VTech Helio Handheld PDA (Metallic Blue)

VTech Helio Handheld PDA (Metallic Blue)

Product Description
Amazon.com Review
Don't let the low price tag of VTech's Helio fool you. Even though the lower-end of the handheld price spectrum often seems to overlap with those $40 organizers available in the electronics department of your local superstore, the Helio is a respectable PDA with as much power and more memory (2 MB of flash memory, 8 MB of internal storage) than the low-cost options from Palm and Handspring.

VTech seems to be going for a slightly different audience, judging by the some of its color choices (among others, it's available colors include Pearlized Pink, Metallic Charcoal, and Translucent Lime). But other than that, the Helio looks quite similar your average handheld. It also offers a syncing cradle, desktop software, and the basic scheduling, e-mail, and notation applications of other PDAs.

Inside is where you'll find the differences. The Helio offers voice recording (up to 50 minutes with its current storage), memory upgradability (up to 16 MB--although you'll have to remove the current 8MB), and character recognition superior to Palm's Graffiti (the Helio uses CIC's Jot). Instead of having to memorize slightly-off gestures (the "7" for "t", for example), you write the letters and numbers just as you would on paper, which can lead to an impressive input rate.

In addition to three buttons for voice recording and playback, the Helio features three programmable application buttons on the front, and two scroll buttons that are conveniently placed on the side of the device.

However--there are no Internet connectivity options available for the Helio yet, although VTech says a 19.2K or 28.8K modem is currently in development. And since the Helio uses the VT-OS proprietary operating system, the number of third-party applications is much more limited than with a Palm OS-based handheld.

If you're looking for a gift that's a little outside the normal PDA box or just looking for a powerful handheld for general on-the-road tasks, the Helio shines. --J. Curtis

Pros:

Inexpensive
8 MB of internal memory, 2 MB of flash memory
Voice recorder

Cons:

No Internet options
Lack of third-party software

Product Description:
Helio by Vtech is a compact, easy-to-use personal digital assistant, which runs on VTech's VT-OS1.1. It comes in a variety of color cases, and is designed to offer users a high-quality, user-friendly PDA for exceptional value, assisting them in organizing their busy lives more effectively. Helio features a 160x160 16-level gray scale LCD screen, a high-performance 75 MHz RISC processor and 8MB of memory, plus 2MB of upgradable flash memory for software applications. Input is performed either through a software keyboard, or with the help of CIC's Jot natural character writing recognition. Helio functions as a voice and memo recorder, keeps a to-do list, a phone book and a scheduler. It has an email function, a sketch pad, a calculator, an expense manager, and offers PC synchronization to transfer Helio data to a personal computer, or vice versa. Data synchronization software makes Helio compatible with MS Outlook, MS Schedule+, Symantec ACT!, Goldmine and Palm Desktop.

VTech Helio Handheld PDA (Metallic Blue)

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