Manufacturer: Casio Model#: EM-500SlateBl Weight: .49lbs Height: .75"     Width: 3.25" Length: 5" Average Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars	Retail Price: $399.99 Online Sale Price:
Features: Color screen with 240 x 320 display in 65,536 colors Includes Microsoft Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, Pocket Money, and Pocket Internet Explorer 16 MB of internal RAM, expands up to additional 64 MB with optional MultiMediaCards Play MP3 audio files with built-in speaker What's in the box: Cassiopeia EM-500, Stylus, USB Cradle, AC Adapter, Lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack, CR2032 lithium battery, Connector cable, Pocket PC User's Guide, Hardware Guide

User Submitted Casio Cassiopeia EM-500 Color Pocket PC (Slate Blue) Reviews (cont...)

It's hard to compare this with a Palm Pilot, because they're so fundementally different, but that is exactly what the target is. I have a Palm IIIxe, which may not be the top-of-the-line Palm, but is functional, and use this as a comparison to the Cassiopeia EM-500.

Cost: the Palm IIIxe is half the price of the Cassiopeia, but if you compare the Palm IIIc, then the price range narrows where it's no longer an arguement.

Size: the size is similar enough that any arguement of which is smaller/bigger is a lot of hot-air. The Cassiopeia is substationally heavier than the Palm.

Processor: people make a big fuss over processor speed. The Cassiopeia has a 150MHz MIPS processor. The Palm has an unknown speed 68k-based processor.

Screen: The screen is bigger than a Palm, and needless to say, it's color. It's very sharp and easy to read.

Sound: The Palm has no functional sound to speak of. It's capable of emitting beeps reminiscint of the Apple II.

Battery: The Palm here wins flatout. Lifetime on the Palm far exceeds the Cassiopeia. The Palm uses AAA batteries, and the Cassiopeia uses rechargable batteries.

Memory: The Palm again wins here. The IIIxe has 8mb of RAM, and the operating system is extremely efficent with memory allocation. The Cassiopeia has 16mb, and I've already started to run out of memory. I have a full KJV Bible installed on my Palm, as well as several other apps, and still have over 5mb of free memory. I installed a single 7mb MP3 on the Cassiopeia, and have no room left. Memory management for the Cassiopeia is bizzare - you select, via a slider, how much memory to allocate to storages vs. programs. I

Expansion: The only Palm-type product to offer reasonable expansion is the Handspring Visor. The Cassiopeia EM-500 does not use Compact Flash cards, but rather something called "MMC". The CF-style handhelds offer a wider range of expansion - such as modems, network cards, physical drives, and so forth. The MMC seems to limit me to multimedia storage expansion only.

Syncronization: Microsoft's ActiveSync is much better than HotSync. When you plug the Cassiopeia into the sync cable, the machine stays synced during the entire process. Also, the interface is nicer. If you want to install files/programs, you use an already familiar Explorer-like window to drag items into and out of the Cassiopeia. Updates occur async, so you can continue to use the Cassiopeia while syncs are happening.

Operating System: The Palm wins here. PocketPC Windows is very confusing, and the screen is incredibly cluttered. I would like if there were alternative OS's available for PocketPC, such as NetBSD.

Handwriting: this is hard to compare. Both products offer handwriting recognition systems, and also offer on-screen "soft" keyboards. The Cassiopeia was sometimes too fast to recognize my characters before I was done with them. I like the ability to see the on-screen results of my handwriting on the Cassiopeia. You can add several hacks to the Palm to do simiar, but it's not a base feature.

Third-party software: forget about it. The Palm has an enormous base of software applications.

Applications: The apps are similar across platforms, but I find the Palm versions of the apps easier to use. Everything is readily available at the touch of a single button. You may need to wrangle a few menus on the Cassiopeia to find what you really want.

Bottom line: this is a fine computer product. If you're interested in a personal organizer, I would stay towards the Palm Pilot. If you're interested in an alternative to laptops, with all the bells and whistles, the Cassiopeia is a good choice.

Date: 2000-12-12
Why Casio and not HP, IPAQ or Palms
Well, being a old time Palm user (from Palm 2 to Palm Vx, I have finally turned to PocketPC after living with the rather premitive PalmOS and it's applications.

First of all, to buy a Palm Pilot, you will actually get a very useless PDA. If you add all the usefull apps such as DocumentTOGO, T9 and then colour, you might as well buy any Pocket PCs.

Size : Some hardcore will argue that PocketPC is so thick. Think again, once you add the casing to PALMVx (which I believe all PalmVx users must have), it will be very thick anyhow.

Colour : Well, IIIc really sucks with very small screen.

Voice Recording : I find we can't live without it. Try writing down note while driving with any Palm and you will know what I am talking about.

Limited Memory : EM500 now comes with extra 28Mb FOC. Don't you worry no more. HP and IPaq comes with limited colour. Why do you need colour? Because you want realistic pictures,and not colour buttons.

Browsing : The Mobile Explorer with any handphone with IrDA can be a very handy feature. Personally, I use a Nokia 8210. Weekdays, I will bring them both and weekend I will leave the organizer at home and bring only the small 8210.

The Bad Points : It's actually more from Microsoft. PocketPC is still as confusing as the the desktop Windows. Too many folders etc etc. Users need to know where to move the files etc etc unlike PalmOS. The ActiveSyn 3.1 is also harder to use than the HotSyn from PalmOS. And Casio comes with a pouch rather than a folder type casing. Which organiser comes with a porch? IPAQ also comes with a pouch. I wonder why don't they think?

Conclusion : I would rather learn the harder to understand OS than to limit myself with functionality. I will also spend and replace the pouch. And I am very sure Microsoft will improve dfurther. The hard core PalmOS users will sooner or later realize PalmOS will be replaced. Have you seen Franklin PDAs. Same price with additional features. Palm will be falling into deep trouble real fast if they don't come out with new versions.

Those who refuse to admit will be like OS/2, Word Perfect, 123....being replaced by Windows, Word and Excel. Sadly, I see the path clearly for Palm.

Date: 2000-11-30
Top of the Holiday List=Casio EM-500
What do I think of my Casio EM500? The best single purchase I have made in a LONG time. The speed is fantastic and compared to an Ipaq - I don't see the difference. I do see a difference in display - the EM500 wins hands down!

I have stored a lot of music and documents on my EM500 and it works great if you're concerned about processor speed. For those music lovers - this is an incredible machine with INCREDIBLE sound. For you productive types like me - this gets the job done - fast - and it's enjoyable to work with too.

And I don't want to forget about the movie player - WOW! I showed my fellow employee's mpeg movies that the EM500 can play - and they were blown away! Don't believe me? Then download some Mpeg's into this machine and see for yourself.

Oh, and for you gamers.... this baby rocks the block - and you can load Mame roms and play the night away. I look at Palm and I recall the days of the old nasty green Nintendo's - YUCK! Color is where it is at!

If I had a PDA on my Holiday list - this is the one I would want someone to buy me! Too late though, I had to have one asap!

Date: 2000-10-23
Cassiopeia -125
I am really pleased with the way the Casio works, the memories, the screen colors etc- i had a palm before and took it back=- I was really disappointed in it- to me the Casio is quick, colorful, and has tons of capabilities- hats off to Casio