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PalmOne Tungsten E Handheld
By: Palm Average Rating: 3.0 Total Reviews: 338
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 On: 2008-05-13
I bought my Palm Tungsten E (used but in excellent shape) over a year ago. It has been working well, although I still have problems getting it to Hot Sync with my Office 2003 applications.
About 6 weeks ago, it froze, then crashed. Once it was working again (after I reloaded all my information--calendar and contacts), I saw that I lost some of the programs. There is no longer a calculator function.
I pressed the reset button, and lost more applications. I am tempted to go back to a Franklin Planner...good old paper and ink!
 On: 2008-05-12
I use this daily for many purposes. I do not use the Bluetooth function, but it is included. not enough memory even with an extra card. Easy to use, and to teach yourself how to use it.
On: 2008-05-08
The top power switch on these units is very fragile. It will break with normal everyday use. Suggest setting the unit up so that you never have to use this switch to turn the unit on.
Also this unit encounters a software failure when trying to do a word search. However, I decided it wasnt worth the time and effort to return it for this one glitch.
As I already have a substantial data base from a prior unit I had which failed due to the power switch, it would be too much trouble to switch product to a pocket PC. However, if I were starting from scratch Id definitely get an HP unit.
What I dont understand is if cell phones can be built to be near indestructable, why cant Palm design a unit which is more robust!!!!
On: 2008-03-26
Palm E is not match for Palm T5, nor Palm TX. It lack of Wifi, and its older version Palm OS System,comparingly. But, its features with mp3 player, high resolution of picture, and plenty of educational programs that can be installed in, makes it favourable to eductation, especially for kids.
My 5 years and 9 years siblings are using it and enjoying listening to music and viewing pictures on it,also, with some games.
On: 2007-12-31
I have had the palm tungsten E for a couple of years and it is a good model. The screen if vivid, the battery life is adequate, and the preinstalled applications are useful. When you compare the screen to
less expensive models such as the Palm Zire, the difference in crispness
is completely noticeable.
The missing star comes from the downside of the product where the power button will eventually break but you can still open the palm with the quick launch buttons.
On: 2007-12-30
I have had the palm tungsten E for a couple of years and it is a good model. The screen if vivid, the battery life is adequate, and the preinstalled applications are useful. When you compare the screen to
less expensive models such as the Palm Zire, the difference in crispness
is completely noticeable.
The missing star comes from the downside of the product where the power button will eventually break but you can still open the palm with the quick launch buttons.
 On: 2007-11-06
Ive had my Tungsten E handheld for over two years. While it is possibly outdated since it is older, it is still exactly what I want in an ebook reader. I have been able to sync and load ebooks to my Tungsten E. The memory card slot allows a memory card up to two gigs. i read ebooks on my Tungsten in Adobe (pdf) and Mobipocket (prc) file forms. I also have documents to go and that allows me to utilize Microsoft word.
I consider this the best gift my husband has ever bought me.
On: 2007-11-05
Ive had my Tungsten E handheld for over two years. While it is possibly outdated since it is older, it is still exactly what I want in an ebook reader. I have been able to sync and load ebooks to my Tungsten E. The memory card slot allows a memory card up to two gigs. i read ebooks on my Tungsten in Adobe (pdf) and Mobipocket (prc) file forms. I also have documents to go and that allows me to utilize Microsoft word.
I consider this the best gift my husband has ever bought me.
 On: 2007-09-08
I am a very busy facility manager, and I need the Palm operating system (OS). I believe the Palm OS is superior to any other PDA OS, and I do not have the time to learn something else. This product is exactly what I need badly, but it is just too expensive to only last from 6 to 18 months. I am painfully aware of this because my fifth (5th) one of these (always purchased new) just quit.
I do not abuse these units! I keep them from moisture, shock, and vibration. All I do is use them gently, a lot. Most of the failures have been related to the beeper which I rely on as a meeting or deadline reminder. Other failures have been battery related. The latest failure is the centering procedure for the stylus operation being off ¼" too high on the display no matter what I do making the alpha-numeric touch screen function impossible to access.
If this product cost less than $50.00 knowing it will only last for months not years, I may again consider it. I guess I am saying it is cheap junk only worth $50.00 at retail.
I seriously considered some of the Sharp and Casio models, but I need a program like Documents-to-Go so I can upload my large database of Excel notes which I can search while away from my office. I wound up purchasing a "like new" Handspring Visor Prism for just over $100.00.
If anyone knows of a (reliable) color PDA that runs the latest Palm OS, and is not expensive, please post or comment to this message. This information would not only help myself, but many others...
By the way, I would not recommend wasting your good money on this unit!
On: 2007-09-05
I bought mine 2 years ago for Christmas. This thing has been a nightmare. For one the battery life stinks. It could just be mine but it has a battery life of a couple of days. It has NO PERSISTENT memory! So when the battery goes so does the info. I though I could do a work around by making sure it was charged every night. Guess what? I never was able to consistently charge it and then I was back to an empty palm. Heaven forbid you go on a trip and forget the charging cord. AND to top it all off it has a battery attached to the motherboard so if you want to change it you must either send it into palm or by another and do some work to open the case with non standard screw driver and then solder a connection to the batter.
Yes sure it has a beautiful screen and great functionality but without battery life its only use is a paper weight.
So run away - very far away.
On: 2007-09-05
I really like the product. It works well. The only drawback that Ive found is that the battery doesnt hold a charge very long. I previously had the Palm Tungston e2 and never encountered this problem. I could use the unit days without recharging it. This one needs to be recharged within the day of charging. I will inquire about this with the seller. Aside from this, as mentioned, I love the unit.
 On: 2007-08-08
Well, I bought the Tungsten E around the Fall of 2003. I was really happy with it for a while. Then it started to have charging problems. This must have started happening after the warrenty expired otherwise I would have sent it back. So I kept using it and doing a soft reset every so often. Then after not using it for a month or so, I tried to turn it on and it wouldnt do anything. So I tried the soft reset and nothing happened. Then I did a hard reset. That worked for a day or so then it wouldnt turn on again so I did a hard reset again and it turned on then off. Thats when I decided I didnt have time to deal with it and put it aside until tonight. I started out looking on line for a solution to this problem. Instead of finding that I found 133 one or two star reviews out of 328 on one web site. And of those there were many more ones than twos. This told me to quit wasting my time trying to fix the piece of @#$! and start saving for a non Palm PDA. I may also do a search for Tungsten E Palm and class action law suit because one of the many bad reviewers of this product mentioned that they had heard about the possibility of one being brought against the company that so obviously knew they had a bad product. Why else would they have put only a 90 day warranty on it when all or most of their other products have 12 months? Anyway I am just glad that I read all of these before I wasted my time and money calling Palms so called customer service. I guess I did find an answer to my problem after all. Buy a new PDA not made by Palm.
by: Anonymous On: 2007-04-29
Positives: Tungsten E has been a zippy and durable PDA in my use over the last 2 years. The screen resolution is excellent and the processor speed is more than adequate. I never cared for wireless connection, so to me it was not an issue.
Negatives: the screen makes an audible and very annoying high pitched noise (if you read blogs over the internet, it is a pervasive and highly annoying problem -- one that Palm has been unwilling or unable to address). I guess this is what you get when your electronics are made in China;
The onboard memory of 32 Mb is frankly inadequate for 2007; installation of applications to memory card dramatically slows their access speed
On: 2007-04-24
Ive owned my Tungsten E for about 3 years now, (Im on my second one as the last one died when I dropped it) and I really like it. Its the only PDA Ive owned, but it gets the job done for me. Im thinking about buying another E since mine is getting old.
On: 2007-03-08
This amazing piece of technology is a good deal when you think about usefull vrs price. I recomend it.
On: 2007-02-05
Palms have nice user interfaces. This is my second Palm PDA. The screen is excellent, and it is thin and light. The software works well, and synchronizes without problems to Windows XP Home and XP Professional. Unfortunately, after two years the on-off switch has failed. This requires me to use one of the "hot" buttons to turn it on. This allows me to continue to use this device, but it is annoying and inconvenient (these are all about convenience, right?). My first Palm device, an M130, also had its on-off switch fail after two years (before its main board failed). Palm needs to understand that I have other things to do with my money than to spend $200 every two years on a PDA because they didnt make the on-off switch robust enough. One should want to buy a new PDA because of new features and design, not because of mechanical failure. This device has been well taken care of and has not been abused. My wifes Treo 700p had its speaker fail after 45 days, and occasionally the phone portion requires a reset. Although I have not had any problems with Palm software, my IT consultant tells me that the Palm software does not synchronize well with the Windows Tablet operating system. Although I would have liked to stay with the Palm OS, because of the mechanical failures of my two Palms and the Treo 700p, my next PDA will probably be from HP.
On: 2006-12-30
I loved my "E" until my son pressed the dreaded "delete everything" button. I let him play with it and I dont know what button he pushed but it locked it up so that I couldnt even power it down. Once the battery was dead I restarted it to find that not only did it delete all my address book and expense information, but it erased all my Microsoft compatible software. I could no longer read Excel spreadsheets or Word documents. It should be designed with better protection against something like this. Lesson learned!
On: 2006-12-14
I purchased a refurbished Tungsten E over three months ago and it has been working fine. Like the other reviews state, there is a small noticeable whine depending, strangely enough, on how far away you hold it from your head and on which side. Im the type to get easily annoyed at small noises, but the whine hasnt really bothered me. Please note that I use my Tungsten E primarily as a Chinese-English dictionary, so I keep it at home plugged in to its charger most of the time. I do take it with me sometime, but not very often. The screen has had heavy use from writing in Chinese characters, but it still works fine. Overall, I am satisfied with the quality of this product considering its low cost these days. However, I would also like to mention that the buttons on the Tungsten E were not built for gaming(should you decided to install any games or emulators) - the function buttons arent very responsive now and require very hard pushing.
On: 2006-11-22
I got a whole six months use out of this unit before the battery would no longer charge. This is apparently very common for these units. Check out some of the forums around relating in particular to the battery problems. I checked with Palmone and it will cost $120.00 to replace the battery plus shipping (they will only replace at Palm). What is the point in buying a $200.00 unit if you have to spend another $120 after six months? You are better off buying a Zire.
On: 2006-08-27
I bought my Tungsten E about 2 months ago to replace my dead Zire 31. At first, it seemed pretty good, but it all went downhill from there.
The Good Parts:
-A Whopping Ton of memory. If youve got dictionaries and games that eat up your megabytes, then this is great for you.
