1src Forums - First thoughts;Palm Tungsten-E

Ni+Mh

10-09-2003, 04:53 AM

Any Tungsten-E users out there?Just wondering if it's worth the change.I'm currently using a Palm Zire 71,and I could do more internal memory.Plus I'm also using an Apacer 256MB SD card at the moment,but I really could do more internal memory.Does anybody think it's worth the upgrade for memory?

Cons; Smudges all over silverish body of the Tungsten-E, no universal connected, improved processor ( OMAP 311 ) but at 126mhz

Pros; Slimmer unit, great stylus, sturdy D-pad, newer P.I.M's,
32MB :D !

dmxmd

10-09-2003, 05:10 AM

Originally posted by Ni+Mh
Any Tungsten-E users out there?Just wondering if it's worth the change.I'm currently using a Palm Zire 71,and I could do more internal memory.Plus I'm also using an Apacer 256MB SD card at the moment,but I really could do more internal memory.Does anybody think it's worth the upgrade for memory?

Cons; Smudges all over silverish body of the Tungsten-E, no universal connected, improved processor ( OMAP 311 ) but at 126mhz

Pros; Slimmer unit, great stylus, sturdy D-pad, newer P.I.M's,
32MB :D !

If you don't need the camera the T|E is a good replacement.

If you don't have peripherals that require the Universal Connector then you're good to go.

You can use the Wireless Keyboard if you ever will need a keyboard.

And it's cheaper than the Zire71.

lkluj

10-09-2003, 10:39 AM

I would add two points:

1. The new set of PIM improvments is really nice.

2. Somehow Avantgo seems to work slower on my new TE then on my Treo 90. I feel that it is linked with higher resolution rendering (320x320 vs 160x160) but it is still fast enough.

Anyway I can truly advice You to go for E. It's almost pereft handheld :)

iboar

10-09-2003, 01:30 PM

I can't say about upgrading from Zire, but I do love my Tungsten E. I own a Clie NX60, but the T|E seems to be just as fast, has a much better screen (better color, more vivid, brighter), and has better PIMs. It's also a LOT lighter to carry. This is my first Palm since I owned the m505 (which was a disappointment). I think PalmOne is on the road to producing better units than Sony!

dmxmd

10-09-2003, 01:35 PM

mpa50

10-09-2003, 01:50 PM

I just bought the T | E after having the Sony NX70 and I really like it.

Here's my take on the T | E:

* It's noticeably a little slower in some apps but not all
* The battery lasts much better for my use
* The screen is brighter (although at night the lowest setting is dang near blinding) I ran the NX70 at half brightness and I run the T | E at 25% brightness
* The memory is so welcome after all the messing around with CF drivers and memory sticks and stuff.
* Still getting used to writing slower with certain letters that were changed in Grafitti2
* Movies play good and the speaker plays MP3's lound and clear.
* I hate the lack of universal connector - I was looking to get the Ultra Thin keyboard. C'mon Palm, is leaving the universal connector such a huge cost savings?? I would have bought a work cradle and keyboard for it.

Anyone else have any takes on the device? I love it so far. I think $200 is a great price for this Palm. It's good to be back with Palm!!

dmxmd

10-09-2003, 01:55 PM

Originally posted by mpa50
I just bought the T | E after having the Sony NX70 and I really like it.

Here's my take on the T | E:

* Still getting used to writing slower with certain letters that were changed in Grafitti2

You can go back to GraffitiOne if you want to.

Originally posted by mpa50

* I hate the lack of universal connector - I was looking to get the Ultra Thin keyboard. C'mon Palm, is leaving the universal connector such a huge cost savings?? I would have bought a work cradle and keyboard for it.

you can still use the Wireless Keyboard. I hear it has a $30 rebate.

Originally posted by mpa50

Anyone else have any takes on the device? I love it so far. I think $200 is a great price for this Palm. It's good to be back with Palm!!

Welcome back to the Bright Side :D

mpa50

10-09-2003, 02:08 PM

Would you be so kind as to tell me how to get back to Grafitti 1 and where I can find that $30 rebate??? Otherwise I can do some more research tonight at home.

Is that wireless keyboard the same size as the ultra thin keyboard? They look close.

Thanks,
MPA

dmxmd

10-09-2003, 02:19 PM

Originally posted by mpa50
Would you be so kind as to tell me how to get back to Grafitti 1 and where I can find that $30 rebate??? Otherwise I can do some more research tonight at home.

