A natural extension of the modern PDA, Tapwave has adapted a rather traditional unit into an expanded use device with a penchant for gaming. Powered by a 200mhz processor, the Zodiac system is built around an enhanced version of the Palm 5.2 OS, adding an appealing interface to address the Tapwave-exclusive functionality. The Zodiac features dual expansion slots for MultiMedia Cards, Secure Digital (SD) cards, and SDIO cards, allowing for the addition of special functions, transfer of large files, and storage for games. In photos, the Tapwave appears to be constructed of a light plastic, but it has a solid, metallic case with enough heft to feel durable. The Zodiac features essential navigation buttons, but also a wee thumbstick for gaming. The screen measures 480x320, supporting 65,536 colors. Yamaha provides the stereo speakers and audio microplug output. The Tapwave devices can synch via USB cradle or Bluetooth. Bundled software includes traditional Palm suite, along with an MP3 player, jpg viewer, Kinoma video player, and Stuntcar Extreme game. Licensed games are available for purchase online, including Spy Hunter, though there are many shareware programs available. Tapwave supports PC natively, though requires third-party software (Missing Synch) to work with Mac. As Tapwave rolls out to the retail market at CompUSA in June, more developers are expected to produce brand-name games. Tapwave is a tempting solution for a PDA shopper with a weakness for games and gizmos.
