Out-of-Box Style and Connectivity In Palm's m105

By Laura Michalski

(03/21/01, 05:10:27 PM EDT)

The Palm m105 PDA--an extension of the Palm m100 with Internet connection software, and extra memory for additional data and applications --is here.

The Palm m105 has the 8MB of memory, four times the memory of the m100. The m105 handheld also ships with a removable faceplate and 14 faceplates colors to choose from. In addition, the connectivity software is included, so customers can easily use a compatible mobile phone to access the Internet and check email.

In fact, the Palm m105 offers several options for connectivity. One option is the Palm Mobile Internet Kit software, which allows customers to connect wirelessly to the Internet, email, and instant-messaging features via a compatible mobile phone or modem. In addition, web-clipping technology enables Palm m105 handheld users to access web content in a format tailored for fast, comfortable handheld viewing. More than 550 web-clipping applications can be downloaded for free at the Palm.Net website.

For email, the kit includes Palm MultiMail software (POP3, IMAP4), providing access to personal Internet email, such as Earthlink and AT&T Worldnet. The kit also includes the Short Messaging Service (SMS) protocol, which lets users send and receive messages to pagers and cellular phones using a data-enabled mobile phone.

In addition to the Mobile Internet Kit, the Palm m105 handheld includes AOL for Palm OS, which gives Palm m105 handheld users and AOL members access to AOL Mail, AOL Instant Messenger, and personalized Buddy Lists. The Palm m105 handheld also comes with Palm HotSync Mail, which enables users to read and reply to desktop email offline while on the go.

Users can also purchase add-on hardware accessories for the Palm m105 handheld. The Palm m105, which features Palm OS 3.5, is available now in the United States for an estimated price of $199, with expected worldwide availability beginning in mid-March. Outside the United States, users can choose from six languages -- English, French, Italian, Spanish, German and Japanese.