-The accessories on this PDA are pretty good. It has a durable metal stylus. Screw the top of the stylus off, and you have a resetting tool. The cover looks cool and doesnt take up too much space, but doesnt last very long. A little scotch tape takes care of that problem, though.
-It actually has four shortcut buttons! I missed this so much on my Zire 31.
-320/320 screen rocks! It makes reading really easy. The screen is bright enough to use as a flashlight in a pinch.
-Kinoma video player is very easy to use, although it only accepts certain file types. A video takes up about 3 MB per minute, give or take.
The Bad Parts:
-Shortly after getting my PDA, the speakers on it died. Headphones still work, so I can still listen to music, but the alarms dont make a sound when they go off. Very Annoying.
-Docs to Go is absolutely useless. It doesnt include even the most basic tools, such as spell check. You dont really need Docs to Go to write text files. If you want to send text files to your PC, you can just write it in memopad and copy and paste them to your computer from Palm Desktop.
-The processor is wimpy. Comparitively, the Zire 71 has 144 MHz, and the Ipaq 1910 has 200 MHz. This really shows if you try to listen to music and play a game at the same time.
All in all, the Tungsten E works, but I would much rather have spent my money on something else that works better.
On: 2006-08-21
I have had a tungsten e for almost 2 years. (My previous Handspring died in an auto accident.) I havent had any real problems. It mostly does what it is supposed to. My biggest issue is that the charger is not dual voltage and a meager 90 day warrenty. My daughter has a tungsten e. Her power switch broke. The cost of repair is such that it cheaper to by a new one. I was able to disasemble the device ( no help from the Palm website ) and solder a broken contact back in place. Quite a feat with an old Radio Shack soldering iron. So far it still works.
Another gripe is that they keep changing cables. I am exploring a device for my wife and I find the the cable for mine will not fit a new device. Not too smart if they are attempting to build customer loyalty. I am very unimpressed with the reported non support from palm. I would second others that over the years Amaazon has been very good to deal with.
On: 2006-08-02
have used various models of Palms since the mid 90s. the Palm replaced my Franklin planner many years ago.
the Tungsten E is a solid performer with an easy to read screen, good battery life, and a stable operating system.
it wont do what a Treo will do but i use my Nokia to talk with and my Tungsten to keep track of things.
i have no hesitation on recommending you get a good used Tungsten E!
by: Anonymous On: 2006-06-15
I know people have said that it is a peice of junk, but it is not true. I have had mine for almost two years and I love it. I put all of my documents, contacts, and memos on it. Ok, and some games. Its great! The only reason I have ever gotten that fatal error is if I download somthing off a not well known site. Try to stick with the main sites. I got mine when I was almost twelve, and I now am thirteen and still love it!!! Please dont think differently of this reveiw though just because I am thirteen. Teens Opinions count too!!!
On: 2006-05-30
solid product and good performance for the price paid. I would recommend it for novice-intermediate users of PDAs
On: 2006-04-16
Ive owned 3 Palms, this one will be the last. The screen backlight whines, and the sensitivity started poor and got worse. After 10 months, it now varies between difficult and impossible to get it to recognize graffiti. Recalibration, new screen protectors, no screen protector, nothing works. The problem is in the unit.
I think the reason the product only has a 90day warranty is that Palm knows the units will give out, and dont want to have to replace them.
On: 2006-04-12
Well, I bought this palm pilot because my m515 of 2 or so years finally gave out. The first one I bought went out in 15 days or so. Talk about horrible. The second lasted for quite a while, but it just died. Just after I bought a 1 gb sd card for music, and just before finals start. Sigh. Really, 8 months for $140 is not what I was looking for.
On: 2006-04-08
I bought it about a year ago and all has been problems and problems with this product. First were the software problems, I couldnt get the versamail to work, then the hot sync issues, then the documents to go fatal errors series, tons of them. When I finally thought all of them were solved, the hardware problems started. First the on/off button started to "sink", getting harder and harder to push. Now the headphones and external speaker doesnt work at all, so more than half the functions I bought this product for are out of service. THIS IS MY FIRTS PALM AND I?M SURE IT WILL BE THE LAST ONE!!!! Some of my colleagues at work bought other similar products from Dell and HP and all of them are really happy with their investments. So there you have it, this is way all these big companies one day sadly are either bought by a bigger one or simply disappear from the face of the marketplace....
On: 2006-04-08
I bought it about a year ago and all has been problems and problems with this product. First were the software problems, I couldnt get the versamail to work, then the hot sync issues, then the documents to go fatal errors series, tons of them. When I finally thought all of them were solved, the hardware problems started. First the on/off button started to "sink", getting harder and harder to push. Now the headphones and external speaker doesnt work at all, so more than half the functions I bought this product for are out of service. THIS IS MY FIRTS PALM AND I?M SURE IT WILL BE THE LAST ONE!!!! Some of my colleagues at work bought other similar products from Dell and HP and all of them are really happy with their investments. So there you have it, this is way all these big companies one day sadly are either bought by a bigger one or simply disappear from the face of the marketplace....
On: 2006-03-19
My tungsten e is not one with the whining noise. But it does crash a lot. I cant use it for long either, b/c the battery life is sooooo short. I used to have a psion revo. My psion revo was stable, and fast. I frequently have to reset my palm tungsten e. The alarm is not very loud at all for agenda appointments (forgettaboutit). I wish I had my psion revo back. Psion went out of the pda business, but they had a great product they just didnt market their product well in the united states. Palm on the other hand, markets their product very well, but as for reliability... Its terrible. I will never agian purchase another palm product.
On: 2006-02-22
I had the Tungsten E for just over a year. *Had* is the key word. Like may others I suffered from such lackluster features such as the on/off button that gets harder and harder to use until it quits entirely, the high-pitched whine, and then the quick descent into PDA oblivion. The latter happened quite suddenly-- after I charged it, I found it had lost all my data and settings. After some fits and starts trying to successfully conduct a hard reset, I did manage to resynch it. However, a few hours later I tried to use it again-- only to discover it has now become completely and utterly unresponsive. This has been extremely disappointing, to say the least. However, I was far from surprised-- when the on/off button started to go, I began looking into user reviews (here and elsewhere) for the Tungsten E and became disheartened at all the problems people were having with the product and the rip-off customer "service". What is aggravating is that if you look at the professional reviews, this PDA comes off as a good deal. So buyer beware with this Palm or any other Palm-- and be sure to read the individual reviews of people who have had the devices for at least a year.
On: 2006-02-14
Ive had my Tungsten E a little over a year. It really isnt much, to be honest. All of the complaints youve seen on here are true in my experience. I suspected when I bought it that the unit is a piece of junk--why else would the warrantly be only 90 days when the other PDAs have a year--but I cant really afford to pay more than $200 for a PDA.
Ive had the screen whine since a couple of months after I purchased it (although it hasnt simply gone out--yet!). Its quite noticeable, at least to anyone with halfway decent hearing.
The power button recently fell off. Just came right off. Didnt drop it on the concrete or anything. In fact, the unit has a fairly cheap feel and look to it. Its not very sturdy at all.
But, software is a problem, too. Versamail is impossible to configure with anything, and the instructions are worthless.
I once had a Handspring Visor Platinum. That was a sturdy unit (I used it for about 4 years), and the software selection was good. Palm seems to want to give you as little as possible and proclaim how great they are in the meantime. I might believe that had I not experienced a Visor in the early days.
Then, theres the operating system that Palm apparently has quit updating. I read one review complaining that youre simply stuck if you want to use--or have already invested in--Palm products. I second that--I started to buy a Pocket PC, but stuck with Palm because of my prior investments. But, what a choice.
In short, its a shame that while other computer systems are developed and refined on a daily basis almost, Palm PDAs seem to have entered an electronic dark ages.
Buy something else if you can find it. You probably cant, so youll have to pay your money and take your chances on this piece of junk.
On: 2006-02-12
Im not going to go into all the pros and cons of the PDA since youve probably read many other reviews about the TE here.
From my experience, the TE has been a great tool. I do have the small buzzing noise that others have noticed. My guess is youll have a 30-50% chance of buying a TE that has a *small* buzzing sound. It does not annoy me, but it did a bit at the beginning.
It has an amazing color screen, and for the price of the unit, that is a big plus.
Battery life is so-so. I personally dont mind recharging it when need be. I know its nice not to recharge for a week or so, but its not a big deal to plug it in the charger when it needs it! Is it *really* wasting that much of your time by plugging it in? If so, then this unit is not for you.
I have 4 other friends who have the TE, and they all love it. No joking.
If youre looking for a really good price of a PDA, want good features, and can stand a few minor problems, the TE will serve you well.
On: 2006-02-07
This is my third palm and the biggest disappointment. The battery life is short AND when the palm runs dead all data is GONE. You have to redo all your settings and synch. I liked the old way of setting the palm in the cradle for synching and charging. I could take it out of my purse when I got to work, set it in the cradle until I left the office. It was always charged and ready to go. This one has a bulky electrical cord to charge and a separate cable to hook to your computer to synch. This makes it more trouble to synch with home and office computers for me. I do not understand why my little cell phone doesnt lose data when it runs out of battery (and it has a warning beep) and this palm goes completely blank. It is way more trouble than it is worth. Buy a different one.
On: 2006-02-04
Ive been using the Tungsten E for several months now, and though Ive passed it on to a family member in favor of a BlackBerry, I thought it was such a great PDA that it was worth writing a review about. More than anything, its the best value out there for a feature-rich PDA, and since there are a lot of these Tungstens on eBay it wont be hard to find a good deal.
The Tungsten E delivers a lot of familiar Palm OS features, and theyre packaged in a great form factor. My favorite feature is the awesome, super-sharp color screen. The backlight is powerful and the color and contrast is excellent, making reading notes, appointments, and even Office documents easy on the eyes. The portion below the screen will be familiar to Palm users - you have the standard application buttons and handwriting area. The navigator is a bit clunky, but works just fine.
Other features include a digital card slot, infrared, and an audio jack (though Ive never actually used this feature). There is a nice, weighted stylus made of metal that slides right into a small silo on the right edge.
There are two complaints I have about the Tungsten E - one is a minor issue and the other is more significant.
The first one is purely cosmetic. Even though there is flip cover for the screen, there is no protection for the back of the PDA and thus it tends to attract a lot of scratches. Ive never dropped it, but even normal wear-and-tear (e.g., carrying it in my pocket with keys or loose change) results in surface scratches. If you buy this PDA I would finding a simple cover (there is a huge selection on eBay).
