VERY Detailed Review of the iPAQ 1910

[Brad Adrian]

<a href="http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/hp1910-review.html">http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/hp1910-review.html</a><br /><br />You've heard me and a few others raving about our new little (emphasis on the word "little") iPAQ 1910s, including comments about how gorgeous the screen is. If you'd like to read one of the most detailed reviews yet written about this great Pocket PC, check out this one <a href="http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/hp1910-review.html">published on the Gadgeteer Web site</a>.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/adrian/1910a.jpg" /><br /> <br />When I say this is a detailed review, I mean DETAILED. Some of the information they share includes:<br /><br />• Side-by-side photos with other Pocket PCs<br />• Close-up photos of the device from all angles<br />• Minute-by-minute analysis of the 1910's power consumption<br /><br />However, I'm not quite as convinced as the author is that the 1910's battery doesn't have sufficient capacity, although I haven't done an in-depth analysis. I've been able to use my device pretty heavily during the course of the day and still had plenty of power to spare.<br /><br />Give the article a read, though, and let me know if you think your 1910 has enough juice.

[gfunkmagic]

8O You know as a die hard palmOS user, I must say this is the one device that could actually make me come over to the the "dark side"! OOOOOH baby! I.... don't... know... if... I... can.... resist.... AHHH!

[Boxster S]

This review is over a month old. I though I even remember seeing the link to it here on PPCT

[Jonathan1]

Add 2 hours to the batt life, 64MB of accessible RAM, and a 400Mhz CPU and I'm sold. Until then as the article says this will be considered a "budget Pocket PC" for most. As I had stated prior until someone deleted it :? :

The 1910 device is one of those devices that will always inspire controversy. The 3635 iPaq released summer-fall of 2000 was one of those devices where you just look at it and go AHHH that is cool. Every aspect of it was new and revolutionary at the time. New type of screen, new CPU, new type of batt, new method of expansion, best speaker on a PDA, brightest screen, etc, etc, etc. The 1910 doesn't really have anything all the revolutionary in it per say. Its the size that makes it revolutionary in a way. So for those where "size matters" its a godsend a beauty to behold. For those where they don't mind carrying two decks of playing cards in their pocket this is nothing more then an underpowered Pocket PC. Like Obi Wan said. It all in the point of view.

My growing concern is that thinner devices like the 1910 will always take a back seat to their chunky, fully featured brethren. This would be a serious shame if this does end up being the case. I think form factor and size does play a part in people purchasing choices, I know it does with me.

[Steven Cedrone]

As I had stated prior until someone deleted it :? :


Deleted? It wasn't deleted. It was moved into the HOFS, because it wound up being part of one of your typical off-topic rants...

See, it's right here (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9068)...

Steven Cedrone
Community Moderator

[R K]

My growing concern is that thinner devices like the 1910 will always take a back seat to their chunky, fully featured brethren. This would be a serious shame if this does end up being the case. I think form factor and size does play a part in people purchasing choices, I know it does with me.

I guess people don't think power and (lack of) size mix.
Considering that the iPAQ H1910 is $300 and the iPAQ H5450 is $700, what do you think a good price would be for an iPAQ H1910 with 32MB NOR ROM, 64MB SDRAM, SDIO Slot, and 400MHz PXA255 XScale processor?
Let's say $500 would be the price of such a Pocket PC. Would you be willing to buy one for $500?
Throw in Bluetooth to the mix and you have a device that rivals the iPAQ H5450 in functionality.

[jngold_me]

Throw in Bluetooth to the mix and you have a device that rivals the iPAQ H5450 in functionality.

I Don't think HP would do that. It would totally decimate sales of the 5000 series. I guess the only people that would buy a 5000 series is those that absolutely need some particular type of sleeve. Otherwise, heck, the "super" 1900 would rule.

[pocketpc67]

I must agree with all reviewers this screen is the brightest and best I have ever seen on a palm or pocket pc. The problem is you only get two hours on the battery plus the biggest drawback is the screen tilt which irritated me to no end which is why I went to the Axim. I can turn up the brightness and still get 5 hours on the Axim.

