Palm Palm i705 (Palm Computing-P80503US)

WHAT'S HOT: If fast, easy access to e-mail is your idea of a killer wireless app, Palm has a PDA for you. The sleek $399 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; 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, and it has a slot for Secure Digital cards or MultiMediaCards. An optional $49 BlackBerry-esque minikeyboard can slide onto the bottom.

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.

The I705 performed well, delivering instant messages and e-mail more snappily than the Palm VII. The lithium ion battery's life was particularly good, not needing a recharge for at least ten days, even when the unit was left on standby all day. Enterprise features will certainly make this unit appealing to IT departments.