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bargainPDA.com - A Palm Pilot / PDA Site Sitemap | Contact Us | Tell a friend '); //--> Click Here Home Price Watch Memory Cards Clearance PDAs PDA Reviews Discussion Software Resources pda search most popular pdas PDAs with most clicks in 5 days % share of 23,924 clicks / click count 1. HP iPAQ h6315 ( 13.3% / 3188 ) 2. palmOne Treo 610 ( 11.6% / 2772 ) 3. HP iPaq hx4705 ( 5.9% / 1413 ) 4. Dell Axim X30 Wireless (624MHz) ( 5.0% / 1193 ) 5. Motorola MPx ( 5.0% / 1189 ) 6. HP iPAQ h4150 h4155 ( 3.4% / 813 ) 7. palmOne Zire 72 ( 3.0% / 727 ) 8. Sony Clie TH55 ( 2.7% / 641 ) 9. Samsung SPH-i550 ( 2.3% / 547 ) 10. Asus MyPal A730 (Bluetooth) ( 2.3% / 546 ) latest pda discussion > HP 4150 Operating System Query (plus oth... > pda for small mobile business > Tungsten T3 us version vs international ... > H6315 vs H6340 > Aeon of Discovery updated to v1.2 > re:Pocketpc on a budget > Handheld with WI-FI and Compact Flash sl... > FCC Reveals CDMA Version of the XDA III > PDA News - Verizon XDA, Wistron drops PD... > Charging PDA's got memory card storage? 512 MB SD Cards 256 MB SD Cards 1 GB CF Cards recent reviews 08/10/04 Dell Bluetooth GPS Review 08/10/04 HP iPaq rz1715 Review 05/18/04 Dell Axim X30 Wireless 624MHz Review 05/18/04 Dell Axim X30 Wireless 312MHz Review 05/18/04 Dell Axim X30 312MHz Review 05/16/04 Sharp SL-6000 Review 05/03/04 Palm Zire 31 Review 05/03/04 Palm Zire 72 Review 04/02/04 BoulderMaZZZe from Paragon Software (Palm OS) 03/29/04 Mitac Mio 168 GPS Integrated Pocket PC Review Digital Camera Reviews DigitalCameraReviewSpot.com see PDA Reviews at PDAReviewSpot.com Notebook Reviews at NotebookReview.com MSN Direct Watches at SPOTStop.com Add to My Yahoo! clearance pda and tech deals View clearance deals for: Accessories Audio Components Desktops Digital Cameras Electronics Graphics Input Devices Modems Monitors Networking Notebooks PDAs Printers Scanners Software Storage Buy.com Deal of the Day featured pda recent popular news > SanDisk Wi-Fi + 256MB SD Card ... 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(4,006 views since 07/28/04) new releases 7/19/2004 Garmin iQue 3200 PDA/GPS 7/19/2004 HP iPaq rx3415 7/31/2004 HP iPaq hx4705 7/31/2004 HP iPaq rx3715 7/31/2004 HP iPaq rz1715 8/1/2004 Samsung SPH-i550 8/1/2004 Dell Dell Bluetooth GPS 9/15/2004 Toshiba e830 9/30/2004 Motorola MPx100 9/30/2004 Motorola MPx 10/1/2004 Motorola MPx220 10/15/2004 Asus MyPal A730 (Bluetooth) 10/15/2004 Danger Hiptop 2 (T-Mobile Sidekick II) 11/1/2004 Daxian Telecom CU928 1/1/2005 Samsung Nexio XP30 HP iPaq 4150 Full Review Back to all headlines submitted by abaxter Sunday, November 02, 2003 email article view recent articles by abaxter The new iPAQ Pocket PC h4100 series is intended to bring to market an affordable integrated wireless PDA in a slim design. The iPaq 4150 has the same form factor as the iPaq 1940, but the same internals and specs as the new iPaq 4350 from HP . This means the 4150 brings to consumer and business users a slim device containing many features of the type expected from a larger and bulkier PDA. Equipped with a fantastic screen and lightweight form factor there's a lot to like about the iPaq 4150. In this full review I include picture comparisons with the iPaq 2210 and iPaq 1940 to highlight similarities and differences among these popular iPaqs. Also addressed in this review is the yellow-tinted screen issue of the iPaq 4150. HP iPaq h4150 First Impressions In the Box Specs and Pricing Memory and Processor Performance Benchmarks Screen (addresses iPaq 4150 yellow-tint issue) Wireless Device Design and Comparison to iPaq 2210 and iPaq 1900 Series Battery Accessories Conclusion First Impressions Upon opening the iPaq 4150 I was very pleased to see that it did indeed stay true to the design and form factor of the iPaq h1900 series ( iPaq 1910 , iPaq 1940 , iPaq 1935 ). I used both the iPaq 1910 and iPaq 1940 for a period of time when reviewing those devices ( iPaq 1910 Review , iPaq 1940 Review ) and just loved the small form factor. I was skeptical that the weight and dimensions could be kept the same as the 1900 series with the addition of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a standard sized headphone jack (the 1910 and 1940 required a 2.5 mm – 3.5 mm audio adapter to use standard headphones due to their non-standard small headphone jack). However, the 4150 scores in keeping the same dimensions, its dimensions are 4.47 by 2.78 by 0.5 inches (length x width x height), the iPaq 1940 is 4.46 x 2.75 x .5 inches. The 4150 weighs 4.67 oz while the iPaq 1940 is 4.37 oz so you pick up .3 oz in weight, but trust me you won't notice it! In my review of the 1940 I was disappointed to find that the screen was not as superb as the original 1910 device, it had some issues with a yellowish hue appearing instead of bright white backgrounds. The iPaq 4150 does not suffer as badly from this issue, but the device I have does have a very slight yellow-tint when viewed from a very low angle, I address this is my review of the screen . In the Box The iPaq 4150 comes with everything you need to for a PDA, including a cradle for synching, this is an accessory not included with the 1900 series of devices. Let's take a look at what's actually included in the box: HP iPAQ Pocket PC h4150 unit USB desktop cradle/charger AC adapter Slip cover Stylus (2 included) Battery (1000 mAh removable and rechargeable Lithium Ion) Getting started poster Charger adapter HP iPAQ Pocket PC Companion CD The software included with the 4150 is decent, but not as generous as the iPaq 2210. Noticeably missing is the Nevo Universal Remote program that a lot of people love and is included with the iPaq 2210. However, if you want to use your iPaq 4150 as a remote control I highly recommend the Total Remote solution that includes an IR range boosting antennae and excellent software interface for $29.99. You can control any entertainment device from 100 feet away using this! Anyway, here's a rundown of all the full version programs you get with the 4150: HP Mobile Print Center Bluetooth Manager iPAQ File Store: non-volatile storage in flash ROM (not available in Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese and Korean versions) iPAQ Backup: utility for Backup/Restore to Main Memory, Memory Card or iPAQ File Store iPAQ iTask Manager: access and launch programs easily iPAQ Image Zone: view images and create slide shows Utilities: Self Test, iPAQ Audio, Power Status Westtek ClearVue Suite F-Secure FileCrypto Data Encryption Colligo Personal Edition Adobe PDF Viewer RealOne Player for Pocket PC iPresenter PowerPoint converter MobiMate WorldMate Resco File Explorer 2003 You also get all the built in programs that come with Windows Mobile 2003 such as Windows Media Player 9.0, Pocket Word, Pocket Excel and Pocket Explorer. View the bargainPDA.com Windows 2003 Fast Guide to see more about the OS and what's included. iPaq 4150 Specs and Pricing Here's a rundown of the specs on this device, you can always view updated specs and competitive pricing for this device by searching for "iPaq 4150" on bargainPDA or use this link . At the time of this review the best price on the iPaq 4150 was $429.00. Manufacturer: Hewlett Packard Model: iPAQ h4150 h4155 Description: The sleek, less-than-5-oz. HP iPAQ h4155 Pocket PC offers optimized performance that will keep you productive, both while you're on the move and when you've reached your destinations. Integrated WLAN 802.11b, Bluetooth® and a Secure Digital (SDIO) slot round out this model's powerful features. Released: 10/15/2003 Operating System: Windows Mobile 2003 Dimensions: 4.47 in x 2.78 in x 0.5 in Weight: 4.67 oz. Processor: 400MHz Intel® XScale™ processor Wireless: integrated WLAN 801.11b, Bluetooth®, IrDA Memory: 64MB SDRAM (55MB user accessible), 32MB Flash ROM Expansion Slot: Secure Digital (I/O) Battery Type: Removable, rechargeable Lithium-Ion (1000 mAh) Audio Out: Speaker, Stereo jack Audio In: Microphone Display: Transflective TFT display with 64,000 colors Pixel Pitch: 240 x 320 pixels Viewable Image: 3.5" diagonal Keyboard: Onscreen Handwriting Recognition: Yes Digital Camera: No Other Hardware: USB desktop cradle/charger, AC adapter, battery, slip cover, stylus, charger adapter Memory and Processor The iPaq 4100 comes with an Intel XScale 400 MHz processor that matches or slightly surpasses the performance of the iPaq 2210 400 MHz processor, the system is quite a bit faster than the iPaq 1940 that uses a Samsung 266 MHz processor, this is displayed in the benchmark statistics. The processor is snappy and playing video clips and games on this device presents good performance with no slow down. The memory for this PDA is marked as being 64MB RAM total with 55MB available to the user and 32 MB of ROM in which the Windows 2003 Mobile OS is stored. The missing 9MB of RAM that you can't access for storage is used by the operating system to allow for faster write performance. Performance Benchmarks We used Spb Benchmark from Spb Software House to generate benchmark statistics for the iPaq 4150. This is a great program and to compare performance for Pocket PC devices. I chose to compare it to the Asus MyPal A620, HP iPaq 2215, Dell Axim X5 and HP iPaq 1910. The Asus MyPal is the king of Pocket PC performance currently, and while the iPaq 4150 could not beat it overall, it did come close to matching in a lot of areas and consistently beat out the Axim X5 and iPaq 2215. It of course performed better than the iPaq 1910 as that device only has a 200 MHz processor. In this chart of benchmark results the blue bolded numbers indicate the best performance overall in a category (higher numbers indicate better performance). iPAQ h1910 iPAQ 2215 Asus MyPal A620 Dell Axim X5 iPaq 4150 Spb Benchmark index 669 1146 1573 752 1501 CPU index 602 1784 1858 912 1792 File system index 627 1126 1092 855 1034 Graphics index 2084 567 4034 434 3809 ActiveSync index 2155 1458 1518 Platform index 494 1204 1277 629 1238 Write 1 MB file (KB/sec) 447 1257 1285 657 1245 Read 1 MB file (MB/sec) 11.2 27 28.7 15.9 28.2 Copy 1 MB file (KB/sec) 491 1262 1281 716 1244 Write 10 KB x 100 files (KB/sec) 372 905 654 477 624 Read 10 KB x 100 files (MB/sec) 4.24 9.78 8.64 5.26 10.2 Copy 10 KB x 100 files (KB/sec) 290 799 500 376 474 Directory list of 2000 files (thousands of files/sec) 76.9 19.6 23.6 112 19.6 Internal database read (records/sec) 272 1339 1549 398 1421 Graphics test: DDB BitBlt (frames/sec) 172 52.3 316 41.8 265 Graphics test: DIB BitBlt (frames/sec) 17.7 22.8 27.2 12.3 26.5 Graphics test: GAPI BitBlt (frames/sec) 325 60 752 47.1 719 Pocket Word document open (KB/sec) 15.5 100 44.2 22.5 37.8 Pocket Internet Explorer HTML load (KB/sec) 3.7 7.96 7.88 4.73 8.7 Pocket Internet Explorer JPEG load (KB/sec) 50.5 208 154 79.7 210 File Explorer large folder list (files/sec) 169 564 641 238 586 Compress 1 MB file using ZIP (KB/sec) 45.6 225 263 65.5 244 Decompress 1024x768 JPEG file (KB/sec) 268 606 613 423 599 Arkaball frames per second (frames/sec) 94.5 51.4 250 38.2 239 CPU test: Whetstones MFLOPS (Mop/sec) 0.033 0.077 0.076 0.061 0.075 CPU test: Whetstones MOPS (Mop/sec) 27.5 55.4 55.3 54.1 54.7 CPU test: Whetstones MWIPS (Mop/sec) 2.19 5.02 5.01 3.96 4.94 Memory test: copy 1 MB using memcpy (MB/sec) 43.7 102 103 65 99.3 ActiveSync: upload 1 MB file (KB/sec) 201 135 142 ActiveSync: download 1 MB file (KB/sec) 356 250 249 Screen The screen on the iPaq 4150 is absolutely top notch. It takes up good amount of the real estate on the front of the device in order to fit it's 3.5 inch diagonal viewable area onto such a small PDA. The resolution is 240 x 320 and the TFT color display allows for 65,536 different colors. However, I'd be amiss if I didn't mention the 'yellow-tint' issue. With the iPaq 1940 I found the screen to be so yellow when viewing it from certain angles that I just couldn't stand it. Here's a picture I took of the iPaq 1940 next to my iPaq 2215: iPaq 2215 on the left, iPaq 1940 on the right...notice the very yellow tint? With the iPaq 4150 we again have this yellow-tint issue, but it is not nearly as bad. In fact, I had to get down to a very low angle of viewing to notice this yellow tint and in every day use it was not noticeable to me. iPaq 4150 on the left, iPaq 2215 on the right. The iPaq 4150 has a mild yellowish tint when viewed from a very low-angle. When viewed from a normal angle there is no tint (iPaq 4150 on the left, iPaq 2215 on the right) I don't know if others have a bigger problem than me with this, but if you find a device you get has a yellowish-tint at even the slightest angle you might want to contact HP. Wireless The h4100 series includes integrated WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) 802.11b and Bluetooth® wireless technology, so you can access the Internet, e-mail, and information when you want. HP chose to go with 802.11b due to its wide market availability, better power efficiency than 802.11a, and allowance for smaller form factor. I had no problems whatsoever setting up the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. There are no external buttons to turn these options on or off, you simply use the wireless manager interface to flip the wireless options (by turning off Wi-Fi or Bluetooth you'll save on battery life, screen light is the biggest battery drain and Wi-Fi is the second biggest). Once the Wi-Fi is turned on the iPaq will show you the networks it has detected and allow you to choose which one to connect to. It's a very user friendly process and in my apartment in which I have several wireless networks surrounding me the 4100 detected 6 different networks and allowed me to connect to my own WEP security protected network by using a radio button interface. It's easy to select your network from those the iPaq 4150 detects I was able to cruise the net from up to 900 feet away from my access