Customer Reviews
3 1/2 Years of Day in and Day Out Use 
2004-06-05
The Palm IIIc is by all accounts a dinosaur by today's PDA Standards. But there was a time when this was leading-edge PDA technology. Back in 2000, this was Palm's first entry into the Color PDA market (using a Palm OS). In fairness, the market and technology have truly now headed to pace where most consumers can't even keep up. However, if you aren't interested in having the latest/greatest technology, the Palm IIIc may be a true bargain if you are looking for solid PDA technology.
When Palm released the IIIc, it was based on the highly successful flagship PDA - the Palm III. It would contain 8MB of memory - back in 2000 this was very good. It also would make use of a lithium ion battery. No more battery changes - you could easily just place the Palm IIIc cradle and a AC Adapter would plug into the cradle and you could get a charge (and powering on a PC was not necessary). While the standard Palm III had a gray casing, the IIIc was more black. There was a rumor that the color display was a battery hog. I can honestly say in the 3 1/2 years I had my Palm IIIc, I never had an issue regarding the battery. It comes with a sturdy stylus. The OS that comes with the Palm IIIc out of the box is OS 3.5. I never bothered or had a need to upgrade it - it did the job just fine for me. I never had an issue with loading applications. I make major use of HanDBase and AvantGo and all the applications run smoothly with no crashing.
There are two issues I have had with the device. If you are buying this used - you should be aware of them. The first is the cover - the cover is plastic and is essential for keeping your screen clean and scratch free. Twice I have had the problem of a crack in the plastic on the hinge area. I had a heck of a time trying to get a replacement (see my next paragraph on accessories) - I eventually got one used and payed way too much for it on an online auction. That one then cracked as well and this time I resorted to superglue. The second issue is that after 3 1/2 years of use, the writing area has seemed to have worn out and my Graffiti isn't getting recognized consistently anymore I used the Palm IIIc everyday - several times a day. It got a workout, but I still expect that to last longer than it did. It was this problem that led me to upgrade my PDA.
Accessories are in general a consumer ripoff with any product and Palm IIIc is no exception. What I have noticed about PDA accessories - especially Palm ones is that they are way overpriced when they are being sold, but if you wait to long you can't get replacement parts. I thought it was ridicolous how difficult I had to look around for a replacement cover. If you buy this used, you won't have an easy time getting accessories and parts. On the positive side, I did wait and get a keyboard and Travel adapter that was being cleared out in a clearance rack at a rock bottom price ($30 for keyboard and $20 for travel adapter). Just another gripe here -why can't Palm (or anyone else) figure a way to let you upgrade your PDAs and keep all of your same accessories. I think people would be more apt to upgrade their PDAs.
One other note on the color display - it won't give you nearly the same pixel resolution that you can get on today's newer models, but it isn't all that bad.
Look out and you may actually get a great deal and get a lot of use. Ask a lot of questions on the condition of it if its used. I got 3 1/2 years of some of the toughest daily use around. I feel I got my money's worth.
Still a solid value 
2004-05-20
Great, with one caveat: *very* hard to find replacement batteries nowadays -- you will eventually need one. There is only one place I know where you can order it (cheap, only $35 for a lithium ion rechargable):
http://store.craytonelectronics.com/craytonelectronics/paiireba.html
This was the first-ever color PDA, I bought one of the first ones and used it to death. Finally after banging the heck out of it, I upgraded to a Tungsten, but the IIIc is great for anybody who just needs basic Palm functionality with a color screen.
Bought this as a gift for my "has it all" boyfriend... 2004-01-02
Not knowing what to get my boyfriend for Christmas this year, I figured he could benefit from a PDA. I did hours of research on various makes and models of PDAs on amazon.com (because I take customer reviews pretty seriously). I was 100% sold on this model. Not only did I get to check out all the specs, but there was an option to "see it in action" (I didn't get to play with it before he did because we're currently across the country from each other. And that's another plus -- I took a chance and it turned out great!). Even though it's not the latest and most high-tech model out there, my extremely finicky (when it comes to electronics) boyfriend has done nothing but rave about it. He is very impressed by the crispness of the color screen and how no-nonsense it is, and especially the size of the memory which is 8 MB. It comes with simple organizational stuff like to-do lists, calendars, address/phone number book and more, which can all be backed up on your home computer. It also has a rechargeable battery which is good for the forgetful types (hence why I bought him a PDA in the first place), and can last without a charge for close to two weeks. For the great price and overall package of aesthetics, size, and an easy use, I highly recommend this Palm for the no-frills, first-time PDA owner.
Did not recieve all items from seller 
2003-12-26
I was told i would recieve"Palm IIIc, lithium battery, synchronizing HotSync cradle, protective flip lid, battery charger, metal stylus, organizer software, handbook, Palm's Getting Started guide, and a DB-25 adapter" all i got was the Palm IIIc And leather case, NOTHING ELSE. I am very disapointed with that, and expect to get ALL the items I PAID FOR.
Great Product 2003-11-06
The Palm IIIc really got used and abused, dropped and crushed. In fact I never really took care if it and it never failed me. 40 of them were used in our school district and everyone really liked them. I have since passed mine on to a friend, but I would strongly recommend it to anyone!
PalmOne IIIc 2008-05-14
PalmOne IIIc (Reconditioned) Worked very Good for a short period. Touch pad does not respond correctly to stylus taps. Very frustrating to enter info.
perfect for school 2008-02-10
While it does not have a lot of the memory capabilities of the newer models, it is not a bad little machine. It was a life-saver in college! I kept all of my homework assignments in my to-do list, I was able to keep track of meetings for group projects as well as study-buddy and professor contact info. In one class, I was WAY ahead of the other students and bored to tears, so I was able to break out some solitare while maintaining the appearance of note-taking. The tucows website has a bunch of freeware for it, and the cheaper price makes it a great choice for starving college students.
Palm iiic Handheld 2007-05-13
Palm iiic Handheld is pound per pound the best PDA that Palm made-affordable- Good color- easy to get parts for repairs.
Very Pleased 2007-01-11
Thank you for sending me the handheld organizer ,it work fine. And good service to.
Reliable 2006-03-03
I've had this thing for at least 3 years and it just works. It does what it's supposed to and rarely locks up (usually because of some weird software I've downloaded for it) -it's easy to use, the battery has held up... I've dropped it on hard tile floors from 3 - 4 feet up and it hasn't broke yet. I have absolutely no complaints.
