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Off The Shelf and In Your Palm
The Cassiopeia E-10 Palm-size PC 

By Rich Hall cassiope.jpg (13406 bytes)

Out of the box the Casio E-10 is a fast, easy-to-use Palm-size PC. A big megahertz number looks impressive on paper, but doesn't always translate into speed. Fortunately, the E-10 has both a big megahertz number (a 100 MHz NEC Vr4111 CPU) and snappy performance.

The unit comes with backup and main batteries pre-installed, so I played around with it for a while before noticing the stern instruction (on a piece of paper labeled "Important") about replacing them immediately with spares, also included. I did so, went through the rest of the set-up procedure, and started again to play with the E-10.

The Casio E-10 is attractive and small, fitting easily in your palm or pocket. It comes with a slipcase for extra protection. The slipcase is good if you carry the E-10 around in a briefcase or purse, but it adds too much bulk to easily slip into your pocket.

The E-10 has four buttons below its touch screen. One turns the unit on and the other three launch commonly used applications (Calendar, Tasks, and Contacts). A button on the left side of the unit lets you activate the voice record application. One of the best things about these quick launch buttons is that you can customized them to launch your most important applications.

Two additional controls on the left side of the E-10 let you maneuver through drop-down lists and menus. The concept is great and they are useable as is. But these buttons are recessed to avoid the unintentional pressing of them. As a consequence, I have to feel around a little with my thumb to find them.

I'll have a few more things to say about the hardware towards the end of the review. If you'd like more of the hardware specifications, see the E-10 listing in our "At-A-Glance" section.

The more I use the software, the more I like it -- and want more!

Word completion is great!

I really appreciate this built-in feature. As you enter text, the utility follows what you are entering and pops up what word it thinks you are entering. If it's the right word, all you have to do is tap on it and it gets entered. Once you get used to this feature, it really speeds things up.

Jot's Help feature handy when you need it.

I also still like the help feature for the built-in handwriting recognition program. The Palm-size PCs come with handwriting recognition capability built in (CIC's Jot program). But Jot expects you to write characters it's way. Almost all of the characters are as expected, but a few gave me trouble. Jot's Help screen showed me how to write them. Once you get the letters and numbers down, there's a whole raft of symbols you almost never use. Since Microsoft chose Jot for the Palm-size PC, they were wise to put in a good help feature.

Use Note Taker for quick handwritten memos:

I'm getting the hang of Note Taker and liking it a lot more. I find myself skipping character recognition more and just writing short handwritten "ink" notes like "pick up cat food" or "change dental appointment." It's quick and handy to scribble in short notes.

I use Contacts and Calendar most.

I end up using my Palm-size PC mostly to access phone numbers and as an appointment reminder. I don't mind entering appointments on my Palm-size PC. Usually, the information is brief -- the Palm-size PC encourages you to be brief. Contacts are another matter.

If I'm lucky enough to meet someone with another Palm-size PC or H/PC, I can "squirt" contact information back and forth via the infrared ports. Otherwise, I gather contact information the old fashioned way ¡ I ask for their business card. I then enter the information into Outlook on my desktop and synchronize with my Palm-size PC. The fact that I can synchronize it with Contact on my desktop PC means that I don't have to enter data on the Palm-size PC, and you should avoid doing so if you can. (Windows CE Services and the docking cradle that comes with the E-10 make this a relatively simple process. However, I did find it a bit of a bother having to remove the rubber serial port cover on the E-10 each time I docked.)

Liven up your Palm-size PC with software from independent vendors.

The Palm-size PC does what it's supposed to do in a simple and effective way. But it could do a whole lot more, and that's where independent vendors come in. More and more of them are coming out with software for the Palm-size PC. Casio includes some of it with the E-10, on a CD ROM (see sidebar, page 14). The point is that independent vendors are coming out with software that make the Palm-size PC a lot more interesting and sophisticated.

A piece of paper labeled "Important"

Casio thoughtfully includes a thin plastic "Touch Screen Sheet" to provide additional protection for the E-10's touch screen display. At first glance it looks like it will reduce visibility, but that is because of the sheet's green protective backing. Remove the backing and slide the clear portion of the sheet into place in front of the E-10's display. It does not reduce the visibility of the touch screen display at all, and protects it from scratches. You may need the Touch Screen sheet if you keep your E-10 unprotected, in a bag or brief case containing a bunch of metal objects. Then again, the E-10 comes with a small protective slip-case. You might just keep the E-10 in that and forget the Touch Screen sheet.

