DATE: 13092000

After purchasing the Rex PIM from Franklin Covey last year, Xircom has finally revealed its update to the tiny PDA at this year's DemoMobile 2000 conference in Pasadena, California. The Xircom Rex 6000 and Rex.net Web portal should be ready sometime in October.

Like the earlier versions of the Rex PDA, Xircom's Rex 6000 is based on a thin PC card design that makes it easy to slip into your shirt pocket unnoticed. Shortcut buttons along the right side offer one-handed navigation, and TrueSync synchronization software from Puma technologies allow users to access and update information.

So what has changed in this new Rex device? The new Rex 6000 has a 240x120 screen, a new interface, and about four times the memory for contacts, memos, calendaring, and task-information storage as the last Rex version. The device runs off two included slim lithium-ion batteries that should last for months with typical usage. Like the earlier version of the Rex, the screen is small but very usable for the device's intended functionality.

The first improvement avid Rex users will notice, aside from the silvery new paint and higher-resolution screen, is the inclusion of a touch screen and stylus. Users no longer have to punch through menu screens or alphanumeric lists in order to enter text or jump to their favorite application. Xircom has also conveniently placed menu shortcuts along the bottom edge of the screen for quicker access to commonly used applications. Although the Rex 6000 does not provide software for graffiti or handwriting recognition, text input and navigation is greatly improved over the previous version of the Rex device.

The Rex 6000 will also perform limited Web clipping of WML content from sites set up by the user via Xircom's Rex Web synchronization portal. Since the Rex is physically "synced" with the primary PC, Web content is only as current as the most recently performed download of Web content. However, given the higher resolution and improved readability of the Rex 6000's screen, we found this to be a user-friendly experience. In comparison to an always connected but cramped WAP phone screen, the 6000's eight to nine lines of 30 to 35 characters were a welcome relief. While the current content is limited to I-syndicate's news, finance, sports, weather, and entertainment information, Xircom is working with other Web content providers on additional deals.

Summary: Although updating the Xircom Rex 6000's is still dependent on a physical connection to a laptop though the PC card slot or desktop through the Rex dock via USB, its sharper screen, lightweight design still make it a useful PDA. Xircom has not established a firm price point yet but suggested that the Rex 6000 would be available from US$150 to US$200 in October.