Take the Internet with you wherever you go. The iPAQ Pocket PC fits comfortably in your pocket and allows you to read your e-mail, play digital audio and manage your schedule while you are on the go. Leave the desktop behind and take the Internet and important information with you. Synchronize with your desktop PC to read e-mail, view attachments and stay productive anywhere. The advanced technology of this ultra-thin, ultra-light device recognizes your handwriting and offers soft keyboard controls for easy data input. And the high-resolution color display gives you easy screen viewing and sharp, brilliant clarity in any light.
There's no doubt that the Compaq iPAQ 3600 series occupy that rare class of gadgets that's 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 color screen. We were a little surprised to discover that it only displays 4,096 colors (compared to color offerings from Palm and Handspring, for example, which display up to 65,536 colors). While the color quality is fine for everyday use, photos can appear somewhat grainy or posterized.
Other hardware notables include a headphone jack for listening to digital music (or even just the built-in alert sounds, which are the best we've heard on any device), an infrared port for beaming data to other similarly equipped Pocket PCs, and a voice recorder for capturing your ideas while in traffic. The unit is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that performed acceptably for a color display. A connection port at the bottom accommodates extension packs that can read CompactFlash media, PC Cards, and other peripherals (or just brightly colored jackets for expressing your fashion sense).
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 Recognize command that translates the writing into letters. Although inking seemed to lag slightly behind the stylus as we wrote, it picked up 80 to 95 percent of the 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. Pushing the center of the Navigator acts like the Enter key on a computer keyboard, taking you to the selected program or file.
The iPAQ interfaces with Windows-based PCs (sorry, Macintosh users) 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. However, it took three PCs running three flavors of Windows and three ActiveSync installs before we were able to get the computer to recognize the iPAQ.
It's worth noting that the glitches we ran into were more interface annoyances that are probably easy to adapt to (though we'd rather have software engineers bend to users' needs). 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
Pros:
- Good color screen
- Easy transfer of Word and Excel files between PC and handheld
- Good handwriting recognition
- Expansion jackets provide for more memory and peripherals
Cons:
- Awkward Windows CE interface
- ActiveSync synchronization software can be flaky
The iPAQ 3635 features Compaq's color Pocket PC plus a CompactFlash expansion sleeve that allows you to add extra memory or optional modules such as a wireless modem. Compaq's iPAQ Pocket PC combines a real Intel processor, new hardware, and a sleek industrial design that fits in your hand to create a powerful and stylish PDA you can take anywhere.
The iPAQ offers 32 MB of RAM and 16 MB of ROM--enough memory to hold a robust package of applications while leaving you a lot of room for your own applications. The color TFT screen produces 4,086 colors, and you can view the screen from many angles and in a variety of lighting situations.
Other highlights of the Compaq iPAQ include a microphone and a speaker as well as an audio-in jack. It features an infrared port for wireless data transfer. The Compaq iPAQ uses five buttons plus a five-way joystick. The iPAQ connects to either USB or serial ports. The iPAQ allows you to input data in your own handwriting, by soft keyboard, by voice recorder, or through linking. Both audible and visual alarms alert you when you have a scheduled event.
At 5.11 by 3.28 by 0.62 inches, and weighing 6.3 ounces, the iPAQ is sporty and small, fitting in your hand or sliding into your pocket with ease. Don't let the size fool you into thinking you don't get many applications with your iPAQ. You receive a great deal of Microsoft software, such as Pocket versions of Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, and Outlook, as well as the full desktop version of Outlook 2000. Compaq has also built in utilities so that frequent actions--such as switching between tasks, adjusting volume, or changing backlighting--are only a click away.
Compaq offers a one-year warranty on parts and labor for the iPAQ.
What's in the box
- iPAQ 3635
- CompactFlash expansion sleeve
- 950 mAh Lithium Polymer battery
- Two styli
- Vinyl slipcase
- AC adapter
- User manual
1 USE IT, LOVE IT
I have had my Pocket PC for quite some time now, and I love the convenience that it offers.
Plus:
- Great color screen
- Fast and easy to use.
- Cradle adaptor is nice so you can able to sync files from pc to pocket pc.
- Includes Word, Notes, Calender, Calculator, Recorder, Window Media Player, etc... (HELPFUL)
- Expandable
Con
- Although it is expandable, you can't use your memory card to do anything but save materials. I am unable to listen to 256 mb songs... but i have to copy and paste song from the card to the pc every time I get sick of listening to the same song.
- Low battery life!
Other than that... it is great... user-friendly... and helpful if you are busy student or a college student...
I use it to:
1) types notes in class (why carry a laptop when you can get this)
2) MP3 player... besides the issue above, music quality is great... easy to transfer from pc to pocket pc.
3) calender and agenda... (keep important dates in check and be on tops of things)
2 hard to read the screen
This is a good value, but the screen is very difficult to read in less than perfect lighting conditions. Under bright flourescent lights in the office, it is fine. The rest of the time, though, I have a heck of a time with it. The internal memory also isn't really big enough to store MP3s. I decided to go back to paper and pen.
3 Why I still like this PDA, continued
I found out the way to copy photos from my CompactFlash card onto the iPAQ. It's not hard but more complex than necessary. I also found out how to send the iPAQ in to have its screen replaced. A hassle. Its screen and/or stylus should work together so they don't produce scratches in the first place.
4 Why I still like this PDA
I bought this model in 2001 and still use it every day. It is reliable and has lots of software built in. I've added List Pro and Pocket Quicken. The only problems I've had are that the screen has gotten badly scratched, and I can't get the Compact Flash Jacket to read my digital photos.
5 Do whatever you could need...
I bought this pda, and it have all what I need, I can read ebooks, schedule my time, manage my contacts, listen to mp3, connect to internet (With the targus modem that I bought).
The only problem that I found If I can call that a problem is that is monochromatic...., well, If we go deep this is not a problem, but when compared with the other ones that are in color..., well.., you say........, anyway..., if youre thinking in buying this pda, it's a good deal !
6 Nice product!!!!!!
Whit the compac Ipac H3635 you can do job in word, excell, download MP3 music and send and recieve mail wireless also itt has a brillant and brigth screen that permit see everything in the darkness.
I dislike one thing it needs be charged each 3 days to recharge the battery.
7 An affordable hi-tech gadget
I owned it for 7 months but decided to switch to Diamond Mako.
The major reason was the unstable OS made by the software monster called "Microsoft".
I wonder how they write such garbage and sell it for that much money... Without it, the price of all the PocketPC based PDAs will go down a lot!
Pros;
- Reasonable price
- The fastest processor that MS PocketPC supports as of Jan, 2003
- Sleek and slim design
- Good audio quality
- Variety of expansions possible
Cons;
- Monochrome, but what do you expect for the price?
- Gets bulky with any expansion pack
- Unstable operating system... Let's blame Microsoft for it.
8 Sadly, mine has a Memory Stacking Error, Causing it to Crash
I loved this device when I first got it.
Alas, it has developed (1 month past warranty, of course)
a memory stack and usage error, such that the entire
program memory slowly gets filled, even when all programs
are shut down. Eventually, it runs out of memory, and the
machine crashes, requiring the machine to be reset. It is
entirely unrelated to any add-ins running (I uninstalled
them all). Honestly, I can't tell if this is an iPAQ error
or a Microsoft operating system error (it is vaguely reminiscent
of an Excel error a few years back), but it makes no difference
to me, as the result is the same. I am off to buy a Sharp Zaurux (w/ Linux and a keyboard), to ensure this never happens again.
9 Compaq 3135
Here are the features that did not work right out of the box:
1. Power. It will not accept a charge. I left it plugged in, turned off, for 72 hours and the little amber light blinked all the while. When I unplugged it and tried to turn it on, the device was dead. I've tried many variations on that routine, all with the same result. It will work only while plugged into a wall socket.I've searched the documenation, thinking maybe there's another part needed. I found no answers. It's certainly not portable in this condition.
2. Connectivity. The USB hookup is extremely unreliable. I can get it to hold for only a few seconds at a time. It is impossible to synchronize it with either the desk top computer or with an on-line source such as Audible.com.
3. Memory. I tried 16MB, 64MB, 128MB. The device would recognize none of them.
4. Documentation. The help files on the CD are useless. They address none of the issues the device's defects have raised.
That's about it. It's very shiny.
10 this is a good product
first of all I encourage anyone to buy this product ive had it for a month now and its been working great. the only draw back is that the screen cant be seen at certain angles clearly. I am a student and i use this to write my papers on and take notes it keeps me organized i love it. all of the programs on here help alot and with cradle i print out my projects or finish them up at home. this has been a real time saver. i recomend this to anyone that wants a better way to be organized. especially students
11 Power for the buck
I started out using both the Palm V and the Palm IIIxe. Both didn't provide me with enough memory to allow me to utilize them as a "one stop organizer" for my information. I bought the iPAQ 3150 as a "steal" of a deal. I enhanced it's capability for storage by buying a 256mb CF card for it. I sync it with my Outlook email/contacts/notes etc. But the fun of having it comes when I use Pocket Streets for Maps on trips, MS Reader for books I can read when I commute back and forth on the train daily, AND I've downloaded over 100 songs using MediaPlayer and I my iPAQ is with me daily at the gym for my "musical" motivation. It's better than a CD player because there is NO concern for music "skipping". I never had concerns about color versus monochrome because I started out with the Palm monochrome. The benefit of having the monochrome version for me is extended battery life anyway. Oh yeah...I just started using eWallet with encrypted secure information of all my critical accounts and information such as each vehicles Plates/VIN information, my Credit accounts, Bank accounts, ALL password protected. It's an Amazing device. The coolest thing I used it for was with my wife's Cassette deck in her car. I connected the tape adapter to the headset plug of the iPAQ and it allowed me the ability to play my downloaded CD songs from MediaPlayer onto her car stereo while we were on an lengthy road trip. HOW COOL IS THAT!!!
12 i like what i got
what i needed i got it there..i had a limited amount of money so i got this one...and it gives me satisfaction...i use it to play mp3s or WAM files beside using it for work
recieved it on time and the packaging was good
13 IPAQ 3635 - Much more than an organizer
I've owned the 3635 for a few months now, and I have to say that it's been much, much more than just an organizer for me. It's been a portable gaming system, a MP3 player, a movie player, an electronic notebook, and more. The organizer that comes with the iPaq is great, though I am using a 3rd party software organizer which I purchased and downloaded online.