The piece of paper labeled "Important" also warned that playing back voice recordings and using the backlighting increased the drain on the batteries by 10-15 times. This warning probably applies to any Palm-size PC, no matter who manufacturers it. I don't know what you could do differently with backlighting. You use it when you need it, and you probably don't need it that often. It automatically turns off after 15 seconds by default. You can increase that time in the Display option of the Settings menu, but 15 seconds is the lowest setting.

If you can, avoid using the voice record playback until you are back in the office or at home and have connected the E-10 to its optional AC adapter. A good bit of general advice to extend battery life is to have adapters available at the places you sit down at for any length of time. Connect to the adapter whenever convenient.

Reviews are subjective

Certain things catch your eye that another reviewer might totally ignore. The E-10's box was pretty, and I was dying to get at the first model Palm-size PC to ship, but what caught my attention first was the Tech Support phone number (888-204-7765) on the side of the box. Casio didn't hide it in a manual. They put it right there, on the outside of the box, in big type, where anyone can see it. It's almost as if they wanted you to be able to find it and call them. What's more, there are clear technical support references for all of the bonus software found in the packaging and on the CD-ROM itself.

I'm one of those people who has spent some time digging through documentation looking for technical support phone numbers. Casio deserves a big pat on the back for putting support first, and technical support numbers where you can find them.

They also deserve congratulations for being the first Palm-size PC manufacture out of the blocks, with a fine product. *

Palm-size PC's Built-in Applications

The Casio E-10 and all other Palm-size PCs have the same set of Windows CE applications built into them. As a stand-alone product without any additional software, the Palm-size PC is a very functional unit. Below is a brief description of the built-in applications. For a more complete description see the sidebar below. You can also go to Microsoft's Palm-size PC Web page: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsce/ppc/about/default.htm 

  1. Calendar ¡ an electronic appointment book that maintains your schedule, displays it in Day, Week, Month, Year, and Agenda views, and automatically reminds you of upcoming appointments. 
  2. Contacts ¡ the Window CE phonebook. You can quickly find, add, and edit personal and business contact information. 
  3. Tasks ¡ the onboard to-do list that lets you track tasks. You can categorize and prioritize projects and to-do lists, and set Tasks to automatically remind you of critical tasks. 
  4. Inbox ¡ an electronic mailbox. Inbox lets you send and receive electronic mail messages and attachments. You can download your email from your desktop PC or connect your Palm-size PC via modem to an Internet Service Provider and download email directly. 
  5. Voice Recorder ¡ records and plays back short memos. Voice Recorder makes use of the Palm-size PC's built-in microphone and speaker to record and play back voice notes in WAV file format. 
  6. Note Taker ¡ a palm-sized memo pad. Enter your notes in handwriting recognition mode, or with the built-in "Soft Keyboard." A built-in word completion feature helps you finish words quickly (available throughout the built-in applications). Note Taker also saves drawings, sketches, or handwritten notes. 
  7. Mobile Channels ¡ a built-in Web content viewer. Mobile Channels lets you download and view content you've selected from the World Wide Web. You subscribe to receive information on your desktop PC and synchronize it to your Palm-size PC. 
  8. Remote Networking ¡ a communications utility that supports serial, infrared, and modem connections. 
  9. World Clock ¡ the built-in clock that tracks two time zones simultaneously. It includes an extensive database of cities worldwide. 
  10. Calculator ¡ a basic calculator with large, easy-to-touch buttons. 
  11. Solitaire -- the Windows CE version of the classic card game. 
  12. Settings ¡ a group of set-up utilities for the Palm-size PC. Similar to the Windows Control Panel, it lets you set passwords, change owner information, configure communications connections, access the World Clock, and more. 
  13. Windows CE Services lets you automatically and effortlessly share information between your desktop or laptop computer and your Palm-size PC. A desktop PC version comes on CD ROM with every Palm-size PC. When installed on your desktop or laptop computer, Microsoft's ActiveSync™ technology automatically and continuously updates your Contacts, Calendar, Tasks, Inbox, Voice Recorder, Note Taker, and Mobile Channel data to and from your Palm-size PC¡without pressing any buttons. 

