Reviews by: Ron (twrock)April 17th, 2006
This review covers three third-party cradles compatible with the Palm TX (and some other Palm models as well that use the new athena style connecto; see the compatibility details for each cradle). The three cradles are the Brando WorkShop Tungsten T5 USB Cradle, the Alpinetop Palm TX USB Sync and Charge Cradle / Dock, and the Brando WorkShop Palm Music Dock. I will review them in the order that I received them. -Ron
Brando Tungsten T5 - TX USB Cradle
The Brando WorkShop Tungsten T5 USB Cradle is the smallest and most basic of Brando's cradles. It is specifically designed for the Tungsten T5 and the Palm TX handhelds only. This results in one of the biggest advantages of this particular cradle, its tight fit. The TX is held firmly in the cradle, and due to a lip of plastic on the front and the two grooves in the back, the unit can only be inserted "correctly". There is some real piece of mind that comes from knowing that you aren't about to break off some little piece of plastic as you push down to slide the unit into place. I did however find one problem that this created after prolonged use. The sharp corners on the cradle that framed the D-pad were starting to cause scratching on my TX case. A couple of seconds with a file and the problem was solved, but it should not have happened to begin with.
The cradle integrates the charging circuit with the USB hotsync cable, drawing a charge from your computer's USB port. This works well and reduces the clutter of an extra cord. It also has a very bright blue LED to indicate the cradle is plugged in. I would have to say that the LED is "glaringly" bright, much brighter than I wanted. Opening the case revealed a couple of metal weights that give the unit some much-needed stability. But the unit lacked any kind of rubber feet to keep it from easily sliding around my desktop. There is no integrated hotsync button in this unit; you have to manually activate ae hotsync via your handheld.
Another frustration for me has been the angle of the TX handheld as it sits in the cradle. It is nearly vertical. That's fine if the cradle is placed a little further away from you on your desktop, but not easy to work with if you keep it close. Since the PDA sits at the front edge of the cradle, I think it would not create any additional instability to have angled it back further and would make it easier to see and to tap the screen in the right place.
One of other biggest advantages of this cradle is that if you keep your TX in a metal case that mounts via the side rail, you don't have to remove the TX from your case before plugging it into the cradle. That might seem like no big deal until you have to do it every time you want to hotsync or charge your PDA.
For those inclined to modify their electronics, you will be happy to know that all of the pins are present in the plug. But you will be unhappy to learn that many of the tabs on the back side of plug have been cut off and the stubs and the remaining tabs are hard to access due to the copious amount of hot glued used to hold everything in place. I was able to add a hotsync button, but it was quite difficult.
Details:
Available from Brando Workshop
Dimensions: 7.9 cm wide x 5.8 cm deep x 3.7 cm tall
Cost: US $22.00 (HK $160.00)
Compatible with: Palm TX, Tungsten T5
Pros:
Compact
Single cable
Tight fit and easy alignment
Weighted
Compatible with many metal cases
Cons:
Too vertical
No hotsync switch
Slides around easily (no rubber feet)
Scratches the T|X case (easily resolved)
Alpinetop Palm USB Sync and Charge Cradle
The Palm TX USB Sync and Charge Cradle / Dock by Alpinetop.com is a nice unit, particularly at its apparently continuously discounted price point (see note about pricing below). Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I do like the domed shape and think it looks quite nice sitting on my desktop. Of course this circular shape means that the cradle occupies a larger footprint. The entire bottom of the unit is covered with a piece of foam that provides some, but not a lot of friction to hold the cradle in place on your desktop. There is no additionally weight added to the unit.
This unit ships with a separate charger that is compatible with 100-240 volts and 50-60 hertz. The blue LED light only shines when the charger is plugged in, but the TX should receive a trickle-charge through the USB cable even if the charger is not plugged in. The LED would be overly bright if it wasn't recessed in a hole. This limits the light to a pleasant glow unless you look straight down into the hole. This unit also has an integrated hotsync button. That's good, but it is poorly designed. The placement of the button is on the back right side of the unit, and cannot be seen without turning the unit around. Additionally, the button is very small, protrudes very little, and is difficult to press. You definitely have to either use two hands, or squeeze the unit with one hand from both sides to activate a hotsync.
The TX sits in the cradle at a nice angle, leaning back enough to make it easy to see the screen and tap the right spot. The TX leans back against a thin piece of foam that helps align things as you plug in your PDA. But there is nothing to help you align your PDA from side to side, so you have to exercise at least some caution as you push the TX onto the plug. It was possible to plug my TX into this cradle without removing the metal case, but it really doesn't work very well. The case's front cover has to remain partially covering the screen because of how far forward the back of the case has to swing. Removing the case makes more sense.
