Sony Clie PEG-TH55

One criticism though, is i'm waiting for someone to come up with a way to use the machine in landscape mode (480 x 320) instead of the normal portrait mode for using in web-browsing etc, which would make this even better.


Known issues with the TH-55 not a problem.   July 12, 2004
Jay R (Windsor, England.)
11 out of 11 found this review helpful

I have had mine now for a few months. To pick up on the points that online reviews have already mentioned. The stylus is small but you get used to it as you do with the rear jog wheel, flip cover and buttons along the lower edge. Don't let that put you off buying. The speed is fine. So what if it takes an extra eighth of a second to open a program. You can switch the user interface back to standard palm if you don't like either of the two additional Sony ones. There are sites where you can download the movie record app so don't worry about not having this as standard. The power button is fiddly but you can get free programs to re-map the capture button to turn it on and off when the lens shutter is closed. You don't get a remote for the MP3 player function but the it fits nicely in a shirt pocket and you can use the hard buttons on the case to control track selection, play, stop and volume. The camera is low quality but if you want this PDA I guess you already have a proper digital camera. The free copy of Doc's To Go only comes with the American version. The battery life is superb and I really mean that. Perhaps 3x more than my NX70V. The size is smaller than most. The screen is the best I have seen and part of the processor is dedicated to multimedia so music and graphics are great. I am well chuffed with it and would recommend to anyone.


If you were a Psion 5 user... think about it. Seriously.   May 28, 2005
ET
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

It took me months to decide on the handheld I wanted. I'd played with PocketPCs and knew that I wasn't happy with the wifi performance or a number of other things about the OS, so I was fairly sure that it was either Linux (Sharp Zaurus) or a Palm device. Looking around, I found that the battery life on the Clie TH55 was by far the best available. On top of that, it included everything I wanted: wifi, camera, and a decent software base for improvement.

So I bought one from Amazon UK (marketplace seller) and tested it out for a few months.

What do I think now? Well, it's been endlessly useful. Software exists to support just about anything I could want to do. Sshing into a server? No problem. FTP? Easy enough. The email client is more than sufficient, and the web browser is surprisingly effective for a system that really shouldn't be able to do half of what it does. I've found that the Japanese habit of carrying such a device around on a lanyard has a lot more sense behind it than I ever imagined, especially for those of us who really do commute, travel, or get bored in meetings!

That said, I'll be looking at the UX-50 for the convenient keyboard, just as soon as I find one available at a second-hand price. If the TH55 suffers from anything, it's low compatibility with the various Palm expansion options such as keyboards and so forth - but it's such a complete platform in and of itself that you won't be needing most of those gadgets anyway.


better than the ux50   March 24, 2004
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

I may be biased as I am a fan of Clie, however I am very impressed with this unit as a replacement for my 675c.

It is heavier and bulkier than the 675 without the sleek silver finish, however the features included such as WiFI and bluetooth more than make up for its drab looks.

The screen is clear and bright in most conditions, the battery life is excellent I have not charged it for three days, done a bit of browsing (using the slow but effective browser included) over my wireless lan and used it for a few hours for ebooks, appointments etc and the battery is still at 82%.

The camera is useful to snap whiteboards etc but with no flash has distinct limitations.

I am glad to see that Sony have not placed a keyboard on it as it seems pointless, Graffiti 2 is a bit awkward at first if you are used to Graffiti, (especially the letter t) but after an hour this is soon overcome.

The position of sliders on the side for camera,sound recorderand power are a bit cludgy to use single handed and the change of the jog dial to the back of the could be a bit strange to other sony users but after a while its no problem.
In summary a nice unit with good business connectivity features, crisp clear screen, Audio player is good and the browser though slow allows a reasonable level mof access (I can still buy wine on line). What I would like to see is a browser that supports OWA.


Excellent choice of First Time PDA user!!!   March 18, 2004
yoyocham
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

I bought the TH55 because I needed (er, maybe just wanted) a PDA with a nice, big screen, great battery life, modest multimedia functionality, and wireless networking capabilities. With that said, the TH55 has exceeded my expectations. The battery life is above and beyond what I could have expected, especially considering it's an OS5, multimedia-capable, ARM-powered handheld with a big screen. The TH55 has served my needs beautifully, but I realize that it may not suit the needs of all users. The slower processor and minimalist button arrangement will be a major turnoff for some users. Also, a few people might not find the jog dial and navigation button setup as ergonomically friendly as I have. The TH55 offers an excellent balance of features for its price.