pdabuyersguide Reviews the iPAQ 5550

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pdabuyersguide.com/ipaq5555.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.pdabuyersguide.com/ipaq5555.htm</a><br /><br /></div>pdabuyersguide.com has written a detailed review on the iPAQ 5550, and it's worth a read if your interested in this new iPAQ. I was a little surprised at their battery life comments however - they're suggesting only 3-4 hours of battery life with no WiFi use. If you own a 5550, is that what you've been seeing? I have one here, but I haven't used it much yet - I'm gearing up to use the iPAQ 2215 as my primary Pocket PC.<br /><br />"Introduced in the summer of 2003, just after the iPAQ 2215, the iPAQ 5550 is HP's new flagship Pocket PC, replacing the 5450. The first word that comes to mind is "excellent", and the 5550 is all that the 5450 should've been and more. At $649, it's the most expensive Pocket PC, but you do get a lot for the hefty price tag. If you need WiFi, Bluetooth, an impressive array of expansion possibilities, lots of memory, a large display and biometric security, then the price may well be worth it.<br /><br />While the 5450, which the 5550 strongly resembles, had most of the same hardware features and used the same casing and design, it suffered some bugs and reliability issues when it first came out. Most of the 5450's bugs were fixed by service packs and ROM updates issued by HP, but I'm happy to say that the 5550 doesn't share those bugs and has proved very reliable out of the box."

[that_kid]

With BT on on Wifi off I get about 7-8 hrs on the slim battey. I haven't really tested life without wifi with the extended battery so I can't say but I know that I do get about 6-7 hrs of wifi usage with the extended battery.

[MikeUnwired]

I'm gearing up to use the iPAQ 2215 as my primary Pocket PC.

I'm seeing quite a number of PDA "experts" gravitating to the 2215. I did so myself. Why do you think that is? Is it because it was the first PPC2003 we could get our hands on or what?

[Jason Dunn]

I'm seeing quite a number of PDA "experts" gravitating to the 2215. I did so myself. Why do you think that is? Is it because it was the first PPC2003 we could get our hands on or what?

Well, I have the 5550, 1945, and 2215 here, and of them all, the 2215 impresses me the most. The combination of size, power, dual-slots, raw speed, and great screen make it a winner in my books. Oh, and the fact that it's the first iPAQ design to break away from the traditional iPAQ design is very cool - I'm quite bored with the iPAQ body design. ;-)

[berzins]

I have the 5550 and 2210 models in use at my company and I would say they are a little off on the battery life (but not much). My biggest pet peeves are the battery life and built in WiFi. Battery life for the reason they give (sucks the juice like you would not believe). WiFi just is not a robust or as reliable as a plain Socket CF card.

If I was going to buy a new PocketPC it would for sure be a 2210 (2215). The size is perfect, the weight is perfect, and add in a Socket CF card and it finishes it off quite nicely.

Dave Berzins...

P.S. I did buy the 2480mAh battery replacement for the 5550 and although it stickes out from the iPAQ, the life I know get kicks ass!

[eustts]

I would like to see the 545x benchmark numbers with WM2003 on the comparison. I think that all the models whould be running the same OS version when comparing benchmarks.

[petvas]

I find some things in the review very strange...
4 hours battery llife? Give me a break.... The H5555 has a great battery life. 8 hours with bluetooth on is a reality...
WiFi is draining the battery and I disagree with the review...
WiFi also worked great before the new driver also....
I believe that the review was not very good....

[ctmagnus]

It doesn't mention that the headphone jack doubles as a microphone jack.

[Ramin]

Jason, I was very disappointed when I learned that the iPAQ h5550 lacked the NEVO Universal Remote Control application and Consumer Infrared (CIR) capability which was previously available on the iPAQ h3900, h5400 series...

According to HP's FAQs - iPAQ Pocket PC h5100 and h5500 series (http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wpa/vac/genPage.do?vacpage=pocketpc/faq_h5550.vad&wf=WF05a&segment=sm&country=us&lang=en&fpoid=215348-64929-215381-314903-215381-322916#cir), "Why was the Nevo application removed from the iPAQ Pocket PC h5100/ h5500 series products? The iPAQ Pocket PC h5150 and h5550 products are targeted at our business customers that don't value the NEVO capability. HP believes the Nevo application to be of great value and is better suited with our iPAQ Pocket PC h2200 series."

