As a PDA, the h6365 is hands-down effective. Aside from being able to satisfy our whims and demands, it was even able to surpass everything we expected from it. Contact? Check. Reminders? Check. Appointments? Check. MP3 player? Check. Digital camera? Check. Removable, snap-on QWERTY keyboard? Check. How about migrating from a Palm-based environment? Check. Can you take the entire office with you? Defintely. (Definitely not happy to have done so, and where’s that leggy secretary?) Finally, the h6365 also has the now-familiar Windows “look-and-feel”.

The geniuses over at HP’s laboratory didn’t stop there. They thought of achieving yet another milestone. Presented in the guise of the h6365 is the first handheld from any company to offer tri-radio capability, allowing its users three wireless data options: IrDA, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. We had no trouble pairing the iPaq with Bluetooth devices, and it proved to be a valuable tool in sniffing out Wi-Fi hotspots (especially free ones).

Although the h6365 is a tad heavier and bigger than your run of the mill Palm or Pocket PC device, its added heft is just a reminder of how capable a device it is. Its aluminum body and rubber side grips make the iPAQ both pleasing to the eyes and safe from accidental (and expensive) slips. The small rubber antenna in our opinion is a good aesthetic touch as well as a good segue to the next topic.

The h6365 is a converged device, integrating a quad-band GSM/GPRS mobile phone (GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, GPRS Class B multi slot class 10) with a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) based on Microsoft’s Windows Mobile Pocket PC Phone Edition plataform. In addition to the WAN (wide area network) capabilities, it also includes personal area networking based on Bluetooth, and local area networking based on wireless LAN (802.11b). The device runs on a Texas Instruments OMAP1510 chipset. Texas Instruments presented a PDA platform integrating the three types of networking standards a while ago, called Wanda. It seems the h6365 is a successful implementation of this concept. It supports network services like Multiparty Calling Line Identity, Call Waiting and Call Hold. The Pocket Inbox software supports SMS and MMS (both ways).

With regards to its wireless performance, we did encounter some problems getting the h6365 to talk to a home wireless network. In some instances it’d seamlessly work, while at other times it’d search around blankly for a network to connect to. To its credit, it’s easy enough to work out when different connectivity modes are in play; the h6365 ships with an integrated wireless configuration utility (iPAQ Wireless) that makes configuration easy. Different coloured indicators on the top left hand side of the phone indicate phone, Bluetooth and wireless activity, with discrete lights for connected or disconnected status.

In PDA terms, the iPAQ h6365 does what most other iPAQs do, albeit that this one is running Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC Phone Edition, rather than the standard Pocket PC OS. It’s laid out a little differently than most PDAs — with the most notable difference being the SD/MMC card being on the side of the unit, rather than the top — but with a total of 55MB of user-accessible memory, and the usual suite of Microsoft software on board, it’s a perfectly capable unit.

Unlike the competing Sony VAIO VGN-U50, the OQO Model 01 has a built-in keyboard and a TrakStik–a small, rubbery joystick that controls the cursor–neatly hidden under a slide-up screen. Though the keys are quite small, the OQO’s keyboard is easy to use. You won’t be able to type with both hands, as you would with a normal-size keyboard, but thumb typing on it isn’t too hard, and there’s even a numeric keypad, something you don’t see on most tiny keyboards. The TrakStik is placed to the right of the keyboard, and buttons for left- and right-click are on the left; switching between typing and mousing is easy. There’s also a handy wheel on the bottom of the unit to scroll through Web pages or to switch applications. When the screen is slid down, you can still use the machine by navigating the screen with the included stylus.

The device is based on a 1GHz Transmeta processor and has a 20GB hard disk. While this setup offers enough power for most business apps, it’s at the very low end of the general computing performance scale and will likely frustrate people expecting desktop-level responsiveness and storage capacity. The built-in 5-inch transflective screen has an 800×480 native resolution–again, impressive in a device this size but insufficient for most serious computing tasks (and slightly lower than the Sony VAIO U50′s 800×600 native resolution). If you’re using the OQO Model 01 at your desk, you’d be better off using the included dock with an external keyboard, monitor, and speakers (the machine has no external speaker, just a headphone jack). The docking solution uses an unusual cable with a handful of ports (Ethernet, FireWire, video, USB, audio, and AC power input) spaced out along it.