Go here G2 to G1 (http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_story.asp?ID=5830)

Somebody mentioned about the $30 rebate beacuse I said the Wireless keyboard was only $69.95 aas compared to $99 for the ultraslim

Originally posted by mpa50

Is that wireless keyboard the same size as the ultra thin keyboard? They look close.

They do look close. When you look at the specs:

UltraThin: Closed 13.9 x 9.9 x 1.3 cm; Open 25.1 x 14.8 x 1.3 cm; Weight 160g

Wireless: Closed 139mm x 97mm x 17mm; Open 261mm x 145mm x 17mm; Weight 163g

Originally posted by mpa50

Thanks,
MPA

No problem :D

iboar

10-09-2003, 02:33 PM

Originally posted by dmxmd
Weren't you worried about the fact that the TE doesn't have the UC? Or you don't care since you don't think you'll be using their peripherals anyway?

The lack of a UC wasn't an issue for me. I owned the m505 for a couple of years and never bought any of their peripherals. I must admit that the ability to place the T|E in a cradle to charge/hotsync would be convenient though.

mpa50

10-09-2003, 02:33 PM

Wow, that's awesome. Grafitti 2 will be gone shortly! Thanks for the info.

Congrats PalmOne City! ClieSource was awesome and it's great to now have the same format in Palm Land.

I miss the row of icons along the top for each model though!!

Later.

dmxmd

10-09-2003, 02:36 PM

Originally posted by iboar
The lack of a UC wasn't an issue for me. I owned the m505 for a couple of years and never bought any of their peripherals. I must admit that the ability to place the T|E in a cradle to charge/hotsync would be convenient though.

yeah. i Like using the PDA on the cradle. you Don't have to prop it up yourself.
to Top it off, you now have to thigs to connect to your T|E. but I guess it's a trade off for value for money.

mpa50

10-09-2003, 04:04 PM

Not to complain, but I just though of something else that really makes me mad about this T | E. Now, I love the device and I don't mean to rip on the device or Palm, but I use the included case for the Palm and carry it with me dang near everywhere in my front pants pocket. Well, the stitching on the leather cover, which borders it, has scratched the face of the device. Mainly directly to the left of the Palm logo and the top of the device. The mirror finish is hard enough to keep clean from fingerprints etc but now I have these permanent scratches on there. Did Palm not test this or am I the only idiot using the cover or what? I'm pretty ticked off about it every time I see the mark, but oh well I guess. But I just thought I would share my frustrations. Anyway...

iboar

10-09-2003, 04:21 PM

Originally posted by mpa50
Not to complain, but I just though of something else that really makes me mad about this T | E. Now, I love the device and I don't mean to rip on the device or Palm, but I use the included case for the Palm and carry it with me dang near everywhere in my front pants pocket. Well, the stitching on the leather cover, which borders it, has scratched the face of the device. Mainly directly to the left of the Palm logo and the top of the device. The mirror finish is hard enough to keep clean from fingerprints etc but now I have these permanent scratches on there. Did Palm not test this or am I the only idiot using the cover or what? I'm pretty ticked off about it every time I see the mark, but oh well I guess. But I just thought I would share my frustrations. Anyway...

Ouch! I just bought my T|E yesterday, but already I too can see the imprint from the stitches on the cover. In my case, I was able to wipe it off, no scratching yet. Thanks for the info, I'm going to quit using the cover.

dmxmd

10-09-2003, 07:55 PM

Originally posted by mpa50
Not to complain, but I just though of something else that really makes me mad about this T | E. Now, I love the device and I don't mean to rip on the device or Palm, but I use the included case for the Palm and carry it with me dang near everywhere in my front pants pocket. Well, the stitching on the leather cover, which borders it, has scratched the face of the device. Mainly directly to the left of the Palm logo and the top of the device. The mirror finish is hard enough to keep clean from fingerprints etc but now I have these permanent scratches on there. Did Palm not test this or am I the only idiot using the cover or what? I'm pretty ticked off about it every time I see the mark, but oh well I guess. But I just thought I would share my frustrations. Anyway...

What??? That's not nice :(

Maybe it's time to find 3rd party casing :D

It's a good thing you mentioned that guys. A reminder to people who have T|E or planning to buy one.

