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Usability Newsletter!
The
Usability of the Palm Vx
Guest article by
Matt Rhodes
Background
I recently purchased an "old" Palm Vx of off eBay.com. Let me tell you, I couldn't be happier with it, except maybe if it
had a color screen and the resolution were a little bit higher. It has a couple usability flaws from the original Palm V model, but nothing that dramatically decreases the user experience.
The Good
It's hard for me to imagine a smaller Palm Pilot than the Palm Vx. It's
very small and extremely lightweight at the same time. It's even thinner than the keyboard than I bought for
it. Take a look at Figure 1 and Figure 2 for the comparison.
Figure 1
Specifications for portable fold-out Palm keyboard.
Figure 2
Specifications for Palm Pilot Vx
According to some specifications I found at Palm.com, the Palm Vx is 4.5" by 3.1" by .4", and weighs in at only 4 ounces, while the keyboard I bought for it is around triple the weight, double the thickness and a bit larger around the sides. Having both items at such a small size is a great benefit for those who are constantly on the go - there will no longer be any need to bring your laptop with you on a business trip, as the Palm Vx also has wireless access…if you're willing to pay around $150 US for a wireless modem.
The Palm Vx HotSync cradle is
convenient and useful. I can use it to transfer information between my
computer and my Palm, and also charge the Palm at the same time. This is a
big benefit, if there's something critical you need to do on your Palm, and you need to charge it at the same time. I also enjoy the fact that the battery inside of the Palm Vx is
rechargeable (via the cradle). Batteries are expensive so this will save
me a ton of money. I've also noticed that the HotSync cradle is supposed to charge the battery to the maximum, so the battery cannot be overcharged, which
will prolong it's life. However, there is also a significant disadvantage to the charging system
which I will describe below.
I like the fact that the Palms have (what I call) a "home key" that allows you to go back to the applications page anytime that you need to. This makes navigation throughout my Palm very easy, and I enjoy having this "mobility" in my Palm very much. Along with a "home key" there is also a "find" key. I haven't used this feature yet but I can imagine in several situations to which it could come in good use.
Lastly, I also like the software Palm provides to sync into the Palm Vx. It's relatively easy to use, though it takes a couple minutes to understand what you need to do. It took me a while to figure out how to work my HotSync cradle to get programs into my Palm, but I eventually figured out how to use it and once I did, I can now transfer files to and from my palm in less than 30 seconds (depending on how large the files are). Just by pressing the "HotSync" button on my cradle, it automatically operates the Palm program and transfers all files that are in the
queue (see Figure 3).
Figure 3
The Palm hot sync functionality in action.
I've also noticed that there are a lot of cool features you can purchase for the Palm Vx, including a "Magellan GPS Companion" if you're willing to pay around $100 US. This allows you to download maps and display them on your Palm…basically what I find to be a virtual map without the need to carry around big, bulky ones. Very
convenient.
While the Palm Vx has some great, enjoyable benefits, there are also a few noticeable usability glitches with it.
The Bad
The worst thing I notice about my Palm Vx is that you must be at a computer in order to charge the battery inside it. The hook up is very odd and could be an extreme nuisance to some people. The HotSync cradle cord hooks into the serial port of your computer, and in order to charge the Palm Vx, you must hook in another cable, which then hooks into the HotSync cradle cord, which hooks into a wall outlet.
So, in other words, unless you purchase additional accessories, you'll never be able to charge your Palm Pilot away from your
computer. This can be a major inconvenience for a lot people. However, if you're willing to pay a few extra bucks you can easily pick up a car charger and an AC adapter on eBay.com for around $15 US each
at the time of this writing.
The next thing I dislike about my Palm is that the screen can be extremely difficult to see if you're in a room with poor lighting, or at a bad angle. However, the solution to this if it is in the dark is to put on the backlight, which
illuminates the screen so that you can see it. While this won't help bad angles or rooms with poor lighting, you'll be able to use your Palm Vx in the dark - at the cost of extra battery life.
I also dislike the fact that the buttons on my Palm are easily pressed in my pocket. When I walked around my home for a minute, I looked in my pocket to discover that my Palm was on. So, I turned it off and walked around the house again for a brief minute. I took it out of my pocket and discovered it was on. This means the Palm Vx drains battery life if you're not
careful.
I also have another
complaint. While this isn't about the Palm Vx, it's about the keyboard I purchased with it. Keep in mind that this is a brand new item, not used in any way. First of all, my hands aren't accustomed to the keyboard because of its odd key sizes, and I have trouble accurately typing words on my Palm Vx. However, this is not the manufacturer's fault. What I dislike the most about the keyboard is that whenever I press the "space button," unless I press it directly in the center,
then the sensors in the keyboard apparently don't detect I'm pressing down the key. I'm used to the keyboard that came with my computer we bought a few months back, you can literally just barely touch the keyboard and the computer detects that you want it to add a space. This frustrates me, but I will probably end up
adapting to it.
Summary
The Palm Vx is a great product.
The Palm Vx was probably the best black and white Palm PDA out on the market, and it is relatively cheap now.
I have enjoyed my experience with it and, in my opinion, the usability is
excellent.
Comments?
This was a guest article by
Matt Rhodes. If you have comments about it, please let me know: john@webword.com
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