The second issue is battery life - while its not horrible, its not great either. For users that are constantly connected and are used to charging devices like your cell phone or Bluetooth headsets, this is no big deal since you just make it part of your daily routine. However, if you happen to be traveling or if youre going to be disconnected for a while, battery life will definitely be an issue. Since there is no external battery you have to rely on recharging the internal battery. Just something to keep in mind before you make your purchase decision.
Overall I like the Tungsten E and highly recommend it for anyone looking for a feature rich PDA at a great price.
On: 2006-01-27
The Tungsten E is a great PDA, especially for the price. It is powerful enough to handle my documents, games, ebooks, contacts and calendar, and doesnt have a lot of the "extras" that I just dont need- Ive found that when you combine a phone and camera and a PDA, none of them work quite as well as I want them to.
My only complaint about this PDA is that after about 6 months, it started to make a very high-pitched buzzing sound- I dont hear it unless its right next to my ear, but it is definitely there. My coworker has a Palm Zire that does the same thing. Neither one of us is bothered by it, but it does seem like something Palm ought to fix.
On: 2006-01-20
This device was the star of Palm by 2003.
I bought one last year and I`ve got a lot of problems with the software. Lot of hard resets,information lost,applications which didn`t run, plenty of time to install files on the expansion card
I`ve solved the problem updating the software, the one which came with the device was obsolete.
The price was high, so I decide to make my money to be worth.
There is no good customer service by PalmOne, as you should have noticed.
Finally I learned the tricks.
This device is as tricky as a Halloween, but once you know how it is quite useful.I prefer the USB cable than the craddle, cause I can carry it in my pocket and sincronize files at my laptop, PC or even the jobs computer (to carry work for home).
Definitely, I also carry the charger which is quite similar to the cellular phones one.
It`s good to have some heavy medicine books in your pocket,also listening to MP3 tracks while walking (well it lasts no longer than an hour which is the battery`s best performance) through the hospital`s corridors.
Definitely the PDF files ain`t good to view in this handheld, simply you get tired and abandon it.
But the applications documents to go is really useful.
I carry all my notes,agenda and patient`s files with me, even travelling off the city, and doesn`t take space, nor weight.
Rather than the hard cover I found useful a body glove soft cushion pouch so it doesn`t damage when it falls down.
If you live in a large city you dont go along with a laptop in a subway, or by the overcrowded sidewalks, unless you want to be robbed.
As a working tool I do recommend it.
For enterteinment you have better options
Now it is less expensive than 2 years ago, but I think its useful, and than God I did not notice any whine nor shine fading in a year Ive been working daily with it
On: 2006-01-09
I bought this Palm 14 months ago. Id read all the reviews here about malfunctions but figured I would somehow beat the odds.
Although the battery life was poor, I had no other complaints...until it simply stopped working. I was unable to set appointments from the desktop or do a hotsync, despite uninstalling and reinstalling the program.
I have an illness thats affected my memory, so I really need something to aid me. Ive always used Palm products and dont know which model to choose now. But I dont think this one is worth it in the long run.
On: 2005-12-30
This was my first pda, I really enjoyed it until it died one day at work, i punched some numbers into it, scribbled a note about a product i needed to look for, then when i went to use it again about 30 minutes later, it would not respond at all. I made 2 mistakes when buying this pda, 1. buying it from circuit city, 2.buying the comprehensive coverage full replacement warranty. I was told when I bought the pda that if I bought the comprehensive coverage full replacement warranty my pda would be replaced if ANYTHING happened to it for 2 years. When I called in August 2005 about having my pda replaced I was told I would be getting a new one right away, instead I got a box to send mine to them to fix it. Then they sent it back-still non-working and in worse physical condition that when I sent it off. Their website to check the satus of repairs said my repair was completed, the box my pda came back in says Factory Reconditioned but my pda still does not work-AND THEY PUT DINGS AND SCRATCHES IN THE SIDES OF THE OUTER CASE!!!! They claim my pda had water damage and that it isnt covered under my warranty....I work in a retail store...INSIDE OF A BUILDING...and my pda was in a protective case on my belt. Circuit city also refuses to explain how the outer case was damaged. I have called and emailed constantly with then, until they stopped responding as of 11/27/05, I have been told several time I would be getting a replacement or a gift card so I can buy a new pda, but then the next person I talk to lies and says I was NEVER told that and that they dont do that. Supposedly the motherboard needs to be replaced in it, which can be found online for $39-$59, but they cant be bothered to spend that to repair it under that warranty I bought, which they now say is not a real warranty, and that I bought another kind of warranty, which does not actually cover anything, other than a manufacturers defect, that is covered by the manufacturer original warranty. Dont buy from circuit city, and dont be fooled into buying their "extended coverage" or "extended warranty", they wont honor the warranty they sell.
On: 2005-12-23
I purchased the Tungsten E two years ago. It has been very reliable for the first year and a half. I used this daily until I recently lost it. Worth the $199 I initially paid for it. I admit to being a heavy PDA user who dropped it numerous times from waist height onto hard surfaces, but it still functioned and served my needs. I was going to replace my lost PDA with another Tungsten E before the Tungsten E2 came out. This unit never crashed or lost my data, unlike other comrades I know who owned previous palm models and chose not to back up their data regularly!
As with most electronic products with regular use, problems arose as time went on. The on/off button no longer worked; the ability to beam and receive beamed files from another PDA was decreased. The screen is difficult to see in broad daylight. The memory was sufficient and was able to swith applications quickly when needed. The battery power decreased as time went on, but that is to be expected as a heavy PDA user.
Invest in a Hard case and dispoable screen protectors for any PDA.
To summarize, this is still a good purchase, but for 10 bucks more, get a refurbisehd E2. Prices start at $145 on the Palm website.
On: 2005-12-21
Seriously, just send me the $200. Ill even let you call me to complain about how you dont have a TE. I wont even charge you any additional money for listening. I will simply remind you how sending me the $200 saved you a lot of hassle and aggravation trying to get a resolution from Palm once your TE died, which it inevitably would have. You will thank me later!
My Tungsten E lasted less than 1 year. Unlike many other reviews I have read, in which users talk about the TE making noises and freezing, etc... my TE gave no warnings of the apocalyptic failure that was to come. One night I updated some information and turned the unit off. A few hours later I tried to turn it on to make another update and got nothing! DEAD!! UNRESPONSIVE!! I quickly learned Palm had no intention of supporting this product. They want you to simply buy another one.
I have never liked the Pocket PC devices, and I refuse to once again pay hundreds of dollars for a Palm device that is of severely suspect quality, and positively unsupported by Palm.
I am very glad to say I no longer hold any stock in this pathetic excuse for a company!
On: 2005-12-07
Bought one of these for my partner last year. Works fine for her, but the battery barely lasts through a days use. If she forgets to plug it in overnight, its useless the next day (no power left). All other Palm devices Ive owned (and thats been quite a few!) have a considerably longer battery life. Im looking to buy her a holiday replacement to her E right now...so if youre thinking of getting a Palm device, I recommend steering clear of the E.
Giving it 2 stars because I like the Palm...but if I was rating on battery Id give it 0 stars.
On: 2005-11-05
I had TE for 11 months now, just died last night.
The reason I picked TE are:
1. I like Palm OS, and used it from model M100, so it is very easy for me to pick up.
2. The price was decent, I wasnt going to spend >$200 on an electronic organizer.
Now, I regret my decision very much. $200 worth of equipment is not cheap for me, and spending $200 I expect the instrument to last at least 5 years. I am not one of those people that like to change to new product every year (nothing wrong with that, its just not me). And it is not worth it to get it fixed either due to its poor warranty, if you could even call it that.
My next PDA will not be a Palm/PalmOne made, I simple do not trust their product anymore. Sad because I really like their Palm OS. Time for me to learn Pocket PC.
On: 2005-10-26
Ive been using Palms for years, but I have had nothing buy problems with the Tungsten E. I have never been able to get this PDA to hotsync, except when software was first installed. I dont have time to reinstall the software everytime I want to sync.
Basically, Palm was ahead of its time. Then time caught up and passed Palm by. Simplicity was Palms virtue, but each additional feature has only caused Palm to lose reliability and usability.
On: 2005-10-19
My Tungsten E was a pleasure to use, but now the battery wont charge. The Website for Palm says my only option is to send it in for a $125 repair charge. But it REALLY suggests that I just go ahead a buy a new palm... Im STUNNED!!! Its just over a year old and needs a new battery!!! Theres no way for me to get a battery unless I send it in and pay the $125 fee. What happened to the concept of buying something to last???
On: 2005-10-15
I purchased a Tungsten E in May 2005 and only used it 3 or 4 times. In October the device decided to show only half of the screen. I tried everything on Palms web sit to troubleshoot it, but no use. This product only worked for 6 months and now is dead after 3 or 4 uses. Total amount of usage was approximalty 2 hours during this period. Look for something else and possbily from a different company as PalmOne produces second rate equipment.
On: 2005-10-14
This is the best palm made. It just does the job no camara or bluetooth. I dont need all that junk just a nice palm. With the "e" I have it. I hope it last forever, becouse they stop making them.
On: 2005-10-14
I wanted more screen clarity so I bought this model. The price was reasonable. I am disappointed with this gadget for the same reasons as the previous reviewers. The manufacturers need to rethink this one.
On: 2005-10-06
When my Palm V died after many years I thought that I would upgrade to a Tungsten E. How wrong I was: though the display is a delight, the handheld itself is useless. The battery dies after I have checked 3 or 4 days of my agenda and maybe 3 addresses. When the battery dies, there is no flash memory so when I charge it up again I have a blank handheld. Even if I turn it off the moment the low battery warning comes on, all the data will be lost. The charger is cumbersome to carry and is pointless unless I have my computer with me to reload all the data. The metal carrying case is cute, but there is no good way to reach the stylus except by shaking the handheld out of its case (hard to do if you dont have both hands free) or breaking your nails on it. I do not bother to use the Tungsten E any more: I keep my agenda on my computer and telephone numbers in my cell phone. What a shame: the Palm V was a great product, but Palm has killed its market by putting out this model. A misconceived product and expensive at any price.
On: 2005-10-02
10-2-05
Thanks to the TE- King of Buzzings 2/2/2005 review, I have located a fix for the whining my 10 month old PalmOne Tungsten E was doing whenever it was turned on. The whine had cut down on my use of the device, and I used to use it a lot!