If you couple the iPaq with a large CF card, you can put movies on them and watch your favorite Simpsons episode or even a DivX movie if you re-encode it to a smaller size. I only wish that it was thinner, but the next generation of iPaqs should fix that. Overall an excellent purchase!
14 IPAQ 3635--Total Data Mobility
The Compaq Ipaq H3635 is not only an organizer, but it enables you to connect to the internet (if you have internet service and a modem card). When I first bought this appliance I had no idea of all of the potential uses. When opening the package, I was delighted to see a light, sleek, titanium colored new toy! It only took moments and I was able to check out all of the programs. I particularly liked the ability to get connected to the internet--but I also liked MS Money (a great financial planning software), MS Pocket Word, and MS Pocket Excel. And don't get me started on how exciting it was to have a brilliant color display! An all around great investment that carries me through business and pleasure!
15 Love It!
I use it all the time. I can sync the calendar with my calendar at work and it chirps to remind me of all my appointments. I also downloaded a Pocket Genealogist program and keep my GED file on it for reference. I'm sure I'll find more uses for it as time goes by. I would rather have the color screen but, for my uses and the difference in price, it's great!
16 Best Buy in PDA's Available
I have recently purchaced this great product. I have had no problems with it. What happened was that I purchased it as a Mp3 player and that is the main thing I use it for, but I have grown to love this little protable computer for it's many abundent other features. At first, I was concerned that having a black and white screen would bother me, but it works great! Also, to get a similar color version you would have to spend a good amount more and all those I could find had problems with battery life or something similar. I have done all the research and found that this is the best. To other buyers out there I would strongly suggest that you consider this product and by all means stay away from anything made with the palm platform!...
17 Useful... in terms of reading e-books on the subway/bus...
The most use I get out of it is reading e-books. However, my biggest qualm is the screen quality. In direct sunlight/brightlight, the screen is easily readable. With the backlight on in a dimly lit area, text on screen is also fairly nice. However, anything in between, and the screen becomes almost impossible to read. The convenience of lugging this PDA around and reading my stuff is a big plus. Listening to MP3's is a plus also, and the windows audio format is indistinguishable in quality. However, what annoys me is plastic thing u have to slide over ur pocketpc to use ur CF cards. Makes it twice as bulky. Once I start using it + the CF card, I cannot fit it into its leather case. Kind of annoying since if u decide to walk around w/ ur pocketpc/now MP3 player in ur pocket, the buttons can be accidently pressed.
I am satisfied with this product. The fact I can synchronize w/ money 2001 is nice also.
18 Cutting Edge Technology
I've owned it 3 months. Only complaint is battery time.
I use it every day.
19 My Reminder!
I can use my Compaq handheld computer for everything. I love it because it helps me remember dates and times so easily. I was always forgetting appointments or things I needed to take care of and this holds all my information for me. I even have my gradebook and directions to different places stored in it. Plus, I don't have to carry around a huge briefcase anymore with all my scattered papers. All my contact information in detail along with my appointments, etc. are all in there. My co-workers call it my little friend because it reminds me of things they always had to! In fact, one by one they have been purchasing them too. I love it!
20 My Reminder!
I can use my Compaq handheld computer for everything. I love it because it helps me remember dates and times so easily. I was always forgetting appointments or things I needed to take care of and this holds all my information for me. I even have my gradebook and directions to different places stored in it. Plus, I don't have to carry around a huge briefcase anymore with all my scattered papers. All my contact information in detail along with my appointments, etc. are all in there. My co-workers call it my little friend because it reminds me of things they always had to! In fact, one by one they have been purchasing them too. I love it!
21 Compaq iPAQ 3135
compaq ipaq 3135, monochrome little brother of it's color version - but in this case little brother has the same 206 mhz processor as it's "bigger" brother - although it's a great electronic little date book/alarm/ todo list /ebook - the 20x+ more powerful processor than the Palm brand PDA also plays a mean game of chess - the best two professional chess programs available for yhe Ipaq are chessgenius [...] and Pocket Fritz [...]... after a hard day in the office, I usually battle my Ipaq in a chess game or two on the ride home on the train...
well worth the investment ....
22 Compaq ipaq 3635
Great PDA. I'm still learning the full potential of it. I'm glad I bought it.
23 Beam us aboard Scotty! NOT!
The ipaq is a slick PDA with lots of power and multiple apps that were impossible to find on any palm held device just a few years ago (except for the Phillips nino that died ahead of its time). That said here comes the BAD news. Big bad microsofts CE operating system is the weakpoint (according to Compaq customer service) when I called to complain about beaming multiple contacts from an ipaq to an ipaq. Compaq cutomer service responded to my question with "Why would you want to?" (This guy obviously doesn't need or use a PDA!)But with the included Peacemaker, software you can beam multiple contacts between a palm device and an ipaq.
That is what I love about the Palm, your'e at a meeting and you ask about the new office of 15 people that just opened up in the western region. Joe say's I got that right here and from across the room he beams you ALL 15 names in seconds with one action. WHY indeed would I want to!!! The ipaq requires 15 seperate actions and on top of that the "ir" ports must be close enough that you better have used your deoderant today. Thumbs down for field contact management on the compaq ipaq.
24 A simply fantastic Pocket PC/PDA!
This is a fantastic PDA! It handles all of the basic PDA duties real well, but it does so much more.It handles games, audio and so much more with ease. Get a large CF card for all the files you will want to carry in it. I really like the READER program where you can carry some of your favorite books. The books are easily downloaded from the internet, and the IPAQ screen is very easy to read in almost any light. I previously had an early Windows CE Palm Size Computer; the Philips NINO. It did the basics, but not much else. The IPAQ 3635 shows how far the Windows based Pocket PC's have come. With the current $150 rebate its about the same price as the Palm 505, but with better features. It is also upgradeable to Pocket PC 2002 OS.
The IPAQ 3635 is what "mobility" is all about!
25 this one...me off
i bought this one because of its powerful cpu and the ability to play mp3. i never use excel or word, and think it's really useless for PDA user. i know Windows is notorious for its unstability. However, i never expected that it is so unstable that sometimes i have to soft reset it daily! it freezes just before ring the preset alarm. i owned this one for nearly 6 month, and had to hard reset it 4 times. and after hard reset, it messed up synchrozation with your PC by asking you establishing new partnership every time you connect it to your PC. then it asks you if you need to combine info together. if you ok it, then you got a mixture of old info with your updated one. otherwise, no synch will be done! what the hell is this?
the worst is all the failure are random, it happened here and there. you cannot reproduce the same failure intentionally, which in no way that you can figure out what was the exactly problem!
i called compaq three times, and finally, they took it back for repairing, and i have no idea what they are going to do. is it time to switch to palm?
26 This thing is sweet..
Very nice.. Slick little unit with a ton of funcionality. Adding the CF sleeve adds quite a bit to it's size, but it's still manageable. Battery life isn't all that great. Kinda wish I could replace them, instead of having to shut it off and wait till i can charge it. Other beefs I have is 12 bit color and having to use the expansion jacket for C/F cards.
27 Great Product and Price!!
I really like this product and technology. The iPAQ 3135 has most of the same features as the higher priced pocketPC's at a great price. Even though this has the monochrome screen the display is very readable and clear. The compact flash jacket is a nice addition which gives you options such as CF memory and network cards.
The only cons I have found is that this unit has 16mb of memory which will limit you to how much software can be installed. Also, some programs will not work with this model due to memory/display limitations.
So if you want a pocketPC that wont break the bank, the iPAQ 3135 fits the bill!
28 Great Pocket PC in Lowset price
If you are looking for good Pocket PC with great price, then this is the one you should get it. I got it few months ago and never looked back. It has all the features one can imagine plus MP3 player and voice recorder. The only Cons is, it is little heavy as compared to Palm pilot (if you really want to compare apples with oranges). Also beware, latest version of Windows CE may not work in its maximum capacity with this model. But for most of the users it does not matter.
29 Satisfied consumer
After doing some research, I felt the iPAQ 3135 offered the most bang for the buck. I enjoyed using my Palm, but made the leap to iPAQ. I wasn't sure if it was the correct choice. But after recieving the iPAQ 3135, I found that it surpassed my expectations. Installation of the syn software was a breeze. Exchanging MS Excel and Word files from my desktop computer posed no difficulties. My only regret is that I can't find another 3135 for my wife!
30 To big, battery drains fast!
The compaq Ipaq is high teck gadget, but if you are planing to carry it in your pants pocket for daily use, you will get sick of it.. And plus that the battery drains too fast! Imagine beinging in the middle of your day, looking for a phone number in the street and your pocket pc runs out of battery... That really disturb me.. It happend to me a few times, I had to go back to my old palm pilot Vx, and is serving with no problems...
31 How can you live without one of these?!
Someone at work almost sold me on a Palm device when I decided to do some research. Immediately after trying a Ipaq H3635, I knew the palm devices (were awful). The salesman told me there was an affordable b/w version available for around $250. Unfortunately they didn't have one on hand. Out I went in search of a H3135.
It turned out to be one of the best purchases I ever made since my Celeron 300A (which I am still using today...). As an IT person, I need to take notes and keep my schedule handy often. Enter the Ipaq. WOW! It turned on immediately so I could play with it after opening it in the car. Li-ion batteries too boot. After 20 or so minutes I was able to figure out what it had to offer and headed home.
Can you believe that people pay $200 for an MP3 player? This thing does all that and so much more. I can even record meetings to I can review what happend durning a meeting and catch those nuances that you usually overlook.
The PC installed effortlessly and synched without a hitch. I use Office 2000 at home and have USB available. The wireless web has nothing more to offer than I can get downloading the AvantGo sites over a cable modem. Simply connect it, download the pages and head to work. Additionally it grabbed my email and contacts without even my knowing. What a great device!
There are so many things I can say about this thing. The only remotely bad thing is the reflections on the screen. It is glossy and is difficult to read at times. The backlight is an indiglo type display and works really well at night. Twighlight is a different story.
The battery life of this thing is absolutely astounding. I have used the thing for an entire week without recharging under normal use. Playing MP3s took only slightly more energy.
