Features

• A sleek Pocket PC with the optimal combination of features, performance, and expandability
• Compact Flash and Secure Digital slots for flexibility and convenience in storage and expansion
• Integrated Bluetooth for wireless communication with other Bluetooth devices
• Removable/rechargeable Lithium-lon battery for on the go power
• What's in the box: HP iPAQ Pocket PC, USB Desktop cradle/charger, AC Adapter, Slip case, battery, getting started poster; charger adapter; HP iPAQ Pocket PC Companion CD

Reviews (65)

One of the best PPC's!
All the features you want in a small package at an affordable price. It has BT, infrared, SD/CF expansion slots and all the usual feature set you can expect from a Pocket PC.

The PDA looks dull in the plastic body. The buttons are all standard PPC type. Average weight and battery life for a PPC.

The Windoze OS is a bad idea for handhelds, why do think MSFT keeps changing the name every time they release new bloatware? Comparing raw MHz/MB or advertized feature set is not a good idea with PDA's. (8MB on Palm OS does more than 64MB on bloated Windoze.) All the cool features look great for first few weeks and then the PPC gadget might stay in your drawer!

Easy of use, reliability, battery life and intuitive software (like a Nokia) are more important than voice recording, mp3 playback and video. Check out the "Zen of Palm" if you aren't convinced that Palm OS is much better.

If you desperately want a "PC in your Pocket" buy this iPaq, its better than other PPC clones out there.

HP IPAQ 2215
I have had an iPAQ 2215 for just under a year. I did a lot of work, asked a lot of questions before buying. It was in my price range, plus I added a SD card because my camera also uses a SD card. The case the comes with it is nice but replace it with a sturdier one to protect screen and features that fit your lifestyle (mine is a clipon to belt or waist.The only thing that I am thinking of adding is a foldable/protable keyboard for long documents. It's great

All good - Display lacks a little,
I like the features and the small footprint. Everything works great. The one small complaint is with the display... it seems to be less bright than say the 19xx or the 55xx models. I'm not sure if its a power issue since the 21xx series has only a 900 mAh Lithium-lon battery and they needed to take away from the display to conserve the battery.
But overall a nice unit.

Kundera
Spanish:

¿qué es mejor, el peso o la levedad?

Me quedo con ambas, menos de 150gr con todo el peso de la tecnología.

Im back with GRADES for HP customer support on my 2215
150.00 dollars what it cost me to get my ipaq back in a working manner , indeed with some perks and improvements...read my previous post on the issues that led me to send my machine back..(mositure/condensation on the lcd) BY FAR a hell of a lot cheaper than buying a new one.

lets face it, things break it is inevitable. but dont believe the hype. The HP warranty from what many other people post here across different models of IPAQ can be summed up in 1 sentence.

"the warranty is simply an insurance plan in which repair costs will be lower than getting your item fixed out of its warranty"

as i found out my same issue would have run me $250 & change out of warranty , however my fix was not included in the warranty and mercifully was given a reduced rate because i am in warranty..its a bit of rhetoric nonsense but this is the corporate engine of HP.com...now that we got this KUNG FU style of chess playing here are my grades

warranty coverage .. c+
lets face it we are all out to make money and to shell out as little as possible!! hp is not immune the the capitalist economy we are in. stuff breaks because $--it happens, and why not make a buck or 2 out of your inconsiderateness. Warranty is a joke, to get a repair really free of charge it has to fall on the floor a certain way..or have not appeared abused.. there are plusses & minuses to this ...i was not satisfied with the handling of my unit not covered as part of warranty. I didnt purposely put moisture on the LCD. if i dropped it or scratched it i wouldnt have a beef, however i stand with the poor mark for HP warranty.

HP telephone support : B
they dont get an A because they OUTSOURCE...i am a minority myself I am hispanic so no offense to anyone here. but with this GLOBAL effort alot of the computer comapnies now have chains of tech support in INDIA. and trust me i could not get a straight answer unless I spoke to someone in the US...once speaking to a rep in USA status & details & next steps were clearly given to me in a timely manner. I noticed the outsource reps still seem to be figuring out their screens on dropdown menus as to what to say next to a caller I was on hold alot and this was unacceptable.

Billing Center : D
this is the area you will have to deal with WHEN your item falls out of warranty and customer support will transfer you here, as there is no further discussion on your case, they need money and thats it. I felt in my talk with them i felt like I was talking to a collection agency, to which the rep i spoke to seemed a bit miffed as to me asking
"just what was wrong with my unit, what was the fix?"
i may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to repair in scientific terms but anyone can explain SIMPLY what was wrong with a product and what could fix it..if im shelling out my hard earned money..you will humor me and tell me what i wanna hear!!
after all i said to the lady i spoke to

"it isnt so wrong of me to ask what was wrong with my item? Surely you yourself dont go shopping and just stuff items in your shopping bag, you are gonna look at what your taking off the shelf? right? let alone the bill that your spending money on the items on right? or are you just gonna fork out your cash with no questions not caring what its amounted to and what you have bought?"

a cut & dry collections team here made this part of the repair process by far the worst ive had to deal with. Reminds me of a traffic cop giving you a ticket, heartless & un speakable.

shipping Process & return process : a+
this is their strong area!! and made all other suttleties bearable..Wednesday may 26th received box to mail the ipaq back for repair...after having called Tuesday 5/25 to lodge my trouble report.
Box picked up on 5/27 Thursday...and had it not been for the Memorial Day Weekend it may have come back sooner..the PPC was back in my posession on wednesday 6/2..on tuesday 6/1 is when i got everything squared away as to fixes & non warranty & asking me for credit card info..

more plusses.. ther was a ROM upgrade for my IPAQ which they put on it.. 1.10 is the rom for 2200 series it was upgraded to from 1.00...and its on HP's website FYI for download..by placing this rom on your unit it requires HARD reset & such ive done it for some of my colleagues in the office upgrading from PPC 2002 to 2003 on different HP models. They replaced the SHIELD...there were some minor NICKS & cuts from having placed screen shields on my PPC prior, all to which are GONE...they gave me a new shield scratch free.

treat your PPC with love..those are my plusses & minuses with HP
now stop reading and BUY your PPC !!! ... Read more

Features

• Removeable Post & Belt Clip
• Easy access to stylus and function buttons
• Padded interior protects screen and function buttons
• IR port exposed for easy data transfer
• Internal SD card holder

Reviews (5)

Good thing it's metal
I purchased the RhinoSkin Aluminum Hard Case for my iPAQ 1945. The iPAQ fits nice and snug in the case leaving access to the voice recorder & IR port, headphone jack, microphone, SD card, sylus, as well as the port for recharging and synching. I also like the insert that holds an extra SD card inside the cover.

What I do not like about the case is the belt clip with screw-in post. With the repeated motion of sitting and standing throughout the day, the screw-in post has a tendency to loosen itself from the case. Three times since I purchased it in June the iPAQ has fallen off the clip. One fall sending the iPAQ in an armored ride down half a flight of stairs. Another fall causing the SD card residing in the slot to be lost (but that's a different review). No significant damage has occurred...yet.

For the most part it is a good design, but how much protection does a case provide if it is causing the falls that it is supposed to be protecting against. I recommend not using the clip, but if you do, make sure you habitually check the tightness of the post. I suppose you could permanently affix the post, but then you will not be able to lay the iPAQ flat unless you take it out of the case. Decisions, decisions...

Attractive But Cumbersome
Nifty case but VERY difficult to use the PDA while it's in the case with the front open -- especially if you're left-handed and have normal- to large-sized fingers. There's simply no way to comfortably and securely get a grip on the case with one hand because the front doesn't fold back. I'd recommend Rhinoskin's leather case for IPAQ 1900 Series PDAs (00366).

