Sony Clie PEG-T665C
High style and sharp image quality highlight this pricey basic PDA.
Mick Lockey
WHAT'S HOT: An update of the PEG-T415, the solidly constructed T665C offers improvements such as a color LCD (instead of the T415's monochrome), slightly larger viewable screen area, and double the internal memory. Like many Sony devices, this unit looks sleek and modern.
The unit's display offers 320-by-320-pixel resolution--higher-than-average for a basic PDA. Though the T665C can't record video or take photos, it can display them with elan. Images looked crisp and sharp on the 2-by-2-inch active screen area. The speaker's sound was reasonably clear, compared, for example, with the grainy sound we heard on the ViewSonic V35's speaker.
WHAT'S NOT: Sony requires that you jump through several hoops before listening to MP3 files; at times, it's restrictive. Though the unit features a built-in audio player, you can't listen to music files stored in system memory. Sony's software for working with music files--SonicStage--is confusing, and it will work only with Sony's own Open MG Memory Stick. In addition, Sony enacts a copy protection scheme that forbids you to transfer music files from your PDA to a PC other than the one you used to download the songs.
Using all the entertainment features can drain the battery rather quickly. The unit lacks a microphone for recording short voice memos.
WHAT ELSE: The T665C provides a Memory Stick slot for expansion--a plus if you already own a Sony digital camera. The left side of the unit has a headphone jack (ear buds are included), a Jog Dial navigation wheel, and a 'back' button, which lets you return to the previous screen. Instead of round or oval shortcut buttons, the unit has thin slivers to access To Do Lists, Contacts, or Memos, instead of the rounded buttons that we typically see on other PDAs. Two additional, similar buttons help you navigate between applications and functions.
A thin leather flap protects the LCD display and helps prevent accidentally turning the unit on. Unusual for a PDA, the T665C includes software that lets it double as a remote control for audio and video devices.
The T665C comes with first-class documentation, including a thorough manual that has detailed instructions on the unit's multimedia features and a handy section in the back organized by task.
UPSHOT: This smart-looking PDA suits users looking for an inexpensive Palm device that can handle basic multimedia features.
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