Sony CLI PEG-NX73V

This makes buying a Memory Stick almost obligatory, which you might feel resistant to after paying £332 for the NX73V itself. Then again, if you use all the features, the CLI is arguably worth it. What's more, the bundle boasts a huge number of programs, including several audio- and photo-related apps, plus the NetFront 3 web browser and a world clock.

Unlike the Palm Tungsten T2, though, the CLI doesn't include Documents To Go, and it also falls behind its rival when it comes to ease of use. Although there are occasions when the jog dial comes in handy, such as zooming in on photos, the CLI Launcher is less intuitive than Palm's simple clicking on apps design, as it forces you to cycle through the multitude of programs pre-installed. We found it easier to revert to Palm's system.

Sony hasn't made much of an effort to make Bluetooth setup easy either. For instance, where new Palm devices have an easy Wizard to connect to a mobile phone, most people will need to refer to Sony's guide to set up a partnership. We're not too fond of the blue light that flashes on and off when Bluetooth is activated either - it's too flash in every way.

But at least Bluetooth doesn't have a hugely detrimental effect on battery life: with Bluetooth activated when we needed it and the backlight set to medium, the CLI lasted for five hours over the course of ten days. The only problem is that the battery isn't user-removable.

There's no denying that the NX73V has its faults - we're not the biggest fans of the telescopic stylus, for instance - but if you're a power PDA user who likes to have a digital camera handy at all times you won't regret buying the NX73V. It's undeniably an excellent, well-designed machine that will reward anyone who learns to use it to its full potential.

Author: Tim Danton