Good case, but beware the belt clip
Let me start off by saying that this case fit very well with my iPaq 1945. It leaves all the essential plugs accessable, however it does cover the soft reset button, although depending on how often you need to reset the pda, it may or may not get annoying to take out the pda everytime it needs to be done (And with a Windows based OS, it does happen).

Don't trust the belt clip, it fell off the first day I used it, even after I heard the snap that confirms that it is in securely. Ended up bending the case so that i have to unbend it everytime I want to open it. Now I have to ship it back, which of course means I lose the money for shipping. I'll probably invest in a different case since I don't see the point of a metal case if it gets ruined once it falls off.

good case without adding too much thickness
the case is like adding a "shell" on my ipaq h1945
this is a very good product, and don't add too much thickness
but there may be problem for the users use right finger to tap, and carry under cold weather with bare hand (because the case is aluminum, which transfers heat/cold)
overall, this is a must for ipaq 1900 series users
note: belt clip with attaching screw included

Great case
This case is sleek. It's strong and allows easy access to all the necessary areas when closed (stylus, record button, IR port, and cable connection). The door latches firmly but opens without too much effort. Of course, the case adds to the weight and thickness of the iPaq, but that's going to happen with any hardcase. It looks like Amazon is no longer selling this item, but it's worth tracking down if you have an iPaq 1940/1945. ... Read more

Features

• A thin, light, and affordable Pocket PC
• Includes mobile versions of Microsoft Office: Pocket Outlook, Word, and Excel
• Integrated Bluetooth for wireless communication with other Bluetooth devices
• Great multimedia features
• What's in the box: iPaQ 1945, USB synchronization cable, AC Adapter, battery, charger adapter, audio adapter, iPAQ Pocket PC companion CD

Reviews (59)

The iPAQ 1945 - A Pocket PC Approaching Perfection
The iPAQ 1945, also sold as the iPAQ 1940, is the first in a line of planned successors to the iPAQ 1910. HP has addressed many of the concerns that 1910 users had, namely that the 1910 was too slow and lacked hardware expansion options. The 1945 is powered by a new 266MHz processor from Samsung which rivals, and sometimes surpasses, the usable speed of many XScale chips from Intel. Other features of the iPAQ 1945 include 64MB of RAM (56MB of which are user accessible), a crisp, bright transflective color screen, onboard Bluetooth wireless, and a Secure Digital slot which can use SD flash memory cards and SDIO peripherals such as 802.11b WLAN cards.

Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC replaced Pocket PC 2002 as the most current Pocket PC OS in June 2003 and comes installed on the 1945. While the version of Windows Mobile 2003 pre-installed on the iPAQ lacks a few minor applications (such as Microsoft Reader), each can be downloaded for free. Because HP left the choice to the end-user, the iPAQ File Store - unused space on the ROM - has over 13MB free for software, files, etc.

As I mentioned before, the Samsung processor keeps the 1945 moving along very well. Having recently used an iPAQ 5450 (400Mhz PXA250 XScale), a Toshiba e755 (400MHz PXA255 XScale) and a Toshiba e355 (300MHz PXA255 XScale), I can say that, from a casual use point-of-view, the iPAQ 1945 surpasses the speed of the iPAQ 5450 and Toshiba e355 and feels basically on level with the Toshiba e755. One of the touted benefits of the Samsung processor is long battery life, and while I didn't get the eight hours that HP suggested I might, I got almost seven hours use out of the 1945 with the backlight on its lowest setting before I had to recharge; a very good result.

There is only one real drawback to the iPAQ 1945, as I see it, and it's relatively minor and completely fixable: the 1945 ships with only a USB Sync cable, not a cradle. While some might actually prefer this, I miss not having a cradle to rest the iPAQ in while it's not in use. The good news here is that there is a cradle available (the same cradle that works with the iPAQ 1910), and you can purchase if you want it.

All-in-all, the iPAQ 1945 is an amazing addition to the Pocket PC family. If you like small, light PDAs with oomph, the 1945 might be right up your alley.

Great, with a couple of limitations
This is definitly a great handheld. I got it to replace my two-year old 3000 series Compaq PDA. It's about half the size, with a much better screen, and expandability. Every application I've tried works well (no problems with PocketPC 2003). I'm waiting on my bluetooth adapter to see how well it's going to work. The battery life is good, and can be improved by turning off the bluetooth and infrared connections.

My only minor complaints are 1) Non-standard headphone jack, 2) no slip case included, and 3) SD card plug . The jack has a ring of plastic around it, about two millimeters thick. I cannot figure out why HP's engineers couldn't figure out how to put in a real headphone jack, but if you're looking to use this as a multimedia device (it works well) the non-standard jack is a pain. Sound quality is really good through headphones, though. My other complaint is that they didn't include even the most basic protective cover with it. Since the nice case I've ordered won't be here for a couple of weeks, I had to run down to my local gargantuan electronics store and get a big clunky universal slip case to protect it for now, a waste of about ten bucks. Oh well.

My final very tiny complaint is that rather than a hinged door, they supply a plastic filler piece for the SD card slot. I've already managed to lose mine, so now if I don't have the card in there's a gaping hole in the top of the PDA.

Overall, these minor complaints don't touch the fact that this device costs less, weighs a lot less, and can run rings around my circa- 2001 ipaq. Definitly worth the money.

Good, but not perfect
HP has a lot going with this PDA. The first thing anyone will probably notice is how small this Pocket PC is. It's actually slightly thicker than the Toshiba e330 series, but it's so much smaller otherwise that you'd never notice.

When using this PDA, you'll notice that the transflective screen is amazing; it's bright, uniform, and very clear; it's significantly better than any other manufacturer's Pocket PC screens.

Performance gets a boost, too. The combination of the Samsung 266 MHz processor and Windows Mobile 2003 means that there are no longer any performance issues, as there were with Pocket PC 2002. Videos play smoothly, games run well, and there is no longer any sluggishness evident.

The now SDIO-compliant slot and the built-in Bluetooth give decent expandability options. I wish HP had gone with built-in WiFi instead, but Bluetooth is better than nothing. Plus, you can always add an SD WiFi card later, if you want; that wasn't an option with older iPaqs.

Considering how small the battery is, the 1945 lasts a pretty long time. I haven't done any formal tests, but 2.5-3 hours of reading and playing games, with the screen set to full brightness, brought the battery down to 30%. A huge bonus is the built-in backup battery and the fact that the main battery is also replaceable.

Despite all the good stuff, the 1945 isn't without a few problems. The biggest one, which HP doesn't make immediately clear, is that they bundle Windows Mobile 2003 Professional edition, as opposed to the Premium edition. This means the loss of some features and programs, most notably Microsoft Reader. Fortunately, you can download and install this for free.

Another pretty annoying problem, for anyone who wants to use headphones, is that the 1945 has a 2.5 mm jack, as opposed to the standard 3.5. They do include an adapter, but who wants to carry that around?

The rest is really just nitpicking. HP includes 13 MB of non-volatile storage, which is really cool, but of the 64 MB of RAM that they advertise, only 56 is really available. I also didn't like the fact that they didn't include either a cradle or a protective cover. Lastly, the plastice battery cover feels a bit flimsy. It mounts on just fine, but when you take it off it feels really cheap and fragile.

$300 paper weight!
My husband bought this for me for my birthday in January. I am a pharmacy student and it comes in so handy when I work in a pharmacy. I call it my other brain. The other day while I was working at a pharmacy, it fell from the counter to the floor. It hit a rubber matted floor. The LCM (I think that is what it is called)is now broke. It looks as though liquid is oozing from the top corner. Ever store I have taken it to says it is cheaper to replace the whole unit. I called HP they said it will be 199.99 to replace plus shipping a labor. What a joke. I will buying a new one, just not an HP. If one little fall from a counter can cause such damage, it is not worth it. I am very disappointed in this product. Buyer Beware!

