A Weighty Decision
Written: May 04 '00
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Strong design; great sound
Cons: Expensive, heavy, some usability concerns
|
|
|
| Girlina's Full Review: Hewlett Packard Jornada 545 Pocket PC |
The Jornada is the first CE device that I've ever seriously considered buying - but following a serious test-spin, I found it just didn't quite cut it. Weight and high prices still remain insurmountable barriers for the Jornada as well as all the other CE devices.
First the good news: The Jornada is the first CE device to make a creditable attempt to match the high-stylin' design of the Palm V. Unlike the blocky Cassiopeia E-15, it's got sleek, sexy curves that make its 9-ounce bulk relatively comfortable to hold, and uses four sensible buttons instead of a whole bunch of useless ones. This slick titanium number is exactly the kind of gadget that usually makes gearheads drool.
But then we get to the bad news: A lid that doesn't fold behind the unit. A weird flat stylus that looks sort of like a popsicle stick and (with the exception of no splinters) is about as comfortable to hold. And a screen that is slightly smaller and noticeably dimmer than the Cassiopeia's.
That doesn't mean that the Jornada isn't useful. On the contrary, it's crammed with way more software than you'd ever expect on a unit this size: Standard PIM stuff, pocket Word and Excel, Windows Media Player, Microsoft ClearText Reader, a teensy Web browser, and way more stuff that I won't even go into here.
Add it all together and there's no denying that the Jornada is an impressive technological accomplishment. However, that's not really your main criteria for deciding whether you want to buy one, is it? And when it comes to the real deal - portability and ease of use - the Jornada just doesn't quite cut the mustard.
The first issue is not just the size, but the poor battery life. Expect to recharge every couple days if you are going to be using it to play music, which diminishes the alleged 8-hour span by a big margin. The second issue is price - $599 for a 32MB unit, which is really the bare minimum; and another $200 for a CompactFlash card large enough to enable use as an MP3 (or rather .wma) player. Then there's the CE interface, which God only knows has improved, but still isn't anything close to as intuitive and simple as the PalmOS.
There are a few intriguing changes - holding a stylus on a piece of data is the equivalent to a right-click, which is kind of useful; the formerly "Mini-Windows" menu addiction has been trimmed down with one-click commands at the bottom of the screen; an icon-based apps menu (similar to the home screen on the Palm!) is available; and mini-icons for recently used apps now appear right at the top of the Start menu. Then there's the Agenda-like Today screen that appears every time you switch on the unit, which I suppose is helpful.
However, it's still simultaneously way too much and way too little. The folks over at Microsoft tried hard to convince me that the PocketPC does the same things as my Palm V and my MP3 player at approximately the same weight and price, and factually speaking they're right; but the fact is, it doesn't do any of those things really well. Although the sound is great, the controls are lousy on the music player interface - you have to open the lid, look at the screen, and tap the right software button.
Meanwhile, the device is total overkill for core PIM stuff - I don't just don't need to see the entire rainbow when I look up my next meeting. And finally, due to a dearth of third-party software developers, I can't add any of the apps that have made my V invaluable - my Zagat's guide; my map of the NY Subway system; my log of scuba dives I've taken. . .
So obviously, despite my brief hesitation, my mind is made up. While the Jornada is an attractive piece of hardware, for now I'd rather carry two even better looking pieces of hardware, my V and my brand-new minidisc player (the Sony E-90, a review is coming soon). But assuming CE can hang on until the next round, I might consider looking again, so stay tuned!
Recommended:
No
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
Girlina
|
|
Reviews written: 27
Trusted by: 247 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.