point, HP advertises 1000 feet reach. I can't even get 1000 feet away from my access point without falling off my apartment building, so this is not a limitation for me! Here I am surfing Microsoft.com on the 4150, check out the easy hold form factor! The Bluetooth connection wizard is very simple to use, it is exactly the same program as that included with the iPaq 2210 device. I had no problems detecting my Bluetooth enabled Son Ericsson t68 phone with the iPaq 4410. As a note, when using Bluetooth two devices can only perform activities with each other if they both support a common profile, HP has created a Bluetooth Compatibility Matrix to help people identify products that work well with HP Bluetooth enabled products. See the Bluetooth Compatibility Matrix in order to determine if your favorite Bluetooth device will communicate okay with the iPaq 4150. Invariably we get the question asking if an iPaq device can be used as a phone so I'll go ahead and answer that "no" the iPaq 4150 cannot perform this capability. This device is intended for data use, which is why it includes the 802.11b and Bluetooth for accessing email and other data, it is not intended for voice phone communications. The exception to this might be the use of a separately purchased Voice Over IP software application, which allows you to use this device as a VoIP phone in an 802.11b WLAN environment. Device Design and Comparison to iPaq 2210 and iPaq 1900 Series A picture, or diagram for that matter, is worth a thousand words so here's a diagram of the iPaq 4150 and the functions you can access using its buttons: Active Bluetooth/WLAN Indicator Power Button LED Power/Notification Indicator Color Display iTask Button Inbox Button 5-Way Navigation Button Calendar Button The 4150 button layout is different to the older iPaq 1940 and 1910 devices, below is a picture I took of the h1910: iPaq 1910 Notice that the shortcut buttons are right next to each other and that the dialpad is round. The 4150 button layout changes things around by spacing out the shortcut buttons and using a more square type of dialpad. I prefer the new shortcut buttons, but to be honest I preferred the round dialpad. iPaq 4150 button layout The iPaq 4150 interestingly slopes the buttons in a different manner to the iPaq 2210 and has a larger jogdial than the iPaq 2210 even though the 2210 is larger. iPaq 2210 button layout The iPaq 4150 and 2210 are somewhat close in price range (iPaq 2210 MSRP $399.99, iPaq 4150 MSRP $449.00) and you might be interested in seeing some side by sides to show how they differ in form if you're thinking about buying one or the other. I currently have both devices and find the performance to be very similar between the two. The iPaq 4150 screen is definitely brighter and nicer than the 2210 and the extra built in Wi-Fi is a huge plus for me (I use a CompactFlash Wi-Fi card for the 2210 to access the internet), but the 2210 has a better software package (includes Nevo Universal Remote) and also has CompactFlash expansion which is very nice to have. I'll let the pictures tell you about the form differences: iPaq 4150 on the left, iPaq 2210 on the right, click for larger image iPaq 4150 on the left, iPaq 2210 on the right iPaq 4150 on top, iPaq 2210 on the bottom Battery The battery included with the iPaq 4150 is a 1000mAh, 100mAh more than the older iPaq 1940 device. This is adequate and I'm finding battery life to average about 4 hours with normal usage, but I wish HP had been as generous with the h4150 as they are being with the iPaq h4350 device -- that includes a high-capacity 1,560mAh battery as the standard battery and gives over 6 hours of battery life, obviously because it's 33% more powerful. Of course, the bigger battery means a greater weight for the iPaq 4350 so the tradeoff is we get a lighter device with the h4150. In a test I did placing the screen brightness at standard brightness (50% on mark on the meter) and looping a media file in full screen mode I drained the battery down to 5%, forcing system shut down, after about 3 hours and 45 minutes. The iPaq 4350 is the same as the h4150 but has a built in keyboard and longer lasting 1,560mAh battery Accessories There's been a lot of confusion as to what accessories will work with the iPaq 4150. It's the same size as the iPaq 19XX series so many people are curious as to whether cases for that series fit the 4150. The answer is yes, sort of. The 4150 and 1910 are so close in size that the fit of the case to the PDA is just fine. However, there's the problem that the record button and IR locations are in different places on the 4150 so the cutouts in the 1910 case from people such as InnoPocket do not match up. However, the IR and record button access in the case aren't a huge deal, so if you want a hard case right away then you can go ahead and buy an iPaq 1910/1940 case for your 4150. Think Outside Stoway Keyboard works with the iPaq 4150 Another question that many people are asking is whether the iPaq 4150 can use keyboards that were built for the iPaq 3000 series or 5000 series. The answer is yes! Many people will be happy about this as the 1900 series was very exclusive and you couldn't use accessories for other iPaq devices with them. A specific example of a great foldable keyboard you can use with the 4150 is from Think Outside, makers of the Stowaway Portable Keyboard . Just download the latest drivers for the keyboard (http://www.thinkoutside.com/support/hpipaq/driver8646.html ), install them on the 4150 and you'll be able to use this keyboard. Think Outside products are also sold under the Targus name through some retailers. This is a link to the keyboard on Amazon.com . The Bluetooth GPS receiver from HP is another expansion option The only expansion slot you have on the 4150 is the SDIO type. There's a lot of products now coming out for this type of expansion that were once only available as Compact Flash accessories. HP is now offering a 1.3 MP swivel camera for $139.99. You can also use a GPS device that communicates with the 4150 via Bluetooth. I've mentioned before but it's worth mentioning again, many people are disappointed and put off by the fact the iPaq 4150 does not come with a consumer level IR solution or remote control software, but you can solve this problem by looking into Total Remote from Griffin Technology. Conclusion Overall I just really like the 4150, it's a perfect blend of the great screen and form factor of the 1900 series and the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi that comes with the iPaq 2210 and iPaq 5000 series. In the end all PDAs are a compromise of having one option over another, but the iPaq 4150 proves to be one of the least compromising and most feature filled PDAs on the market. It's a thumbs up on buying if you have $400 - $450 in your budget for buying a PDA. Pros Built in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth provides all the wireless options you'll need Great screen, brighter and crisper than even the iPaq 2215, but a little bit of yellow hue can be annoying if your device suffers from that. Fantastic form factor, lightweight and slim, the gripping on the back makes it harder to drop this PDA too. Cons Battery life is adequate, but not great, if you have Wi-Fi turned on and screen bright then the battery will disappear fast. If you get a device in which the screen has a strong yellow hue it's annoying to the point that you'll want to take it back and get a different device. Click Here email story see recent articles by abaxter


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Big review of Toshiba e800 (Pavel Koza :: 3522 hits) Big review of Asus MyPal A716 (Pavel Koza :: 2583 hits) Big review of Yakumo Omikron (Pavel Koza :: 1935 hits) Big review of HP iPAQ h4150 (Pavel Koza :: 1188 hits) Big review of Fujitsu Siemens Computers Pocket LOOX 4xx (Pavel Koza :: 912 hits) Big review of Acer n30 (Pavel Koza :: 838 hits) Big review of AnexTEK SP-230 (Pavel Koza :: 618 hits) Big review of T-Mobile MDA II (Pavel Koza :: 532 hits) Big review of HP iPAQ h2210 (Pavel Koza :: 515 hits) Big review of HP iPAQ h1940 (Pavel Koza :: 438 hits) .: Home :: Articles :: Hardware reviews :: Detailed view .: Big review of HP iPAQ h4150 Author - Pavel Koza :: User rating - 4.5/5 gems ( 365 votes) :: Views - 38171 November 12, 2003 :: With the growing volume of PDA sales, new models hit the shelves more and more often. HP seems to be the most agile in this respect, offering a new model every three months lately. After the 1900, 2200 and 5500 series, it has come up with a brand new line 4100, which offers excellent communication options packed in a tiny device. Here, I review h4150 and if you would like to find out how this dwarf did in comparison with the robust h5550, don't hesitate and read on. When I recently reviewed HP iPAQ h5550 (not translated yet, sorry), I remarked that it was a pity for such a great power to be placed in an extremely large case. Well, it's the end of the year 2003 and past are the times when pocket computers weighed 200 grams on average... It did not take very long before I obtained a brand new model with the same parameters as h5550 but the size of h1940 . Its name is HP iPAQ h4150 and it is already being sold in many countries worldwide. Can't believe? Well, read on:) I'd like to thank HP for providing the device for review purposes before an official launch of the product. HP iPAQ h4150 HP iPAQ h4150 We should add that besides the device I reviewed, the h4000 series includes the model h4350, which is the first iPAQ with an integrated keyboard! Unfortunately, HP does not plan to introduce it to the tiny Czech market for the time being... I'll d my best to get hold of one to review it, because it is so exceptional a model that I simply cannot miss it. What is in the box? There is no point in examining a colour box, because you'll throw it away after opening it, anyway, but not before taking out the contents, of course. However, there is one thing worth mentioning - on the inside of the cover, there is a warning that you need to install ActiveSync first before connecting the Pocket PC to a desktop PC. The colour and size of the warning ensure that nobody misses it. If someone does, the same warning is on a band over the USB cradle. Important warning on the box ...and on the cradle PDA HP iPAQ h4150 Li-Ion battery 1000mAh AC power source with an adapter for direct charging of the device Synchronisation USB cradle with an slot for an extra battery Protective case Extra stylus CD-ROM with Outlook 2002 and bonus apps Quick start guide Warranty card Leaflet with a list of optional accessories Other documents that nobody reads The box Content of the box iPAQ in the cradle Besides the device, which I'll deal with later, the box contains many other interesting things. The battery is separate, which implies it is replaceable. As usual ion HP devices, the power source is one piece whose connector can be plugged either in the cradle or directly to the device with an adapter. USB cradle and USB cable AC power source with an adapter for direct charging of the device iPAQ with removed battery The cradle is very interesting. Forget about futuristic silver design, here comes a futuristic grey design:) There is no point in trying to find the right words to describe the cradle, instead, I suggest you take a look at the photos. You may wonder what the purpose of the L-shaped part is - it is an adapter for charging an extra battery. The cradle is common to the whole h4000 series, therefore it can accommodate accumulators of four different capacities. You will appreciate the "strange" slant of the cradle when you need to replace the spare battery but avoid disrupting the iPAQ. Besides, as far as I know, this is the first iPAQ cradle to have a detachable USB cable. It is definitely much more convenient that a fixed cable. The cable used here is a standard USB A-B cable, so that you can easily replace it with a longer one should you find the original cable too short. iPAQ in the protective case Protective case Hardly anyone uses the iPAQ in place only, the vast majority of users carry their device around. In order to avoid damage, the manufacturer supplies a protective case. It is the same as that shipping with h2210, which made me frown when I saw that - in a few weeks, its sharp inside edges scratched the rubber sides of my h2210. Fortunately, the h4150 has nothing like that to be scratched. HP supplies a spare stylus, which is positive. And finally, there is the CD-ROM and various documents. As usual, the CD contains several basic and bonus applications. The documents include a user guide, warranty information, a list of available accessories and the EULA. To sum up, the box contains everything you may wish for such a device. For those who find this insufficient, there is a wide offer of other accessories you can buy extra. Advertising Click Here Design It is nice to watch manufacturers squeeze an increasingly powerful devices into ever-smaller cases. The difference between iPAQ h4150 and the tiny models iPAQ h1915 or h1940, is insignificant: the dimensions of h4150 are 70.6 x 113.6 x 13.5 millimetres (virtually identical with h1900). The weight is 132 grams, which represents a 10-percent increase. It looks extremely elegant and fragile, but don't worry, it is most likely made of hardy plastic. Comparing the two models, h4150 has a different layout of the front panel, the infra port and sound record button are located differently, and last but not least, the middle and back parts have different colour. iPAQ in my hand A comparsion of h1915 and h4150 A comparsion of h4150 and h5450 Now, the design in detail and let's start as usual with the front panel with display and control buttons. The display occupies most of the front panel. Over the display, there is the main switch and a LED indicator on either side of the button. The left one