Satisfied But Confused
Beautiful little machine. In the first two weeks of use, have had one synchronization glitch -- couldn't delete a web page because of a supposed file-sharing error -- but it was resolved with a soft reset. Biggest concern so far: I have dozens of questions (just one example: what is "automatic gain control"?) that aren't answered either in user's manual or on-board Help files. Guess I'll have to get them answered through a Google search. You'll need to buy a case and one thought on this: Think twice before you buy (or better yet, try it out somewhere) the Rhinoskin aluminum case. It's VERY difficult to use the PDA while it is in this case with the front open. There's simply no way to comfortably and securely get a grip on the case because the front doesn't fold back. I sent mine back and bought Rhinoskin's leather case for IPAQ 1900 Series PDAs(00366; it's hard to find on Amazon because there are few links from the IPAQ PDA pages). This case -- because the front folds back behind the PDA -- solved the problem. I originally bought the aluminum case because my PDA goes in a bike bag, but this case seems to provide protection that is almost as good. ... Read more

Features

• Slim, sleek, and affordable
• Dazzling Transflective TFT color with LED backlight display
• Pocket versions of familiar applications like Outlook, Word, and Excel
• Removable/rechargeable battery and integrated keyboard
• Integrated Bluetooth

Reviews (1)

What a GREAT product! Made me switch to PocketPC
I was nervous about switching over to PocketPC from palm, and that I would lose my information,programs, capabilities... But boy was I wrong! The transition was as easy as pie!

This unit blows away the competition with features.

Of course it has WiFi and Bluetooth, is fully multimedia compatible. What really blew me away was the amount of software that it came with. While Palm boasts a large software library, it is also expensive to buy. Palm comes with the bare minimums installed - to sync with outlook you have to purchase software, for example. This PDA acts exactly like your Windows Based PC. It really is foolproof.

The store that I tested this out in had wireless internet running through it. This device was FAST, and had no problems connecting to every website that I tested it out on.

I have not been able to find a more comfortable PDA device with more features, or a better value than this one! If you're in the market for a new PDA, I'd buy this if I were you! ... Read more

Features

• Slim, sleek, and affordable
• Dazzling Transflective TFT color with LED backlight display
• Pocket versions of familiar applications like Outlook, Word, and Excel
• Removable/rechargeable batterand integrated keyboard
• Integrated Bluetooth

Reviews (23)

Pretty Cool
This is a pretty cool PDA. I got it for my third year of medical school and I haven't been disappointed. It's lightning fast, and the OS seems pretty stable. The only thing I'd do differently is not place as much importance on having a physical keyboard. I initially thought that the keyboard would be a great plus, but I rarely use it. For the times I do use it (typing passwords on web forms when I don't trust my scribbling), I could easily use the pop-up screen keyboard.

Another issue, which has been raised here before, is its wireless capabilities. The thing only supports the older WEP authentication, and not the newer WPA (which is more secure). I had set up my home network with WPA, but I had to downgrade it to WEP to use the iPAQ. This is annoying, not to mention puzzling. I mean, it's 2004 and they still haven't implemented 802.11g?

I guess this is partly the fault of the OS, which superficially resembles Windows XP. A problem I've had with the OS is that when you hit the 'x' in the upper right of the window (x=close, one would think), it only minimizes the program (it seems to stay on in memory and you have to shut it down in memory). This is retarded. A minus sign would be a more accurate representation.

A word about HP support. Their online knowledgebase is almost useless (I was searching to see if the iPAQ had 802.11g support), and no matter what you do, don't use their online chat support. The chat tech support guy I had was completely clueless, took 5 minutes to answer each message I sent, and didn't even bother acknowledging his ignorance. He just sent me a word document and told me to read it. The only thing he was good for was giving me the HP supprt phone number (which was wrong, but they automatically transferred me). Get their phone number (it's supposedly hidden deep somewhere) and call them. The phone tech support guy I talked to (after a long wait) was professional, helpful, polite, and knowledgeable.

Finally, if anyone else is using this for medical school, note that your friends will probably have Palms. They'll be beaming their cool programs to each other (for free), while you stand idly by with your incompatible iPAQ. On the other hand, our school has moved their records electronic, and they've chosen iPAQs. Take a look at what your colleagues and schools are using before you spend the big bucks.

Made me switch from Palm to PocketPC
I was nervous about switching over to PocketPC from palm, and that I would lose my information,programs, capabilities... But boy was I wrong! The transition was as easy as pie!

This unit blows away the competition with features. I needed something with a built in keyboard (this one has a blue backlight so you can type in the dark!), I can't be bothered with online writing utilities (which this one also has, if needed for some reason). The keyboard is one of the most comfortable I have been able to type with my actual fingers (unlike the CLIE's finger-nail type keyboard).

Of course it has WiFi and Bluetooth, is fully multimedia compatible. What really blew me away was the amount of software that it comes with. While Palm boasts a large software library, you have to purchase each program seperately, and it gets expensive! Palm comes with the bare minimums installed - to sync with outlook you have to purchase software, for example. This PDA acts exactly like your Windows Based PC. Want to sync with Outlook? Go online? Look at a Flash document? It's all there! It really is foolproof.

The store that I tested this out in had wireless internet running through it. This device was FAST, and had no problems connecting to every website that I tested it out on. Since purchasing it, I've found it picks up signals really well. I've been able to drive around and jump on wireless networks in my town, even at the beach! Last night I streamed a radio station from England while at the beach. If that's not cool, I don't know what is!

I have not been able to find a more comfortable thumbpad keyboard on a PDA device with more features, or a better value than this one! If you're in the market for a new PDA, I'd buy this if I were you!

DO NOT BUY THIS PIECE OF JUNK!!!!
I bought this three days ago and have had nothing but problems. It is going back tomorrow and I will never buy another iPAQ. I had an older model iPAQ (3800 series) that I had gotten used in December. I had started having major problems with it crashing on me about two months ago. I debated over getting a new iPAQ after those problems and the bad reviews on Amazon for HP's in general. I had decided to go with Dell but my husband took me shopping for our anniversary and all we could find was this HP. It was so pretty and cool that I forgot my plans and bought it because I just had to have it NOW! What a mistake.

The machine itself works great, it was when I started trying to install the software that the problems started. Active Sync would not install properly and ended up crashing the first computer I tried installing it on. (Putting the computer in permanent Safe mode.)I thought at first that it was a problem with my computer so I tried loading it on my other, newer one. Same problems with Active Sync only this time I was getting a message saying that the software was not compatable with Windows XP and might mess up my computer if I continued to try syncing it. This was strange since on the box it says it IS compatable.

I contacted HP today and yes, their customer service IS as bad as I've heard. They of course denied that it could possibly be a problem with their machine or software - BOTH of my computers must have messed up at the same time, coincidentally when I got the PPC! They were basically no help at all.

My husband spent 5-6 hours after work getting the first computer fixed, quite a job since he's not a computer expert. He finally got it done and I started over. Well, guess what - I got the software loaded, well only Active Sync - Outlook wouldn't load so I stuck with the version I already have on there. But of course when I tried to sync the computer could not detect the PDA, just like yesterday before my PC crashed. I tried it over and over, even using a cord from my old PDA. Then tried it all on the other computer. NO, it does not work at all and yes, I did get a message AGAIN about incompatible device drivers for XP like I got yesterday. (And the HP support people swore this is impossible.) There is supposed to be a Logo on the product box that says XP compatible, which there is not.