Bonus Software on CD ROM

The E-10 comes with two CD ROMs. One has Microsoft's Windows CE Services. The other is packed with applications from a number of independent software vendors and from Casio. These include: bFax Express, Financial Calculator, Meeting Minder, Pocket Streets!, Quicken ExpensAble, Tetris, smART Commander; and Casio's Camera Viewer and Find File utilities. Below are some quick comments on the programs. Detailed reviews will have to wait. 

* bFAX Express (BSQUARE DEVELOPMENT; Fax: 888-266-2329; Web: http://www.bsquare.com). bFAX Express adds fax capability to the E-10 or any Palm-size PC. bFAX gives you the option of sending a standard cover page. You can compose a message on the cover page and send simple, one-page faxes, or add attachment documents composed in another application. Faxes can be sent from any Palm-size PC equipped with a CompactFlash card modem (see Screen 1). 

* Camera Viewer (Casio; Web: http://www.casiohpc.com/) Camera Viewer lets you view digital photos you take with a Casio digital camera. Transfer of these images from the camera to the E-10 should be easy because the E-10 and most of the Casio digital cameras have CompactFlash card slots. I had no images to test with this one. 

* Financial Consultant (LandWare; Phone: 201-261-7944; Web: http://www.landware.com) An easy-to-use financial calculator that lets you solve problems relating to Time and Money, Amortization, Effective and Nominal interest rates, Flexible compounding, Date calculations, Investment analysis, Retail-style percentage calculations, and more. The use of popup menus provides single tap access to over 90 functions while still maintaining an uncluttered interface. 

* Find File (Casio; Web: http://www.casiohpc.com/) The Find feature built into the Palm-size PC lets you search for a name, phone number, or phrase in your data. Find File adds the ability to look for data files by name, or display a "file tree." Tap on the small plus sign to the left of any folder in the tree to display its contents. Tap again (this time on the small minus sign) to close the folder. This utility is good for those of us who still relate to these devices in terms of file names and folders. (Tip 1: If you have the tree view open to a particular file and then go to another application and delete it, the file will remain in the tree view until you close and open the folder. Tip 2: Tap on any file in the tree view to open it. If it's a document, it will open in the correct application. If it's a program or utility, it will start.) (see Screen 2) 

* Meeting Minder (Casio; Web: http://www.casiohpc.com/) According to the self-description, this one "provides fast and easy outline organizing capabilities and an intuitive, drag-and-drop outline processor." Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out how to use it. The Help screen described all the features thoroughly. They need to add a step-by-step example of a typical use (like they did with the Find File program). 

* Quicken ExpensAble (On The Go Software; Phone: 800-331-3416; Web: http://www.onthegosoftware.com). Well designed for the Palm-size PC, Quicken ExpensAble lets mobile professionals track business-related expenses. It uses an "envelope" metaphor to track each trip (or event) you attend. It's easy to use and has pull-down menus where necessary to speed up data entry (see Screen 3). 

* smART Commander (ART Phone: 818-678-3999; Web: http://www.artcomp.com) Adds voice command capability to your E-10, letting you program an application or specific document to open when you speak the word of your choice. Tap on the smART Commander icon in the task tray, speak the word and you're in business. I don't like having to take out my stylus, tap the icon, and then speak out the command. Fortunately, you can reprogram the buttons on the E-10 (tap on Start, Settings, Buttons, Program). I'd assign smART Commander to the Side Button. This one activates Voice Recorder, but I don't use that much. Then all I have to do is slip the E-10 out of my pocket, press the button and speak out! 

* Tetris (MobileSoft, Web: http://www.mobilesoft.com). In years past I've "invested" a lot of time in Tetris (or one of its many clones). The version that comes with the E-10 is a licensed version of the original, from MobileSoft. It's free, but the installation procedure requires that you fill out a registration form and have your desktop PC linked to the Internet while you install. A little confusing, but it worked (see Screen 4). 

You can tap the screen to move or rotate the falling blocks. You can also use the rocker arm on the left side of the E-10 to move and rotate blocks, for one-handed play. Who needs a GameBoy when you've got a Palm-size PC? 

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Screen 1: bFAX Express lets you send faxes from a Cassiopeia E-10, using an optional modem card.

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Screen 2: Find File utility lets you look for files by name or display the files on your E-10 in a file tree structure.

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Screen 3: Quicken ExpensAble lets you track expenses, write expense reports, and keep an eye on reimbursement checks.

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Screen 4: Casio teams up with MobileSoft to add the popular Tetris game to your E-10, free of charge.

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