Based on many of the reviews Ive read, Im fortunate the thing still turns on. And it was such a fascinating device when I unwrapped it and starting using it after the 2004 holiday! The screen wowed me, the speed thrilled me and the space available with my 128MB card made me a fan of PalmOne . . . that was until the whine!
Before I go any further, one of TE- King of Buzzings fixes was a program named Lightspeed. Id like to tell anyone seeking this program that there is a Lightspeed v1.15 game (NOT what youre looking for) and a Lightspeed v2.0 public beta 2 released specifically for the Tungsten E that is a Palm OS XScale over/underclocking utility (This is what youre looking for if you want to try to fix the whine!). The Lightspeed v1.3 did not function on my T3, but the beta version worked like a charm! Also FYI, using Lightspeed - the minimum CPU setting for the T3 appears to be 33Mhz and the maximum is 133 Mhz. Any higher caused the T3 to crash. Any lower caused the program to flicker.
I only hope I get the 4+ years out of this PalmOne Tungsten E that I got out of my old reliable Handspring Visor Platinum (which still works and never whined . . . it just didnt have enough speed color screen or enough memory!).
The Palm OS is great system and Ill hate losing it to a Windows based device with my next PDA purchase if PalmOne machines dont become reliable.
Wishing all PalmOne Tungsten E users the best of luck with this machine!
On: 2005-09-28
My husband and I have owned our Tungsten E for about 2 years now. My Tungsten developed the whine after the first year. But other than that we have had no complaints. Now, after 2 years, both of our Tungstens no longer work. They will sync with the computer, but if we try to use the power on/off button there is no response. When I called customer service I was informed it would be a $25 dollar charge to speak with them unless it resulted in a repair order at $140.
Needless to say we will be looking at other options for our next palm.
On: 2005-09-21
This handheld was adequate for me, but honestly it depends on what your needs are. I upgraded to this from my previous model and primarily use the basics(appointment book, memos, to do list).
To be honest I was a little afraid of this at first. My previous handheld was one of the old school Palm m105s and this one just didnt feel quite as durable. This one is definitely improved with its 320x320 color screen. I think the screen color is one of the greatest features of this model, you can color code your appointments so that you can tell what your day looks like at a quick glance.
If you are currently looking for a new Palm I would look at one of the newer models. I really cant comment on Palms service because Ive never had a problem with a product. Several of my friends have gone through service tech hell trying to get things replaced so I would heed other customers warnings and horror stories.
On: 2005-09-19
I am extremely pleased with my Tungsten E. I got mine at [...] for 85 bucks (factory refurbished), so with that price, whats not to like. I had read a lot of negative reviews about the Tungsten E concerning low battery life, hotsync not working, the handheld dying, losing data. So far, and its been three months, nothing like that has happened to me. I never let my battery get low - about once or twice a week I charge the hendheld all night long. That seems to do it for me, and its no big deal plugging the thing in. If youre looking to get started with a digital organzier and dont mind spending some time hunting down a deal, get a Tungsten E. I like being able to show photos, play music, and read Word files, as well as have an address book and calendar. You get a lot for your dollar with a Tungsten E, and its easy to use. This is my first one and I had no trouble learning how to use it.
On: 2005-09-13
As you scan these reviews, count the number that applaud Palm service and responsiveness to problems. Then count the number of reviews that mention Palm service. No contest.
When calling to replace my Es battery, I was told - get this - that once I allowed them to charge my credit card $161US, THEN they would tell me where to send it for battery replacement. I had to ask twice just to make sure I was hearing correctly. My business partner had the identical problem, bought a replacement battery on the internet for $40 and soldered it in place himself.
On: 2005-09-11
I purchased the Palm Tungsten based on the recommendation of a co-worker and am very pleased with the results. Im still working my way through the software to see just exactly what its capabilities are and so far I like what I see. One minor drawback I see is the need for OUTLOOK to get the most out of this device. Since Im not a MS Office type it seems that I might have to buy OUTLOOK seperately. I was hoping to not have to purchase additional software to make my Palm work at home. I know that MS Works will sinc up with Palm but Im reluctant to do so until I can find out what is lost in the transfer.
Anyway. I do like the Tungsten and am quite satisfied with its uses and capability. I recommend the hard case if you travel alot.
On: 2005-09-09
This is a VERY basic unit with good screen visual. There is no way that you can get DAILY tasks on the same DAILY calendar page, either on screen or in print. What is more, one cannot even isolate DAILY tasks so that the only way to view tasks on computer or Tungsten e is to view (or print) the entire list of tasks! This is an awkward form of task management.
Five days after arrival, the hotsynch stopped working despite everything I have tried as well as the advice of long time tungsten users and our firms professional computer consultants.
Attempts at support have resulted in forever re-routing ending with clueless people unfamiliar with the Tungsten e or the English language.
The only use for this silly excuse for a PDA is as a paperweight. If this is a symbol of US technical prowess, we are in deep trouble. Alas, the rating system does not allow for no stars.
On: 2005-09-08
Palm One Tungsten E has many features and easy to obtain information. Download of other programs, word, excel and others gives the opportunity to have files on hand for both work and personnel. Color Contrast is easily readable and with the infra red its easy to transfer information to other PDAs. Calendar makes it more readily to sort through appointments and also reminders of up coming events. Would recommend this product to others who require the basic and even get more than they planned.
On: 2005-09-03
Ive had my TE for 2yrs. now & Ive been very happy with everything except the loud whining sound that developed after about 16 months. After having visited the palm website & seen that the company is in total denial of the problem they have with whining pdas (almost all models develop a whine), I did a google search & found out how widespread the problem is. To make a long story short, if youre suffering from the infamous whine, go to Lightspeed (worked for me!), PXA Clocker, or Warpseed. Thankfully, there IS a fix for the whine, but its unfortunate that P1 hasnt admitted a problem or provided the fix.
On: 2005-09-01
I bought this one looking for the best cost/benefit solution, and I don`t regret it. It has all I need, plus a few things more.
Being able to work on some worksheets and documents while waiting at the bank or any other place is a definite plus. Even for some show-off works great, you can carry pictures and video using the 32 MB internal or a SD card. I rather use the card and leave the internal for apps.
Got an app that allows me to use it as a Flash Memory USB device with my SD Card, so it`s very versatile.
Video resolution is quite good, processor speed is decent, audio output is decent, and most of it works just fine.
The drawbacks are that it is quite heavy, silk-slippery and very fragile. A single drop from a table height can make it useless. I had to buy a new one because the first one fell from my shirt pocket flat on the floor. Bought a hardshell aluminum case and now it`s well protected (proven).
Another problem is that sometimes Documents To Go crash when you close a worksheet, and you have to reboot the whole thing.
Remember, buy the hardshell case!
On: 2005-08-31
The quality of Palm products has paralleled the descending warranty period. I have had Palms since the late 90s
- a Palm III that lasted 2.5 years
- a Palm IIIe that lasted 2 years until dropped on concrete
(somplace in here Palm changed from a 1 year all inclusive warranty to a 90-day warranty)
- a Tungsten E that worked great for 14 months and stopped dead for no obvious reason
- a Tungsten E that had its speaker die after 7 months
The tunstens have agreat screen and work well - until they stop.
On: 2005-08-29
I finally took the plunge a little over a year ago and bought a handheld. I am very glad I did. I wish I would have bought it 6 months sooner instead of dropping all that money on a laptop. For what I wanted a laptop for (taking notes in class, or playing solitaire in class) I could have save myself several hundred by just getting the T|E and a keyboard.
The whole handheld thing is a great concept and Palm carries it off pretty well. As with any computing device, its not the device but the apps that make it really useful. The datebook is perfectly useful and I use it all the time. The included Documents to Go and MobileDB apps are the next most frequents ones for me and do the job pretty well. I wish DTG could handle more fancy Excel stuff, but at least it preserves formating and functions it cant execute so you dont loose anything.
Pros: Go anywhere and do a whole lot.
With Softick Card Export II software you can use it as a flash drive as well.
Almost all the info I need the palm of my hand every day.
Cons: Yes, mine developed a screen whine. Annoying.
My speaker almost died but seems to be back to life.
WiFi support would be REALLY nice in a unit like this.
Power button is onbly marginally functional now. A freeware program got me a workaround on this.
Im starting to look for "whats next" for me in a handheld and so far I dont see anything that makes me want to run out and plunk down the cash. The Lifedrive is a good concept, but the reviews have scared me off. The T5 has a gorgeous screen, but no wifi either.
So I am still happily using my T|E day in and day out.
On: 2005-08-19
This device shares palms usual lack of committment to quality. I had one and it had to be returned in a few days because several features did not work. These included holding a charge and other things.
The second one worked reasonably well, but it would sync and then would not sync. Nothing had changed on my computer, just the calendar date. The software seems to be very immature, even though it has been out for quite some time.
Palm needs to get a grip on quality.
They need to stabilize their software.
They need to stop gouging the public on support of their buggy product.
The only reason they have any market share is that seemingly there are no better/reasonably priced products on the market.
On: 2005-08-18
The Tungsten E has a much better and clearer display. For us old folks the larger print is a god-send. The function of the Tungsten E is virtually the same as the previous PDAs but has larger memory, better battery-life and crisper clearer alphanumerics. At the new prices it is a great bargain.
On: 2005-08-05
The Tungsten E is my fourth Palm and I loved them all. I began with the orignal Palm Pilot. My Tungsten E is awful. The Palm OS is still the best, but something has happend with manufacturing quality control. The power button problem, heard about often in reviews, showed up within months. Mine no longer operates at all. I turn it on by using the other buttons and need to let it shut itself off using the time-out function. This, of course, makes poor battery life even worse.
The other major problem is that I can no longer even use graffiti because the sensitivity in the writing area of the screen is all but gone, despite the fact that I used protective screens on it. I now have to use the typewritter screen to enter data.
At this point Im so upset with Palm that I cant see rewarding them by buying another as a replacement.
On: 2005-07-29
Ive been using the E since it first came out and Im on my SECOND unit, but not because of any failure on the part of the Tungsten. I lost the first one :o(
I call this my "Swiss Army Palm" because it does EVERYTHING. I use it for a PIM, synching it to my computers Outlook calendars, contacts, and alarms. I play games on it, I read E books (Im never without reading material in a long line or a solo lunch), I listen to music (Its a great music player with the addition of PocketTunes Deluxe and some compact headphones). I use the calculator. Its my photo album for pictures of my kids. I carry my shopping lists (Handyshopper) on it. I use Documents and Sheets to Go to carry and use important documents with me. I have many knitting patterns converted to Documents to Go format so they are with me "on the road". Using Avant Go, I can download driving directions from MapQuest and dont have to worry about losing the paper with the directions on them. Its even my nightlight and flashlight.