So I have this very expensive calendar/phone book/calculator/To DO list and that's about it. I can't download e-mails or add programs or anything if I can't connect to my computer. It basically useless. I'm so didgusted I want to throw it as hard as I can. Now I have to drive one hour each way and waste all that gas money and time to return this stupid thing. I have six children - I don't have time for this garbage! I just want to cry and HP could care less. I told them all of this and they just said, "See your vendor." Who's going to repay my husband and me for our wasted time and money dealing with the problems this machine has created???

I am taking this back. I might get a Dell but honestly I'm so disgusted that I may just forget PDA's entirely and stick with old-fashioned pen and paper. It's not fancy and may not be as easy to carry around but at least it's reliable and if it does get lost or messed up it's not that expensive to replace.

great
i had a psion 5, i tried palm os through clié ux50 (how bad is palm os compared to symbian !)
Last of all i have bought this ipaq4350: it's great !
And will be divine as soon as the bluetooth keyboard will be available

Captpancho
Have had palm os Operating PDA for the past 7 years and decided to make the jump to pcket PC. After alot of review was only interested in the 5555, but do to limited production/problems shipping decided to re-evaluate my descion. A friend at HP actually turned me onto the 4355 and boy am i glad that he did. The intergrated Keyboard is wonderful. Even though being profiencent in graffiti, it is still faster to type it in, in most situations. The speed is great and all the features make it very user friendly. The integrated WLAN and bluetooth are great. It was as simple as clicking on two buttons and inserting your router security code and then surfing. I had scheduled several hours to learn how to connect to the web and was able to complete this task in less than five minutes. I cannot say enough good things about this unit. I love it and will never go back. The computing power is so much better than the palm os operating systems. ... Read more

Features

• Stylish and convenient leather belt case
• Attach to your belt clip
• Store business cards, credit cards, and other small items
• Compatibility: HP h1900, h2200, h4100 series
• One-year limited warranty

Reviews (3)

Nice case
Ok, so the specs for this case are wrong. There's no place to put a credit card. Still, it's a good, slim case. For people on the move, who don't need to carry anything more than a few SD cards for their PDA, this is probably the best case you can buy.

I especially like the attached metal belt clip. Once you put it on, it's not going anywhere. I can't handle those flimsy detachable belt clips that most cases have... they don't clip on as securely, and break off too easily.

Solid Case - Flawed Design
I decided to buy this case because it was made by HP. You would figure who would know better than the manufacturer itself on how to make a case for it's own products. This case fits my IPAQ 1935 (1900 series) snugly and perfectly. It's very secure and I don't worry about the Ipaq ever falling out. It also leaves space open at tops to plug in earphones while the case is closed. The leather is sturdy and soft - looks very elegant and professional. However unless you are buying form over function, my biggest complaint is that I constantly have to remove the IPAQ from the case to use it. The trifold does not allow you to access the IPAQ while it is within the case, you have to take it out to use it which is annoying because what do you do with the case when you are holding the IPAQ?

Disappointed!
I decided to buy this item because the online manual said it can store credit cards etc. so that I could replace my wallet. I just got the item and there is no inside pocket except two tiny ones for storing SD cards. The bottom of the case is open so that there is no way to store credit cards unless you want to lose them... At the minimum, it is right size for iPAQ 4155, though. ... Read more

Features

• Complete Navigational Mapping Solution for your iPAQ H5400, H3600, H3700 & H3800 series pocket PC
• Type II Compact Flash expansion slot use formaps or any other data or applications
• Navtech US maps for contiguous 48 states and Hawaii
• Ready for use with optional external antenna

Reviews (32)

A Disappointment
The sleeve looks great, the car holder is solid and well made, but when it comes to accurate directions . . . Navman is often WAY off. I live in Miami, where major road building stopped years ago. The mapping software is about 3 years behind! The software crashes often, requiring reset after reset. Also, the directions don't tell what side of the street the destination address is on! I'm switching to CoPilot. Although CoPilot doesn't have the awesome 3-D mapping that Navman does, I'd rather know where to look for an entrance and not have so many crashes (PocketPC crashes that is).

It's OK given the relatively low price
Just got back from my vacation using the GPS. The software required reboot frequently. The map in some area are not accurate. The routing didn't give the fastest route sometimes. You need a real map as a backup in case the software fails on you - it happened to me on my return trip.

Confusing docs, software oddities, missing parts
The docs for the 3450 are confusing. The box says iPaq 36xx and PocketPC 2000 (aka Windows CE 3.0). The internal paperwork says iPaq 37xx and above, PocketPC 2002 minimum.

Application itself is odd. Click on "Exit Application" does not shut the app down, I have to kill it via Task Switcher. It attempts to be smart about taking the street/area you're typing in and auto-completing...which usually results in the cursor moving and you have to retype or delete letters.

The 3450 does not support WAAS, so accuracy suffers. I find that on freeways which have frontage roads or long parallel interchange ramps the location jumps back and forth; I'm on the freeway, I'm not on the freeway...

For some unknown reason when I put the iPaq 3630 into the GPS sled it drops the volume way down. This was not the way it operated when I first setup and tried the unit, it just started today. I do a soft reset on the iPaq, sound is maxed and *loud*. iPaq into sled, sound goes way down. Sound *stays* down if I remove the sled, and until I soft reset.

Finally, injury to insult: the box claims that the kit comes with a 12v lighter adaptor for power. Not. Navman customer service is apparently split across two different divisions. The one that handles the 3450 has a phone number that's always busy.

Outside the USA
It works fantastic. I live outside the USA, so the supplied software is not usefull for me here (Caribbean), however I have the GPS Tuner for pocket pc installed and they work perfectly together.

navman gps 3450 sucks
their register program prevent you from activate and install the software onto you ipaq. so you are prevented from the first step. it is a terrible product with terrible software. ... Read more

Features

• Slim, sleek, and affordable
• Integrated Bluetooth for wireless communication with other Bluetooth devices
• Secure Digital slot for greater storage and expansion
• VPN software provides enhanced security for wireless connection
• Removable/rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery for continuous power

Reviews (37)

All-in-all a great product (especially for only $450)
I have very few complaints with my iPAQ. I've had it for about a month now, and using it in conjunction w/ my Bluetooth enabled Sony Ericsson T610 has been pretty sweet.

Like others have said, the battery life is nothing great. A little more memory would be nice as well. But the battery life and memory isn't sub-par; it's current with the market right now.

Another thing is the FileStore. Prior to this, I had the 1945, which has the same dimensions (.01cm smaller?) and similar feature set (minus Wi-Fi). The FileStore (an area of memory that isn't erased when if you must hard reset) is only 3mb on the 4155, compared to 13mb on my 1945.

I love the fact that it fits in my scrub pocket, and obviously the wi-fi is great. I have gone into Starbucks and connected so effortlessly that my email was synced before I placed my order.

If you get this (which if you want to have the ability to use WiFi, Bluetooth all in a PPC you should get this one) I would suggest getting one or two SD cards. I currently have a 256mb card, and sometimes it even feels too small.

One last thing: missing the CF card slot doesn't seem that important when you have the SDIO ability. I'm hoping to see more peripherals built using this standard in the next year.

Remarkably thin! And all the necessary features
As a previous owner of PDA's (palms) and specifically ipaqs (both a 3870 and a 2215), I am proud to say I've finally found a PDA that satisfies all my needs.

But first, I'd like to start with one piece of advice for any first time Pocket PC purchaser.

** If you're unsure between two models, ALWAYS choose the smaller. **

Why? Because the extra features of a large-sized PDA (like a fingerprint reader?!?!) are almost never worth the increased probability you choose to leave it behind. A PDA's usefulness scales rapidly with its vicinity to you. And a PDA is just about the size of a pocket.... You get the idea..