Suggestions: Buy the Serial adapter if you plan on using it with NT so you can synch at work. A car adapter would be helpful if you travel but because of the life of the battery, not a big deal here.
If you can find a b/w version, BUY IT. I haven't really needed the color "features" yet. Best bang for the buck in a palm device by far!
32 The REAL future in Personal Computing
My first computer was a Timex Sinclair. I have had dozens of computers since then. A computer's ability to fascilitate creation of and organize data and make it available quickly is so powerful and can add so much to a persons productivity. BUT what if you don't work at a desk? I am an electrician. Whenever I needed the information on the computer, I was not in a position to access it. Then along comes the Pocket PC. Suddenly I have the power of a desktop computer with me at all times. This is the computer I have been waiting for for years. Sure, color would be nice, but until I can afford it, my 3135 will do fine. And with Transcriber entering text is a snap. "Note" allows me to make quick schematics and trouble shooting notes. I have vender names and phone numbers with me at all times. This machine is improving my productivity, and has even improved my memory in some strange way. I can't imagine being without it. Don't hesitate to purchase (and use, use, use!) one of the most significant technological advancments of the last 30 years.
33 The best
I have had other Handhelds, this is by far the best, It's fast, and very nice looking. I bought it with the past Pocket PC OS and upgrade it to Pocket PC 2002, it works perfect. As far as I can tell this is the only one that can support the upgrade because of the Intel Risc processor it uses. For me this was the best option in order no to carry my laptop around.
34 Best Mobile Storage
Best value for the money. With CF Jacket, it is my mobile office. I keep lots of office documents on CF. With Avantgo, I read latest news on go. With e-book reader, I enjoy books on go. With microsoft maps and street, I have handy pocket maps of entire city on hand. Only problem, 16 MB RAM not enough for lots of programs. Install new program on CF. Will not stream MP3 songs from CF. Donot have option to change default sound note recording to CF.
35 Extraordinary Bargain for an Outstanding PDA!!!
The Compac IPAC 3135 is a terrific bargain for a very powerful PDA. The IPAC does everything I need it to do, including keep track of appointments and phone numbers/addresses, display pictures of my children, play music, download my email, and create Word files. It does much more than any Palm-based PDA, and for much less money. Add the Targus Stowaway, and you have a pocket computer to take to meetings or classes that will allow you to keep every bit of information needed. The lack of color is not a problem, but the display could be brighter and should be addressed. Still, this is a steal!!! Get one while you can..........
36 The BEST PDA Ever!!!!
I just got the Compaq iPAQ and it is the BEST!!!! It comes with a lot of useful programs and there are a lot of Freeware programs available online. The Windows Pocket PC OS is really nice, and the handwriting recognition is one of the best. I recommend this for anyone who wants either a stylish PDA or needs a reliable PDA or both. This is a great value and if you go to the Compaq website there is a coupon to get a free upgrade (+ s/h) to Pocket PC 2002. WOW!!! The iPAQ RULES!!!
37 Avoid this product!
This is the worst computer product I have purchased in my memory. Even without the screen backlight activated battery life is less than 15 minutes. With the backlight it will boot and before I can even open an application the machine notifies me that power is low then shuts down. I like the System when it is plugged in but that's not how I want to use a handheld PC. Shame on you Compaq!
38 Great PDA for the Price!
I was an avid Handspring Visor user (got one when they first came out 2 years ago), and never thought I would switch to windows platform. But when I saw the great price for the Ipaq 3135 I figured I would give it a try, and have never regretted the switch.
the Pros:
1) You can upgrade memory with cf cards (much cheaper than handspring, and can hold LOTS of files)
2) You can also play mp3 music (also great with lots of storage in cf cards)
3) Use of MS word and excel ( I like it better than the Documents to go program. Seems to convert easier)
4) easy wireless web with my Kyocera phone (just one cable and the included MS Explorer and you're ready to go)
The Cons:
1) Screen clarity is not great (but no worse than my old visor)
2) Not as many programs available (yet)
3) yes, it's bigger with the cf sleeve (so get a decent case that holds both, and you'll be fine)
Bottom line...get it while it lasts (unless you can spring for the new color models!)
39 Absolutely in love with this gadget!
I originally wanted to buy an eBook reader, but after investigating the options, I realized it was crazy to buy a dedicated device. So I got the iPAQ instead.
I was a little worried that the screen would be too small to display enough text to be an easy way to read a book. But it's absolutely fine. I just finished my first full length eBook, and loved the fact that I can read in bed at night without the bedroom lights on. It's also great to have a book with me at all times: I can read while I'm pumping gas, while I'm waiting in the car to pick up the kids, etc etc etc.
But its usefulness goes FAR beyond book reading. I have contact information with me at all times. I know which soccer field my sons' games are on. I can add things to my shopping list while I'm standing in the pantry. I have my virtual wallet with me. I also have added a few games too, and those are also good ways to kill time.
I left my iPAQ on my bedside table last night, and it woke me up this morning to remind me of an early appointment. It's a programmable alarm clock!
I've subscribed to AvantGo channels, so after syncing with my PC in the morning, I can read the local newspaper or a Joke of the Day or BBC news any time, anywhere.
I could go on and on.
I'm more impressed with this device than any gadget I've ever owned!
40 The iPAQ is the best PDA to date
I have had a number of PDAs, since 1993 and the iPAQ is simply the best: outstanding indoor/outdoor screen quality, very fast, good stereo quality, easy (fast USB) synchronization, built-in Pocket Outlook, Word, Excel, Microsoft (eBook) Reader, Media Player and a real Pocket Internet Explorer Web browser. It is really like having a tiny PC in your pocket.
The bundled Transcriber handwriting recognition software is very good and, in my opinion, it is the best way of entering information on the iPAQ -- real fast too.
In addition to all these advanced capabilities, the iPAQ's standard personal organizer functions (calendaring, address book, To-Do list, etc. are also pretty good.
The Compact Flash (CF) and/or PCMCIA expansion sleeves (jackets) let me connect to the office network, to the wireless 802.11b network and to a metropolitan wireless network, via Omnisky, like on the Palm VII, except that with the iPAQ, I get to visit any Web page, in color with a fast and powerful Internet Explorer Web browser.
Since this H3635 model comes with a CF expansion sleeve, I suggest getting a 128MB CF storage card (for another $70 or so) to give you ample room for storing documents, music, downloaded Web pages, etc.
If you can afford an extra $100 or $200, get the newer (Oct'2001) H3700/H3800 iPAQ models, but the H3600 models are just fine. It is no wonder Compaq has sold over a million units. The new H3700/H3800 models give you essentially 32MB or ROM (instead of 16MB) and come with the new PocketPC 2002 system software. The H3600 models can be upgraded to the PcoketPC 2002, if you really want it.
41 Power & Features at Unreal Price
I bought the 3135 at the end of August. With the Compaq and Audible Rebate its an unreal bargain. As a simple organizer
it more than meets your needs. With a 128Mb card I bought, it becomes a very capable Mp3 player. Color is nice no doubt about it but is it worth the extra big bucks?? I wish I could get the free upg to Pocket PC 2002, but I might shell out for it anyway. With AvantGo, Audible and the Media player I couldn't ask for a better handheld.
42 Buy this ipaq
I have used other pda's - palm...
This pda gives you the most power for your money!
Its easyer to input your data in this window CE based pda and you can play MP3s, view web pages, make voice memos, read e-books.
look for a PALM priced [price] dallars that plays MP3s and takes voice memos
43 Buy this ipaq
I have used other pda's - palm...
This pda gives you the most power for your money!
Its easyer to input your data in this window CE based pda and you can play MP3s, view web pages, make voice memos, read e-books.
look for a PALM priced $... dallars that plays MP3s and takes voice memos
44 Not bad
Eye-catching, very futuristic look. But it is too fancy. I seldomly play games or listen to mp3. The battery life is horrible....
45 Best value for the money!!!
I am very impressed with Compaq and the iPAQ3135. This product is nothing but pure quality throughout!
Having upgraded from an old Everex Manager CE unit, the transition to the iPAQ3135 has been nothing but sheer pleasure! I am running Calligrapher 6.0, one of the best real time handwriting recognition software packages on the market, for my input method and I am not having to worry about battery life for the first time in a long time.
In fact, when compared to earlier units like the old Everex Manager CE units, the battery life for this unit is incredible. I have already subjected my unit to a battery stress test by using it for 13 continuous hours. Usage included several alarms at full volume, and 2 continuous hours of backlight opperation before the low power warning was issued.
This is a CE unit that will not require steady use of the charger!
46 Wonder Machine
IPAQ 3135 is a wonderful machine ever I seen.
Very economic and flexible , Handy Computer
u can carry where ever u go..
47 IPAQ - The Best PDA!!
I was a loyal Palm fan for several years. I loved my Palm IIIx which I upgraded to 8 MB with the TRG-Pro memory card. It worked great and I enjoyed using it. When I decided that I wanted a color display, I naturally thought of getting a Palm. But after months of research and testing-out every possibility in many stores, I decided that the Palm 505 screen really was too dark - and that the Sony Clie 610/710 was the way to go(they are beautiful). Until I started playing with the Compaq ipaq 3635, that is. Let me tell you - the ipaq is wonderful. The color screen is gorgeous and very bright. The features are numerous and intuitively easy to use because they are windows-based. It is tremendous fun. The expansion possibilities are limitless. Although I still like the Palm OS, I really think that Pocket PC is terrific and will eventually overtake Palm. Incidentally, getting your palm data to your new ipaq will be easy. Just intall Chapura's Pocket Mirror and it will hotsinc to MS Outlook. Then, after you load your new Pocket PC desktop software (ActiveSync 3.1), it will transfer all your contacts, calandar, notes, and to-dos to your new ipaq. Its a breeze. Incidentally, upgrading to ActiveSync 3.5 (a free download on the Microsoft website) fixed all those annoying little hotsync problems people reported. The Ipaq is a great PDA and tremendously fun to have and use. You won't regret it - especially with the $50 rebate!