blinks blue and green to indicate Bluetooth and Wi-Fi activity, respectively. The right one is green and orange to indicate charging status and notify of various events. Under the display, there is a square four-way control pad with a separate push button in the middle. There are two user-definable buttons on the left and right of the pad - by default Calendar and Contacts on the left and Mail and iTask on the right. The device offers a convenient feature to block the buttons so that they do not react when in sleep mode. There is nothing interesting on the back but for the battery compartment. A detail on buttons A to side of the device A detail on IrDA port On the top, there is a standard 3.5 mm stereo headphones jack, a microphone pinhole, an SD/MMC slot with a dummy card, and a stylus shaft. Don't get confused by the absence of a Wi-Fi antenna - it's integrated. On the left, there is a sound record button (user configurable) and a small hole for soft reset. There is nothing interesting on the other side, just a safety latch against accidental opening of the battery compartment. Finally, the bottom side: it hosts a usual 22-pin connector (fully compatible with the h2000 and h3000 series - h3800 and h3900 to be more specific - and h5000 series, so that you can use all the various accessories without any problem). Besides the connector is a somewhat unusually located infra port. Pocket PC Dimensions (in. / mm) Weight (oz / g) Casio Cassiopeia E-200 3.2 x 5.2 x 0.7 82 x 130 x 17.5 6.5 190 Compaq iPAQ H3870 3.3 x 5.3 x 0.6 84 x 133 x 15.9 6.6 190 Compaq iPAQ H3970 3.3 x 5.3 x 0.6 84 x 134 x 15.9 6.5 184 F-S Pocket LOOX 600 3.2 x 5.2 x 0.65 82 x 132 x 17 6.1 175 HP iPAQ h1940 2.75 x 4.46 x 0.5 69.8 x 113.3 x 12.8 4.38 124 HP iPAQ h2210 3.01 x 4.54 x 0.61 76.4 x 115.4 x 15.4 5.09 144 HP iPAQ h4150 2.78 x 4.47 x 0.53 70.6 x 113.6 x 13.5 4.66 132 Toshiba e310 3.1 x 4.9 x 0.4 80 x 125 x 12.4 4.9 140 Toshiba e740 3.1 x 4.9 x 0.6 80 x 125 x 15.2 6.1 179 XDA 2.9 x 5.8(5.1) x 0.7 73 x 147(129) x 18 7.1 201 Parameters We can only speculate about the reasons but unlike h1940, this device is powered by an Intel processor - more specifically the PXA255 also known as XScale. It runs at the highest frequency, i.e. 400 MHz, and there is no software tool to slow it down (not from HP). There are 64 MB of RAM to store applications and data (56.77 MB available), the operating system is stored in a 32 MB FlashROM. Part of the FlashROM is reserved as iPAQ File Store with a capacity of 2.85 MB, so that you don't need to worry about your most important data in the event that the battery runs completely dry. Let me add that the flash memory is not from Intel but M-Systems. That on itself is nothing unusual, except for benchmarks showing that this type of memory is 2.5 times faster than that in h2210, which is a remarkable difference. This iPAQ is also the first to offer an utility for formatting the freely available FlashROM memory. It is by no means useless, although it may seem so - some users have reported problems with the FlashROM disk and formatting such space is nothing simple. Basic info about the device Memory and OS version iPAQ File Store is also provided by this device A useful application for formatting of iPAQ File Store Now, the display. From the technical point of view, it is a transflexive display 88.9 mm in diameter. The resolution is a standard 240 x 320 pixels, 65 k colours. Unfortunately, the display has much in common with that of h1940, so that I cannot avoid having some minor objections. Besides wide black borders (some 1 mm wider on each side as compared to iPAQ h1915), there is a yellow tint, which is quite apparent especially when looking from below. The less slanted view, the less intensive the yellow tint is. When looking at the display perpendicularly, there virtually none. Most likely, this is a "characteristic" of this type of backlight, which we will probably have to get used to in HP devices:( Having said that, I must stress that it does not play any role in normal usage, only faultfinders, such as myself, will grumble:) Except for the problem with the yellow colour, the display is absolutely flawless. The image is sharp and clear, you can set backlight intensity at five different levels. This model, too, has the ClearType feature available in all applications and offers ClearType Tuner for fine-tuning the settings. Nothing special to say about the touch layer, either - it works exactly as it is supposed to work. Backlight settings Align screen ClearType tuner As far as audio features are concerned, this iPAQ offers the best money can buy. Not only is the noise level very low, but the device also offers an incredibly well-done control panel for sound recording and playback. You can set headphones volume level separately for each channel at three levels and apply a software equaliser. This allows for bass and treble adjustment at 4 levels plus the Super Bass feature for heavy stuff. There are three modes for sound recording - dictaphone (you speak directly to the microphone), normal and conference (maximum sensitivity). It really works, so that you can forget about that power-hungry tape recorder. The use of a standard 3.5 mm jack for audio output is quite convenient - you need no adapter for your quality headphones. A loudspeaker is hidden behind the control pad, offering acceptable sound quality. Audio settings Communication capabilities make iPAQ h4150 an absolute king in its category. Besides standard USB and IrDA communication, it has an integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth! This is truly remarkable given the small size of the device. A special applications makes controlling individual communication interfaces extremely easy - you can switch them on and off in a matter of seconds. While the Wi-Fi can be configured very easily due to Windows Mobile 2003's own Zero Configuration Wizard, the Bluetooth requires more effort. For that, you have an excellent Bluetooth Manager, well-known to all users of BT-enabled iPAQs. You can easily connect the iPAQ with a mobile phone, printer or laptop. Having the iPAQ for 48 hours only, I did not have time to test Wi-Fi and BT properly, but I am almost sure that it does not suffer from the same problem as h5450. Let me just add that h4150 offers LEAP for Wi-Fi and that users who need to connect to corporate networks will use L2TP VPN or Enrollment tool for certificates. Control panel for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth A built-in support for Wireless LEAP Bluetooth Manager The integrated BT and Wi-Fi require as powerful a battery as possible. As I have already mentioned, the main battery is rechargeable and replaceable. Specifically, it is a 1000-mAh Lithium-Ion battery. If you need more power, you can buy a spare battery of the same capacity or 1800-mAh one. When replacing the main battery or when it runs completely dry, an integrated NiMH backup battery preserves data in the RAM. I tested battery life with a maximum backlight and an application simulating common user activity. I fully discharged and charged the battery twice prior to the test. The iPAQ lasted for 4 hours and 17 minutes. Considered this was a new device, it is possible that it would last longer after a few more charge-discharge cycles. One of the main power consumers is the Wi-Fi transceiver. This iPAQ makes it possible to set consumption at three levels, but at the expense of data transfer speed. Power applet Power settings Battery monitor Advertising Click Here Expandability Even though it does not have to occur to you initially, you may later find your self in a situation when the integrated features no longer suffice to satisfy your needs. First problem will probably be a lack of storage space for your apps and data. A solution is at hand - SD cards are nowadays available with capacities of hundreds of megabytes, gigabytes are expected to hit the shelves in a matter of a few months. So, all you need to do is to buy a sufficient memory card (if you need just the basic range of capacities, an MMC card will do) and there you go. You can use I/O cards (such as the new GPS card), too, because iPAQ h4150 fully supports the SDIO standard. Another option is to use Bluetooth-enabled peripherals. Besides the usual ones, such as mobile phones and printers, you will most likely use this fature with new GPS modules that can turn the iPAQ into a powerful navigation system. The number of accessories and peripheral devices that support Bluetooth has been growing steadily and will surely continue to grow. The last option is the data connector located on the bottom side of the device. You will use it mostly for connecting an external keyboard, be it the miniature plug-in type or the large, foldable one. On the other hand, owners of various iPAQ jackets will be disappointed because there is no way to connect them because of the absence of the large data connector (due to the small size of the device). Software This iPAQ, too, ships with some extra apps in the ROM and on the CD-ROM on top of the standard installation of Windows Mobile 2003 Premium Edition. If you are new to Pocket PC and would like to learn more about the standard apps supplied by Microsoft, I would recommend the article What’s new in Pocket PC 2003? . For those of you who do have some idea, I'll just add that the ROM contains a backup utility called iPAQ Backup, an image viewer iPAQ Image Zone, a standard task manager iTask, control panel iPAQ Wireless and a few other applets in Settings. Let's start with iPAQ Backup, because backing up data is one of the most important activities that every computer users should carry out as often as possible. Basically, it the old familiar programme that has undergone some improvements. The initial screen will give you basic information about the application. Then you specify what type of data you want to back up - documents, databases, system files, registries etc. Then you tap on the Backup button and in a few seconds, the backup is done to any memory space selected. The restorre procedure is equally simple. The iPAQ Backup has some cool features, such as automatic backup at a specific time or when battery power decreases under a certain limit, or backup of calendar and contacts into iPAQ File Store. This application is really superb! A welcome screen The main screen A status window Backup options Instead of iPAQ Image Viewer this device comes with a much better application pre-installed, the iPAQ Image Zone. This is a fast and feature-packed applications to be appreciated not only by digital photography fans. You can easily view all images in one folder, send an image by e-mail or to another device, print it (after installing HP iPAQ Printing) etc. A slideshow option is a matter-of-course (there are several dozen different morphing styles), you can add sound recording, some may want to use Histogram... There are quite a few features. iPAQ Image Zone A picture in a slideshow mode A ZOOM function A slideshow options Finally, there is iTask, a simple task manager. There was no space for more apps in the ROM, I should mention perhaps Self-Test, which will help you test the device for faults. iTask task manager HP surprised me nicely when I was browsing the CR-ROM and discovered a list of all the apps supplied, including information about its status - free, trial or full. There are quite a lot of applications on the CD, but they are mostly trial versions or freeware utilities. The only exceptions are a presentation utility called iPresentation Mobile Converter LE, which can display Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents, and an encryption utility called F-Secure FileCrypto for Pocket PC. If you expected iPAQ Software Choice, you'll be disappointed - the option to choose software to your liking is not available at all for this model. Pricing According to the HP.com, the price for this device is set to U.S.$449. Given the features and parameters, this is a very good value for the money. Anyhow, if you need both an integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support you don't have much choice, do you? :) Benchamrks I use Spb Benchmark for a complete performance test. I have already reviewed a few new Pocket PCs and I am planning to eventually compare them with each other. If you are interested in the full results, the complete .XML file is available for download here :: HP iPAQ h4150 (2003, 400MHz) [1KB] . If you copy the contents of the file to the form on this page (click on Add device), you can compare the results with other devices. The raw computing power is pretty much the same in all the new devices with the Intel PXA255 processor. h4150 was not the best - it lagged behind h5550 a few percentage points. The raw computing power is pretty much the same in all the new devices with the Intel PXA255 processor. h4150 was not the best - it lagged behind h5550 a few percentage points. Working with files is fast, only h1940 is faster. Working with files is fast, only h1940 is faster. In the graphics performance, h4150 was far ahead - 3858 points is a record. It outperformed h5550 eight times! I have tested many games and they were all absolutely smooth. In the graphics performance, h4150 was far ahead - 3858 points is a record. It outperformed h5550 eight times! I have tested many games and they were all absolutely smooth. Likewise, h4150 was fastest in data transfer over ActiveSync. It seems that HP managed to get maximum speed from USB, which is, of course, good news:) Likewise, h4150 was fastest in data transfer over ActiveSync. It seems that HP managed to get maximum speed from USB, which is, of course, good news:) And finally, the complex test showed that h4150 is the most powerful Pocket PC I have ever tested. And finally, the complex test showed that h4150 is the most powerful Pocket PC I have ever tested. More links HP iPAQ h4150 main page Detailed specification of the device Comments from users, add yours Purchase at my store PDAgold recommends! Conclusion I am glad that I can once again declare that I was honoured the pleasure of testing one of the best Pocket PCs on the market. Of course, I should stress that I had only two days to review it, yet the device impressed me. Putting aside the minor weakness of the display, this is what I call a perfect device. Many people will compare it to h5550, which is better in some respects but lags behind the new device overall. I am not talking about the size but the new device is at a higher level generally, especially in details. For a good price, you get one of the smallest yet most powerful devices money can buy. It is great success for HP to squeeze BT and Wi-Fi into the tiny shell. Add countless convenient little features (control panels, integrated antenna etc.) - this device must satisfy even the most discerning customers. :: The final rating is 93% .: Rate this article User Rating :: 4.5/5 gems ( 365 votes) :: Bad, too bad! Excellent! [Rate] Do you have some notes or comments to this article? [ 1 comments ] :: Print article Advertisement - click to support this site (c) 1999 - 2003, Pavel Koza :: Mobile version for PDA :: Advertising on PDAgold :: Page created in 0.15625 sec TOPlist


