How is the iPAQ 435x thumbboard?

[straysheepie]

I'm leaning towards purchasing the iPAQ 435x instead of the Axim X30 because of the excellent customer service I had with HP for the 2215... but I'm wondering if the thumbboard is easy to use? I have the Clie NX70V right now and the thumbboard there isn't very good... usable, but barely.

So for the owners of the 435x, how do you like it? Is it good enough to compose an e-mail on a few times a day at least? Thanks for any input you can provide, no pun intended :D

[pdaided]

I really like it. I haven't found a thumboard that I liked since my old 568 Jornada cover and it was a little bulky. This thing is great. I not only compose email, I write articles, take notes, and use it for songwriting.
I also have big hands.
I have led many people to the 4355 just by showing them the unit and what it can do. That's the greatest compliment to a piece of technology that I know of.

Also, check out my post about the new Vaja case for this unit. It's fantastic!! I know, I know. Somebody's gonna post about it being to expensive but I say not. Quality is incredible. I owned a vaja case for my 568 Jornada and it is as coveted as this pda. I gave the case away here on this forumn and made a new friend in Germany very happy.

pdaided

[Kowalski]

you are buying a 413x instead of x30 ?! come on! other than keyboard which makes the device too big, can you name one advantage of 4135 over x30?

[Janak Parekh]

you are buying a 413x instead of x30 ?!
It's a 4355, not a 4135.

come on! other than keyboard which makes the device too big
The keyboard does not make the device too big, in my opinion. I've held it and having an integrated thumbboard is excellent. It is your opinion that it makes it too big.

can you name one advantage of 4135 over x30?
A bigger battery, for one, for excellent WiFi lifetime. Apart from the faster processor and WM2003SE, can you name an advantage of the X30? And when (if?) the SE upgrade comes out for the 4350, the only advantage will be the faster processor.

--janak

[pdaided]

Janak,

my thoughts exactly.

[straysheepie]

Yes, the reasons Janak listed are why I'm choosing the iPAQ instead. I also got to play around with an X30 and I'm not very impressed with it - sure it has landscape, but I'd only be using that when browsing the web, and without the VGA screen it won't make much of a difference to me. The X30 is also not very attractive and feels too big in my smaller female hand.

The bigger battery compares far more favourably against the X30's shorter than average battery life, and coming from a Clie the 435x won't feel big at all :lol:

[uzi74]

I'm considering purchasing a 4350, I've only one issue:
are there any software out there to change the mapping of the keyboard for international users?