Just Got TG50 at Best Buy. Ask Me What You Want.

[Smartyman]

I was planning on buying the TG50 at sonystyle, but I decided, hey, I'll check Best Buy just for the heck of it. They had it. They had it, the keyboard, the styluses, etc. They had everything except for the screen protectors and a correct size case, but that's alright. I still got it, a 128 mb memory stick, a keyboard, and other goodies. If yall have any questions about the TG50's appearance, what it comes with, etc., just ask me.

[Smartyman]

Couple things I'd like to add cause no one has mentioned them. The TG50 has infrared as well as bluetooth, so it'll exchange files with both new and old pdas. Second, no head phones included with it. Third thing, no Documents to Go, so if you need a word processor for it, either buy Documents to Go, Wordsmith, Quickoffice, etc.

[ChuToy]

Wow, congratulations. I'm heading out now and hope to see one somewhere for myself. I don't have my hopes up though. Once you have yours charged and running, please tell us what you think of the keyboard and if you think the jog button hurts your fingers like it did for one of the reviewers.

[Smartyman]

sure thing. my clie still has about 2 1/2 hours left to charge. i did however try the clie out and i have to agree, the keyboard takes a little force to push down the keys, but its not a reason for not purchasing the tg50. i dont really mind it that much at all. the jog dial doesnt bother me in the least. im perfectly fine with it.

those wavy lines are evident if u look straight at them, but if u start doing other stuff with ur clie for like 5 min, ull forget they were there. i mean even if u open up ur clie and just want to take some note down, u probably wont notice them. in fact, when i first opened the clie and turned it on i didnt notice them. but then later when the low battery window popped up, that is when i noticed them and i remembered how i had read about the annoyance of them. if that is an annoyance for some people, then that is really sad. such a little thing like that is no reason for not buying this clie. now, i admit it, they are evident to me ever since this first time of seeing them, but like i said before, 5 min of using ur clie makes u forget all about them.

[zabbiezabbie]

Is toggling to VG on the TG-50 quick? My concern about the VG is entering the quick appt., note, or todo in a meeting, etc.

Thanks in advance!

[yOyOYoo]

any incompatibilites with software made for OS5?

I remember hearding sony uses their own API from OS5 to make use of the 320 x480 screens on the NX and NZ series. Just wondering if sony uses its own API for the 320 x 320 OS5 screen and if so developers need to reprogram things to fit this api? I dunno just wondering.

[rldunn]

I had heard that on the NX (and NZ) that Sony was using the Palm API for the top part of the screen and only had their own API for the VG part. So, if that's true, the TG should probably be using only the Palm API.

[mashoutposse]

I thought Sony went with their own API for the OS4 NR (obvious reasons). I remember hearing that they have moved to the new standard PalmOS hires+ API for OS5.

If they didn't, some Garmin users will be disappointed ;)

[rldunn]

I don't think there is a Palm API available for the VG area, which is why Sony had to create their own for that area. I think the Garmin users ARE going to be disappointed; it will probably be like the HandEra which isn't supported much.

[ChuToy]

I got to try them out! I found one in Best Buy, but it was locked down so it was almost impossible to use. But at least there I got to see how nice the screen looks even under harsh lighting. The keys were extremely hard to press on that particular unit. Painfully so. Then I went to Circuit City and found another one I could actually pick up and play with--it still even had its stylus! The keys on that one were harder to press than on the NX demo units I tried, but not as difficult as the one at Best Buy.

Nobody was around so I really got to play around with it. The screen is gorgeous--nice, bright and crisp. The wavy lines are annoying because they do distort the last bit of the screen display. Kind of a bummer because the screen isn't that big to begin with. But I agree, once you get to using it for real, I doubt many people are going to mind it too much.

No problem with the jog dial whatsoever. Unfortunately, I forgot to trim off my fingernails. I couldn't use the keyboard very well at all with my fingernails getting in the way. Let's see--my right thumbnail is half a centimeter long and my left is about a third of a centimeter. Not too long for a woman, but long enough to hamper my contact with the flat keys. Any ladies present who love their long manicured nails may wish to take note of my difficulties. Maybe they can learn to type just using their fingernails, which I did try but found kind of slippery and inaccurate.

My husband also had some problems. He is a Treo 300 user so he's used to thumb-boards but he said he found this one just very uncomfortable to use, probably because of the hard key press. And we both agreed the Best Buy demo unit was impossible to use. The amount of pressure needed on that keyboard was insane! I got to be the first customer to use an NZ90 fresh out of box a few weeks ago when they were newly released, and found the NZ90 keys to be easily pressed. So I doubt this TG50 key stiffness is due to lack of use.

The fit, finish, and overall design was very pleasing. It was a lot shorter than I expected. The photos where it looks really long are very misleading. It's nice in all dimensions, it really is. But I think unless I want to be a tomboy and file all my nails off, I'll wait and see if Sony will come out with a longer screen with a virtual keyboard.

I think a lot of guys will be happy enough with the thumbboard. Everyone should definitely try before they buy. Even NX owners thnking of trading may want to compare this to the keyboard they're familiar with. It definitely is a different feel.

[Smartyman]

Ok, sorry I havent responded. Been having one incompatibility issue with the tg50, i believe. Apparently Quickoffice doesnt work well with the tg50. I installed it and everything and put it on correctly. It didnt work. Tried it 2 more times. It didnt work. You can open Quickoffice, but the problem is, quickword, quickexcel, etc. will only display the top fifth of the line. for instance. if you type "Hello, how are you." Chop that line into 5 horizontal sections. It'll display the top of that section. No matter how you format the page, it just wont help.

Ok, now to answering VG. Yes, having the VG appear is esay and quick. On face of the Clie there are 2 circle buttons, one of the left, one of the right. If you just press, not hold, the circle button on the right, bam, u got VG like that. its really really easy. only problem is, u cant even open VG in quickoffice. CURSED QUICKOFFICE! as u see, i am frustrated.

ok, now API. i dont know what API is. If you tell me what API is, i might be able to help. sorry. i really just dont know what it is.

[Smartyman]

ach, i just realized that i typed that message very poorly. for instance, i meant "one on the left" and "one on the right." dont know why i typed of. i must work on typing some more because im obviously not to good at it. wow. i didnt even use capitals typing this response. what is happening to me!?

[FIA WRC]

The Garmin uses Sony's API. So it will have plenty of software. All 320x320 OS5 Palm powered pda's use the same API. Starting with OS5.2 320x480 will be built in, along with 320x320. The OS will be able to tell what size screen you have and if the software maker included 320x480 in the program it will display it. Much easier than making a seperate programs just for 320x480, and 320x320.

[williamwck]

Would you please tell SONY TG50 is Mask Rom or Flash Rom ?
Can it use JackFalsh 3.0b1 to get more memory ?
Thank you very much.