PDA Reviews

By now, you must already be familiar of this Pocket PC as it has turned out to be a super hit. While most of the devices aim to converge the functionalities of phone, Wi-Fi and GPS, all into one device, HP has released a traditional PDA, the HP iPAQ 114 Pocket PC. By traditional PDA, it means that the device has omitted the phone, camera and the GPS features. This PDA has proved to be a great performer within budget.

Though, being a traditional PDA, HP has omitted some of the basic feature, it has included a good large display, dual Wi-Fi and a very fast processor. The following review will give you a detailed review on the HP iPAQ 114 PDA.

Professional finish:

The grayish silver finish of the device gives it a very professional look. But when you have a closer look at it, you will realize that the initial build quality of the former HP iPAQs is missing. Though its dimensions are a little big, being (H x W x D)11.67 x 6.89 x 1.36 cm, the device is light weighing just under 115grams. The rear of the device has rubberized coating to get that extra bit of durability.

Large display:

HP iPAQ 114 Classic Handheld sports a 3.5″ transflective display which means that you can use the device in bright outdoor conditions and alongside its auto sensor, which adjusts the backlight according to the available light levels. The auto sensor is a nice way to save battery life whilst still getting a relative bright screen.  We also really liked the controls, which are simple and responsive, and the HP customizations on the Today screen which display battery life, memory usage and a brightness control are handy too.

You have to use the built-in virtual keyboard to type. This will prove to be a major drag, especially if you have been used to a physical keypad or slide-out keyboard, so we recommend you get hold of a Bluetooth external Keyboard if you are doing some serious typing.

Slip case:

The iPAQ 114 Classic Handheld PDA comes with a slip case, which means you can drop it into a bag and be fairly confident that the screen will not get scratched. Given that some may find it too large to carry in a pocket, this could prove quite a comfort.

Buttons and controls:

The base of the device has buttons that are very responsive and also include the typical shortcuts that are necessary to open your calendar and the start menu. Coming to the sides of the PDA, there is not much to expect. There is a SD card slot in the left and a power ON/OFF button, a Dictaphone recorder button and reset switch to the right. The base of the device has a mini USB port which could be used to charge your device. On the top edge, you will be finding the “most-wanted” 3.5mm headphone socket for your pair of standard headphones. But, it is a real pity that HP does not include a pair of headphones in the package.

Limited features:

As we had mentioned earlier, this PDA does not support the phone and camera elements. HP iPAQ 114 has support for dual Wi-Fi. Having this support, you could always link up to the nearest hotspot or routers. But then, the only snag involved here is that, if you do not find any hotspots nearby, then the device has to be linked up via a Bluetooth compatible device in order to attain remote internet access. The Bluetooth connect manager that comes with the device is very handy, but the list of compatible devices in option are very less and so, you have to choose the nearest match to your mobile and just hope that it works. The 802.11b/g connection from the Wi-Fi gets a faster access to browse the web and the 2.0 version of Bluetooth helps other Bluetooth accessed applications or devices.

OS and processor:

HP iPAQ 114 PDA Pocket PC is based on the Windows Mobile 6 Classic operating system. With the help of this OS, you get to access word, excel and powerpoint. Unlike HTC and E-Ten, who get completely out of their way to customize the interface and the applications, HP have provided only a little more than the standard suite of software which includes the Bluetooth utility, and just a few shortcut buttons that you can find in the home screen. Though you can always select from a lot of software available for free, HP could have done a better job for the price tag.

With a 624Mhz CPU, the HP is a quick performer. It has a total of 64MB Ram out of which 31MB is free and a 256MB ROM with 196Mb free storage. Having this kind of configuration, even if you have around ten applications opened at once, the device still works fine. Even while heavy program like games and videos are opened all at once, the mobile does not get staggered.

Unclear fonts:

The low resolution in the display has made the display icons and the text, not clear and crisp. The page layout too would have benefited from a higher VGA resolution to take advantage of the larger screen, but this option is only available on the more expensive HP iPAQ 214 Classic PDA.

Box contents:

The box contents of the HP iPAQ 114 PDA has a respectable range of goodies, but when you compare with the previous iPAQs, you do not get the USB cradle. The contents include the iPAQ 114 PDA itself, a stylus pen, protective case, USB cable, mains charger, getting started guide/CD and an additional software available via their website for free.

Warranty:

HP offers an one year warranty for iPAQ 114 classic with a pick up and return along with a ninety-day technical and software support which differs with regions.

Battery life:

The battery life is acceptable. Having a1200mAh rated battery, we actually expected , HP iPAQ 114 PDA to have a larger one as it is a traditional PDA. When the PDA is generally used with no WiFi or Bluetooth, the battery gives a standby time of about five days. On heavy usage, it lasts for about two days. The Bluetooth drinks a lot of power out of the phone and so, the lesser you use it the better it is.

Verdict:

Though HP iPAQ 114 classic PDA is a good performer, being a traditional PDA, its usage in this era will be very limited. If you are familiar with the features and still willing to go for it, we recommend it for its air of professionalism in executing those features. Finally, it is not everyone’s cup of tea.

HP iPAQ 114 Classic Handheld - Technical Specifications, Features

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