The sleek, 5.8-oz. iPAQ h4355 Pocket PC offers optimized performance that will keep you productive while on the move and at your destinations. A backlit keyboard, integrated WLAN 802.11b and Bluetooth wireless technology, and a Secure Digital (SDIO) slot round out this model's powerful features.
1 Really good, haven't found the perfect PDA yet, but close
If it could do more screens in landscape, especially the internet, it would be a a 10 (out of 5 starts. I like the combination of a useable keyboard and stylus, the battery ife is very long. I don't need a camera. The screen can always be bigger and better, but I was happy with it for business and intrenet use, I'd still have it someone didn'swipe it. I'm likely to buy another one.
2 Response to previous comments on screen issues...
I took my ipaq to Guatemala and S. Mexico for several months, and after regular usage, and normal precautions against impact, etc., with the factory-issued case, my screen was still intact and remains perfectly fine.
I imagine that there might have been a batch or two that had a flaw. The ipaq color screens are designed like the colorscreens of many comparable color screen products.
I don't feel the screen is a downfall of this product. In fact, it is the primary reason why I chose this product: the resolution, the size, the color.
3 I loved it until the screen broke....twice....
I won my ipaq in a school-related economics competition and it was in perfect working order for about 1 or 2 months. One day it was in my pocket in its INCLUDED case (that apparently doesn't protect it in the least) and when I took it out the screen was cracked. I had to send it to hp and pay $200 to get it fixed because "screen issues" are not protected under warranty. They fixed it, sent it back, and I proceeded to assume that it wouldn't break again. Then 7 months later I was using it in my car, parked my car, put it in a cargo pocket - one that wouldn't put ANY pressure on it, walked inside my apt. building, walked up the stairs, walked into my room, pulled it out, took it out of its INCLUDED case, and lo and behold, 6 cracks lined the screen. I emailed hp and they told me that I only had a warranty on the screen for 6 months after its repair - since it was 7 months since its repair, I would have to pay 200 dollars once again. So now it sits in my drawer and takes up space. You'd think that hp would have the sense to warn people of the screen's fragility, or of their case's complete inability to protect it. Why should I have to pay $200 every time a defective product breaks? Be prepared to make a serious investment if you purchase this product.
4 Another HP failure
Initially the ipaq 4355 had everything I wanted: bluetooth, wireless internet, a sdc slot for memory and a keyboard. It worked well for 6 months.
After 6 months of normal use the screen "cracked" and stopped displaying the images properly. I sent the ipaq to HP assuming that it would be covered under the warranty. Instead the HP repair center claims that it happened because I put too much pressure against the screen causing micro-fractures and weeks later it finally broke, therefore it was not something covered by the warrenty.
They gave me the option of paying $180 to have it repaired or pay them $80 to send it back to me unrepaired. Naturally, I took the 3rd option and paid them $0. I'll let you figure the logic of charging customers a fee to evaluate the problem.
A few other people posted reviews of the screen cracking on this same model leading me to think its a design problem that HP is covering up. It seems that normal usage of the machine will cause cracks and the eventual failure of the screen.
Definitely think twice about buying any HP product!
5 Extremely bad screen durability
I have had my 4355 for about 10 months now, and in that time the screen has cracked twice. The first time, I grudgingly paid the $175 fee to replace it and figured I must have done something wrong. Two months later, it cracks again. This time I am positive there was no extreme pressure, it was never dropped.
It is simply poorly designed and extremely fragile.
I will say that the way I use my PDA's has not changed in a decade. This is the only one (Palm Pilot, etc) that cannot take simple every day wear and tear.
HP, if this your idea of product quality and design, you should be ashamed of yourself. When people have problems with your flawed products, fix them for free.
I have spent thousands over the past 2 years on HP cameras, computers, etc and this has left such a bad taste in my mouth I will never by another HP product again.
6 Poor Customer Service
We had the product and really loved it for 30 days...then for no reason, (we didn't drop it or bang it) the screen got a crack in it...Since we were still under warranty called HP...sorry the screen isn't covered. They wanted 175 dollars to fix it...it then took them over a month to send the box that we were to ship it in...then because it took so long...Oooops the price for the repair went up to $199. We will never buy another HP product again...
