Features

• 64 MB of RAM
• Two expansion slots: one for CompactFlash and one for Secure Digital/MMC cards
• Microsoft Pocket PC 2002 Software
• 3.5-inch TFT active matrix display with over 64,000 colors
• What's in the box: Cassiopeia E-200, Stylus, USB Cradle, AC Adapter, Li-ion rechargeable replaceable battery, CR-2032 backup battery, Pocket PC User's Guide, Hardware Guide

Reviews (87)

BE -300 - Best PDA of the century
First of all, this PC is for SERIOUS people, who use it for business, organization, school, etc.
This handheld is an excellent device! It is fast and the OS is simple! Whatever you want to do, there it is and when doing stuff, the directions are self-explanatory. Has good programs, but not many additional ones. The website has lots of differnt programs for the Casio BE-300. Most are very cheap, however they can go up to 20 bucks. Most programs are 5-6 bucks. LOTS OF NICE SOFTWARE (solitaire, freecell, word processor, world clock and much more)
Everything about this machine is great! Fast, beautiful screen, light (weight) and it can fit both types of CompactFlash cards! Get Type 1 though, not Type 2! Also, don't listen to the box. In the Hardware Manual, which comes with it, says that both types fit! I have a Type 1, because it is more common.
Yes, this machine CAN PLAY MP3 files! I have 3 of these files on mine. Also when having headphones, the sound is great.
Anyways, great PDA and great price for it! I recommend that you buy this marvelous device!

A Surprisingly Good Unit at a Great Price
I previously owned 2 Casio Pocket planners, and had to get something new after I damaged my last unit. When I surveyed what was out there, I was disappointed to find that the typical Electronic/Appliance and Office Supply stores around town carried mostly Palm devices, with only a miniscule assortment of Treo and Sony models, in addition to a few wildly expensive "Pocket PC" type devices.
Then I found the info on the Casio BE-300.
I was somewhat concerned when I read the mixed nature of the buyer reviews, but decided that I could work with the kind of negatives that were mentioned.
Once I received it (3 wks ago) and started using it, I was very happy I bought it.
--Beautiful color display, great resolution;
--16MB RAM is one of the larger standard memory capacities around
--Using a modified Windows-CE OS (instead of the Palm OS) frees up display space for easier use and beter viewability.
I had only one minor problem synchronizing with Outlook. I followed the bundled PC Connect software instructions, and ran into only one issue - the program wouldn't accept the Mail synchronization settings. I later realized the reason was probably that my business mailbox exceeded 200 MB at the time, and would have crashed the Sync process anyway.
It took me a half hour to get through that problem, and when I went to sync folders, it took just a short while to sync my tasks, Calendar, Contacts, and folders. I guess I'll have to delay setting up e-mail until I can trim my mailbox.
I also synchronized a folder of very complex, large Excel files. I downloaded the PTab program from Casio's website, and can now edit and manipulate large, formula rich business spreadsheets. I was amazed to find that I can work directly with fully functional formula entries on a pocket unit this small.
Speaking "small", the BE-300 is actually a bit smaller than my previous 64k(!) planner.
The only two disadvantages that I can see are the fact that I had to buy it over the net, instead of trying one out "in the flesh"; and I wish the expansion slot had room for a cover that would fit with a flash card in place. (Just concerned that pocket lint could get into the connector area and cause problems.)
I'm looking forward to the future when I can learn and start to use some of the Internet type functions of this unit.
I am tremendously pleased with the unit, and think that anyone who's interested in excellent value for a bargain price should buy from AMAZON and try this unit out.

Slow Recall
I have owned this unit. It's processor was very slow when searching a contact. It took up to 20 seconds. I have always had Casio PDA's, but had to trade this one in for a Toshiba.

BE-300 is Very Good-BUT
This is an excellent PDA.
BUT it stopped working in 3 months but i would still highly recommmend it because i caused the problem and it is very sturdy and the screen quality is great and the mp3 player is nice too!
Plus CompactFlash is a must have!
Buy It!

Nicholas

BE-300, It was a GOOD one, until.......
It was a GOOD one until I tried to buy a new battery for it. It took me a week to get ahold of someone at Casio to order a battery. When I finally did, it was on backorder. They refered me to another supplier that gets them from Casio. When I asked "how much?" they said $63 plus freight ($71 total). I decided that was too much. I only paid $140 for my BE-300 new. I have checked online for other sources and no luck. So, off to the "electronics bone pile" it will go.... ... Read more

Features

• 4 MB PDA with scheduler, contacts, memos, and calculator
• Copy, view, and edit Microsoft Excel documents
• 160 x 160 LCD display with backlight
• Works for 180 hours on 2 AAA batteries
• What's in the box: Cassiopeia PV-S400Plus, PC Synchronization Cradle, Hard Cover, Stylus, User manual

Reviews (41)

The best PDA purchase - EVER!
I've recently upgraded to the PVS400 Plus from earlier inexpensive PDA's and I'm thrilled with it! It's not as heavy as Palms, looks just as sleek and is the best PDA ever...

It includes all the basic functions... multiple contact lists (personal, business, etc.), great calendar functions (one time events up through yearly birthdays - all with optional alarm functions, which activate even when PDA is off!), memo areas (one where I keep passwords, medical info, emergency info and the other which is free-hand to take down quick notes, phone numbers, etc.) expense area (not used - can't comment), games (2), calculators, and a super large screen which avoids need to "wrap around" and scroll down to read... all of which can be password protected!

I purchased mine for $50, including cradle and set-up disc. For those who have Outlook Express (OE) which you can't sync with, (unlike the real "upgraded" Outlook), it's great that Casio has it's own operating system (OS). I couldn't tell you how many PDA's (4 at last count!) I purchased, and returned, because I couldn't sync w/OE and/or OS's weren't included.

This is a great gift... update family info on PC program and download into various PDA's and voila! Great for students of any age, kids finally moving out... they'll all have current contact info, birthdays, medical info, etc. at their fingertips, and with individual docking cradles, they can update as needed.

I could go on and on... I even talked my Dad into buying one and he loves it!

If you're not looking for email, camera functions, etc., this is the PDA for you! For $50 you can't go wrong... trust me!

Excellent Organizer with lots of functions!
If you are like me, and basically just need to be better organized without having all the fancy "web-surfing, camera connecting, etc" capabilities of the more expensive organizers out there, then the Casio PV-S400 Plus is a sure thing for you!
This little sleek & stylish organizer comes with most everything you will need! And if you feel like you need to add in a few things to expand, then you can easily do so by downloading free software available on the internet and uploading it to your unit! It's as easy as that! It comes with a nice, very bright backlight to access information in total darkness, and the overall ease of use is quite good. The PC-Sync software is adequate and makes it easy to transfer information from your PC to the unit. The only draw back is that it's 4MB of memory are not expandable. If you are a first time buyer looking for an inexpensive pocket organizer, I recommend this one. It's a great buy!!

This thing is great.
If you're looking for an inexpensive PDA to help organize your life, and don't need things like full color screens and wireless e-mail, look no further. I wanted a something to help keep me organized, but didn't want to spend hundreds on a bunch of high-tech toys I didn't need. The Cassiopeia PV-S400Plus Pocket Viewer is simple to use and a great value for the money. I read some reviews here complaining of it using up batteries quickly. I don't know where they're getting that. I bought one of these seven months ago and haven't had to change the batteries once. Highly recommended to anyone who needs an inexpensive, no bells and whistles organizer.

Gets the Job Done
This will take care of all the basics for your personal organizational needs- scheduler, To-Do lists, contact info lists, MS Excel Spreadsheet program, basic calculator, free writing memo option, as well as some additional games. It doesn't have all of the exciting extras that some of the other programs have (i.e. email, color, etc) but it's one of the few high quality PDA's at a good price.