Im working on adding video capability with the addition of MMPlayer and a bigger memory card.
I love that Ive eliminated all the paper junk in my purse (i.e. appointment slips, shopping lists, etc) thanks to it. I carry a very small purse with only room for my wallet, PDA, and cell phone--very efficient.
It is stable, both units Ive owned worked without a glitch. Even losing my first unit was not terrible, because I merely had to sync my new unit to have everything back the way I like it. It goes without saying that its important to sync regularly. The only bad part was paying for a new one.
The display is AWESOME and my over-40 eyes have no trouble seeing the screen. Even reading E books on the small screen does not strain my eyes (I have it set for a rather large font!)
The battery life DOES stink. One advantage of having owned two is that I have two chargers. One lives in my office and one at home, so when Im playing games or listening to music in a fixed place I plug it in. Actually, I now have a retractible cable sync/charger that hooks into my computer in the office. Im looking into getting a battery extender so I can use it on a long plane trip.
I love the slim design and think it looks very nice with its included flip cover. Yes, the flip cover does cause some small scratches on the metallic (plastic) frame around the screen, but its not so much that Im bothered by that.
My E is in almost constant use--several hours a day--and I havent had a single problem. Now that they are not making these anymore, I can only hope that the E2 will be as good if I ever have to replace this one.
On: 2005-07-29
this is a very useful and efficient product. i recommend it and i found it the cheapest on amazon.com
On: 2005-07-21
My only real problem is with the cheap manufacturing and ridiculously expensive cost of repairs. After approximately 1 year of use the power button stopped working consistently and eventually stopped working all together. Knowing I was way outside any warranty, I called Palm to find out how much repairs would cost ($125). Then I had to wrangle with customer service about whether or not I would be charged for the call I made to determine the cost of repairs.
I then started shopping around to find a screwdriver small enough to open the thing up and fix it myself. I figured if its useless anyway, why not. Eventually I found one small enough (3/64 or something smaller than 1.4 mm) and opened it up. I expected to find something like a spring or something that had slipped out of true from the power button. Instead it was a tiny switch that had broken off the motherboard. It slipped out once I opened it all up. Cheap and flawed design.
Since over time the power button is going to get a lot of use, setting it perpendicular to the rest of the components is asking for trouble. A sturdier design would put the power button somewhere on the main display and thus reduced the risk of breakage over time.
On: 2005-07-04
I received the PalmOne Tungsten E as a gift last Christmas. It worked for only three months and then it just died. I turned it off one evening after updating my contacts and when I tried to turn it on the next morning, it wouldnt turn on. None of the resets would work - soft reset, hard reset, cradle reset. Nothing, nada, zip. I went to the PalmOne online forum and there were at least 15 other people who were the owners of PalmOne products that had the same thing happen to them. As for customer service - ha! What a joke! You cant even get in touch with customer service to explain what is wrong with your PDA without paying $25. Have your credit card ready when you call. I will be replacing my PDA but NOT with another Palm product. There was only a 90 day warranty and now Im just out of luck. I highly recommend going to the PalmOne online forum before purchasing a Palm product and see for yourselves what other problems other people are experiencing. Im very disappointed in PalmOne.
On: 2005-06-21
When it was first introduced, the Palm Tungsten E was marketed as an affordable treasure trove of applications - Word, Excel, MP3, Acrobat, photos, movies, etc. With a color display and a price tag under $200, it seemed to have it all. It does delivery nicely on all of that promise. Unfortunately, Palm handicapped the E with one inexplicable design flaw that outweighs all of its upside - they somehow failed to include the ironically-named "universal connector" for recharging and syncing the unit. Instead, it comes with two separate jacks on its underside: one mini-USB for data sync and one AC adapter plug, leaving you faced with an unnecessary clutter of cords crossing your desk.
In the beginning, I wanted to give the E every chance I could based on its functionality, and so I was lenient on this design oddity. Still, the inconvenience eventually made me hate using it. The plug design basically forces you into a choice between two very imperfect options - (a) threading the cords to the front of your desktop somehow so that you can have it right-side-up and still use it while plugged in, or (b) putting the cords behind the desk where they belong with the others and then suffering with an upside-down Palm. With option (a), the relatively short cords and large jacks also put the unit at high risk of being knocked or dragged off of the desk. With option (b), even syncing became a chore - the lack of a cradle button to trigger a sync means that you have to power up the unit and kick it off via on-screen icons, all while looking at it upside-down or else yanking a bunch of messy excess cord onto your desk.
Still, I wanted to make the most of the Es robust bundle of applications, and for its low price, I knew not to expect that everything would come standard in the box. So I went shopping for a proper charging cradle, only to find that no such accessory for the E exists. In fact, Palm doesnt even sell replacements for its individual sync/charging cables at all. So, aside from all routine inconvenience while using it, this model also comes with the incredible risk that if either cord is every lost or damaged, you become the proud owner of a sleek-looking $200 paperweight. Its possible by now that some third-party company has begun creating unlicensed cords that claim to be compatible, but thats hardly comforting in the face of Palms obvious lack of support for its own product line.
And given the weak battery that the E is equipped with (and it cant be upgraded), youll have it connected to the charging cord quite a bit. When I was using it religiously every workday, I needed to recharge it each night. What a disappointment this setup is compared to, for example, the Tungsten T3 - it uses the universal connector to dock with a cradle that continuously charges it and syncs it on command while keeping it at an ideal ergonomic angle for use/reference while sitting on your desktop. And since its using the universal connector, youre able to accessorize it further, i.e. buy a separate docking cradle for the office, a charger for the road, etc. The T3 setup makes perfect sense, the E setup is shamefully inadequate - its as if Palm wants E owners to never forget that they purchased "the cheap one".
In conclusion, its advertised plusses are very real, but go for the Tungsten E at your own risk. Its greatest failure is that there is no obvious reason why it couldnt have lived up to its potential as the ultimate PDA. The more you live with its one Achilles Heel, the more youll wish youd spent a little extra on the T3.
PROS
Versatility and quality of applications that it runs (MS Office, Acrobat, MP3, photos, movies, etc.)
Brilliant color display
CONS
Lack of universal connector makes everyday use/charging/syncing more and more irritating
Lack of Palm support for the E, as in no replacement cords available, makes it a risky option
On: 2005-06-14
I loved my palm for 99 days. on day 100 I experienced a fatal error code. I paid $25.00 for telephone support. I was told they could not help me and that a repair would be $125.00. I am now considering a new handheld. I would rather put $25.00 toward a more reliable PDA
On: 2005-06-02
I bought the Tungsten E to replace my Vx, that I REALLY loved and had no problem with. It held a charge for days at a time, and never gave me any problems. The only thing was, it wasnt in color. I saw my cousins new Tungsten E in 12/03 and loved the screen and just HAD to have one. So I ordered it in January of 2004, and it worked fine, except for the fact that it doesnt hold a charge very well and I dont even use it with sound! If you use it for a full day, forget about it, the battery will be all the way down. But okay, I was fine with that. What really got my goat was that within the past few months, the power button got increasingly hard to turn the unit on. I would have to press really, really hard repeatedly, and last week, I pressed so hard that the stylus kind of went INTO the unit. I eventually was able to get it on, but now, the power button does not work without a significant amount of pressure and repeated attempts. Im scared to keep doing this because I dont want to damage the unit to the point where it wont turn on at all. And in my crazy mind, I was thinking of buying another one, becuase I did love my Tungsten E so much!! Thank God I saw another review with someone complaining about the same problem and they mentioned that they turn on the unit with the hotkey button. I will be doing that from now on because I will NOT buy another one if the unit is almost non-functioning after only ONE YEAR. This is really crazy. Buyer beware!
On: 2005-05-25
This was a fun little device, until all at once it all fell apart. The PDA itself started shutting down and not responding to the power on button, even when fully-charged, unless it was subjected to a "hard reset" (which erases its memory). Then, to make matters much, much worse, the software on the PC (Palm Desktop) started crashing every time it was launched. So now I have no way to get at my databases, and no PDA. If you go to the Palm support website, you find many, many threads making these exact complaints, and furthermore bemoaning the lack of good customer service from Palm. I am walking away from this device, and never ever looking back. I urge you to do the same.
On: 2005-05-21
Even after investing in two different protective cases, the headphone jack developed problems within 4 months of purchase. Since this was beyond the warranty period, it would have cost over $155 to repair. When I ordered two separate replacement motherboards from a repair vendor, each had the same problem. Palm itself has been no help with any technical problems leading up to this defect and has not responded to any emails regarding the the problem itself. Since Sonys pulled its clie series, I would recommend investing in a Pocket PC. Palm lost a loyal customer on this one.
On: 2005-05-19
I have had one for 1 year. I do not find any problem with that PDA . You can pay each dollar with satisfaction. Everything in that appliance works perfect. Although I would have liked to find any voice recorder feature. The screen is beautiful and the performence is excellent (I installed everything that I could and all worked without problems). Although the Tungsten E does not have all possible feature (voice recorder and Camera), the best value that you can get in a PDA is in this product.
On: 2005-05-18
OK, so my headline sounds crazy..I am reviewing a Palm and not an MP3 player, right? Well, I bought this thing to use for work as an organizer. It does a very admirable job with what it is intended to do.
Last week, I decided to buy myself a 512mg SD card and try using this gadget as an MP3 player. I already own an IPOD as well as a Creative Zen Micro.
To my great surprise, the Tungsten E blew them out of the water! I downloaded some Music from Real Player, then attached my Sennheiser PX100 headphones. The results were simply amazing. The sound coming from this player was the best portable sound I have heard. The unit puts out so much signal that the volume only needs to be turned up helf way. The balance between bass and treble is outstanding! The controls are far easier to read and manipulate than on the IPOD or the Zen. Battery life seems to be about 4 hours on a charge.
I own another accessory which makes for a great MP3 player....The Matias (Canadian company) armor case for the Tungsten E. Slipping the Tungsten E into this case and then slipping the entire package into my back jeans pocket, makes for the best portable listening experience possible. If you are in the market for a top notch MP3 player and want an PDA thrown in for good measure at under $200, do yourself a favor and try the Tungsten E.