48 Compaq iPAQ 3135 Monochrome Pocket PC Bundle--great!
WHO NEEDS COLOR? With color LCD's all over the place, don't feel like you are missing out. You can't read them in sunlight, so forget about using them outside. With the 3135, you can view it clearly anywhere. The backlight is superb in darker conditions, so don't worry. Plays MP3's--Just like the color ones. Edit word and Excel documents--Just like the color ones. Battery life? don't even think about leaving the adapter/charger home with a color model. I can go 4 days without a recharge with this monochrome monster. And that is with some seriously hard core usage. We're talking hours of ebook reading and solitare playing. I love this device, and you will too. Don't waste your money on a color PDA. You will get less for your money than you expect. With the 3135, you get more than you pay for--MP3 player, image viewer, ebook reader, and the list goes forever.
49 Good unit with dull display
I like PocketPC. But I was disappointed with 3135 dull display. I expected white background and black text. Instead I found gray on gray. Also, the unit with the expansion Jacket is quite big.
Otherwise the unit was very good, solid, stable, sync worked fine.
50 Bye bye Palm
After using a Palm for over two years, I was given a IPAQ to use. I never really like Windows CE much, but after using it for a few days, I LOVE IT! I can't wait till I can upgrade the OS to 2002 next month.
51 One week shy for the free upgrade - unfair
I received mine less than a week before the deadline for the free upgrade and now I'm not eligible. I think it's unfair of compaq to do that to us.
52 The IPAQ 3635 is it
I've had the IPAQ 3635 for 6 months now and like it better every day. I keep contacts, email, music, spreadsheets (they are easy to view), meeting notes (targus keypad works great), directions to destinations, etc. I really depend on it for business. Activesynch has worked like a dream - takes about 30 seconds when I plug it in and if I leave it plugged in it keeps synched. The only real problem is battery life - it lasts about 3-3 1/2 hours and many times I really need 5-6 hours. Wish there was an external battery pack for it like I have for my digital camera.
53 Great
I do not actually have this yet, but let me twll you, this is the best I can fin anywhere. WHEN will it be in stock!!?! I'm checking every day.
54 Wonderful!
I found this device so wonderful that it replaced my Handspring Visor Platinum! Transcriber is the best handwriting recognition program I have ever used, and this PDA is the only one upgradable to the new PocketPC OS! I use it with a 1GB IBM Microdrive, and that capacity places it light years ahead of my old Visor! I highly recommend the Ipaq 3635!
55 Palm? Hell no.
One of my friends warned me not to buy the iPaq 3135, but since Amazon had such a good deal on it, I ordered it... and he was totally wrong about it. I absolutely love my 3135 - although the screen does scratch easily, in my opinion, but this isn't a big deal, as it can be expected with all handhelds. Compared to the Palm I had (a Palm IIIe), this thing is God^3. ;-)
56 Tried 3135 after having used Handspring (Palm OS)
Have had the 3135 for a few days after having used a Handspring
Visor for some time. Was seduced by articles that said that
Compaq had beaten Palm in terms of sales, that MS had just
intro'd Pocket PC 2002 OS (3135 features Pocket PC 1.0 but is
mostly upgradable to PPC 2002 OS), that Palm OS 5 was going
to look like PPC 2002, etc. No matter what anyone says, Win
CE (aka Pocket PC) OS is NOT LIKE desktop Windows software.
Win CE/PPC is crude, and we are unfortunately beta testing
MS software just as we did with Windows versions prior to
Win 2000.
Although I discuss Handspring, the analogy pretty much works
with any Palm type device.
1. If you need simple, direct access to applications, look at
any Palm OS PDA running Palm OS 4.
2. Have had constant problems with ActiveSync (MS version of
Palm Desktop sync). Have had to reset 3135 several times (I've
only had to do this once w/ Handspring, when I tried to use
the VisorPhone, which worked for a while, then stopped when
I did something stupid.
3. PPC OS doesn't handle CompactFlash (CF) well. With Handspring CF adapters (Kopsis drivers), if you put something in CF, as long as your CF card is compatible, the Handspring will see it. Unfortunately, as my Handspring With PPC, you HAVE to synchronize, otherwise, your application (such as Media Player) won't be able to access the mp3's you've put in the CF.
4. (This is not limtied to PPC, also applies to any black and
white PDA.) Don't bother with video if you "only" have a
black and white PDA. Movies look terrible on a b/w device. The only video that is ok on a b/w device is cartoons.
5. The 3135 makes a terrific mp3 player though. Dont' bother
buying a CF or SmartMedia-based mp3 player when you can buy
a 3135. The built-in mono speaker is loud, and the volume
through headphones is pretty good.
57 about average
The iPAQs are the best Pocket PCs to own if your priorities are expansion possibilities and style. The iPAQs are big losers if you want hardware reliability. There are a number of reported problems--- dust under the screen, broken stylus latch, busted headphone switch, busted digitizer, and reversed screen display.
The screen problems apply only to the color iPAQs. In particular, the monochrome iPAQ does not have the infamous "dust under the screen" problem. The monochrome iPAQ's screen is more reliable but less readable. It isn't the lack of color that causes problems, rather it is the lack of brightness. The 3150's screen is best used in two situations--- very bright lighting, where the display's reflective elements provide good contrast, or in very low light situations where the weak backlighting is sufficient. In moderate light situations, neither the reflective screen nor the backlight offer enough contrast to cut through screen glare. If you've seen those watches with the blue backlighting that's about the level of backlight and color you get with the monochrome iPAQ. In bright light the screen is greenish, not the nice white color Compaq likes to use in ad photos.
If your priority is small size AND you want to use the CF sleeve, you're better off with a Cassiopeia E-125 because that unit is less thick than an iPAQ with the CF sleeve. (The iPAQ wearing the PCMCIA card sleeve is much larger than the E-125.) To play MP3's or to watch movies using Media Player 7.1 (free from Microsoft), you'll likely need a CF memory card for storage, so for those applications expect to have that fat sleeve around your iPAQ.
You must expect a certain amount of flakiness with Microsoft Windows powered devices. This is still Windows after all. You will need to reboot the device (soft reset) from time to time get out of hangs or to get ActiveSync to start working again. You will also need to reboot your desktop sometimes because ActiveSync will crash it. Fair warning. This is not to say the device is so unstable as to be unusable. But Pocket PC's are by no means at appliance-level reliability. (You don't worry about your microwave oven's operating system crashing in the middle of cooking a meal.)
The Pocket PC shell strangely lacks a uniform way to close applications. There is no little "x" in the corner to close an app. Compaq has added an application that addresses this. The little "Q" button pops up a window that offers to close the currently active app or to close all applications. Very handy.
Not so handy is the infrared send utility, which only allows you to send one file at a time. Multiple contacts and notes can be sent at once, but not ordinary files via the file explorer utility. In between files you have to close the utility and restart it to send another file...
58 What a difference a year makes!
The value of the 3135 cannot be matched! After having my Palm V lost during a repair and return under warranty somewhere between Palm and their Airborne carrier (at the fault of one or the other), it was time to get a new handheld. When compared to my Palm V in limbo, it offers 10x the processor speed, 12x the storage space (mananged to snag the free 32MB CF while that was going on), and all of the PC functionality that one you pay extra for on a Palm (which I paid 33% more for just over one year ago). B&W screen? The resolution is wonderful, but if you want to play games shell out $90 for a Gameboy Advance instead of another $400 for a 3600 (color) series (only one button can be pressed at a time which makes for limiting action gaming). Combined with the 128MB CF card which I scored for about the amount of the rebate thanks to economic crisis in Asia, I find myself with 176MB of RAM for mp3s and programs galore. My friend got an $82 keyboard she uses to type up her notes directly into word documents. One gripe? If you download a program that doesn't come with a setup file, many non-windows wizards may become frustrated by the usually less than thorough readme instructions. PS - If you did buy a Palm then try to avoid (obviously) their warranty service. Many internet companies sell replacement and repair kits (which void your worthless warranty that does not cover screens). I helped replace a friend's screen which cost half of what the unit cost, though Palm wanted to charge this person 133% of what the unit originally cost. Go figure.
59 What a difference a year makes!
The value of the 3135 cannot be matched! After having my Palm V lost during a repair and return under warranty somewhere between Palm and their Airborne carrier (at the fault of one or the other), it was time to get a new handheld. When compared to my Palm V in limbo, it offers 10x the processor speed, 12x the storage space (mananged to snag the free 32MB CF while that was going on), and all of the PC functionality that one you pay extra for on a Palm (which I paid 33% more for just over one year ago). B&W screen? The resolution is wonderful, but if you want to play games shell out $90 for a Gameboy Advance instead of another $400 for a 3600 (color) series (only one button can be pressed at a time which makes for limiting action gaming). Combined with the 128MB CF card which I scored for about the amount of the rebate thanks to economic crisis in Asia, I find myself with 176MB of RAM for mp3s and programs galore. My friend got an $82 keyboard she uses to type up her notes directly into word documents. One gripe? If you download a program that doesn't come with a setup file, many non-windows wizards may become frustrated by the usually less than thorough readme instructions. PS - If you did buy a Palm then try to avoid (obviously) their warranty service. Many internet companies sell replacement and repair kits (which void your worthless warranty that does not cover screens). I helped replace a friend's screen which cost half of what the unit cost, though Palm wanted to charge this person 133% of what the unit originally cost. Go figure.
60 iPAQ - Better than Palm
I was sold on getting a palm device (Handspring Visor Deluxe). I even order one, but returned it after researching the iPAQ 3135. The iPAQ cost less, has more features and significantly better hand writing recognition. I had always heard Palm was tops for basic organizer functions. It is simply not true. The iPAQ 3135 is easier to use and comes with more features. There really is no comparison.
61 Best bang for the buck!
For my purposes, this was a near perfect PDA solution. Many will say that using a monochrome PDA seems to be a bit on the 'Flintstonian' side. Color, has a couple of advantages. It *is* easier to read and you can do some extra stuff like watch movies and look at pictures. The screen on the 3135 is adequate for viewing for extended periods. It's not first class, but then again, you didn't *pay* for first class. Last I heard, first class is about 600 or so for the Ipaq 3670. :-) On the upside of things, the battery life will be at least a couple of hours more than you would usually get. It's not a HUGE difference, since they already use hi-cap Li Polymer batteries. It can easily play MP3's and read e-books, which are other reasons why I got it. Plus, it is very fast--this was just fast enough for me to consider. Since it's using an 206Mhz Intel StrongARM processor, there is hardly any wait in opening up programs.