Simplicity, Reliability, and Great Battery Life
I have used the PV-S250 for over two years and recently just got the PV-S400Plus for even less because the PV-S250 has been rather well used and I didn't want one of these overcomplicated power hungry expensive units. The software is virutally identical, so I was interested in extending the life of my PV-S250 and the PV-S400Plus was just the item.

I use the unit for two things: I make notes of system network ID's, device names, logons, common command syntax, support phone numbers, etc. and I synchronize with outlook all the time. I carry it around in my pocket and check my scedule liberally. The system can carry about 100 alarms, so I usually get a beep at my default reminder time in my outlook (15 minutes before a meeting). I also have access to all my Tasks and my Contacts.

The really useful aspect for me is the ability to modify my contacts, add phone numbers, email addresses, personal information, etc. to my Casio and then synch it back with Outlook. I can also take everything in my Outlook Contacts and Schedule with me whereever I go and never have to worry about remembering to put something into my Outlook if I have my PDA available. On the systems which I support that I don't touch very often, you can't imagine how useful it is to have the system ID number, network address or device name available because I saved it in my handheld. Plus, if you need to, you can password protect those items.

I am not interested in email on my PDA or anything really complex. I don't need an MP3 player or wireless web access. The spreadsheet capability is great if you really want to invest the time to synchronize with the Excel tool, but the screen is so small, that I find it not very worthwhile and I don't use it.

The simple expense tracking system is very useful and simple. I use it to track expenses on business trips and it does a great job.

I have not, as of yet, had any problem synchronizing with my PV-S400Plus, but I did occassionally with the PV-S250 and it was a royal pain to have to then do a full-synch since it ran about 9600 baud the whole time.

If you have a modem, you may wish to make sure you don't have interrupt conflicts, because my past experience with the PV-S250 was that it didn't like my fax modem being on at the same time.

One other drawback is that if you want to sychronize any of the other information like your notes, you do have to make a separate transfer from PCSynch. I don't like this aspect and I rarely use it. To date, I have never lost anything from memory in two years. I wish it had the ability to synch with the notes folder in Outlook instead. Also, while the Excel compatibility gives the unit a bit a power for calculations, I personally would rather have a it be able to read WORD files instead. But that is getting into bigger color units that are expensive.

My PV-S250 is still performing flawlessly even though it is showing some serious wear on the plastic exterior. Nevertheless, the unit has never failed me and the batteries last for over a month with regular use...try that with a color handheld PC!! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Organize your busy life with the Casio Cassiopeia BE-300 Pocket Manager. Running Windows CE 3.0 as its operating system, the BE-300 features a unique interface that emphasizes ease of use, while offering superior connectivity with Windows PCs.

The Casio BE-300 comes with 16 MB of RAM and 16 MB of ROM, a 166 MHz processor, and a bright, 320 x 240 pixel passive-matrix screen that displays 32,000 colors. It's equipped with a Type II CompactFlash (CF) card slot, enabling you to add memory cards, wireless network cards, camera modules, and more.

You'll be productive right out of the gates with the collection of software included with the BE-300. It comes with such PIM tools as Calendar, Contacts, To Do, and Memo, as well as e-mail and Web browser programs. Synchronize your contacts and e-mail with your PC using Microsoft Outlook. You'll also get multimedia programs for playing MP3 digital audio files, viewing still photos, and capturing images with an optional CompactFlash camera.

Take time out to play with your BE-300 with content from MyCasio.com. You'll find a complete spectrum of mobile content (music and e-books), travel services, restaurant information, the latest news, and more.

The Casio BE-300 is powered by an internal rechargeable Li-ion battery that provides up to a week's worth of power (based on normal usage). It comes with a USB connection cradle for synchronizing data with your PC.

What's in the box

• Cassiopeia BE-300
• AC adapter
• Lithium ion battery
• USB cradle
• USB cable
• Stylus
• Flip cover
• User manual

Features

• 16 MB of internal RAM
• 3.2-inch color display
• 320 by 240 screen resolution
• Runs on Windows CE 3.0
• What's in the box: Cassiopeia BE-300, AC adapter, Lithium ion battery, USB cradle, USB cable, Stylus, Flip cover, User manual

Reviews (87)

BE -300 - Best PDA of the century
First of all, this PC is for SERIOUS people, who use it for business, organization, school, etc.
This handheld is an excellent device! It is fast and the OS is simple! Whatever you want to do, there it is and when doing stuff, the directions are self-explanatory. Has good programs, but not many additional ones. The website has lots of differnt programs for the Casio BE-300. Most are very cheap, however they can go up to 20 bucks. Most programs are 5-6 bucks. LOTS OF NICE SOFTWARE (solitaire, freecell, word processor, world clock and much more)
Everything about this machine is great! Fast, beautiful screen, light (weight) and it can fit both types of CompactFlash cards! Get Type 1 though, not Type 2! Also, don't listen to the box. In the Hardware Manual, which comes with it, says that both types fit! I have a Type 1, because it is more common.
Yes, this machine CAN PLAY MP3 files! I have 3 of these files on mine. Also when having headphones, the sound is great.
Anyways, great PDA and great price for it! I recommend that you buy this marvelous device!

A Surprisingly Good Unit at a Great Price
I previously owned 2 Casio Pocket planners, and had to get something new after I damaged my last unit. When I surveyed what was out there, I was disappointed to find that the typical Electronic/Appliance and Office Supply stores around town carried mostly Palm devices, with only a miniscule assortment of Treo and Sony models, in addition to a few wildly expensive "Pocket PC" type devices.
Then I found the info on the Casio BE-300.
I was somewhat concerned when I read the mixed nature of the buyer reviews, but decided that I could work with the kind of negatives that were mentioned.
Once I received it (3 wks ago) and started using it, I was very happy I bought it.
--Beautiful color display, great resolution;
--16MB RAM is one of the larger standard memory capacities around
--Using a modified Windows-CE OS (instead of the Palm OS) frees up display space for easier use and beter viewability.
I had only one minor problem synchronizing with Outlook. I followed the bundled PC Connect software instructions, and ran into only one issue - the program wouldn't accept the Mail synchronization settings. I later realized the reason was probably that my business mailbox exceeded 200 MB at the time, and would have crashed the Sync process anyway.
It took me a half hour to get through that problem, and when I went to sync folders, it took just a short while to sync my tasks, Calendar, Contacts, and folders. I guess I'll have to delay setting up e-mail until I can trim my mailbox.
I also synchronized a folder of very complex, large Excel files. I downloaded the PTab program from Casio's website, and can now edit and manipulate large, formula rich business spreadsheets. I was amazed to find that I can work directly with fully functional formula entries on a pocket unit this small.
Speaking "small", the BE-300 is actually a bit smaller than my previous 64k(!) planner.
The only two disadvantages that I can see are the fact that I had to buy it over the net, instead of trying one out "in the flesh"; and I wish the expansion slot had room for a cover that would fit with a flash card in place. (Just concerned that pocket lint could get into the connector area and cause problems.)
I'm looking forward to the future when I can learn and start to use some of the Internet type functions of this unit.
I am tremendously pleased with the unit, and think that anyone who's interested in excellent value for a bargain price should buy from AMAZON and try this unit out.

Slow Recall
I have owned this unit. It's processor was very slow when searching a contact. It took up to 20 seconds. I have always had Casio PDA's, but had to trade this one in for a Toshiba.

BE-300 is Very Good-BUT
This is an excellent PDA.
BUT it stopped working in 3 months but i would still highly recommmend it because i caused the problem and it is very sturdy and the screen quality is great and the mp3 player is nice too!
Plus CompactFlash is a must have!
Buy It!

Nicholas

BE-300, It was a GOOD one, until.......
It was a GOOD one until I tried to buy a new battery for it. It took me a week to get ahold of someone at Casio to order a battery. When I finally did, it was on backorder. They refered me to another supplier that gets them from Casio. When I asked "how much?" they said $63 plus freight ($71 total). I decided that was too much. I only paid $140 for my BE-300 new. I have checked online for other sources and no luck. So, off to the "electronics bone pile" it will go.... ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

If you are looking for a hand-held electronic organizer but don't want all the bells and whistles (or the steep price) of a pocket PC, the Casio PV-400 Personal Viewer may be your solution. While it doesn't process data, the Casio PV-400 can synchronize with your desktop PC as well as store and display data.