7 Works well and does all it says.....
This is a great little machine. Having used Palm since my IIIx I was hesitant to switch but glad I did. The wireless connection works perfectly and effortlessly and from great distances. I have a MS 700 router and it reaches every room in our house (attic, 2nd floor, 1st floor and basement it also reaches my pool are which is the farthest from the router and works perfectly). I thought I was going to have a problem with our older house and thick plaster walls but there was no issues. To connect to the WLAN basically, you turn the icon for WLAN on and the PPC does the rest. If you need a WEP key it will prompt you for it (I still don't get the one reviewer who was knocking it for not having wireless G ...nowhere did it say it was included so why complain about something that you weren't being sold??).
I bought the Belkin GPS through belkin for $149 and it works awesome through blue tooth on this PPC. It has everything I need and I travel the US extensively. You will need a large SD card though 256 or 512 to make the GPS worthwhile but you can find them on fatwallet.com for a reasonable price.
As stated I travel a lot and my company will not allow modifications to the standard laptop package so this enabled me to do a lot of personal stuff while on the road. Throough my BT phone I can surf if away from a WLAN or get emails.
I do agree that the PPC should come with a hard case for the $ spent but I only spent $269 so why complain. That was a bargain from my point.
The only other machine I considered was the Dell Axim x30 but after being told by a Dell rep that they were having "engineering" issues I went with this and could not be happier.
8 Pretty Cool
This is a pretty cool PDA. I got it for my third year of medical school and I haven't been disappointed. It's lightning fast, and the OS seems pretty stable. The only thing I'd do differently is not place as much importance on having a physical keyboard. I initially thought that the keyboard would be a great plus, but I rarely use it. For the times I do use it (typing passwords on web forms when I don't trust my scribbling), I could easily use the pop-up screen keyboard.
Another issue, which has been raised here before, is its wireless capabilities. The thing only supports the older WEP authentication, and not the newer WPA (which is more secure). I had set up my home network with WPA, but I had to downgrade it to WEP to use the iPAQ. This is annoying, not to mention puzzling. I mean, it's 2004 and they still haven't implemented 802.11g?
I guess this is partly the fault of the OS, which superficially resembles Windows XP. A problem I've had with the OS is that when you hit the `x' in the upper right of the window (x=close, one would think), it only minimizes the program (it seems to stay on in memory and you have to shut it down in memory). This is retarded. A minus sign would be a more accurate representation.
A word about HP support. Their online knowledgebase is almost useless (I was searching to see if the iPAQ had 802.11g support), and no matter what you do, don't use their online chat support. The chat tech support guy I had was completely clueless, took 5 minutes to answer each message I sent, and didn't even bother acknowledging his ignorance. He just sent me a word document and told me to read it. The only thing he was good for was giving me the HP supprt phone number (which was wrong, but they automatically transferred me). Get their phone number (it's supposedly hidden deep somewhere) and call them. The phone tech support guy I talked to (after a long wait) was professional, helpful, polite, and knowledgeable.
Finally, if anyone else is using this for medical school, note that your friends will probably have Palms. They'll be beaming their cool programs to each other (for free), while you stand idly by with your incompatible iPAQ. On the other hand, our school has moved their records electronic, and they've chosen iPAQs. Take a look at what your colleagues and schools are using before you spend the big bucks.
9 DO NOT BUY THIS PIECE OF JUNK!!!!
I bought this three days ago and have had nothing but problems. It is going back tomorrow and I will never buy another iPAQ. I had an older model iPAQ (3800 series) that I had gotten used in December. I had started having major problems with it crashing on me about two months ago. I debated over getting a new iPAQ after those problems and the bad reviews on Amazon for HP's in general. I had decided to go with Dell but my husband took me shopping for our anniversary and all we could find was this HP. It was so pretty and cool that I forgot my plans and bought it because I just had to have it NOW! What a mistake.
The machine itself works great, it was when I started trying to install the software that the problems started. Active Sync would not install properly and ended up crashing the first computer I tried installing it on. (Putting the computer in permanent Safe mode.)I thought at first that it was a problem with my computer so I tried loading it on my other, newer one. Same problems with Active Sync only this time I was getting a message saying that the software was not compatable with Windows XP and might mess up my computer if I continued to try syncing it. This was strange since on the box it says it IS compatable.