Ni+Mh

10-09-2003, 11:16 PM

I'm a die hard Graffitti 1 user!I couldn't adapt to Graffitti 2 even though I've put myself 2 months to the use of Graffitti 2.Just can't get it!Graffitti's veeeeeery much eeasier and faster to input.Thanks for the support guys!I think my mind's all set to change to the Tungsten-E!Budget's there,just waiting for a proper case for the unit's a bit slippery

dmxmd

10-09-2003, 11:17 PM

you could dry the e-grip thing www.the-gadgeteer.com reviewed

Jayman

10-09-2003, 11:43 PM

Hmmm, I was looking at the palm Tungsten E -- The only thing that stopped me from buying it was the lack of the universal connector. Can anyone tell me this, does the Tungsten E hotync as fast with the mini usb connector?

rob_squared

10-10-2003, 12:09 AM

The T|E is small and fast. Go for it. Besides, I think its got SDIO so you could always get a cam attachment later.

rob_squared

10-10-2003, 12:10 AM

iboar

10-10-2003, 12:48 AM

Originally posted by rob_squared
The T|E is small and fast. Go for it. Besides, I think its got SDIO so you could always get a cam attachment later.

It definately has SDIO. It seems to hotsync as fast as my NX60 in the cradle.

mpa50

10-10-2003, 08:09 AM

Regarding the scratching of the Palm metal casing by the stitching in the included leather cover:

I didn't mean to sway any purchases because of the scratching, but I really like the builtin leather flip cover because it adds so little thickness as opposed to a third party case. To prevent scratching though, I put a piece of Scotch tape across the stitching on the inside of the leather cover. Hopefully this helps keep my scratches to a minimum and maybe prevents others from getting scratches at all from the stitches.

Maybe mine will be the only one on ebay in a few months with scratches on the face!!

iboar

10-11-2003, 12:53 AM

Originally posted by mpa50
I put a piece of Scotch tape across the stitching on the inside of the leather cover.

Great minds must think alike, I did the same thing. ;) I'm going to shop around for a padded tape of some kind, though. I like the flip cover because of the slimmer profile. Besides, I've tried bifold cases and the like, but they are always somewhat bulky and awkward to use.

Athradon

10-11-2003, 01:36 AM

I was planning on keeping my T|E, until it started getting permanent scratches all across the top (within the first hour of use), and I figured out the flip cover was to blame. I returned it after 2 days...a shoddy case like that isn't going to survive a year+ of normal use if it can't handle a day's worth of normal use.

MarsGuy

10-11-2003, 03:21 PM

I took one look at the included cover and was a little dissapointed. After hearing about the scratches, I will never use it.

When I bought my T|E at Staples, I also bought a Targus Universal Belt Clip case. It is a pretty nice fit, but I just need to add a little more velcro to the front so that the flap can attach lower down. Right now it sits too high for the T|E, leaving a 3/4" gap at the top (it fits my old IIIxe very nicely as is, however).

Galley

10-11-2003, 11:00 PM

I had a T|E for two days and returned it. The 5-way navigator is crap, the battery life was horrible, and I really missed having a cradle. I got a Zire 71 for $250 from OfficeMax.com instead.

Vidge

10-11-2003, 11:14 PM

Originally posted by Ni+Mh
I'm a die hard Graffitti 1 user!I couldn't adapt to Graffitti 2 even though I've put myself 2 months to the use of Graffitti 2.Just can't get it!Graffitti's veeeeeery much eeasier and faster to input.Thanks for the support guys!I think my mind's all set to change to the Tungsten-E!Budget's there,just waiting for a proper case for the unit's a bit slippery

I've been using G1 since 1996 and when I got my T2, I tried Teal Script - but I couldn't get used to it. Then the G2=>G1 thing came out . I jumped on it and was happy as a clam. When I got my T3, one of the first things I did was put G1 back on. As I was trouble shooting some software conflict, I removed G1, and have been using G2 for the past 10 days or so. I believe Palm tweaked G2 a bit on the T3 (and I assume also on the TE) since it is easier for me to use this time than it was when I got my T2.

YMMV

Ni+Mh

10-12-2003, 03:44 AM

Yea there's a bit of an issue of G1 on the T3, but as far as I've tested on my display unit, no problems!Cept' that you can't use the 'wide input' properly

iboar

10-13-2003, 12:38 PM

Originally posted by iboar
I can't say about upgrading from Zire, but I do love my Tungsten E. I own a Clie NX60, but the T|E seems to be just as fast, has a much better screen (better color, more vivid, brighter), and has better PIMs. It's also a LOT lighter to carry. This is my first Palm since I owned the m505 (which was a disappointment). I think PalmOne is on the road to producing better units than Sony!

