opinionated3's Full Review: Hewlett Packard iPAQ hX4700 Pocket PC
When I first started my current job I given a Palm Zire 21 to use. I used it to take notes and keep track of important instructions. Unfortunately the Zire 21 was very limited and I needed a PDA with more memory and a expansion slot. I put in a request to my boss to get a newer PDA and after a bit of waiting he gave me a new Palm; Tungsten E. I was really glad to finally get a PDA with a color screen and an expansion slot.
The next day I received a gift from Epinions; HP iPAQ hx4700 Pocket PC. To say was I surprised is an understatement, I was floored. I have seen these PDA's online, but I could never afford one. Now, on to the review of the HP iPAQ.
The iPAQ hx4700 came packed in box instead of the bubble pack like the Palm Zire 21 I previously had. Inside the box I found the usual software CD and user guide and registration card. I was very surprised to see that HP included a synchronizing cradle instead of just a USB synchronizing cable like so many other PDA's come with. I will write more about the cradle later in the review. I also found the battery packed separately and I had to install it. HP included a very clear instruction on how to install the battery.
Unfortunately my enthusiasm was a little tempered because I had to wait four hours before I could play with my new toy. This is because of the Lithium Ion battery is shipped without a charge and it must be fully charged before I could use it. note: You must do the initial charge of battery outside of the cradle.
This is because you have to load the software to allow the OS on your computer to recognize Synchronizing Cradle before you can use it. Fortunately the same adapter that plugs into the cradle is used to plug directly into the bottom of the PDA. This is because HP included an adapter that attaches to the end of AC adapter plug and converts it to a plug that connects to the synchronizing port on the bottom of the iPAQ.
Once it was fully charged it was time to complete the rest of the installation process. This involved loading the Microsoft ActiveSync software and powering on the iPAQ for the first time. After completing a couple of steps that were designed to check the touch screen functionality (tapping a series of crosshair targets in the four corners and center of the screen) and then finished up but identifying which part of the country you live in. Then it was time to place the iPAC in the Synchronizing Cradle and begin the software loading and synchronizing between your desktop PC and the iPAC.
The accompanying CD contains several very useful pieces of software and a few teaser titles (trial versions) hoping that you would like them and pay to get the full version. I didn't load any of them, I stuck with only the full versions of what I thought I would use. I will include a listing of the software and highlight what I installed later on in the review.
The synchronizing procedure puts a folder on your desktop and it uses this folder to allow you to select files you want to transfer between your computer and iPAQ. One of the features of HP iPAQ hx4700 is that it comes with Microsoft PocketPC 2003 Premium is Outlook 2002. This allows it to sync directly with my email at work. It picks up my email from my inbox and any appointments that I have scheduled. It also transfers any tasks that I may have scheduled from the day before. I didn't have to transfer all of my contacts by hand, it automatically sync'd with my contacts within Outlook 2002.
Now that I had the iPAQ all setup it was time to start investigating the device.
Display
The very first thing that I noticed after turning on the HP iPAQ HX4700 was the spectacular screen. This is because HP built in a 4" TFT (Transreflective) screen with highest resolution that I have seen in any PDA. This makes viewing pictures (.jpg and .tiff) a real treat. The video playback on the 4" screen with a resolution of 480 x 600 dpi is the best I have seen on any PDA. HP included a proprietary program (HP Image Zone) to allow you to view image files without having purchase a separate program.
Another feature that I am glad HP included was a variable backlight. This allows you to dim the backlight to save on battery power. There is slide control on the touch screen that makes it easy to control the backlight.
Size
I had gotten so used to size and weight of the PALM Zire 21 and when I picked up this unit it was quite a bit heavier and larger than the Zire 21. This is due to the the magnesium alloy case of the iPAQ versus the plastic case of the Palm Zire 21. Another factor affecting the size of the HP iPAQ hx4700 is the large 4" TFT VGA screen. The overall dimensions of the HP iPAQ are 5.17" X 3.03" X .59" and 6.6 oz. The size is not really much of a factor but if you are looking for a light weight handheld device you wouldn't exactly want this one.