The PV-400 offers 55 hours of battery life; 4 MB of flash memory; and a 128 x 128 dot matrix, illuminated backlight display. With these features, viewing important information while traveling or conducting business is literally well within your grasp.

What's in the box

• Cassiopeia PV-S400Plus
• PC Synchronization Cradle
• Hard Cover
• Stylus
• User manual

• PV Operating System developed by Casio
• World Clock
• Scheduler
• Contacts
• Memo
• Expense Manager
• Currency Converter
• Quick-Memo
• Pocket Sheet
• Secret Memory Area
• Quick Schedule
• 2 Calculators-Regular calculating mode plus scientific calculator
• 12 Games-Pocket Chess, Diamond, Floor Spread, Poker, Black Jack, etc.
• 9 Utilities-PV Number Convert: binary, octal, decimal and hex; Metronome: mark time by means of regularly recurring ticks or flashes at adjustable intervals; PV Clock, PV Exchange for rate conversion of currency, PV Shopper for a check off list for projects and materials.Pocket Viewer Timer, time, stop watch and count down timer, Tip Calculator, World City for world time plus
• 7 Reference Contents-Denomination code for linear measure, square measure, cubic measure, etc.; National Code, Piano Chords

Features

• Stores addresses, phone numbers, and business contacts
• Synchronizes data with your PC
• 4 MB flash memory, 160 x 160 dot matrix display
• 110-hour battery life
• What's in the box: Cassiopeia PV-S400Plus, PC Synchronization Cradle, Hard Cover, Stylus, User manual

Reviews (45)

I'm a happy user!
I bought this organizer about two months ago. I can't say enough good things about it. It was less expensive than a Palm. It can do a lot of things: managing appointments, calculating currency extange, sketching, and a nice typing UI. Although some may not like the keyboard which you have to poke at, I find it rather easy to use. I'm glad that this machine doesn't have handwriting regognition. The reason I got this is that I couldn't read my own notes in my paper planner, so handwriting recognition wouldn't have done much. I only have one complaint: the area around the screen on mine got really scratched up and ugly. It works fine, and I haven't had to change the batteries yet. The synchronization software which comes with it (PC sync) works like a charm. It sends data quickly and easily to and from the Casio. Even though the PC Sync GUI is quite crude, it gets the job done. I regularly put jokes on my PV. It can store a lot of data. It's also a rather attractive unit. Where I go to school, everyone wants to use it, and play the little solitare game. (The solitare game is kind of difficult. I haven't won yet!) The scheduling part of the unit is the one which I use the most. I keep track of my assignments on it. It does a good job. I use it as an alarm clock, since it has an alarm function. I also have it go off when I need to do my homework. Another good thing about it is that it can be used until the year 2100. I won't have to buy another paper planner for the rest of my life! Thank you, Casio!

I'm a happy user
I've had a very good experience with the pocket viewer. I like the way the various menus are laid out and the included features. Although this device does not allow add-on programs, I really have not missed this feature. The pocket viewer has a good scheduler that supports repeating items and multi-day events. I don't find data entry with the little on-screen keyboard a problem. I can keep up with a friend who uses a Palm with handwriting recognition. The "quick memo" feature is very handy... no more scraps of paper. The long battery life and flash memory (keeps your data without power applied)are good features. The included PC software works as promised. Data can also be transferred from the windows clipboard into the memo area. It's a little awkward to use, but with this feature and the 4MB memory, I have moved a lot of text into my Casio with no problems. It must be pretty sturdy...I've dropped it 3 times onto the floor and it still works! Some things I don't like are that the backlight will only stay on for 15 seconds, and that accessories such as an extra cradle or stylus have been near impossible to find. If you don't need the programmable features of some of the other PDA's this is a good choice. The large amount of memory available coupled with well designed functions works for me. I've been using it every day for about two months now with no problems.

A SUPER MACHINE
I HAVE USED THIS PRODUCT FOR 3 YEARS IN OUR CARPET BUSINESS. IT IS QUICK TO USE, WINDOWS FORMAT. VERY USER FRIENDLY. I PAID 100.OO FOR MINE AND NOW THEY ARE 1/2 THE PRICE. YOU WON'T BE DISSPOINTED.

Cassiopeia- The future of Handhelds
Casio, this tops Palm, Royal, Sony, Sharp, etc.!!!! I think your Cassiopeia division is going some where. Someday the Palm Pilot will not be the leader- it'll be a Casio!! I believe in you and trust you- all the products are great. You really have a keeper here and I think that if you give more attention to your handhelds they'll be number 1 in no time. It was cheap, too! Wow, the best PDA I've ever seen

A PDA for all ages
I'm 13 years old and it took me less time to figure this PDA out than my other five-dollar organizer. This was a worthwile purchase and with school approaching I'm sure it will be a great tool, especially with all the functions. The PC Sync is giving me some trouble, but I'm sure I'll figure it out. Thank you Casio- your Casioppea Pocket PCs are incredible! I definately recommend this PDA to everyone- whether you're a junior high nerd or a wealthy businessman- it's a PDA for all ages! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The Cassiopeia E-115 puts a lot of color in your pocket--it's the ultimate in mobile information management. With its big color display and powerful 131 MHz processor, the E-115 is a multimedia powerhouse that lets you view movies or surf the Internet in vivid color with rich stereo sound. And the E-115 delivers the comprehensive functionality and application support you've come to expect from the Pocket PC platform, making it the perfect tool for remote connectivity management.

The E-115 comes with a wealth of software, both for fun and productivity. Mail Setup Tool is an application that simplifies the otherwise troublesome settings you would need to make in order to send and receive e-mall on your Pocket PC. Mail Setup Tool makes the required settings to configure the E-115 for your Internet service provider. With Mail Setup Tool, you input the information you get from your ISP by just following the instructions that appear on the display of your Pocket PC.

Mobile Calendar is an easy-to-use calendar synchronization tool that works with Microsoft Outlook 2000 on your PC. Mobile Address Book synchronizes scheduling data with Microsoft Outlook 2000 on your PC. Palm Pilot Data Converter lets you to move your Palm Pilot contact and schedule information to the E-115.

Mobile Video Player for PC lets you play Cassiopeia original movie format (CMF) files on your computer. After installing this software, simply double-click a CMF file to play it. Mobile Video Converter converts popular PC-based video formats (MPEG-1, AVI, and QuickTime) into the CMF format that you can see, hear, and enjoy on your E-115.

The Audible application supports Audible.com, where you'll find thousands of spoken-word audio programs--from bestselling audiobooks to readings of top newspapers and magazines. Card Backup Tool lets you quickly and easily back up your E-115 memory data to a CompactFlash card. Casio Menu makes it possible to launch applications and open files by tapping a button on the screen. It even lets you assign the application or file you want to each button. (For a complete list of the E-115's extensive included software, see our FAQ).

Powerful, productive, connected, versatile, feature-rich, fast, easy to use, ergonomic, fun, value packed, and expandable--the Cassiopeia E-115 is the perfect Pocket PC companion for your busy lifestyle.

