Thoughts on the Ipaq 2210/2215

[RedRamage]

Just want to express a few comments on the newest Ipaq available. I'm a Jornada owner who morned the death of the line of PPCs, so I'm hoping that this news Ipaq would look like a possible replacement for my beloved Jornada:

Well, the unit looks very impressive, but not everything is selling like roses.

First the positives: I like the look. Very slick.
I LOVE the dual integrated expansion slots! This will likely be a priority for me on my future PPCs. I've got a lot invested in CF cards and really don't want to give 'em up.
LOVE the speed. Looks like a real work horse.
REALLY like the powerful IR. Yeah, yeah... I know having a universial remote built into a PPC is a pretty minor little thing, but it's one of those things that are cool in my opinion. It's nice to see "RedTooth" isn't dead yet. :lol:

Okay, now the not so positives (also known as negatives): The little dongle you need on the power cord is "shupid" (and yes, that is a Sluggy Freelance reference :wink: ).
I really, really, REALLY wish HP would bring back the integrated flip top cover. I like having the extra protection for my screen.
Can't say as I like only having 56 Megs of RAM. My understanding is that the unit is using cheaper ROM with a lower communication speed so that some of the OS needs to be moved to RAM so that the unit can run. Means less ram available to the user and slower start up time after a soft (or hard) reset.
REALLY hate the absence of side buttons. I love to read on my PPC. It's nice to be able to do it one handed, just flipping the pages with my thumb on the up/down buttons. Without these buttons it's now a two handed operation or a juggling act. Don't like it at all. :cry:
Over all, I'm think it's a step in the right direction (from my perspective), but it's not a big enough step. I'll stay with my Jornada 568 for now.[/url]

[Enderet]

You made some very good points... and I too miss the side buttons (jog dial). Reading ebooks is going to be a hassle... :cry: . And about the flip cover, the HP FAQ on the 2215 says that the two holes on the back of the 2215 are for a flip cover. That means we should be seeing a flip cover from HP or from a 3rd party some time in the future. :D

[spinedoc]

Just thought I would chime in with a dissenting opinion. I personally HATE any side buttons on my PDA's. I hated them on my Axim. I think the lack of side buttons are a major plus in the 2215.

My only negative is the 2215 is so durn small the CF WIFI cards sitck out too much!!!! But seriously the only drawback to the 2215 is the lack of integrated wifi, and thats only nitpicking from a greedy user!!

[coppertop]

I do miss the flip lids. It really added to the older Jornada series.

I will have to disagree on the side buttons. I always hated hitting the record button accidentally and have unwanted audio files to delete. Maybe, at minimum a toggle button could be of use (like on the Clie) but I like the clean sides.

[ironguy]

I, too, miss the rocker switch that was perfectly located on my J568. I read a LOT on my PPC and thought it was necessary. After some reading though, what I've done is this. I mapped the <page down> function to the 'mail' key. When holding the unit in my left hand, my thumb falls across it fairly naturally.

The other thing I've started doing is putting it in the cradle while eating, er, uh,... reading. A tap on the Dpad and pages turn.

[paris]

I really, really, REALLY wish HP would bring back the integrated flip top cover. I like having the extra protection for my screen.

Dont wish just wait!!!!

look at the back of your HP2210, can you see those holes on the top? can you think why they are there? Well they arte there so you can attach an addon pack, someting like the sleeve system of other ipaqs.

And yes i am not making this up, if you read the H2210 FAQ on HPs site they say that these holes are for this reason and they bring the flip top cover as an example. So they are probably have something going there!! And if not,a 3rd party will come in an make your wish come true!

[Macguy59]

I finally had the chance to see and use a 2215 at Best Buy today. It is MUCH nicer looking in person. It's very small (almost as small as my 1910) and the screen is sweet. Although under those lights I can't tell if it is as nice as the 1910. Lack of buttons on the side is not a deal breaker for me. By this time tomorrow I just might have me one of these :D

[Christian]

Just thought I would chime in with a dissenting opinion. I personally HATE any side buttons on my PDA's. I hated them on my Axim. I think the lack of side buttons are a major plus in the 2215.


Side buttons are really a hot/cold issue for me. While I did use the jog wheel on my e740 quite a bit for reading, I actually went out of my way to disable the record button because it is nearly impossible to pull the device out of many cases without accidentally activating a side button. Overall, I'm more than willing to live with the compromise with the 221x, especially given (almost) that it will have a flip cover! :D

[droppedd]

my old clie has those holes in the back for a flip cover (which it came with). Stupid thing kept coming off though... i had to superglue the flip cover into place :-). Plus it kept hitting the buttons all the time when it was in my pocket, turning it on and occasionally starting new notepad notes. hopefully the 2210s will be a tad better designed, and it's good that it's optional - not everyone wants or needs to pay for an included one.