1 February 2004 22:45 GMT / By Stuart Miles

While the Tungsten W offers GSM connectivity, the Tungsten C offers Wi-Fi for the PDA user that needs to stay in touch on the move, around the house or in the office. A slightly chunky design, the Tungsten C sports a bright, large colour screen, a miniature Qwerty keyboard, a SD/MultiMedia Card slot for extra memory or transferring applications and in-built Wi-Fi capabilities. Connection to a Mac or PC is done via the included docking cradle.

One of the main features of the Tungsten C is the Wi-Fi connectivity. The unit offers 802.11b wireless access and this means that you can connect to any wireless access instantly as long as you are within range of its signal. Connection is made easier by the auto detect option within the software and once connected surfing is easy and fast. This not only opens up the chance to use the device in any of the Wi-fi hotspots around the globe but also your home or office if a wireless network has been set up. We were lucky to be reviewing this unit while the BT Openzone hotspots were free and connecting everywhere from hotels to coffee shops around London was easy as pressing the connect button.

Rather than opt for the Graffiti method of inputting data, the Tungsten C, like the Tungsten W has a Qwerty keyboard. The keyboard suffers from the same problems as the W - in that you have to have very nimble fingers to use it, however it does make data input like contacts, web addresses and even short emails easy to input.

Quick navigation around the programs comes in the form of a 5-way paddle at the bottom centre of the device, the 5th way is the nipple in the centre allowing you to select objects and applications.

Applications can be added either via the SD expansion slot on the back of the device or via hot linking with the cradle. That said, there is plenty of programs preloaded on the unit. Documents To Go is probably the most useful for the business user as it allows you to create Office Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files to be synchronized when you doc and although you’ll be pushed to write a novel with the keyboard this is still a really application. Other than that it’s the usual array of web, to do lists, contacts and datebook applications that you’ve come to expect from a PalmOS unit and PDA.

Verdict

If Wi-Fi is important to you then the Wi-Fi offering this unit gives is very good. Better still as a top of the range PDA this ticks all the boxes. Some will complain about the missing Graffiti element, but then the keyboard sort of negates this functionality anyway. Overall this is a good unit and if your looking for a PDA with keyboard that will allow you to walk into a hotel and check your email or favourite web sites this is certainly a strong contender.

Score

Review Recap

Made by

Palm

Price as reviewed

£350

The good

2 different pointers, SD Expansion

The bad

Keyboard fiddly for the sausage fingered

Quick verdict

No grafitti handwriting recognition but the keyboard stops that being life and death- for those with small fingers. Worth a look for Palm OS fans.

Score

Winner

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