as above, except without the audio player and with Palm OS 4.0 installed, which allows for an even higher-resolution screen. Priced at $399.
.END_LIST
.BEGIN_LIST
.BULLET PEG-S320: The affordable grayscale version of the CLIE (at $199), sans audio player and back button and with Palm OS 4.0.
.END_LIST
Throughout this article, I’m going to focus on my experiences with the PEG-N710C, since it’s what I currently own and it has all the key features. You can then decide for yourself if you want to save $100 by not having an integrated audio player or if the combination of the audio player, color screen, and back button is worth $300 more than the $199 grayscale base model. I wanted my PDA to be loaded with as many features and as much functionality as possible.
I really think the key to finding your ideal device is identifying your killer application or applications and then seeking out the device that best meets your needs. Audio is my killer app when bundled with a Palm handheld. Why? Because I’m an audiophile; I love listening to portable devices. I have a Rio 500, a teensy Aiwa portable AM/FM radio, and three Sony Walkmans. You can see a picture of all of the devices I use on a regular basis in Figure B.
.FIGPAIR B Here’s a picture of my CLIE cold chillin’ with my other devices.
.H1 Confessions of a Sony-phile
For purposes of full disclosure, I do admit I have a penchant for all things Sony. Here’s a sample list of some of the Sony merchandise I own:
.BEGIN_LIST
.BULLET Sony VAIO Slimtop PC (PCV-LX800);
.BULLET Sony Tivo Recorder;
.BULLET Sony Walkman (I own three);
.BULLET Sony radios/cassette players (I own three);
.BULLET Sony Memory Stick Voice Recorder;
.BULLET Sony bookshelf stereo with 50-CD changer;
.BULLET Sony VCR;
.BULLET Sony underwear.
.END_LIST
OK, so maybe I don’t own Sony underwear, but only because they don’t make underwear (yet).
However, just because I really like Sony merchandise doesn’t mean that I bought the new color CLIE blindly or that I didn’t look past the Sony name and really examine the device closely. I examined the heck out of it, and here are some of the key advantages I found:
.H2 Audio player with remote
The audio player has a remote control that enables you to control the audio without having to tap on the screen. The remote plugs into the headphone jack, and then you plug your headphones into the remote. This is a huge advantage, enabling you to store the CLIE somewhere safe and out of the way and to control it using the remote. It actually makes it practical and safe to use in the car, provided you memorize the controls on the remote. Once you’ve memorized the controls, it’s very easy to find exactly the song/file you want to listen to. The remote even has a little stubby stylus on it, which, while not necessarily good for writing, will certainly help you tap your way around the device.
.H2 Hold button
The hold button feature is absolutely critical for being able to reliably operate the audio player without having to worry about accidentally turning on the device and running down the power. There are actually two hold buttons, one on the left side of the device and one on the audio player remote as well. You can use the hold button on the side of the device to prevent yourself from accidentally turning it on. With the hold button on, though, the remote control can operate the audio capabilities of the device. This allows you to run the audio player without the screen being on, which is essential to being able to conserve the device’s power. And, since an LED indicates whether or not the Memory Stick is being accessed, you can also tell by sight whether the audio player is running or not.
.H2 Jog-dial
The CLIE includes an extremely useful jog-dial that aids you in finding important information quickly, while using only one hand. Once you get used to using it, it’ll be very difficult to go back to a Palm OS device that doesn’t have it.
.H2 Back button
The back button is very useful and complements the jog-dial feature perfectly. Note, however, that the back button isn’t included on the grayscale PEG-S320 model. But, then again, that model only costs $199.
.H2 Expandability
The Memory Stick slot allows you to instantly add up to 128MB of storage, and it’s extremely simple to swap out different Memory Sticks. Buying an additional memory card is essential if you really want to listen to audio on the device, since the 8MB card the device comes with will only tease you with two or three songs. You’ll need at least a 64MB Memory Stick, but if you really want to maximize your choice and if you’re not too concerned about price, go ahead and get the 128MB Memory Stick.
When I bought my Sony CLIE, the 128MB Memory Stick had just become available. In fact, the only store where I could find it was the Sony Style store at the Metreon in San Francisco. At the time, the 128MB Memory Stick cost $239. I went back and forth about spending so much on something that looks like a purple stick of gum, but I decided that I had come this far and might as well just go all the way. Recently, however, I’ve seen the price drop to $149, both on Amazon.com and at Fry’s Electronics. Yes, I have thought about the fact that if I would have waited three months I would have saved $90, but it’s a small price to pay to be an early adopter.
