Don't buy it unless you really can handle it all!
Written: Dec 10 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A handy little mini-computer in my pocket.
Cons: Little pricey (but worth it) Could use some more fun accessories
The Bottom Line: Need my tech- all the time, and I need it small like this Jornada!
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| muffin2's Full Review: Hewlett Packard Jornada 548 Pocket PC |
The Hp Jornada is not for everyone. It is for those that must have it all, and if you don't need it all, the Jornada is not for you. I always thought that PDA's were no more than expensive little tip calculators like on that one Seinfeld episode. But I knew more applications were coming, and they did.
I have an HP laptop and desktop already at home. I also use 2 HP's at work. I find the brand to be very robust overall in comparison to other brands.
My Jornada 548 is no exception. Applications included are Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Outlook. I have a nice planner, with multiple ways to see my daily/weekly/monthly agenda. I find this extremely useful, and a nice way to get an overview of my day. Just like any good digital planning application, you can set alarms, re-occurring appointments and reminders at your own selection. You can have audible or silent alarms. If you forget to turn the sound on, and the PDA on, it will blink at you until you acknowledge your appointments.
Of course, with as many computers as I have, I must be able to transfer all my creations from computer to computer. So, I am out in the field, doing an inspection- I log my data into my Word template, and I can beam over or USB connect my data to any computer I choose. From there I can email my report to all involved. If I forked over the $150 for the modem, I could download my file somewhere online, or email it directly. ( One accessory at a time)
This is a very handy timesaver for me. Did I mention that on my inspection I am listening to my nice little MP3 player? Well, it sure put a new twist in my work. If I wanted to fork over another $150, I could even get a nice little camera to photo my results- again- one accessory at a time, but it's nice to know its an option.
During meetings I can take notes in a little notepad application. My own scrawl is nice and legible- digital. I can also use the handwriting recognition note process- but again, like any PDA you have to learn how to write it. Letters are not exactly like writing. A nice feature, but having only had it for a few weeks, I still use the hunt and peck keyboard.
The unit comes with a handy cradle, that can sit on your desk upright as you transfer data around. Although it is very fast, and seldom sits very long. The charger is really fast as well. I have run half way down and charged up super quick. The only downside, as I have found with my laptop, is that certainly over time, the battery will be less efficient. But this is the case with all rechargeables. This model cannot be changed out to my knowledge. I don't know if other models of HP's or Palm's can do that though.
There of course is no PDA without issues. It was not immediately apparent to me how to close applications after I opened them, now I know how, but it is slow. Most important to this is your battery life- if you are away from the charger awhile, and you are running a bunch of applications, you're battery time will be lessened. This should concern you because if your battery does run out, and you don't have a flash memory card- poof- you lost it all. Fortunately, I got myself a free one- for 16 mb at Circuit City, and a free one 32 mb from HP on rebate. I use it to back up my files a few times a day. It is super quick, and not much of a problem for me.
Accessories for the Jornada are hard to find, unless you want to buy from HP directly. The Palm rivals are dominating the market and the accessory world is no different. I get really frustrated when I see the really cute palm suits made of neoprene, by Body Glove, and the really neat toys that go with the Palm but not the Jornada. I will continue to hope that these lines will expand to include HP products. The model does come with a sturdy and attractive cover, and there are swappable case covers, but I yearn for an attractive leather planner, that is fitted to Jornadas and does not require velcro...But, it fits in my jeans pocket, or my purse, and I am finding it nice to haul off to meetings without a big binder with little sticky tags all over it.
Like many PDA's,the price was a little high earlier in the year, but seems to be dropping weekly as we approach Christmas. Mine came with a $50 rebate, and $100 instant savings. Plus the free, 32 mb memory. Very nice. Shop around, different places have different deals every week, and you can get this model and some freebies too.
Overall, I have found my Jornada to be a time saving tool. Just like any new planner, there is data transfer, but being in a paper-conserving office, I find this to be a very nice tool that keeps me organized, and on time to my meetings.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 299
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Epinions.com ID:
muffin2
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Reviews written: 28
Trusted by: 3 members
About Me:
Net head, oft times tree hugger with just a splash of consumerism..
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