PDA Reviews

HP has been one of those which are regarded as the stalwarts of electronic gadgets and computing devices. Just like in all types of gadgets, HP has been very successful even in the production of its PDAs as they are very well received not only by the businessmen but also the general public. But, earlier, PDAs were not as great as they are today. They are not that stylish and also not that great at performance as well. One such PDA is the HP Jornada 728 PDA. Let us look at the details of this PDA but readers are notified to keep in mind that this PDA is a basic one, and hence not to expect it to sport any of the modern features.

Design:

A huge one:
The HP Jornada 728 looks like a small scale laptop, but then, it cannot be called a palmtop as well since it is even bigger than a normal palmtop. The design, on the other hand looks like it is an archaic model. Some of the critics have also reported that it is more like a toy than like a mini computer. It measures about 7.4 inches wide, 1.3 inches deep and 3.7 inches high. These are rather unusual dimensions that you will not see nowhere in these days. Weighing about 18.2 ounces, it is also not very comfortable to hold in your hands. Hence, basically the design part of the PDA is completely archaic. So, at present, you can buy it only if you love antiquity.

6.5″ Display:
The 6.5 inch LCD screen may turn out to be a great plus. But then, it is not using the latest technology, which is the TFT matrix. Instead, the Color CTSN passive matrix is used here. This is means that the Jornada 728 Handhled PC comes with an old screen technology. It may not create a derogative feeling in the users, but still, to know how good a product is, we need to compare it with the other similar products and the Jornada 728 is clearly behind them when it comes to the technology that is used.

Features:

Since the model is a bit old, there will also be lesser features and also they will be less advanced than the modern PDAs. Even then, HP tried its best to incorporate the best technology available at that time. Let us see if they are applicable to the current trends of living.

Processor:
Since the processor is a very important thing regarding any electronic device nowadays, it is necessary that we should choose a PDA that comes with a reasonably good processor. Looking at the HP Jornada 728, it seems to have a good enough processor for a PDA. The 206MHz 32-bit Strong ARM SA1110 processor seems to be quite good for the applications featured on the PDA. Although the device will not be functioning at an ultra high pace, there will still be no complaints regarding its speed. You could not expect anything better in this part of the device since this was the then best available processor.

Operating System:
The operating system is one of the major drawbacks of the Jornada 728. It comes with the already superannuated Microsoft Windows 2000. This is a very old operating system and its oldness can be determined by the number of newer versions released by Microsoft after it, till date. Although it works fine without too many issues, the main problem with it is its compatibility. If you want to install any software on the device for any purpose, then the problem arises. Many of today’s software applications are not compatible with such old operating systems, and if you are really in need of such applications, then you need to browse for them on the internet, download them and then install them separately. This is a big headache but only if you are a frequent user of many applications. Conversion of data may also be problematic sometimes due to the change in operating system. Hence, the users are advised to look over their decision towards buying the Jornada 728.

Memory:
Memory is very important for a device to store data and also to perform better. The Jornada 728 comes with a 64 MB of RAM and 64 MB of ROM, which is of type CompactFlash 1. The RAM is also SDRAM type so that there may not be many compatibility issues. But there is no option for the integration of memory on the Jornada 728 and the built in flash memory may not be sufficient for all. It can hence, only manage to save documents and PDF files but then, saving many mp3 files may not be possible.

Touch screen:
This is at least one of the more useful features of the Jornada 728 Handheld PDA. It comes with a touch responsive screen so that there is no need to place a joy stick or any other thing for the purpose of navigation through the device. There is also a stylus provided along with the device so that it will be great to use instead of the finger.

Keyboard:
This PDA surprisingly provides a complete keyboard so that even though it consumes a lot of space, occupying about 76% of the total device, it will be very easy for typing over the device. Since, it is very difficult to type documents lime Word and Excel on the touch screen keyboard, HP has provided this special full keyboard. Anyway, the device is already big and this keyboard has got nothing to do with it. Hence, it is a very good option provided by HP on the Jornada 728.

Internet Connectivity:
HP quotes that the Jornada 728 PDA comes with a High-performance internal modem with a bandwidth of 56Kbps and of version v.901. This can be considered as a good enough modem that helps you to connect your device to the internet wirelessly. With a reasonable speed, you can browse the internet and the bandwidth of 56 kbps means that it will be a speedy and secure internet connection. Along with the Internet connection, there is also e-mail support for your device along with a few attachments like POP3, IMAP4, SMTP, and LDAP, MS Internet Explorer for Handheld PC (ver. 4.01), which are likely to help you browse the internet.

Infrared:
For the sake of wireless communication, the Jornada 728 has a built in Infrared port system. Even though it is quite surprising regarding the absence of Bluetooth technology on this PDA, HP has made it over by providing the Infrared port. This will be a lot helpful for the transfer of data such as documents, PDF files, music files and many others. The transfer of the data is also pretty fast there are also no reported connectivity issues. Hence, this has eliminated the use of a data cable for the transfer of data between devices. You can also transfer data files between the device and your infrared provided mobile phone. This is also another useful feature provided by HP.

