Handhelds: New Palm OS--A High Five

Palms excel at simplicity, while Pocket PCs are for power users. That was the conventional wisdom in PDA circles--and mostly, it held up. But the latest Palm operating system addresses some of the weaknesses that had hobbled its predecessors' suitability for high-end applications, and the first devices based on the upgrade--two Sony Cliés and Palm's new Tungsten T--exploit these newfound powers.

Palm OS 5 supports the latest ARM-based CPUs, which promise superior performance with multimedia and wireless apps without excessively compromising battery life. And it allows 320-by-320 displays, up from previous editions' resolution of 160 by 160 (Cliés, however, have had this capability since introduction).

OS 5 also natively supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (802.11b) connectivity, which used to be after-market add-ons. It beefs up security, too, offering 128-bit data encryption and Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology for Internet applications.

Some of your current software may not run on OS 5, however. Palm says 80 percent of old apps should run, but the rest (such as the popular Hackmaster utility) may not.

Power Palms

The first OS 5 Sony Cliés--the $600 PEG-NX70V and $500 PEG-NX60--focus on multimedia functions, while Palm's $500 Tungsten T emphasizes business-friendly features.

NX-series Cliés are like current NR models with the 320-by-480 display that covers a thumb keyboard. But the NXs are a bit thicker, thanks to an added type 2 Compact Flash slot that can hold a $150 Sony Wi-Fi card. And their opening menu is more text-heavy than the Palm OS's typical version.

Both NX units have a relatively powerful, 200-MHz Intel PXA250 chip. The extra oomph fuels the NX70V's improved built-in camera: It has 2X digital zoom and captures 640-by-480 stills and MPEG-4 video (the NR70V was limited to 320-by-240 stills and no video). The NX60 lacks a camera.

The $499 Tungsten T, the first in Palm's new line of power-user devices, debuts a new, shorter look. In the T, the Graffiti area hides in the lower half of the case, which slides down for data input. In addition, its built-in Bluetooth adapter lets you access the Net via a Bluetooth GSM/GPRS cell phone. Also new in Tungsten T: Texas Instruments' OMAP1510 ARM-compatible CPU, a 320-by-320, 65,000-color LCD--the nicest yet on a Palm--and a five-way button for one-handed navigation.

While OS 5 powers a new generation of PDAs, OS 4.1 will persist on entry-level models such as Palm's $99 Zire, and even higher-end devices like the new Tungsten W. But if you want an OS 5 device (you can't install the new OS on an older PDA), first check with your favorite apps' vendors to see if they're compatible.