Okay:

THE PROS (somewhat obvious)
--------------------------
1. it is ultra thin and weighs only 5 ounces.
2. the screen is bright
3a. it has wireless 802.11b
3b. the wireless features are now very intuitive and somewhat secure, a vast improvement over pocket pc 2002.
4. it has bluetooth for syncing wirelessly or for accessing your bluetooth enabled phone. (This I haven't tested with this ipaq)
5. it comes with a cradle, unlike some of their other models

THE CONS
--------
1. HP removed the stylus holder from the cradle... which means you can't hold an extra stylus conveniently in front of a docked ipaq anymore. Which means, if you want to quickly access something on a docked ipaq, you have to remove the stylus, which you must do very carefully or you'll disconnect the 'paq.

2. the battery life is much poorer than pretty much all competitors'; most notably the Dell AXim series.

3. no compact flash, only secure digital. Although, almost all compact flash ports are typically used for these days is to hold 802.11b cards, which this device has integrated. And SD memory has gotten remarkably cheap, so it shouldn't bother most users. Still, if you have a compact flash requirement, keep that in mind.

4. the screen is slightly yellow when viewed from a skewed angle. Some people care about this... if you're one of those people, be advised. Straight-on, the colors are accurate, however.

5. the new navpad isn't so great for games

Okay, that's it:
Finally, some advice

1. about the wireless features: they drain a lot of juice, so simply turn them on and off as you need them.

2. if you use it to read eBooks, the MS reader it comes with is already outdated! (And the error message is vague about that... I had to figure out the problem by reading microsoft's knowledge base.. not fun.) You'll need to do an update.

3. Buy a protective case; the one it comes with is basically garbage.

The LCD cracks by itself!
The LCD cracked while in my pocket with no drop or hit!
Sent the unit to HP and after bouncing around their customer service, I was charged $190 for the repair. Browsing the internet (unsuccessfully trying to find a cheaper repair option) I found several similar complains. It seems like the IPAQ4155 has a serious quality problem that costs 50% of the value of a new unit to fix. I am selling my unit as soon as it comes back from repair and will never by an IPAQ anymore!

The problem isn't the PDA, it's Hewlett-Packard warranty!
I bought a pocket pc ipaq and it was very nice, but just for one year...two months after the warranty ended, the product failed to never work again. I sent it to the service, but after one month! they gave it back to me and told me that it is not possible to repair it, or the cost will be more expensive than buying a new one. So I spoke with Hewlett-Packard, and they assigned my case to a "customer advocate", but that person is a real HP advocate who told me "HP products doesn't fail.."??
So I have a nice US$700 pocket pc that doesn't work. Next time I will find a minimum 3-years warranty.

It's packed with features, but packed with bugs
I've been on the PDA scene for a while now, and bought a Palm IIIe. It was great; reliable, long battery life, and stylish.

I then moved to the iPaq 3870. It was brilliant; the bluetooth let me connect to my phone to get Internet and Email on the move. It was great, again; reliable, long(ish) battery life, and stylish.

Then, I decided to upgrade to the h4150, to take advantage of the built-in wireless and its clear, crisp screen. As I use satellite navigation a lot, I needed a screen I could see in my car at all times.

This, I got, and the navigation works a treat. Also, the wireless is intuitive (compared to PPC 2002's offering), but not perfect. Synchronisation is frought with problems; sometimes I end up synchronising my PDA's contents entirely, even though I've only changed someone's phone number, or adjusted a calendar date.

Sometimes the unit won't synchronise without a reset.

On the note of reliability, this unit seems to require rebooting a lot more often than its predecessor. If bluetooth doesn't work ... reset. If wireless doesn't work ... reset. If synchronising doesn't work ... reset. See a pattern emerging?

If you buy this unit, and you want to keep this unit, you MUST buy a protective case with it. The one that comes with it is alright, but it's not very protective. I've since cracked the screen and the touch-screen is basically useless now, and it'll apparently cost me £70-£100 ($120-$180) to repair, which I'm not too happy about.

The unit is great, but buggy. If you want a feature-packed, thin, stylish PDA, then get this. If you want a reliable PDA with long battery life, look elsewhere. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

better than most
Since there are very few cases that fit iPAQ PDAs, I recommend you get this one. Depending on type of your iPAQ (1900 series vs 3000 series), you might have varying degrees of comfort trying to shove your PDA into the case. Once you're done, however, it's very easy to use and carry. It comes with a belt clip that you may or may not use. The case itself is slim enough to fit snugly in your pocket, unlike so many other cases. The obvious disadvantage is that if you drop it on a hard surface, this case won't provide much in a way of side protection (klutzes be warned). The leather feels surprisingly good, almost a lambskin kind of quality. The credit card space is not very useful, but you can shove a couple of business cards in there. A solid 4 stars until anything better becomes available. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

For many, Compaq's iPAQs were the pick of the first round of Pocket PC releases. Now that Microsoft has released a new version of its Pocket PC operating system (Pocket PC 2002), the company's previous hardware partners have all updated their products and some new players have joined in. The net result is greater competition--so how does Compaq fare?

The new range of iPAQ is available in two versions. The iPAQ 3765 is much like the popular 3635 model, but has the new OS on board. The iPAQ 3835, our review unit, is similar in body, but adds a few extra features.

The 3835 is driven by Intel's fast StrongARM processor, which runs at 206 MHz, and is outfitted with a healthy 64 MB RAM. The Pocket PC 2002 OS itself is stored on the 32 MB flash ROM, so you should be able to easily install OS updates as they come along. The screen quality is superb and can show over 65,000 colors--a greater color depth than the 3765.

Most hardware expansion is provided via an optional CompactFlash expansion jacket, with CF cards and modules from previous iPAQs largely compatible with the iPAQ 3835. Note, however, that this does not carry through to hardware add-ons that use the docking port (such as keyboards), as the connector on the 3835 is different than on the 3635 or 3765.

Additionally, there is now a built-in expansion slot onboard that enables you to add both software and hardware to the iPAQ without the need for the CF expansion jacket. This slot is compatible with both Secure Digital (SD) and MultiMediaCard (MMC) memory cards.

The iPAQ's design and build quality are superb; this is still the best-looking Pocket PC around. The docking station is both USB and serial--this "one size fits all" approach is intelligent and user friendly. Data input has also been improved, including the ability to register more than one button press at a time, making speedy gaming possible as some light relief from all the serious work you can set the device to.

Overall, Compaq's new iPAQ 3835 beats the rest for looks and performance. The built-in SD/MMC expansion card slot is a plus, and the iPAQ becomes an even more powerful productivity machine with the addition of the optional CompactFlash jacket. --Sandra Vogel

Pros:

• Expansion card slot for SD and MMC cards
• Fast processor and good amount of onboard memory
• Bright screen with great color depth
• Latest Microsoft operating system--Pocket PC 2002

• Use of CompactFlash cards requires optional expansion jacket

Features

• Pocket PC 2002 operating system features improved handwriting recognition and new versions of Pocket Outlook, Word, and Excel
• 64 MB RAM and 32 MB ROM ; 206 MHz Intel StrongARM 32-bit RISC processor
• 240 x 320-inch TFT LCD screen displays more than 4,000 colors
• Pre-installed software includes Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, Pocket Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player (MP3), Inbox (e-mail), Microsoft Reader (e-books), and more
• What's in the box: iPAQ Pocket PC H3835 series, Extra stylus, Protective cover pack, Universal cradle for both USB and serial connections with tether, AC adapter, DC adapter plug

Reviews (76)

Oh Baby Oh Baby
Look, I did hours and hours of research. I could write a publishable paper on the various features of PDAs so let me assure you if you're considering this product it is a pretty safe bet compared to it's peers. That also includes hours of reading consumer reviews. If you are looking for a product with Microsoft Office software, then this is the one you MUST buy. Dell has serious customer service issues and the Toshibas just didn't rank as high on quality and reliability. Spend the extra $$ and get the Ipaq. You will pat yourself on the back later.