Register with PDAgold now! :: First timers click here :: Login Articles :: Forums :: Freeware :: Themes :: Hardware Store :: Classifieds :: Books :: Links Advertisement - click to support this site Click Here .: SEARCH :. .: ADVERTISEMENT :. Advertisement - click to support this site Click Here .: CATEGORIES :. Accessory news (3) Accessory reviews (17) Development (1) Game manuals (1) Hardware news (13) Hardware reviews (34) Life (2) Rumors (2) Software news (6) Software reviews (98) System information (2) Technical support (9) .: TOP 10 ARTICLES :. Big review of Toshiba e800 (Pavel Koza :: 3522 hits) Big review of Asus MyPal A716 (Pavel Koza :: 2583 hits) Big review of Yakumo Omikron (Pavel Koza :: 1935 hits) Big review of HP iPAQ h4150 (Pavel Koza :: 1189 hits) Big review of Fujitsu Siemens Computers Pocket LOOX 4xx (Pavel Koza :: 912 hits) Big review of Acer n30 (Pavel Koza :: 838 hits) Big review of AnexTEK SP-230 (Pavel Koza :: 618 hits) Big review of T-Mobile MDA II (Pavel Koza :: 532 hits) Big review of HP iPAQ h2210 (Pavel Koza :: 517 hits) Big review of HP iPAQ h1940 (Pavel Koza :: 438 hits) .: Home :: Articles :: Hardware reviews :: Detailed view .: Big review of HP iPAQ h2210 Author - Pavel Koza :: User rating - 4.5/5 gems ( 192 votes) :: Views - 19651 September 16, 2003 :: Last month saw the introduction of a new operating system for pocket devices, as well as a fair number of new Pocket PC gadgets. While the recently reviewed HP iPAQ h1940 is derived from an older model, the Pocket PC I am going to introduce today is a completely new model in HP's product line. Yes, your guess is right, it is HP iPAQ h2210. And there is a lot to write about! AT the beginning, I disliked one thing about iPAQs - the non-existence of a model with a built-in CF slot. Not even the most advanced SDIO and SD can compete with CompactFlash, be it in functionality or pricing (CF cards are much cheaper). Over time, I have built up a nice collection of CF cards but their use has been a little complicated. Using jackets is not a solution I would prefer, so I have always enviously monitored the competition which had been offering this feature for some time. My hopes have eventually come true as the first iPAQ with both an SD and CF slot has now hit the market. HP iPAQ h2210 is a completely new model replacing the h3000 series. HP will soon have two models for individual users (h1900 and h2200 series) and two for the corporate sphere (h5100 and h5500). Only time will show if this is the right way, but i think that it always pays to offer as many different models as possible. But enough debates, let's get to work. I'd like to thank HP for providing the device for testing and also Sunnysoft, where I eventually bought the device. If you want to buy it, I'd like to recommend you my new hardware store . HP iPAQ h2210 HP iPAQ h2210 What is in the box It looks like extravagance in packaging, like in the case of the first iPAQ Pocket PC, is gone. The box is uninspiring, just with colour print. Let's see what's inside: a HP iPAQ h1940 Li-Ion battery 900mAh AC power supply with an adapter for direct charging of the device a cradle with a USB cable a protective case a CD-ROM with Outlook 2002 and bonus apps a coupon worth 5 points for iPAQ Choice Software a quick start guide a warranty card a few leaflets A box Content of the box Even though the device is attractive and tempting to start playing with it, let's talk about other things first. It is positive that HP designers use their brain and do not use a different AC adapter for each model, but has been using the same one since Compaq Aero. If your family or firm is loyal to one brand, you can avoid many problems thanks to the compatibility of power sources. It would not be me if I did not find something to complain about - the AC adapter does not have replaceable plugs for different mains outlets. Well, anyhow, if you travel a lot, you surely have an adapter for other appliances, don't you? The battery could have had bigger capacity but my operating time tests showed quite surprising results in the positive sense. The battery is replaceable, so if you by a spare one or two, you will have enough power for quite a long time. The cradle is elegant, eye-catching as usual with HP devices. There is no decorative neon inscription like those Dell and Asus have, but you can charge the device and a spare battery at the same time. It is relatively light but rock stable on the desk. If only the USB cable were longer. If you do not have the PC on the desk or right under it, you may have problems connecting the computers. The protective case is somewhat strange. It is not the usual case but a simple folding pocket made of a tough material, sewed together on the sides with rubber. The Pocket PC fits in well and basic protection is guaranteed. If you require more, there is nothing easier than to purchase one on-line – the offer is enormous (unfortunately, this is not the case of our country)... What worse, stitches is inside are quite sharp so that the sides of my device got scratched after a few days. The CD includes a few noteworthy applications I will describe later. As usual with iPAQs, The package contains a coupon worth five points for the iPAQ Choice Software server - an example to follow for other manufacturers. Then there is the quick-start guide, a leaflet depicting all the available accessories, a warranty card and a few other papers. A protective case To sum it up, the package contains everything you need and a little more. I miss a spare stylus – I would expect one to be supplied with a device of this class. Advertising Click Here Design This device won my heart at first sight! So small and so powerful... The officially declared dimensions are 76.4 mm (W) by 115.4 mm (H) by x 15.4 mm (T) and the device weighs 144 grams. Comparing to an iPAQ 3900 series, h2210 looks like a dwarf, although does not make a fragile impression like h1940. It fits in the hand perfectly but there is one minor issue related to this. There are rubber strips on each side for a sure grip - so far so good. But because of this, there are no controls on the sides as we see in other models, especially the recording button. Of course, it is nothing one cannot live without, but for me, it is a disadvantage. A comparsion :: h1940 :: h2215 :: h3970 h1940 on the top :: h2210 in the middle :: h3970 in the bottom h1940 on the top :: h2210 in the middle :: h3970 in the bottom h1940 on the top :: h2210 in the middle :: h3970 in the bottom Unlike in h1940, the display is uncompromisingly perfect: “white is really white” to paraphrase an ad:) Quite understandably, the display occupies most of the front panel. Above the display, there is the HP logo, two LED indicators (green/orange and blue) and the main switch. A traditional combination controls - a joypad and four soft buttons - is located under the display. The joypad is very sensitive; controlling the device is fine and accurate, much better than h1900. I tried playing several games and there was absolutely no problem. As I have already said, there is nothing on the sides but the rubber strips. On the back, there is a cover of the battery compartment and a small hole for soft reset, as well as the speaker – I’ll discuss its impact on sound quality later. Looking from above, you will discover two expansion slots for MMC/SD and CF Type II cards, respectively, stylus opening, a standard 3.5 mm stereo audio jack, an infra port and a small microphone. HP probably believes that no h2210 user can do without an SD memory card and they leave the SD slot open whereas the CF slot has a cover. The bottom side hosts a combined data and power connector. Pocket PC Dimensions (in. / mm) Weight (oz / g) Casio Cassiopeia E-200 3.2 x 5.2 x 0.7 82 x 130 x 17.5 6.5 190 Compaq iPAQ H3870 3.3 x 5.3 x 0.6 84 x 133 x 15.9 6.6 190 Compaq iPAQ H3970 3.3 x 5.3 x 0.6 84 x 134 x 15.9 6.5 184 F-S Pocket LOOX 600 3.2 x 5.2 x 0.65 82 x 132 x 17 6.1 175 HP iPAQ h1940 2.75 x 4.46 x 0.5 69.8 x 113.3 x 12.8 4.38 124 HP iPAQ h2210 3.01 x 4.54 x 0.61 76.4 x 115.4 x 15.4 5.09 144 Toshiba e310 3.1 x 4.9 x 0.4 80 x 125 x 12.4 4.9 140 Toshiba e740 3.1 x 4.9 x 0.6 80 x 125 x 15.2 6.1 179 XDA 2.9 x 5.8(5.1) x 0.7 73 x 147(129) x 18 7.1 201 Parameters Its parameters place h2210 in the top class, yet the memory is not the largest available. But considered h2210 does not aspire to the most expensive model but a reasonably priced powerful one, this comes as no surprise. This iPAQ is powered by a standard Intel PXA255 processor running at 400 MHz. Unfortunately, there is no software tool to play with the processor frequency to get a few more minutes of battery time. Although my previous tests showed that if you downgrade the processor speed from 400 MHz to 200 MHz, you save only around 15 % battery power. Well, those 15 % may sometimes come handy. Data and apps can be stored in a 64MB RAM (57.11 MB available), the operating system is loaded in a 32MB FlashROM, of which 3.84 MB is reserved as iPAQ File Store, so that you do not need to be afraid to lose your most precious data even if the battery runs completely dry. Basic info about the device Memory and OS version iPAQ File Store While the display of h1940 disappointed me, I find the h2210’s one absolutely fantastic! The only usual thing about it is the resolution of 240 x 320 pixels and 65 thousand colours. In all other respects, it is a top one. Technically, it is a transflexive TFT display with LED backlight. The visible diameter is 96 mm, both contrast and brightness are perfect, colours natural, the backlight can be adjusted separately for batter and mains operation (in 60 steps!). I somewhat miss an automatic backlight adjustment that I would expect of a device replacing the h3900 series. ClearType setting is integrated in the Display applet. This iPAQ can adjust blurriness of display fonts in 12 steps. The touch-screen is very sensitive and the Pocket PC is usable even in direct sunlight. Overall, the rating is a big “A” with a small “minus” (for the absence of automatic backlight adjustment). Screen Align applet ClearType Tuner Both h1940 and h2210 can replay as well as adjust sound. More specifically, you can set the bass level between 0 and 12, treble in four steps. Unfortunately, you cannot adjust the volume for the headphones and the loudspeaker separately, yet the maximum level is sufficient even for noisy environments. The built-in loudspeaker is a standard nothing-to-write-home-about quality but its location on the back of the device surprisingly improves the sound quality! Older iPAQs used to have the speaker built in the joypad and if you played a game, you usually muted the sound with your thumb. When holding h2210, it is very unlikely that you will cover the speaker and if you do manage that, the sound quality is reduced only insignificantly. The microphone is sufficiently sensitive, and the sensitivity can be adjusted either automatically or manually. I encountered one problem when testing the device – in some games (such as Ultima Underworld and Gangsta Race), the sound was somewhat jerky, as if the hardware was too slow. But then I discovered that Axim behaved in the same way, which suggests that it is a problem of the operating system, not the device. Audio Settings Microphone settings IPAQ communicates over USB, IrDA and Bluetooth. I am preparing a separate article about Bluetooth (if not a series), so just briefly here: Bluetooth support comes from WidComm (by the way, it is the same product as in h1940). BT makes it possible to communicate with other PDAs, notebooks, desktops, mobile phones, printers, GPSs – whatever supports Bluetooth. You can transfer files and digital business cards, access your corporate network or the internet, print, work with a phone directory, send SMS messages... simply to do many different tasks without cables. Configuring the device was not very easy but I eventually managed to get everything working. What I found very convenient is synchronisation with the desktop that is now absolutely flawless. Bluetooth :: General Bluetooth :: Accessibility Bluetooth :: File Transfer Bluetooth :: Information Exchange Bluetooth :: Serial Port Bluetooth :: Dial-up Networking Bluetooth :: Personal Network Server Bluetooth Manager :: Connection Status The iPAQ has a replaceable Li-Ion 900mAh battery. To my surprise, h2210 lasted an hour longer than h1940 in a test when I left the fully charged devices alone with maximum backlight and Bluetooth on. The time was over five hours, which is an amazing result. If you are not a gamer who spends 23 hours a day playing Tomb Raider, you