IBM WorkPad 8602-20X Handheld

First off, the IBM WorkPad C3 is, in fact, a "Badge-Engineered" Palm Vx. It is identical in every way except color (black) and markings. The built-in applicatins and the operating system (Palm OS 3.5) are identical.

While there have been subtle changes to the OS and applications over the years, they really are minor, as they were already very easy and convenient to use. The applications are a date book (calendar), To-Do list, Phone/Address list and Notepad. There is also a calculator and a find utility.

All of the Palm applications are easy and intuitive to use (no manuals necessary), are very fast, and allow you to organize your information in categories, which are roughly equivalent to folders on a computer, though more powerful. More powerful because unlike a folder, categories can be changed per item, hidden or beamed with a single menu command - try that on a Pocket PC! The categories are also easier to navigate because in addition to viewing the contents of a single category, each application also gives the option of viewing "All Categories" at the same time, whereas with a folder metaphor you MUST close one folder and open another, without any way of viewing ALL of your contacts, addresses, to-do's etc.

The built-in applications also open with a single tap. The Palm uses an icon-based interface, but unlike Pocket PC, there is no start button or directories to navigate, all of your programs, including the built-ins, are just on the screen, and, you guessed it, organized by categories.

The Palm platform also excels in both its use of memory and the availability of add-on software. As a computer, the Pocket PCs are MUCH more powerful, but because they handle data as individual files, just like Desktop Windows, they waste a lot of that power. The Palm handles your data as a database, only storing the identifier for each item as a seperate entry, and your text. There are no actual files, which means that the file system doesn't need to store attributes and other hidden elements to keep things separate, which saves space. Programs too are MUCH smaller than those for the Pocket PC, with the result being that even though the Palm has much less on-board memory, it also needs much less. An example is the game Missile Command, which takes up a whopping 14k of memory on my WorkPad, but requires over a megabite on a PC, and 386k on my Pocket PC. Sure, the PocketPC version is color, but still, 386k vs. 14k is a VERY significant difference.

With platform differences explained, lets move to the WorkPad C3 itself, or the Palm Vx, which as said above is IDENTICAL in every way except coloring. The C3 has 8MB of ram, which for a Palm, is A LOT! I have tons of software on my WorkPad and still have more than half of hte memory free, and that includes Documents to Go with all of my school notes, a keyboard driver, email and web browser, and 11 games.

Wait a minute, did you say email and web browser? You bet. The Palms (except for the new Tungsten T) use the same family of processor as the original Apple Macintosh, and in the case of the Workpad, which runs at 20MHz, is MORE powerful. I have keyboard and modem accessories that clip to the serial port and essentially enable this tiny 4oz device to do everything I used to do on my old PowerBook, with the exception of saving files to floppy disk (try beaming on a non-IR PowerBook though).

The C3 is gorgeous, with an aluminum casing painted IBM black, and a sharp, high-contrast screen that Pen Computing magazine described as "Liquid Ink". Day or night, it is very clear and easy to read. The only difficulty I've had is in twilight conditions, when it is too dark for no backlight, and not dark enough for the backlight to overcome the ambient light. Even then, tilting the display a bit usually makes it legible.

I'm not sure what else to say about the C3, other than I wish it had USB instead of serial sync and interface. This is an old complaint about a unit that has been replaced by a new, USB-equipped model. Because Palm (and IBM under license) remedied this one shortcoming, it really isn't fair to list that as a problem on this unit. Even wihtout USB, the C3 syncs quickly enough to my laptop over infrared, which is very convenient as no cable or cradle is necessary.

One thing that I love as an old Palm III user is the rechargeable battery. I've always carried an extra set of AAAs around, and since I play games, my batteries tend to run down quickly, but the Vx/C3 recharges very fast, and runs about as long as my III did on its AAAs. This not only saves the hassle of opening it up and swapping batteries, but will save money as well.

In conclusion, the WorkPad C3 (or Palm Vx) makes an excellent PDA, even in face of more modern competition. I bought mine on eBay "Brand New" for under $100 (I paid $89), and for that I got a MUCH better PDA than the new Palm Zire, or, in my opinion, ANY PocketPC. Sure the newer m500 is a better monochrome PDA, but at $199 street, it should be. The C3/Vx is also MUCH cheaper to option, with new keyboards, modems and other accessories on eBay for a fraction of their original prices, and remember, you can buy Pam V, Vx or WorkPad C3 accessories, they are all the same except for the markings. My brand new Palm folding keyboard was $12, new IBM WorkPad modem was $10, and the Palm Aluminum case was $7.50, making my total $118.50 for the C3, keyboard, modem and hard case - everything brand-new, in the box.