I contacted HP today and yes, their customer service IS as bad as I've heard. They of course denied that it could possibly be a problem with their machine or software - BOTH of my computers must have messed up at the same time, coincidentally when I got the PPC! They were basically no help at all.
My husband spent 5-6 hours after work getting the first computer fixed, quite a job since he's not a computer expert. He finally got it done and I started over. Well, guess what - I got the software loaded, well only Active Sync - Outlook wouldn't load so I stuck with the version I already have on there. But of course when I tried to sync the computer could not detect the PDA, just like yesterday before my PC crashed. I tried it over and over, even using a cord from my old PDA. Then tried it all on the other computer. NO, it does not work at all and yes, I did get a message AGAIN about incompatible device drivers for XP like I got yesterday. (And the HP support people swore this is impossible.) There is supposed to be a Logo on the product box that says XP compatible, which there is not.
So I have this very expensive calendar/phone book/calculator/To DO list and that's about it. I can't download e-mails or add programs or anything if I can't connect to my computer. It basically useless. I'm so didgusted I want to throw it as hard as I can. Now I have to drive one hour each way and waste all that gas money and time to return this stupid thing. I have six children - I don't have time for this garbage! I just want to cry and HP could care less. I told them all of this and they just said, "See your vendor." Who's going to repay my husband and me for our wasted time and money dealing with the problems this machine has created???
I am taking this back. I might get a Dell but honestly I'm so disgusted that I may just forget PDA's entirely and stick with old-fashioned pen and paper. It's not fancy and may not be as easy to carry around but at least it's reliable and if it does get lost or messed up it's not that expensive to replace.
10 great
i had a psion 5, i tried palm os through cliŽ ux50 (how bad is palm os compared to symbian !)
Last of all i have bought this ipaq4350: it's great !
And will be divine as soon as the bluetooth keyboard will be available
11 Captpancho
Have had palm os Operating PDA for the past 7 years and decided to make the jump to pcket PC. After alot of review was only interested in the 5555, but do to limited production/problems shipping decided to re-evaluate my descion. A friend at HP actually turned me onto the 4355 and boy am i glad that he did. The intergrated Keyboard is wonderful. Even though being profiencent in graffiti, it is still faster to type it in, in most situations. The speed is great and all the features make it very user friendly. The integrated WLAN and bluetooth are great. It was as simple as clicking on two buttons and inserting your router security code and then surfing. I had scheduled several hours to learn how to connect to the web and was able to complete this task in less than five minutes. I cannot say enough good things about this unit. I love it and will never go back. The computing power is so much better than the palm os operating systems.
12 HP Support Lacking
I bought a 4355 and the hardware seems OK, but the software, alhtough functional has some rough edges. HP support seems to end 90 days after it is shipped from HP, therefore, HP claims my software warranty ran out two weeks after I bought the 4355. They insist that it will cost $34.95 per incident of software support. A really sterling service plan, first they outsource all of their tech support to India to save money, then they charge $34.95 per incident to support the software.
Chances are, I will return the device and take HP off my wish list.
13 Great all business PDA: no frills review
Short and Sweet:
Pros:
- WIFI (b)- probably the best feature of this PDA is its ability to connect to the internet wirelessly through WIFI. Some other PDA's offer the ability to connect solely through bluetooth, which is a VERY limiting option for connectivity. With WIFI you can connect to your home network, thousands of commercial hotspots or the many, many open access wireless spots around the nation. For example: many hotels now offer WIFI access and now you can easily surf the web or check your email through your PDA while you are travelling AND its much easier to travel with than a laptop if all you really use your laptop for is email. (I don't recommend using the PDA for extended web surfing since most webpages are not formated for PDA screens).
-BLUETOOTH- but wait! there is a second option for you and that is bluetooth. Bluetooth is great for syncing with your laptop, computer, phone, etc. wirelessly. No more USB cables to sync your schedule and address book or even transfer files (although large files such as mp3's(music) should use WIFI or USB to transfer since Bluetooth is a bit slower, but it is easier to configure). You can also use Bluetooth in conjunction with your bluetooth phone to get your email where WIFI isn't available. Bluetooth is also amazingly valuable when you want to exchange information such as calendars, contacts (such as your own business card) or files with other bluetooth enabled PDA's.
