For less than $200, one can purchase a Compaq iPAQ 3150. This machine boasts 16MB of RAM, 16MB of flash ROM, a Strong ARM 32-bit 206 MHz processor, and a 320x240 monochrome touchscreen. The iPAQ 3150 runs the Microsoft Pocket OS. The unit is 5.11" x 3.28" x .62" and weighs 5.77 oz. including the battery. An A/C adapter/charger is also included.

Out of the Box

The iPAQ has a stylish brushed metal finish and a spring-loaded stylus. A USB cable is provided for those lucky enough to have Win 98 or 2000. NT and Win 95 users will have to purchase an optional serial cable for synchronization. A well-made leather sleeve and a decent start-up brochure are also included. The CD includes a comprehensive multimedia tour of the iPAQ, Microsoft’s ActiveSync, Microsoft Outlook 2000 for users who don’t already have it installed on their host computers, and some productivity applications.

Productivity Applications

The productivity applications shipping with the iPAQ 3150 are useful right out of the box, though some of the more interesting ones must be installed from the included CD. Preloaded on the 3150 are Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, Pocket Internet Explorer, Microsoft Money, Microsoft Reader, Pocket Outlook, a calculator function, a notes function, and the always-present Microsoft Solitaire game. The device also includes Microsoft Media Player and can play MP3 files, though not videos.

On the included CD are the Transcriber handwriting recognition program and Microsoft Pocket Streets with sample map files for some of the largest cities in the U.S.

Input Options

The iPAQ has a built-in microphone and speaker (which is fairly tinny sounding) and can record and play back sounds as .wav files. The stylus is plastic and feels insubstantial. It permits input via a virtual keyboard, a character recognizer with specific input sections for upper case and lower case letters and numbers, and the Transcriber program, which allows the user to write anywhere on the screen. The 3150 also includes a five-way navigation button at the bottom of the machine that functions as a joystick and cursor control. An optional foldaway keyboard is available, but I have personally found the Transcriber program to be the fastest and most effective way to get data into the device.

Synchronization

Files can be copied to and from the 3150 and the host machine. This is a drag-and-drop operation. Files are immediately converted to and from the Microsoft Office and Pocket versions of Word and Excel. Synchronization can be accomplished via USB or serial cables (with optional docking stations) or via infrared where it is available. Files can also be transferred wirelessly via the infrared ports of two iPAQs.

Synchronization of e-mail inbox and outbox, calendar, contacts, and one’s to-do list is accomplished with the ActiveSync program. The iPAQ allows the unit to be synchronized with more than one host computer, which could be a useful feature for people who have both a laptop and a desktop machine and need to synchronize both with the iPAQ.

Connectivity

As mentioned, the iPAQ has an infrared port and USB and standard serial cable connectivity. To connect to the Internet, one must use either a compact flash (CF) or PC Card expansion pack. Wireless connection can be accomplished via some cellular phones or though wireless modems (wireless Internet access is also required, obviously). Wired connection can be achieved through either a PC card modem (requires the PC Card expansion pack) or through a CF modem (requires the CF expansion pack).

A simplified version of the Windows DUN (Dial-up Networking Adapter) allows the user to configure the connection to the Internet. Subject to the limitations of a 320 x 240 monochrome screen, the user can access both e-mail and the World Wide Web through Pocket Internet Explorer.

Expandability

The $40 CF expansion sleeve adds both bulk and weight to the machine, which already weighs in at around 6 oz. The sleeve accepts Type I and Type II CF cards, which include modems, memory expansion modules, LAN and WAN cards, input/output cards, and barcode readers.

The $150 PC Card expansion pack accepts industry-standard PC cards and includes in addition to the types of expansion mentioned for the CF expansion pack, a VGA output card from Colorgraphics, GPS (Global Positioning System) cards, and PC Card storage to add the functionality of a hard drive to the system. The PC card expansion pack also adds an additional battery to run the PC cards or extend the battery life of the iPAQ. Regarding battery life, the monochrome 3150 can run 14 hours on a single charge of its lithium ion battery. This is considerably longer than the charge lasts on the color screen models.

A new $200 dual-PC Card expansion pack is now available for the iPAQ as well.

Drawbacks

The iPAQ ships with the protective sleeve, but otherwise has no protection for the touchscreen. I have resorted to using the clear film screen protectors. While these do protect the screen, they produce a completely different sensation for stylus use, especially for handwriting, and take some getting used to.

Another drawback is that although the unit has USB/serial connectivity and infrared, there is no native print capability with the iPAQ. The user must instead upload a file to the host PC to print it or use a third-party solution such as Field Software’s PrinterCE (which also comes in a Pocket PC version).

Although the promotional literature and web site illustrations show a paper white screen with crisp black text, that is highly misleading. The 3150 has a rather dark gray screen with 16 shades. A blue backlight helps in low light conditions, but the truth of the matter is that the screen is the Achilles’ Heel of the 3150. The backlight leaves a lot to be desired, and though the LCD screen can be read in full light, it is not particularly bright, and there is some amount of graininess in the image. For this reason, the iPAQ 3150 would not be well suited for image viewing or digital camera attachments, or for videoconferencing applications. Similarly, the poor screen makes reading an e-Book in Microsoft Reader an unpleasant and quickly tiring experience.

Another drawback with the iPAQ is that peripherals, accessories, and third-party software are difficult to find, often in short supply, and in many cases nonexistent. My colleague, who owns the fancy 3670 color model, has been searching fruitlessly for printer drivers and database productivity applications for his iPAQ.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line for me is this. My employer provided the $199 iPAQ 3150, and I am generally satisfied with it, since I am daily given no choice but to use Microsoft Office and Windows 98. I use the iPAQ primarily for appointments and contacts and secondarily for Pocket Word and Pocket Excel applications such as short memos and expense tracking. Synchronization and moving and copying files to and from my laptop PC are simple operations, and the integration with the Microsoft Office suite of applications is excellent. If I were to purchase an iPAQ for personal use, on the other hand, I would definitely spend the extra money for a color screen.


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 199