Software:
The Jornada 728’s package sports a decent software package that is also quite useful for office works. There is Microsoft Pocket Word which allows you to take and type notes and documents, or transfer the Word files from your desktop to read and edit them on your device while you are away from your office. Then there is Microsoft Pocket Excel which allows you to view and edit excel files on the HP Jornada, or you can also fill out different kinds of forms while you are on the go. Microsoft Pocket PowerPoint allows you to create presentations on your desktop, and then copy them to show on the HP Jornada. Or, you can also use a PC Card or a VGA adapter in order to project them on to an external monitor or a VGA projector.

Microsoft Pocket Access allows you to take the database information and fill in custom forms, when you are away from home. Microsoft Pocket Outlook allows you to keep track of different tasks, calendar events, contacts, and electronic mails. Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4 allows you to browse the internet from home on the HP Jornada or you can also subscribe to channel content. With the specially designed Microsoft Windows Media Player, you can listen to WMA or MP3 music files on your device. The Microsoft Voice Recorder allows you to record voice messages for later reference. Lastly, the Microsoft Terminal Server Client connects to the internet with the help of a Windows Terminal Server. Hence, at least, there is a very good package of software in the Jornada 728 PDA.

Performance

Overall, the performance of the HP Jornada 728 is quite satisfactory, except for a few issues, which are not that significant nor they are that frequent. A reasonably good processor, along with a good, but very old operating system, makes a mediocre combination and although it is reliable, it is not that necessary to choose such an old combination however good it is, since it may cause compatibility and speed related issues in the future. Lack of Wi-Fi is also another drawback of this PDA. This device was released at a period when Wi-Fi was no big deal. But there is a built in modem that can connect you to the internet. Hence, to conclude, even though the Jornada 728 is a reasonably good performer, you can see that it is very old fashioned and hence it develops a negative image in the minds of the users. But otherwise, it is fine.

Connectivity:

Coming to the connectivity options that you will find on the Jornada 728, you will find that there are quite a few of them. When you look at the sides and the back portions of the PDA, you will find the following connectivity ports: One IrDA infrared port, as we have already discussed for the transfer of data files, One RS232C serial port, One RJ11 modem port, for connecting your device to the internet, One PC Card Type II card slot, for reading SD memory cards, One CompactFlash Type I card slot, which holds the SD RAM cards used for storing data, One Smart Card reader slot, Audio speaker and microphone, which can be used for recording voices or sending voice messages, Stereo earphone jack to which you can connect your headphones or earphones. You can also connect it to external speakers if necessary but not to a home theatre system or a 5.1 channel audio system since there are no drivers installed in the device. Hence, it is a good thing that there are sufficient numbers of connectivity options on the Jornada 728.

Battery:

The Jornada 720 comes with a normal Lithium ion battery, which has a battery life for a period of 14 hours, as quoted by HP. This battery is only rechargeable but not replaceable. Hence, HP has provided another coin cell battery, which is a 3V battery and is known as CR2032 coin cell battery, for the sake of battery backup during emergency cases. But, if the lithium ion battery gets damaged, then there no replacement for that and it means that the whole device must be replaced and a new one must be bought.

Warranty:

The HP Jornada 728 comes with a warranty for parts and labor for a period of one year from the original date of purchase.

Verdict:

The HP Jornada 728 is one of the first generation PDAs that were released into the market quite a few years ago. First up, the size of the device is not comfortable to hold or keep in your pocket since it is too big for doing them both. Then, there are minimal features including the very old operating system that may cause compatibility troubles regarding some of the applications. But the performance aspects and the connectivity options on the Jornada 728 are the satisfactory ones. The battery is also a problem since it is irreplaceable. The cost of the device is obviously very low since it is an old model. But, all the readers are advised to go for another better option, just in case they are still in dilemma after reading this review. There are many wonderful PDAs in the market today, and from HP itself. So, you can choose another good PDA for pretty much the same cost.

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HP Jornada 728 Handheld PC - Technical Specification Table

The advent of PDAs brought the computers on your desks into your hands. But in the earlier days of their arrival, they were all the ugly Bettys. Hence, they were confined to the businessmen only. But, when Blackberry entered into the market, it has surprised many other PDA producers by revolutionizing the concept of PDA, so much that the PDAs of Blackberry are even used in the academe. For many days, it was thought that a PDA means nothing but a Blackberry. Such is the popularity of it. Now, such a popular company has actuated the release of its latest PDA, the RIM Blackberry 7250. Now sit back and read as we analyze the repertoire of this new PDA form Blackberry.