.H1 The WOW factor
One of the ways I judge whether or not a new technology is compelling is the reaction I get when I show it to a cross-section of users, from non-technical people to uber-geeks. The reaction I got when showing people the Sony CLIE was always extremely positive and enthusiastic. I even came up with a set presentation I’d give to people, guiding them through all the features on the device, including the audio player and how fantastic pictures of my kids looked on the screen. I really knew the device was a winner, however, when I showed it to my very non-technical in-laws and they were blown away by all it could do.
.H1 The audio player
There are a few things that need to be said about the audio player and how it has functioned for me on a daily basis for the last couple of months. First of all, the audio player only plays standard MP3 files that have been encoded between 32K and 128K. This hasn’t been too much a problem for me, since most of the MP3 files I have fall into that category, but those of you who prefer a higher encoding rate should be aware that your tracks won’t play as-is on the device. The device currently won’t play WMA files either.
I’ve loaded some tracks onto my Memory Stick that didn’t play correctly. If you have the screen on, you’ll get an error message saying, "Invalid Track," and it’ll give details. If you’re using the remote with the hold button on, you’ll hear a little beeping sound when a track can’t play correctly.
I did have a couple of tracks that started to play and then caused the device to stop responding. I actually had to use the tiny tip in the top of the stylus (just unscrew it) to reset the device. Granted, this was a track that was gathered from, let’s just say, less than "official" sources, so it’s not like I have a lot to complain about. Just be aware of this if your music collection has been gathered from many sources.
Transferring files to the device is really easy. If you have a Sony desktop/laptop with a Memory Stick slot, you can simply pop in the Memory Stick and transfer the files, which is what I do when I’m at home near my Sony VAIO. If you just have the cradle, though, you can still transfer files to the Memory Stick by putting the device in the cradle, turning on the audio player, tapping the menu button, choosing Options, and then Transfer. The memory card will then appear as a removable drive, and you can transfer MP3s and other files using Windows Explorer.
.H1 Sony CLIE versus the Compaq iPaq
When I was deciding whether or not to get the Sony CLIE, the main other device I was considering wasn’t a Palm OS device, it was the Compaq iPaq 3670 and similar models. The iPaq has two key features I was looking for in my next device: audio capability and expandability. Here’s how the iPaq fell short.
.H2 Remote control
The iPaq doesn’t have the remote control feature the CLIE has, which means you have to control the audio player using the screen.
.H2 Size
In order to expand the memory of the iPaq with a compact flash card, you have to add a compact flash "sleeve" which increases the bulk of the device. The iPaq by itself is already bigger than the CLIE, and with the sleeve attached it’s just too much bulk for someone like myself who likes to store his device in his shirt pocket.
.H2 Palm OS versus Pocket PC
Since the CLIE is based on the Palm OS, choosing it meant I could continue to use the software I was used to, such as Pylon Pro for synchronizing my Lotus Notes data.
.H1 Sony CLIE versus the Palm m500 series
The closest thing that Palm has to the Sony CLIE right now is the Palm m500 series. In Figure C, you can see how they stack up.
.FIGPAIR C Here’s the Sony CLIE sits on top of a Palm V; the CLIE is thicker but less wide.
Read on for my quick comparison of the CLIE versus the Palm m500 series.
.H2 Compare the screens
You’ll immediately see that the Sony CLIE’s 320 x 320 resolution really makes a difference. On the Palm m505, I could see vertical lines in the display if I looked closely, which make it less attractive when compared to the CLIE’s smooth display.
.H2 Memory Stick versus MultiMedia Card
Yes, the Memory Stick is a proprietary format, but Sony uses it in so many other devices that if you own another Memory Stick-compatible device, you can share it or swap it. And besides, with all of the flash memory formats out there, it’s hard to figure out which will prevail.
.H2 Now hear what?
The lack of any audio capabilities in the Palm m500 series was definitely a deal-killer for me. If I was going to upgrade, I wanted to get some substantial new feature, and the MMC slot on the Palm m500 series just wasn’t that useful of a new feature for me. After all, so far I’ve ended up storing only MP3 files on my Memory Stick and haven’t yet used it for data storage or applications.
.H2 A little more cash for a lot more device
For only $50 more than the price of a Palm m505, I get an audio player in addition to my Palm handheld. When the Palm m505 came out, I was a little disappointed by both the quality of the color screen and the fact that there was no way to listen to audio on the device. And now, with the introduction of the PEG-N610C, you can get a more feature-packed device than the Palm m505 for only $50 more.
.H1 Accessorizing
Switching to a totally new manufacturer means having to throw out (or give away) all the accessories you’ve purchased for your Palm handheld. For me, this meant giving up the OmniSky modem (which I was rarely using anyway), my Dual-Action Stylus, and my Palm Portable Keyboard. I’ll share how I’ve managed to cope with the transition.
