This is my 2nd PDA - my first being a Handspring Visor Deluxe. I wanted something that had a somewhat better display and had better memory expandability. And while color would have been a nice feature to have, it was not something I needed to spend the extra money on.

The hi-res display is really sweet !! Letters are no longer "blocky" looking. It just has a nicer, smoother look to it. The size & weight is fine for me - I'm not looking for something that will fit in my wallet - and its much smaller than my Visor anyway. The cover is adequate, and I may ultimately opt for a more protective case in the future. The buttons on the front are just fine (a little smaller than the standard Palm or Handspring buttons). Overall, this unit feels solid. I had read an article on another website where people were complaining that the touch screen on this unit wasn't very responsive. Me personally, I did not find this to be the case (but this could be a subjective issue from person to person).

But aside from the new hi-res display, what really drew me to this model was 1) the ability to use standard Sony Memory Sticks, and 2) the Jog Wheel & Back Button on the side - this was a brilliant move by Sony to add this to the unit. Its like using the scroll wheel on a mouse. You just scroll to the item you want selected, and then just press the wheel.

My only criticism with this unit does have to do with the display. In a room with softer lighting, the display is a little hard to read. For me, this is minor because I don't mind using the backlight feature. Yeah, using the backlight draws more battery power. But I always keep a healthy stock of batteries in my house anyway and won't mind changing the batteries a little more often. And the display looks GREAT with the backlight on !! But I could see this being an issue with some people.

Compare all the other PDA's on the market in this price class. Personally, I don't think any of them will come close to what you get with this Sony. This price class is typically for the "entry level" PDA. But I do not consider this Sony to be an "entry level" unit. BUT, before you buy this model, I do recommend seeing it firsthand to determine if the display is to your liking, because I can see some people NOT liking it.

It does everything that you need it to do. It handles all the software, has enough memory to hold all the dates and addresses you're likely to need, and is *very* compact. It's solidly built (unlike the Handspring units, which feel flimsy and fragile - and are flimsy and fragile), very light, and the interface is the standard Palm. It easily fits in a pocket unobtrusively, and is so light you can barely feel it in there.

The jogwheel and back button are *ridiculously* amazing additions to the interface, and I can honestly say that while I thought it was kind of gimmicky in the past (the jogwheel has been featured on many Sony products), now that I'm using it, it's downright indispensable. It allows for excellent one-handed operation.

It's b&w, but colour, in my experience, is pretty useless in a PDA (except to suck battery life). The screen is clear, crisp, high-res, and is clear in all lighting conditions. The backlight is also excellent, and provides clear operation in near-dark to dark conditions.

Graffiti recognition seems to be enhanced, perhaps because of the higher-res screen. I find that there's less backspacing (if at all), even when powering through notes. It comes with an excellent set of included software, most of which is utterly useless for the most part, but with a few gems (the drawing program is quite nice). Also, the memory-stick utilities are excellent.

The memory-stick capabilities are also yet another compelling quality in this PDA. You really will be hard-pressed to use the 8mb of onboard RAM, but why pay more for 16mb when you have near-infinite storage? Very nice.

All of this for around [price]. There's simply nothing on the market that can compete at that price-point. Honestly, this PDA competes with *much* higher-priced units for sheer usability and convenience. It fills a niche for a disposable PDA; I'm not afraid to lose it or handle it (unlike a [price] PDA, where it's a ritual to use, and you're always afraid that it'll break, or fall, or whatever.) If anything happens to it, your data is backed up and you simply pick up another one. At that price, it becomes a secondary data-retrieval device, much like a cel phone, instead of a high-priced toy.

The only caveat is that it's battery-operated (as opposed to the Lithium Ion rechargeables out there.) Personally, I'd prefer a rechargeable, but it adds a *lot* more weight, and the unit lasts a good two weeks with constant use, so it's not bad.

For an excellent PDA with functionality, convenience, and style, the SL10 is, in my opinion, the finest choice on the market. After a month of operation, I am both impressed and happy with my decision to purchase this unit.