Palm Updates Tungsten T

Palm has launched a new, more multimedia-friendly version of the Tungsten T, the first handheld based on the Palm 5 operating system. The company also announced price cuts on two older models.

Tungsten Revamped

The Tungsten T2, available now for an estimated street price of $399, has 32MB of RAM, double the memory of the Tungsten T. The T2 also has RealOne software for playing MP3 files (which can be played off a memory card in the device's Secure Digital slot) and a built-in speaker for easy listening. A stereo headphone jack is also still an option. Kinoma Player and Producer, used with a free downloadable QuickTime application, lets you download and view movie trailers. Palm Photos lets you view and organize photos, and perform basic image editing.

The T2's 320-by-320, 65,000-plus color transflective screen is the same as the one used on the recently introduced Zire 71 and Tungsten C. As with the original Tungsten T, you also get integrated Bluetooth technology that lets you use a Bluetooth cell phone to connect to the Internet.

The T2 uses the latest version of the Palm operating system, 5.2.1. This includes Graffiti 2, a handwriting input system that's easier to learn than the original Graffiti. It also supports on-screen writing when the device is collapsed and the Graffiti input area hidden.

The T2's software bundle includes DataViz's Documents to Go Professional Edition, which allows you to work with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents.

Palm Price Cuts

Palm representatives also say the company is lowering prices on two previous-generation models, both introduced last spring. The Palm M515 is dropping in price from $299 to $249. The Palm M130 is going from $199 to $179.