A Terrific Writing Machine
Written: Jul 24 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Compact, great keyboard, versatile, compact flash capability, inexpensive
Cons: Battery life, old operating system
The Bottom Line: It’s lightweight, compact, easy to use, and best of all, if you lose it or it gets stolen on the road, you’re not out all that much. Highly recommended.
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| mmryther's Full Review: NEC MobilePro 780 Pocket PC |
First off, this review is based solely on my experience as a writer with the NEC MobilePro 780. Ever on the lookout for the perfect portable writing machine, the 780 caught my eye (on eBay) because of its small size, nearly full-sized keyboard, MS-Word compatibility, and low cost. I decided to take the plunge and snagged an excellent-condition MobilePro 780 for $125.00. I wasn't disappointed.
The MobilePro 780 comes pre-loaded with Windows CE Professional Edition, which includes CE versions of Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint. My machine, and I would assume most others, also had pocket versions of Outlook, a fax program, a backup program, and cool accessories like a voice recorder and, of course, solitaire.
I have no doubt the other programs work just fine, but the only one I've really used extensively is Pocket Word. It's terrific. If you've used any version of Word on a desktop computer, you'll be right at home on the MobilePro's version. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the the full-fledged version, but it's more than enough for writing on the road. It allows you to change fonts and type size, format paragraphs, cut, copy, paste, etc.
It's also possible to have multiple documents open at once and access them quickly with a simple touch of the stylus. This is invaluable for me, as I like to go back and forth between drafts, notes, and various projects. The one complaint I had with Pocket Word when I first tried it was the lack of a word count feature, but I found one in a piece of software called Windows CE Plus! It's downloadable for free, and now installed, it works great. It sits in the system tray for quick, one-touch results.
One of the best features of the MobilePro is the instant on, instant off function. There is no boot-up time as there is with a conventional laptop. Press the On button and you'll be taken to where you last left off. Press the Off button and the MobilePro will flash-save your work until your next session.
Transferring documents back and forth between my desktop PC and the MobilePro has been a breeze, even for technically-challenged me. The 780 comes with a serial cable (which was fine, as all my USB ports are used up), one end of which goes to your computer and the other to the MobilePro. As soon as you plug it in, ActiveSync begins, which updates all the work you've put in a special synchronization folder. Changes, whether made on the desktop or the MobilePro, are found and made in a matter of seconds.
If you prefer to be cable free, the MobilePro, unlike most other PDAs currently out there, accomodates a compact flash card. This is a fast, efficient way to save and transfer documents, and if you already have some of these cards around from using a digital camera, you’ve got a cost-saving way of adding more storage to your MobilePro.
Downloading additional software (as I had to do for a word count program) doesn't seem to be a problem either. The biggest problem is finding the right software to run on the rather old-in-the-tooth Windows CE OS. There are plenty of programs still out there, however, and can be found by running a Google search.
The MobilePro's screen is remarkably sharp. Brightness controls are located on the upper row of keys, and the backlight works great for low-light conditions. Like all laptop screens, however, it's basically useless in sunlight no matter how much you fine tune the controls.
The keyboard is, in my opinion, one of the MobilePro's star features. The keys are 92 percent the size of a normal keyboard, which shouldn't present anyone but the biggest hulking gorilla with a problem touch typing. I absolutely love the keyboard. My fingers fly over the keys as effortlessly as any full-sized keyboard; the keys have a nice, responsive, tactile touch to them; and even going at full speed, the keyboard is quiet enough to type with in hushed library or boardroom conditions.
As a writer who hates to be tethered to my desktop, I love the freedom the MobilePro gives me to write anywhere, anytime (except out in the direct sunshine). My favorite place (okay, call me lazy) is my living room recliner. The MobilePro nestles nicely in my lap, although it works a little better if I place it on my padholder on my lap. I haven't had the chance to use it on a plane yet, but I imagine it would work great on those little pull-down trays.
As good as the MobilePro is, it is, alas, not perfect. If I could change one thing about it, I would enhance the battery life. The battery lasts approximately 4-6 hours, even though it's advertised as lasting 8-10. Now maybe it's just that my battery is old, since I bought a used machine. And I know I use the backlight a lot, which shortens the battery life. (Plus, I previously used an AlphaSmart 300 word processor and was used to that unit's incredible 700 hours of juice!) Still, it would be nice not to have to recharge the MobilePro so much, since that takes it out of circulation for about four hours. (There is an AC adapter included. Note to self: use it more!)
All in all, this is a great machine for any writer, student, researcher, or the mobile professional who needs a minimum of computing power without the hassle of lugging a laptop.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 125.00
Recommended for: Students - Stylish and a Best Value
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Epinions.com ID:
mmryther
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Reviews written: 21
Trusted by: 1 member
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