What's great about this little gizmo is that you can download all of your Microsoft files in a heartbeat. It is a high quality computer. You can spend a little more and get higher meg and such but now you're just buying a whole new system aren't you? If you want a high quality PDA then this is the one you should buy. It has every feature imaginable (or obtainable) boasts of a high battery life and the graffiti feature is brilliant. If you've read something about a vulnerable screen, don't worry. Ipaq now boasts of a hinged case to protect the screen. This looks awesome and is awesome. So far, I have been really pleased.

Good, but some frustrating moments in store for Palm users
I just bought three iPaq's for my company to replace a fleet of aging laptops (people only used them for Word anyway) and I am actually fairly impressed with the 3835. It is much more affordable than the 3900 series without giving up too many features.

The display is bright and easy to read and Pocket PC's have resisted the Palm urge to shrink the size of the screen. Battery life is above average from some of the other color units I've seen and unlike the Visor Prism, you get an AC adapter right off the bat. Like most of the current PDA's, the 3835 has a SD slot built in for extra storage. This comes in handy almost immediately, as the install CD contains a few megs of ebooks but you will need to buy a bulky sleeve to get a CF slot for expansion purposes. The expanision sleeves makes finding a good carrying case difficult. FYI, the Toshiba e740 comes with a SD and a CF slot built in for almost the same price, so you may want to look in that direction too.

Buying a portable keyboard for the 3800 series is a real pain. Apparently, Compaq changed the bottom connector from the 3700 series and the Targus stowaway keyboard (best one for any PDA) only works with the addition of an small adapter piece that is just begging to be lost. Compaq's own brand of keyboard and the iConcepts one are not nearly as comfortable to use, but do not require the adapter piece.

If you upgrading from a Palm, beware. There is no real easy way to get all of your data out of the Palm Desktop and into Outlook. Contacts move over okay if you are careful with Outlook's import function, but the calendar doesn't move easily at all. Also, if you have never used the Pocket PC OS before, be prepared for some things to be a little less accessible than they used to be.

I've Had This For Over A Year And I Still Love It!!!
I looked online for hours to find an affordable PDA that would allow me to do everything I wanted. I'm a full time college student and I find I can take notes, set up appointments and have my schedule on demand. I have my tasks organized and get more accomplished. I can also pull up phone numbers and email addresses of friends, teachers, and even restaurants when my friends and I order out. Plus I can play games while waiting for my next class to start. It also synchronizes perfectly with my desktop computer's version of Microsoft Outlook. I can download maps to my PDA for trips with step-by-step driving directions. The PDA is light and I can carry it in my purse all the time without it weighing me down. The unit has held up great for the year and few months I've had it. I know that newer systems have come out since I bought this back in November of 2002, but if you find a new or used version of this PDA I wouldn't hesitate to buy it. I also bought, and would recommend, a zippered holder that is waterproof (I spill things on my nightstand a lot.) It also helps protect the unit if you drop it. The only other thing you might want is to buy the memory expansion card. It's only about $35 and it triples your memory. You'll find that you can fill up your memory a lot faster than you think. (I buy too many e-books from Amazon!) I really think this is a good PDA for a student or anyone else and I take mine with me everywhere.

Best Business PDA Tool I have used
I have owned Several Palm Based PDs and one Palm Smart Phone. This is by far the best of the bunch. I never thought I could use a PDA as a palm comuter, but this product does it hands down. I am an oustside sales person and really need to have access to my Act Database and need to be able to access several XL files. Not only does this product provide me the access and editing tools it also allows me to print via IR to a protable printer in my car. Now my lap top stays in the trunk and my PDA travels with me. BIG Thumbs up.

I'm going back to a Palm!!
When I originally bought this PDA it had such great reviews and I though it would be a good replacement/upgrade for my old Palm (that never gave me any trouble by the way). I have had it for over 6 months now and I have been so unhappy with its performance. The battery life is horrible!! I travel a lot and need something that I don't need to charge twice a day. I don't play games or read books on it, so I don't use up the battery life that way. The worst thing is that unlike Palms you lose everything if your battery runs out!!!! Who ever heard of that. If you keep backing up to your computer you can restore it, but you really have to be on the ball with that, because if you don't too bad it's gone! I will admit it is a nice looking machine that has some nice features, but I just bought a new Palm because I need something I can rely on. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

It's thin (only .50 inches thick), it's light (only 4.23 ounces), and it's bright, with a clear and dazzling transreflective color display. The iPAQ H1910 Pocket PC offers a great combination of features and distinctive design that fits your lifestyle. It allows you the freedom to access essential personal information and entertainment at your convenience.

The HP iPAQ H1910 Pocket PC comes with a 200 MHz Intel XScale processor, 64 MB RAM, 16 MB flash ROM, and a Secure Digital memory slot for additional memory. The display is a color transflective TFT LCD, 16-bit touch screen, capable of displaying more than 64,000 colors with 240 x 320 resolution.

Programs installed on the Pocket PC include: Microsoft Windows CE, Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, Voice Recorder, Notes, Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, Pocket Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player (for playing MP3 files), Calculator, Solitaire, Inbox (for e-mail), Microsoft Reader (eBooks), File Explorer, MSN Messenger, Terminal Services Client, VPN Client, Infrared Beaming, Clock, Align Screen, Memory, Volume Control, iPAQ Task Manager, iPAQ File Store, iPAQ Backup, and iPAQ Image Viewer.

The iPAQ H1910 comes with a slim removable battery, a USB synchronization cable, an AC adapter, a charging adapter (tethered to the AC adapter), a quick-start user's guide, and an HP iPAQ Pocket PC Companion CD-ROM (including Microsoft Outlook 2000, ActiveSync 3.5, add-on applications, and a reference guide).

The HP iPAQ H1910 comes with a one-year limited warranty.

What's in the box

• iPAQ H1910
• Slim lithium-ion removable battery
• USB synchronization cable
• AC adapter
• Charging adapter (tethered to the AC adapter)
• Quick-start user's guide
• HP iPAQ Pocket PC Companion CD-ROM (including Microsoft Outlook 2000, ActiveSync 3.5, add-on applications, and a reference guide)

Features

• Dazzling Transflective TFT color (over 65,000 colors) with LED backlight display
• Removable/rechargeable 900 mAh Lithium-lon battery
• Secure Digital memory card slot for transferring and storing music, picture and more
• 200 MHz Intel PXA 250 processor
• What's in the box: iPAQ H1910, slim removable battery, USB synchronization cable, AC and charging adapter, quick-start user's guide, HP iPAQ Pocket PC Companion CD-ROM

Reviews (79)

best pocket pc I ever had
I bought HP iPAQ 1910 Pocket PC about 2 months ago. I talked to all the sales rep at the computer store & electronic store such as Bestbuy & Circuitcity about the difference between MS Window base & Palm OS base. Everyone recommend the Window based model and specially this model (HP iPAQ 1910 Pocket PC). I didn't know anything about that at that time & I just bought it. I also have a friend who bought Sony Clie model which is Palm OS based. I guess he paid almost about the same price I paid to mine. We compared those two and we found out HP iPAQ 1910 Pocket PC is much faster, more memory... a lot better machine. He finally bought HP iPAQ 1910 Pocket PC (same as mine) for this Chistmas. He & I really like this pocket PC & you will love it, too.