-KEYBOARD- I've had a PDA with the writing option and let me say, no matter how good you get (and it does take some practice), inputing text by graffiti is slower than typing with your thumbs. But still, the keyboard does need some time to get used to. My hands are average sized and I do find the keyboard very adequate for my hands.
-Tech Specs- cleary this is a top of the line PDA as far as the specs (memory, CPU speed, screen size, resolution) are concerned. Do you really need a fast PDA? I don't know about this, since it isn't like you are going to be doing photoshop on it or anything... but it is nice to know that you have a blazing fast PDA. The screen is a gem, very large compared to palms and very clear.
Cons:
-OS- the operating system is of the Windows genre, which is nice because most of us are familiar with Windows... BUT the OS is not very user friendly to PocketPC novices. Be prepared for some headaches when using some of the functions if you have little experience with PocketPC's.
-Size- really I expected the size to be bigger, but actually its quite small enough for me (and certainly not heavy). On the other hand it is a lot bigger than many other PDA's and might be a concern for you. I'd suggest taking a look at it in real life before buying it online just to be sure you can live with the larger size.
-PRICE- This baby is expensive. If you just want to use your PDA for elementary tasks or you don't forsee yourself using the PDA daily or you just don't need all of the features... then certainly you can get by with a much cheaper PDA. If the PDA you are going to buy is going to be equivalent to your left arm, then by all means the price of this PDA is worth it.
-CRADLE- this is the contraption where the PDA docks. I found the cradle connection where the PDA plugs into it to be a little iffy. The PDA really doesn't slide into place well and quite frankly it scares me that I will break something off when I insert the PDA a little crooked. On the plus side though, the cradle does have a nice second slot to charge an extra battery at the same time you charge the PDA,
-BATTERY LIFE- Nice bright screen, fast processor, WIFI, BLUETOOTH= battery hog. In my experience if I use it just to get schedule appointments and check an occasional emai, the PDA will last me about 2-3 days. If I use it as an mp3 player and to surf the web, sync via bluetooth and compose long emails. The PDA will last a max of 2 days before I need to charge it again. Still, simple measures such as turning off WIFI and bluetooth when not in use will greatly extend battery usage. And really as long as you park the PDA into the cradle every night, battery life isn't an issue.
-NO CAMERA- okay, this really isn't an issue with me, but I just want to put it out there for people that might not have noticed. Many PDA's (especially PDA's that cost over $200) offer low resoltion cameras as a fun gimmick and this might be the selling point for you. So take heed, you do not get a fun gimmicky camera with this PDA.
Summary: Great PDA, but unless you are rich, it is a little pricey. I would definitely consider this if you are a business person or you need to keep connected constantly, but I would strongly suggest you look at other cheaper PDA's if this is not the case. Also great if you refuse to learn graffiti or you need to input text longer than a sentence or two.
14 My 4355
Well, I'm a Mac user and a long time fan of palm devices but I just couldn't resist this Pocket PC. Other than it syncs better to my outlook than palm devices, I like how it has wifi, bluetooth, a built in keyboard, blah blah blah. So, this has been perfect so far.
I bought it to do some wardriving, er warwalking, and some wifi auditing and it works great. But, no wireless sniffers yet work with it (ministumbler) so I'll have to be patient. Yeah, it's bulky, but better than lugging around a laptop.
15 Excellent PDA
You wont get much better for software and wireless options, expandable memory w/ SAN Flash Slot, good res on the screen and of course the easy to use keyboard aswell.
16 Overhyped. Underperformed.
When I bought this gadget, I thought that it would do everything as advertised and more since it was on the top of the list of many PDA review sites. Unfortunately, buying this thing is like buying a car without seats or radio/stereo system, it looks good but you're going to have to spend hundreds of dollars more to get it to perform the way it is shown to perform in reviews. It's a bare bones system. If you do not need wi-fi, then you should go for one of the $150 models since they do about the same thing as this thing.
No software, very little storage memory. Out of the box, the thing does as much as a $0.70 paper notepad does and less. Everything costs more, even for this premium product. Not worth the hassle.
17 A Great Product !
I've owned my Ipaq 4355 for approximately two months now, and have loved every minute of it. I upgraded from a Toshiba E310, which was a fine PocketPC, but lacked the communications options the 4355 has (wi-fi and bluetooth).