Design:

Bewitching indeed:
The Blackberry 7250 looks a lot better than its counterparts. It has got a unique class and beauty when it comes to the design that makes you feel the PDA as an asset rather than a burden. It is also a great masterpiece for you to show off to your friends and colleagues. To be more technically specific, the Blackberry 7250 measures (L x W x D) 4.5 x 2.9 x 0.9 inches and weighs just about 4.9 ounces. This obviously means that it is quite sleek and also is very comfortable to hold in your palm and so, you will be able to easily type with your other hand. Even if you are a thumb typist, the PDA is so comfy to hold in both hands. Detailing more on the physical structure of the PDA, it is big, flat, and rectangular in shape with beautifully curved edges and smooth glossy finish. If there was one thing in this PDA that is different from its precursors, it would be the keypad. The QWERTY keypad has the keys drifted towards the sides, giving the device a curvy appearance.  Overall, it is a good effort put in by RIM, in producing a very alluring design.

Display:
The 2.6″ full color display of resolution 240 x 160 pixels, will provide you a lot of space for things like reading and typing emails, playing a few games, watching photos and viewing videos. Since this is not an entertainment oriented PDA, this resolution is pretty good enough for almost all the functions and operations. The landscape type of display means that you have a comfortable view of the web pages while you are browsing, just like on your desktop computer. Nothing flashier regarding display is required, like you will see on some other modern PDAs, and hence, this is certainly good enough.

QWERTY Keyboard:
The RIM Blackberrys are the few of those PDAs which feature the QWERTY type keyboards. Obviously, there is no other choice but to provide a complete keyboard since the PDAs are mainly meant to replace the computers on a small scale. At present, there are two kinds of providing this facility; while one is the Blackberry, the completer QWERTY keyboard that the other one providing is a full touch screen enabled device so that the keyboard can be seen on the screen and letters can be typed by simple touches. But since there is no option of touch screen here in this case, there is no other, go but to provide a QWERTY keyboard. Although this may make the device a little larger, more often than not, people tend to prefer to this over the touch screen type.

Features:

Since the Blackberry PDAs are considered to be very innovative in nature, you will find that they contain many features and options that are new and unique. The RIM Blackberry 7250 Smartphone is certainly not an exception to this. There are no exaggerations here, and all the features that are seen are present in order to make life easy for the businessmen. This PDA is also one of those which is more inclined towards professionalism rather than towards entertainment.

Wireless Email:
The most powerful of all in the arsenal of the Blackberry 7250, is its capability to send ultrafast emails even when you are on the move. The special messaging or mailing service that is provided, gives you the option to send and receive mails and messages wherever you are and whichever time of the day it is. Just at the push of a button, you will be directed towards the mail centre and there you can type and send them instantaneously or you can also save them as draft files for later use. Since the device will always be connected to the internet, you can receive mails at all times. With email integrations facility, this wireless email function works with various servers like the Blackberry Enterprise Server for Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino, and Novell GroupWise. The integration can be done by using a new device email account or by using an already existing email account.

Organizer:
This organizer is a special way of arranging the icons on your device. It has got different styles of organizing the menu options and also other shortcut keys to different functions in the device. Like on many other PDAs today, the Blackberry 7250 also has a grid type view of the menu and submenu icons. You can also change this by changing the settings. You also can decide what icons should feature in the main menu, as the shortcuts and so on. Customization is at its best when you are allowed to choose. Hence, your PDA will always be organized.

Web Browser:
In order to browse the internet through your device, of course, you need a browser. The RIM Blackberry 7250 PDA Smartphone has got a browser that is very easy to use and to get used to. Easy functions and shortcuts to different websites through bookmarks, are some of the special features of this browser. Another advantage of this browser is that, it is easy to download stuff and save them to the memory, which can be synced to the computer later.

Phone and SMS:
Though it may look funny, it is a fact that many mid range PDAs have no option for you to call or to send messages to other mobile phone. Most of the PDAs are designed to work as mini computers and hence you do not often see phone and SMS options on these. But in the recent past, it has occurred into the minds of the designers that having this option will certainly attract the users and will boost the sales. The Blackberry 7250 has a very good phone system in it, with good quality speakers so that you can enjoy good quality hearing experience. Just like on a conventional mobile phone, you can dial any number and talk. In addition to the email option that it has, the Blackberry 7250 has the option for you to send SMS to any mobile in the world. Hence, this option will prove to be one of those that will make this Blackberry a very popular PDA in the market.

GPS: Nothing is Foreign No More
GPS is a very useful application nowadays as the world is becoming smaller day by day due to technology. Particularly, if you have to travel to new places frequently, then GPS is a blessing. It shows you the map of the area which you are in, and it shows different important places in your vicinity and also the routes to them through the internet. Details regarding such places, if available, are also displayed as a part of GPS so that nothing will be new to you in a foreign place. Have the GPS with you and you will feel every place as your hometown.