BTW, this gadget also holds as many songs as you want it to hold. Simply buy the size SD card that you want and Voila....more songs. I am planning to buy another card to hold more music.
On: 2005-05-13
Nice unit. Problem though, the speaker packed up after a week. Try getting it replaced ... reset, hard reset, have you turned it on? Infuriating. Search Google and youll see that this speaker often packs up, why dont they admit it and replace it without question?
Would never buy anything from them again. Impossible to contact, web site just takes you round in circles.
On: 2005-05-11
I needed a colorful handy organizer to keep track of my passwords, contacts, phone to relief my wallet (and my mind) from tons of sticky notes filled with passwords and phone numbers. My budget was tight and I got lucky and escaped the mono models when Officexxxxx had it for $99 after $100 rebate.
(Tip: just scan Sundays sales flyers on Saturday and save)
The Tungesten E was it. The unit is slim, shinny, attractive and it screams for attention right out of the box. The Screen is awesome with 320x320 TFT vivid colors. 3 months have gone by, and the unit is rock solid performance and uptime. I only had to soft reset the unit few time and it was due to my file mismanagement and had never had a data loss.
What do you do next? Upload the installation CD, and HotSync and Bingo. Used for what? A lot. Keep contacts, phone numbers, addresses, flight information, conversion, dictionary, calculator, maps, photo album, video, MP3, e-books, basic Excel and Word document, emails, and of course Games. There are tons of open source and free applications, databases, and utilities on the Web, just browse, install and test them one at a time.
An external SD card is almost a must; I got the excellent Kingston Elite 512-S and have most of the graphic applications, MP3 files and games on it.
My only complains are, the processor is a bit slow but adequate, the unit will not accept a WI-FI upgrade, and that the battery is fixed (not a user-accessible).
If youre looking for beautiful screen, clean interface, ease of use, and on a budget, go for the E.
On: 2005-05-07
Great software, great idea, but the hardware wears out too fast, in less then a year of normal use, this PDA is useless, ohh, one more Made in China product!! crap!!!
I wont buy again thats for sure!
Do your self a favor, dont buy this S$#t, unless you get to know it was made in America, Europe or Mexico, some nation that makes products employing people with real salaries.
On: 2005-04-29
I bought a Tungsten E about 8 months ago...the unit started not being able to hold a charge for very long at 5 months. The battery went completely dead 2 months later. You cannot replace the battery yourself without soldering it and Palm will only replace the battery if you pay 125 dollars plus shipping!! I will never buy a palm ever again.....
On: 2005-04-24
I like the Tungsten E a lot. The 32mb and the color screen are great features. I dont use it for MP3 playing so I dont need the add-on Card that others may need. The backlight stopped working about 2-1/2 months after I received the unit. The warranty is only 90 days and its out for repair, so I was "lucky" it stopped working properly after only 10 weeks of use instead of after 12. The customer support is difficult because you have to spend a lot of time troubleshooting and nothing helped. I think the company has a lot of problems with reliability on this model based on the reviews. If they can only improve that, otherwise, I think this model meets almost all your needs for addresses, calendar, and reading office documents with the included Docs to Go 6.0. I recommend one purchase this model from a retailer like Best Buy or Circuit City with a two-year extended warranty (which I ordinarily dont buy) so long as you dont have to go through a long repair process through them (i.e., if they just give you a new one). Youll save a lot of time that way, but make certain thats how the retailers warranty works.
On: 2005-04-21
The Palm Tungsten E is ostensibly an entry level Palm meant for users who are looking for something fairly quick and easy to use, but with more power than some of the lower priced models that may be out there. While it does not have the same features that some of the higher priced models have, such as wireless technology, or quite the hardware. But, again, these features come at a much higher price, making the Tungsten E much more accessible.
Ive owned the Palm now for 4 months, and feel that it was well worth the expense. Prior to this, I owned a Palm 105 (the older monochrome "entry level" Palm), which saw a lot of use and survived very well. Happily, I was glad to have upgraded to the Tungsten E. Currently I use the Tungsten E much the same as I did the Palm 105, except I have many more applications that I can run on the Tungsten E, as well as many more features to utilize. My personal day planner has become much more expansive, allowing me to sort many different events and with more customization that I previously had. The color screen is very vibrant, and gives a level of detail I simply did not have before. The Tungsten E is also very readily portable, more so than other models, and I carry it everywhere. I would highly recommend purchasing some kind of holster for the Palm, particular one of the belt clipped soft pouches (as opposed to the hard case offered by Palm).
There are a few downsides to the Palm that need mentioning. Firstly is the high pitched whine that can sometimes be heard while the Palm is operating. I do not know if this is a design defect with this model or not, but it can be irritating sometimes. Since I do not hold my Palm closely to my face, the sound is mostly drowned out by background noise or is low enough not to be a persistent nuisance. However, it can be a bit hard on the ears sometimes. Secondly, the screen is very sensitive to disruption, and I have found that even rubbing the Palm against something accidently can cause a strange "mark" to appear in one of the corners. This goes away once the Palm has been turned on and off, and it has never been persistent, but I would caution potential users about this, as it may be more problematic with time. The 4 buttons for quick access to certain features alternatively are too sensitive or not sensitive enough; turning on occassionally with the slightest touch (which can be solved by the key lock feature), or not turning on unless you depress the button just right. But, these are the only 3 problems Ive noticed in the 4 months Ive owned and used my Palm.
Overall, this is a great buy for individuals who need a day planner, contact organizer and task organizer. It is very easy to use, has many great features and is really handy for day to day life. Ive been very satisfied with the Tungsten E and would recommend it to others if they are looking for a Palm to purchase. I would also say that Ive never had a problem with Palm themselves, but have heard about their customer service problems as well. So, it is something to be aware of (though, I think the problems may be a bit overstated).
On: 2005-04-19
I know the US has a throw-away attitude, things are built to break...but this is rediculous, this PDA only lasted a YEAR and I feel lucky reading some of the other reviews that it even lasted that long!
I bought this when it first came out, a first year lemon for sure, why else would Palm now be offering the Tungsten E2?
Ive scanned over a few other palm models in the same price range and below...but all I see are more angry reviews...does -anyone- build a quality PDA for a fair price?
Doesnt look like it, Ill be buying the cheapest replacement PDA I can find, in anticipation of it breaking.
On: 2005-04-12
I upgraded from a mono Sony clie (which I loved) to the E recently. The color is phenomenal - but I had a few surprises about basics that I never considered before buying. I am an accountant - it has no calculator. It has no cradle - my desk is a scene of organized chaos - and without a cradle upon which to stand it ABOVE the piles, it gets hidden under them. And without a cradle, I constantly have to turn it on (when I can find it) to view it. Both of these issues are fixable, with more money, and more time (the cradle is not yet available.) Just annoying...
On: 2005-04-02
Potential buyers should be aware that my friend and I both bought Tungsten Es, she in the US and I in Canada, and they have both stopped Hot Synching with the computer after about 3 months of use. The beauty of PDAs is that they can talk to the computer; what point is there if thats not possible? The fellow at Staples (where I bought the unit) said that there was batch of Tungsten Es with faulty motherboards. I cannot vouch for that but, if thats the case, these units should recalled. The PalmOne website is useless as far as this problem is concerned; some users have complained about the same problem but Palm has not posted any solutions. And dont try to call Palm after 90 days --- they charge you $40 for the privilege. I tried a hard re-set as a last resort after backing my data to a SD card; the PDA simply crashed completely. Could not put it on how hard I tried. The unit is back at the shop. This is my first PDA and I must say that you get addicted to the system. So I am really ticked off about this. One other thing, why dont the manufacturers employ user-replaceable batteries in these PDAs? Once the batteries die you have to replace them expensively or toss the unit out. Looks like a scam to me.
On: 2005-03-26
My husband has had his Palm Pilot for 3 months and have had no problems and no complaints. For the price, this is a great unit and one of the best features is the event reminder which sounds an alarm. Visual display is just as good as the more expensive models. I highly recommend it if you are looking to save bucks and want a reliable model. Has a classy sleek look too. However, the metal case that is purchased separately is very difficult to open. Recommend the leather case.
On: 2005-03-26
Boy, the reviews below are scary, so you should check out the reliability of this unit before you buy - maybe I should of too, but I will admit I didnt.
But I got lucky - mine works fine. It comes with a good selection of software and has become my constant companion. Syncs with Outlook just fine with the supplied software, and has handy alarms for appointments.
The screen and color display are excellent - if you turn down the brightness of the screen (which is pretty bright at the default level), the battery will last longer without recharging. I just plug mine onto my computer at work each morning with the supplied USB cord, and it charges there. I dont think Palm tells you this, but it is always charged that way. You cant replace the battery yourself, so I do wonder how many charges it will take before it dies.
Adding and removing software I found to be quite easy and the array of software both free and for $$ is quite extensive.
There is sufficient memory here to run a good number of programs, but expansion cards are available. Check the deals if you buy to see if you can get one here or at Palm for free.
Keep in mind that the Palm Wi-Fi card will not work with this unit, so if you want Wi-Fi, move up, or buy an add on, but youll pay $120.00+/- (not made by Palm).
Subject to the reliability issues which I know nothing about, this is a good basic PDA that I have found to be very useful at a reasonable purchase price.
On: 2005-03-26
I wanted Palm to succeed so badly. I had a Palm back in 1996 way before anybody I know had one. I loved it. I thought they were the answer to my prayers compact, portable and reliable and with instant back-up at the push of the button. So I decided to upgrade my Palm, but these Tungstens are very different.
I could list many things but lets begin with the graffiti on these Tungstens; its all different from the old Palms more difficult to master. I just gave up and started typing in the information which is infinitely slower with the stylus. The stupid machine is crash prone and I am always rebooting it. The design is also bulkier and heavier than the old Palms. It doesnt fit into my shirt pocket like my old Palm.
I am very disappointed and I am now looking to buy a windows based handheld like the Compaq.
On: 2005-03-25
Pros: The PalmOne Tungsten E has a nice screen which displays an attractive color image. JPG images look nice. For the price you get some nice features like an MP3 player and video player. The sound quality, through headphones, is o.k. and I find the video quality to be no better. Never-the-less, they are still fun features to have.
Cons: After three months (almost to the day), and thus just in time for the warranty to expire, the power button stoped functioning. In searching the PalmOne site forums I found another person who had the same problem. The response from PalmOne was to send the unit back for an expensive ($125) repair. No thanks. I can still power on by using one of the hot keys and allowing the unit to power itself off after a designated period of time.