.H2 Wireless
Sony has plans for wireless capabilities for the CLIE. If you go their Web site at http://www.sonystyle.com/micros/clie/wireless/index.html, you’ll see a very interesting device and service called Mylo which is a cradle solution based on the GoAmerica service.
.H2 Stylus
I use the Pilot Dr. Grip Pentopia stylus when I have to enter a lot of data and don’t have my keyboard handy.
.H2 Keyboard
Targus manufactures a keyboard that works with the PEG-N710C, PEG-N610C, and PEG-S320, according to their Web site. I’ve confirmed that this keyboard works fine with my PEG-N710C, so don’t be confused if you see a picture of the old Sony CLIE on the box. Hopefully they’ll update this soon. You can find it at http://www.targus.com/default_product.asp?sku=pa830u. You can see my CLIE hooked up to the Targus portable keyboard in Figure D.
.FIGPAIR D The Targus portable keyboard works great with the CLIE.
.H1 Which Memory Stick, purple or white?
When you start shopping for a Memory Stick to expand your device, you’ll find that there are two different types of Memory Sticks: purple and white. The purple ones are normal, the white ones use Sony’s MagicGate technology, which allows copyrighted data to be transferred to the Memory Stick, which is essential if you want to listen to protected music from sites such as eMusic (at http://www.emusic.com).
After going back and forth about what to do, I finally decided just to choose the regular purple Memory Stick. I wanted to be able to simply transfer MP3s and other files directly to the device without having to worry about filtering it through any software. For me, this has worked out just fine, and I’m glad I chose the regular purple Memory Stick. Plus, it was $20 less than the equivalent MagicGate version.
.H1 A few negatives
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention a few areas in which the Sony CLIE fell short for me.
.H2 The headphones
I didn’t particularly care for the headphones. They looked cool, but I felt a little goofy wearing them. I prefer using the ear bud style headphones.
.H2 Lack of recording capability
The CLIE can’t record audio like the Compaq iPaq can. I’d find this capability useful. Maybe this feature will be included in the next version. In the meantime, I’ll continue to use my Sony Memory Stick recorder when I need to record something important for posterity.
.H2 No Audible.com compatibility
I absolutely love downloading books and radio shows from Audible.com (at http://www.audible.com) and would love it if the Sony CLIE could play that proprietary format, but it can’t yet. Maybe in the future it will. In the meantime, I’ll continue using my Rio 500.
.H2 Loses data when battery dies
I know this probably seems like an obvious point, but once my battery ran out when using my CLIE. The device totally reset, losing all the data I had entered since the last time I performed a HotSync operation. One of the things I liked about the Palm V was that it would maintain enough power to save data even after it could no longer power on normally. The CLIE doesn’t seem to do this, but the charger does separate from the cradle and plug directly into the device, so it can be charged rather easily.
.H1 Where to find more information
There are a huge number of things to talk about with the Sony CLIE, and I can’t possibly mention them all here. In the Product Availability section of this article, you’ll find some links to more information about the CLIE.
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.H1 Conclusion
Do you absolutely need a Sony CLIE? Probably not. Do you really want a Sony CLIE? You probably do. If you’re excited about your device, you’ll use it more. If you’re not, it’s just an expensive paperweight. During the last days of my Palm Vx, I stopped carrying it in my shirt pocket and only used it sporadically. My new Sony CLIE has helped to reinvigorate my interest in the Palm OS platform and in organization in general. What could it do for you?
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.H1 Product availability and resources
For the Sony CLIE homepage, visit http://www.sonystyle.com/micros/clie/.
For the Sony CLIE developer’s page, visit http://www.us.sonypdadev.com/top.html.
For more information on Mylo, visit http://www.sonystyle.com/micros/clie/wireless/index.html.
For more information on a stowaway portable keyboard for your PEG-N710C, visit http://www.targus.com/default_product.asp?sku=pa830u.
For more information on music available for your Sony CLIE, visit http://www.emusic.com.
For more information on downloading books and radio shows for your Sony CLIE, visit http://www.audible.com.
For more information about Palm computers, visit http://www.palm.com.
.H1 Bulk reprints
Bulk reprints of this article (in quantities of 100 or more) are available for a fee from Reprint Services, a ZATZ business partner. Contact them at reprints@zatz.com or by calling 1-800-217-7874.
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.BIO Dan Velasco is a Senior Technical Editor for DominoPower Magazine and occasional contributor to PalmPower. He is also the Manager of the Web Development Team at IDG Global Communications in San Mateo, CA. You can reach him via e-mail at dvelasco@dominopower.com or on the Web at http://DanVelasco.com.
.DISCUSS http://powerboards.zatz.com/cgi-bin/webx?50@@.ee6f874
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