Because the plug has most of the additional pins removed, modification options are limited. Interestingly, the two pins necessary to add an external microphone are present.
Note: Alpinetop.com seems to perpetually discount this particular cradle. I've visited their website a few times since I got the cradle, and it has always been on sale for US$9.99. According to them, it supposedly retails for US$30.95, and I have also seen them say that "our price" is $15.99 while selling the unit for a $9.99 "discount price".
Details:
Available from Aplinetop.com
Dimensions: 10.1 cm diameter x 4.3 cm tall (domed)
Price: US $9.99-15.99 (see note above)
Compatible with: Palm TX, Tungsten T5, Tungsten E2
Pros:
Looks nice
Includes separate charger
Hotsync button
Cons:
Poorly implemented hotsync button
Light weight
Aligning the T|X a bit difficult
Brando Palm Music Dock
The Brando WorkShop Palm Music Dock is a different cradle implementation altogether and a very nice one at that. Not only does it include standard charging and hotsyncing functionality, but it also integrates stereo amplification and speakers.
The Music Dock is circular in shape, slants upward from the front to the back, and is the largest of the units I evaluated. It is also "metallic" white instead of the more standard black color. The differences didn't stop there. Not only did it come with an AC charging unit, but it also included a detachable USB sync cable, a 3.5mm audio cable and a volume control. The audio cable is for plugging in other music players such as an MP3 player.
My evaluation unit came with both a "standard" 110 volt charger as well as a 220 volt adapter for use in Hong Kong. I assume that you will usually only get the adapter for the area in which you live.
Comparatively, this unit is heavy, and that is a good thing when it comes to cradles. The weight is primarily due to the speakers, but there are other components in the case such as small circuit boards. The weight coupled with four rubber feet made this unit the least likely to slide around.
The blue power LED will light up when either the USB cable or the AC charger is plugged in. Once again, it is one of those overly bright LED's, but fortunately it is recessed in a hole. It shines up into the piece of opaque plastic that sits behind the PDA and provides proper spacing for plugging the Palm TX in and for the PDA to lean back against. It also helps in seeing the location of the plug while trying to align your PDA. When the TX is plugged in, you can see the glow of blue light along the sides of this piece of plastic. The angle at which the TX leans back is also good.
The hotsync button is front and center, just where it belongs, and is of a decently large size. Unfortunately it is difficult to push, so difficult that the cradle will tip forward before it finally makes proper contact to activate the hotsync. I think I'll add an additional "foot" at the front edge to keep it from tipping forward, but it is a problem without one.
What makes the unit most different from other cradles is the stereo sound. When I first saw the speaker size through the grill, I figured that the speakers were too small and couldn't possible provide any decent sound. But they do surprisingly well. No, they aren't going to compete with anyone's Bose stereo system, but they work very well for "bedside" listening. They provide better bass sound than my laptop speakers. At the highest volume setting there is some distortion, but that comes as no surprise. Plugging other PDA's or MP3 players via the audio cord provides equally good sound. The volume control is handy for making quick adjustments to the volume without turning on your Palm.
Although it might be obvious, it should be noted that you must plug in either the USB cable or the AC charger to get any sound out of the cradle. So this means that if you plug your PDA into the cradle without having one of those forms of power plugged in, you won't get any sound out of your T|X's internal speaker either. So don't make this mistake and start missing your alarms.
One very minor bug I discovered in my unit was that the left and right speakers were reversed. This isn't something that you would even notice while listening to music because the speakers are so close together, but I did find it a bit humorous.
This unit is ripe for modifying. All of the pins are present and easily accessible inside the case. Although not necessary, I really think this cradle would be improved by having a switched speaker out jack. That way you could route the sound to your computer or another set of external powered speakers and get even better sound. Of course you could just plug the audio cord into the T|X headphone jack and get the same result, but it isn't as elegant a solution as just "plug and play".
Details:
Available from Brando Workshop
Dimensions: 12 cm diameter x 3.8 cm tall (at the back; lower at the front)
Cost: US $32.00 (HK $280.00)
Compatible with: Palm TX, Tungsten T5, Tungsten E2, LifeDrive
Pros:
Relatively good stereo sound, including volume control
Integrated hotsync button
Heavy weight
Charging/power adapter
Good value for the extra features
Compatible with more units
Cons:
Hotsync button difficult to push
Aligning the TX a bit difficult
Must remove most cases
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RE: Suitability for use with Treos
You'd have to do some drilling just to get it to slide into the connector area.