Features like a color screen, MP3 player, movie player, etc. are nice to have but if the unit fails to function in the most rudimentary of tasks - powering on and off by way of the power button - then its not worth the money. I regret having not thoroughly researched the Tungsten E before putting it on my Christmas list. Thats a rare mistake for me and one that I will not repeat.
Think carefully before you buy a PalmOne Tungestn E.
On: 2005-03-21
I would give this handheld 5 stars - it has all the functions I need plus a nice bright screen if (and thats a big if) I could actually use it. After 90-day warranty expired, my unit started making a horrible whining noise that is coming from the screen - I dont even want to turn it on anymore, because I cant stand the noise. I dont think Im buying another PalmOne product, just because they let so many people down by refusing the fix this defect. Just do a search on google to see how widespread this problem is. As far as I am concerned this kind of thing is next to stealing. (Knowingly releasing a defective product, taking customers money and refusing to replace the product when the problem shows up) You may get lucky though. My girlfriend has had this same model for as long as I had it and its still quiet.
On: 2005-03-21
Not to repeat thousands of others experience, but straight out of the box my Tungsten E wont hold a charge more or less at all. Charge it full, let it sit on the desk turned OFF for four days and its lost everything. Genuine piece of garbage. As others have said customer service is non-existant.
NEVER BY A PRODUCT FROM PALM. PERIOD.
Follow that advice and you cant go wrong.
On: 2005-03-17
Please be advised that in "Add-in" Expense module, the milage rate ($0.290 / mile) is a fixed number and can not be changed. There is no fix or work around for this and none is planned.
On: 2005-03-09
As a new PDA user, I was unsure whether to buy the Zire32 or the Tungsten E. Luckily, my fiance wanted a PDA as well, so I bought both to compare. Is the $50 or so difference worth it?
For me, it is. The biggest reason is the Tungsten E has a clearer and more detailed screen. The extra memory is useful and the software package is much stronger with the presence of Documents to Go. In my mind the form is cleaner and I like the placement of buttons better.
But really, it is the screen that wins it. Going from the Tungsten to the Zire is like going underwater. Unless you are strapped for cash, Id recommend the Tungsten E as the better first PDA.
On: 2005-02-26
THIS IS A GREAT HANDHELD. I AM A "REGULAR" AT THE PALMONE STORE, THIS WAS MY SECOND PALMONE IN TWO MONTHS (nothing was wrong with the other i just felt like an upgrade.) Right now i currently have a Zire 31 and a T-E. This screen is AWESOME!!! The screen is almost 2 times bigger than the Zire 31 with much better resolution. (160 X 160 compared to 320 X 320)The memory IS 2 times larger. I like having the 4 quick buttons instead of two. I also dont use the keypad lock anymore because i have a slim leather case that blocks the quick buttons from being hit and the power button is on top. I also like that you can xhange the star icon on the screen to be a favorite program instead of hot sync.
On: 2005-02-22
I only used my Tgunsten E about 20 times before the battery stopped holding a charge. Now it only works if its plugged into the wall. Palm Support was no help -- and for a mere $125, I could send it in for a new battery, which is hardly worth it. This PDA is a rip-off, a worthless piece of junk that anyone looking for a useful PDA should avoid.
On: 2005-02-18
Here is the e-mail I just sent to Palm regarding my experience with the Tungsten E:
As an owner of two previous Palm units (IIIxe & Kyocera smart phone for Sprint), which both worked flawlessly, I guess my expectations were a bit too high for your latest products as well as the customer service I required to resolve the never-ending series of problems I have encountered. First, I received a duplicate order due to a malfunction on your website, despite my calling your customer service the NEXT day to cancel. After receiving the duplicate order, I requested the documentation (some special #) you require to send back the order, but I have yet to receive that special # from your firm despite my sending the request two days ago. Second, I have yet to receive the MP3 audio pack that was part of my order. Third, I have had nothing but problems with the Tungsten E, including 1.) the software installation freezing at the end of installation (yes, I disabled my antivirus software), 2.) no expense or calculator function loading on its own, 3.) loss of all my expense records, 4.) this is the worst: the ALARM DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. After spending considerable time trying to figure out what the alarm problem could be, I discovered that many other Tungsten E owners have experienced the same problem (e.g., see post # 20156665 by lorioka in your help forum). I logically deduced that PALM sold me a defective unit, so I called your technical support number and had a very frustrating conversation with someone I could barely understand (due to such a heavy Indian accent). He then referred me over to your Palm One store to get the unit repaired, issuing me a service request # 1-99361166. I then called that number and waited on hold for HALF AN HOUR, at which point your phone system disconnected the call. I then called another PALM number, in quite an angry state, only to wait for another 10 - 15 minutes. I finally hung up, in total frustration, because I HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO!
If youre at all curious, I am NOT exaggerating any of these events. This has been one of the worst buying experiences I have ever had. While I really LOVED my previous palm pilots, I am now looking at your competitors products, as I just cannot imagine this situation getting any better.
I would like to return my Tungsten E (both orders), as well as the soft cases I also purchased. I hope someone in your organization can provide happier ending to this sad, sad tale.
On: 2005-02-12
I just purchased this handheld PC two days ago and it froze up on me and it is still stuck on the page with the time and calender. I really liked it at first, because it had all of the features that I was looking for and the price was just right, but now I cannot turn it on or off or either use it for that matter. I am very disappointed and this is not a good product at all, especially since I bought it brand new at the store.
On: 2005-02-10
My Palm Tungsten-E is about 1.5 years old. This is my experience with it.
The battery run time has never been good but now it dies after 3 days even if I dont turn it on. The clock looses its time too and needs to be reset when it dies. It needs to be plugged in and a reset done (push the reset button in the back) before it starts again.
It also had to go for repair during the first 3-4 months. They also charged me ~$40-$50 for the first repair, otherwise I would have had to wait several weeks to get it back. The replacement unit they sent back was warped and the screw heads were partially stripped. The case and pen dont fit right.
I cant even find any place that will sell a spare battery for this thing.
The touch screen also has stopped responding on the right side. Its not the calibration. It does not help. Its probably because the case is warped and applies pressure on that side.
Sync software is poor and needs to be reinstalled often. It tends to duplicate files lose fields and make of mess of my phone book. It adds more work that its worth. Both palm desktop and outlook sync are unreliable. (Latest version of win-XP & palm). Its also poor with mac sync.
Maybe I will switch to a pocket windows machine with replaceable battery. Or better yet, Ill go to paper phone books, it saves time and it does not loose data.
On: 2005-02-09
Two weeks after I bought my Tungsten E, the whine started. Palm says that this is normal and there is no reason for a refund. Now, the whine is worse and louder and my Palm is out of warranty. Dont buy this one, even though the price is getting so low.
On: 2005-02-08
Ive been using an "E" for a year now. Just after purchase at Circuit City, the screen was smashed. Arranging for the repair by phone to Elbonia was excruciating but the turnaround time to/from the San Antonio repair facility was less than one week. I needed mine for an upcoming trip and so bought a replacement (with extended warranty). The returned unit is just a spare and I cant vouch for the durability of the repair.
Ive never had the "alarm problem" and aside from an occasional high-pitched whine (which comes and goes) my unit functions well.
My only real gripe is the power management system; the battery wont withstand heavy use on a transatlantic flight; the charger is way too heavy, has a lousy form factor, and is 120V only. So the PDA is way too dependent on being near my laptop, since I am abroad a great deal.
The killer app for me is my Ultralingua dictionaries but I also do a fair amount of programming using CASL. The E has plenty of memory and its capacities have encouraged spending for various software. Softick is a good way to mount the units SD card as a PC drive ... Real gives a nice free MP3 player ... overall the use of memory cards is still something of a hack for the operating system. Its a bit like 70s computing.
Its been sad watching Palm blow its potential markets (wasnt it there in our hands first for things like mp3?) and stiff its customers in so many ways but I depend very heavily on my device.
For anyone still using, say, a IIIe, this thing will be revelatory.
On: 2005-02-06
Hello, and Ive used a PDA for four years now. I was very fond of my B/W Handspring Visor with 8MB...but when I went to a color screen, I was in love. This is a great product. It is packed with all the requisite applications, has a tremendous amount of memory (and I use some big work-related applications on my Palm), and the other programs on this PDA are really value-adding. I am a heavy palm user, so I recharge mine about every 2 days. Big deal...you just plug it in for an hour or two in the evening when yourre not using it.
Pluses: GREAT screen...very readable. A lot of built-in memory. If you want more, spend $20-30 extra to get an SD card. Theyre cheap. Good apps, and the newer handwriting recognition program is even better.
Negative: battery doesnt last as long as a black-and-white model....but what do you expect. Also, the battery is apparently not replaceable. What is this, a throw-away device? FYI, you can go to www.gethightech.com to buy a replacement battery...if youre not afraid to solder two wires together (It looks very easy.)
On: 2005-01-30
I just wanted to put in my two cents about this unreliable product and the company who is ripping off customers. I bought mine from PalmOne.com and I am having the same problems that seem to be address by more than one person on this site. They do not back up their products at all. My product had problems the first week, and because I did not realize that I only had 30days warranty on an open box item, they would not fix the item without me paying another $75.00 which with a little arguing the drop to $50.00, but by that time I was in no mood to give them any more of my money. It is clear to me that this product has a defect that the company must address. I personally have lost trust in ordering any electronic devices on line, due the the bad experience I had with palmOne. I just want to add to the rest of the poor reviews by saying... do not buy this product.
On: 2005-01-29
I purchased two of these PDAs less than two weeks ago, and both are officially dead. Neither will charge, despite different types of resets, replacement units, horrible customer service, etc. From my experience with Palm and the forums hosted on their own site, many many people have had issues very similar to this. There is talk of filing a class action suit. Buyer beware!
On: 2005-01-26
I bought the Tungsten E from Amazon and have been happy since. I needed a small handheld to help organize my life that we getting chaotic with school, work, kids games and other commitments. This does just what I need. No train up on software, so simple to use it was intuitive. I also use the Documents-to-Go software to carry important documents from work that I wanted to review and read at my leisure, a great comfort.
Buy this from Amazon. My Palm developed a bad battery, Amazon sent out a replacement before I had time to return my original; I was never without my Palm. It was easy than returning to a store downtown.