Wireless Network:
With the Blackberry 7250, you can always stay connected to the internet and interact with the world. The RIM wireless modem with tethered modem compatibility, which is built inside the device and the 800/1900 MHz CDMA2000® 1X networks and Ev-DO networks that are provided, you can connect to the internet very easily and stay connected for a long time. This facility is very utile to the business professionals who keep on moving from place to place and to those who need to contact many people at a time for long durations. For this, you do not need any wireless modem or a wireless PC card.

Security:
With the availability of corporate data access, there is always a risk of losing your private and confidential data. To avoid this, you need very good security and also options like password setting, so that your data will stay safe and secret. There is a password setting system as usual and you can set your own passwords to both the keypad and also to the files that you want to be safe. When integrated to the Blackberry Enterprise Server FIPS140-2, you can get the support in order to encrypt the files into different other forms like AES or triple DES. This means that your personal data will be encrypted into some secret codes and then they will be saved so that there will be no potential data loss from your device. All this means you can always be safe and secure.

USB Compatible:
The USB function is so important in the digital world, that there is no electronic device today without USB compatibility. It makes synchronization very easy and this will enable you to exchange data between you PDA and your computer. Particularly in the case of the Blackberry 7250, this is a useful option since as we have seen earlier, there is no option to increase or upgrade the internal memory of the device. Therefore, this might help you in saving the data in your mobile to your computer and hence by time to time clearance of the internal memory of your device, you can always have sufficient memory for various purposes.

Performance:

We have now seen all the features of the Blackberry 7250. With so many useful features in the basket, you must certainly expect its performance to be top notch. All the features that we have discussed above boost up the performance of the device. The phone function is also pretty useful, and by the way, it is no normal phone. You experience landline voice clarity and signal quality with the Blackberry 7250. The internet connectivity is very good and the signals are solid. This means that you have continuous connection to the internet, which is always desirable.

Battery:

The Blackberry 7250 has got a very good battery, which is very much needed by a business professional. You normally get 3 hours of talk time and more than 8 days of standby battery backup with the renovated battery technology that is possessed by this PDA. The battery, unlike those of many other PDAs, is removable as well, so you can buy a spare battery and keep it for emergency purposes. You can also buy a travel charger so that it will be useful when you are on the move.

Warranty:

There is a limited parts and labor warranty for a period of one year from the original date of purchase. The rest of the details can be found inside the warranty leaflet at the time of purchase.

Verdict:

As we have seen, the Blackberry 7250 is one of the prime products of RIM, and is also well received in the business world. With a cute and sleek design, the device looks so professional even though it is a little bigger than normal. With lots of features, more than what you normally see on a regular PDA, along with good performance aspects, the Blackberry 7250 is a very good all rounder that does all the jobs required by you. Even though it is more professionally oriented, it provides some options for your entertainment as well. The price is also very reasonable for the amount of utility that it provides. However, this PDA is only one of many that Blackberry has released over the years. There are also other devices, which look even more stylish and at the same time, provide more options for entertainment. Hence, you can also have a look at them here, so that you get a PDA that suits you the best.

Check Latest PDA Reviews, Nokia Smartphone Reviews, Specs in this website.

RIM Blackberry 7250 PDA - Technical Specification Table

The Palm Inc. has launched a new device that can be used both as a PDA and as a music player. As we all know, the PDAs are more formal and are often used in business sectors. But as technology bridges the gaps between various sectors in the world, The Palm Inc. has decided to provide a device that can be used both for entertainment and for serious works at a time. Hence for people having similar plans, The Palm Tungsten E2 Handheld PDA is the right choice. Although majority of it has been only addition to the Tungsten E that featured yesteryear, this one is actually living dangerously as there is a lot of competition among PDAs and their manufacturers. It has to get through all the tests and also satisfy all the minimum requirements. Let us see if this new PDA is good enough for everyone and fulfills the expectations.

Design:

Reluctant to make design changes:
As the design of the Tungsten E2 was very well appreciated by everyone, Palm has not changed it much and stuck to the same design as far as possible. The same compact and sleek form factor makes it look very decent and quite professional. Its curvaceous body is very pleasing to look at. You feel that you are having a plaything rather than a PDA device. Going deeper into the details, the measurements of the Tungsten E2 which are, (H x W x D) 114 x 79 x 15 mm. It also weighs only 133 grams. Thus it is incredibly light in weight. This fact makes you quite happy. Doesn’t it?

You will find the scroll buttons and the jockey right at the bottom centre, as usual. The buttons that hold the main functions surround the scroll button. There are four standard customizable buttons in all, and they are used as shortcuts to various programs and applications on the device. The display screen occupies quite a large portion of the device. Although all these are very common to all PDAs and mobile phones, the way they look on the Tungsten E2 makes it a very special PDA.

