With the EM-500 model, Casio has worked to improve an already popular and efficient design. While maintaining the high-quality visuals, easy to navigate application buttons, and impressive software package, they also managed to slim the Cassiopeia down, add a new MMC (MultiMediaCard) memory system, speed the whole thing up, and make it available in 5 bright colors--red, blue, sky blue, green, and yellow. This PDA is being touted as the multimedia tool for the younger PDA generation.

The new EM-500 is a mobile multimedia tool with a faster processor, 150 MHz, to be exact. It has been designed and engineered to take advantage of the new and emerging digital content that is available on the Internet with its Mobile Video Player, Mobile Video Converter, Mobile Video Picture viewer, and Packet Video software. In addition, the Cassiopeia EM-500 is the first Pocket PC to incorporate the MMC memory system that features postage stamp-sized memory cards with 8, 32, or 64 MB of extra storage. Eventually, the MMC slot will support other peripherals as well.

Although the new Cassiopeia is thinner, lighter, more rounded, and more colorful, it continues to sport many of the same physical features that its predecessors bear, including 2 LEDs at the top to signify that the device is charging, or that an alarm has gone off, a vivid colorful screen that unfortunately, is not visible in direct sunlight, and a joypad and 3 application buttons below the screen for one handed navigation. It also possesses similar hardware with its IrDA port, USB port and sync cable, Lithium-ion rechargeable battery, stereo headphone jack, and voice recorder. But the cradle is no longer shipped as standard equipment; it now has to be ordered separately like the modem.

Software-wise this Casio comes with the same impressive bundle as its predecessors. It's loaded with the full Pocket Microsoft Suite: Word, Excel, Outlook 2000, Voice Recorder, Calculator, File Explorer, Internet Explorer, AvantGo, Reader, Windows Media Player, Expedia Streets, and Transcriber (handwriting recognition). In addition Casio loaded its own Mobile Calendar, Mobile Address Book, Mobile Emailer, Casio Menu, Palm Data Converter and the afore mentioned video packages.

Pricing and Availability

The Casio Cassiopeia EM-500 is currently available from Casio at a price of $399.99.

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