Sony Clie T615 Review
Well, I know it's a little weird to review such an old device but the thing is still a good PDA. Older devices deserve more recognition. Sorry I couldn't get good pictures of it... ITS TOO SHINY!
Specs
Borrowed from The Gadgeter
Processor: Motorola Dragonball VZ 33mhz
Operating System: Palm OS software version v.4.1
Memory: 16MB (DRAM), 4MB (Flash)
Display: TFT color LCD with backlight 320 x 320 pixels, 16 bit color (65,000 colors)
Interface: USB (cradle), Infrared
Dimensions and Weight: 4.65 (H) x 2.83 (W) x 0.50 (D) inches, 4.9 oz. (including stylus)
Power: AC Power Adapter (supplied) Output DC5.2V, Input AC100V – 240V
Battery: Lithium-ion polymer rechargeable battery (internal)
Casing
Front
Lets start off with the part of the device most people will end up seeing. This side contains the screen of all things. At the top is a engraved Sony logo. The screen is in the middle with the input panel under it. Under this are the buttons. Under that we have the raised Clie logo. Next to that is the power button. The charge LED is under the buttons, not on the power button.
Back
The back side is the bare side as with most devices. It contains the standard labels and such. There are the clips for the flip cover at the top. The reset button is on the back. It needs a paper clip to reset. There is a peg for the cradle towards the bottom.
Bottom
The bottom is very bland as are the bottoms of most devices. This contains the sync connector. Standard Clie connector here.
Left Side
This side contains the lanyard loop attachment. This is for the hand strap but it is possible to use any standard straps. Under this is the Jog dial. This is a continuous rolling scroll wheel. Think of it like the scroll wheel on your computer mouse. Under this is the back button.
Right Side
The right side is totally bare and only contains the stylus slot. Not much to say here really. I will describe the stylus later.
Top
This side contains the Infrared port. This will be described more later. Next to this is a small LED for memory stick access, and the memory stick slot.
Buttons
Application
These are the 4 buttons that will open applications. By default, they are assigned to Date Book, Address Book, To Do, and Memo pad. These are not the best buttons so do not expect to play games that need a lot of button usage. This also where the up and down rocker is. This is a very horrible button in my opinion. Its pretty hard to use becuase of the small size.
Jog Dial and Back
The T615 has a "Jog Dial" on the left hand side. So you can see that this is for right handed people. This is for use with your thumb. The wheel has a series of ridges to give grip. There is no stop and keeps scrolling like the scroll wheel on your mouse. The dial also can be pressed in to serve as an select button.
The back button serves a few functions. It can return to the home screen, go to the previous screen, or pop up a menu or cursor to select stuff. It can also be set to be a power button, in case you would rather use it for that.
Power button
The power button is in the corner of this device. The button is also used to switch off the back light when held in. Standard Palm power button here.
The Inside
The Processor
The Clie T615 contains a 33MHZ Motorola Dragonball VZ. This processor is enough for most usage but some applications may run slow. The processor is not ARM so it will not be able to run OS5 only applications.
Screen
The screen is a very nice 320 by 320 "High Resolution" 65k color screen. The main software is not exactly supportive of the higher resolution but most will display right. Some of the colors are a little discolored, mainly red.
Memory Expansion
The Clie contains a memory stick slot that can only work with cards up to 128MB. This is not a memory stick pro slot so newer cards will not work. Sorry!
Software
This Clie runs Palm OS 4.1. This means that some of the newer applications will not work. The system comes with all the standard PIM or Personal Information Management applications. There is also some software to view pictures or play converted movies but the Clie does not have a headphone jack not a speaker cable to decent sound quality.
Cool Extra Features
Vibration
This handheld includes a silent vibration alarm. The alarm is weak though so it may be be felt and using it in a case will be impossible.
Infrared
This handheld comes with the stronger infrared. This means that you can use it as a remote for your television. This is a neat solution. The included software is very limited but you can find better software online that can learn from other remotes
Cradle Included
This mode comes with a cradle, something rare with PDAs today. The cradle attaches with the sync port on the bottom and is USB. The cradle has a spot to plug in your charger. There is also a button for a hotsync.
Battery Llife
As usual, I cannot comment here since I have an old unit that has a battery that is not new. Sorry!
Stylus
This thing is often called the metal toothpick. Its usable but its not very comfortable to use. But hey, thats why they sell full sized pens that contain a stylus!
Pros
+ Small size, only half an inch thick!
+ Jog Dial makes one handed use easy
+ Comfortable to hold due to aluminum case and light weight
Cons
- Vibrate is very weak
- Can be a little slow at times
- Small stylus
Mixed Feelings
* Still a good device despite its age
* Aluminum case makes it hard to get a good picture of the device.
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