Great start but weak on key options and features
Well, got the new IPAQ yesterday in the mail. WOW, what a great little PDA. Other reviewers have talked about the wonderful features and such. However, let me share my initial experience trying to find some of the key accessories and features. First, missing from the product is any kind of protective cover. Drop this little gem the first time on a hard floor and its going to be toast. Checked the HP site and discovered they offer no solutions for the 1910 yet. Third party products look very bulky (so called universal solutions) for this very slim unit. Second, there is no built in JPEG file viewer. You must go to the the MS site and purchase a third party product. This viewer should have been bundled with PC 2002 operating system. Third, try as I might, find a way to delete files within the file exployer is not possible. I finally resorted to accessing the PDA from the desktop system to eliminate unwanted files. Forth, I discovered a website dedicated to tracking bugs in PocketPC 2002....there are lots of them [local website] and many are still unresolved.

Bottomline: Love the size, price and screen...but not impressed by the lack of critical accessories and features of PocketPC 2002. I would have thought that this hot product would have had a better launch.

One should try this
I received iPaq as a birthday gift from my fiance.I know quite well about electronics.
My initial impression was Wow..
The Display/Graphics is extremely pleasing.Navigation is very simple..so any starter who is not very techno savvy can operate this PC with ease.Since the operating system is Windows CE,its very simple to browse thru(as many are familiar with Windows GUI).The best feature ofcourse is Outlook Syncup (must for all Pocket PCs ofcourse) but its easy and quick.The software installation is not too difficult either.The sound quality is good and works great with a Secure Digital card as well.

Now for a few Cons,
The conventional "CROSS" at Top,right hand corner doesnot stand for "Closing" of the program but it means "Minimising" the screen.That leaves your program still running in Backgroud.So even if the display shows your "desktop" (Today screen) there are functions running in backgroud...This will make your PC freeze often if many programs are running.
This PC freezes very often and I have to reset it then.
If it freezes real bad then you will have to Hard reset it which means your data is lost.
So I would suggest that "Stop" all the running programs at certain intervals..You have that option in "Settings".

But overall I am very happy with the performance...
I would advise one to buy it.

Sync problems keep cropping up/no support
I've had mine for 1.5 years, and it's very useful, except for one problem. I can't sync. At all.

At first it synced fine, but after a while, I had occasional problems and would have to spend hours getting it to work, because my comp would not be able to find the device (I've found many reasons for this, and trust me - they are a pain to chase down - even fluff in the connector and an iffy signal to the interface will do the trick). This time, I've spent a week of evenings searching for the solution. When I checked the HP Web site, this item was totally lacking in help, I believe because it is no longer sold. My comp is fine, the device is fine, and the Activesync is there - they just are not speaking. I call this the "family feud PDA" - they are close, they are family - they won't talk.

I've given up on it - bought a Palm-based product for a bit higher cost. So easy, plus it has a camera, an MP3 player, and it syncs!

hp1910 - Nice size, lousy hardware, would not buy again
I've used PDAs for 10+ years and this unit does not compare favorably. Best features: Screen is great, software on the PDA works great. Three biggest drawbacks: 1)Unprotected buttons on front and side lead to inadvertent activation of software and battery drain whenever the unit is touched (think pocket, purse or briefcase), 2) this unit communicates only through synchronization, there is no way to communicate with any other hardware (no GPS, no serial port connection, etc.), and 3) the Microsoft ActiveSync software and/or the interface with this device is buggy (I've had lots of problems that were only recoverable by finding and deleting folders and files on my PC and then starting the connection process from scratch). I would not buy this product again and was very disappointed to uncover the missing serial port capability (not obvious until I got the unit home). ... Read more

Features

• What's in the box: iPaQ 3670, Two Styli, Vinyl slipcase, AC adapter, Docking cradle, Rechargeable Lithium Polymer battery, iPaQ Expansion Pack system, User Manual

Reviews (9)

Funky Construction
I must say, for such a ...piece of equipment, this device is not made very well. Before I purchased the Compaq, I owned a Palm V. Whereas the Palm never failed me, in less than a year of ownership, the Compaq has developed several problems:

* My Compaq has fried its memory repeatedly
* The stylus no longer clicks into place, that mechanism has apparently broken.
* The silver coating is coming up

The color screen is nice, but doesn't make up for the headache or the cost. I wish I'd just purchased another Palm V when my last one was stolen.

Almost Excited
Compaq has a winner here in the base technology but it needs a tune-up big time (which is happening as we 'sync').

Summarily, you get a cool little computer with a stubborn streak and a big mouth that can thankfully be turned down, with MUCH more space and operational capacity than a Palm, but still not enough for most people to call it Home.

Thanks to the back light, you can actually >see< the information, which is a clever bonus. Unlike some PDAs, there is no drab olive-green screen to twist your eyes into pretzels. Its like you're in a little office with the flourescents on.

The 'sync' software works (ok), just don't expect any pampering like the Palm people gave us with their one-button push sync. You'll work for this peanut, baby. It has the distinct flavor of rushed-out backroom benchmarking.

But after several knock-down drag-outs you'll (hopefully) find your feet and eventually get your Purple Heart, and then you're ok; you become VALIDATED, a part of the GREAT-SYNC legion - a surviving Groto of the IPAQ challenge, the strong, the proud, the survivors. Or else you'll have a _________ yard-sale or throw it in the trash (I dare you.)

So go ahead and stick MS Outlook in the Start-Up menu, cause she's a legend in her own mind and hates to be left out of the fuss (sync loop), (this is one thing, among others, they don't mention).

If you get through the software installation, wait 30 or 60 seconds til blastoff, and make a connection, you might actually get to build a working relationship or two..but don't get comfortable. LOL.

Hey, why can't the Compaq people invite the Palm people to a pool party, and let them explain how to make (like they did A LONG TIME AGO!!!) that INGENIOUS ONE-TOUCH SYNC BUTTON and that TOTALLY FUNCTIONAL (AND PRETTY) PALM DESK-TOP SOFTWARE, that makes you the king of your castle, not a serf in a wrestle.

The bad news: you just heard some.

The good news: It's a buyer's market baby on the 3670 due to the yard sales from the frustrated and upgraders - and after all, it is a cool little computer. So why not test your skills and pick one up?

Take a hint from Nike..JUST DO IT!!!!!!

Great unit - NO Battery Life.
I've owned the Palm V (Monochrome)...Palm 505 (Color)...and the iPaq 3670 (Color).

Now, the Compaq screen wins hands down. It's bigger since the keyboard and hand recognition areas hide, releasing the screen space for images, text, etc. Plus, don't forget the MP3 player, which the Palm does NOT have (I think they only beep, how embarassing).

The programs are a bit memory hungry so it would be nice to have internal expansion for memory (64MB is really very little for this unit - the equivalent of 8MB in the Palm). Sounds weird, especially coming from an engineer, but that's how it feels. The Windows environment really gobbles up the memory. You can buy an expansion port that will hold additional memory, although with good management you can get away without expanding it.

The only real problem that I have with this unit is the battery life. Well, actually, WHAT BATTERY LIFE? If you play any game for 1.1/2 to 2 hours...you're out of battery!! If you leave the unit, WITHOUT USING IT, overnight - for two nights - you're out of battery again! Did I get a lemon? Do they all work like this? Does anyone sell battery packs that also include memory expansion? How does battery life compare with the Palm, you ask? Well, the Palm 505 (Color) will last about a week with decent everyday use and a lot of playing each day. The Palm V will last about 2 weeks (yes, WEEKS), with average use. The iPAQ will last 1 to 2 days with average use (and I'm being kind).