Display:
Right at the top of the requirements list sits the Display of the PDA. The Tungsten E2 now has an improved display system. The 3.7 inch TFT LCD screen is one of the bigger screens you will see on the PDAs. The screen is specially designed to be pretty bright at all times. With a screen resolution of 320 x 320 pixels along with the high colour pattern that comprises about 65,536 colours, instead of the usual 320 x 240 pixels and 64,000, you are always assured of very good display from the Tungsten E2. The special feature of this screen is that it makes everything more fine tuned and hence the pictures on the Tungsten E2 are more vivid, candid and also more natural. This means that you can easily read the screen contents in direct sunlight as well. Hence, you have got one of the better display mechanisms in your hand.

Features:

Lots of features are coming up. When you browse through the Tungsten E2, you will find very good applications, options and features with various functions. Some of them are related to professional works and are official in terms of utility. The others are very funny and entertaining so that you can relax for some time. Here is a detail picture of all the software and other various features in the Tungsten E2.

Processor:
The processor is the backbone of a PDA device. Any device’s potential can be estimated by the quality of the processor it has in it. As usual with the PDAs from Palm, the processor that is used here is the 200MHz Intel XScale processor, produced by Intel. This is one of the fastest processors that you will see featuring in the PDAs. Although there were a few problems in the past regarding the performance of these processors, Palm has made sure that nothing of that sort happens this time around by making subtle changes. Hence you will be comfortable using the device, not being bothered about the little problems that stop your device all of a sudden.

Operating System:
Almost all of the PDAs and mobile phones from Palm feature an operating system that is designed by Palm itself. The Tungsten E2 comes with the Palm OS Garnet version 5.4.7. This is the latest OS from Palm and is also more user friendly than any other OS of Palm. Although most of the PDAs are coming with Microsoft Windows as their Operating System, Palm still stuck to its own OS. But there is nothing inferior when it comes to the Garnet OS and it has all the features and flexibility in it to make it easy for the users to get used to it quickly.

Protective Lid:
The Tungsten E2 surprisingly came out with a protective flip over cover in order to protect the screen. This cover is made of plastic. As we all are aware of the LCD screens and their delicate nature, we always wanted either a tougher screen or a protection for the delicate one. You obviously do not get a tough screen since all of them are made of liquid crystals. So, Palm has opted to go with the outer protection using a plastic lid. This lid is also special because you can remove it if not needed. If you are travelling or if you feel like protecting it, then you can always put on the lid. Hence, this is one of those features that will make the users happy.

Non-Volatile File System:
The Tungsten E2 comes with this special feature, the Non-Volatile File System, whose function is clearly known from its name. This special software makes sure that all your important files and documents are not lost under any circumstances, unless you delete them. Even if your device is damaged or switched off due to low battery power, this software securely saves all the documents automatically so that you can open them the next time you switch the device on. It means that your files will be non- volatile as they do not change or get deleted easily. This feature is just like the hibernate mode that you will see on the laptop computers. Thus your files are always safe with the Tungsten E2.

Wi-Fi:
Wi-Fi has become one of the vital features of any electronic device nowadays. It is now featured on electronic gadgets ranging from iPods to Televisions. The Palm Tungsten E2 is also not an exception to this. This feature was not available on the previous PDA from Palm, the Tungsten E. Hence this is certainly an add-on. To utilise the Wi-Fi option, you need to buy the Wi-Fi card that is specially designed for the Tungsten E2 by SyChip. The encryption of this Wi-Fi card is also restricted to WEP. Hence there is no WPA or WPA2 in the Tungsten E2. This may be a bit inconvenient to some of the users but that is the way it is.

Memory Card:
As the Tungsten E2 is claimed to be a very good music player along with being a good PDA, it will need some internal or external memory to support its functions. The internal memory given is too little for anything. A 30 MB of internal memory is provided. As this will be enough for all the contacts and other documents in the device, you will need to buy an external memory card separately from the stores. But at the same time, you cannot buy every memory card in the market as there are a few software limitations when it comes to the memory card compatibility. The Tungsten E2 supports only SD memory cards and that too those that have a capacity below 1 GB. This may be one of the few drawbacks of the E2. Memory Cards with higher capacities will not be compatible. Therefore, you need to buy multiple cards of 1 GB capacity, if at all you want good memory for your device.

Bluetooth:
Bluetooth has been a revelation of late and has changed the outlook of communication. It also, like the Wi-Fi, appears on just about any electronic device in the world. This feature allows wireless communication and data exchange from your device to any other device that has Bluetooth feature. Hence you can exchange data between devices with this feature. The Tungsten E2 also did not pose any problems while using this application and it was pretty quick in searching for devices too. This also easily syncs with other devices. But if the synchronisztion is between two Tungsten mobiles, then the connection is a bit faster and the files are also sent quicker.