What's in the box

• Cassiopeia E-115
• Stylus
• Docking Cradle
• AC Adapter
• Lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack
• CR2032 lithium battery
• Connector cable
• Pocket PC User's Guide
• Hardware Guide

Features

• Fast 131 MHz processor, 32 MB RAM, 65,536-color screen
• Built-in microphone, speaker, infrared port
• Plays stereo MP3, Audible.com spoken-word content, Microsoft audio, and video movies
• Extensive Microsoft and Casio software suite
• What's in the box: Cassiopeia E-115, Stylus, Docking Cradle, AC Adapter, Lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack, CR2032 lithium battery, Connector cable, User's Guide, Hardware Guide

Reviews (38)

Almost perfect
What a nice product! The new OS and apps are very clean and responsive. This is my first PDA experience, and everything is very useful. This is much more than a PDA - so stop comparing it to a Palm. This truly is a productivity machine. For me it replaces the need for a laptop, especially with the nice Transcribe (handwriting recognition) capability and a 56K modem (additional). The Casio active display is the best on the market - much nicer than the Jornada's passive display - with beatiful color. You really can't say enough about the display quality. It's bulkier than the HP Jornada 545, but the display and additional RAM make up for it. It's not a shirt pocket machine (size-yes, weight-no), but it works nicely in a portfolio cover or attached to a belt.

On the wish-list side: 1)a task list to kill active programs easier, 2)a more useful battery life meter, 3)a way to disable the front panel buttons - they are easy to accidentally press while writing, but it's like that on all the PocetPC devices out there (but the HP does offer a disable function), 4)a longer life battery.

All in all, a great value as a laptop/mobile replacement. But if you only need a contact/addressbook PDA, this is overkill.

A wonderful product, but maybe more than you wanted in a PDA
Note: This is actully a 4 1/2 stars

There are two types ofpeople, those who are organized and those who aren't. For thosepeople who aren't, one of the best solutions, at least to get your days activities in order, is to buy a PDA. But then there is the problem of which ones to choose. Right now there are two that top my list: The Cassiopia E-115 and the Palm Vx (that review will be up shortly after this one).

A Powerhouse in a rather small package: Sporting a very high 131 mhz processor and 32 Megs of ram, a fancy 16 bit screen as well as the new OS avidly named "Pocket PC", the Cassiopia E-115 has almost gotten to that fine line that's one step above a PDA and one step below a laptop. Not only does it have programs built into it like outlook, notepad, word, and internet explorer pocket, but it also allows you to play MP3's and movie files on it in full 16-bit glory. Also, unlike it's rival PDA, the palm Vx, it recognizes your style of writing, freeing you from having to learn the grafiti handwriting style programed in Palm Vx OS. And switching back and forth between programs has been made even easier by the addition of a navagation wheel that is located on the front of the Cassiopia. For instance, if you're using internet explorer pocket and you want to get back to word, simply press the button and the screen changes back to word (and Vice Versa).

Trouble in Paridise: Like it's previous models, the 100 and the 105, the 115 has a rather short battery life of only 6-8 hours, which means that after a full days use it has to be recharged. Also if you use it's modem (sold seperatly), mp3 player, or video player during the day, it will use up the energy in the battery even quicker. Another problem...it's rather bulky and heavy, at around 10 to 12 oz with the battery, compared to the Palm Vx at only 4.5 oz with the battry. Finally, the transfer rate between the Cassiopia and the computer, with the included cradle, is rather slow, at only around 28.8 kbps, which can make mp3 or large file transfer tedious and time consuming when compared to the transfer rate of the Palm Vx (although it can't play MP3s).

Which one is for me?: The answer to the question of which one to buy comes down to what you really plan to do with it. If you need a very powerful and easy to use portable device that can replace your large laptop, then you need the Cassiopia. However, if you want a slim and stylish PDA that is very simple to use and that will organize your life rather than complicate it with more programs and systems than you need, Get the Palm Vx. (my review on that one should be up soon...).

The Highs: Great OS, beautiful visuals, powerhouse of a PDA...

The Lows:...However it's a bit pricey at around 600 dollars, short battery life, relay between computer and PDA is slow, not a huge jump from the E-105 except for the extra 16-Megs and the OS.

The Lowdown: Casio has been able to create a great line of PDA's that have a nice blending of the best of Palm with the best of a laptop. However, it may not fit the likes of everyone who tries it. And until the price comes down a bit, you might want to go with the E-105... And [for its price] the Palm Vx still leads overall in the PDA department.

Power: 10

Organization: 8

Style (ie. looks, weight, etc.): 7 1/2

Extras: 9

Visuals: 9

Overall: (Not a Sum) 8

Revuman: Too much of a good thing is never enough...peace!

Brilliant little unit
I am so glad I finally bought this device after so many months of scrutinising the competitors. I almost settled on the EM500 until a comparison of specs showed it to be virtually the same in look/effect but an inferior unit in grunt (only 16MB of internal RAM).

EASE OF USE: The E115 is **very** easy to use -- a pulldown Start menu at the top left will get you in or out of any program instantly. The down side is there is no little 'x' at the top right to close your programs, and you can either live with them simply opening on top of each other, eventually slowing you down (or so I'm told), or you can make six (yes six) taps to get to the correct setting option to shut them down. While this sounds immensely annoying, I discovered it wasn't really and I just adapted, only going to close programs when I got to more than three open at once. And even with six programs running, I noted no discernable loss of speed. Further, the downloadable TaskPro Navigator program was written to fix this CE problem, for those who go nuts with more than one open program and want to close as they go.

READIBILITY: The color is fabulous -- and books/documents/report reading, one of the two main reasons I bought this, are excellent on the eye, even after two or three hours of reading. Nice big screen -- no green/grey backgrounds the early Palms et al which make me drowsy and my eyes achey after twenty minutes. E115 comes with Microsoft Reader so you can also download books for even easier-on-the-eyes reading. I love Reader mode. Top marks.

DESIGN FLAWS: There are five obvious design flaws: One, the AC adaptor plug is on the bottom, left side of the device and, when propped up in bed reading, you get it jabbing annoyingly into your chest. Sometimes I run it on batteries just to avoid the digging in power cord.

Two, the power button on the left side of the device can be bumped easily. While it doesn't matter if you bump it off (it always restarts with exactly what you had on your screen when working -- even your music starts up exactly where you left off! BRILLIANT.) It does have a problem that when you are sliding the unit into the case provided, it can bump 'on' and without knowing it, it could be powered on inside the case, draining down the batteries. Thus I now put it in the case and try and sneek a peek to see if it is on. (not easy) And yes, I immediately ordered a different style of case ASAP to prevent this.

Three: Serial port connection? Not a flaw so much as a bad decision. God, you could grow old and grey waiting for this thing to download an MP3. Takes me an hour on average for a four minute song. I want a USB cable!! Still, when you think about it, once you've downloaded all of what you need, like your favorite songs, you're all set. Apart from the occasional report (which in contrast takes only a minute or so to download) you won't really spend your life downloading stuff onto it. And if you want more than a dozen songs, constantly updated, you probably should consider buying an MP3 player instead.

Four: The record button is on the left of the unit -- handy if you want instant access I suppose, but given most people aren't journalists needing that quote in three seconds or less, a less accessible record button would be preferable. I am often bumping it and recording instantly a marvellous assortment of background sound without intending to. Nice waste of memory space that, if you're not careful. On the other hand, it is a pretty fabulous function in the first place and I like how you can easily name your sound bites and treat them like any other program.

Five: When you listen to music, the three front buttons are instantly reconfigured and can be reprogrammed as a mini remote. Therefore the button you usually use to scroll down in a document may be, for example, programmed to fast forward. Now what if you wanted to read a document AND listen to music? Setting the button at NONE in the program still disables it from its non-music scroll mode. So you have to use your pen to scroll down the document, while listening to music, regardless of whether the buttons are allocated a new function in Windows Media mode. Another small aside -- sometimes the music pauses as you open and close new programs.

INTERNET and EMAIL: Those wanting this unit for the Internet browsing ability when you buy optional extra the modem card, I do not recommend it. It's taken an eternity for me to configure this correctly to go online and it still won't let me access some sites, like hotmail and google, for no reason I can fathom. Some tell me it's just the nature of the Windows CE environment. If this is so -- and net browsing is why you bought it, it's a rip-off. Fortunately it wasn't what I needed it for, so I don't care so much. And it may just be (my) human error, so do more research. Meanwhile I still can't figure out how to configure it to send an Outlook email from it (despite reading every instruction I could find), although mercifully there are some sites I can surf to and send an email from there, so it's not an impossible problem. Meanwhile its synchronisation between PC and unit with Outlook Express is trouble free, but it won't synch with any other mail programs you might use on your PC like Eudora.