My intent in buying the 4355 was to acheive connectivity wherever I may find myself, a lofty goal to be sure. Since free Wi-Fi hotspots are somewhat limited in my hometown (Madison, WI), I decided to try connecting the 4355 through my Sony-Ericsson T616 cell phone using bluetooth. So far the results have been fantastic with GPRS mode. I'm able to connect anywhere in my hometown, and extensively while traveling within the state. When free wi-fi has been available, I've found it simple to connect.
Entering websites and short e-mails have been my primary use of the keyboard, and it has worked very well thus far (even with my thick fingers.)
All in all I consider the 4355 (and T616) among my best tech purchases in recent memory.
18 Some tips to save your efforts
It took me some time to set it up but it is really amazing and exactly what I expected of a great pda.
Share with you some tips to save your time on setup.
1.WLAN setup: extremely easy. Once you enter the main menu, click 'start' to find 'ipad wireless' in the menu. It shows you both bluetooth and wlan icons. Click 'WLAN' and then it will show you the wireless networks around, exactly the same as how to setup laptop's WLAN.
2.Install software. It bugged me for a while. I assumed I could install softwares on it directly.(This is my first pda.) In fact, we have to install activesync to the desktop first. Plug 4355 to the cradle and then connect the cradle to your desktop by USB cable. Now, install the softwares to your desktop and they are automatically installed to 4355 by ActiveSync.
3. So far, ActiveSync performs very well.
4. An extra SD memory card is a must to leverage your investment.
19 Ranked Top 2 in 2003
(note, 4350 is almost the same one as 4355 despite two minor softwares.)
I ordered one 4350 yesterday after doing some investigation on various PDAs. Here is PDA Evaluation 2003 which ranked H4350 top 2.
http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/4502-3127_16-0.html?tag=srch&qt=&orderby=-16eRating
http://reviews.cnet.com/4521-6522_7-5021304-2.html?tag=txt
20 HP Support SUCKS!!!!!!
I had difficulty with the wLAN aspect of the product so I called HP Support for help. Being a brand new IPAQ, I thought this would be easy. The support tech at first refused me service as they claimed that my warranty expired! As I had received the product that day, I was outraged. After complaining, they finally figured they had the wrong record.
Once I got suppport, it was absolutely terrible! The automatic network indicator feature was not working properly. They had me hard reboot to connect. In addition, they suggested I do this every time I go to new hot spot. Hard reboot, erases all data and resets the iPAQ. Could not believe they even suggested this as a solution.
I returned my PDA!!! Looking for a better product and service.
21 Good product if you know what you're doing
Rating is really 4.5 stars. This is the first PDA/pocket PC I've ever had. For it's size, I am amazed with its capabilities. I bought it mostly for the keyboard and direct transfer between desktop and pocket excel. Only real negative I can think of is that it doesn't come with any manual...I suggest buying Derek Ball's How to Do Everything with Your IPAQ Pocket PC. Although I am an engineer, I am not what one would call a "techie" and the book has been a wonderful help.
22 Good but not a compelling buy
The iPaq 4355 stands out from the other Pocket PCs in that it has a built-in thumb keyboard. Overall it's a solid PDA, with the usual advantages and annoying quirks of the Pocket PC platform. If you a power user you will appreciate the keyboard and the inclusion of both wi-fi (802.11b only, though) and Bluetooth. Of course, the price is not for most PDA buyers.
Here's a quick rundown on the more prominent features and a real-world user's perspective:
+ Built-in thumb keyboard. I do a lot of "typing" on my PDAs because I use them to keep a journal, and I'm crazy about entering all sorts of appointments and reminders. While the Palm platform has long had devices with built-in keyboards (Tungsten C and W and a number of Clie models), I think the 4355 is the first to sport one among Pocket PCs. The keyboard is quite usable, although obviously you can't touch-type unless you have very tiny fingers.
- No dedicated numeric keys! This turns out to be quite annoying. Each time you want to type a number you have to hold down a function key. I'm used to the generosity of the Danger/T-Mobile Sidekick keyboard so I find the lack of dedicated numeric keys perplexing and frustrating.