Make no mistake, the OQO model 01 is one of the most impressive technological feats of the decade. OQO spent five years developing this handheld computer, and likely it took every day to fit a PC into a device the size of a large PDA. The model 01, currently the only OQO model, runs Windows XP Home Edition rather than a PDA operating system, yet it will fit easily in a purse, brief case or roomy pocket. At 4.9 x 3.4 x .9 inches, the device isn’t much larger than large Pocket PC and Palm models such as the Palm LifeDrive and HP iPAQ hx4700, though it is heavier at 14 ounces. For those who must have full blown Windows on the go in a tiny package, the nearly $2,000 OQO might prove indispensable. Since Windows XP wasn’t designed for use in such a small format, usability does suffer, and we’ll talk more about that later.

The OQO, and other new “handtops” coming this year from Sony and FlipStart (a Paul Allen venture), aim to give you the best of both worlds: a full Windows XP computer in a package not much larger than a PDA. Obviously the screen is going to be small, and you won’t fit an optical drive in there, but the second-generation OQO model 01+ has pretty much everything else, including Wi-Fi 802.11b, Bluetooth 1.1, USB 2.0, and FireWire. You can even attach an external monitor and keyboard for desktop use.

So what’s the catch? The original OQO model 01 was criticized for lapses like poor performance, a dim screen, and short battery life. The 01+ still has the same basic issues, although it is much improved, with double the RAM, a 50 percent larger hard disk, USB 2.0, and new features like an internal speaker and screen rotation. The bottom line, however, is that if you need a highly portable solution with full Windows XP support, the OQO is the only game in town, at least until the competition ramps up.

The model 01 looks elegant in its bronze colored metal casing and has a minimalist design. It’s a basic rectangle with the 4″ display taking up most of the front face. The OQO logo, power button and mic holes are the display’s only companions on the front face. The docking connectors (3, all of which plug into the cable’s end, and the far left port doubles as the charging connector) are on the bottom left edge, and the multifunction jog wheel and USB port are on the bottom right. The 4 pin unpowered FireWire port is on the left side and the standard 3.5mm headphone jack is on the right. The back of the computer is finished in matching bronze and has a battery charge indicator, as the entire back plate actually is the removable battery! The unit feels good in reasonably large hands, though it does run hot.
We are in the era of the slider: sliding feature phones, sliding smart phones and PDAs. Even the OQO has a slider: the display slides up to reveal a large QWERTY thumb keyboard. This membrane keyboard is surprisingly easy to use with good key spacing and an intelligent layout that didn’t send us hunting for commonly used keys. There’s even a separate number pad on the right, though the numbers are ordered in cell phone rather than PC keyboard fashion (1 at the top left, 9 at the bottom right). Toward the right side of the keyboard you’ll find the ever-maligned eraser stick pointer, made famous or infamous by the IBM ThinkPad notebooks. I’m no fan of the erase stick in general, but I must say that it does work well on the OQO and reduces space requirements considerably (where would you fit a touch pad?). On the far left, you’ll find a right click and left click mouse button which also work reasonably well.

Hardware Specs

Processor: 1GHz Transmeta Crusoe TM5800
Memory: 512MB DDR RAM
Hard disk: 30GB hard drive (shock-mounted)
Display: 800 x 480 W-VGA 5″ transflective display (indoor/outdoor readable), 3D accelerated graphics with 8MB of video RAM
Communication: 802.11b wireless, Bluetooth wireless
Expansion: 4-pin FireWire (1394), USB 2.0
Audio: 3.5mm stereo headphone jack, Microphone, Speaker
Dimensions: 4.9″ x 3.4″ x 0.9″
Weight: 14 ounces
Power: Removable lithium polymer battery (Battery life up to three hours, depending on usage)

Package Contents

OQO Model 01+ Ultra Personal Computer
Universal power supply (air/auto adapters included)
Docking cable
Desktop stand
Digital pen
Carrying sleeve
Windows XP Pro (with Service Pack 2) reinstallation CD
Start guide

The 7750 from Blackberry is the perfect PDA for mobile professionals, managing and synching your schedule, contacts and communications. A push-based wireless architecture delivers messages in real-time as if you’re sitting at your desk. There’s also HTML web browsing and wireless integration with multiple existing email accounts. Keep tabs on business on the large vivid color screen and communicate easily on the backlit full QWERTY keypad. The 7750 is a marvel for the mobile professional set.

