9. CASIO Cassiopeia E-200 - Minor Shortcomings

Casio Cassiopeioa E-200.

"Use up to three expansion slots at the same time" - this is the claim that Casio makes in order to promote the Cassiopeia E-200. Casio integrates two expansion slots as standards, the CompactFlash and Secure Digital Card slots. The CF slot accepts Type II cards, too. You can also use a PC card interface with an additional jacket. Jackets are expansion modules that are plugged into the handheld. Weighing in at 190 grams, this is the heaviest of all the PDAs tested and comes equipped with 64 MB RAM and 32 MB ROM, which is about average for this class. The software package contains not only standards such as USB Cradle and Pocket PC software, but also a CD with detailed instructions and useful tools, including programs for storing data on SD and CF cards, a special media player, some games and much more. A leather case and a "quick start" booklet are also part of the package.

Casio took some peculiar liberties in selecting the TFT display. Even its good luminosity (75.6 candelas per square meter) can't make up for its mediocre contrast. Another problem is the brightness, for which there are only five basic settings. This means that it is close to impossible to find the optimal settings in different environments. To make matters worse, a highly reflective surface frames the display, dispersing light in all directions when used in brightly lit environments and making the display even less readable. Another feature of the Casio TFT that leaves much to be desired is its touch screen interaction. Instead of gliding smoothly over it, the stylus makes scratching sounds on the display surface. And if you want to make any precise entries in the corners of the display, you'll have to press down very firmly.

The Casio Cassiopeia E-200 carries a price tag of $599.99. However, this is a bit too expensive, considering its ho-hum array of features and ergonomic design.

Important navigation elements such as the jog dial and the SD card slot have been integrated on the left side of the case.