All Clié, Without the Clié Price

We love everything about each successive Clié PDA that Sony releases—except for the mounting prices. But the new Sony Clié PEG-TG50 ($400 street) gives road warriors a host of features at an affordable price.

With this model, youll find a built-in keyboard, integrated Bluetooth wireless, a voice recorder, and the excellent proprietary interface Clié Launcher, which is integrated with the underlying Palm OS 5. The PEG-TG50 lacks the swivel display and camera that are prominent in the more expensive PEG-NZ90 and PEG-NX70v models. But its features set bests others in its price class. For example, neither the HP iPAQ Pocket PC h5450 nor the Palm Tungsten T has a built-in keyboard.

The PEG-TG50 weighs 6.2 ounces and measures 4.9 by 2.8 by 0.6 inches (HWD) with its protective flip-cover installed. The PDAs application launch buttons and scroll dial are conveniently located directly below the excellent 320-by-320 backlit color screen. Because the jog dial, action dial, and Voice Recorder button are on the left panel, you can easily operate the PDA with one hand.

The unit comes with Picsel Viewer for Clié to view Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word files. Theres also the Clié Remote Commander utility to convert your PDA to a remote control for consumer electronics.

With a Bluetooth connection to a compatible GSM phone, you can browse the Internet (with the included Access NetFront 3.0 for Clié browser) and send and receive text messages with the built-in SMS application. In testing, the flashing LED in the PDAs hinge quickly confirmed our Bluetooth connection between the PEG-TG50, a Sony Ericsson t68 phone, and an HP Deskjet 995c printer.

For multimedia applications, you can transfer files using a Memory Stick (not included) and the PEG-TG50s expansion slot. You can view images and videos in Sonys Clié Viewer and Movie Player apps and listen to music with Sonys audio player.

If youve been longing for the Clié platforms unique mix of productivity and entertainment applications but couldnt justify paying $800 for other Clié models, the Sony Clié PEG-TG50 could be just what youve been waiting for.