Providing the convenience of a wireless phone and the tools found in a stand alone handheld, the BlackBerry 7750 provides mobile workers with an effective tool for managing their appointments, contacts and communication with co-workers and clients.

The BlackBerry 7750 unit I received for review came with travel electrical adapters, swivel holster, a cradle for charging and synching the unit and a handsfree headset. The headset gave me a bit of frustration as the ear piece is the type that fits in the ear and the mic was integrated in the cable. I had a hard time keeping the mic clipped anywhere, as the clip itself would come quite easily.

Headset aside, when using the phone capability I was impressed with the quality of the call, it didn’t sound like a handheld phone. People I spoke with could not tell I wasn’t using a landline phone. I was able to hear clearly with no distortion or other interferences sometimes encountered by wireless or cellular phones.

The BlackBerry doesn’t come with a lot of extra or unnecessary software, you get email, browsing and PIM software which can be integrated with existing programs.

While it won’t fit into small pockets, the included swivel holster holds it securely and can be clipped to a belt or inside a briefcase or laptop case. While in the holster, mobile users still have access to all functions.

Overall I was very pleased with the BlackBerry and would consider it when looking at a converged mobile device.

An extraordinary mobile phone we had the chance to review is the RIM BlackBerry 7750, a phone that was conceived to compete the mobile phone market. Launched around 01/4/2004 the BlackBerry 7750 functions under the networks CDMA 800 / 1900. Having a dimension of only 121 x 77 x 18 mm and having a weight of only 142 g, this phone is just the perfect size. This phone arrives with a 960 mAh Li-Ion battery, enabling a talk time of 3.30 hours and gives in standby 192 hours. Its engineers included a 14 MB memory, enough for your daily tasks! The large screen lets installation of wallpapers of 240 x 240 px.

The Qool QDA-700 is built on the Palm OS Garnet operating system. It is a tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900mhz) smartphone targeted at the consumer market. The Qool QDA-700 comes with rich multimedia features including a 1.3-megapixel camera, a high-resolution, 2.8-inch color display, 802.11 SDIO support, MP3 player and MEPG4 video capture and playback capabilities. It is actually the world’s first Palm OS® smartphone to include a 1.3-megapixel camera.
With all of the news about the Palm OS platform lately, I had been one to think  the platform was heading towards a niche end with Palm taking its popular Treo model and placing the operating system with Windows Mobile. I am not one who thought that as a platform the Palm OS had any place at all left to go; but to stay on the remaining devices owned by a shrinking user base. And then I was asked if I wanted to do the review for the Qool QDA-700. It is a Palm OS feature phone (not smartphone, I will explain that) and despite some of its rough edges, represents where PalmSource had been talking about taking the platform, and where I can see it being successful.

The Qool QDA-700 is a Palm OS feature phone. Unlike the smartphone Treo, which is primarily a data communicator and phone, the QDA-700 does not espouse to be anything more than a phone that uses the Palm OS to do some neat functions here and there. If you will, the feature side of things is the fact that it has a nice camera (with photo managing capabilities), MP3 player, and games that are a little better than those of many mobile phones.

In my time with the QDA-700, I tried to use it in place of my Treo 600 for all of my day-to-day activities. And within this review, my evaluation of the QDA-700 will be both as how it relates to my usage patterns (which may or may not closely follow yours) as well as some features that many reviews normally cover. I will also directly look at the QDA-700 as it compares to my Treo 600. And then finally, where the Palm OS platform can take lessons from this and the Treo to really be a successful feature phone platform.

The Qool QDA-700 comes with rich multimedia features including a 1.3-megapixel camera, a high-resolution, 2.8-inch color display, 802.11 SDIO support, MP3 player and MEPG4 video capture and playback capabilities. In addition, the device is bundled with productivity applications such as Documents-to-Go and PalmSource Mail, designed to appeal to “prosumer” and business customers. The smartphone will be launched across multiple markets in Asia and Europe in November 2004.
 