It's not perfect, however. Personally, I like the palm pilot's harder screen over the softer LCD the Ipaq 3135 uses. I helped protect the screen by using a piece of transparancy film cut to fit and slipped under the lip of the screen to protect that, so it's not much of an issue. Also, I don't like how they skimped with RAM. I'm not sure why they didn't go for the whole 32 megs, since pocket pc programs can really eat up a lot of space. I remedied that with an additional 128 meg flash card (55 bux delivered--newegg.com). However, that leads me to my NEXT problem--the size of the compact flash jacket. It will turn your svelte, slim Ipaq into a huge, lumbering ogre that you can hardly get your hands around. OK, not THAT bad, but you get the idea. What really ticks me off is that when you open it up (don't try this at home), it's a lot of wasted space. They could have safely done away with about half the plastic and had a sturdy CF jacket. (On a side note, you can get your CF jacket modified by a George Mosquera (sp?) or Whittney LuBean (sp?) to take away much of that excess plastic and modify your CF case to a MUCH smaller size, but it will cost you $70-120. I forgot the URL--you go look it up!) ANYHOO, you have to get a special case to hold your Ipaq and jacket since the one it came with is too small. Which leads me to my NEXT problem--the case ... Plus, it is really hard to find a case that is just big enough to fit the Ipaq and jacket and hook onto your belt. That, or I'm just really really picky.
OK, that is my impressions of the Ipaq 3135. It is a great PDA for the price, but be prepared to pay for it with some lost functionality.
62 Overall great machine
Look at the prices between low-end PalmOS devices and this. A Handspring Visor deluxe costs $190, and is monochromome green, expansion through propriatary Springboard modules, and has incredibly limited functionality. This machine is $150, can be infinitely expandible with standard compact flash, interfaces with your PC like snapping your fingers, and can play MP3's, movies, open Word/Excel Documents without any additional software than what it comes with. Sure this model may not come in color, but as a PDA it is an excellent choice. But if you're like me, on a tight budget, this is the machine of choice. Forget the ugly green screen and the ancient PalmOS, once you use a PocketPC as functional, expandable, and affordable as this, and you'll never want to switch.
63 I love this.
This is a great product and great deal. When I bought it I received the 32MB flash card, sleeve, Pocket PC, free shipping and a $50 rebate ($199 list price). Couldn't find a better deal. Great product.
64 Why pay for color?
Unless you want to play games, look at pictures or just can't stand a monocrhrome screen the is a great unit. When I received my Ipaq all I had to do was download the information from my old unit then drop in the Ipaq and everything was done. If there is a problem with this unit it is that with the expansion jacket on the unit is just a little bulky.
65 Awesome handheld!
While I've not always been a huge fan of Compaq's desktop systems, they have really gotten it right with the IPAQ. Having owned and sold a Palm V, I was frustrated that the applications and tools on the Palm systems are not as good as the MS applications I'm used to running on my desktop machine. Sure, the phonebook/calendar/email on the Palm are compatible with Outlook etc, but it's not the same as running the same applications. The IPAQ is lightweight and easy to use. I do not need to have a color display on such a small device - the handheld, in my opinion, is an extension of the PC, not a replacement. At this price, the IPAQ is definitely a value for anyone who wants a portable and user-friendly version of their desktop/laptop machines handy.
66 RIP palm
Palm seems to be everywhere, it's all you hear about almost in the PDA world. However, Ipaq is 100 times better than a palm. More storage, much faster processor, and better programs from Microsoft that you already know how to use make this thing indespincable. With the monochrome version you can listen to MP3s, which is great. If you want to go hog wild, get the 3600s and you'll be able to play 3D games like Doom, Hexen, Heretic, and even Quake. You can also watch movies on it. I used to be horribly disorganized, always forgetting to do stuff. It is perfect for my college lifestyle and has greatly improved my perfromance in classes.
67 Not as easy to use as a Palm.
The iPAQ has a UI that is clumsy compared to that of the Palm. You must close applications when you are done, except there's no easy way to close them. You either have to use the Q-button to switch to the task and then terminate it, terminate all running tasks, or go into the Memory applet. It would be much more convenient if you could close uneeded tasks right from the Q-button menu like the Windows desktop task list. When you first get your unit, flash it with the updated 1.65A ROM from Compaq's site. It solves some issues that can be annoying. Unfortunately, it doesn't solve all the problems because File Explorer will sometimes lockup during compact flash access. The desktop software will also sometimes disconnect from the device for no obvious reason, even during the middle of compact flash access from the desktop. Luckily, all you have to do it turn off the unit and then turn if on again to get the unit to run correctly. You should immediately order a case for the unit. It doesn't have a flip cover of any kind and leaves the fragile screen exposed. The case that comes with the unit is almost useless because you cannot fit the iPAQ with the CF sleeve into it. Even when the unit is naked, there is a portion of the iPAQ on the top that is left unprotected. You might also need a RAM upgrade because I found myself meeting the Out of Memory message at the most inopportune times. Luckily, there are vendors that will upgrade it for cheap compared to going all out and buying the 64MB color version of this unit. Despite all the negative things I've said, there are many positives that other people have already covered. I just wanted to give you a feel of the potential problems so that you can decide if the features/strengths of the unit that other people have listed has enough value that you would work to overcome the potential problems. For me, I've decided to deal with it. Maybe a Compaq ROM update in the feature will solve all of these problems and make it a perfect unit.
68 Forget the Palm m100 Series
You can't beat the speed 206 MHz, memory 16 flash ROM and 16 RAM, or screen when compared to a Palm M100 or M105. Best of all after rebate it's cheaper than the M105.
69 IPAQ 3135
This is the first Handheld device I have ever owned and I love it. I have found it fairly easy to learn to use and I have not had any trouble with the active sync. All I had to do was play with it for a weekend and I knew how to use it. I have a lot of friends who have Palm devices and my Ipaq seems to have more capablities than their Palm. The only problem I have found is that finding software for the Windows CE operating system is very difficult. As well as the fact that if you can find software for Windows CE it is not compatiable with the Arm processor. I am assuming with time this will change. The only other thing I would love to have is a color screen, but you can't beat what you get for the price. Since this was my first handheld I was not willing to pay the price for the color Ipaq.
70 Try his slower, slimmer, better designed older sister
I was moving up from an Aero 1500 series machine. I think I will actually keep this device, but the only thing it offers is speed, and in many other respects it is a distict step backward. If I had to pay full price for it, I wouldn't.... What galls me most is the body design. The thing is just a hair too bulky for a pocket, and it is ugly. The primary controller is very annoying to use, compared to the Aero's up/down jog switch. All the hand controls are also badly located. Anyone who uses such a thing on a train or in a hallway should know that the controls belong where you you can use them one-handed, with the most useful ones where your grip is least crucial, like on the Aero. The only control still located where it was on the Aero is the voice recorder switch which is the only one place badly on the Aero! It is way-too-easy to hit by accident, resulting in a huge memory-wasting recording of nothing. The things that come with speed are all improved. The sound is better, the graphics are better, the thing syncs large amounts of data faster, applications freeze less often. So it is a reasonable device, just not designed well physically. Well worth [price], not worth [price]. Try the Aero 1550 at [price].
71 THINK ABOUT IT MAN....
The Compaq iPAQ 3135 is one of the most stylish Pocket PCs on the market. Unlike its highly sought-after sibling, the iPAQ 3635, this model has gone largely unnoticed, despite the fact that the iPAQ 3135 has one distinct advantage: longer battery life. This is because it comes with a 15-grayscale display that, while not as sexy as the full-color screen of the 3635, is eminently usable. Utilizing Windows CE 3.0, the latest and much improved Pocket PC operating system from Microsoft, along with a 206 MHz StrongARM processor, this is both a powerful and flexible device. The unit comes supplied with an AC adapter, USB cable, case, and software for syncing with your PC, along with a full desktop copy of Outlook 2000. Getting the unit up and running is straightforward, and managing the synchronization with your PC is simple with the aid of ActiveSync. The usual array of applications, such as Pocket versions of Microsoft Word and Excel, are at your disposal. It also comes with some exciting additions, such as MediaPlayer, enabling you to use your iPAQ as an MP3 player. However, with only 16 MB of built-in RAM available, be prepared to buy additional memory if this is an intended use. The design, as well as looking good, is thoughtfully laid out. The buttons are well placed and usefully assigned. In addition, the iPAQ 3135 can be easily expanded with the included CompactFlash Expansion Jacket, which slides onto the unit, allowing you to increase memory and add modules (such as a bar code scanner) using CF cards. If you're looking for Pocket PC functionality but need to be budget conscious, the iPAQ 3135 is a great deal But while the color is nice, the price of a color iPAQ is not worth it when compared to this unsung model. Often overlooked the 3135 has all of the same features as it color siblings, Excel, Word, IE, Outlook, Calendar, Contacts, MS Money, but albeit with less RAM 16 compared to 32mb or 64mb for the color versions. However with the inclusion of the CF sleeve, which allows you to plug in CF cards from 8 to 256mb, the 3135 is the best PDA bang for the buck. And let's not forget the iPAQ comes with Windows Media Player, making it also an mp3, wma player, and it has the ability to record voice messages. With the CF sleeve and a few flash cards one can literally carry ones music libary with you where ever you go. Compared with the Palm Pilot, and Handspring Visor, this inexpensive jewel is perfect for the enthusiast, student or professional. After spending almost 6 months researching, playing with and talking with friends, neighbors and co-workers about which PDA to get I have yet to regret my decision.