Go figure... :roll: So I guess "business customers" would need to carry 2 PDAs? ;) - an iPAQ h5550 when they're in "Business User mode" and an iPAQ h2210 when they're in "Consumer mode"? The iPAQ H3970 and the h5450 also targetted business users, so this seems like a step backwards... :cry: Anyways, is it possible to use the Griffin Mobile Total Remote (http://www.mobileplanet.com/product.asp?cat_name=&cat_id=&dept_id=6250&pf_id=MP230550) with the iPAQ h5550 if I needed CIR functionality on my iPAQ h5550?

Another thing which irked me, was the lack of a CF slot in the traditional iPAQ form factor (that accomodates good old expansion sleeves/jackets which many of us have invested). It would be good to see a future iPAQ h5000 series device which had both CF and SDIO slots and could still use expansion jackets (e.g. PCMCIA Jacket). If they could squeeze in a CF slot into the iPAQ h2210 form factor, I don't see why they couldn't have done the same for the iPAQ h5000 series devices,

While they're about it, they should incorporate a jog dial, and I think they'd have made the perfect Pocket PC (something like the MiTAC Mio 558 (http://65.115.69.88/mio/products_mio558.asp)except with a larger 3.8" transflective display). I wonder, is there anyone from HP who's reading this? :?:

[MikeUnwired]

I'm seeing quite a number of PDA "experts" gravitating to the 2215. I did so myself. Why do you think that is? Is it because it was the first PPC2003 we could get our hands on or what?

Well, I have the 5550, 1945, and 2215 here, and of them all, the 2215 impresses me the most. The combination of size, power, dual-slots, raw speed, and great screen make it a winner in my books. Oh, and the fact that it's the first iPAQ design to break away from the traditional iPAQ design is very cool - I'm quite bored with the iPAQ body design. ;-)

I'd have to say it's the dual slots combined with the size that has me sticking with the 2215.

[dma1965]

I looked very hard at the 5555 and also at the 2210, and the 2210 won hands down. It is by far my favorite Pocket PC ever. I had tons of accessories for the old form factor that I had to give up, but the great feel of the 2210, dual slots, speed, and lightness all made be forget the old style. The older form factor just appears HUGE compared to the 2200 series.

[stevew]

I also get much better battery life than the review. Another thing I disagree with and the only dissapointment I have with my HP5555 is the speaker volume. For me it's not loud enough for appointment reminders although the added vibration kinda makes up for it. The review says the speaker is loud. I've heard others say it wasn't as loud as earlier Ipaq's and my old 3835 was louder.

[Ratel10mm]

I notice that the reviewer states that the volume control can be mapped for different uses. However, others say that it can't. Who's right? :? If these buttons can be remapped, then who needs a jog dial! :)
Personally, I have decided to go for the 5555, purely because it is the best of the high end units available. I actually prefer the 2210, especially as I hate not having a CF slot. Thing is, I really want (although I admit I don't need) BT & wifi. If it performs as I hope, it opens up huge possibilities for remote working, which I hope the boss will eventually let me take advantage of.
If something with the same spec. + the CF slot, ideally in a smaller form factor comes along in the next few months, then it won't cost me so much to upgrade.
This is how I try to justify it to the girlfriend, anyway! :lol:
Of course, if someone could get all the 5555, + a CF slot into the 1910, then I'd be in heaven! :ppclove:

[ctmagnus]

I notice that the reviewer states that the volume control can be mapped for different uses. However, others say that it can't. Who's right? :? If these buttons can be remapped, then who needs a jog dial! :)

The button itself (same as the button on all prebious iPaqs) can be remapped. However, the volume up/down function of the button cannot be modified (yet). I have mine set to page down for reading ebooks, websites etc but If I'm not careful I end up changing the vulume, simply because my press is a little off.

[Ratel10mm]

That's a shame. :(
Perhaps someone far cleverer than I with programming can write an app. to give us this funtionality? Or is it a hardware problem? :oops:
Sorry about my lack of knowledge.

[Janak Parekh]

The button itself (same as the button on all prebious iPaqs) can be remapped. However, the volume up/down function of the button cannot be modified (yet). I have mine set to page down for reading ebooks, websites etc but If I'm not careful I end up changing the vulume, simply because my press is a little off.
I don't know about the 5550, but the 5450's up/down volume buttons (running PPC2k2) can be remapped via a 3rd-party program (GoLandscape) to scroll up/down.

--janak