On: 2005-01-24
Ive had palm PDAs since they came out and swore by them. My latest Tungsten E turned out to be a big disappointment. Not all the software on the CD works properly. VersaMail does not sync properly with Lotus Notes for us corporate mail users and I dont have the time to patience to chase down patches. After 1 year the right side of my screen no longer responds, apparently this is a common problem from what I read on the forums. The warranty here in Canada is only 90 days and you only get a reburbished model. The battery runs down like crazy too. Ive also been waiting for the WiFi card that never materialized despite a year of waiting and promises on Palms behalf, that turned out to be a good thing.
When the sceen totally dies Im heading to Pocket PC. Dont waste our money on this one.
On: 2005-01-22
January 2005: I purchased this PDA to replace my now dead CLIE T615C which was great. The first one I bought (from Buy.com) had the alarm problem that others have mentioned. I called Palm support which is now outsourced and horrible who told me to do a hard reset and try again...same issue after the hard reset after which time I sent the PDA back to Buy.com. I bought my second one from Palmone.com. I figured Id be better off buying it from "the source" directly. Same alarm problem, hard reset and all. The alarm only sounds a fraction of the tone so you can easily miss it. The alarm only works properly when the unit is turned ON. I have several peers with the Tungsten E and EVERY ONE OF THEM HAVE THIS ISSUE. I emailed Palm support with this info, figured maybe there is a firmware or OS update. Their response?....do another hard reset and if it does not work return it for another. %()&^%$!!!!! Not this time!
All in all, aside from this, I actually happen to like this PDA. OS 5.2.1 is a nice upgrade from OS 4 from my Clie. The screen resolution is excellent. The MP3 player sounds great with nice headphones or buds. I have NOT had the "noisy screen" issue.
The lack of a cradle and 2 seperate cords for charge and sync I consider only a minor inconvenience. I use a Krusell leather case so I dont worry about the fingerprints others complain about.
Oh, and for the record I downloaded a program called "emerald sounds" from freewarepalm.com. This replaces the system MIDI sounds so you can put a louder and longer tone into the alarm so you are more likely to hear it.
One more thing; if I had to rate Palms support now I would give it ONE STAR and that would be generous. It has gone down the tubes since the days of my Palm IIIxe!! But then again, Sonys PDA support is/was notiously poor as well.
In the end, the Tungsten E is a nice PDA for $190-$200. I wonder if the more expensive Tunsten or Zires have the alarm issue???
UPDATE April 2006. My PDA still works nicely but over the long haul 2 notable issues: Battery life is poor, need to charge every 2 days (may not be THAT bad after 15 months!) Also the screen NOISE, oh yes it is there BIG TIME. But then again, now that I am aware of it I hear it on NEW Tunsten E2s in the stores!
On: 2005-01-20
When it works, it works well, but I do not recommend the Tungsten E because the battery is not adequate to handle even minimal use.
My teenage son and I each got a Palm Tunsten E a few weeks ago. They are very easy to use, the screen is crisp, and were hooked on the convenience. He has beamed homework assignments and after-school activities to mine, and downloaded several games, a dictionary, and some music. Im keeping track of four peoples schedules with the calendars color coding - Id tried for years to use a different color pen on the kitchen calendar or maintain color-coded calendars on the desktop computer, but neither was convenient. On the T/E, its a breeze to put in each persons recurring appointments in his/her color, and I can immediately see whos where when, make updates, add notes, etc.
HOWEVER, and this is a BIG however, the T/E is not reliable. The battery runs down after only a few hours of use (thats my guess of the total of a lot of short uses), needing a recharge every night or two. I exchanged my first one for a replacement after less than a week, because the salesperson and I thought mine must be defective (he said he hadnt heard of any battery problems). The replacement is no better - the battery indicator on the new one and on my sons are both down to 1/2 the afternoon after an overnight charge. Its my understanding that Palm uses the same battery as on models with less capability, so it seems that the battery is inadequate for the Tungsten E.
The battery is supposed to last longer if you turn down the screen brightness (harder to see), use fewer alarms and turn down the volume (but alarms are part of the usefulness!), turn off beaming, and make a few other changes. Of course with frequent charging having the battery run down shouldnt be a problem - but what use is a PDA if youre tied to a charger???
Furthermore, after less than a week, my sons started up with only the left-half of the screen showing (it was ok on the next startup), and mine is starting to emit a very low but still audible whine. Ive read a lot of reviews describing these problems as well as the battery issue and units that died just out of warranty, not only on Amazon.com but also on user groups linked from Palms web site.
I couldnt find online information on the batterys lifespan, but called Palm tech support and finally got someone who said it should last "at least two years". Palms warranty is only 90 days, which doesnt show much faith in a $200 product - and if the battery dies after six months, that two-year estimate is useless. The battery is not user-replaceable, and sending it in for a replacement if/when it dies costs almost as much as a new PDA. With an extended warranty ($30-$50) and an SD card (at least $30) to access some functions that wont work without it, a $200 PDA is closer to $300, and its not reliable.
Bottom line: Ill be first in line for another one when I hear that theyve put in a battery that is adequate and reliable, but for now Im going to return mine and go back to pen and a paper calendar, and my son is going to buy an extended warranty for his.
On: 2005-01-20
For its price the Tungstan E has great basic set of features for business use. It was attractive to me because I am starting a new business and preserving cash. Did I pay attention to the warranty - well no. Let the buyer beware. There are reasons things come with only 90 day warranties.
Literally on the 91st day the unit would not turn on after it sat on a shelf for a week. No combination of actions suggested by Palm, soft resets, hard resets, holding buttons, charger in, charger out, etc. could make the thing come to life. At $125 for hardware repair it just wasnt worth it to send it in.
Further, was surprised that on the PalmOne support website, when someone complained (rather vehemently)about the same problem I experienced, their response was "Looks like its index cards 4 U :>)"
So, I dont think I will buy another Palm. I got 90 days of use out of it. The Sony Clie I had previously performed well for over a year before it had its unfortunate accident.
On: 2005-01-20
Bought a Tungsten E for my wife to replace her aging Clie T615. When an alarm is supposed to sound and the PDA is turned off, you hear a clipped sound -only the last instant/or tone- of the alarm. Its as if the sound starts before the PDA turns itself on. So alarms become worthless. Went to the store, changed it for a new TE and it had the same problem. After repeated hard-resets, and describing the problem to Palm support, they suggested I do *another* hard reset (i.e. they dont have a clue). Ive seen at least two other references to this problem on the net.
Careful and watch for this.
On: 2005-01-18
I havent had my Tungsten E very long- but the range of software available for the Palm (and Clie from what I understand) is great- especially for someone in medical school. You can upload clinical calculators that some of my fellow classmates are unable to get on their pocket PC. My brother is a computer science guy and he says that "yeah, the pocket PC has a lot of bells and whistles, but a lot of the software doesnt work on them." One of my friends regrets her pocket PC purchase for this reason. I cant afford to buy a new battery if something goes wrong- so I sprung for the extra year warranty for $20- and my credit card company will give me an extra 90 days on top of that through its Buyers assurance program. I am very pleased with it so far.
On: 2005-01-13
I purchased a Tungsten E after my Sony Clie got dropped too many times. Received it in the mail, charged the battery as directed, ran the setup. Turned it off for the night, and the next morning could not power it on. Plugged it in, and it had lost all my information and I had to run setup again. This happened several times so I returned it and got another one. (What was I thining?!) The second one did the exact same thing. So, I am returning it and I am not sure what I will do next. But I will NOT be purchasing another Tungsten E.
On: 2005-01-07
I have owned my Tungsten E for a little more then a year. Since then I have purchased all kind of options and upgrades (Hard case, car charger, external battery, dash mount holder, dual charge/sync cable and of course SD cards). I liked the product so much; I purchased one for my girlfriend. Her Palm M500 was not powerful enough. I REALLY like the built in MP3 player. I am listening to it right know using my computer speakers. While driving, I place the E in a dash mount holder and plug my cassette CD adapter into the headphone jack and listen to my music. Better then a CD player... no skips!!
If I had one complaint/wish, it would be for Bluetooth &/or wireless networking built in. Thats in the T3 model, but at a lot more in price. Also, a user serviceable battery would be useful, although I have had no problems with mine.
In Canada, my unit came with a 1 year warranty. If you purchase it, make sure you get at least 1 year coverage.
On: 2004-12-31
I think this product has great memory!!! It works Great, but the first day i got it it it didnt make a anouying beep( which I dont think it should) and then in a couple days, it started making this wierd sound. But other than that it works great!! I totally recemend this!!!
On: 2004-12-31
I have or am currently experiencing all the emotions posted regarding this particular handheld. From the early excitement when first received in December 2003. To frustration with the first out of warranty problems (yes battery related). And now, even after accepting it has a dead spot on the screen (where the 8 would be on the calculator) the realization that I cant turn it on or off even though the battery is fully charged is the final straw. I will never EVER EVER purchase a PALM again. Palm has lost touch with its customers (evidenced by the flimsy workmanship and warranty) and has instead spread its defect to one alternative (Handspring). Where did all the alternatives go?
On: 2004-12-28
My Tungsten E is amazing for school and many other things! I have done many projects on its documents to go and I got As on most of them because I listen to lots of my favorate music with realone while doing them. I dropped my school planner and used the amazing Tungsten E. Playing games on its bright high resolution screen is way fun and watching movie trailers is always entertaining! If it is playing games,listening to music and watching movie clips or doing big projects that are a big part of your grade you just need to have this amazing device!
On: 2004-12-23
When my mom(I am 13)gave me this brand new handheld, I could hardly wait the 3 hour charge period, but I managed. I previously had a Tungsten W, and used the keyboard with ease. The only thing that would keep me from changing to the Tungsten E would be switching to Graffiti. To my surprise, the Graffiti is very easy to learn (I am writing this on the handheld for a little extra practice). I bought a 128 mb card with the palm, and can easily download and listen to Mp3 songs. The installed speaker is clear, but not very loud. If you plug in headphones, it is clear, and can become VERY loud! Overall, this is a great handheld at a GREAT price! If you are woried about many other reviewers telling stories about this Palm dying just out of warranty, you can buy it from PalmOne and pay an extra 50 bucks and get 12 more months for a total of 15 months of warranty!
Trust me on this one guys, this is the one.
On: 2004-12-23
Ive owned my Tungsten E for less than a year, and I am very displeased with its performance for a variety of reasons, but most of all because of its defective battery system. The unit always had a problem holding a charge for more than a day or so, but now, it literally will not work at all after being away from its power cord for more than a few minutes. This, of course, renders the unit com | | |
