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. It 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. The Compaq iPAQ wraps the power of a Microsoft Windows operating system in a new interface designed for ease of use in a portable format. Even if you've never used a computer or digital organizer, learning to use the Compaq iPAQ is easy.

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 inking. Both audible and visual alarms alert you when you have a scheduled event.

What sets this Pocket PC apart from similar devices on the market is its sleevelike expansion-pack system. The expansion-pack system allows you add functionality to suit your particular needs. Expansion-pack options currently include a CompactFlash pack, the ability to attach a CompactFlash card slot to your iPAQ, an executive leather and PC Card expansion pack, and a water-resistant sports pack. In the future, Compaq plans to release a global positioning system pack, so you can make your iPAQ pocket PC into a GPS unit.

The Compaq iPAQ is sporty and small. At 5.11 by 3.28 by 0.62 inches and 6 ounces, it fits in your hand or slides 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.

Say you've made the tough choice to forgo the Palm platform's popularity in favor of the familiar desktop feel of Microsoft's Pocket PC operating system.

Surprisingly, that's the easy part. With a handful of options in Pocket PC devices, picking the one best suited for you becomes a matter of studying form more than function. Fortunately, if you're after Palm's form factor, you won't be forced to forego fine design for expandability as you might at the Palm-Handspring fork in the road. The best bang for your buck in the Palm-style Pocket PC category is the Compaq iPaq H3650.

The first thing you'll notice about the H3650 is its sleek, silver finish. Unlike most chrome-painted plastic devices, the H3650 feels as sturdy as it looks. But it weighs only 170 grams - 90 grams less than the Hewlett-Packard Jornada 540. Indeed, the H3650 is essentially a slightly more tricked-out Jornada 540 (and a much heavier hitter than the Cassiopeia E-115, which is getting squashed by the competition). Landing on shelves right on the tail of HP's Jornada line of Pocket PC devices, the H3650 slightly ups the ante at almost every turn, starting with an Intel 206-MHz processor, as opposed to the Jornada's 133-MHz Hitachi brain.

While HP promises eight hours of use from its rechargeable lithium-ion battery, Compaq boasts 12 hours. (Of course, your mileage may vary.) The H3650's color screen is as brilliant as its competitor's, while employing a sensor to automatically adjust the screen's brightness depending on the ambient light. The 32MB of onboard memory is plenty for flipping through an electronic book or playing a few MP3s, and the integrated microphone is useful for recording quick verbal notes. (Only the top-of-the-line and $100-more Jornada 548 has 32MB of memory - the other models hold half that.)

Like its competitors, Compaq is pushing the expandability aspect of its Pocket PC devices through PC Card or CompactFlash connections.

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THE DETAILS
iPaq Pocket PC H3650
Compaq

Score (1-5): Utility: 4; Design: 4
Est. Lifespan: Six months (the Pocket PC game is all about one-upmanship!)
Price: $499
System Requirements: Windows 95 and up, or NT Workstation 4.0 running on a 486/66 DX or higher processor; 9-pin or 25-pin communications port, infrared port or USB port; CD-ROM drive

Great starting PDA