• Keep all your important information--from appointments to addresses to notes--at your fingertips
• 8 MB of memory, bonus software, and a fast processor
• Play games on the go or read an eBook
• Synchronizes with Outlook
• What’s in the box: Handheld device; Palm Desktop software including Note Pad and Expense; Software Essentials CD with Handmark Mobile DB and PDA Money; pre-installed basic applications such as Address Book, Date Book, etc.

Palm Zire 21 Handheld offers an easy and affordable way to balance the demands of your busy life. Keep all your important information--from appointments to addresses to notes--at your fingertips. Enter information on your handheld then transfer and back it up to your computer so your information is always safe and secure. 160 x 160 pixel display; 4-bit Grayscale Address and Date Book functions for contacts and schedules Quick Find Convenient scroll up and down 4.4 H x 2.9 W x 0.6 D Unit Weighs 3.8 ounces

Amazon reviewers told me to avoid this item. I purchased one anyway because I had lost one that had worked. This NEW one had to be returned immediately because it didn't work at all! Buy a Zire 22 instead. It works well!

I received this as a gift over one year ago. I did not put it to use at that time because the screen is hard to read... and my Palm XIIIE was working perfectly. Recently, I bought a new computer which did not have a LPT ports so I decided to use the Zire which synchronizes via USB. The big problem is that it is uncompatible with my cell phone. If my cell phone rings all data in the handheld is lost. According to Palm Support they should not be close to each other, not easy being a female who carries both products in the same bag. I never had a problem like that with my previous Palm.
Do not buy this product if you planning to have a cell phone nearby.

Best feature is the Note Pad application, you can scribble on it just like writing on a post-it note and can save it.

The Pros
Low Price
Small & Light
Palm OS 5
8 MB of Memory

The Cons
No Backlight
Black & White Screen
No Replaceable Battery (Common on Palm brand PDAs)
No SD card slot

I bought my Zire 21 about seven months ago, and have had no problems with it, unlike some other people have reported. I read on another review that they think that some of the Zire 21s are randomly resetting because the palm is not shielded enough , and when it is placed by some cell phones it causes the palm to reset. Palm, Inc. is not required to replace the PDA, so they just recommend keeping the PDA three feet away from cell phones. I have never read anything offical that says this, just another person's online review. I have no problem with this because I don't have a cell phone.

Anyway, this palm is great for what I use it for, it does all the basic PDA functions (calender, address, etc.), it has enough memory for all my scriptures, and a few other books. I also have room for other aplications, and games (But is is cutting it close on space with all that), and they run fine on the Zire 21 because of the 126 MHz processor. It also runs Palm OS 5.2.1, and comes with more software on the CD-Rom.

My only problems with this palm is that it doesn't allow you to replace the battery when it won't recharge anymore. This is a problem with many Palm PDAs, and something that I would like then to change, also they could improve battery life in some of their other PDAs. There is no backlight behind the B&W screen, so you can't see the screen at night. And there is no SD card slot, so I can't add more memory space if I ever need to.

So if you don't want to spend alot for a PDA, just want the basics, and you don't mind a black and white screen, I suggest this one.

It works beautifully, I just wish it had a light so I could see the menu items when I am not in a lighted area. Other than that, I am very happy with it.