There's no doubt that the Compaq iPAQ 3600 series occupy that rare class of gadgets that are noticeable for being eye-catching and fashionable as well as functional. Even if you don't regularly shuttle between nations in a private company jet, using the sleek metal device may make you feel like a high-powered executive (or at the very least, make other people think you are). The most striking feature of the iPAQ is its bright, crisp colour screen. We were a little surprised to discover that it only displays 4,096 colours (compared to colour offerings from Palm and Handspring, for example, which display up to 65,536 colours). While the colour quality is fine for everyday use, photos can appear somewhat grainy or posterised.
Other hardware notables include a headphone jack for listening to digital music, an infrared port for beaming data to other similarly equipped devices, and a voice recorder for capturing your ideas while in traffic. The unit is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that performed acceptably considering the colour display. A connection port at the bottom accommodates extension packs that can read CompactFlash media, PC Cards, and other peripherals.
In terms of storage and software, the iPAQ is a modern workhorse. It has 32 MB of RAM for storing large media files like MP3s and movie or animation clips, plus 16 MB of ROM that houses the included applications. These include the Microsoft Windows CE 3.0 operating system, Pocket PC versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, Money, Windows Media Player, and Reader as well as applications like a calendar, contact list, task list, and notes.
The iPAQ accepts data using a handwriting recognition system that was surprisingly tolerant of our scribbled notes--we encountered problems mainly with two-stroke letters like t, i, and k. An onscreen keyboard comes in handy in these situations, or you can use the "inking" feature to write directly on the screen, followed by a Recognise command that translates the writing into letters.
This isn't to say that the iPAQ is perfect, however. Many aspects of Windows CE 3.0 drove us crazy, like the irrational choice to put the program menus at the bottom of the screen and present them so they don't appear to be menus at all. Another quirk is the iPAQ's Navigator, a large four-direction button below the screen that can be used to scroll through selections. Looking at the QStart screen (an icon view of most of the programs), you can highlight different icons using the Navigator. However, counterintuitively, you have to push up and down on the Navigator to highlight objects to the left and right, respectively.
The iPAQ interfaces with Windows-based PCs using Microsoft's ActiveSync 3.1 software (which also includes a full version of Outlook 2000). The synchronization process is pretty efficient, and lets you browse the contents of the iPAQ from your desktop. The iPAQ 3600 series is the closest device we've seen that (mostly) intelligently packs the capabilities of a full-size PC into a handheld. --Nelson Finn
Offering the ultimate in flexibility, Compaq designed the iPAQ Pocket PC to meet the needs of today's active lifestyles - at work and home. The jacket concept allows customers to use one base unit and transform it into different devices. For example, the jacket system will in the future allow the functionality of a PDA, pager and mobile phone to be combined into one powerful pocket-sized device. Combined with the customisable jacket strategy, the iPAQ Pocket PC is the most innovative handheld product in the industry.