The Athena Connector:
The Athena Connector, also known as the multi connector, is a very special feature of the Tungsten mobiles, especially the E2. It is a universal connector that is specially designed to get your Tungsten E2 connected to various accessories and cradles. This connector consists of a mini USB cable that can be used for syncing. You can also connect your PDA to your computer for charging and also for transfer of files such as music, pictures, videos and documents. With the help of this feature, you can also save your files in your computer and hence clear the memory off your mobile. With this multi connector, you can also read cards and others and so this feature is multi purposeful.

Documents to Go:
The Documents to Go is a software package that has in it all the required applications that will make you a very good official. Just like the Microsoft Office tools package that you will find on the mobiles and PDAs that come with the Microsoft Windows as their operating system, you will see the Documents to Go application in the Palm OS. This is also a very good software package. It has all the applications like the word documentation, spreadsheets and also the presentation documents. Thus you will always be at work wherever you are and always be on top of others when it comes to work. All the applications are satisfactorily good and are also easy to get used to.

Kinoma Player:
The Kinoma Player is a media player that plays different digital media. This one is a very special player that was designed by those who have already designed the QuickTime player for Apple. This player also featured on other PDAs like the Windows Mobile and the mobiles from Symbian. There is a lot to tell you about this player. This was the first ever mobile media browser. The built-in Kinoma Guide that you will find inside this player allows you to search, browse and stream music and videos on the web for almost half a terabyte of media. You can readily listen to your favourite music on the web through this one. This player also plays audio, video and picture files directly from different network websites such as YouTube, Flickr, Audible and Live 365. Hence you have a lot of options that entertain you whenever you want.

Miscellaneous:
The miscellaneous features include the stylus that can be used for easy scrolling; the Desktop Email sync feature helps you a lot for easy typing, sending and receiving the mails; the web browsing feature is also fine and the browser is also quite easy to get along with. The Palm Photo software is specially designed to make your pictures look even greater. The mp3 playback and video playback features are only additions to the innumerable features that are already there. You can also view PDF files with a special application in the Palm OS. But this requires a conversion step for you to access the files in the PDF format. There is a special feature called the VersaMail. With this, you can read mails and also compose and draft the mails that you want to send. When you go back to your computer, you can then sync your device and then send them through the internet. You can also avail the Wi-Fi feature in this case.

Hence, all these features that are discussed above not only look stylish and modish, but they are also very professional and always keep you on the top of your work. It is quite natural that you are bewildered at this moment by looking at the various features and applications, but this does not restrict the performance of the Tungsten E2, not even the slightest part of it.

Performance:

The Tungsten E2 has a very good number of features in it to suffice all the needs of business professional. Along with being so official, it is also pretty entertaining and you will be satisfied with its performance too. At first there has been a doubt regarding its performance because there are a lot of options, features and applications. But Palm has not compromised with the aspect of performance. The Tungsten E2 has passed all the tests, which were conducted by the experts and has easily done it. Since all the points regarding the performance of the Tungsten E2 have been covered under the features section, all that can be said here is you will never regret buying the Tungsten E2.

Battery:

The Tungsten E2 contains a lithium ion battery of 1050 mAh. This is new and reinforced battery and hence you get a very good battery backup and also slightly more than the normal battery lives of the other PDAs in the market. Particularly when you compare this one to the battery life of the Tungsten E, this fact is significantly evident. Hence you can enjoy for a longer period of time with your PDA.

Warranty:

This is one of the surprising points regarding the Tungsten E2. The Palm Inc. offers parts and labor warranty for a period of just 90 days. There have been a lot of complaints regarding this from the customers and users of the Tungsten E2. A mere 90 day warranty is obviously not enough, but Palm supports this by stating that if the PDA is good for the first 90 days, then it will remain good further, well, this may not be true for all the cases.

Verdict:

You have made a good decision if you have already selected the Tungsten E2. If you have not decided yet, then think over it because you do not normally get such a good PDA for such a reasonable price. Not only the price, but the PDA itself is very good indeed. The design part of it is very commendable. It is one of the sleekest PDAs from Palm. In addition to the fact that they are pretty useful for professionals, the features that are discussed above are very good in number. The device also did not report any problems during testing and also there were almost no complaints from the users. The battery life is pretty good, considering all the multitasking options that a PDA has to run at a time. The only thing is that this PDA looks stunning if it comes with the Windows operating system. Their combination looks perfect; but nevertheless, the Palm OS is good enough. Everything else is fine and it will be good PDA for people from all walks of life.

Palm Tungsten E2 - Technical Specification Table

The age of the PDA was over long back. Or at least most of you would have thought so. At a time when most players in the market dropped the pure PDA, HP has launched 2 models in its iPAQ series – the HP iPAQ 110 Classic and the HP iPAQ 210 Enterprise. The name iPAQ 110 is a misnomer, as it is not just targeted at Businessmen but the ordinary everyday user as well.  It runs the latest Windows Mobile 6 Professional Edition along with Integrated Bluetooth and even Wi-Fi. It is powered by a 624 MHz Marvell PXA310 processor and 256MB Flash ROM and 64MB SDRAM. It also has a 24 pin connector and a mini USB port for terminal attachments. Apart from all these, it also has a 4 inch, VGA touch screen, 262,000 colors and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.   So, in the age of smart phones and pocket PCs, will the PDA click? Read the review and find out for yourself.

