Xircom Rex 6000
Until wearable computing becomes a reality, the Xircom Rex 6000 is probably the most convenient thing to carry around. Being one of the smallest PDAs in the market does mean that some features found on its bigger cousins cannot be easily duplicated, but the Rex 6000 holds its ground well against the competition.
At First Glance
The Rex 6000 is a full-fledged PDA built in the approximate form of a laptop-compatible
Type II PCMCIA card and weighs a mere 40g. Although lacking the bells and whistles that
most of us have come to expect from Palm OS and Windows CE-based PDAs, it is easy to see
that much thought and effort has been put into deriving the best out of the Rex 6000.
A vast improvement over the earlier Rex models, this little wonder features a high-resolution touch screen for quick navigation and data entry, and quick access buttons and shortcuts for just about all the tools and applications it has. It also has the added ability to download software upgrades and Web content from its own Web site. Two CR2016 batteries are all that are needed to power the device for up to six months of regular use.
Limited Features
Tapping any of the seven application buttons aligned along the base of the touch screen
calls up features like the day's appointments, task lists and calculator. Sadly, the Rex
6000 has no backlight, making reading in dark places a challenge. On the other hand,
contrary to what you might expect, the fonts used are no smaller than those found on most
other PDAs; hence, when used in decent lighting conditions, the Rex's display does not
place any added strain on your eyes.
A built-in speaker for alerts is irritatingly loud enough to remind you of pending appointments, and the 2MB of memory is sufficient to satisfy the average user's requirements. An interesting addition is the International Map that shows all different time zones, with shaded sections to give you an idea of which of your friends/contacts are awake at that point in time.
Syncing the Rex
Although the Rex 6000 has been designed for easy syncing via the PCMCIA slots found in
laptops, a cradle is provided with the basic package to extend the same functionality to
desktop computers as well. The cradle comes in either USB or serial port versions for
those of us with differing connectivity requirements.
The Rex 6000 MicroPDA uses its own Personal Information Management (PIM) software so you can quickly exchange and back up information between your Rex organizer and PC, as well as provide support for other popular applications such as Symantec's ACT! and MS Outlook.
Less Than Half The Price Of Palm Vx
The Rex 6000 offers great value for money at less than half the price of the Palm Vx.
Although it may not offer the sense of community that comes from having an infrared port,
Xircom has cleverly developed a one-stop online resource for all things Rex at its Web
site. Users will be able to download new applications, the latest news and articles from
this site, as well as buy any Rex-related accessories online.
It may be twice the thickness of the Oregon Scientific PD293, but it packs four times the memory of this close competitor. Xircom's leapfrog over Oregon Scientific, after the latter's earlier success over the previous Rex 5000 model, could mean newer card-size PDAs featuring even more features than currently imaginable. Until then, the Rex 6000 is worthy of serious consideration by those of us who are attracted by its compact size and PDA-essential features.