Software
Four applications are key to LifeDrive:

Folder Sync, which automatically updates selected files when syncing; File Transfer, for dragging and dropping files from a PC onto the Mobile Manager; Drive Mode, to enable the device to behave like a USB drive for easy file transfers to any PC or Mac; and Files View, to maintain a transferred folder structure on the handheld. This last feature purports to make it simpler to locate important information.

DataViz Documents To Go lets you work with native Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat Reader files. Of course, there's also the standard Palm platform personal information management applications plus the VersaMail e-mail client (for POP, IMAP and Exchange accounts) and a Web browser.

Entertainment/Multimedia
With LifeDrive's high-resolution display, you can view documents in both portrait (vertical) and landscape (horizontal) modes, and play back video using the whole screen. The full 3.85 GB Microdrive holds up to 8.5 hours of video, depending on how you encode the movie.

The Mobile Manager is palmOne's first device in a long time not to bundle Real Networks' RealPlayer. Instead, it comes with an application called Pocket Tunes from NormSoft. In addition to supporting several popular mobile music formats (i.e. MP3, WMA, Ogg Vorbis, and WAV files), Pocket Tunes is compatible with Real Networks' Rhapsody music streaming subscription service. Consequently, a million plus songs and three scores worth of radio channels are available to the LifeDrive user. The device comes with a free 30-day Rhapsody trial.

During the conference call introducing LifeDrive to the press, palmOne spent a lot of time touting an application called Camera Companion. This software lets users stick their digital camera's Secure Digital (SD) card into the Mobile Manager's SD slot and easily transfer images to the device's Microdrive. For those with digital cameras that don't support SD cards, a separate peripheral will be available. You plug your camera into the add-on and then wirelessly transfer its pictures to LifeDrive.

Although it offers these image integration features, we find it surprising that a device that touts personal and business synergy and multimedia doesn't supply its own digital camera, even a basic VGA type for convenience sake.

More Specs
Additional LifeDrive specifications include:

While the 4.76 x 2.87 x 0.74 inch LifeDrive is smaller lengthwise than the Tungsten T5, it is a bit thicker and, at 6.8 ounces, heavier. With an integrated voice recorder with activation button, LifeDrive has something other recent palmOne handhelds like the professional and business orientated Tungsten T5 did not.

There's also a 1600 mAH Lithium Ion battery that isn't swappable. You would expect a multimedia heavy device with a power hungry largish screen and hard drive would let you change batteries.

Cost
PalmOne prices LifeDrive at $499, about the same a device with only 16 MB of memory cost just a few years ago. You can order the Mobile Manager now, but quantities are limited. It should be available in volume by the beginning of June.