PICTURES: Nice clear vivid images. You'll love how they come up.

SOUND: Oh baby, here's where I go nuts. A built-in MP3 player that you don't HAVE to use earphones to use! You can just hit play and wow a roomful of your friends. It's excellent. Lovely quality and it compares well with the top-of-the-line Iomega hip-zip mp3 player I also own.

CALENDAR/APPOINTMENTS/CONTACT: So easy to use and sort it was a godsend. And with the Today menu button you can always see at a glance what's up with your tasks, appointments and mails. Excellent. Contact list is brilliant and you can store multiple phone numbers and emails for the one person.

SUMMARY: The flaws sound worse than they are. This has proved to be a most savvy purchase. With 32mb inbuilt and endlessly expandable thanks to the type1 compact flash card slot on the back, you'll be set forever if you want. The AC adaptor means even if you kill the battery and can't find a new one, you can still use it till the day you die. The color is so amazing you have to see it to believe it; and the MP3 player is of a fine quality. For those who need it to read lots of stuff this is absolutely the right unit. Accept no substitutes. There's plenty of programs to download, too, and I doubt I'll ever tire of it. Unless I/they fix the internet problems, (depending on who is responsible) I wouldn't recommend it for this. But for every other function, I'd give it 10 out of 10.

A Class of its Own
Excellent battery life. Color and screen easy to read. Easy to connect and highly compatible with Windows 98. Expansion cards readily available. Great back up capability to expansion card. However buttons are too easily pushed that activate the device ( a press and hold feature to turn on would be nice). This is the third PDA I have purchased and find this one to be the finest on the market.

Almost Great
This product had great potential, but there just aren't enough programs that work through Windows CE and 98 seamlessly. Casio has made a device that is lightning fast and has an amazing display (131 MHz and over 65,000 colors). The only real qualm I have with this machine, other than the software problems, is the battery. If you leave it off for a few days the battery is wasted and your memory is completely erased (I had the same problem a few years ago with a first generation Nino). When Microsoft gets its act together and makes their CE software more reliable they will have the Palm-PC market cornered and devices like these will be worth while. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The Casio CompactFlash modem is convenient with its CompactFlash compatibility and fast with its 56 Kbps data rate. The CompactFlash modem is an ideal companion for your Cassiopeia E-15, E-100, E-105, or E-115. Just insert the modem into the CompactFlash slot and connect a telephone line. You'll be checking your inbox in no time. ... Read more

Features

• CompactFlash modem
• 56 Kbps data transfer rate
• Ideal for Casio Cassiopeia E-15, E-100, E-105, and E-115
• Attaches to telephone line
• Easy installation

Reviews (2)

Works With IPAQ Too
My company originally bought these cards for use in the Casio E-105, E-115 and E-125's. Then we switched to Compaq IPAQ 3635's. These cards work beautifully. It is the smallest CF Modem card out there.

One of the best modems out there
I bought this modem a while ago when my computer was slower than molassis. After I bought this item my computer gets to sites in a quick sec and th downloading qualities are amazing. So if you are looking for a modem get this one. You won't regret it. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The Casio E-125 Color Pocket PC features a fast 150 MHz processor, convenient Microsoft software, and 32 MB of storage in a modern and durable body. Expand its memory and add connectivity options such as Ethernet or a wireless modem using the CompactFlash expansion slot. The E-125 comes with Microsoft Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, Pocket Money, and Pocket Internet Explorer, and offers synchronization with Microsoft Outlook. Download MP3 audio files from your PC using the fast USB connection and play them through the E-125's built-in speaker using Windows Media Player. The 240 x 320 screen features 65,536 colors for multimedia viewing. The battery has a life of up to six hours.

What's in the box

• Cassiopeia E-125
• Stylus
• USB Cradle
• AC Adapter
• Lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack
• CR2032 lithium battery
• Connector cable
• Pocket PC User's Guide
• Hardware Guide

Features

• 32 MB of internal RAM, expandable using CompactFlash memory cards
• Synchronize to your desktop with rapid USB data transfer
• Color screen with 240 x 320 display in 65,536 color
• Includes Microsoft Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, Pocket Money, and Pocket Internet Explorer
• What's in the box: Cassiopeia E-125, Stylus, USB Cradle, AC Adapter, Lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack, Connector cable, Pocket PC User's Guide, Hardware Guide

Reviews (71)

Awesome tool! Don't leave home with out it!
I have been using the E-125 for quite some time now. There are a huge amount of programs available today for PocketPC and more are available everyday! I am very pleased and have converted many people to PocketPC from Palm after showing them its' capabilities. "Hey Casio, How about some commission checks?" The best reason I like it? You can customise it to your very own style and way of life. As for its' size? It's not like many cell phones that are getting too small to use comfortably. The E-125 is a great size and easy to use. Mine gets used and abused quite a bit for work and play. It has been dropped accidentally about 10 times (not recommended), but it still works fine. The screen clarity and size are great too. I do recommend buying a large compact flash card (256mb min.) to hold a lot of music, video, games, maps, programs, etc! Get the hint of capabilities? If you use it, you will love it! Take my word for it!

Reformed Palm User
I bought the E-125 a week ago. I had intended to replace my lost Palm V with another Palm V. However, the sales guy asked me why the palm versus the cassiopeia. My response? Familiarity and I knew the Palm V worked and worked well. I've owned a Palm from the original Palm to the Palm III to the Palm V. After a quick tour of the E-125, I decided that it had more potential and decided to be brave and go for something new.

My reaction after a week?

PRO's 1. I love the screen - great colors, clarity and graphics 2. Syncronization is tons faster than the PALM with either pocket mirror or chapura intellisync 3. All of the fields are identical to outlook - it is actually Pocket Outlook you are using - so if you are an outlook 97 or 2000 user, this is a significant plus. 4. Its an MP3 player with good quality! (what a nice extra) 5. The audio recording of notes when I'm driving and have one of those rare brain flashes is great. 6. The pocket internet explorer with AvantGo for storing my certain web pages for long flights 7. The Pocket Word and Pocket Excel which allows me the ability to open attachments - so far it works great 8. The windows look and feel that I'm used to made the jump from Palm a little less painful.

CONs: 1. Software (freeware & shareware) not as plentiful as Palm OS software - seems we need to hope it becomes more popular. Tools for development are just coing out which should help. 2. Wish it were just a tad thinner - but this isn't a killer like I was afraid of 3. Wish there was Pocket Adobe Reader and Pocket PowerPoint (that's more a Microsoft and Adobe issue) 4. My kids keep taking it to play games that have incredible graphics

¿f¿q¿d¿`¿sSTUF
This is actually very good handheld here, i recommend you to buy it because it has a very bright screen when i sychronise it doesn't crash like other TOO complicated machines. I added compact flash and had some of my movies in my computer transformed into window CE 3.0 usable movie item in windows media 7.1. REAL‚‡‚‚‚„II

This little unit Rocks
Can't believe how they can get so much in so little space. I bought the 128mb storage card and in the WMA format, loaded over 100 of my favorite songs. Plugged into my outdated tape player in my car, through the headphone jack of the Cassiopeia and a casette adapter, this thing just rocks. It's much more than just an organizer, but I use it to know exactly where I've been and what I've done as far as work and billing my hours for payment. Battery life is phenomenal and recharging is a snap in the USB cradle, as well as downloading or uploading info to my desktop.

