WHAT'S HOT: The HandEra 330 is a handsome black-and silver unit with the most crisp, easy-to-read gray-scale screen in this roundup, both indoors and out. In many ways, it beats Palm's PDAs at their own game, though it costs more than most other gray-scale devices. It features all the usual Palm applications and uses the 33-MHz Motorola Dragonball VZ processor used in many Palm-based PDAs, but the similarities to other units end there: The HandEra comes with both CompactFlash and Secure Digital expansion card slots, features usually found only on Pocket PC-based PDAs. The CompactFlash slot accepts a wide range of add-ins, including an 802.11b (Wi-Fi) wireless card, Enfora's 19.2-kbps Pocket Spider wireless modem, and Xircom's CompactFlash GSM card for connecting a data-enabled phone. However, not all CompactFlash cards will work: Without drivers for the Palm OS, they can't be used in the HandEra. A jog wheel makes scrolling through icons easy.

In contrast to other Palm-based PDAs, which typically use a fixed Graffiti input area, the HandEra's input area is part of the live screen; you can minimize the input area to free up the screen for other work. Its display echoes your Graffiti strokes so you can get a glimpse of the letters as you write them--a big help, especially for novices. The disappearing graffiti area gives you 240 by 320 resolution, up substantially from other Palm-based PDAs' 160 by 160 pixels, so you can see more of your calendar, addresses or to-dos at once. You can even view Microsoft Excel spreadsheets (accessible through the bundled QuickOffice software, which also allows you to edit Word documents) in landscape mode (although editing spreadsheets or documents on a small PDA screen can often be frustrating).

WHAT'S NOT: Based on the Palm III, the HandEra's syncing cradle is available in a serial version only; USB is not an option. Some add-on options are not completely useful. For instance, you can attach the Palmpix digital camera to take pictures and store photos on a CF card inserted into the HandEra's slot. However, you can't view your photos on the HandEra's screen. The HandEra 330 can will work with accessories designed for the Palm III, but because this Palm has been discontinued for some time, these are growing harder to find.

WHAT ELSE: The HandEra will accept IBM's 1GB Microdrive CompactFlash hard drive card, but you must use AutoCF, a free download, to access programs stored on the card. Despite its better-than-usual sound for a Palm-based device, the device doesn't offer a headphone socket, so you can't use it to listen to MP3 music files. An optional rechargeable battery is available for $80.

UPSHOT: If you can live with its serial connection, the HandEra 330 is a terrific alternative to a standard Palm. It has a bigger available screen and more expansion options.

SUMMARY

HandEra 330 Palm OS 3.5.2, 8MB internal memory, 2.9-by-2.2-inch active screen area, 240 by 320 resolution, Secure Digital card and CompactFlash expansion slots, four removable AAA batteries; 5.9 ounces; one-year parts and labor warranty, toll-call support for 13 hours on weekdays. Free tech support for 90 days, fee per call thereafter. $275 515/252-7522 www.handera.com