THE BIG NEWS HERE is the color screen. The Palm IIIc uses an active matrix, thin film transistor (TFT) display that can reproduce 256 colors. (Competitors have devices that can do 65-thousand colors). The screen itself is the same size as all the previous black and white screens, but it's much brighter and legible than any Palm before it.

I can't stress enough just how much better the color screen is. Many Palm Pilot users who've looked over my shoulders have gone gaga when they spotted the color screen. More importantly, they were actually able to see the screen over my shoulder. The new color TFT allows viewing from angles never before possible.

Physically, the IIIc is 5 by 3.75 by .75 inches and weighs 6.8 ounces. Palm claims (and rightly so) that it's the lightest and smallest full-function color handheld currently on the market today. Notice they use the words currently and today. That's because there's some big competition lurking just around the corner.

The IIIc runs on internal, rechargeable batteries. I've had the device for only 3-4 days, so I can't really tell you if they last the two weeks that Palm claims. I can tell you that the charger plugs into the Serial cable right where it attaches to your desktop computer (same as Psion's Revo). The IIIc's cradle allows any III series Palm to synchronize, but only the IIIc (with the built-in cells) will have its batteries recharged.

The IIIc sports the latest version of the Palm OS, release 3.5. According to Palm, in addition to supporting the color screen, 3.5 also includes an Agenda view (appointments and to-do list on one screen), access to drop-down menus from the top of the screen, context-sensitive command stroke options at the bottom of each screen (in icon form), security allowing users to "mask" and password-protect private and personal entries, quick duplication of address records, faster HotSync speeds (including infrared functions) and an alarm snooze button.

The combination of the color screen and updated OS allows the IIIc to make certain tasks easier. Such as, conflicting entries in the Datebook application now sport overlapping conflict bars in red to notify the user of the discrepancy. On the other hand, the Calculator still has a strictly black and white interface. That's why there are some extras in the IIIc's box. "powerOne" is a full color, business and scientific calculator, "Album To Go" is a digital jpeg-photo viewer, "Chroma Gammon" is a color backgammon game and there's free Interactive Internet Service from AvantGo.

As for accessories, there's a snap-on camera, a GPS map finder and a fold-out keyboard all available at extra cost. (More about that incredible keyboard in my next column).

Palm's IIIc will sell for $449. For the first time ever for me, a small manufacturing imperfection (nick) at the bottom of the screen (on Friday) has grown into 3 cracks across the bottom of the screen (by Sunday). I'm hoping that's a very early production glitch.

Overall, the IIIc is a terrific PDA, and will be an instant hit with Palm fans everywhere. Those fans include Mac and Linux users. Palms synch with those OSs and Windows. The "I-gotta-have-it" factor among people who've seen it is off the scale. Actually, the 3-D IIIc on the box is worth the price of admission!

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Reprinted with permission from MSNBC Interactive L.L.C.

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