Software galore
In addition to including PalmOS version 3.5.2 on the 330, HandEra offers an ample software bundle, which turns out to be both a blessing and a curse. Most notable is the inclusion of the excellent QuickOffice software suite that lets you sync documents and spreadsheets with your PDA. Normally, this software would set you back $40, but it's included on the 330. In terms of my own habits, QuickOffice gets beat out only by AvantGo as my most-used application. Given that the 330 is targeted at the business/enterprise market, where document and spreadsheet functionality is a must, QuickOffice is a smart inclusion.

While QuickOffice is something just about everyone is going to want on a PDA, there's bunch of other software included on the 330 that most can do without—everything from games to GPS programs. It's great that HandEra is bundling a wide variety of software with the 330. However, I couldn't help but feel things were a little bloated, since over half of the unit's 8MB of memory is taken up by the pre-installed applications.

As many applications as there are, they're trivial to get rid of, so it's not that bad. There's a tradeoff here. HandEra could offer everything installed on the unit so it's ready right out of the box, or they could offer the software on a CD with a simple installation routine that would let a user select what he or she wants to install at the first hotsync. I think an installation routine is a better route, at least for extra software. While HandEra gets a hearty pat on the back for including QuickOffice, I have to question installing a bunch of extras that most users can do without. The PalmOS is about being sleek and streamlined; even the ever-bloated Windows lets you choose what you install and what you leave on the CD.

Power
Short battery lives trip up too many PDAs. Color screens, extra multimedia features, and other additions can sap precious battery life, leaving some PDAs with capacity for less than a day of use. HandEra didn't want the 330's batteries running dry and leaving you in the lurch, so they packed four AAAs into the device, giving it almost double the battery life of other Palm-based devices, which typically feature only two AAAs. The 330's battery life isn't quite doubled by the extra AAAs, mostly because of the increased resolution screen and voice capabilities. Still, the 330 has great endurance; it's the Ironman of PDAs.

There are a couple of other options users have when it comes to powering the 330. There's a jack for an AC adapter, and a rechargable lithium ion battery pack will be released this summer. The battery pack will give users the convenience of charging the device from its syncing cradle, while the AC adapter is sure to be a hit with travelling businesspeople who use their PDAs a lot and are sick of burning through batteries or constantly having to recharge their devices.

HandEra has covered all the bases when it comes to powering the 330, and I really like the fact that it still supports AAAs. Lithium ion battery packs are great, if you're able to keep charging them or if you have a few spares. However, someone out in the field might not have the luxury of sticking the 330 into a cradle for the few hours necessary to top off its power supply. Having AAA (and AC adapter) support gives the 330 the potential for truly continuous usage.

All the small things
There are a bunch of other cool little touches that HandEra has applied to the 330 that are worth mentioning, but don't need much in-depth discussion. I'll lump them all together here.

All the buttons on the face of the 330 are concave, so you can easily tap them with the stylus. Even the scrolling and power buttons are easy to use with the stylus.

The 330 has what HandEra calls an "easy" reset button. Basically, this means you can reset the unit with the stylus as opposed to hunting aroung for a pin. Still recessed in the confines of the PDA's case, the larger reset button doesn't seem prone to accidental activation, and it's a lot more convenient to be able to flip the unit over and stab the reset button with the stylus when necessary.

HandEra's inclusion of an extended character Graffiti cheat sheet is also a nice touch. Normally, PDAs (at least the ones I'm familiar with), ship with a cheat sheet that you can stick on the inside cover of your PDA. These cover the Graffiti strokes necessary to produce the standard set of letters, numbers, and punctuation, but you have to open up the software Graffiti guide in the PalmOS if you want to get instructions for extended characters. HandEra provides a sticker with the complete extended character set. Since letters and numbers are used frequently and thus quickly learned, you really don't need the standard cheat sheet for long. An extended cheat sticker for those rarely used and obscure characters just makes a whole lot of sense.