72 MS & Compaq will get you stuck but it's a bang for the buck!
Though first appearance outa the box is pretty pleasing, closer inspection reveals the finishing of the product to be tacky - the silver painted edges of the two halves that comprise the product are so uneven, for a product of this calibre. And all aint hunky dory once outa the box and switched on..be prepared for a few chills and thrills and spills. Information inadequacy is exactly Compaq's forte - the enclosed documentation SUCKs !! Toss the 'Getting started' CD into the trash bin and you aint gonna miss nothing - its just a frilled Flash or Dreamweaver version of the enclosed paper manual. For the first timer, getting the battery to the 'ON' position is a bit of an intuitive exercise. Once ON, you've got Windows to contend with. As pleasing as the user interface is, its not without its share of bugs. For instance, the Contact list that sports sets of three alphabet index tabs on the top, is completely buggy. For eg, consecutive tappings on the 'abc' set are supposed to step you through all contact names beginning with 'a', b' and 'c' but that doesnt happen - you step thru a 'Peter' as well !! The biggest nightmare was getting music files on to the CF. Scour the documentation end to end (Damn you, Compaq and MS), if need be with a magnifying glass but nowhere does it specify the files needing to be in WMA format - This is the SOLE format the IPAQ is 'privileged' to accept/playback. At first, I tried with a playlist of MP3s and the instant I hit the 'Copy' tab, a 'popular' and peeving 'The app caused an error in MSDE**.DLL. Windows Media Player will be terminated' message appeared - an encrypted message that screamed 'Die if thou dont possess WMA'. Knowing MS, it doesnt take long to figure out whats wrong. And the joke is that while Windows Media Player is the only app thru which you can transfer music to the PDA, version 7.01.00.3055 that existed on our Latitude didnt even have a recording option to convert MP3s to WMA - I had to enlist the services of MusicMatch Jukebox for this. At 96Kbps bit rate, about 45 mins of music was available on the 32MB CF - it took about 18 mins to get it onto the CF. Playback was crisp. The Strongarm processor is super fast and responsive -its amazing to behold such power in your palm. The screen appears dull and fooling around with the Contrast in the Settings doesnt help at all. All in all, its a bang for the buck albeit with a lot of creases needing to be ironed out !!
73 compaq p.c. user
I purchased the original compaq last year but unfortunately lost it. I since have a visor but still felt the loss of my original compaq. I decided not to spend over $500 to replace the color one and was told by a friend that they have a monochrome version. It has everything that I am use to except the color is very difficult to see. The glare and the greyish tone make it not as user friendly as the visor or palm brands. Too bad! I truly wanted to give a rave review but if you can't see clearly what can you rave about?
74 beats the pants off of any Palm!
I'm actually a Palm V user and fan, but Palm has nothing that can touch this deal. I love the iPaq for it's non-Palm features--MP3, MPEG file display, seemless and full-featured Outlook integration, and huge storage capacity (with the compactflash card.)
Upgrade the BIOS when you get the unit--it makes it much faster!
75 Very disappointed
I was a former Palm user and wanted to use the CE OS. I chose the Compaq based on ads and have been very dissapointed in the quality and reliability of the device and the support levels at Compaq. My first unit worked ok for about a month. It failed and wouldn't turn on and all data was lost. I sent it in to have the battery replaced and it was returned in non-working condition. They asked me to send it in again to be repaired and a frustrated call to their CS department produced a new unit along with the explanation that the first one was defective from the beginning. The unit would only operate for about an hour before losing battery power. The second unit will only operate for about an hour as well and after sitting in my briefcase over a week's vacation, it was totally dead and all data was lost again. The ActiveSync software is very erratic and took 3 installs to get it to recognize the device. It is out of warranty and Compaq's resolution is to have it sent in again for repair. I like the overall feel and looks of the device but I am either going back to a Palm or a different CE device. My wife has a different brand (Casio)and it has more software, brighter screen, about the same overall size and has over 8 hours of battery life. She has not had any quality or reliability problems.
76 Best Monochrome PDA on the Market.
With all the power and features of its color big brother the 3135 is an amazing PDA.... The only limitations it has are with some games and movie playback that requires color. However, for everthing else this PDA blows away any competition from Palm. You have all your email, schedule, contact, and note features (including voice recorded notes). You can work with both Word and Excel documents. You can listen to MP3s.... (Extra Compact Flash memory will be needed for this though) You also have great software included like Listpro, eWallet, and Peacemaker Pro that lets you trade info with any Palm devices. This is simply the best monochrome device ever made and a steal at the current price. I highly recommend it.
77 The Best PDA Ever Made
The iPAQ 3635 is the fastest PDAs in the market. It has a 206mhz intel ARM processor and 32mb of ram for storage and program use. The flash allows you to use compact flash cards from 128mb to 256mb. This would allow you store full length movies or you can compress ...your own. ... And of course, you can store mp3's. The interface is much easier to learn than Palm if you are familiar with Windows 95, 98 etc. It is a mean streamlined Windows OS that stresses simplicity to its core. All the programs you install will be launched expeditiously with its familiar 'Start' button or 1 of 4 reprogrammable hardware buttons! Or if you choose to use 'QStart' interface, the program icons are the first thing you see, and you just touch what icon you want and go. You may never need to lug a laptop with you again when you get a Targus folding keyboard that hooks up to the bottom of the unit. It is the size of a calculator! Or if you are pressed for space, the IPAQ has a virtual keyboard which is very usable and can be hidden or summoned by touching the keyboard icon at the bottom right of the screen. Transcriber and Character recognizer both recognize hand writing and is also used by IPAQ. The screen has much more viewing area than a Palm, so it is much more practical for word processing. And the iPAQ screen is simply the best in the market. The brightest colors even in the lowest setting. The Palm color screens are way too dark. A Tip: The 1st thing you do is charge the battery. (like any rechargeable) It must be charged over night before switching it on from the switch on the *BOTTOM* of the unit. Most would recommend 16hrs before switching it on with your stylus. You may double the usage of your battery this way and avoid having a damaged battery from the get go. And don't let it drain all the way out or else it will kill the battery and it will have to be replaced. **Remember when the unit is powered down it is NOT off entirely, but in sleep mode. It may drain out within days even when powered down. (which to many seems to be OFF, but is not). The best part of the iPAQ 3635 package is the software titles. The software titles that come with it are awesome: MS Money, Excel, Word, Zio Golf 2, etc. ... This is truly an awesome value.
78 All you need to Know, if you're thinking of purchasing iPaq:
iPaq is one of the best (if not the best) PDA's on the market. Starting with the screen, it might not have the 65,000 colours of the Casio device, but other factors outweigh this "minority", because even with a 4.096 colour device,your tasks can be done as productively as with Casio's screen. Once i received my one (6 months ago)i thought i had to go through the whole manual 10 times, until i would manage to use it. know what? i did not even read the manual once - and i used it as efficiently as if i had read the manual a hundred times! iPaq also has one of the best Styli (heavier than Palm's, so easier to hold and use) and also has one of the best systems for protecting your stylus by using the device itself - just press the button on the top of the device and it will pop out. With the 32MB of memory, believe me, a Flash Memory card will never be of use to you. Also, with the fastest processor on the Pocket PC market (206 Mhz) you can run more than 3-4 programs at the same time and not notice any significant differences in speed. Good quality sound when using the speaker, but much better when using earphones. Also, all that has been going around about battery life is not at all true! you must remember not use a backlight when indoors (or at leat use a small ampount of backlight, because when indoors the screen is as scrisp and bright as needed- no need for extensive backlight use), so by doing this you will save more than 3 times battery life. also, again as battery life is concerned, try to only run 2-3 applications at the same time, in order to save much more battery life.
Buy the iPaq! It's a life saver!
p.s. i would strongly reccomend this to STUDENTS, because i bought this device for my son (high-school student) and he has impressed me wioth his grades and productivity more than ever before!!!Florida
79 PALM VISOR KILLER
The the IPAQ should be known as the Palm and Visor Killer, because that is exactly how good it is! Whoever even thinks about buying a Palm or Visor needs to have their head examined. IPAQ is going to put these two companies out of business. Last quarter IPAQ sold more PDA's than Palm or Visor, this means something! The IPAQ allows you to play movies, record voice notes, view excel, and word documents, uncompressed jpegs, look at PDF files, read e-books, communicate and transfer files via IR port with other PDA's including the Palm, play solitaire and other games. The battery life on this thing is so good, that for a while I thought the battery indicator was bad, because it never went below 100%. For about the price of a palm m100 you can get much much much more. Buy it! You wont regret it!
80 Best PDA bang for the buck
While color is nice, the price of a color iPAQ is not worth it when compared to this unsung model. Often overlooked the 3135 has all of the same features as it color siblings, Excel, Word, IE, Outlook, Calendar, Contacts, MS Money, but albeit with less RAM 16 compared to 32mb or 64mb for the color versions. However with the inclusion of the CF sleeve, which allows you to plug in CF cards from 8 to 256mb, the 3135 is the best PDA bang for the buck. And let's not forget the iPAQ comes with Windows Media Player, making it also an mp3, wma player, and it has the ability to record voice messages. With the CF sleeve and a few flash cards one can literally carry ones music libary with you where ever you go. Compared with the Palm Pilot, and Handspring Visor, this inexpensive jewel is perfect for the enthusiast, student or professional. After spending almost 6 months researching, playing with and talking with friends, neighbors and co-workers about which PDA to get I have yet to regret my decision.
81 Should Have Stuck With My Palm
Yes, it's sexy looking. Yes, the screen is incredible. But if you like the simplicity of your Palm, you'd better think twice before you switch to a Pocket PC device.
First of all, you MUST use Outlook. Unlike the Palm, where you can use the Palm Desktop, Outlook, ACT, etc., there are no options with this device
Don't even think about synching this device with two desktops (work and home). I have logged four calls to Compaq about the issue, but they have not been able to fix the situation where email addresses entered at my work desktop cannot be read on my home desktop. They synch, but then the field is filled with a link to nothing. It's a mess!
The other annoying thing is the Active Synch software. The editorial review above lists it as a Con, and they are right. It's gotten so bad that in two months, I have re-installed the software four times. I also have to remove the USB driver almost daily so that it reloads when I reboot. Who needs this aggravation?
So, yes, my iPaq turns a lot of heads. People are always asking about it. And I love showing them my photos from my last vacation. But when they ask if I like it, I cannot honestly say I would recommend this PDA to anyone.
82 BEST PROOF THAT PDA's HAVE EVOLVED
Got 3135 for $... net cost...that dollar amount or ever $... is much proof of PDA EVOLUTION. I paid $400 for the first Palm in 1996...now this $...-ish price is feeling exactly like the low-cost of PCs these days...I never felt this way about the color iPAQ with it's more-than-Palm pricerange of $.... But this mono iPAQ shows what modern computing in last five years _should_ provide: MORE at LESS cost. And it converges many other devices for me in a more personal-size than when I carried all of these around with me in their separate forms: my Palm, my portable CD player, my audio book tape player, my dictation tape recorder...at a price LESS then those units, makes this the best BARGAIN. small note: the $200-ish price makes mass-storage to maximize potential, easier to get into...128mb card? nah I had money left over to get 340mb Microdrive, now I can take all the Audible books, Reader books, dictation, and all the music I want. added plus: mono screen makes microdrive last much longer!