[Deslock]

The 1910 device is one of those devices that will always inspire controversy. The 3635 iPaq released summer-fall of 2000 was one of those devices where you just look at it and go AHHH that is cool. Every aspect of it was new and revolutionary at the time. New type of screen, new CPU, new type of batt, new method of expansion, best speaker on a PDA, brightest screen, etc, etc, etc. The 1910 doesn't really have anything all the revolutionary in it per say. Its the size that makes it revolutionary in a way. So for those where "size matters" its a godsend a beauty to behold. For those where they don't mind carrying two decks of playing cards in their pocket this is nothing more then an underpowered Pocket PC.
The original IPAQ was popular for the reasons you mentioned, but more-so because it was smaller, lighter, flashier, and more ergonomic than other PPCs at the time. The biggest complaints about it were the lack of expansion without the bulky sled, lack of a user-replaceable battery, and inability to press more than one button at a time.

The HP1910 has an even better screen (best of any PPC) and is even smaller, lighter, flashier, and more ergonomic than the original IPAQ. The HP1910 has expansion, user-replacable battery, and you can press more than one button at a time. It also retails for &lt; 300 and has been on sale for &lt; $200.

Obviously, it is not for everyone. To diehard PPC power users, the HP1910 might not be exciting, but it is a revolutionary device.

BTW, as far as battery life goes, I get 3-4 hours with normal use (overclocked to 300 MHz, usually at max brightness). That's crappy, but I almost never need more than that. I also have a spare battery, but have only used it a couple times. Still, if anyone is considering getting the HP1910, it's worth the $40 for a spare battery so you don't need to worry about it.

[rberry88]

I agree with Jonathon, if they want to cut the processor in half, take out integrated wifi, decrease the ram then I would call it a good 'budget PPC'. My only complaint with all the reviews of these lower priced PPC's is that they all play up the size as the only reason for purchasing this 'budget priced ppc' over the 5455 why not give me some real reasons why it is better than the 5455?? The screens look the same, the 5455 has more memory, 400mhz as opposed to 200mhz processor, built in wifi and bluetooth so I guess I'm missing out on why this 1910 and other lower priced PPC's are better than the 5455 like they insist in these reviews.

I think the 1910 is a good machine on its own and have looked into getting one for my wife (or the Dell) but I consider it comparing apples and oranges when comparing the 1910 to the 5455. It's like comparing a Ford to a Ferrari, look they both have engines and provide the basic functions of transportation so we can compare them right, too bad the consumer doesn't think that, at least I don't.

BTW, very well written review even if I don't agree with alot of it.

RickB

[mrp0428]

:) I have had the 1910 for 2 weeks and have been very happy except for having 3 hard resets in a week. My 3600 Ipaq had only 1 hard reset in more than 2 years. You can't beat the size and functions. Some kind of case should be included.

[Janak Parekh]

:) I have had the 1910 for 2 weeks and have been very happy except for having 3 hard resets in a week.
Hmm, that's not good. Unless you're using an unstable piece of software, there's a very good chance you have a hardware problem. A hard reset should never happen "by itself", and on most of the iPaqs I've used (including 1910s), I've not experienced this. (My ancient 3650 suffers battery drain occasionally, which is not surprising considering its age.)

--janak

[karlth]

Bought a 1910 last month and been terribly impressed with it. If you want to carry a PDA around without looking like a belt- clipped nerd :D then this one is really the only option. Batterylife has never been a problem, some pim use, a few chess games, a couple of mp3 songs and the 1910 didn't drop below 80% during the day. The screen is so terribly bright that unless you indent to use it as a flashlight then the next to lowest setting is more than sufficient, so good is the screen.

For a user though that wants WiFI access or GPS than I'd recommend another one but you'd have to pay the price of carrying a brick compared to this beauty.

On a final note there was an e-mail from HP support mentioned on Brighthand that said SDIO support on the 1910 to be on the way in a ROM patch.

So in conclusion the 1910 is like that small Canon or Fuji camera you carry around with you just because it is small enough while the 20 tonn Superduper lens monster gathers dust in a closet.

