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Originally Posted by sUnShInE
Here's some general thoughts on how I'm liking my new toy.
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I was sent/given a Tungsten T3 new, shipped from Amazon a few months back, and at first, I was impressed with it.. and then, the problems started.
The slider is completely flawed. After about the first week of moderate use, the slider would just "drop out" when I picked it up. I had to open the T3 and make some "modifications" inside just so it would click open and click shut tightly. Anywhere in-between those two points, its just a loose wiggling gadget of metal. Poor design.
My Tungsten T2, on the other hand, is ROCK SOLID in the slider. Not a single millimeter of play, and it takes a GOOD tug to open it and slide it all the way open. With my T3, I can open it slightly, and it will just "drop" all the way open.
Since this affects 100% of the T3 devices out there, yours will soon follow. I haven't yet read of a testimonial or report where the slider did NOT get loose and act this way.
Battery life on the T3 is absolutely disgusting also. It gets about 20% of the battery life my T2 gets, under the same usage and same charge rates. Pitiful. Don't plan on being away from your charging cradle for more than a day, if you use your Palm a lot. I don't even have a single game installed on any of my PDAs, its all business use and reading/writing technical documents.
The other thing you mentioned was your desire to get a Wi-Fi card for it. I highly recommend this. I was sent a Wi-Fi card from a community member to help test pilot-link with (and complete the wireless HOWTO I was writing), and I have to say, I like it. I can sync, check mail, and surf some quick websites without having to be near my laptop or desktop machines or a cradle. I can also sync to Plucker live over wireless, which works great.
Now the problems with it: I can only use it on my T3 device. It doesn't work, and drivers are not available, on my Tungsten T2 device, where I'd really prefer it to be.
Also, if you're using your Wi-Fi card on a T3 (assuming the palmOne Wi-Fi card here, which is why I keep spelling "Wi-Fi" this way), make sure your T3 is charged to 100% before you use the card. I found out the hard way, when I was at about 70% charge on my T3, and did a sync + backup to my OSX machine, using MissingSync and SyncBuddy (both of which use pilot-link under the hood). My T3's battery died before it completed the first sync.
It will take your T3 from 100% to 0% in about 10-15 minutes of use, even more if you're doing ACTIVE use, like a backup or sync. Since I have Vindigo and Plucker content delivered to me over the "wire" when I sync, it takes a little time at each full sync.
The wireless drivers are VERY buggy also. When you go to Prefs->Wifi, it will drop your connection, then try to re-associate with the default router you have configured, just by entering the form. You can't just view the prefs for wireless, without having it drop your connection and reassociate. VERY annoying.
I have 3 WAP devices here, in a nested config (internal, external, and external + guest/public), and every time I want to go into Prefs->Wifi to check the network status, I have to reconnect, and get a new IP assigned. Its very blockheaded and brainded on their part to do this.
Overall, I like the device. I like the screen, but I absolutely hate the slider (and all of its flaws) and I hate the battery life. Its paltry and disgusting, for such an expensive "flagship" device.
That being said, I now use my T3 as my "daily" device, with my T2 as a backup. The only issue I have with my T2 is the "screaming" LCD that seems to affect all T2 devices. Whenever it is powered (i.e. when the LCD is being used), it "screams" at me, all the time, like a dog-whistle. Its teeth-grindingly-annoying, but its the only flaw, so I tolerate it.