+ Both wi-fi and Bluetooth built-in. Obviously this pleases those of us who are wireless freaks. The wi-fi setup is also quite easy, at least for us geeks.
- Wi-fi is only 802.11b and range is not very good. I lose connection after about 20 feet! Also I haven't been able to get BT to work with my USB BT adapter. Really can't figure out why. I personally have no faith in Bluetooth.
+ Bright color screen. Like with previous iPaq's this has a very good screen with nice color balance and strong backlighting.
- Screen is small at only 3.5" diagonal. Also Pocket PC limits resolution to QVGA, or 240x320.
+ Big battery included and provides decent battery life, provided you don't use wireless! If I turn on wi-fi full-time I find that the battery will run out in about 2 hours of constant use, even though I wasn't playing MP3. So if you play MP3 and use wireless at the same time, expect very short battery life.
- Entire unit is bulky and kinda heavy.
A big minus continues to be Microsoft ActiveSync 3.7. Anyone thinking of switching to Pocket PC should be aware of this problem. ActiveSync really sucks. It's very hard to get it work, and it doesn't work much of the time. And if your iPaq does a hard reset (mine did on its own), when you re-sync, you get double entries in your desktop Outlook (at least I did). It took me forever to remove the duplicate entries. If someone knows of an easier way to fix this, please post the solution here.
In short, this is a decent Pocket PC geared toward the power user. If it had a large VGA screen like the Toshiba e855, I would have given it four stars.
23 Best discovery I have made
Before I continue on with my review, I must correct a mistake by the previous reviewer-the device does have wi-fi built in along with bluetooth. This device is simply a delight to use-being a student, its important to keep my information mobile. Applications run fast without any trouble but be cautious-do not try to overdo it or it will get moody with you. I believe the best thing about this device would have to be the built in keyboard. Now if you can deal without the keyboard, then I suggest purchasing the hp 4150 for its basically this device minus the keyboard. As for the features and apps loaded on the device, I don't need to go through them because it has already been covered by several reviewers. On that note, I highly recommend this device-especially for students. If you have any other questions about the device then email me at: abradora@hotmail.com and I will gladly answer any questions or comments. Thank you for your time in reading this review.
24 Big, ugly, slow and bad thumb-keyboard
Let me offer some dissenting opinion on this expensive yet big and ugly and heavy pda. It comes with wi-fi, a good idea but it doesn't work most of the time, like when you a room away from your access point. The screen is small at slightly under 3.5" diagonal, and it's NOT readable outdoors, even on an overcast day. The qvga resolution is just not enough. Get this: you don't even get a cover after paying all this money. Battery life is miserable to say the least. Thumb-type keyboard is good idea a la Clie, but poorly implemented, hard to peck on and no dedicated number keys. Also my p and z keys broke after just two weeks. Overall a very disappointing pda. I think i'm going to get a clie.
25 Made me switch from Palm to PocketPC
I was nervous about switching over to PocketPC from palm, and that I would lose my information,programs, capabilities... But boy was I wrong! The transition was as easy as pie!
This unit blows away the competition with features. I needed something with a built in keyboard (this one has a blue backlight so you can type in the dark!), I can't be bothered with online writing utilities (which this one also has, if needed for some reason). The keyboard is one of the most comfortable I have been able to type with my actual fingers (unlike the CLIE's finger-nail type keyboard).
Of course it has WiFi and Bluetooth, is fully multimedia compatible. What really blew me away was the amount of software that it comes with. While Palm boasts a large software library, you have to purchase each program seperately, and it gets expensive! Palm comes with the bare minimums installed - to sync with outlook you have to purchase software, for example. This PDA acts exactly like your Windows Based PC. Want to sync with Outlook? Go online? Look at a Flash document? It's all there! It really is foolproof.
The store that I tested this out in had wireless internet running through it. This device was FAST, and had no problems connecting to every website that I tested it out on. Since purchasing it, I've found it picks up signals really well. I've been able to drive around and jump on wireless networks in my town, even at the beach! Last night I streamed a radio station from England while at the beach. If that's not cool, I don't know what is!
I have not been able to find a more comfortable thumbpad keyboard on a PDA device with more features, or a better value than this one! If you're in the market for a new PDA, I'd buy this if I were you!
