Palm Squeezes BlackBerry

If fast, easy access to e-mail is your idea of a killer wireless app, Palm has a new PDA for you. The sleek $449 Palm I705 lets you manage both personal and corporate e-mail--in some cases, even without your IT department's help.

The I705 is aimed squarely at people attracted to RIM's BlackBerry devices. And at 4.7 by 3.1 by 0.6 inches and 5.9 ounces, the unit is more compact than its predecessors in the Palm VII series.

The I705 comes with 8MB of memory and has a 160-by-160-resolution monochrome screen. An optional $49 BlackBerry-esque minikeyboard can slide onto the bottom. The I705 has a slot for Secure Digital (SD) cards or MultiMediaCards (MMCs). The two buttons on the device's bottom right (which bring up a memo pad and a to-do list on other Palm handhelds) offer access to the MyPalm Portal for wireless apps and to the device's e-mail app, MultiMail Deluxe.

You can use MultiMail Deluxe with up to eight e-mail accounts (including an account you get with the required Palm.net wireless service). The program supports POP3, IMAP, and even corporate Microsoft Exchange/Outlook accounts. You can also access AOL and AOL Instant Messenger with the device.

Individual subscriptions to the Palm.net service, which uses Cingular's network, cost $10 to activate and $20 per month for up to 100KB of traffic. Unlimited usage is available for $40 per month ($35 a month for a 12-month contract). Later this year businesses will be able to buy Palm's $2499 wireless messenger server, which allows up to 25 users to access Lotus Notes as well as Microsoft Exchange e-mail via the I705.

The I705 performed well, delivering instant messages and e-mail more snappily than the Palm VII. Enterprise features will certainly make it appealing to IT departments. For individuals, the service isn't cheap. But it's competitive with RIM's service, and it may appeal to business travelers who want a PDA with robust e-mail and messaging--and who don't need one that doubles as a phone (like Handspring's Treo).

SUMMARY

Palm I705 Street: $449