do not have to be afraid of your iPAQ running out of power in the middle of the working day, even if you use it intensively. The backup battery is a Li-ion one with an unspecified capacity. I surprised me that you can set for how long the memory will retain data after the main battery runs completely dry. It makes sense to have such a feature in devices that have one (irreplaceable) battery and part of the energy is conserved for emergency situations. But this device has a replaceable main battery and a special backup battery... If you need to stay away from the mains for a long period of time, you can buy a spare battery or batteries and replace them easily when flat. Battery Status Stand-by Period settings Battery consumption graph Advertising Click Here Expandability When I mentioned the small size, many of you who use iPAQs with jackets have started to worry. Well, it is tough but you cannot have everything and in this case, you pay for the compact size by incompatibility with jackets. From my experience, most people used only the CF jacket anyway, so this is no real problem because the CF slot is integrated in h2210. Other will have to wait for the most model, h5550, which fully supports existing jackets. This is just a light shadow on the excellent expandability options. CF type II is indisputably the most favourite interface for expansion cards, memory and other. The SD slot supports full SDIO (which is not always the case in devices that have both CF and SD slots). That means you can easily turn your iPAQ into a GPS navigation system, add WiFi functionality, view photos stored on an IBM Microdrive... GPS with a BT support If this is not enough for you, you can buy accessories that will communicate with your iPAQ over Bluetooth, such as a GPS made by Socket that I will mention later. Of course, there is the data connector. Most often, you will probably use it to attach an external keyboard. The connector is fully compatible with the previous models, so that I can continue using a foldable keyboard that I bought several years ago for iPAQ h3850. Software As usual, we will discuss different types of applications separately. First, let’s take a look at the apps stored in the ROM. It contains Pocket PC 2003 Premium Edition, which means that you are getting all available applications from Microsoft. To learn more about new features in the new OS, take a look at the article “ What’s new in Pocket PC 2003? ” Anyhow, what do we find there? Calendar, Contacts, Mail, Internet Explorer, Notes, Tasks, Windows Media Player, Calculator, Explorer, Microsoft Reader, MSN Messenger, Pictures, Excel, Word, Pocket MSN and Terminal Services Client, and for leisure time two games - Solitaire and Jawbreaker. There are five extra apps in the ROM – besides iPAQ Backup and iPAQ Image Viewer as we know them from h1940, there is also a task manager called iTask, a highly sophisticated remote control for various home appliances called Nevo, and a hardware diagnostic utility Diagnostic Toolkit. iPAQ Backup is an advanced solution for backing up data and programmes. You can choose what you would like to back up, which databases, files and registers. You can also choose to compress and/or encrypt the data or exclude some types of files. As a cherry on the cake, you can tell the programme to back up your files at a specified time or when the battery power decreases to a set level. iPAQ Backup iPAQ Backup iPAQ Backup iPAQ Image Viewer is superfluous, since the operating system includes Pictures, which offers the same functionality if not better – now you have two virtually identical apps in the ROM. Well, it is nothing exceptional – it simply displays all pictures in a folder and you can choose pictures to view in their real size or create a slideshow, which can morph one picture into another using several effects. iPAQ Image Viewer iPAQ Image Viewer iTask task manager has shipped with iPAQs since ages. Nevertheless, I have never come to like to... It helps you manage running applications and execute new ones – there is a plethora of apps with the same and better functionality. Yet, it is better than the traditional Memory applet. iTask iTask iTask The application called Nevo is a truly multifunctional remote control. You can define any number of devices, separately for each room. Even though there is a huge number of presets for TV sets, VCRs, DVDs, amplifiers and other infrared controlled devices of different makes, many are missing. They don’t know our Tesla TV sets, for example:) That is why the programme includes a learning mode which will help in such cases. Nevo Nevo Nevo Nevo The last app in this batch is Diagnostic Toolkit, which can help you discover a hardware failure. It is useful for those who buy second-hand goods – using this app, they can check if a device is faulty or not. Diagnostic Toolkit Diagnostic Toolkit Diagnostic Toolkit Diagnostic Toolkit There is nothing really exciting about the accompanying CD-ROM. Besides standard apps, such as Microsoft ActiveSync 3.7 and Microsoft Outlook 2002 that ship with all new Pocket PCs, there are many demo versions and only a handful of full versions of programmes you would buy yourself. One of them is Westek ClearVue Office Suite, which can open MS Office documents (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) on your Pocket PC. Another useful app is F-Secure FileCrypto, which can encrypt your files stored in the Pocket PC, so that you need not worry about your data if your device gets into the wrong hands. The last app, called Pocket Watch, is designed for travellers and displays the time in any place in the world. The other apps are either demo versions or full apps available from their makers free of charge. This on its own would be pitiful hadn’t there been a magic card with an alphanumeric code which gives you 5 points for the iPAQ Choice Software website. This is a very convenient method of providing each user with exactly those apps he or she needs. After registration, you receive a certain number of points (5 in this case), which you can use to “purchase” useful software – you can choose from dozens of popular applications. Each app costs 1-3 points, depending on how good it is. Looking at the “price list”, one can assume that one point equals roughly ten US dollars, so that you can buy full-version software worth around 50 dollars for your voucher, Just make the right choice:) Pricing The official price is $399 USD, which is quite a lot of money. On the other hand, you are getting a cutting-edge pocket device, powerful and easily expandable. I wonder what the demand will be. I’ll refrain from judgments as to whether it is the best Pocket PC 2003 available, because I am going to test the other later. Nevertheless, it surely is the best of all the devices I have ever tested (what is a better evidence than that I bought the device for myself after a few days of testing). Benchmarks I use Spb Benchmark for a complete performance test. There is no point in listing all the results and show dozens of charts which would not tell anything to most of you. If you are interested in all the results, the complete .XML file is available for download here :: HP iPAQ h2215 (2003, 400MHz) [2KB] . If you copy the contents of the file to the form on this page (click on Add device), you can compare the results with other devices. Total performance More links HP iPAQ h2210 main page Purchase @ my shop Detailed specification Comments from users, join in PDAgold recommends! Conclusion In short, the best Pocket PC device on the market. Small size and low weight, sufficient above-average performance, breathtaking large display, good sound quality, excellent expandability due to integrated CF and SD slots, integrated Bluetooth... The lower-than-100 % rating is due to a few disadvantages that I have mentioned in the review, but I can sincerely recommend this device. And if it had an integrated GSM/GPRS module instead of BT, it would be the first device to score over 100 %:) :: The overall rating is 93 % :: The final rating is 93% .: Rate this article User Rating :: 4.5/5 gems ( 192 votes) :: Bad, too bad! Excellent! [Rate] Do you have some notes or comments to this article? [ 0 comments ] :: Print article Advertisement - click to support this site (c) 1999 - 2003, Pavel Koza :: Mobile version for PDA :: Advertising on PDAgold :: Page created in 0.21875 sec TOPlist


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Piel Frama Universal Leather Wallet/Case (Ash Habib :: 315 hits) Piel Frama Toshiba e3XX Cases (Ash Habib :: 139 hits) HandNav Technology Ltd ProClip PDA vent mount kit (Tony Newton :: 111 hits) Proporta retractable headphones (Tony Newton :: 110 hits) Pocketop Folding Keyboard (Tony Newton :: 102 hits) Leather case for iPAQ h4355 from Proporta (Pavel Koza :: 99 hits) Deluxe Screen Protector from Proporta (Tony Newton :: 94 hits) Proporta Crystal Case (Max Soell :: 72 hits) Cases galore for the HP iPAQ H5000 series (Tom Kriplean :: 70 hits) Piel Frama case for the Ipaq 3970 (Adam Clark :: 55 hits) .: Home :: Articles :: Accessory reviews :: Detailed view .: Piel Frama case for the Ipaq 3970 Author - Adam Clark :: User rating - 0/5 gems ( 0 votes) :: Views - 937 May 25, 2004 :: If your looking to give your device that additional ‘Executive’ look why not take a look at a Piel Frama case. Piel Frama is a name synomous with style and quality. This review takes an indepth look at the case for an Ipaq 3970 (sleeveless) and a 3970 with a silver slider III CF and external battery sleeve. I've been looking for the ideal case for my Ipaq for sometime, as I found that last summer having to walk around with my device in my trouser pocket, while the sun was beating down was an awkward and uncomfortable experience (the Ipaq's 3970 are NOT the smallest of devices). As I am quite mobile, travelling from office to office on foot, public transport and frequently having to drive between client sites. I needed a case that fits in to a number of different requirements: Is appropriate for use in a business setting (read here, no Disney or Marvel Comic character embelished cases.) Is discreet Can clip to a belt (no more bulging trouser pockets) Allows quick access to all my devices features Has a VERY robust build (e.g. Can take some physical/environmental punishment) Protects my devices screen Can accommodate a couple of SD/CF cards Preferably is dockable with an Ipaq cradle It's a tall order, hence I've been looking for a while. The closest match to my requirements appears to be the Piel Frama cases. The manufacturer Piel Frama has been manufacturing leather goods in Ubrique, Spain since 1960 and have released a number of PDA cases previously, created in both the ‘flip top’ style and ‘book’ style. Piel Frama cases are made by hand, with a very nice look and feel. The case presentation I’ve included this section as the Piel Frama cases are delivered in a presentation case that shouts quality, aside from the usual packaging (e.g. jiffy bag, bubble wrap). The cases are delivered in very sturdy presentation boxes that are terracotta (almost) and emerald green in colour with the Piel Frama name and logo embossed in gold lettering. The boxes are such high quality that they could easily be provided as a gift with no additional wrapping. The Device case The Ipaq case under review is for a 3900 series Ipaq and made from soft leather, the available colour schemes are black, tan and a black/tan combo. Inside the box the case is wrapped in a sheet of stiff high quality paper (same colour at the lower portion of the box). When the case is first unveiled it has a pleasant scent of leather (not to pungent). With the belt clip and clip holder remover packaged within the case itself. On opening the case (it has a button clasp, which is very secure) the various slots are easily identifiable from Piel Frama branded inserts, which also help to keep the inserts open so that they are receptive to your various cards. Device/case functionality The device slips easily in to the case and is held in place by a stiff leather ‘holder’ which forms a boundary around the edges of the device. Inside the case all the functions of the device and it’s hardware buttons and direction pad are available, with the case feeling very comfortable and secure in the hand. A concern was felt due to the activation of the power button, as inadvertent ‘switching on’ of the device was actioned, when worn within an inside jacket pocket. Casual movement occasionally caused the power button to be pressed, as this area was not isolated. This was a concern as it could potentially lead to battery drain/loss of data. Unfortunately a slight issue is the fact that the device cannot be synchronised/recharged in the cradle while in the case, as the leather increases the size just a fraction too much for the device to sit directly on to the connector. However syncing/recharging with just a travel cable is possible. Case/Sleeve functionality It must be stated that the Ipaq and CF sleeve cannot accommodate an extended external battery. Which is to be expected as the extended external battery makes the device VERY large. The hold of the device and the sleeve together was very snug, but held securely none the less. The insertion/removal of the CF card was easily facilitated by a perfectly positioned cut out. However it was disappointing not to see insertion points for a couple of compact flash cards within the case. At a stretch the credit card holders could be used, but with the danger of the inserts swallowing the cards and having to fumble them out of the slots (which as you might expect are credit card size, not compact flash card size). Case features are: Padded, rigid screen protector 2 x SD card slots 2 x Credit card card slots An insert for a small note pad/additional credit card holder. and a removable belt clip Perfectly lined up cutouts for headphone jack soft reset button