It's sad to see the best selling Pocket PC with such few options where accessories are concerned, shame on Compaq for not providing incentives to other manufacturers. Let's see how HP plays the game. Congratulations to the NEXICAM for bringing the first digital camera adapted for this unit. Now, they should have combined it with a battery pack, GPS, Cell Phone and Memory Slot - that way I could get rid of all the other gadgets that clutter up my night stand.

Want the best ? If you can live with low battery life, then this is your unit. I have a car charger and 110VAC-12VDC adapter that goes with me when I travel or I lose access to my contact information while I'm away.

Head and shoulders above the rest
I was lucky enough to receive this as a gift and was totally blown away by the capabilities of this device. The ActiveSync software is almost transparent and you never have to worry about remembering to sync before you head out the door. A few of my favorite features are the voice recorder, Windows Media Player for mp3's (headphone jack is very nice), and the "transcriber" option, which could even recognize a doctor's handwriting. There are a ton of cool apps you can download/buy for this device, including maps, wireless web software, etc. If you can shell out the $$ and are looking for a handheld with a VERY high "cool factor" please check out the iPaq 3760.

Great Unit
This is a great unit. It would be nice if it could store the CF cards internally. Great features at a somewhat high price. Had a Palm V before this. The Pocket PC software offers far more features! Worth the extra $$$ ... Read more

Features

• A powerful and flexible Pocket PC with enhanced security and wireless features
• Integrated Bluetooth for wireless connectivity both in and out of the office
• All the benefits of the Microsoft Pocket PC 2003 Premium operating system
• Biometric fingerprint reader for serious security
• What's in the box: iPAQ Pocket PC, USB Desktop cradle/charger, AC Adapter, holster with belt clip, lithium-ion battery, getting started poster; charger adapter, hp iPAQ Pocket PC Companion CD

Reviews (37)

great features, poor reliability
I would love the ipaqs if I could ever count on them to work. The 5555 is the third ipaq I have owned in the past three years (The company I work for gets them at a great discount, and I don't have to pay for them, which is why I keep getting them)

First off, there are many things to love about this pda. The fingerprint recognition is really cool. It works perfectly for me, and I don't have to worry about remembering a password or having it stolen. The integrated bluetooth and 802.11b is an excellent add-on, and hasn't added to the bulk of the device at all. There is a large amount of built-in memory, the display looks beautiful, the battery is swappable, and there are a lot of nice applications built in.

What disappoints me with every ipaq is the low reliability. It is so poor that I would never personally spend my own money on one of these devices. I typically have to hit the reset button on my ipaq several times per day, becuase under heavy use the thing will freqently slow down or completely freeze up. You can't blame third party apps for these faults, since I am commonly using the standard features of my ipaq when these faults occur.

My first two ipaqs died within about a year of purchase. The first one had a battery go bad, and since it was built into the device I could not swap it myself. The second one just stopped working. I could turn it on, but it basically just gave me a blue screen of death and nothing more.

I love what the ipaqs offer, I just wish HP could get their act together and make them work as they're supposed to.

Top notch with room for improvements...
I replaced my Sony Clie with this machine for few different reasons. I wanted a longer battery life, better software, better screen, more memory, expandability and better accessory compatibility. And I got all that in Ipaq 5555. Battery lasts a long time and put many devices to shame. It is also user replaceable which allows you not only to use extended packs but if for any reason your power pack fails you can replace it on your own without sending your device for lengthy warranty service. So far PocketPC operating system has been stable to me and very easy and intuitive to use. Most of the software I got for it provides easy and painless installation. Erasing files and keeping everything organized is also very easy. For some reason Palm devices always have very little memory. 5555 comes with whooping 128 megs and with right memory card your options are unlimited. For example I use it with 256 SD card. There are a lot of after market accessories available for IPAQ made either by HP or by third party manufacturer. You have to watch out for HP accessories because some of them are not directly compatible with 5000 series. They have an external battery charger that states compatibility with 5555 yet it is not, but it is compatible with expansion pack (one that includes battery).

Bluetooth and wireless LAN work fine and allow you to almost always be connected. Unit is very solid with it's aluminum housing and case that is supplied with it besides being a really good deal protects the Ipaq the right way. My biggest complain is that 5555 is on the bigger side. It is a big PDA and coming from the smaller machine it is a slight disadvantage. I also have to rave about the screen. It is super bright, with excellent contrast and color definition. I kind of dislike the finger print security and perceive it as useless although cool conversation starter feature.

So how do I use my Ipaq? I work both as a web developer and EMT. Ipaq holds my medical and drug reference books for street work, basic software for web developing, few games, mp3s and tons of email, contacts, notes, pdfs, docs and excel files. I use it on the street to jog down info, cross reference medications and to keep records. I use it in the office for everyday routine stuff. On the train or when I get bored I play some games. It is a good machine and with few extra accessories (car charger, memory card and keyboard) it will last you forever (or at least until 6666 is out).

Disappointed
Great while it works. Mine died after 9 months of casual use. I'm not looking forward to dealing with warranty repairs.

This is a great Pocket PC if you can afford it.
I really like this Ipaq. I've had a 3835,3955,2215 and now this. This Ipaq really rocks.The integrated wifi and bluetooth makes surfing the net very easy. Even with the zippy 2215, I had trouble getting wifi due to a very obstinate wifi sd card. There's something to be said for having integrated wifi. Not just that but the 128 mb really makes a difference. I no longer find myself checking the memory setting to see which program needs to go on sd storage. Speed is nice and the color display is beautiful. Battery life could be better and of course it would be nice to have a compact flash but I'm pretty happy with the product.

Always by my side.
EDIT Start -

I would like to comment on reviewers who claim that the technical support is junk along with the device's reliability. May I point out that it is Microsoft's operating system, which is to be expected as no operating system is perfect. The iPAQ's hardware has nothing to do with how many times a reset is needed, since it has not only more ram, but a faster processor than most other pda's currently on the market. As for the technical support, I have had two iPAQ's and always received the same friendly and careless help needed to fix my problems straight away. Here's a recent example of how HP's support works.

1. Problem occurs.
2. Call to HP, they check warranty (lasts a year).
3. They send you an empty box, shipping and parts replacement, 100% free.
4. Ship it out next day.
5. Repair begins and ends in under an hour.
6. You receive an email confirming depature and repair success.
7. You receive the iPAQ back, only having it leave your side for less than 3 days.

If that's not service, then I don't know what is. I believe that many people are rude, arrogant, and are ignorant to their mistakes. I told the support technicians that I had dropped it and they said no problem, and replaced the screen, usb host connector, and battery all free of charge. Hope this helps your buying decision.

EDIT Finish -

In comparison to newer-age pda's including the Toshiba e805, the Asus MyPal, and the new Dell Axim, I hope you will regard my post only within HP and Compaq's products. This particular iPAQ is a giant leap from my Compaq iPAQ 3835, gone are the days of cradle synchronizing and wired connections. With Bluetooth and wi-fi I can synchronize and receiving data virtually anywhere.

A few reasons to avoid buying this:
- it is not a good first pda, as some features require proficient computer knowledge
- it is not worth buying unless you plan on using all features, including the finger print scan, otherwise go with the cheaper 4100 series iPAQs.

A few reasons to avoid buying another:
- is an 'upgradable' iPAQ, which means all previous software, cords/connections, sleeves (jackets), styli, and cases will work with this iPAQ.
- has wi-fi and bluetooth built in, along with 128megs sd ram, and 48 megs rom, gives you extra storage space.
- speedy processor and an sdio slot.

I believe this is the current best option for anyone wanting a powerful handheld machine. With the largest array of expansion abilities and wireless capabilities, it is the smartest choice you can make. ... Read more