FIGURE Q


Palm Desktop's Memo Pad is simple but functional. Roll over picture for a larger image.

You create and modify your notes in the pane on the right and use the Category dropdown menu to assign or change categories. It's simple but functional.

Outlook's Notes module is intended to function more as a pad of electronic sticky notes. The Note list view, shown in Figure R, allows you to view your notes and sort them by subject, date created, and PalmPilot Category.

FIGURE R


This list view is a common Outlook interface. Roll over picture for a larger image.

However, you can't edit your notes in the preview pane, and there's no way to edit the custom PalmPilot Category in Outlook.

In order to edit your notes, you must double-click a note to open it, as in Figure S.

FIGURE S


Outlook's Notes look a lot like Post-it notes. Roll over picture for a larger image.

Outlook's Notes module is not as functional nor as intuitive as the Memo Pad in Palm Desktop, and unlike the other modules in Outlook, Notes doesn't offer speel chek (oops, make that spell check) capability. On the other hand, none of the modules in Palm Desktop do either.

Verdict: Palm Desktop's Memo Pad wins, simply because it's easier to use.

Now to wrap it all up
As I said earlier, deciding whether to use Palm Desktop or Outlook means looking at all the options and deciding what features are most important to you. Lastly, it depends heavily on how you use your Palm device. If you're currently using Palm Desktop and it works for you, I see little reason to switch. On the other hand, if you're new to the world of Palm handheld organizers, give Outlook a try; you have nothing to lose.

Fortunately, this isn't an all-or-nothing choice. Although the basic installer doesn't give you the option to pick and choose the conduits you want to use, you can do just that. For example, you can synchronize with Outlook Calendar and use Palm Desktop for everything else.

Next time I'll discuss how to customize PocketMirror to better fit your individual needs.

Bob Draper is a technical writer at Westar Corporation's U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground office. He's also a Green Bay Fan and a certified but mellowing Mac addict. He can be reached at palmguy@mac.com.