By Bob Freud
Jeff Carlson's book, The Palm III and PalmPilot Visual QuickStart Guide, shown in Figure A, is the Palm Connected Organizer book I wish I had written. It's technically accurate, and the writing is smart and hip, but Carlson never talks down to the reader. From the current crop of books on the Palm devices, this one, and David Pogue's book PalmPilot: The Ultimate Guide are my two current favorites.
FIGURE A
Here's the cover of The Palm III and PalmPilot Visual QuickStart Guide. (click for larger image)
For example, take this quick quiz to see how badly you probably need this book. Can you and/or do you know how to:
- Filter your Palm email?
- Add and configure a pager card?
- Work with archived records?
- Browse the Web with your Palm and a wireless modem?
- Keep the data you have marked "private" really safe from prying eyes?
Don't take my word for the excellence of the writing. Right now, this minute, navigate to this Web address: http://beta.peachpit.com/vqs/K5847/excerpt/chap.index.html. Go ahead. Read a sample chapter about using the Palm Date Book application and then come back here. I mean it. Don't keep reading. Do this now.
Good. You're back. The Palm III and PalmPilot Visual QuickStart Guide follows in the tradition of other Visual QuickStart Guides in providing plenty of screen shots to show the user what the process being described looks like. In the case of a black and white Palm device, black and white serves admirably.
OK, The Palm III and PalmPilot Visual QuickStart Guide does not have a special Palm IIIx or Palm V section. Timing is everything right? But Carlson and PeachPit Press (the publishers) maintain a Web site to keep you up-to-date on issues that have changed.
Carlson's book is divided into two more-or-less equal halves. The first half shows you how to use the device; the second half deals with add on software and hardware solutions. Not only does he mention many useful programs, Carlson actually goes into a good bit of depth on how to use them.
"If you add no other software to it, what you have is a very well designed date book and phone look-up program. Or, in other words, a Sharp Wizard done right."
I think that this division actually says something about the Palm Connected Organizer itself. If you add no other software to it, what you have is a very well designed date book and phone look-up program. Or, in other words, a Sharp Wizard done right. The major strength of the Palm devices, for me, (and what has kept me using the platform) is the fact that some of the most creative software development today is happening for the Palm family of organizers. I can't say that about Windows CE devices. Most of the add-on software for those devices is, in my personal opinion, snoozy stuff at best.