Ipaq sync/recharge connector easy access to the device CF card (CF sleeve version only) The feature of a secure belt clip is an excellent idea and one fairly well executed. The belt clip felt very secure when positioned on the case, and quite secure on the wearer’s belt. The belt clip is attached to the case via the use of a purpose built ‘slide’ mechanism, which holds a removable screw that is secured to the back of the case. A button on the patented clip must be pressed to release a small lip that prevents the cases screw attachment from coming free. The clip has a very firm spring with a lip at one end that helps to secure it in to place much the same was as a powerful crocodile clip. The use of the case screw allows some limited side to side movement when fixed to the belt. However the ‘build quality’ of the clip requires improvement, as while exiting from a car the awkward sides way movement of the device caused the clip to ‘burst’ apart, leaving the device on the floor. While the clip was easily re-assembled, it begs the question of what would’ve been the outcome if I’d been standing or running? I would therefore suggest that the guide slide in which the clips spring is inserted be made deeper and stronger to prevent such actions form occurring. So as for fulfilling my requirements, how'd I feel the Piel Frama cases favoured: Is appropriate for use in a business setting (read here, no Disney or Marvel Comic character embelished cases.) CHECK Is discreet CHECK Can clip to a belt (no more bulging trouser pockets) CHECK Allows quick access to all my devices features CHECK Has a VERY robust build (e.g. Can take some physical/environmental punishment) Not completely (with a couple of considerations to bear in mind, see conclusion) Protects my devices screen CHECK Can accommodate a couple of SD/CF cards. Not completely Preferably is dockable with an Ipaq cradle NOPE Pros Nicely padded Excellent presentation Very functionable Cons Can't sync in cradle Poor clip build quality lack of CF card holders within the case Accidental activation of the power button is quite possible Basics Manufacturer : Piel Frama Cost : Price: 60 Euros (UPS Shipping included) Conclusion Over all the Piel Frama case is particularly well manufactured, with robust stitching and a firm hold inside the case. The cover provides very good protection of the screen, The case certainly helps to provide the ‘Executive’ look and feel to your device, while also helping to keep your screen protected and your most used storage cards readily to hand. Unfortunately this is not a case that can be used with careless abandon, as a few precautionary measures are required e.g. remove from belt before driving, take care over accidental activation of the power button. However if you are the executive type and do not intend to be using your device 'out and about' on the road, but require a case with presence and style, then this case could more than fulfill your expectations. :: The final rating is 80% Related links Proporta Crystal Case Innopocket Metal Case For H2210 review Cases galore for the HP iPAQ H5000 series Luxury case for iPAQ from Covertec Proporta aluminium case for iPAQ .: Rate this article User Rating :: 0/5 gems ( 0 votes) :: Bad, too bad! Excellent! [Rate] Do you have some notes or comments to this article? [ 0 comments ] :: Print article Advertisement - click to support this site (c) 1999 - 2003, Pavel Koza :: Mobile version for PDA :: Advertising on PDAgold :: Page created in 0.15625 sec TOPlist


Register with PDAgold now! :: First timers click here :: Login Articles :: Forums :: Freeware :: Themes :: Hardware Store :: Classifieds :: Books :: Links Advertisement - click to support this site Click Here .: SEARCH :. .: ADVERTISEMENT :. Advertisement - click to support this site Click Here .: CATEGORIES :. Accessory news (3) Accessory reviews (17) Development (1) Game manuals (1) Hardware news (13) Hardware reviews (34) Life (2) Rumors (2) Software news (6) Software reviews (98) System information (2) Technical support (9) .: TOP 10 ARTICLES :. Piel Frama Universal Leather Wallet/Case (Ash Habib :: 317 hits) Piel Frama Toshiba e3XX Cases (Ash Habib :: 139 hits) HandNav Technology Ltd ProClip PDA vent mount kit (Tony Newton :: 111 hits) Proporta retractable headphones (Tony Newton :: 110 hits) Pocketop Folding Keyboard (Tony Newton :: 102 hits) Leather case for iPAQ h4355 from Proporta (Pavel Koza :: 99 hits) Deluxe Screen Protector from Proporta (Tony Newton :: 94 hits) Proporta Crystal Case (Max Soell :: 72 hits) Cases galore for the HP iPAQ H5000 series (Tom Kriplean :: 70 hits) Piel Frama case for the Ipaq 3970 (Adam Clark :: 55 hits) .: Home :: Articles :: Accessory reviews :: Detailed view .: Piel Frama Universal Leather Wallet/Case Author - Ash Habib :: User rating - 4.5/5 gems ( 574 votes) :: Views - 2738 July 23, 2004 :: Well, as I stated in my last review, I said I would be talking to Piel Frama soon, and here we are. One of the things that I found attractive about that leather flip case, was its ability to double as a wallet. Now, I take a look at a universal leather case with specific aims to replace your wallet. As always, my package from Piel Frama arrived so fast that I thought I heard the wallet moo! I find it fantastic that in these times a company takes the time to personally make sure that customers are satisfied. And, as usual, my case arrived in Piel Frama's beautiful red and green packaging. Piel Frama Box Inside Piel Frama Box Inside Piel Frama Box Piel Frama Box As I stated earlier, the purpose of the case is not only to protect your PDA, but also to replace your wallet. Most people would expect that the merging of a wallet and a PDA case would result in substanderd storage, this is not so. In fact, I had way more storage than I needed. This particular model is availible in 4 different colours. My tester model came in black. PDA Wallet/Case Combo in Black PDA Wallet/Case Combo in Black For those of you out there that have a large number of credit/debit cards, the wallet potion has 10 slots. Two of these slots have a clear facing for your license/work ID, etc. The wallet portion also includes two pullout card/ID holders for cards/ID your frequently use. The wallet portion also has two pockets behind the credit card holders for receipts, coupons, etc. Also, on the top is a pocket for all of your bill money. This portion closes off with a leather strap/loop combination. While this looks fine, I found it to impractical if you goin and out of your wallet often. I would have preferred either a magnetic closure or a zipper closure like the PDA portion. The sheen and durability of the leather used in this case is fantastic. Throughout the everyday barrage of tests I put cases through, the leather looks like brand new. In the PDA compartment, you have a large amount of room to play with. This is good, because it will accomidate pretty much all non-industrial PDA's. To attach your PDA to the case, you get a piece of velcro in the shape of Piel Frama's insignia, the Brahma Bull. I found the velcro to hold well, but it was thick. It actually added a space between the PDA and the back of the case. While this is not an issue for most users, I critique everything, so you get exactly what you want. Now come this issue I've been beating around. Size. For those who are used to carrying a paper planner, they will be used to the size, and it won't be much of an issue. But, if you are accustomed to other PDA cases, this will be a fair bit of change. It is small enough to fit in most jacket pockets, however don't try and fit it into your pants' pockets. Unless having your pants at your ankles is a fashion trend you want to be a part of. Pros Lots of space Will fit almost any device Very durable fashionable Cons Fairly Large Kind of Pricey Slackjaw closing system PDAgold recommends! Conclusion All in all, this is a really good case. I feel with some extra effort and modifictions on the wallet portion and general size, this could go from being a really good case, to one that is awesome. One thing is for sure though; with the innovation constanly coming out of Piel Frama, we can only expect quality to increase. Piel Frama products are available at www.pielframa.com :: The final rating is 90% Related links Leather case for iPAQ h4355 from Proporta Piel Frama Toshiba e3XX Cases Piel Frama case for the Ipaq 3970 Proporta Crystal Case Innopocket Metal Case For H2210 review Cases galore for the HP iPAQ H5000 series Luxury case for iPAQ from Covertec Proporta aluminium case for iPAQ .: Rate this article User Rating :: 4.5/5 gems ( 574 votes) :: Bad, too bad! Excellent! [Rate] Do you have some notes or comments to this article? [ 0 comments ] :: Print article Advertisement - click to support this site (c) 1999 - 2003, Pavel Koza :: Mobile version for PDA :: Advertising on PDAgold :: Page created in 0.34375 sec TOPlist


Register with PDAgold now! :: First timers click here :: Login Articles :: Forums :: Freeware :: Themes :: Hardware Store :: Classifieds :: Books :: Links Advertisement - click to support this site Click Here .: SEARCH :. .: ADVERTISEMENT :. Advertisement - click to support this site Click Here .: CATEGORIES :. Accessory news (3) Accessory reviews (17) Development (1) Game manuals (1) Hardware news (13) Hardware reviews (34) Life (2) Rumors (2) Software news (6) Software reviews (98) System information (2) Technical support (9) .: TOP 10 ARTICLES :. Piel Frama Universal Leather Wallet/Case (Ash Habib :: 317 hits) Piel Frama Toshiba e3XX Cases (Ash Habib :: 139 hits) HandNav Technology Ltd ProClip PDA vent mount kit (Tony Newton :: 111 hits) Proporta retractable headphones (Tony Newton :: 110 hits) Pocketop Folding Keyboard (Tony Newton :: 102 hits) Leather case for iPAQ h4355 from Proporta (Pavel Koza :: 101 hits) Deluxe Screen Protector from Proporta (Tony Newton :: 94 hits) Proporta Crystal Case (Max Soell :: 72 hits) Cases galore for the HP iPAQ H5000 series (Tom Kriplean :: 70 hits) Piel Frama case for the Ipaq 3970 (Adam Clark :: 55 hits) .: Home :: Articles :: Accessory reviews :: Detailed view .: Leather case for iPAQ h4355 from Proporta Author - Pavel Koza :: User rating - 4/5 gems ( 3 votes) :: Views - 895 June 24, 2004 :: Only rarely do PDA manufactures supply a case with their product that would meet both practical and aesthetic criteria. HP iPAQ h4355 is no exception in this respect - the manufacturer does supply a case in the basic package but it provides only protection. If you want something more elegant, you need to take a look on the internet. One of the firms that aim to solve your problem is UK's Proporta, one of whose products I am going to introduce today. This case from Proporta is different from those I or my fellow reviewers have reviewed previously. It does not look like a PDA case but more like the leather cover of a luxury organiser. It is a welcome change and some users will surely prefer this solution. But first things first. The case from Proporta If you buy Proporta PDA Leather Case on-line, you can expect a small package to arrive within a few days. Inside is a leather case in a transparent plastic bag, with a violet leaflet enclosed. The leaflet provides information about this and other Proporta products in several languages. After opening the plastic bag and taking the case out from a small paper box, we can start a thorough examination. The case outside the box The case in my hand As I have already mentioned, the case is black - there are no other colour variants available. The size is apparent from the photos. Given the unusual length of the device, the case could hardly be any smaller. The leather - most likely cowhide - is very soft and smooth. Its black colour is in stark contrast with white stitches around the edges. I personally like such design very much. In the bottom right corner, there is an imprinted Proporta logo, which does not impair the aesthetic experience in any way. In the middle, there is a magnetic button strap that prevents the case from opening accidentally (and spilling its contents). Opened case Opened case Now, it's time to open the case at last. On the left, where there is space for iPAQ. The manufacturer used even softer leather there than on the outside in order to totally eliminate any potential scratches. iPAQ is secured in place by two plastic, flexible holders, one on each side. The device clicks in between them. In order for the device to hold absolutely safely in the case, there is a tiny button made of the same material that fits exactly in the screw hole on the back of the iPAQ - a simple and very clever solution. iPAQ in the case iPAQ in the case without the middle part iPAQ in the case with the middle part In the inner side of the back of the cover, there is a small opening and needlework rectangle to create a shaft for the stylus. You can either insert a spare stylus there or keep the main one there for convenience (when the iPAQ is inside the case, the stylus is a little difficult to take out from the body of the device.) The case has one replaceable part made of some material I cannot identify (it is not leather). One side of it protects the display while the other serves as a transparent pocket for business cards, a photo of your beloved, bus pass, anything you like:) You can take it out easily as it is only loosely inserted in a pocket in the other side of the case. iPAQ in the case and in my hand iPAQ in the case and in my hand iPAQ in the case and in my hand Mentioning the other side, besides this pocket, which can hold e.g. a credit card, there are special pockets for SD memory cards. The shape of the card is slightly impressed in the leather, so that your cards won't fall out. Finally, I should mention an inscription that reads "proporta.com". Now, onto my experience and evaluation. Real-life experience Here are some of my observations: the case provides sufficient protection for the device, the leather being thick enough to prevent bumps and scratches. The design allows for easy access to all the main controls. Working with iPAQ inserted in the case is quite comfortable, although you need to get used to the fact that you cannot actually grasp it as you would a bare PDA. What I found as the biggest inconvenience was the loose right part of the case that kept flapping and hitting my hand while I typed on the keyboard. It is not a very serious drawback, though, and one can get accustomed to it. And finally, if you consider this fine case, consider also this important information - the price tag reads $34.95 . PDAgold recommends! Conclusion If you are after a really good case, this Proporta product won't disappoint you. Use of quality materials and excellent handicraft is what makes the firm's products distinctive. I haven't found the smallest defect, not a misplaced seam or anything. Obviously, not everyone will opt for a case of this size and shape, but that is not its flaw. Convenient little features, such as the pockets for SD cards and stylus only highlight the excellence of the product. I have used the case for several weeks to my absolute satisfaction. :: The final rating is 95% Related links Piel Frama Toshiba e3XX Cases Piel Frama case for the Ipaq 3970 Proporta Crystal Case Innopocket Metal Case For H2210 review Cases galore for the HP iPAQ H5000 series withMP3 review .: Rate this article User Rating :: 4/5 gems ( 3 votes) :: Bad, too bad! Excellent! [Rate] Do you have some notes or comments to this article? [ 0 comments ] :: Print article Advertisement - click to support this site (c) 1999 - 2003, Pavel Koza :: Mobile version for PDA :: Advertising on PDAgold :: Page created in 0.1875 sec TOPlist