Here's an update on my T|E experience:

I sold my NX60 last night and went to BB this morning and upgraded my T|E to a T|T3.:D

It's charging right now, and will be charging for several hours! ;)

I so loved the screen on the T|E that it prompted me to sell the NX60 and move back to a PalmOne device. I had originally bought the T|E as a backup to my Clie and as an easy carry alternative on days when I didn't want to lug around that huge monster just to have my contacts and maps with me! I still recommend the T|E but with these two caveats:

1. Charge it thoroughly the first time around, at least 4 hours.

2. Don't use that darn flip cover that comes with it. The stitching will scratch your case. If you must use it, put some soft tape over the stitching to prevent it from contacting the case. (BTW: The flip cover that comes with the T|T3 is designed differently and does not scratch the case!)

The T|E definately blows away the competition. Within its class, there is no Clie that comes close, including their new TJ35.

LVjay9_

10-14-2003, 06:51 AM

Lots of good info here. For my needs, I think the T|E will be best. Only concerns are the lack of UC, and if it can upgrade. Also, I hope to have Message Ease eventually instead of having to use Graffitti.

dmxmd

10-15-2003, 01:38 AM

One question: what concerns do you have regarding the UC or lack thereof?

I tried messageease and it takes a lot of learning, but I like it. Still I stuck with G1 but hoping to move to ME eventually. Or just buy a Ultraslim or Wireless

MarsGuy

10-15-2003, 10:34 PM

As far as the UC goes, you should ask yourself what accessories you can see yourself using in the near future. If you can come up with anything other than a keyboard, then the T|E is not right for you. If a keyboard is the only thing, then the UC is not an issue because you can use an IR keyboard (which, by the way, is cheaper than the UC keyboard).

breegenie

10-15-2003, 11:04 PM

How loud are the alarms on the TE? Several reviews mention low alarm sound but good mp3 sound.

On another note:

Is the reset button the TE really recessed deep? The reason I ask is I tried to test the alarms on a TE at Circuit City tonight, and it was totally frozen on an empty Today screen. None of the power or app buttons responded, and I tried to reset it using my Clie's stylus reset pin, but no joy.

So either the CC unit was a really good fake unit (the girl there was clueless), it was really screwed up, or my Clie's reset pin isn't long enough to reset the TE.

Any ideas? CC is the only store in the area that has a display unit right now. Plus, some jacka** thought it was fun to set up security passwords on nearly all the Palm OS models, so I couldn't even play with the T2 (CC didnt have a T3, strangely).

Ni+Mh

10-20-2003, 11:10 PM

Say no more. I myself as a satisfied Zire 71 user has moved on! Now I use a Tungsten-E, 32MB? BEAAAAAUTTIIFUUUUL. What I've been dreaming and craving for a year is now in my hands, a wholesome 32MB

Gnam

10-23-2003, 02:53 AM

Originally posted by Ni+Mh
Say no more. I myself as a satisfied Zire 71 user has moved on! Now I use a Tungsten-E, 32MB.

Hi Ni+Mh!

How long have you had your TE? Can you confirm that the TE's battery does not last as long as the Zire71 battery?

Some people say the TE has a smaller battery - what do you think?

Bye,
Gnam

hellhound

12-04-2003, 03:30 PM

I've had my TE for about a month now and I love it. No doubt I made the right decision in getting it. And I, too, have scratches from the flip cover all along the top part of the TE's casing. There are good comments here to protect it from scratches, but ...

Any ideas on how to repair those scratches once they're there?

Thanks,

hellhound

mercdeking

12-05-2003, 02:18 AM

I can live with the smudges, just wipe 'em off but to the right of the top of the pda after the middle palm logo that's where this huge nasty scratch from that damn sad leather case did some damage. Since the plastic is so shiny the scratch is painfully obvious... can't wait for my proporta metal case to come in... think I might also buy a leather case for it since that might be more comfortable not sure will wait and see but yeah palm should have done some pocket testing before deciding on that leather cover.
Funny my scratch almost in the exact spot but on the right... is yours on the Tungsten E label on the top face?
I'll live with the scratches as well...
great pda anyways...

Originally posted by mpa50
Not to complain, but I just though of something else that really makes me mad about this T | E. Now, I love the device and I don't mean to rip on the device or Palm, but I use the included case for the Palm and carry it with me dang near everywhere in my front pants pocket. Well, the stitching on the leather cover, which borders it, has scratched the face of the device. Mainly directly to the left of the Palm logo and the top of the device. The mirror finish is hard enough to keep clean from fingerprints etc but now I have these permanent scratches on there. Did Palm not test this or am I the only idiot using the cover or what? I'm pretty ticked off about it every time I see the mark, but oh well I guess. But I just thought I would share my frustrations. Anyway...

hellhound

12-05-2003, 08:42 AM

I can't just wipe the scratches off, I've tried, but it doesn't help them. My scratches are all along the top, above the T|E logo, and not really affecting the palm logo. There's a buch of little scratches, one for each stitch in the flip cover.