RE: Suitability for use with Treos
Cradles
RE: Cradles
RE: Cradles
You're in luck as Ryan, myself and others have plenty of reviews in the works in the near future.
I doubt you'll see any BT headphones reviewed as Palms do not support A2DP profiles naitvely so you'd either have to go with a headphone jack to BT adapter kludge or use the still-flaky Softick Audio Gateway program.
Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX
Another interesting application of audio out
A future extension would be to also have video out to a display in the vehicle, for use with GPS, while the main display stayed on the audio app... but that's some way down the road, no pun intended.
RE: Another interesting application of audio out
RE: Another interesting application of audio out
The FM transmitter idea is easily doable and works pretty well if the device is *very* close to the car stereo or its antenna (like within a couple of feet). A while back I developed a GPS-controlled audio tour application for a client that sells these tours to cruise lines for use at ports of call. Originally conceived for self-guided walking tours, we used a tiny off-the-shelf FM transmitter that plugged into the headphone jack of the iQue to demo the software for in-car use. The client had worked hard on the audio production so I thought it was a big plus delivering that content in stereo through the car speakers. It'd be brilliant to have this built into the car cradle as you suggest.
David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
Software Everywhere blog
www.pikesoft.com/blog
RE: Another interesting application of audio out
I am by no means an audiophile but I just was trying to get my MP3 player (a Cowon IAudio X5 20gb) to play tunes through my decent (not great but fairly good for "premium" OEM) car stereo system.
No matter which frequency or brand/style of FM modulator I tried, I can never get anything better than staticky FM for a few miles. Then I have to change frequencies due to the inevitable interference (this is using a Belkin Tunecast II, the best of the mediocre lot so far).
It's criminal that more new cars don't have a 1/8" input jack on their faceplates or somewhere on the console. Even worse are companies charging extra for this tiny bit of kit (MINI, anyone?). It's easier for me to just keep a bin o' CD-Rs in the car than it is to have to deal with the headaches involved with trying to get an MP3 player working via FM.
The problem with all of these factory iPod integration kits is that ANY day now Apple is going to change the connector standard ala Palm and there are going to be lots & lots of unhappy Mercedes/BMW/Lexus etc. owners out there who just bought a new car with it advertising "iPod Integration" with the factory systems/steering wheel button controls.
Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX
RE: Another interesting application of audio out
Surur
They said I only argued for the sake of arguing, but after an hour I convinced them they were wrong...
RE: Another interesting application of audio out
No matter which frequency or brand/style of FM modulator I tried, I can never get anything better than staticky FM for a few miles. Then I have to change frequencies due to the inevitable interference (this is using a Belkin Tunecast II, the best of the mediocre lot so far).
We had very poor results with another transmitter before we tried the Belkin. As I said, even the Belkin had trouble if the device wasn't located practically on top of the stereo (which was ok since that's a natural place for the car cradle anyway). And I have to say that the audio had more hiss than what you'd get from listening to a normal strength FM broadcast station. So I agree there's definitely room for improvement, especially if you've got a good car stereo, though it was satisfactory for our application (where the alternative was listening to audio over the iQue's small tinny speaker).
David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
Software Everywhere blog
www.pikesoft.com/blog
RE: Another interesting application of audio out
I'd lose all of that if I went the aftermarket route. Besides some of the oddball dash configurations nowadays unify (COMAND, iDrive, Infiniti/Acura) so many functions that doing anything aftermarket save maybe an amp/speaker replacement is impossible.
The problem is that automotive electronics (and the car companies in general) move at a glacial pace compared to the electronics industry. It took Mercedes until MY '06 in the USA to offer a single CD standard in the dash in all of its models. That's just PITIFUL! Audi now offers a nav system with dual SD slots for playing MP3 tracks but I hear they are limited to cards 512mb or smaller and can ONLY read MP3 encoded tracks. I'd expect better for a $2k factory system.
Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX
RE: Another interesting application of audio out
I have not looked into car electronics for a very long time - are run-of-the-mill car stereo systems' I/O connectors generally available now-a-days?
You can find connectors for a variety of different standard models via Froogle, eBay, and the like. Some models of car stereo, particularly the third-party replacements, have standard connectors on them.
Surur wrote:
The next greatest thing is head units with A2DP built-in.
Yah. Since I have to replace my stereo anyway (CD player doesn't work) I'm considering trying to wire in an A2DP receiver somewhere. There are audio dongles on eBay that do A2DP and headset/handsfree, so with a little modification I might be able to get my car fully wired for Bluetooth.