Register with PDAgold now! :: First timers click here :: Login Articles :: Forums :: Freeware :: Themes :: Hardware Store :: Classifieds :: Books :: Links Advertisement - click to support this site Click Here .: SEARCH :. .: ADVERTISEMENT :. Advertisement - click to support this site Click Here .: CATEGORIES :. Accessory news (3) Accessory reviews (17) Development (1) Game manuals (1) Hardware news (13) Hardware reviews (34) Life (2) Rumors (2) Software news (6) Software reviews (98) System information (2) Technical support (9) .: TOP 10 ARTICLES :. Piel Frama Universal Leather Wallet/Case (Ash Habib :: 317 hits) Piel Frama Toshiba e3XX Cases (Ash Habib :: 139 hits) HandNav Technology Ltd ProClip PDA vent mount kit (Tony Newton :: 111 hits) Proporta retractable headphones (Tony Newton :: 110 hits) Pocketop Folding Keyboard (Tony Newton :: 102 hits) Leather case for iPAQ h4355 from Proporta (Pavel Koza :: 101 hits) Deluxe Screen Protector from Proporta (Tony Newton :: 94 hits) Cases galore for the HP iPAQ H5000 series (Tom Kriplean :: 72 hits) Proporta Crystal Case (Max Soell :: 72 hits) Piel Frama case for the Ipaq 3970 (Adam Clark :: 56 hits) .: Home :: Articles :: Accessory reviews :: Detailed view .: Cases galore for the HP iPAQ H5000 series Author - Tom Kriplean :: User rating - 4/5 gems ( 16 votes) :: Views - 4317 June 25, 2003 :: Looking for a nice case for your HP iPAQ H5000 series? PDAgold has a pictorial review of several very nice options. I chose options in a variety of price ranges so even a person with a shoe-string budget could get their hands on one of these beauties! All cases All cases All cases All cases The first case up for review is from Covertec . The model number for review is the Black-MPC00001. As Covertec explains, the case has "Beige-colored overstitching and a magnetic loop closure allow you to protect your PDA in style." I will not disagree! Case from Covertec Case from Covertec Case from Covertec Case from Covertec This particular Covertec case did not come with a belt clip. Case from Covertec Case from Covertec Case from Covertec Case from Covertec Pros: Distinguished Look from Beige overstitching. Fairly secure/strong magnetic closure. Storage slots for Drivers License, etc... inside case cover. Access to bottom of iPAQ (reset, headset, sync port) Cons: Open sides leave iPAQ unprotected from drops. Screen protection is adequate (could be more rigid) Top of cover conceals stylus. Covers too much of the biometric fingerprint reader. The second case is from Krusell . The model for review is the Handit PDA. This case is a simple black leather with a very elegant "metalic logotype" embossed on the front. This ensures that every Handit PDA case is a genuine Krusell creation. Case from Krussel Case from Krussel Case from Krussel Case from Krussel Case from Krussel Case from Krussel The Krusell case comes with what they call the Multidapt® system. It is basically a female receiver that will accept several different Multidapt® system accessories. They range from a swivel belt clip w/release button, to a car mount system! This is a very ingenious solution that brings a lot of value-added to the Krusell case. Case from Krussel Case from Krussel Case from Krussel Case from Krussel Pros: Very secure button style closure. Storage slots for two (2) Secure Digital Cards & two (2) slots for Drivers License, etc... Access to bottom of iPAQ (reset, headset, sync port, mic) Innovative Multidapt® clip system. Does not interfere with biometric fingerprint reader. Cons: Sides are covered, but not very protected from drops. Top of cover conceals stylus. Leather between screen and joypad does not align properly. The third case is from VAJA . This model is called the i-Volution Morpheus IV. This case is a unique design to say the least! It is constructed of three (3) ABS layers covered in leather. Another unique touch is that inside the case is cherry red leather, while outside is the ever classic black. This contrast is bound to catch everybodies attention. Case from Vaja Case from Vaja Case from Vaja Case from Vaja Case from Vaja Case from Vaja The Vaja i-Volution Morpheus IV case comes with the Ultra Clip. It has a rotation angle of 360º, so it is more resistant and safe and guarantees an excellent attachment to the metal pin. This clip stands pulling pressures of more than 60kg in all directions. The pin, consists of only one piece made of plated solid brass, and it is fitted in the back of the case, between two thick ABS layers, without any fixing seam. Thus avoiding any detachment possibility and enhances the protection against hits or snags. This has to be the strongest clip system I have ever seen! Case from Vaja Case from Vaja Case from Vaja Case from Vaja Pros: The most secure case available. No doubt! Storage slot for one (1) Secure Digital Card. Access to the stylus and headphone jack. Snug/form fit. Cons: Access to reset hole blocked when cover opened or closed. The fourth case is once again from VAJA . This model is called the i-Volution Vader. This case is unlike any case I've seen. It's most unique feature is its lack of any form of screen protection. It is literally open-faced. It has a built-in screen to cover/protect the iPAQ speaker while still letting sound through. Just like the Morpheus IV, the Vader is made of leather covered ABS. Another interesting touch is the leather covered buttons to access the 4 quick launch buttons for Calendar, Inbox, Contacts and iTask. Case from Vaja Case from Vaja Case from Vaja Case from Vaja The Vader also comes standard with the Ultra Clip. Case from Vaja Case from Vaja Case from Vaja Case from Vaja Pros: Compact size. Does not add any bulk to the iPAQ. Snug/form fit. Cons: Access to reset hole blocked Lack of protection for screen, volume control and top of iPAQ. The fifth case is from Avoglio . This model is called the Black Ostrich iP TS 10/10/0. This case is totally different from the rest of the crowd. From it's "finest available Lousiana aligator leather" to it's pocket/pouch style design, this case stands out in a crowd. If you are looking to make a bold personal statement with how you cover your iPAQ, Avoglio definitely provides that one-of-a-kind touch. Avoglio Case Avoglio Case Avoglio Case Avoglio Case The Avoglio Black Ostrich case does not come with a belt clip. (As most pocket/pouch style cases do not) Avoglio Case Avoglio Case Pros: One-of-a-kind look. Adds very little bulk to the H5450. Cons: Stiff leather to break in. No access to bottom controls (headset/reset/sync port). No storage area for SD cards. Conclusion Since I think cases in a lot of ways are just as much a personal choice as cars (Ford or Chevy), I am not going to specifically say one of these cases is better than the other. I will however say that I am personally a protection freak! Having spent $600 on my H5450, I choose to use the Vaja i-Volution Morpheus IV case because of its unsurpassed protection capabilities. But to each his own... .: Rate this article User Rating :: 4/5 gems ( 16 votes) :: Bad, too bad! Excellent! [Rate] Do you have some notes or comments to this article? [ 0 comments ] :: Print article Advertisement - click to support this site (c) 1999 - 2003, Pavel Koza :: Mobile version for PDA :: Advertising on PDAgold :: Page created in 0.640625 sec TOPlist


Register with PDAgold now! :: First timers click here :: Login Articles :: Forums :: Freeware :: Themes :: Hardware Store :: Classifieds :: Books :: Links Advertisement - click to support this site Click Here .: SEARCH :. .: ADVERTISEMENT :. Advertisement - click to support this site Click Here .: CATEGORIES :. Accessory news (3) Accessory reviews (17) Development (1) Game manuals (1) Hardware news (13) Hardware reviews (34) Life (2) Rumors (2) Software news (6) Software reviews (98) System information (2) Technical support (9) .: TOP 10 ARTICLES :. Piel Frama Universal Leather Wallet/Case (Ash Habib :: 317 hits) Piel Frama Toshiba e3XX Cases (Ash Habib :: 139 hits) HandNav Technology Ltd ProClip PDA vent mount kit (Tony Newton :: 111 hits) Proporta retractable headphones (Tony Newton :: 110 hits) Pocketop Folding Keyboard (Tony Newton :: 102 hits) Leather case for iPAQ h4355 from Proporta (Pavel Koza :: 101 hits) Deluxe Screen Protector from Proporta (Tony Newton :: 94 hits) Cases galore for the HP iPAQ H5000 series (Tom Kriplean :: 72 hits) Proporta Crystal Case (Max Soell :: 72 hits) Piel Frama case for the Ipaq 3970 (Adam Clark :: 56 hits) .: Home :: Articles :: Accessory reviews :: Detailed view .: Luxury case for iPAQ from Covertec Author - Pavel Koza :: User rating - 3/5 gems ( 5 votes) :: Views - 2280 December 11, 2002 :: Usually, when you spend big bucks on a new PDA, you don’t feel like coughing up more money for accessories. Many manufacturers supply some kind of a protective case but often of a questionable quality and value. In the end, you have to look for a new one, anyway. One of the firms that specialise in PDA cases is Covertec. No doubt, making PDA accessories is good business for many. There are dozens of manufacturers of PDA cases. Having said that, I must admit that when visiting any local stone or on-line shop this seem a little exaggerated because hardly any retailer has a contract with more than three suppliers. But nowadays, you can buy on-line and have your case sent from the other side of the globe. On the one hand, it is more expensive (you have to pay the taxes and customs duties for the really expensive cases), but on the other you can choose a product to match your requirements to the last detail. Today, I’d like to introduce you to an elegant leather case from Covertec designed for Compaq iPAQ H3100, H3600, H3700, H3800 and H3900 models (don’t worry, Covertec offers cases for many other PDAs, just check their website). The case is not cheap but the price of $49.59 seems adequate. The packaging itself looks promising. Judging from a hole on top of by which it can be hung it is designed not only for on-line stores but also for display in stone shops. An inscription on the paper cover reads: “Luxury leather case for PDA”, accompanied by several photographs and a brief description of the product. What I find interesting is that it was designed in France while manufactured in China. The paper cover is more of a decoration; the main cover is made of transparent plastic. By the way, it is quite sturdy and took me a while to get through :-) Covertec leather case Covertec leather case Covertec leather case Covertec leather case Besides the case itself, the packaging contains also a hard paper box. As an end user, I don’t need it, but if you buy the case for example as a Christmas present, it may come handy since you don’t have to think about nice wrapping. The box is really nice, with pale brown bottom and dark blue top with an inscription “Covertec - Leather Premium Case”. Covertec leather case Covertec leather case But let’s get to the luxury leather case itself. I have chosen a red-beige combination but Covertec offers also a black-beige one. When you unwrap the case, you need to take off a paper band that holds it together and informs you about compatible PDA models. The case is protected against deformation during transport by plastic foam and paper stuffing. After removing the stuffing we are ready to examine the case more closely. Covertec leather case Covertec leather case Covertec leather case Covertec leather case Covertec leather case Covertec leather case As I have already said, the case is made of leather in two colours. The outer parts are red, the inner parts beige. I am not an expert so I could only guess what kind of leather it is, it is not specified anywhere on the manufacturer’s website. I can only say that the beige leather is smoother, the red one softer. Individual parts are sewn together with a white thread. If I am correct, the case has seven parts – three are beige, the rest is red. Covertec leather case Covertec leather case Covertec leather case Covertec leather case The main part is a cradle modelled from one piece of leather to hold the device. Although one would not say so at first sight, the case is made very precisely and the