Quite Possibly The World's Worst Product
 May 20th, 2001
Advantages:
It works . . . sometimes
Disadvantages:
Sometimes it does not work, better options available
Recommendable:
No
Detailed rating:
Look & Feel
Memory / capacity
Comfort & Portability
Ease of use
Value For Money
more
  Cyberpunk
About me:
I'm just a little guy in a little world but I what should I do? Write opinions of course :)
Well,...
Member since:20.05.2001
Reviews:3
Members who trust:1
Review rated by 7 Ciao members on average: helpful 
This review received a counterstatement by a party concerned
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Ok, maybe that was a slightly strong statement. I mean there was the Yugo, free ISP's, and New Coke. You should be getting the idea that this product will likely go the way of these other "wonderful" inventions. Obviously, some people liked those products and some people also seem to like the Casio Cassiopeia E-125. Why? I have no a clue, but to each their own. Remember, some people actually think OJ is still innocent.
I purchased the E-125 about two months ago after swearing I would never own a PDA. I found that I really needed one in order to keep my appointments in one central place. Too often I found that I would make a note on my internet calendar, but forget to put it down in hard copy for home or rode usage. Inevitably, I found myself going to a Phillies game when I could have been going to see the Final Four. UGH! So, I decided to purchase a PDA. More people own Palm's than own homes
and that was a logical choice, but I decided to go the other way. I wanted something that was a little different and especially so after hearing all of the complaints with the Palm products. A few product specifications:
Input Type: Wheel
RAM: 32
Color Screen
Pocket PC Operating System At any rate, what is the problem(s) with the E-125? I guess I should start with the size. Yes, ladies and gents, size does matter. In this case, the requirement would be less being better than more. The E-125 weighs about nine ounces and is roughly twice as thick as a Palm. Where will you put all of this stuff- a good question. Let me see, you have a wallet, cell phone, PDA, flask, your pocket protector, and hey, you still need somewhere to hide a condom.
Secondly, who do you turn to for help when the E-125 gives you problems? I found out very quickly why I should have purchased a Palm despite the complaints. Yes, of course, Casio has a full group of dorks named Burt or Harry waiting with baited breath to solve your PDA problems. However, you do not have someone sitting beside you who can walk you through some of the less complicated problems. Keep this in mind. The concept is the same as if you forgot how to spell the word 'hello'. What would you do? Well, you could look it up, call a friend, or ask someone nearby. Usually (I hope), you will get an answer quickly because the masses are in the know. You cannot do this with the E-125. Asking for help would be akin to asking a professional basketball player if car is spelled with a 'C' or a 'K'. Yes, they would be clueless. Are there other problems? Hey, was the Yugo just ugly and slow? No, it had a smorgasbord of problems and so does the E-125. I find the memory to be adequate, but nothing to write home about. I will add that this seems to be the status quo for a number of the PDA's on the market.
Yet another problem is the battery. I have seen where people said that the battery is a plus with the Casio. I do not see it. Yes, they give you two batteries. Ok, great. I would rather one that works well, instead of two that are mediocre at best. In my experience, the power tends to die after a short period of usage- typically a few hours. I took the POS (Oops, I mean PDA) back to the store where I bought it and they assured me it was a very good power package. Guess what? Their response ticked me off (Ah, sir the Yugo is an excellent car and contains quite a bit of power). Eventually, I got the battery replaced and the new one is slightly better. The new battery does have a tendency to "blank out". What I mean is that the screen flashes and then goes black. The problem is easily corrected by turning off the power, but in the question is why this seems to keep happening. Apparently, the answer is not known. At least all of the guys with their inch thick glasses cannot seem to figure it out.
So, what about the ease of use? Hmm, actually it is fairly easy to use. The E-125 suffers from the same problem as all of the PDA's; we want them to be small and lightweight, but then we complain that our fingers are too large. Maybe we can clone a cat and a human and end up with claws that would make these things a lot easier to use. I doubt that will happen anytime soon, so the important thing with a PDA is how the controls are placed. In other words, can you get to them without hitting something else? The E-125 is pretty good in this regard, although I must add that I have been on a strict diet in order to shrink my fingers. A few final quick bullet points about the E-125. The screen is not the brightest light in the galaxy. I am not sure what the problem is here, but I cannot seem to get the screen to be bright enough to easily read it in a bright light. There is a tiny speaker, but do not waste your time trying to jam to New Kids on the Block; the speaker is essentially worthless. The user's guide is decent, but as with all of the electronic devices that we buy, it is not as easily understandable nor as easily used as a new Coke.
I would guess you are wondering about price. Hey, me too. You will pay around $600 for the E-125. I have heard others mention that you can get them cheaper at auctions and in clearance sales. Usually, the number is about a $100 less; or $500 for those who cannot add. I mean subtract. Do you get your money's worth? I would stick with the Palm, or the Handspring PDA's. For one, there is nothing outstanding with the Casio and there are too many problems. The other reason is the fact that the world seems to be using the Palm and Handspring products. Quite similar to the Microsoft and the MAC debate. I am sure the E-125 has followers (heck people actually still but Yugo's- and used ones at that), but for the masses, the call is to go with the product that has the most support and people who can assist you.
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by (14%):
20.05.2001 21:06
How long are you over from the States, HWZ? This opinion is owned by Epinions - http://www.epinions.com/content_15957003908 - So therefore cannot be used on Ciao. Bye