Is the Palm OS Dying? Should You Care?

Windows Mobile devices offer a similar variety of included software, but I find the Palm OS versions easier to use.

The iPhone currently lacks a camcorder, voice memo, document editing, and other capabilities. BlackBerrys don't include document editing software, though a few third-party options are available, and enterprise models don't have built-in camera or camcorder functions.

More than 30,000 third-party Palm OS applications are available, according to Palm. It will take the upstart iPhone a while to beat that. Admittedly, some Palm OS apps are junk. But you're bound to find goodies by cruising through sites likePCW DownloadsorHandango.

My Treo 755p's keyboard keys are nicely spaced, for a smart phone. They're firm but not too stiff, and I rarely hit the wrong key. The Palm Centro's keys are smaller and closer together, however, and aren't as easy to type on as the Treo 755p.

By comparison, I find the iPhone/iPod Touch software-only keyboard frustrating to use. Others I've talked to have expressed wildly diverging iPhone keyboard experiences. One friend says he's able to easily touch type on his iPhone's keyboard using two thumbs. Another says that because of its keyboard, he uses his iPhone primarily for viewing and rarely for input.

That said, Treos and Centros lack some features other smart phones offer.

Current Palm models lack built-in Wi-Fi, though Palm CEO Ed Colligan said last year it would be added to future Palm devices.

Given how clueless GPS-based driving directions can be, I don't see this as a terrible loss. Also, Google Maps came preinstalled on my Treo, and it has often served me in a pinch.

Surfing the Web on my Treo is painful, even using Sprint's fast EVDO network. If a meaningful mobile Web experience is crucial, your best smart phone choice currently is the iPhone.

I'd love to see a sleek new Palm OS handset that combines a large touch screen with the usual sturdy Palm keyboard.

In my opinion, Palm's smart phones still offer a strong mix of features, software, ease of use, and affordability.

People looking to buy their first smart phone or to replace their aging Treo or Windows Mobile Smartphone, might consider thePalm Centro. At $99 (with a two-year AT&T or Sprint contract), it's one of the best values in smart phones today. We gave the phone a PCW rating of 82 (very good).

If it's excitement you crave, however, a Palm smart phone is definitely not for you.

Dash Navigation's $400 Dash Express is an innovative portable GPS device that connects to the Internet. The two-way communications via built-in GSM cellular and unencrypted Wi-Fi networks adds a lot of value to the GPS experience,says our reviewerYardena Arar, who gave the Dash a PCW rating of 90 (superior). You can read excerpts from other reviews at my blog,Traveler 2.0.

TheiPhone rumor millis grinding away in anticipation of a second-gen iPhone announcement, probably in June. Among the rumors: the next iPhone will support AT&T's 3G network (this one seems like a slam-dunk), sport a slimmer chassis similar to the current iPod Touch, and feature a 5-megapixel camera.

Need a way to chat hands free on your cell phone? Aliph's Jawbone (love the name) recently landed on the number-one spot in our recentroundup of Bluetooth headsets. Jawbone got the thumbs up for its superior comfort, above-average audio quality (it sounds good even in crowds), and good looks. Recent prices started at$70 online.

Contributing Editor James A. Martin offers tools, tips, and product recommendations to help you make the most of computing on the go. Martin is also author of theTraveler 2.0blog.Sign upto have the Mobile Computing Newsletter e-mailed to you each week.

Is there a particularly cool mobile computing product or service I've missed? Got a spare story idea in your back pocket?Tell me about it. However, I regret that I'm unable to respond to tech-support questions, due to the volume of e-mail I receive.