device is fixed in it quite well. Even though there is no safety latch or anything, you don’t have to worry about our iPAQ slipping out accidentally. Once the PDA is in the cradle, you just close the lid and protect the display against damage. The lid has an extremely soft padding so that the display is protected really well. Secure with a magnetic loop closure and off you go. Covertec leather case Covertec leather case Covertec leather case Covertec leather case The upper part has four convenient pockets. Three are intended for credit cards or business cards, the other one – the biggest – can contain… whatever you can think of :-) In case you are really worried about your display, you can use an extra flap designed for these purposes. The complete case looks extremely elegant; the only weak point I can see is joint between the cradle and the outer part – it would deserve more precise handwork. Covertec leather case Covertec leather case Covertec leather case Covertec leather case Looking at the photographs you may have noticed that unlike most other cases, this one has no clip or anything to fasten it to your belt. In my opinion this is not a bug but a feature. Some users just do not want to wear their PDA on the belt for practical or aesthetic reasons. Covertec leather case Covertec leather case Covertec leather case Covertec leather case Finally, let me sum up the pluses and minuses I can think of after a few days of using the case. Pro's Striking design that makes my iPAQ H3970 look yet more impressive 4 holders for business or credit cards Special flap to protect the display in case you have something in the holder that could scratch the display Soft padding of the upper part for better protection of the display Magnetic loop closure is better than the usual press button Con's The excellent overall impression is somewhat disturbed by the way the leather cradle is sewn into the main part. I cannot access the reset button on my iPAQ H3970 Buttons on the margin (calendar and iTask) are difficult to access Conclusion Covertec offers a truly luxurious case that will perfectly fit your iPAQ. A special flap and padding of the upper part provide exceptional protection of the display. Four pockets will hold several items like credit or business cards. Be it not for some minor shortcomings, the rating could be even higher. :: The final rating is 80% .: Rate this article User Rating :: 3/5 gems ( 5 votes) :: Bad, too bad! Excellent! [Rate] Do you have some notes or comments to this article? [ 0 comments ] :: Print article Advertisement - click to support this site (c) 1999 - 2003, Pavel Koza :: Mobile version for PDA :: Advertising on PDAgold :: Page created in 0.171875 sec TOPlist


PDA Buyer's Guide Home Click Here Click Here HP iPAQ 2210/2215 Pocket PC 2003 PDA —by Lisa Gade , Editor in Chief, posted June 19, 2003 The iPAQ 2210 and 2215 (they're the same unit with different model numbers used to designate the retail channel through which they're sold) is big news. Why? The 2210/2215 is the first iPAQ with an integrated CF slot and SD slot, and at a relatively modest $399, it packs a lot of bang for the buck. It's also one of the first Pocket PC 2003 PDAs to hit the market. In fact, Microsoft is scheduled to officially announce the release of Pocket PC 2003 PDAs on June 23rd, but some 2210 and 2215's have hit the shelves a few days prior, like ours. HP iPAQ 2215 back of HP iPAQ 2215 What is Pocket PC 2003, aka Windows Mobile 2003? Pocket PC2003 is based on Windows CE 4.2, while prior Pocket PC and Pocket PC 2002 PDAs were based on Windows CE 3.0. Microsoft is calling all new devices based on Pocket PC 2003 "Windows Mobile 2003", including Pocket PC Phone Edition PDAs with the new OS. What's the difference between Pocket PC 2002 and Pocket PC 2003 PDAs? You won't notice much difference at all. There are numerous bug fixes, improvements in page rendering times for Internet Explorer, a more friendly user interface for setting up network connections, networking changes under the hood, and support for 3rd party applications that are written for the XScale processor. The OS itself still has not been optimized for the newer and faster XScale processor, but now developers can offer enhanced versions of their applications that should run noticably faster. This means that demanding applications like multimedia players and games will likely offer more features and run faster in the future. There are two versions of Pocket PC 2003: Pro for the more basic Pocket PC models and Premium for higher end Pocket PCs. To the end user, the differences won't be terribly important, except that MS Reader seems to be absent from the Pro version. Apps like Terminal Services, MS Reader and the new Pictures app are built into the OS stored in ROM in the Premium Edition, while you must install it from the CD into RAM on Pro Edition (or not get it all). Features and Horsepower The iPAQ 2215 (that's the model we have, so we'll use that model number) has a transflective display, an SD slot that supports SDIO, a CF type II slot that accepts both type I and type II CF cards, built-in Bluetooth wireless networking, consumer grade IR, a 400 MHz PXA255 Intel XScale processor, 32 megs of ROM and 64 megs of RAM. 57.11 megs of RAM are available to the user to run and store applications, and 3.8 megs of ROM are available as the iPAQ File Store too. The battery is user replaceable, which means you can swap a new one in whenever power's running low, or simply replace a tired battery easily. This is a very full featured Pocket PC for the price, and I must say that HP has come up with a gem this time! While previous full-featured iPAQs were the most expensive Pocket PCs, this one offers just about every feature a power user could want for $399. It competes well with the Dell Axim X5 advanced, offering all the same features plus Bluetooth for a bit more money. And while the Dell is quite large, the 2215 has similar lines, but is significantly smaller and lighter. HP is targeting the 2215 at consumers, while the iPAQ 5555 targets the corporate user. The 5555 has more memory, integrated WiFi and a same biometric fingerprint scanner. However, the 2215 has a CF slot, while you must purchase a separate CF sleeve for the 5555 and earlier 3000 and 5000 series iPAQs. The 2215 cannot accept iPAQ expansion sleeves, but for many users that won't matter since the CF sleeve is probably the most necssary and popular, and you won't need it for the 2215. How fast is this unit? You can check out the benchmark numbers for yourself below, but let me tell you it feels very fast. MPEG and Windows Media videos played back perfectly, games run smoothly and all operations feel downright zippy. Experientially, this feels like the fastest Pocket PC released to date. The only thing that is slower is boot time from a soft reset (reboot). Deals and Shopping! Shop at Amazon.com Questions? Comments? Post them in our Discussion Forum! Read our iPAQ 2200 Cases Review Read our Windows Mobile 2003 Comparison Design, Buttons and Ergonomics The 2215 sports a new design, that's somewhat reminiscent of the very popular iPAQ 1910 entry model. As stated, it is not compatible with iPAQ sleeves. It's an attractively designed unit, with comfortable curves and rubberized sides that help insure the unit doesn't slip out of your hand. The case is made of plastic and well, it looks and feels like plastic. Fit and finish are very good, and the buttons have a chrome finish. The unit is surprisingly small and light. How did HP pack all this into such a small package? Miniaturization of components, which raises the cost of the unit, but somehow HP kept the price reasonable. While not as small as the tiny iPAQ 1940 , it is significantly smaller and ligher than other iPAQ models and the Toshiba e750 and Dell Axim X5 which are its competitors. It will easily fit into a suit pocket or pleated pants pocket. size comparison Comparing size: Dell Axim X5 left, Toshiba e330 center and iPAQ 2215 right. size comparison Comparing size again: top iPAQ 2215, middle Dell Axim X5 and bottom Toshiba e330. If you're a record button or jog dial fan, you'll be disappointed that the 2215 has neither. You'll get the standard front 4 button layout for contacts, calendar, email and iTask, and these buttons can be mapped to other applications. The 4 buttons are small and you may find them hard to press when gaming. The center round directional pad is a dream: large enough to be operated when playing intense action games, yet not overly large like the old iPAQ oval D-pad. It moves smoothly and easily in any direction, with enough tactile sensation to work quite well in games. The CF and SD slots are located at the top of the unit, as are the mic, stereo headphone jack and stylus. Compatability The connector on the 2215 is the same as the iPAQ 3800, 3900 and 5000 series models. I tested HP's folding keyboard with the 2215 and it worked perfectly. Existing cables and chargers work with this new model, but HP's cradle for these other models will not. 3rd party products should also work, though some may require updated drivers from the manufacturers. Screen and Sound Transflective displays are absolutely gorgeous, and the 2215 is no exception. It's a 3.5" display like the 1910, rather than the 3.8" found on the top of the line iPAQs. Transflective screens reflect ambient light to illuminate the screen (for outdoor viewability and power savings) and have backlighting. How different is it compared to older technology reflective screen PDAs like the Toshiba e740 ? Hugely different! Reflective screen PDAs look milky and lack the color saturation and true blacks of transflective displays. Colors are also more accurate. The screen is very bright and color saturated, and at medium brightness I found it more than bright enough for my mediocre eyes. Unlike previous high end iPAQs, the 2215 does not have an ambient light sensor, so you can't set it to automatically adjust the screen brightness based on ambient light. New in this model is a ClearType tuner, which allows you to control the sharpness and color aliasing of text. The sound volume is pretty loud, though not as loud as the iPAQ 5555 . You'll be able to hear reminders in a noisy office when the volume is set to high. MP3s sound great when using stereo headphones connected to the standard 3.5mm audio jack, and you'll find the familiar iPAQ Audio Settings in the control panel, which allows you to set bass boost, treble adjustment and mic gain control. Battery Life The 2215 has a 900 mA Lithium Ion battery which isn't that large compared to other full-featured PPCs. However, so far run times have been very good, perhaps because the Intel PXA255 is more power-frugal. With Bluetooth running and connected to an access point, I've been able to surf the web for an hour with only about 17% battery drain. In one test run starting with a fully charged battery, I played games, tested my 3rd party software, surfed via WiFi using the SMC card for 1 hour, watched three 5 minute videos using Windows Media Player and Pocket TV Enterprise and still had 60% charge left. These activities spanned 4 hours of fairly frequent use. I had the brightness set to 50%, and standby time set to 48 hours. As wtih recent iPAQs, you'll get a battery control applet. You can set the "Standby" time (essentially how low you're willing to let the battery get before it gives you warnings and shuts down to preserve the contents of memory). So if you generally put it in the cradle each day or at night when you get home, you can set a low standby time since you know it'll be charged frequently. This can significantly increase runtimes. The battery is user replaceable, and like other Pocket PCs and mobile phones, is located in the back under a door. You have 10 minutes to change batteries before losing your data— so don't take one out then forget to put a new one in. While the battery ostensibly looks like the iPAQ 1900 battery, it is different, so you won't be able to use 1910 batteries in the 2200 series PDAs. The cradle can charge a naked battery: it has space for the battery and contacts behind where the iPAQ sits. Bluetooth HP has done an excellent job of making Bluetooth relatively friendly. The new interface, like the 5450's, is wizard based, and it walks you through connecting to a variety of devices, from your ActiveSync partner (if you have a USB Bluetooth adapter installed on your PC), to mobile phones and access points. I was able to use a Sony Ericsson P800 as my modem, ActiveSync to a PC that has a Belkin USB adapter and connect to the Internet via a Red-M access point . There are no software settings to control radio strength, but the range is quite good and depends on what you're connecting to. Phones have relatively weak Bluetooth radios, so you will need to be within a 30 foot range. Our Red M access point has a strong class 1 radio, and I was able to surf via Bluetooth when about 40 feet away through walls and one floor away. Nevo: A/V Remote Control software plus enhanced IR Since Nevo appeared on the iPAQ 3900 series it's been a big hit. Nevo is an A/V remote control program made by the same company that does much of the world's remote control software. Setup is easy, you can select your A/V by brand, do a few tests and you're done. It has a very friendly user interface and can control pretty much every piece of home entertainment equipment you've heard of, and many you've never heard of. More brands and models can be downloaded from www.mynevo.com . If you're a remote guru, you can add your remote by its code as well. You can set up multiple rooms, and switch between them to control the TV, DVD, cable box, receiver and etc. in your living room, and the TV and stereo in your bedroom. This is more than just software: if you've ever tried shareware A/V remote control software on Pocket PCs, you've probably noticed that the range isn't ver