26 iPaq with all the goodies already built in
I have owned almost every iPaq made to date plus a few other brands and without a doubt, the 4355 is the best by far. Yes it is a bit bigger then most of the other iPaq's, but I do not have a problem with that as it fits so well into my hand and just "feels right" A 1560 mAh battery comes standard with the unit which is about 500 mAh more then most PDA's resulting in a good 3-4 days usage before recharging. I spent once over two hours on WiFi at a local Starbucks and the battery was still going stronge. The WiFi setup could not be simpler, just turn on the unit, select WiFi ON and it has a "snooper" built in and will find the Wifi, add all the correct addressing information and you just connect right away. Takes no more then 10 seconds to handle this. The BlueTooth works perfectly on my HP printer at up to about 30 ft and the other nice thing I found is that the Logitech Bluetooth Keyboard has a universal Bluetooth transmitter/receiver and and I could hook into this with ease for ActiveSync. Along with that, I purchased a 512 MB SD card, a beautiful leather case by the company Piel (www.ipaqcases.com) and with those options I am all set. I find I actually use the keyboard alot and its very neat as its got a "Timex Indaglo" color blue backlight for the keyboard which is very handy.
I use the unit for alot of large JPG pictures and they look stunning on the display and also maps created by MapPoint 2004 for Pocket Streets and its amazing ow fast this unit will open even a very large map (17 MB) The screen can be read outside in bright sunlite (well as bright as it gets here in Seattle) which I cannot say for many other PDA's. The programs just "snap open" (e no waiting and rare to see the hourglass symbol) This PDA does of course run the latest PPC software which is called Pocket PC 2003 Premium. Only bad thing, but this is the custom tese days with PDA's is no manual (partial one on the CD) So if you are new to Pocket PC's I would get something "Everything you have always wanted to go with your iPaq" by Frank McPherson. Also its neat as the battery charger unit with the built in USB 2.0 Interface (will run USB 1 also) has a second slot for an extra battery if you want. This kind of option it usually not available or if it is, sells for a rather high price. IF you do not think you will use the keyboard that is built in, there always is basically the same model without the keyboard and that is the iPaq 4155. But this unit does come with a smaller battery (1000 maH I beleive) and I really like the long life of the one that comes with the 4355. Usually I can also find a good number of things I don't like, but not in this model ! A clear winner in the PDA world !
Tedd Riggs
Redmond,WA
T_Riggs@msn.com
27 I love this thing!!
I have had my 4355 for approximately a month now, and I am blown away by it's set of features.It literally has everything one could want from a handheld. The built in WiFi effortlessly recognized our home network, I bought a BT GPS receiver on ebay, which gives me wireless GPS navigation, while leaving the SD slot free for my memory cards.
I, personally love the keyboard. I have never been a fan of handwriting recognition, and I have larger than average hands, so the size is actually perfect for me. While it's a bit longer because of the keyboard (1 inch longer than the 4150), the device itself is very thin. My girlfriend bought the 4150, which aside from the keyboard, and a slightly smaller battery has the same features.
Battery life is better than average, although like every other device, heavy WiFi use drains it pretty quickly. Simply buying an additional battery for emergencies would suffice for just about anyone's usage.
The keyboard is a good size, making thumb typing very easy. If it has a drawback, it's that there aren't stand alone number keys, so typing alot of numbers is a bit of a hassle at times. But that's really nitpicking. Overall, I can't really find anything not to like about this handheld. Except the terrible case that HP gives you with it. I'm still waiting for others to hit the stores so I can replace it.
28 Truly is a pocket computer
I just can't say enough about this handheld. The keyboard is awesome. Wi-fi and bluetooth, I am completely unwired. This thing truly allows me to take my work/email on the road not have to lug around a laptop to do it. I can't or wouldn't go anywhere without it. Hands down the best pda you can buy.
29 Keyboard rocks!
Some people say it's awkward. Yes it is. Form factor 4355 has is way too unusual for Windows-based Pocket PCs. As a long time Blackberry user I really appreciate this small keypad, for it is a real pain to type anything using the on-screen keyboard.
30 GREAT!!!! AND You Can Buy It Cheaper Elsewhere!
There are many Places selling this item cheaper. Check pricegrabber.com and dealtime.com and yahoo.com
Enjoy it does everything!!!!!!!