Design:

The form factor and make:
The HP iPAQ 110 Classic Handheld PDA is a based on a design that HP bought from HTC in 2002 and used them in several iPAQ form factors. The 110 is the 4th device to have the same form factor. However, HP has not updated the design and the phone reminds you of how things were like in 1999.  At 2.7 x 0.5 x 4.6 inches, it is thin and light weight and weighs a measly 3.68 ounces, amongst the lightest in the market. As far as the design is concerned, it is too simple and HP could have tried much better than this.
The plastic face is textured to convey the impression of brushed metal. The back side is made of black plastic and tends to retain a lot of fingerprints and smudges. The casing is quite sturdy and the battery cover latches securely and the SD Card mechanism feels strong. There is a SD Card slot on the left and a power and audio note button on the right. The top has some space for the stylus and a 3.5mm Standard port for headphones. The Stylus is a rugged metal barrel and is not of the telescopic design that most other models have.  It also houses the LED indicator and a light sensor. There is neither a camera lens nor slide out phone controls.

Keypad:
Coming to the details of the Keypad, the buttons on the keypad feel lighter and flimsy. The Directional pad is large and easy to use and the buttons are good for average use. If you are into Action gaming, the buttons might be unacceptable. The layout of the buttons is rather odd- the Start and the OK/Close buttons are the innermost pair unlike other devices where they are the outermost.  It lacks dedicated soft keys for one handed use, but you can re-task your Calendar and Messaging buttons for the purpose. The iPAQ allows press and hold choices on its three re-mappable buttons. So, you can launch about 4 programs from the buttons with soft keys or launch 6 applications without soft keys.

Display:
The iPAQ has a larger screen than most phones in the market. The 3.5″ inches screen is simply marvelous. The only downside is perhaps that the resolution is available in QVGA only. However, it seems less sharp than a 2.8″ screen and has polarization issues as well. The latter makes the screen glow and is very evident in landscape mode and gets annoying when you watch videos with dark scenes. The Auto Sensor adjusts brightness automatically and the built in screen lock function allows you to tap the app on the screen to lock it and another tap to unlock it. The phone’s display is as good as one expects out of a QVGA.  The resolution is not lively and a high screen protector would help with the polarization problems.

Features:

Connectivity:
Connectivity is top class in the iPAQ 110 Pocket PC PDA.  It has with Bluetooth 2.0/EDR, along 802.11b/g Wi-Fi. It is more connected than the last generation level PDAs. It also comes with HP’s wireless connection manager from where you can manage both WiFi and Bluetooth connections. The WiFI range on the phone is amazing, not only was it able to detect all Wi-FI routers in the area, but also was able to connect with the home network as well. Web pages loaded fast and data transfer was easy. There is a complaint though, the iPAQ claims to have connected to the network sometimes, when it actually was not.  Can get annoying sometimes!
Bluetooth on the iPAQ is good. HP uses the Widcomm stack unlike others which use the pathetic Microsoft Bluetooth stack for Windows Mobile. It allows you to discover services on another Bluetooth enabled device, access the internet or a LAN using a PC. Even in a radio crowded area, the connection between the iPAQ tested and another phone was solid.  There was no hitch in the connection while loading pages over Wi-Fi wile using Bluetooth headphones- a chronic problem on several devices. However, when blue tooth is activated, Wi-Fi’s performance took a hit.

Windows Mobile Office 6.1:
The iPAQ 110 runs the standard package of Windows Mobile 6 which translates to the latest version of Mobile Word, Excel & PowerPoint 6.1.The phone is far from being classic as it is one of the very few phones in the market with 6.1and is compatible with Office 2007 so you can open docx, xlsx and pptx file formats on the Pocket PC. Apart from the basic application package, a PDF viewer (ClearVue) and a HP photo application and a few other apps are present. Windows Live is another feature on the phone. The Windows Update manual can be switched to either automatic or manual modes.  However, HP has not included Microsoft Outlook keeping in tune with its policy. There are third party options such as syncing to Mozilla via Birdiesync.

Syncing:
Since the iPAQ runs MW 6.1, one needs to use the latest version of Active Sync- ActiveSync Version 4.5 on your Windows. Active Sync 4.5 allows simultaneous WI-FI and ActiveSync connections making syncing easier than ever before.