83 BEST PDA FOR THE MONEY
It was a good deal when I paid $185 after rebate with a free CF sleeve and 32mb CF. For this price no PDA is better than the 3135 IPAQ. Even thought if someone will pay regular price the color version with its multimedia capabilities and more internal mem is better, the price made it worthwhile. The PDA is awesome everryone that passes by me see the PDA and drool by jealousy. PALM lover can't get the fact their pda is stuck at 33mhz. and little mem. I'm upgrading to 256mb CF card for more mem, no IBM microdrive for me because it eats batteries like hell. So I'll add all kinds of software and etc... The best PDA ever. FOR THE PRICE i MEAN.
84 Disappointed
My business partner and I both bought one. Mine immediately crashed and had to be returned. Hers waited a few weeks, crashed once and lost all data. It crashed a second time and it wouldn't work. We both thought it was great-----while it worked! Good definition, fairly quick response, good audio. We did have a little trouble syncing but that may have been due to the other problems. It is much too pricey to have such bugs. Neither of us had it working long enough to fairly review all the options. Too bad.
85 The best in the handheld world!
This little pocket PC will change your life. It does everything but the dishes, and I am working on figuring out how to make it do that! Enjoy all your favorite programs, hook up to the Internet and download your favorite pages, enjoy books (which I got free on download from Amazon.com) on Microsoft Reader, keep track of work and personal business with reminders, task lists, and the calendar feature. An absolute must have is the Microsoft Money it comes with, you can manage your checking, savings, investments,etc., with the click of a "pen". (Which it also comes with). Pocket Word, Excel, Windows Media, it's all there for you. There are so many features I just couldn't live without that I can't list them all here. You will get your money's worth and then some if you add the Compaq Flash Card and docking station. I would have given it ten stars if I could have! You need to rush right out and buy it now. Palm - MOVE OVER!
86 An interesting story about the iPAQ
I've had my iPAQ for 9 months and am very happy with it. It is definitely the coolest PDA out there. I just read an interesting story in the financial section of the newspaper about Compaq and Palm, and thought I'd pass that on here. According the story, Compaq made more money this quarter in the PDA market than Palm did. Handspring came in third after Palm.
The explanation for this was that Palm is going through a transition in their product lines, and that it is expected to last another 1 or 2 quarters. Still, I find this interesting in view of the overall seemingly negative reception the Palm M505 is getting, which is presumably intended to be their flagship product.
Also, there is the fact that the Compaq iPAQ is just a great little Pocket PC and is selling quite well. As I mentioned, I have had mine for a while now and am extremely satisfied with it. I also have a Palm IIIc and am equally happy with it. Given the quality and performance of these two PDAs, the M505 isn't going to lure me away yet, but if I didn't already have two color units I suppose I would give it more serious consideration.
In any case, if Palm is to regain its dominance of the PDA market, it is going to have to fix the complaints about the M505 such as the screen brightness issue and the lack of a contrast or brightness control. Both the IIIc and the iPAQ have these, and they are quite useful. Other complaints include the lack of wireless support, and some reports of incompatibilities due to the new OS version.
Still, to mention one positive thing, I test drove the unit myself and it is very fast, significantly faster than my IIIc, which I find to be quite acceptable. Still, the 505 is noticeably much faster on the screen refreshes and switching back and forth between programs.
Getting back to the original topic, it will be interesting to see what Palm does to address these issues and if they can regain their dominance in this dynamic and very competitive market. The Compaq iPAQ is obviously giving them a run for their money, and if Palm doesn't watch out, I could see future erosion of this market by the iPAQ.
87 Energy Crisis
The iPAQ is a great machine if you only need to use it a few minutes here and there. Anything more requires frequent recharging. There's no going on business trips without the charger. Frankly, for the price I expected better. The screen is pretty, but I can't say I'm thrilled with the tradeoff... I'd rather use a monochrome device that still has juice when it's needed. It's embarrassing to whip out this hi-tech gadget only to have to borrow a scrap of paper to write down a phone number.
I'm sticking with it for now, but I'm definitely on the look out for something that suits my needs better. Toshiba has just announced a Pocket PC that might be worthwhile if the battery life beats the iPAQ, Palm is planning on moving to more powerful ARM processors, and Compaq itself will have to keep on the move to compete.
For now, if you're looking for a handheld that'll fit in your pocket and run all week on a charge, you'll need to look elsewhere.
88 iPaq offers all necessities and more
This iPaq is the perfect mobile device. With PocketWord, PocketExcel and PocketOutlook, it is the perfect compliment to your desktop. I am color-blind and chose the monochrome option since I have no use for color displays. My wife has the color equivalent of this model and we both love them. I had considered purchasing an e-book reader, but chose this pda since it include MS Reader for free. For about the price of an ebook reader you get the reader and everything else as well. Microsoft ActiveSync makes it easy to keep everything synchronized between your Host PC and PDA. I even use the ActiveSync on my host to manage my files on the PDA with drag-and-drop ease. I highly recommend this PDA and its color equivalents. I also ordered the 128MB flash card from viking so I can load up on MP3s and ebooks for my pda. This package from Amazon includes the adapter for CF (Compact Flash) Cards which makes it about the best bargain I found for this model. Buy it!
89 Light and Powerful
I have this baby for about 1 month, after using Palm IIIxe and Palm m100. The motivation to buy a Pocket PC is for Pocket Street, which I found is very useful and only available on WinCE platform (aka PocketPC). The multimedia functions are very useful too.
1) Compare to the H3600 (the color brother)
Memory: 16MB, which means after download two map (2MB each) and one wma (3MB) file, there is almost no room for you to add more large files. Although it's still better than the palm series. When the basic program are running, (ie, no active tasks). The program will consume about 3.4MB memory. Each running task will eat 200KB memory at least. You can add compact flash memory to this baby, but carrying a sleeve (jacket) is bulky.
Screen: 16 scale green-like screen very similar to the palm m100's, the resolution is much better 320x240, compare to palm's 160x160. The screen is easy to read, even under the sunlight. It looks green, not the "paper-white" claimed by Compaq. In back-light mode, when you choose 'reverse', it looks a little bit like 'paper-white'.
No light sensor: not as H3600 series, which can automatically adjust the screen acoording to the environment light, this device doesn't have a sensor built-in.
Battery: One of its strength. After listening to the music for 2 hours, I didn't notice too much drain of the battery, about 8-10%. So if I just use it as a orgranizor (aka palm), I can charge the battery once every 3 days. Compaq claims this device has 14 hours's battery life vs 12 hours of the color one.
I believe the two devices (H31xx and H36xx) are the same in other aspects.
2. Compare to other handhelds
Sync: this device works better with outlook than the palm. For example, when using the palm, I couldn't let the palm's contact's categaries synced with my outlook's categaries. This baby can easily do it.
Size: It's a little bit heavier than the palm m100 (6.4oz vs 5oz(?)) and a little bit longer. It's a lot lighter than the previous wince devices.
So if you don't care about the color and memory, and want something comparable to the palm, and something extra (multimedia), go for this one. Otherwise, go for the H36xx.
90 [cost efficient] power (not for CA) - I love my iPaq!
The 3135, monochrome, 16 MB version of the Compaq iPaq (all of the other reviews here seem to be for the 3600 color, 32 MB versions) is still, all in all, a pretty impressive machine.
The 3135 still has the iPaq 206 MHz StrongARM CPU, it comes with the CF flash memory sleeve, for memory/storage/communications upgrades, very fast USB connection for updates (my previous PDA was a Palm III, with serial cable link - daily sync would take 5 min on average; with USB/iPaq, daily sync rarely takes more than 20 seconds), and with Compaq support, can even upgrade its operating system to Linux (Compaq support...). The 16 MB is very limiting, though, so if you get this, plan to also buy CF memory...along with it. The advantages of the 3135 are speed, power, and price. You get a 206 MHz handheld system for [a higher price], compare that to the fastest Palm platform handheld, the Palm OS/Handspring Visor Platinum, [for less] for an 8 MB, 33 MHz unit.
The Microsoft Pocket PC OS (really CE v3) comes with MS Media Player (for MP3s - better get at least 64 MB of flash memory, though, to take advantage of that!), pocket versions of MS Word, MS Excel, MS Outlook - maps VERY well to existing Outlook calendar functions, MS Internet Explorer (with AvantGo for offline web browsing), MS Money, MS eBook Reader, and MS Access. The conduits to convert from 'pocket' versions of files to desktop are built in and pretty transparent to the user. All you have to do to take information with you is to drag your existing files to a Pocket PC 'My Documents' folder which the install program creates on your PC desktop, and ActiveSync does the rest (by the way, if you install Linux, all you have to do is to FTP files into your handheld - same thing).
The killer app for this (for me, anyway) is the MS Reader utility. eBooks are relatively small, and with my iPaq, I can carry a veritable library with me in a device the size of a pager. The monochrome screen of the 3135 is much more readable than its color (and ...more expensive) counterpart - or is this just cognative dissonance on my part? Many free books are available on the internet, from the public domain works available at...sites...I believe that even Amazon.com has an "eBooks & eDocuments" section.
91 No Support
The device itself has all the features I wanted but after connecting it to my Host computer found that it would not communicate with my ISP. Contacted Compaq and they advised me that the problem was with the software provided by AvantGo. AvantGo does not provide telephone tech. support so have been trying to resolve my problem via e-mail and internet without any cooperation from AvantGo. If you are a computer tech, this is a nice little device but don't buy it unless you think you can solve your problems by yourself.
92 Great unit, needs some enhancements.
The iPaq is great. It does everything a laptop would do but in a much more convienent carry around size. But, if not being used with a expansion jacket, the unit is too smooth that many people I know have dropped it, one seriously enough to warrant a [spendy] repair for screen replacment. Plus, the battery life is only about 10 hours before a recharge because of the 200+ Mhz processer...
