Sony CLIÉ PEG-T625C review

The CLI PEG-T625C is a far cry from the mono devices that brought Palm PDAs to pre-eminence. There's a high-resolution colour screen, a sleek silver design, expandability via the Memory Stick slot and a software bundle that places an emphasis on digital photography.

Many of the CLI's advanced features stem from the bright 16-bit screen, which boasts a 320 x 320 pixel resolution rather than Palm's usual 160 x 160 affair. There isn't a huge range of apps that can take advantage of this yet, but Sony's own bundled products are the exception to the rule - and the extra pixels certainly help them look good.

You can also take photos on your Sony digital camera and plug the Memory Stick straight into the CLI, but the image shown on Sony's Photostand is reduced in resolution and highly compressed. For better results, you need to use the desktop version of PictureGear, but then you have to load your photos onto the computer, compress them to 320 x 320 (or 640 x 640 maximum) before HotSyncing them to the CLI.

This emphasis on compression stems from having just 16Mb of RAM to play with. Of course, you can use the Memory Stick for additional memory, but don't be fooled into thinking the CLI can be used as an MP3 player; the speaker is basic, and there are no earphone plugs. This is the biggest difference between the T625C and the N770C (see Labs, issue 87, p94), not to mention all those Pocket PC devices.

But the PEG-T625C does hold one major advantage over units like the Toshiba e570 (see Labs, issue 87, p94): its size. The CLI is small enough to fit comfortably into a trouser pocket, and at 168g it won't weigh you down either.

This is also a very stylish device. The understated silver finish will look just as good in a year's time as it does on the first day. Thanks to its slim width, it also sits easily in the hand, while the Jog Dial on the left side of the unit offers a useful alternative way to scroll down documents and activate programs.

Another feature Sony is at pains to promote is the remote-control facility. Using the infrared port at the top of the unit and Sony's own software, the PEG-T625C can be used to control your TV, VCR and DVD player. All the usual makes are there, and it worked with all but one of the devices we tried it with - note that any Palm with an infrared port can be used for this if you download the software, though.

However, if you do start using all these features, you'll soon notice the battery running out. Three hours of use is the rule-of-thumb limit, so you won't be able to use it heavily over a weekend without recharging, and you can't do that without the docking station. Sony does include a backup program, but this backs up everything, so you'll need a 16Mb Memory Stick.

Despite these niggles, and the lack of audio, we like the CLI PEG-T625C - albeit not enough to recommend it over the A-Listed Toshiba e570. If your priority is good looks and sleekness rather than music playback, the PEG-T625C's low price, nice screen and gorgeous design make it an attractive buy.

Author: Tim Danton