[Sparkomatic]

I've been using my 1910 for a few weeks now and have been very pleased. I really wasn't using all the functionality of my 3975 so even though it's considered by some to be a "budget PPC", it really works for me. Even though I thought it wouldn't, the form factor does make a difference for me. I've had one hard reset but that was because I was pushing the limits of XScale on it :oops:

Battery life for me has been very good. I can use my 1910 throughout the day with no problems. I don't charge it at all on the weekends and have not had any issues.

I do think that a case should come with it. If anyone's looking for a case, I just ordered the belt clip case from casesonline and highly recommend them. Very nice cases at a decent price.

Oh and karlth, if that HP support e-mail is true about future SDIO support in a ROM release, that's a big plus!

[QYV]

This review did miss one very important aspect: with only 16MB of ROM, there is zero upgrade path for this device. With Pocket PC 2002 already taking up 24MB, it's an open question whether or not even the many current devices with 32MB will be upgradeable to PPC 2003 (although it seems quite likely). I'm not terribly familiar with The Gadgeteer, but if she's carrying a Tungsten T around, I'm assuming she's not a big Pocket PC user, which could explain why the OS upgrade isn't something that's uppermost in her mind. Still, the 16MB ROM and upgradeability was the single reason I elimated the 1910 from contention and bought an Axim instead, so it seems like it's something worth mentioning in a review.

(granted, it may be that HP or other OEMs won't offer any upgrade to the next PPC OS at all, but that would fly in the face of previous practice and would seem to be a dubious move from a PR standpoint)

It will be interesting to see what people think about the 1910 in six to eight months...

[Janak Parekh]

I'm not terribly familiar with The Gadgeteer, but if she's carrying a Tungsten T around, I'm assuming she's not a big Pocket PC user, which could explain why the OS upgrade isn't something that's uppermost in her mind.
Julie actually has been using Pocket PCs and PSPCs for years (she's got a review of the E-15, E-100, E-115 and E-125 somewhere in her archives, for example). I think a lot of people don't perceive upgrades as a necessity. For the average user, the iPaq 1910 is well-suited to be a decent little organizer/handheld computer. But this has been debated in a different thread, so I'll leave it at that...

--janak

[ThomasC22]

I agree with Jonathon, if they want to cut the processor in half, take out integrated wifi, decrease the ram then I would call it a good 'budget PPC'. My only complaint with all the reviews of these lower priced PPC's is that they all play up the size as the only reason for purchasing this 'budget priced ppc' over the 5455 why not give me some real reasons why it is better than the 5455??

I think the point is that size matters 10 times more than all the other factors combined. Which for me, I find to be true. But for more on that see below :)

Really, my only issue with the 1910 is that I wish they would have included a better case (or simply a screen cover). Making a thin device and then packaging it with a huge case is just silly.



On a final note there was an e-mail from HP support mentioned on Brighthand that said SDIO support on the 1910 to be on the way in a ROM patch.


See, that's when I buy one. Truth is, I've realized I'm not THAT much of a power user. I like a little bluetooth connectivity, but I don't say....play music while browsing the internet or anything, so one SD slot that is SDIO enabled would be enough for me (I would prefer two but would be willing to give it up for the size consideration).

[ThomasC22]

Deleted? It wasn't deleted. It was moved into the HOFS, because it wound up being part of one of your typical off-topic rants...

See, it's right here (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9068)...


If I might make one tiny little suggestion (I know what you're thinking, "No"), could you please put a place holder message when you move a post so that we know where it's gone and can still follow the discussion there?

It would help.

[Steven Cedrone]

If I might make one tiny little suggestion (I know what you're thinking, "No"), could you please put a place holder message when you move a post so that we know where it's gone and can still follow the discussion there?

It would help.

In this case, the person knew where the post was moved, but chose to take a shot at me...

Yes, Normally, I will add a message saying that the missing posts are "here"(with the appropriate URL referenced)...

Steve

[jizmo]

To me the form factor is very important quality in everything I buy. If I use more money on clothes that look good, why not spend some extra on a PDA that looks stylish.

