Palm m125 - Entry Level Palm With a Lot of Bang for the Buck

About 18 months ago, I bought my first PDA, and I did not skimp either. I bought the most powerful Compaq iPaq on the market at the time. It had a beautifully backlit color screen, played mp3s, and was a gadget-lover’s dream. The only problem was, I never used it. In fact, I now have to send it back to Compaq to have the battery replaced because I let it sit neglected in my desk drawer so long that it no longer holds a charge.

If my iPaq was so wonderful, why didn’t I use it? I think two factors played a major factor – size and price. My iPaq was simply too large and bulky to comfortably fit in my pants pocket – especially when it was fitted with the compact flash expansion sleeve. In addition, I worried obsessively about scratching or dropping it because I paid over $600 for the unit and its accessories. I am a klutz, and the thought of breaking my iPaq was unbearable. Thus, it stayed at home where it was safe.

The thing is, I really need a PDA. After a bit of research, I settled on a Palm m125. I bought mine at Best Buy for $160 because the box had been opened. I carry it everywhere, and I use it daily. Thus, although my iPaq is a much nicer PDA, the Palm m125 has given me much more bang for my buck.

I chose the m125 for two primary reasons. First, the price was right. I was interested in the Palm platform, but I already have a fancy PDA and could not justify spending a ton of money on another one since my iPaq was wasting away in my desk drawer. Second, I wanted a device that offered memory expansion. The m125 has an expansion slot that allows me to add memory cards as needed. Luckily, I have discovered the m125 has other features that make it worth every cent that I paid.

What I Like About my Palm m125
In my opinion, the Palm m125 is the perfect size PDA for me. It fits nicely in my hand, and weighs very little. Some Palm devices have larger screens; however, I have found the size of the m125 is more than adequate for my needs. This little PDA drops easily into my pants or coat pocket, and does not weigh me down. In contrast, my iPaq seems huge and bulky.

I also love the built-in flip cover that my m125 came with. I was always worried about scratching my iPaq’s screen, and could never find a case that I really liked for it. The flip cover on my Palm makes me feel comfortable carrying it in my pocket without a case on occasion. Palm also makes removable face-plates for the m125; however, I am happy with the basic black and have no desire to jazz my PDA up with a flashy new color.

As I stated before, one of the main reasons I chose the m125 is that it has an expansion slot that accepts secure digital flash memory cards. Expansion cards effectively give me unlimited storage for documents and programs on my palm. Not all applications can use the new expansion cards yet, but many can. In addition, users can buy expansion cards already filled with software or e-books. However, I was rather disappointed with the game card that I purchased. One game was the full version, but the rest were unregistered shareware.

I am also happy with the fact that a huge assortment of free applications are available online for my m125. From my experience, there is more software available for the Palm platform than for the Pocket PC operating system that my iPaq uses.

Finally, I love the fact that this unit uses triple-A batteries and not a rechargeable battery. I like being able to carry a spare set along in the case, and never having to worry about charging my unit. This device will never have to be sent in for repair if I don’t use it for a few months. (OK. To be fair, I should have flipped a switch on the iPaq before I stored it away, and then the battery would be fine now. But I still prefer using regular batteries in my PDA.)

Overall, I am quite satisfied with my new PDA, but there are a few things that I do not like about it.

What I Do Not Like About my Palm m125
Compared to my iPaq, the backlight on my m125 is useless. I am able to easily read my iPaq screen in sunlight, normal room lighting, or even with the lights out. However, my m125 has a very dim reverse backlight that really does not illuminate much of anything. A customization can be downloaded that un-reverses the backlight, but it does not offer much improvement where brightness is concerned.

My other primary gripe about the m125 is that I am unable to find certain accessories for it. Combination keyboard/cases are available for the m500, but not the m125. Although the m125 sports Palm’s universal connector, the shape of the m125 unit’s bottom is curved, and the m500 and m505 are flat. Thus, accessories that require a snug fit (like the keyboard/case that I want) won’t work unless they are made specifically for the m125, and most companies are only making m500 series accessories. Some accessories, such as the palm modem or the targus stowaway keyboard will work for both the m125 and the m500 series. However, don’t assume that the universal connector means everything will work. In addition, stylus replacements are nowhere to be found locally. I have to order them online and pay shipping and handling because the m100 series and m500 series stylus replacements are shaped slightly differently than the m125’s.

One final down side of the m125 is that it has no upgradeable flash ROM. Thus, I am unable to upgrade the operating system as new releases come out. However, honestly, I am not overly concerned about this fact. If a radically new and cool operating system comes out that I just can’t do without, I will buy a new palm and pass this one down to my kids.

What Other People Don’t Like About the m125
While hunting for palm software and accessories, I stumbled into a few palm message forums, and noticed that users have two primary complaints about the m125: battery life and screen defects.

Many users report that their m125’s drained batteries extremely fast. In fact, a single synchronization operation was using 40% of their battery power. They exchanged their devices, but some people had this trouble with more than one unit. I have not noticed this problem with my m125. I have been using it for about a month, and my batteries are now 50% charged. I anticipate having to replace them next month. I have been using my PDA rather heavily, and so have my kids.

The other problem that some users report is that their screens developed defects that made the unit not recognize graffiti strokes. These users also claimed that they replaced the unit but the new units had the same problem. Once again, I have not had noticed any problems with my own unit.

Is the m125 Right for You?
The m125 is a great choice for a first PDA. It is reasonably priced, expandable, and easy to use. It is lightweight, and convenient. If you are just dipping your toes in the PDA market, and are not sure if a palm device is right for you, or if you are buying a handheld for a student, I do not think you can do much better than this.

On the other hand, if you are a power user, I suspect the m125 is not the device for you. It is at the low end of the palm line, and is designed for users on a budget. Thus, it simply doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of some of the more expensive palm units.

In general, I am happy with my palm m125. I use it much more than my fancier iPaq, and believe that I am definitely getting my money’s worth from this device.