Palm Zire 71 review

If you ask Palm, the difference between its Zire and Tungsten range is clear cut: the Zire is for consumers, the Tungsten is for professionals. But life isn't that simple, with the Zire 71 facing competition from the newly launched Tungsten E and Sony's PEG-SJ33.

What separates the Zire 71 from both these devices is its integrated digital camera. This is generally protected from the elements by the Zire's backplate, but slide this down and the lens comes into view. However, don't expect high-quality images: the lens is inevitably tiny, and the CCD is capable of only 640 x 480 resolution photos.

Still, it's a neat solution if you want to 'capture the moment', especially as the software can automatically place the photos in a folder when you HotSync. Palm also includes RealOne MP3 player software, with a 3.5mm jack available for plugging in earphones. None are provided as standard, but Palm is running a 'Perfect Mix' promotion from 17 November to 4 January, which includes a 64MB SD card, a card reader and headphones for the same price.

Quite apart from its entertainment aspirations, this is a good PDA. It includes a docking cradle (unlike so many budget organisers), it's reasonably light, the battery lasts for about four hours under general use, and it benefits from a good screen. True, this struggles a little with skin tones, but we appreciate the bright backlighting and 320 x 320 resolution.

Before you buy, though, consider carefully whether you need that digital camera. If not, the Sony PEG-SJ33 makes a great music-playing alternative, while the Tungsten E offers tighter synchronisation with Outlook at a lower price.