Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Reliable, but inconvenient for travelers
I bought this Palm model after losing my m100 during a business trip. Instead of purchasing the same old model, I went for an upgrade with the m130, since it looked identical to my old unit plus it had color. The process of migrating the old data from my PC to the new unit was very simple (Fortunately, I kept my data synchronized in my PC on a frequent basis). The m130 works exactly the same as my old m100, making the learning curve minimal. I also noticed that the stylus graffiti recognition is more effective than in my m100, reducing the backspacing and correcting. The unit includes a HotSync cradle which is not only used for synchronizing but also to recharge the batteries. Obviously the cradle requires electric power.
I found the cradle a bit heavy and bulky and difficult to store in a notebook's briefcase. The engineers at Palm should have considered, for those of us who travel, making the cradle more compact and lightweight. You have no choice but to bring it with you everywhere since it is required to recharge the unit's short-lasting internal battery. Now, a bit about battery life. In my opinion, I consider the m130's battery life to be very short. My m100 used 2 AAA batteries that lasted more than a month. The m130's last a day or two and possibly less with heavy use. You need to get used to recharging it daily. Fortunately you can reduce the screen brightness by lightly tapping the power button while the unit is on to save battery life. In summary, Pros: Palm's reliability and reputation, ease of use, upgradeable, enough basic memory (8MB), clear display with good colors. Cons: Heavy and bulky HotSync cradle, very short battery life If you use your Palm for personal purposes and/or do not travel a lot with it, then you may disregard the Cons. If you do a lot of traveling you should consider obtaining a unit with a longer-lasting battery and a more compact cradle/recharger. 3 stars
Rating: - A PDA that the layperson can use
I have had the palm 130 for three weeks and havae found it useful for keeping personal and business appointments, grocery shopping, and for a financial quick reference. I was able to start using the basics after installation. The Grafitti feature was suprisingly easy to learn; considering that it looked like something out of Gregg's Shorthand. I was using it the first day.The games or books that can be downloaded or added are fun and helpful. A solitaire game or hearts game can come in handy at the DMV or the dentist's office. I plan on adding the Powergraph and Dictionary/Thesaurus for math and literature classes at a later date. The drawbacks are that the battery power drains noticeably after about 20 minutes of use. This is a minor drawback considering that this is a color device. I have also found when tapping near the corner of the screen, it sometimes won't "take" for lack of a better word. Although, I've never used or owned the PalmZire(?), I would recommend this 130 model. The next reason: it is expandable at least to 32MBS. The last is that it's color. The Palm 130 is a useful, fun and easy to use device. You don't have to be a computer wizard to get started.
Rating:  - Perfect, especially the price
I've owned a Palm m130 for a couple of months and it has been everything i expected. Many of the reviews here complain about the handheld breaking after a week of use, but mine has had no problems. It has a lot of great features, like the PalmReader, word to go and all of the other software that Palm is famous for. My favorite software is the PalmReader. You can read at night without having to use a light, and it stays on the same page when you use other programs, eliminating the need for a book mark. In my opinion, it has one of the best faceplates you can buy. You can also purchase many other expansions for it, like a keyboard, bluetooth cards, wireless modems and leather cases. Within minutes of opening the box i had downloaded games and a dictionary from the internet, and didn't have to pay for any of it. Using the Palm is incredibly easy, even my dad can use it. The rechargable batteries are great and it lasts a long time. My favorite feature is the color screen. After using a monochrome screen for a while i came to the conclusion that there is no comparison. After using the color screen for a day, I could barely even see the monochrome screen that my brother has. If you're debating between which PDA to buy, get this one, you won't be disapointed.
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