Size also matters in terms of screen real estate. Models such as the Palm m100 and Palm m105 have smaller screens due to their size. The HandEra 330 has the largest screen area available. What are you using it for? If you're going to be looking at documents or spreadsheets on a frequent basis, take that into consideration in deciding which model to purchase.

Color my world....or at least my handheld
Color is easier to read. Games look cooler in color. I think as the population ages and PDA use becomes more widespread, color will be the norm. Color definitely makes a difference to me.

In the future, I imagine there won't be too much of a price difference in the cost of color. When the grayscale PalmIIIxe and the color Palm IIIc were first introduced, there was a $200 price difference, even though they were essentially the same machine, with color being the only differentiating factor. That price gap has shrunk considerably. There's only a $50 price difference between the grayscale Palm m500 and the color Palm m505.

Finally, if you want multimedia capability with your color screen, the Sony CLIE N710c is what you're looking for.

Don't buy more than you need
When buying a car, you take into account your driving style, the distances you usually drive, the number of passengers you typically have, and the load you usually carry. You wouldn't buy a ten-passenger SUV when all you need is a four or five passenger sedan. So don't do this when buying your PDA. If all you need is 2MB instead of 8MB, buy that! If grayscale suits you instead of color, buy that. Don't let me, or a salesperson, or your co-worker, talk you into buying more than you need.

Try every model you're interested in. Go to the office supper stores and electronic stores. Even if you plan to buy online, try them out in the store. Make the often-reluctant sales people take the handhelds out of the cases and turn off the alarm sensors so you can poke and prod them. Insist on your right to try a handheld out. Don't be rushed through the process or shamed into buying right away because you made someone get an item out of the case for you.

In short, the best answer to the question, "Which Palm OS handheld is the best one?" is "The one that fits your needs and becomes indispensable to you."

In closing, I'll tell you that I carry two Palm handhelds, the Palm IIIc and Palm VIIx. I often wonder if that means I have a split personality.

Denise Watkins can be reached at watkinsjenkins@msn.com. She is the Alpha Palm handheld user in a family of Palm handheld users.