Power
The HP iPAQ hx4700 packs a lot power under the hood and you definitely see it when you go to use it. The processor HP chose to put in it is the Intel(r) PXA270 Processor 624 MHz and to my knowledge it is the most powerful Intel Handheld processor. HP also packs plenty of memory to load and run your programs; 192 MB total memory (128 MB ROM and 64 MB SDRAM); Up to 135 MB user available memory that includes 80 MB iPAQ File Store. If you find yourself needing more storage you can purchase optional SD flash memory cards and it will instantly increase your storage level.
Controls
There are numerous buttons that are used to control the functions of the iPAQ; power, mic, navigation, quick launch, reset.
power: This button turns the unit off/on and it is located at the top of unit just to the left of the headphone jack and the stylus holder.
mic: HP included a voice recorder feature and it really comes in handy. The voice recorder is controlled by the mic button on the upper left hand side of the PDA. Instead of using a tape to record your voice it stores it to a file and it allows you to save it to memory. The voice recording uses a dual purpose speaker; output/input. That way HP didn't have to make room for a separate mic.
Thumb Navigation Pad: HP created a neat little pad that is located at the lower part of the PDA. The directional pad consists of four small roller buttons in a diamond shape; up/down and right/left. The really neat part of this feature is you can select an on screen arrow and it will function just like your Windows Desktop and cursur movement.
Quick Launch:Along with navigation buttons HP included four bbuttons that will preset programs; calendar , iTask, messaging (MS Outlook inbox) and contacts. This feature is similar to most PDA's. The difference that I see is that HP decided on very small buttons.
The Navigation and Quick Launch buttons are located at the bottom of the iPAQ in an area that takes up almost the entire lower portion just below the screen.
Touch Screen :The touch screen is the easy way to navigate your way around the iPAQ. I really like the PocketPC 2003 OS, it looks and feels like my Windows OS on my desktop PC. To get to all of my programs I simply tap the "start" and a menu appears and I select programs and a screen pops up with all of program icons like a desktop PC would have. The touch screen makes it easy to launch by simply tapping on the program icon.
Another benefit of the touch screen is the keypad that works just like having a small keyboard attached to the PDA. All of the keys are available by simply tapping on the letter, number or other charecters. To activate the keypad all you have to do is tap on the little keyboard icon that is located at the bottom right corner of the screen.
Indicator lights :There are three indicator lights on the front of the PDA to let you know the status of battery power, WiFi signal and . The WiFi indicator light is blue and it lets you know that the WiFi is active and you will see an icon on the lower right corner that looks like an antenna that indicates that the WiFi is available. The amber light is for the battery status; flashing indicates the battery is charging and it stays on solid when it is fully charged but is still connected to the charger.
Connectivity
HP included several different choices for connecting with other devices and for online usage. I will give a list and a brief description of each of choices; WiFi, Bluetooth, ir(beaming), synchronizing cradle.
WiFi: Wireless network connection that allows you to access a network that has wireless access. This same connection can be used to surf the web. It can be a bit annoying if you have your WiFi active and you walk into a store that uses wireless inventory control equipment, this will cause the iPAQ xh4700 to constantly attempt to connect to their network. I would recommend you turn off your WiFi before you walk into a store. This feature a good thing if you are looking for a Internet Hot Site to have instant access to Internet.
Bluetooth:This is another wireless interface but it is very limited in its range. Using bluetooth you can use a cellular phone that is equipped with bluetooth to access the internet. You can also use this same technology to send a file to a bluetooth equipped printer. It appears that bluetooth technology is catching on with mobile device manufacturers and it is a good thing that HP included it.