Is there some kind of non-abrasive solvent/liquid that I could use to remove the scratches? Something to put on a soft cloth and then wipe on the case? Any ideas anyone, please?

Thanks,

hellhound

BobT

12-05-2003, 09:55 AM

Try some cd scratch remover (at your own risk of course). The cd's and the Palm case are both basically plastic. You can get a kit containing a bottle of cleaning fluid, a bottle of polish and scratch remover, and some swabs and polishing cloth. Picked mine up at Radio Shack. Just an idea...

alan williams

12-05-2003, 11:28 PM

You may also want to try a polishing toothpaste. Works wonders for removing scratches from plastic watch crystals.

hellhound

12-08-2003, 09:49 AM

Thank you for the suggestions, I will give them a try (if I feel confident enough) and post my results.

hellhound

Claudiob1

12-08-2003, 10:28 PM

Sounds like some black electrical tape on the inside cover may do the trick in protecting the case from future scratches.

hellhound

12-12-2003, 12:43 PM

Unfortunately, the CD scratch remover didn't do anything, good or bad. I'll have to try the polishing toothpaste idea.

And I did add black electrical tape to the cover to prevent further scratching. That was a good suggestion.

I think I'll get a case for Christmas - one of the hard alum/metal cases--that should help.

hellhound

hellhound

01-05-2004, 10:51 AM

I did try to use polishing toothpaste to remove the scratches on the TE, but that didn't do anything either.

Any other ideas to remove scratches that are already there?

For any new TE users, either put tape over the stitchings on the flip cover, or get a case, or don't use the flip cover. Don't end up with scratches on the metal surface like mine :(

hellhound

BobT

01-05-2004, 11:17 AM

Originally posted by hellhound
I did try to use polishing toothpaste to remove the scratches on the TE, but that didn't do anything either.

Any other ideas to remove scratches that are already there?

For any new TE users, either put tape over the stitchings on the flip cover, or get a case, or don't use the flip cover. Don't end up with scratches on the metal surface like mine :(

hellhound

Sorry nothing worked. Try this...
http://www.radtech.us/icecreme.html
Hope it does the trick.

hellhound

01-06-2004, 09:33 AM

Thanks for the reply, BobT. Hmm, that looks like just the stuff I need. It's quite expensive--$20 for 2 small bottles. I might get them anyway because I want those scratches gone. I'll post a reply if I try this, "Ice Creme."

hellhound

MAGOO

02-18-2005, 12:51 AM

If It Is Actual Metal That Is Not Hard Coated , You Just Need To Get Some "flitz" Polish At Any Hardware Store. And Use Small Circular Motions, Not Straight Lines While You Polish.also This Would Apply To Aluminum And Stainless As Well As Long As It Is Not Hard Coated Or Anodized. If Yer Skeerd Just Try A Small Spot On The Rear Of The T-e To Evaluate It For Yourself. Wrap A Finger Tip With A Soft Cotton Cloth And Apply A Small Dab Of The Usualy Blue Colored Polish On Your Finger Tip And Make Sure You Massage It In To The Cloth Before You Start To Polish So As Not To Cause An Eccess Of Polish.apply Even Pressure In Small Overlapping Circular Strokes , Paying Particular Attention To Not Getting Too Close To Any Recesses Or Voids That Can Cause The Polish To Get Stuck In.then After About 30 Seconds Wipe Off The Polish Residue With A Fresh Clean Cotton Cloth , Turning The Cloth Over Frequently. And Soon It Will Be More Shiny Than New.

mtnbike129

02-25-2005, 05:13 PM

I wound up getting the hard case instead of the leather case for my Tungsten E and I noticed a rather stupid flaw in the design. The slots inside the case for memory cards stick out pretty far, and they come very close to the screen, I'm not sure if they touch the screen or not when it's closed, but if it was in someone's pocket and it wiggled back and forth enough, I'm sure it could cause some wonderful damage that isn't covered by the warranty of course.
Also, one gripe I have with my T|E is the fact that none of the bluetooth cards appear to be compatible yet, apparently because most of the new palms already have bluetooth built in. I don't want to try any of the tricks I've heard of to get WiFi, but I really would like bluetooth, and I'm not going to blow $300 on a new palm with bluetooth built in...
Is there anyone who knows of some Bluetooth card NOT made by Palm that works with my T|E, a hack that will make it work, or something else that will allow me to use bluetooth on my T|E???