Casio does it again!
Why do I always find a super product when the company decides to stop making it?
I bought my Cassiopeia E-125 Pocket PC at a sale that I soon found was a Discontinued Item sale. It figures! When I went back to buy my wife one they were out and weren't getting any more. Oh, well! Web, here I come!
The ease of use of this product has me convinced that Casio could take over the market if they would push their marketing harder.
Out of the box, I was impressed by the clear, colorful display, and solid feel. This unit is a little bigger than some of its competitors, and feels better to me. It doesn't quite fit in my shirt pocket, but I bought a case that works just fine.
The controls are readily accessible, even to a left-handed klutz, and I find that this is the only Pocket PC I've used that doesn't care that I'm a Lefty. Many of the others have controls that I can't reach, or a cover that gets in the way constantly.
Casio has put the really necessary controls on the front, reachable by either hand, and the other buttons are all useable by thumb (left hand) or fingers (right hand).
The software packaged with the unit is easy, efficient, and effective. Contacts and Calendar I use constantly, and the automatic sync with Outlook on my Desk computer is flawless.
I'm also using a GPS and Mapping software (Delorme) that works real-time, so when I'm traveling I set a cradle with the Cassiopeia on the cup holder, and know exactly where I am and what's coming.
The product has met or exceeded all of my needs and has proved to be a rugged/reliable addition to my stable of "toys". ... Read more

Features

• Bright, back-lit 240 x 320 display with auto off
• 8MB built in memory and CompactFlash slot for unlimited storage
• Personal information manager with note taker, calendar, and contact list
• Auto PC Synchronization: contacts, calendar, tasks, files, inbox and channel information
• What's in the box: E-11 handheld, Cradle for quick connection to serial port, Stylus, 2 AAA batteries, CR2016 lithium for back-up, Carrying case

Reviews (1)

Screen is kind of hard to see.
The Casio E-11 is definitly one of the earlier PDA's.
First of all the the screen is kind of dark.
Second of all it is way to bulky for a B/W screen, I mean my dad's Palm IIIXE is like half the size. Still the casio has a digital voice recorder (which is pretty cool) and Windows CE is a lot more like a desktop than Palm. ... Read more

Features

• TFT display with over 65,000 colors
• 16 MB RAM
• CompactFlash slot
• Stereo audio
• What's in the box: Cassiopeia E-100, Stylus, AC Adapter, Carrying case, Lithium ion rechargeable battery, CR2032 backup battery, Docking cradle, PC User's guide, Hardware guide

Reviews (40)

Great Functionality
I bought the E100 a few days ago and I am very satified with the functionality of this product. Unlike palm pilot which is good for mainly storing contact information and todo list, I can do a whole lot more with the E100. There are tons of CE shareware available from download.com and zdnet. I have installed the MP3 player, Microsoft map, a picture viewer, and the AudiblePlayer. Very impressed with the audio, video, and its expandibility. I did have to struggle a little to import my palm pilot data to the E100. Casio has a third party program in their support page which allows you to do this through Microsoft Outlook (97, 98, or 2000). Telephone support was very good. I called Casio 3 times during the day and I was able to get a live person within 2 - 5 minutes. Buy a 16 MB Flash. It is well worth it. I am putting my palm pilot on the shelve.

E100 is 100% fun
I recently purchased the E100 after owning the E15 and a PV200A. The E15 was a little hard to see and the PV200A, while very reliable, did not have handwritting recognition. I compred the E100 to the Palm, and for the money the features of the Casio are much better. I have had absolutely no problems and utilize it extensively for note taking and contact storing. I am currently on my 4th day of using the same battery. This is a great product with appealing upgrade capability. Recommend to anyone looking to buy full feature PDA.

Older model but still a great buy.
I bought mine a couple of weeks ago despite all of the latest and greatest technology out there with other PDA's. I must tell you, I am VERY impressed. It might be a bit bulky compared with newer models but it has all of the functionality that anyone could need and a beautiful color display. Anyone looking to get a more basic model and not spend as much money, go for this. You'll be amazed at what it can do.

Pretty Neato
I bought my cassie when it first came out years ago, when it was $500, plus accessories! I still don't have a desire to get anything more. There is one exception. If I ever need to go wireless, and although I could add the necessary accessories to my cassie, I might rather buy a new, smaller PDA with built in communications capabilities, like the Blackberry, or even one of those PDA phones.

casio e-100 palm size pc
I started out with a Palm V and thought it was the best ever. Even the green screen didn't put me off I just loved it. It was the first time I could truly say I was organised. Later I bought the Palm 515 and this had colour and was good, but it had no sound so I bought an iPAQ which had sound but felt the loss of the Palm OS was tragic (now using the far less stable Windows CE) still I continued and enjoyed the sound and movie playing on my iPAQ. Then I bought the E-100 second hand (the price was good so I grabbed it), and found that I like it best of all, mostly because of the TFT screen with more colours than the iPAQ, the feel of it in the hand, and built in expansion taking compact flash cards which means unlimited memory. Compact flash is less expensive and more common than the MMC (compact flash 2)cards used by Palm. These expansion packs you have to buy as an extra with the iPAQ.
Programs are hard to get for the E-100 but when you get one that works it is good. The programs look good and feel good to use. The battery lasts all day in the E-100 even though it was already used before I bought it, but iPAQ only lasts a few hours and this unit was brand new. In my opinion the E-100 is a brilliant PDA and I would like to see later incarnations of this unit. I still have two iPAQs but really love my E-100. I hope this is of some help to you. ... Read more

Features

• 6 MB PDA with scheduler, contact list, memo pad, and calculator
• Copy, view, and edit Microsoft Excel spreadsheets
• 160 x 160 LCD display with backlight
• Works for 180 hours on 2 AAA batteries
• What's in the box: Cassiopeia PV-S600Plus, PC Synchronization Cradle, Hard Cover, Stylus, User manual

Reviews (1)

Casio Pocket Viewer
These are one of the coolest PDA's I have had. I had gotten it for my birthday. At fist I wasn't sure if I liked it. But know I do. It comes with most of the good stuff. I personly like the mini games on it. I would recanmend it to anyone wanting to buy a PDA. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

The Cassiopeia EM-500, Casio's follow-up to its E-100 series of personaldigital assistants, closely mirrors the E-115 but offers a few changes. Thebiggest change is the move to using MultiMediaCard (MMC) memory over the morestandard CompactFlash memory slot. The postage stamp-size MMC cards offer neededmemory expandability (as the EM-500 comes with only 16 MB of internal memory,compared to the 32 MB of the E-115), especially if you plan to use the EM-500 asa portable MP3 player--one of its many multimedia capabilities.

While MMC over CompactFlash limits the ability of the EM-500 to use many PocketPC peripherals, we were willing to overlook that once we got a peek at the EM-500'sgorgeous TFT screen. This very bright, very colorful (65,536 colors, to beexact) display shines beautifully when you're playing games or watching mobilevideo player clips, which run along at a respectable 15 to 20 frames per secondwith the EM-500's 150 MHz MIPS processor.

The thick EM-500 (about twice the thickness of the Palm Vx) offers standardCasio programmable buttons to bring up the menu, calendar, and contacts, as wellas a navigational D-pad, which is great for gaming. In addition to functioningas a stereo MP3 player (when using the included headphones), the EM-500 alsoworks as a voice recorder, allowing you to dictate reminders for yourself orvoice messages to send with e-mail. Casio promises six hours of battery life,but we often were able to get seven or more as long as we left the backlight onmedium brightness.

With its IrDA port, the EM-500 can communicate with wireless devices, and itsUSB connection provides speedy data transfer--even installing programs largerthan a megabyte took only a few seconds.

