To use Drive Mode, connect the T5 to your computer, tap the Drive Mode icon on your handheld, and turn it on. The T5 will mount on your computer like an external drive, letting you drag and drop files. With Drive Mode you can connect your T5 to any USB-enabled computer, even ones without Palm software, so you can easily carry files to and from work.


The Drive Mode application lets you
use your Tungsten T5 as an external
storage drive.

(If you're waiting for Palm OS 6, also known as Cobalt, you'll have to wait a little longer. Next time, for sure.)

For software, the T5 has Documents to Go 7.0, which lets you view and edit Office Word and Excel files and view PowerPoint presentations. The T5 supports both portrait and landscape views, so you can fit your documents whichever way works best.


You can view and edit Microsoft Word
documents, even ones with tables,
with Documents to Go.

You also get a pocket version of the RealPlayer for enjoying your music (in MP3 format only) and an app called Media for viewing photos or short videos. There's no built-in camera—PalmOne saves that for its Zire line—but at least copying photos to the handheld is now easier.


The mini RealPlayer can play MP3s
stored on your T5.

Left Behind
While the T5 is a pleasure to use, we think the lack of built-in Wi-Fi will turn many buyers off. Users have the option of using Bluetooth to connect to a cell phone and then opening a dial-up connection, or adding a Wi-Fi SD card, but neither of those is as convenient as built-in Wi-Fi.

The $399 T5 makes the Dell Axim X30, whose top model is now $314 and has both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built in, look all the more impressive.