Software:
The software bundled on the HP iPAQ 110 is similar to the fare offered on WM5.0 PocketPCs. Windows Mobile 6.0 adds several improvements – better ways to share events, calendars, etc., full HTML display with images and display advanced formatting. However it is still inferior to the desktop version. There is the Internet Explorer Mobile, Windows Live Messenger Client and Windows Media Player 10 Mobile offered. WMP 10 Mobile supports WMA, WAV and PlaysForSure files. The sound through the integrated speakers is average. Through the stereo headphones, there is an improvement in sound quality. The best sound performance with the HP iPAQ 110 is with the Plantronics Pulsar 590a Bluetooth wireless stereo headphones- it allowed great channel separation and full volume. The other applications provided are ClearVue PDF Viewer and Microsoft’s Picture and Video viewer. It also comes with 2 basic games: Bubble breaker and Solitaire. Third party applications run really smooth on the 110.

Gaming:
The great screen and the fast processor make gaming an absolute pleasure on the phone. The rectangular D pad on the phone is great. Audio through the speaker is decent and several Pocket PC games run very smooth. If you are a hard-core gamer, this iPAQ 110 Pocket PC would not disappoint you.

Expansion:
Most Devices do not have a SDHC slot like the 110 does, giving it an advantage in the microSD age. SDHC cards allow you to store data up to 32GB, giving it more solid storage than any but the most advanced multimedia devices.  16GB card can store up to 4000 songs or 20-100 feature length movies. The iPAQ 110 has a total of 64Mb, with about 20 Mb free after boot. It has a 256MB flash memory with 196Mb available for usage. The RAM is on the shorter side, however actually is good by Pocket PC standards.  The SD card supports SDIO, though the most popular SDIO is Wi-FI and is already built in.

Accessories:
The HP iPAQ 110 Classic Handheld PDA is provided with a 120mAH Lithium Ion rechargeable battery, an AC Adapter with power cord, a Mini USB Sync/Charge cable, a slip case and a HP iPAQ companion CD.

Performance:

What is inside?
The iPAQ 110 is the first device to have the new XScale PXA310 processor, built by Marvell. The PxA310 and the PxA320 are based on Intel’s chips. The new PXA320 runs at a clock speed of 624 MHz as high as the older PXA270 line. However, Marvell claims that the 310 is capable of delivering 50-100% more performance than the PXA270.

VGA resolution:
When tested for VGA resolution, its average speed was a whopping 264% making it the best in the Windows Mobile Segment (beating competitors like the Advantage).

Speed:
File operations on the Hewlett Packard  iPAQ 110 are fast and so are the graphical operations because of the lower resolution. The only major selling points of the new processor are the lower power consumption and integrated video functionality. A 624Mhz needed 530mW for playing video, much higher than the PXA320 which needed only 320mW. What difference will 200mW make? Averaging this over a few hours, the battery life of the PXA320 processor based phone will be 20 percent higher than the PXA310. The iPAQ 110 lacks an applet for controlling CPU clock speed; however it seems to do a good job on its own.

Media functionality:
Coming to the details of the integrated video functionality, the PXA310 was able to play MPEG-4 parts such as H.264.  It was as good as the Axim’s X51v’s hardware acceleration. Code compatibility was good as well, DivX and Xvid files worked perfectly. In layman terms, the iPAQ 110 has a tremendous multimedia performance. It can handle high quality desktop videos with out a synch. The new processor makes it a power intensive device; however that still does not extend battery life.

Battery Life of iPAQ 110:

The HP iPAQ 110 Classic comes with a standard rechargeable 3.7v Lithium Ion battery which is 1200mAh in capacity. The battery life on the iPAQ is really good in spite of having a lot to power- a large display, Wi-Fi, a high end CPU and even Bluetooth radios. On starting with a full battery, playing high end videos, switching on Wi-Fi and other applications, it took 4 hours for the battery to go down. That is exceptional considering most phones have difficulty in crossing the 3 hour mark. The battery should be able to last 2-3 days with moderate usage. So, in short, the iPAQ 110’s battery life tramples all competition in its league. It equals the Dell Axim’s battery life and is twice the battery life of the iPod Touch. In other words, simply an amazing battery life.

Warranty:

There is a one year warranty on parts and labor on the HP iPAQ 110 Classic and a warranty of 90 days for technical support in most regions.

Verdict:

The iPAQ is the fastest processor available on a PDA. It has a large and excellent display not found in the mobiles and smart phones of the time. It has integrated Wi-FI and Bluetooth and a software bundle that covers Office Mobile, email, music & video playback, picture and PDF viewing.  It does get overshadowed by its more advanced sibling the unreleased iPAQ 210, the 110 is not just a data repository, but is capable of tasks like Internet, Entertainment etc.  The Battery life could have been better and the built in speaker was disappointing. However, it is an easy choice for people who are looking for an affordable PDA minus the phone and who want to complement this PDA to their mobile phone.

Check HP iPAQ 111 Review in this website.

HP iPAQ 110 PDA Pocket PC - Technical Specification Table