IR: IR stands for Inferred and the technology has been around for years but it has had limited success. The usage of IR is usally referred to as beaming from one capable device to another. The problem is that the range is relatively limited and not many devices are using it since the popularity of bluetooth. The biggest single usage I can think of for the IR would be the folding portable keyboard that is made for this PDA.
Synchronizing Cradle: I was very impressed that HP included a cradle with the iPAQ instead of just having a USB cable that plugs into the PDA and transfers files between the PDA and my computer. The cradle that the PDA rests in when I am not using it will also keep it constantly charged at the same time as it also updates my PDA when I make changes to folders that I often synchronize between my PDA and desktop computer.
Expansion Slots
As I explained in the beginning of my review the one reason that I was looking to replace the Palm Zire 21 that I was using for my job was that it was so limited in memory and it didn't have an expansion slot. Now with the iPAQ hx 4700 I have 2 expansion slots to use; CF (Compact Flash) and SD (Secure Digital). When I put the SD card in the expansion slot on top of the PDA it recognized the card and added the extra memory to the storage total available. I haven't tried the CF slot yet, but I am sure it will be equally as easy to use.
Battery Life
The battery life of a portable device is a huge headache for the makers and it is something that generally garners a lot of engineering hours to design a device that maximumizes the power to battery consumption equation. HP designed this DPA with the state of art features and because of this the battery drain is an issue. With the backlight at full intensity and using the WiFi to connect to our LAN at work there is a major drain on the battery power. I always keep it in the USB cradle sitting on my desk when I am not working away from my desk. This was a recommendation from HP to help keep it charged. When I am away from my desk for extended periods of time I will turn down the brightness of the backlight by using the slide control on opening screen.
Operating System
The HP iPAQ hx4700 PDA comes with Windows Mobile 2003 Premium OS with Outlook 2003. This was a big change for me since I have been using a PDA with Palm OS for more than a year. The learning curve was a little steep for me, but once I got the hang of the OS it was pretty smooth sailing. The Windows Mobile 2003 Premium OS has a lot of the same feel of Windows OS on my desktop. The start screen has all of the vital information of the PDA in easy read and understand icons. The battery power is easy to follow with the percentage of power left clearly marked, memory icon and remaining memory available is indicated by a number and the storage available is also indicated by an actual amount of storage is available. As I talked about earlier in the review the backlight dimmer control is on this screen.
Software
Preloaded in ROM
HP packed a bunch of software into this PDA above the usual PIM software; Tasks, Voice Recorder, Notes, Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, Pocket Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player 9 (MP3, audio and video streaming), Calculator, Solitaire, Jawbreaker, Inbox, File Explorer, Pictures, Terminal Services Client, VPN Client, Infrared Beaming, Clock, Align Screen, Memory, Volume control, ClearType Tuner. All the previously listed software along with the OS is preloaded into ROM.
A lot of the software that was preloaded by HP is used to support many functions such as the clock and Voice Recording, Inferred Beaming feature. The Solitaire and Jawbreaker games that are included my Microsoft like they include the games with their desktop OS. The game Jawbreaker has become a popular entertainment form for my family and myself. I use the Pocket Excel and Pocket Word on a daily basis for my job and I unlike my Palm OS based PDA these are not viewers that allow you to look at MS Word or Excel documents, but are actual basic or stripped down versions so they can be used on a PDA. I wrote 90% of this review using Pocket Word and it formatted it like my desktop Word program. The Inbox software allows you to sync between MS Outlook 2002 and it brings your contacts and incoming mail in your Outlook Inbox. Pocket Internet Explorer is a great little program also, it allow you to browse the web just like you would from your desktop. The big drawback is that you are using a WiFi interface which will slow down your access time on the web. I had a bit of a struggle trying to get the Windows Media Player 9 for Pocket PC working but with a little help from a couple of people I was able to get the video files in the correct format to play on Microsoft Media Player 9 and the video playback was great. I didn't notice any choppy motion or garbled sound like I expected.