93 NOT A POCKET PC, MORE LIKE POCKET POTENTIAL
THIS DEVICE HAS POTENTIAL. IN THIS DAY AND AGE OF HI-TECH GADGETS, YOU WOULD FIGURE, WITH OTHER PRODUCTS LIKE THE ARCHOS AND NOMAD MP3 PLAYERS, THAT THEY COULD INCORPERATE SOME TYPE OF HARD DRIVE WITH THIS, AS OPPOSED TO THE TYPICAL AND USELESS FLASH CARDS. I MEAN, IF THEY CARRIED EVEN A 1GB DRIVE WITH WIN98 CAPABILITIES, THIS THING WOULD BE EXTREME. I TRIED IT AND THE SOUND IS BEYOND FAIR. THE RESOLUTION IS GREAT. IT HAS A 206MHZ PROCESSOR, WHICH IS GREAT ALSO. 32RAM IS PERFECT, BUT NO DRIVE. IF IT CAME WITH A DRIVE AND WIN 98, NOT CE, THEN WE WOULD HAVE AN AWESOME PRODUCT HERE. ANOTHER THING, WHEN TRYING TO SYNCHRONIZE IT WITH YOUR PC, IT IS A HEADACHE AT 1ST. MAKE SURE ONCE YOU LOAD THE SOFTWARE AND CONNECT THE iPAQ THAT YOU LIFT THE iPAQ FROM THE CRADLE, THEN SET BACK DOWN, THATS WHEN YOU GET THE CONNECTION, OTHERWISE THE PROGRAM FOREVER SEARCHES FOR THE CONNECTOR PORT OR USB. I SEE A REAL POCKET PC VERY SOON, BECAUSE OF THIS.
94 All that and a bag of chips...
I purchased the iPAQ to replace my old Casio Cassiopeia E-15. The difference between these two devices highlights how Microsoft has stolen the edge.... My E-15 refreshed screens in a painfully slow manner, burned through it's rechargeable battery pack while conducting routine tasks in the same amount of time as my iPAQ (while playing MP3s for hours on end and occasionally connecting to the internet via my CompactFlash modem)....
... ActiveSync 3.1 fixes the majority of interface problems; while my iPAQ is synched, data can be seamlessly transferred back and forth between PC and iPAQ...and they run compatible programs.... Battery life... is much improved...and is less affected by Compactflash accessories than earlier CE devices.... entering text is a breeze and can be done in any light condition since the data entry area is illuminated by the backlight....
And best of all, developers are beginning to see the advantages of the Pocket PC and program to its strengths....
Choosing between the iPAQ and other devices is obviously based on the user's intentions. If you want a machine that is capable of performing 50-80% of a laptop's functions, get a Pocket PC and spend the extra time to learn its ins and outs....
95 Excellent Product For New Handheld User
I waited a long time to buy a handheld and spent weeks researching the pros and cons of the two I was most seriously considering, the iPAQ and the new Palm m505. When I finally bit the bullet and bought the iPAQ, I initially was apprehensive regarding its price and some of the "glitches" I read about on the Compaq website message boards. Let me tell you, I have had this thing for 6 weeks now and I absolutely love it. Once you have decided between the advantages and disadvantages of Windows Pocket PC OS v. Palm OS, I don't think there is a better Pocket PC out there. Putting aside the superficial factors about how sleek and cool the iPAQ looks, it does so many things and synchronizes so well with Microsoft Outlook, that I think it's the best handheld out there (notwithstanding the price). The calendar, contacts and other organizer features are excellent. The games I have downloaded are pretty good (I am looking for better ones -- clearly Palm has an advantage here). I live in the city and play chess every morning on the subway -- which is a fine distraction when coupled with a CD player on my ears. I am still working on how to get MP3s downloaded to the iPAQ.
What really sold me on this product, though, was the excellent quality of the screen -- there are 5 levels of brightness to choose from; and the fact that I wanted color to go with it. I compared this to the Palm m505, and it was no contest. You could barely see the Palm screen in the store. Who cares about 65,000 colors v. 4900 when you can barely see the screen? This is one of the most important features of any handheld, in my opinion. The iPAQ memory is expandable, which will allow me to use it for a long time (barring any accidents). The handwriting recognition is excellent, and is much better than Palm's "graffiti."
The negatives I have read about and experienced re: the iPAQ are: (1) the slide-on expansion sleeves. People are complaining because there is no internal expansion slot in the iPAQ. Who cares? The sleeve does not add that much bulk and it's a fair trade-off for the other things you get. That said, the iPAQ is not necessarily something you can carry in a shirt pocket. I have carried it in a jacket pocket however, and it felt comfortable. (2) There isn't as much software out there for PocketPCs as there is for Palm products. I think, though, that due to the popularity of the iPAQ that is changing rapidly. Many of these games are free on Handago.com and Microsoft's PocketPC website. I downloaded a great chess game and a tankzone game that is just like "Battlezone" from the early 80s. I also downloaded "PocketQuake" for free, but need more memory to use it. (3) BATTERY LIFE. This is definitely a negative. I have constantly needed to charge this thing, so I bought a charging adapter for work and home. I take it with me whenever I travel. You can use this for about a day of regular use, then you will need to charge it. I have read that you can keep a Palm on for weeks without charging. Palm has the iPAQ beat hands down in this department, but then again, in my view, the battery drainage is due solely to the advantages I feel the iPAQ has over the Palm. It's a tradeoff. (4) Accessories will cost you. This is a product for people with money to spend on it. While you can get basic everyday usage out of the 32MB that comes with the iPAQ, you will need to buy at least another 64 MB of memory to really get the most out of it. (I haven't yet). Internet connectivity, which I would love to have, is still ridiculously expensive ($59.95/mo. with Omnisky). When this comes down and the connection rate improves (or I win the lottery), this will be a great thing to have.
The last thing I want to say is that it is a lot of fun exploring new things to do with the iPAQ. As with all handhelds, this is not a product like a washing machine that comes with clear directions on how to use its every aspect, particularly, downloadable software. The technology is still evolving, and it requires some work to find new things to download and use. I am still working on the MP3 issue, for example. But there is a growing community of users that provides advice on all aspects of the iPAQ on the Compaq website. It is a great feeling when you find something new to do on this product. If you are someone who likes things spelled out 100% and don't want to search for anyting -- do yourself a favor and buy a Palm. Better yet, stick to a notebook. On the other hand, if you like a little adventure and have some money to spend on this fantastic organizer/MP3 player/toy/computer, I don't think you will be disappointed.
96 Very expensive, but...
If you are like me then you probably dig through other peoples' reviews so you can make a decision which PDA to buy. If you're interested in a non-techie discussion of the pros and cons of the iPaq 3670 vs the HP Journada 545 (I have both) then you should read on. Basically the only difference between the the 3670 and the 3635/3650 is the amount of RAM so I think my discussion is not misplaced here (I'd love to put it into the 3670 category but Amazon doesn't sell these yet). The biggest two advantages of the iPaq over the Journada 545/548 in my opinion are speed and display legibility in the open. The iPaq is noticably faster than the Journada; basically everything on the iPaq happens instantly, whereas you will often get to see the egg timer on the Journada. I'm only talking about a few milliseconds, but to impatient people who make heavy use of their PDA it's a crucial difference. However, if you can live with this and also don't plan on using your PDA in the open very often then you should save those *lots* of $ and instead get the Journada plus a nice 64 or 128 MB extension card (the Viking 128 works great for me). The Journada has even a few advantages over the iPaq: The little wheel on the left of the Journada makes one hand exploration of your mail a real pleasure and much easier than with the iPaq, and the built-in screen protection as well as the slot for memory cards are something every iPaq user will surely miss. To summarize, both are great products, and you don't go wrong with any of them. If you take my points above into consideration it shouldn't be too hard to pick the right one for you.
97 Be practical in your life !
If you're just like many people that are getting into tech. appliances for a better life, think of this product. Who needs to surf on a cell phone? Who needs to send faxes with an expensive and heavy laptop?
I think this is the best article ever created for a business person on the road, that basically uses Word, Excel, contacts an a fax.
Anyway, you finally buy what you want, but think about the portable keyboard, modem, etc...
VEEEEEEERY NICE !!
P.S.: Only 4 stars because of the battery life.
98 You CAN connect it to a Mac!
I have another review below, which talks about how the iPAQ is an excellent upgrade for Newton diehards. I just wanted to add that the iPAQ can be connected to a Macintosh, using a USB-to-PDA adaptor from Keyspan, which you can get on Amazon, and VirtualPC. I just set it up last night, and it really works! The trick is to set the adaptor as your COM1 port in VirtualPC, and you're away. So if you were not sure about buying an iPAQ because you're a Mac user, worry no more - the two can talk to each other. Plus, there is a company out there that is working on a Mac connection kit for the pocketPC - they're called Information Appliance Associates. It looks like this will be available in 2001.
99 All the people in the office like iPaq
In our office, we used to use Palm. It worked OK. But when we started to have the first iPaq, everyone fell in love with it. Just in one month, I bought three already. For one pilot project, all Physician will be required to use it as pharmacy precribing device.
Another reason to use it for us is we can use it to do slide show after loading jpeg files. Of course, if you want, you can have music in the background.
Anyway, it is my impression only and just for your reference. I bought all iPaq from RadioShack ....
100 Nice unit but needs improvement in the interface
I decided to try the iPAQ 3635 after numerous problems with the Palm Vx and having my different programs overwrite the sync conduits for each other. Active Sync has worked well for me so far. It installs a folder on your desktop and anything you drop into it will be transferred to the pocket pc. This is much easier than Palm's Hotsync method of selecting individual programs and doing a full sync. Windows CE is convenient since you can view .avi, .bmp, and .jpg files with no conversion.
I have to admit the Palm's handwriting method of "Graffiti" recognizing what you write works better for me. I didn't see a cheat sheet in my documentation on how to form the letters so the unit recognizes them. It has been trial and error. You can select a virtual keyboard that pops up on the screen and I've found myself using it more and more. Perhaps with instruction on proper character formation writing would be easier.
Battery life seems around 12-15 hours without the backlight and 2 or 3 with it on. This is important because the screen looks so good with the backlight on you will find that it's used most the time. The unit is very readable in bright sunlight as other reviews have stated.
Pocket Word & Excel are great. Word will actually display screenshots and embedded graphics just as they appear on your PC. They aren't stripped out like on the Palm.
There are many PDA's out there that run Windows CE but the iPAQ has a better feel in my hand than others. I would recommend it to almost anyone.