RE: Another interesting application of audio out
> companies in general) move at a glacial pace compared to the
> electronics industry...
THE reason to always just say "No!" when a car dealer tries to sell you a CD/DVD/whatever system with your new car/van/SUV.
RE: Another interesting application of audio out
For my current car, I kept the stock Infinity stereo and use the iRiver AFT-100 transmitter. This one does not run on batteries, has a healthy signal, full bandwidth tuning, and powers off automatically. My only complaint is that the blue backlight does no go completely out when the unit powers down automatically. You don't notice it unless it is dark at night and there are no streetlights, but in that situation the faint blue glow may attract prying eyes.
RE: Another interesting application of audio out
Thanks for the tip. I currently have the Belkin Tunecast II and it's the best of a miserable lot of FM transmitters I've tried...which isn't saying much. I may check out the iRiver one...hopefully it'll be better than their recent MP3 player efforts have been.
I can recommend the nifty Stickypad by Handstands as a way to keep stuff that must be placed on top of the dash (radar detector, phone, FM transmitters) from sliding around. I have three of these pads and the oldest one is three years old and still going strong even after years of exposure to direct sunlight & heat!
http://www.handstands.com/retail/automotive/superstickypad.shtml
Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX
RE: Another interesting application of audio out
Last year I went shopping again, and not ONE car stereo at the several large stores had a stereo input jack. NOT ONE!!! Just ridiculous. I can see bluetooth as a technology in it's infancy, but 1/8" Stereo Input Jacks are as old as the hills, and all those good-selling "FM Transmitters" we hate are a kludgy inefficient workaround to make up for the lack of a simple, cheap, industry-standard jack they could probably include for pennies on all radios. The only reason I can think of to leave them off is for "style" and "one less thing to break."
Settled for a Pioneer Supertuner, which promised the ability to add an Ipod input cable "later." When "later" came, the cables were another $100 or so (on a $200 stereo), so I'll be burning my car music on 10cent MP3 CD's for the next few years...
RE: Another interesting application of audio out
Given my luck with cars & break-ins, I'd have to have a 20gb+ MP3 player or aftermarket system stolen.
Yeah, I recall a slew of aftermarket decks with 1/8" jacks up front. Now all of those have been abandoned save for the occasional OEM car company "audio port". BTW did I mention I dislike these "iPod integration kits" as the only option? Don't they realize not everyone wants or owns an iPod?
Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX
RE: Another interesting application of audio out
>stores had a stereo input jack. NOT ONE!!! Just ridiculous.
Well, at least a couple of the current low-mid priced (~$150) Sony models have 1/8" input jacks on the front, plus at least one other major brand (though I'm not remembering which at the moment, maybe JVC). I think even one of the current mid-range Sony's has RCA inputs on the back. Higher end than that, they usually have a provision for some external box/adaptor (~$20-$30) that'll give you a stereo pair of RCA jacks. A cable to go from RCA to 1/8" is only a few dollars. You have to be careful though, some brands are "either or" on the external inputs: either you can hook up XM/Sirius or CD changer or iPod or other external input. One (or sometimes 2) of but not all 3 or 4 of the above.
For some (not many, but worth checking into) of the stock auto decks from the auto companies, you can find 3rd party adaptors that'll give you a separate line level input. Typically it's the ones that are built to control an optional CD changer, and if you don't get the changer, you can rig up an external input.
RE: Another interesting application of audio out
>seat full o' cheap CD-R copies of audio CDs and MP3 music mixes
Well, I just wish someone would sell a cheap DVD auto deck without all the video bells and whistles. I just want to be able to stick 4.7GB of MP3s on a DVD-R and leave it alone. I don't care about being able to watch DVDs or having a stupid video screen that comes out of the deck, I just want the extra storage space and the cost difference between CD and DVD drives certainly isn't the $500-$1000 the car audio companies are currently charging for that kind of hardware.
RE: Another interesting application of audio out
I have actually removed the athena connector module from Palm's own cradle for the T5/TX which includes a 1/8" audio out jack. I then mounted this connector to my brando windshield suction cup car cradle. I have a tape adapter pluged innto my car CD/Tape stereo and then into the 1/8" plug on the athena module. I also have a power source pluged into the athena module and to my car power outlet. This way when I get into the car I can just plug in the one connector as I dock my TX and it will charge and play audio out through my car stereo.
