Amazon.co.uk Review
Windows-based PDAs have long fought an uphill battle. Users have flocked to the highly functional Psion and Palm Connected Organizers and tended to ignore the more powerful, more expensive, and bigger Windows PDAs. The release of the new HP Jornada 548, the first among the new Pocket PC devices to hit the market, may finally turn this around. The Jornada is still a bit bigger, about 5 ounces heavier, and more expensive than the Palm Vx. But it is sleek, robust, highly functional, and the colour screen is beautifully sharp. The "wow" factor is definitely there.
The Pocket PC OS is also responsive and well thought out--a big improvement over earlier incarnations of WinCE. In addition to the suite of powerful pocket applications (Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, PIM, and Scheduler), the Jornada can also serve as a digital voice recorder (to capture those spur-of-the-moment thoughts), an MP3 player, audible content player, and even an e-books reader.
The standard 32 MB memory is expandable using standard CompactFlash Type I cards. The product ships with a synchronisation cradle (which supports USB or conventional serial interfaces), an extra sync cable (so you don't have to take the cradle everywhere), an AC power adapter and a set of earphones. A microphone and a small speaker are built in. For MP3 use, we recommend expanding your RAM to 64 MB with a CompactFlash card to provide an hour of near-CD-quality music.
Most Windows users should be able to run through the setup wizard and start using the Jornada and its applications without opening the manual. Learning to use handwriting recognition, which is integrated into all the applications, requires mastering a few special stylus strokes, but you should be writing smoothly within half an hour. In comparison with Palm's Graffiti system, the Pocket PC system is fully on par.
In our tests, setting up a connection to a desktop PC for synchronisation was simple. Within 20 minutes, the ActiveSync software was installed, the supplied cradle was hooked up to the AC adapter and a USB port on the PC, and a connection was established. If you have an older PC or laptop, you can also synchronise using a slower serial connection. Synchronisation is automatic and file transfer is simple using the Windows Explorer-like interface.
The only real caveat is that Pocket PC works best in a Windows-centric world. At launch, it appears that there is no support for synchronising with non-Microsoft e-mail and scheduling applications. (With an optional modem or network-interface card, you can send and receive Internet POP mail directly via your ISP.)
The choice between Pocket PC and Palm still comes down to trade-offs. Palms are still lighter, smaller and cheaper, and they do the basics beautifully. The Jornada 548 is slightly bigger, 5 ounces heavier, more expensive, but vastly more powerful and flexible. The choice all depends on what you expect your PDA to do. --Thomas Mace
Manufacturer's Description
As a busy professional, you know every day can be a challenge. Meetings, appointments, projects, and deadlines - sometimes it's hard keeping it all together. But now there's something that can help you handle it all with ease - the HP Jornada 540 Series Color Pocket PC. It has everything you need to gracefully juggle the details - and have fun while you're doing it. All in a slim, lightweight PC companion that's a perfect fit for your lifestyle. And, with its strong enterprise manageability and security features, a perfect fit for your corporate environment!Synchronize with your desktop PC at the touch of a button. Then carry and access your contacts, tasks, calendars, memos, and e-mail anywhere. Even view e-mail attachment files. Review and act on your e-mail - including your AOL e-mail - and surf the Web. Send instant messages to online friends and stay up-to-date with the latest news, sports scores, and stock information. When you're ready to do more, add a third-party modem card or wireless accessory using the CompactFlash expansion slot. Efficiently review and revise your documents and spreadsheets using familiar pocket versions of Word and Excel. Download digital music, images, and other multimedia files from your desktop PC with the serial cable. Instantly find the information you need with quick launch screen icons. And quickly capture your thoughts with the built-in voice recorder. Listen to your favorite audiobooks and articles from leading newspapers and magazines. Hear popular MP3 and WMA music and compile your own digital music playlist. Read best-selling e-books. Even create a digital photo album to share with friends. With the stereo-quality audio system and unique, vertically aligned pixel color screen, you can listen, read, and relax in comfort. Designed to fit the way you live, the slim HP Jornada features a rubber protection strip to make it easy to grip and carry anywhere. Its elegant alloy casing allows you to project style and professionalism in any environment, while its sleek metal cover provides durability and protects the screen from scratches. You can also personalize it to fit your needs with a variety of accessories.