1910 is the sportscar of the PPC's that can give its owner a little status. It's the first PPC that people might buy just because it'd look good on them.

/jizmo

[jngold_me]

This review did miss one very important aspect: with only 16MB of ROM, there is zero upgrade path for this device.

Who cares? The price of the 1910 is low enough so that an upgrade in a year (or even a year and a half) is no big deal. Hardware is always getting better and I gotta laugh when people talk about pda upgradability. It would be much more of an issue if you paid upward towards $700 for a 5450 which you would expect alot more time with your investment.

For $299, (I got mine for $199), I'll live with the PPC OS non-expansion path. Anyways, it's not essential to immediately upgrade. The OS migration isn't like the hardware genesis that occurred when 2002 came out and required only SA processor and put the nail in the coffin for MIPS and SH3 processors.

Furthermore, the OS upgrade is not out of the question. Even with the 1910's 16mb, remember that much of the overload is loaded into the 1910's ram upon first-start. No reason what-so-ever that it couldn't be done for a future OS upgrade.

All I know is that when I am ready to "upgrade", I'll be looking for the next cheap and 1910-sized device.

[jeasher]

This review did miss one very important aspect: with only 16MB of ROM, there is zero upgrade path for this device.

Who cares? The price of the 1910 is low enough so that an upgrade in a year (or even a year and a half) is no big deal. Hardware is always getting better and I gotta laugh when people talk about pda upgradability. It would be much more of an issue if you paid upward towards $700 for a 5450 which you would expect alot more time with your investment.

For $299, (I got mine for $199), I'll live with the PPC OS non-expansion path. Anyways, it's not essential to immediately upgrade. The OS migration isn't like the hardware genesis that occurred when 2002 came out and required only SA processor and put the nail in the coffin for MIPS and SH3 processors.

Furthermore, the OS upgrade is not out of the question. Even with the 1910's 16mb, remember that much of the overload is loaded into the 1910's ram upon first-start. No reason what-so-ever that it couldn't be done for a future OS upgrade.

All I know is that when I am ready to "upgrade", I'll be looking for the next cheap and 1910-sized device.

As usual, I agree completely with him. I paid $249 for mine and if I need to upgrade the OS, I'll just buy a new one. My experience has been wonderful BTW. I have plenty of battery power left at the end of the day. The only time its been an issue is when I forgot to charge it before a road trip. That's it. I used to hate PPC but now I'm addicted to it. I can't believe how gung-ho I was on Palm. The size of this device changed everything. Dell says form-factor doesn't matter and that's why they lost my business.

[Paragon]

As I had stated prior until someone deleted it :? :


Deleted? It wasn't deleted. It was moved into the HOFS, because it wound up being part of one of your typical off-topic rants...

See, it's right here (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9068)...

Steven Cedrone
Community Moderator

:D :D

The hall of flame is a great idea BTW!

[Andrew]

At the moment I dont think you can buy this here in Europe - at least here in the Czech Republic anyway. There is supposed to be a version here, called the 1915 I believe that will supposedly have bluetooth! That would be a nice addition for sure.
I have to say that even though I like the size and everything, the way the memory works (copying progs from ROM to RAM to run etc) is a point against for me. If it also had a nice SDIO slot for wireless it would be great.
Personally, I think it wouldnt hurt HP to make a 'super' version of these things, they could call it the 6000 series :) and as long as they squeeze in a faster processor, SDIO slot, wireless and/or Bluetooth, and a higher capacity battery, along with NOR memory, I'd be sold. Of course for now this is just a dream - but everyone needs a dream dont they? ;)

[Andrew]

Just an addenum - if HP does release a ROM patch that turns this into a SDIO capable device, then it really would be a killer. And I think those of you who are saying that at this price point when it comes time to upgrade in a year or two, buying another one wouldnt be such a kick in teeth, have a very good point :)
When theyre finally released here I may pick up a couple for the office :D

[Konsole]

FYI, ive got a 1910 (love it). If you are looking for a case, check out the 'Palm Zire' case. Its a blue rubber/plastic case and it fits the 1910 perfectly. its about $15. You can scratch the palm logo off of it if you are really that picky.