I am considering purchasing the Palm GPS Car Kit.... this includes a nice cozy cradle that has power and audio out and has a gps reciever built in. This way my BT would still be free to use my TX's contacts app to make calls from my cell phone while also using gps navigation....
Hotsync button=AutoSync
not trying to self-advertise, but you may feel like using AutoSync as a hotsync button replacement:
In addititon to sync-at-dock, autosync also lets you regulate screen brightness automatically when docking(brighter when docked..bc nobody cared about power, or vice versa); configure IR settings and do much more. Get more info here:
http://www.tamoggemon.com/products/autosync/index.htm
Best regards
Tam Hanna
Find out more about the Palm OS in my blog:
http://tamspalm.tamoggemon.com
What about the Palm OEM cradle kit?
Superb review(s) but I am curious as to how these stack up to the "original" Athena/Multiconnector Palm/PalmOne Cradle Kit cradle. I actually have that one and I'd be glad to do a mini review of it and we can tack it on to this article. Or we can just offer it as a standalone item for those curious to see how all of the cradles currently available stack up.
I've already e-mailed Ryan about it but wanted to get your thoughts/feedback as well.
While the Palm cradle looks nice enough with its internal LED lighting but it's FAR too lightweight. The audio-out jack is a nice touch but I personally never use it and it tends to buzz & suffer from interference.
Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX
RE: What about the Palm OEM cradle kit?
Thanks for the compliment.
I would really like to see your review of the Palm cradle. I'm very curious as to how they implemented the audio-out. With the Brando Music Dock, it is always "on", so you can only get sound out of the dock's speakers when the TX is plugged in. But I wouldn't think that would be the case with the Palm cradle. Is it?
How much of the poor sound quality do you think is caused by the cradle and how much is just caused by the TX itself? I hear a distinct hiss in both my headphones and out of all of my modified cradles and adapters. I think I seen others complain about the TX sound quality too.
I've modified each of the cradles. In the first pic with all three cradles you can see some of the modifications to the black Brando USB cradle, the hole for the microphone (mounted inside the cradle case) and the hotsync button on either side of the LED. (I forgot to "airbrush" them out in that pic.) I also put in a switched mic-in jack on the side and an audio-out jack in the back with a switch to choose between the TX speaker or the jack. And I added some rubber feet. Of the three cradle, this one became my favorite after the mod's.
The Alpinetop cradle got an additional hotsync button on the front (where it belongs) and an additional yellow LED to indicate it was plugged into a USB power source (in addition to the blue LED indicating the charging adapter).
The Brando Music Dock got the extra foot mentioned above, a mic-in jack, a switched audio-out jack, and an improvement to the hotsync button. I keep it beside my bed for charging at night and for music listening.
It might not be the "mythical color HandEra", but I'm liking my TX anyway.
RE: What about the Palm OEM cradle kit?
I'll definitely try to get to the Palm OEM cradle kit review this weekend, in addition to my other mountain of obligations.
Well, the Palm/PalmOne OEM cradle doesn't actually have speakers on it per se as you probably know. It just has a 1/8th" audio out jack.
So my configuration on my desk has my Palm cradle sitting next to my Klipsch Proaudio speakers which have a side line input. Informal testing has consisted of the following:
-TX to the Klipsch speakers, playing a 192kbps, 44khz MP3
-TX on the Palm cradle, outputting to the Klipsch speakers
-Same mp3 on my PC & same speakers w/ Windows Media Player 10
Of the three methods, playing the song on the PC was by far the "cleanest" sound. Second best was the TX to the Klipsch speakers' input. Worst quality was going from the cradle to the speakers. There was noticable static in quiet passages and during song transitions, much of which I blame on the cradle's audio hardware and the rest on the TX's "cheap" noisy amp and headphone socket.
I'll post more when I get around to doing the Palm cradle review.
Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX
What ever happened to...
RE: What ever happened to...
Just PalmOne marketing fluff?
FrankenGarnet limitations prevented it?
Or perhaps part of an "Athena Rev. B" spec that has yet to materialize?
Maybe we'll see a WinMob LifeDrive with video out sometime in the next year!?!
Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX
Palm TX and Palmone hard case
RE: Palm TX and Palmone hard case
Have a look at this old review and see what you think:
http://www.palminfocenter.com/news/8532/palm-pda-cradle-reviews/
"twrock is infamous around these parts" (from my profile over at Brighthand due to my negative 62 rep points rating)
RE: Palm TX and Palmone hard case
"twrock is infamous around these parts" (from my profile over at Brighthand due to my negative 62 rep points rating)
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Suitability for use with Treos