FIGURE A


The TripKit comes loaded with goodies. Roll over picture for a larger image.

The Palm Treo TripKit comes loaded with goodies. In addition to the snazzy leather case (more on that in a moment), the TripKit comes with:

• a Treo leather case
• a Bluetooth wireless headset
• the Palm Vehicle Power Charger
• an extra battery
• a stylus that's also a pen
• and an international travel charger

Overall, we liked the product. Even though it's an expensive purchase at $199, the kit comes with virtually anything you'd need if you're going on the road with your Treo. And, were you to buy everything separately, you'd pay almost $235, and that's not including the stylish case that holds it all.

I've got to be honest. I don't like the case. I'm a guy, so I have unwavering belief that every accessory case has to be made out of hard, gray plastic. In fact, when I go looking for tools, if the tool comes in hard, gray plastic case, I'm 97% more likely to buy it than if it doesn't come in such a case. The Treo TripKit case is made out of soft leather, and that's just not my style.

My lack of style is subjective, however, and if I were to apply my personal sense of taste to everything I review, well, I think Waterworld and Armageddon were the two best movies every produced. Have I made my point? Yeah, I figured I did.

Objectively, you just can't deny the Treo TripKit is big, as you can see in Figure B.

FIGURE B


The Treo TripKit is a large case. Roll over picture for a larger image.

For the record, this is the very first time we've ever published a picture of the inside of the ZATZ fridge and no Treos were harmed in the making of this article. You can see, though, just how big the Treo TripKit case is. Just imagine trying to pack that in your suitcase. You'd undoubtedly have to give up taking your milk, or even a pair of shoes, to fit that sucker into your luggage.

Overall, we consider the Treo TripKit to be a good buy if you want everything you might possibly need for your Treo. We don't recommend taking the full kit with you when you travel, but it's nice to have everything in one place as you pack. Just open the TripKit, pull out the items you think you'll need, and leave the rest at home.

At $199 on top of the cost of your Treo, the Treo TripKit's not for everyone. For those willing to spend the money, we give the Treo TripKit four milk cartons out of five.

OUR RATING: 4 of 5

David Gewirtz is the author of How To Save Jobs and Where Have All The Emails Gone? For more than 20 years, he has analyzed current, historical, and emerging issues relating to technology, competitiveness, and policy. David is the Editor-in-Chief of the ZATZ magazines, is the Cyberterrorism Advisor for the International Association for Counterterrorism and Security Professionals, and is a member of the instructional faculty at the University of California, Berkeley extension. He can be reached at david@zatz.com and you can follow him at http://www.twitter.com/DavidGewirtz.