“We are very excited about the launch of the Qool QDA-700 based on Palm OS®,” said KH Lim, CEO of Qool Labs. “We are honored to work with PiTech, one of the best technology companies in the industry.”
 
“The launch of the Qool QDA-700 validates PalmSource’s efforts in working with ODM partners and their customers to bring cutting-edge smartphones to market,” said Gabi Schindler, senior vice president of worldwide marketing at PalmSource™. “We look forward to working with our ODM partners and channel distributors to expand the reach of Palm Powered™ smart mobile devices into new markets across the globe.”
 
“We are thrilled to be working with Qool Labs and PalmSource in launching the first Palm Powered smartphone with 1.3-megapixel camera,” said Lyon Lau, executive director of business development, Portable Innovation Technology. “The Qool QDA-700 is the ultimate Palm Powered smartphone thanks to its robust multimedia capabilities and comprehensive business applications.”

There has been great despair in the Palm camp as of the release of the Tungsten T5 (with good reason). Mauricio took advantage of this and threw me one of the new iPAQs to review, since I’m a Palm user for a while now – trying to convince me to change?

The HP iPAQ rz1710 is the replacement for the 1900 series, a low end, basic Pocket PC with enough grunt for basic users and a price to match (~NZ$400). But can it live up to the quality of its predecessors?

As with all the new iPAQs, HP has dropped the smooth rounded edges of its predecessors and have a new, harder look. It is not unattractive, but I’m far from convinced it’s an improvement. Nevertheless, it is conformable to hold and fits nicely in a pocket, being about the same size as the h4150. The plastic case makes it significantly lighter than my Tungsten T3, coming in at about 120g, although it does feel a little ‘cheap’. The controls are a little small and there is little tactile distinction between them, but have good feedback, and the directional-pad is comfortable and easy to use. As with most low-end devices there is no cradle supplied. Instead it comes with a USB cable and a charging adapter.

On the bad side, the stylus is a cheap plastic stick, functional but no more. And HP don’t provide you with any form of case or screen cover, so unless you’re keen on viewing a field of scratches you better invest in some sort of protection before throwing it in your pocket.

There’s no Bluetooth or WiFi, the processor is a slow 203Mhz Samsung and the memory is a very lacklustre 32Mb RAM, of which 27Mb is theoretically accessible. It gets worse however – after a hard reset only 16MB remains for use. There’s also a 10Mb flash drive, but that won’t save you from having to buy an SD card. And the SD card slot has no door, but instead is supplied with a plastic filler card, as found in the Tungsten T1/2.

The iPAQ rz1710 was one of the first handhelds from Hewlett-Packard not to be squarely aimed at professionals when it appeared a little over a year ago. It was very much an entry-level device, and although available at an attractive price, HP had clearly cut some corners to achieve this. The device has recently been given a new lease of life, and more relevance to businesses, by being issued with everything needed for navigation — a GPS receiver, navigation software and car attachments.

The rz1710 itself is a regular-sized and fairly lightweight Pocket PC. At just 120g it feels comfortable in the hand, while its 7cm width by 11.4cm height by 1.3cm depth won’t cause any trouble in a pocket or bag.

The hardware design is minimalist, with the rz1710’s black and silver casing unadorned by side buttons, scroll wheels or sliders. The only buttons are a power switch on the upper edge and four application shortcuts and a round navigation pad beneath the screen. Faint markings on the navigation pad and its central select button are a clue that these can be used to manipulate Windows Media Player (version 9).

The navigation side of the kit comes in two parts. Kirrio provides the car-mounting kit, GPS receiver and cigarette lighter power adapter, while Via Michelin supplies the navigation software.

The car attachment is sturdy and effective but somewhat bulky. It fixes to the car window or dashboard using a sucker mechanism and swivels in three planes, enabling precise positioning. It has a built-in speaker, too, which makes up for the relatively low volume of the rz1710 itself.

Unfortunately, the GPS receiver attaches to the car mount rather than the handheld, which means you can only use the navigation software in your vehicle. And since the rz1710 doesn’t have Bluetooth built in, you can’t substitute another GSP receiver for ex-vehicle navigation.