Despite the limited memory and the lack of CompactFlash support, the powerfulprocessor, excellent display, and long battery life make the EM-500 acompetitive entry into the Pocket PC market. --J. Curtis

Pros:

• TFT color screen
• USB connection
• Good battery life
• Expandable using MultiMediaCard memory

• Only 16 MB of internal memory
• No CompactFlash support

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

Reviews (34)

THE BOMB
This Casio Pocket PC with Windows lets you do so much more than the Palm's. This you dont have to spend the extra money to buy a MP3 springboard or voice recorder and so on. This is all in one listen to MP3's with the windows media player. Dont just look at word documents, make them, edit them and more. The Palm you can only view, not edit or create. This is much more than an expensive organizer like the Palm's and this Casio has +65,000 colors. This is the best handheld in the world, better than Ipaq, HP Jornada, and more that dont have the convienent Casio menu. They also only have 4,096 colors. The good thing about the Windows CE base Casio handheld is that when you connect it to the docking cradle it automatically sends all the updated files to your comp without having to convert from PALM OS. Since it has Windows you dont need to learn how to write in "Graffiti", this has an on-screen keyboard which allows you to get things done faster. You can also buy tons of upgrades for this Casio, the EM-500 has the best memory type of card, the new MMC slot about the size of your thumb to your nuckle. The scrool button (the round silver thing) is great for games, you can also get a free fun pack at PocketPC.com the Microsoft website that is worth $75. If you need more than an organizer this is the best thing. If you want an ugly yellow looking expensive organizer then by the hard to learn PALM (with of course the crappy PALM OS). This is the way to go.

The best PDA/PocketPC on the market!
The Casio Cassiopeia EM-500 is undeniably the best PDA/PocketPC on the market today. It has a vast number of programs: telnet, finger, ping, internet explorer, e-mail, irc, aol instant messenger, word, excel, access, notepad, transcriber (no graffiti to learn, it recognizes anyone's natural handwriting and converts it to text just like this you're reading now), and so much more. If you are a programmer or web designer, you must have this PDA/PPC! It's also great for listening to MP3/WMA audio and playing video clips and movie previews, storing pictures, scanning the Pocket Bible, and so much more. MMC is the future of compact memory technology..., it will replace compactFlash within the next two years guaranteed! It will support modems, network cards, cameras, and of course memory with projected sizes above anything CF Cards can imagine. (according to the MMCA group). Do yourself a favor and get the CASIO EM-500! It is the next best thing to a laptop!

Three years old
I've had mine for three years. I did buy it new, though. I have been eyeing the Dell Axim, but since there is nothing wrong with my Casio, I can't find any reason to switch.

Poor craftsmanship!
Sure the em-500 is great, while it works! I bought two units off ebay and they were like new when I received them. One worked fine for only about six months, then the internal memory died and left me with a 200 dollar paperweight. The second lasted another six months. Then it too, developed a case of the internal flu. It won't even work right long enough for me too get the information stored in it off! If it were just one unit I might think I were just unlucky, but two going bad tells me these aren't built to withstand even normal use! A paper and pencil would have been so much cheaper!

Too Cool
I purchased it 2 years ago. I used it just a little. Now I sell real estate, and I think it just great. I am learning how many wonderful features it has. The screen is a little hard to read in the sun, but what are sun-glasses for??? I wish that they had not stop making it. Most of my friends use the palm, and they are always saying how hard it is to use, this em-500 is a breeze. ... Read more

Features

• 64 KB RAM
• Large, backlit 16-character by 4-line display
• Separate numeric keypad
• Phone directory
• Memo function

Features

• 256K RAM
• Computer link capable
• Backlit LCD display
• Complete set of personal information management functions
• 1-year warranty

Amazon.com Review

The Cassiopeia EM-500, Casio's follow-up to its E-100 series of personaldigital assistants, closely mirrors the E-115 but offers a few changes. Thebiggest change is the move to using MultiMediaCard (MMC) memory over the morestandard CompactFlash memory slot. The postage stamp-size MMC cards offer neededmemory expandability (as the EM-500 comes with only 16 MB of internal memory,compared to the 32 MB of the E-115), especially if you plan to use the EM-500 asa portable MP3 player--one of its many multimedia capabilities.

While MMC over CompactFlash limits the ability of the EM-500 to use many PocketPC peripherals, we were willing to overlook that once we got a peek at the EM-500'sgorgeous TFT screen. This very bright, very colorful (65,536 colors, to beexact) display shines beautifully when you're playing games or watching mobilevideo player clips, which run along at a respectable 15 to 20 frames per secondwith the EM-500's 150 MHz MIPS processor.

The thick EM-500 (about twice the thickness of the Palm Vx) offers standardCasio programmable buttons to bring up the menu, calendar, and contacts, as wellas a navigational D-pad, which is great for gaming. In addition to functioningas a stereo MP3 player (when using the included headphones), the EM-500 alsoworks as a voice recorder, allowing you to dictate reminders for yourself orvoice messages to send with e-mail. Casio promises six hours of battery life,but we often were able to get seven or more as long as we left the backlight onmedium brightness.

With its IrDA port, the EM-500 can communicate with wireless devices, and itsUSB connection provides speedy data transfer--even installing programs largerthan a megabyte took only a few seconds.

Despite the limited memory and the lack of CompactFlash support, the powerfulprocessor, excellent display, and long battery life make the EM-500 acompetitive entry into the Pocket PC market. --J. Curtis

Pros:

• TFT color screen
• USB connection
• Good battery life
• Expandable using MultiMediaCard memory

• Only 16 MB of internal memory
• No CompactFlash support

Features

• Color screen with 240 x 320 display in 65,536 colors
• Synchronize to your desktop with rapid USB data transfer
• 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
• 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

Reviews (6)

I own one
This is a great pda for the price and it works well with windows which is a major plus. I am a med student and use mine to reference material quickly (it makes me look like a genius). Anyway, it has lot of other app as well so you can use it to play your fav song... on the train/bus or edit email or read a book... I COULD GO ON AND ON... anyway, good deal especially if you find one used.

High quality, limited expandability
I purchased the EM500 as my first PDA, along with a 64MB MMC card. The card allows me to store vast amounts of data and music on MMC, compensating somewhat for the barebones 16 MB of RAM permitted in this device.

Due to technological changes by Microsoft, the EM-500 and most other Pocket PCs on the market as of August 2001 cannot be upgraded to the new Windows Pocket PC 2002 operating system.

Assuming you need to buy a PDA before the new generation of Pocket PC 2002 PDAs reaches the market, the EM-500 is a great choice.

The video quality is excellent. The unit design is simple, sturdy and elegant. The included applications are more than sufficient for the average PDA or MP3 user. The success of the character and handwriting recognition software in translating simple messages was a pleasant surprise.

For added convenience, buy Casio's EM500 docking cradle.

Excellent PDA
I love PDA's (and computers in general, for that matter) and this is an excellent device. There was a time when I swore by Palm's pda's, but while Windows CE (now known as Pocket PC) has evolved to near-desktop power, the Palm has remained virtually unchanged. Of the Pocket PC's available, this unit is the best compromise of size and power. It packs a 150mhz cpu (more powerful than the HP Jornada, less than the Ipaq), 16mb of ram, and an amazing screen capable of displaying 16bit color. The Ipaq and HP Jornada can both only do 12-bit color at best. All of that is packed in a comfortable, small device that feels extremely solid in the hand.

While I do believe the EM-500 is probably the best unit available, it does have a few draw-backs. The miserly 16mb of ram is hardly enough... if you buy this make sure to get a 32mb or 64mb memory card to go with it. My other complaints are minimal: lack of hardware volume control, location of IRDA port... but none of these minor issues really impact the usefulness of the unit.

Definitely a great PDA, and well worth the money

Would score it much higher except for a couple concerns
I had the unique opportunity to use and evaluate the Casio EM500 for a week to determine if I was interested in purchasing it. At the end of that week, I really wanted to buy this PDA, but I had some lingering concerns that kept me from doing so. Here are some of my thoughts after using it:

-First off, I really loved the display on this unit. It was extremely bright and easy to read even in daylight. I would not have thought it, but a color screen made a HUGE difference. I had a Palm Pilot before, so I know what I'm talking about here. This Casio has one of the best displays of any of the color units.