Software on CD
HP included a bunch more software on the included CD and it had to be loaded onto the PDA using the Microsoft ActiveSync 3.7.1 software. The ActiveSync uses a folder similar to My Document folder that you will find on all Microsoft Windows OS to complete the Synchronizing between your computer and the PDA. The Active Sync 3.7.1 Software handles the file conversion between your Windows desktop and Windows Mobile on the PDA. Microsoft included Microsoft(r) Outlook 2002 with it's Windows Mobile 2003 to give you the extra benefit of synchronizing with your Outlook 2003 on your desktop if you are currently using it as your email. Microsoft Reader eBooks is used to enable you to download ebooks from the web and read them on your PDA. The Clearvue Suite (PowerPoint and PDF) software are two great pieces of software that I use regularly in my job; I have created a couple of presentations using MS PowerPoint on my computer and I sync'd them over to my PDA and using the Clearvue Presenter program I was able to view the Presentation as if it was on my desktop. The Personal Dockware is a great piece of software that I really love and I am so glad HP included it in this PDA. The Dockware software turns my iPAQ into a desktop calendar, clock and rotating picture frame and it does this by taking the image files that are stored in the HP Image Zone program you can select which images appear on the screen. Adobe PDF Viewer for Pocket PC, Adobe Reader for PC, Afaria Management, Altiris Express, Flash Player for Pocket PC. Bluetooth(r) Phone Manager, HP ProtectTools powered by Credant,Pocket Informant 5, Pocket Panel Lite.
My Final Thoughts
From the moment I pulled it out the box I knew that this was going to be the perfect PDA for me. After waiting for what seemed like for ever for the battery to charge I was finally able to power it on and see it for myself. The screen was the first thing I noticed and it truly blew me away. It was so much better than the Palm Tungsten E that I was given to replace my Palm Zire 21 at work. The 4" TFT screen (same type of screen in a laptop) and the ultra high resolution (480x600dpi) for a PDA combined to provide a great looking screen.
With all of the features that HP packed into this PDA I can understand why the price was so steep ($649.00) and I say it would be well worth every penny. The only thing that IO can think of that they didn't include was a built in camera, but I didn't need one so I didn't miss it. But I think the quality of the screen enhances your viewing of pictures and video's that you might sync over from your computer or pull of a SD or CF memory card. I tested a MS PowerPoint presentation that I made the other day and it looked great on the screen.
I have to mention a couple of negative points that I found since using this PDA for the past several weeks; the battery life isn't exactly something to write home to Mom about and the flip open cover that HP included only covers the 4" screen and it leaves the quick launch buttons and speaker uncovered. I would like to have seen HP include a cover that covers the entire front face of the PDA. As I mentioned the battery life isn't all that great and after I conducted a test to see exactly how long the battery actually does last I was a bit shocked. I decided to leave the power cord out the sync cradle and leave the PDA in it while the screen was at full intensity and the WiFi interface was enabled just to see how long it would last. The charge started at 100% and only lasted 3 hours and 15 minutes before I got a warning saying that the main battery was low and needs to be charged to avoid data loss. I guess it is a good thing that I follow HP's advice and it sitting in the cradle charging when I am not away from my desk. HP does offer a solution to the limited battery life and it is a double capacity battery that can be purchased as an option from HP. I am not sure on the cost since I really don't need it.
I would say other than those two negative points I would give this nearly perfect marks in all aspects. I have tried out most of the features and software that was packaged with it and I even downloaded a couple of programs off the web. It was a very easy procedure for downloading and installing the programs as long as you follow the simple instructions.
I would whole heartedly recommend this PDA to everyone looking to replace an older model or looking for a feature packed PDA for their very first one. I have to warn you that it isn't a lightweight or tiny PDA by any stretch of the imagination, but it is sturdy and loaded with features that will satisfy even the most hardcore handheld user.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): gift Recommended for: Business Executives - Powerful and Professional
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.