-I really liked the PocketPC OS with just a few exceptions. As I mentioned earlier, I have had a Palm Pilot in the past. Of the two operating systems, I prefer the PocketPC. This is largely due to the fact that I use a lot of Microsoft products (Outlook, Word, Excel, Money) and it was extremely easy to synch with data with these applications. Some people prefer the Palm OS's simplicity, but for what I needed to do, I found greater functionality in the PocketPC. The only reservations I had was that the PocketPC makes in annoyingly difficult to close applications and its navigation could be simplified.

-The actual hardware design of this unit is fair. It's a little on the bulky side, but I never expected to be able to fit it in my pocket to begin with. While I liked the semi-scroll wheel on the side, I never used the multi-directional D-pad on the front. In fact, I rarely used any of the buttons on the front. I was also very disappointed that there was no cradle included. The USB cable was kind of awkward to have lying across my desk, and I would have appreciated a cradle to set the unit in when not in use.

-Battery life was impressive. While I never did an official test, I was often able to go through two days of normal use before needing to recharge. The unit uses a Lithium Ion battery.

-Don't underestimate the benefit of having Internet Explorer and Microsoft Reader as included applications. Using Avantgo (which is included), it is very easy to read news, weather, and stocks from sources like MSN and Yahoo. The problem is that it is not a live connection to the Internet, and you must wait until you synch with a PC again to get the information updated. It was also fairly easy to find e-books for Microsoft Reader.

-This unit only comes with 16mb memory. While that is more than enough to run most of the bundled applications, don't expect to play many MP3's on the Media Player unless you buy additional memory.

That brings me to the biggest single drawback of this PDA and the reason I did not end up buying it. This Casio EM500 has a MMC (Multi-Media Card) expansion slot. Most of the PDA's today use Compact Flash memory slots. This means that while I could find MMC memory to buy for my Casio, I could not find very many other expansion options. There are no modems available, or cameras, or any other type of expansion pack available other that just a memory card. Being that MMC is not really catching on, at least in the USA, I worry even about the availability of MMC memory packs in the future. While this may not be important to many people, it was to me. If I am going to spend this much money on a PDA, I want it to last for a while. I want to be able to be able to expand or upgrade the unit as new technologies and products occur. Even Casio seems to realize they made a mistake by using MMC in this unit rather than Compact Flash. Newer Casio models now use Compact Flash.

NOTE: Casio announced recently that EM500 will be capable of supporting SD (secure digital) memory cards. This will require a downloadable update from the Casio web site. Even with this announcement I still am concerned about upgradability options. I have yet to see anyone selling SD memory cards.

If you are not interested in expansions such modems and such, then this is an excellent PDA for you and a great value. I give it four stars (****) in that case. For those of you that are like me and crave expansion, I would suggest looking at the Casio E-125, or better yet, the Compaq iPaq line of handhelds.

RED
My only complaint is with the dull metalic red color, I was expecting a more vibrant red!

If the color isnt important to you, it's great! ... Read more

Features

• TFT display with over 65,000 colors
• 32 MB RAM
• Plays stereo Windows Media, converted MP3, and video
• CompactFlash slot
• What's in the box: Cassiopeia E-105, Stylus, AC Adapter, Carrying case, Lithium ion rechargeable battery, CR2032 backup battery, Docking cradle, PC User's guide, Hardware guide

Reviews (6)

The technology is not yet ready for this machine
I got the E-105 and have used it for a few months now. The MP3 player is OK, but after playing 5 or 6 songs, it hogs memory and starts cracking. The only way to remedy is to soft reset the machine. Using the MP3 player slowly drains the memory until it performs painfully slow. The sync cradle does not work properly and disconnects from the computer at random intervals. The screen is all scratched from using the stylus (weak). The more programs loaded onto the 32 megs of internal memory, the slower it gets. Loading even 1 MP3 file on the 32 megs of internal memory makes it painfully slow. What is the point of having so much memory if you can't use it? CE could use a new version too. There is no option to close programs. You have to either reset the machine or go to START, SETTINGS, SYSTEM, TASK MANAGER, END TASK to close programs. What's up with that? The intent for a good product is there, but don't beleive the hype, this product is not ready for the masses.

No Comparision!
I've owned everything from Apple's Newton to the Palm Pilot. Nothing compares to the E100 or E105. I purchased an E100 when they first came out and recently upgraded to the E105. My only complaint with the unit is that it's more difficult to find software and accessories for as compared to a Palm Pilot. The hardware is great. Those little nuances such as the built in joystick and digital stereo sound are hard to live without. I've added the camera attachment for it. It's nice, but not a substitute for a real digital camera. I've also added the IBM 340 micro drive, which I've easily filled with software (mapping, games, application, reference, digital audio books and MP3 audio files). I recommend Utopiasoft's Hum for MP3 playback. If you're a businessperson, I definitely recombined Casio Soft's pTab software. It's an Excel compatible spreadsheet app that's incredible. I also recommend eWallet. It allows you to carry around everything (except money) you carry in your regular wallet (travel membership info, credit cards, passwords, pictures, etc.). You can also use the E105 to browse the Internet. One quick cable and a $20 web browser on you're on the Net (Not pseudo web browsing (two way paging) like the Palm VI), but real browsing of color web pages with graphics. In this short of space, I can't communicate everything this PDA is to me. Just buy one and you'll see!

Best PPC out there
I've had my E-105 for about a week now and wouldn't part without it. It's perfect for toting around all my personal info as well as some minor computing tasks. Love using the note feature for jotting down notes in a meeting... also a crowd pleaser (perfect stall when you need one). The handwriting recognition 'JOT' is much easier to learn than Palm's Grafitti.

My only gripe is not with the product but more with WinCE. When you want to turn a program off, you have to go UTILITIES->SYSTEM->SELECT PROGRAM->CLICK END TASK. A pain when you've got a few apps open and need some more memory, but that's a CE thing that I'm sure MS will fix. The best PDA out there!

Cassiopeia beats PalmPilot by a mile
I recently bought a Cassiopeia and I am happy to say that I have ABSOLUTLY NO PROBLEM WITH IT! Well, except y that you can't play Age of Empires II on it!

The Cassiopeia has helped me get much more organised. It's "Tasks" menu let's you enter all the things you have to do, and it reminds you to do them!

You can take down notes in it; It's got a character recodniser as well as a keyboard, and this alows for fast typing speeds.

I've also Heard that you can buy an emulator of the Net for it, and this alows you to play any game you want on the Cassiopeia! If Anyone knows where this site is, E-mail me at: Rohama@hotmail.com

Palm on Steroids
I picked the E-105 vs. other PDA's (previously owning a Palm 5000 & a Psion 5) because of it's color display, spacious memory/expandibility, and the ability to play stereo MP3s. I can view images from my digital camera on it (because it can use compact flash cards - I have 100 megs worth!), and I keep full color pictures on it. It syncs very well with Outlook (faster than a Palm) and it retains all the Outlook functionality (notes in an event). It hooks up to a PC via a serial port although USB would be much better (this would be an incredible addition for transfering large MP3 files). I bought Microsoft Maps & Streets ($20 after the rebate), and I can create custom US maps (it doesn't highlight your route for you... and you have to cut and paste the directions as text files). The Microsoft Audio Player does not play MP3s natively from a flash card and you have to use the proprietary .WMA format, so I bought the Conduits' Pocket MP3 Player (I have gigs of MP3s). Unfortunetely, there is a slight buzzing when I play back MP3 (during quiet passages... it's not terrible, but it is noticable). Battery life is about 2 hours (of audio playback), but strictly as a PDA (calendar, contacts, reading email, & notes), it can last a couple of days. The movie player is neat to demo, but it's not all that useful (it would be cool if I could USB transfer a video of the daily Top News Stories to it - 2.5 minute of video is 6.6 megs). Doom runs on it (the screen is too small). I can play Audible audio books on it. All in all, it's a true multimedia PDA. I just ordered a keyboard for it, and I hope to use it on the coach seat of an airplane to write/reply to emails (rather than powering up my clunky laptop). ... Read more