infoSync reviews Hewlett Packard 565

[Andy Sjostrom]

<a href="http://www.infosync.no/show.php?id=1743&page=1">http://www.infosync.no/show.php?id=1743&page=1</a><br /><br />Jørgen Sundgot at infoSync just published his review of the Hewlett Packard 565. He writes with familiar flair and finesse! Here are some quotes, but I recommend that you go and read the entire review!<br /><br />"The right side of the Jornada sports absolutely nothing except for a rubber band that goes all the way around from the top right side, below the bottom and over to the top of the left side to improve the grip of the device - which, like the aforementioned cradle, works excellently."<br /><br />"HP however earns well deserved points for the dual front-and-top visible LED that indicates whether the device is or has finished charging, the display is suspended and an alarm or reminder has gone off. As an added bonus, it's also possible to stop the flashing of the LED by simply pressing it, a convenient feature in situations where you don't either have time or when it would be considered unpolite to start fiddling with the device to turn off the alarm."<br /><br />"Alas, the one big flaw of the Jornada is display-related, which is a shame really considering the quality of the rest of the device - dust. ... If it wasn't for the dust problem, it would have as one of very few handhelds have earned an overall grade of 6/6."<br /><br />Jørgen gives the Hewlett Packard 565 five points of six, and I think he is quite right. His review is thorough and I agree with him. It's a great Pocket PC 2002, if not the best on the market today. I feel for all those with the severe Pocket PC dust problems, and think Hewlett Packard should have done much better.<br /><br />But... personally (I know I'm going to beaten for this!), the dust problem is blown out of proportion. I have seen a couple of devices with severe dust problems, and those should be fixed free of charge. Period. However, take out a magnifying glass, actually spend time looking for specs, and YELL if you find one or two? No sympathies from me. Show me one device with a touch sensitive screen that for ever stays new. My Nokia phone's screen does have scratches and all sorts of other more or less disturbing deficiencies, but I expect that after some time of daily usage. Just my humble opinion...

[entropy1980]

Cool review but wow hasn't this unit been out for awhile? 8)

[Foo Fighter]

I disagree with you about the dust issue being "blown" out of proportion. If anything, it should be blown out of the screen. This is a huge deal to a lot of people, myself included. It's like buying a car with the paint peeling off. I won't pay top dollar for a product that promises the world, but turns out to be an old shoe! :?

[jbctech]

I too think it's been blown out of proportion! I've owned the HP 568 since the day it came out on HP's hpshopping.com, and I have not had a single problem with dust. I've read all sorts of forums with people freaking out about little specks of dust in the corners. Big deal. Yeah, if it obstructs the vision of the screen and is very noticable, then send it back. I, for one, have had NO problems with my 568, and I own one of the early SG136 models.

James

[Chairman Clench]

Sorry, but I have to disagree about the dust issue.

I bought a 568 the first day they were released. After 2 1/2 weeks of carrying it in a case with a lid (not in my pocket) the thing had OVER 40 large pieces of dust in it. That is not something blown out of proportion... that is poor design, research, and manufacturing.

HP should have done some research about the most successful 1st generation PPC, the iPAQ 36xx series. If they had bothered to research that device, they would have discovered the dust problem... it was no secret.

Granted, not every HP 56x PPC has dust problems... to those of you who have one and don't have the dust issue, I am very happy for you. I would prefer to have the HP568 instead of my iPAQ H3835... if HP could get me one without dust. Their own tech support said that the dust issue had not been solved and even recommended that I return the unit for a refund before my return period expired.

A $650 device with large amounts of dust obscuring the screen is not a problem being blown out of proportion.

Besides the dust, the HP is one of the better PPCs out there. Unfortunately, the screen is the primary interface with a PPC and having it partially blocked by dust makes it unusable.

[jpzr]

That is not something blown out of proportion... that is poor design,

One of main reasons I bougth iPAQ 38xx is that I have read in reviews that dust problem is solved. Now, after carrying my iPAQ carelessly in pocket, with A LOT OF DUST in my pocket, in air (construction sites in vicinity), etc I have no dust under display.

Simply NOT BUYING IT is a big problem for HP, thus it is not out of proportion.

[kagayaki1]

When I was looking at buying a PPC2002 device to replace my Casio E-125, an early review of the 3800 models by PocketNow revealed that the screen was 100% sealed, no question about it ( I trust Jared Miniman's expert opinion, don't you?) I had to wait a little longer for my iPAQ, but I have ZERO dust under my screen, and it's well worth the size tradeoff. So worth it. Otherwise, I might have bought an HP...sorry Carly Fiorina :roll:

[jpaq]

Scratches on a cell phone are one thing. Your main use and interface with a cell phone is audible, or what you hear.

Dust on a PDA is another. The main interface with a PDA is it's screen or what you see.

The proper comparison would be:
Dust is to PDA as static is to cell phone.

How many of you would keep a cell phione that had consistent static?

[thadrool]

Using the static to cell phone analogy, then my HP568 sounds crystal clear. I have a week 9 manufactured this year so it's supposedly a model that they've already corrected. And...I don't have dust. Have had this thing for a month and a half and am extremely pleased. When I had my Sony Clie 710 (also known for dust problems), after two weeks, there were very obvious pieces of dust floating in and around the screen. None with the HP. I don't know if the problem's been fixed or if those with the problem are just extremely anal. I'm happy though.

[thenikjones]

Is there a home cure for dusty screens, or do you have to send the unit back? I have been offered a 2nd hand unit for a good price and it is mint condition, but what if it gets dusty after a few months? I can disassemble my Nokia when the screen gets dusty - is there a similar option for the 568?

[Paragon]

Is there a home cure for dusty screens, or do you have to send the unit back? I have been offered a 2nd hand unit for a good price and it is mint condition, but what if it gets dusty after a few months? I can disassemble my Nokia when the screen gets dusty - is there a similar option for the 568?


It's been done. If you have never done this kind of thing before I would NOT recommend it. You must be grounded so as not to cause any static discharges, and you must know how to handle a multi layered touch screen without causing any damage.

I would ask myself these two questions first. Is it worth the chance when it can be done for free under warranty (your warranty is still good even if you by it second hand). Secondly, if for some reason HP warranty is out of the question you can send in to someone like http://www.pocketpctechs.com/j560.asp for $50.00 they will clean and seal the screen for you.

Dave

[Tari Akpodiete]

no sympathy? i see. that's kind of harsh. like many people, i work very hard for my money and i don't have a ton to throw around. and like most people, i expect to receive a non-defective / quality product when i make a purchase. we're not talking peanuts here. these things cost serious coin. and contrary to those in non-sympathetic mode - such an expectation is not unreasonable. now, sometimes things happen, so if by chance, there is a problem, it should be rectified at no cost (or difficulty) to a consumer. why on earth is this even a debatable point?

[Andy Sjostrom]

Tari, I agree with you. A unit that is defect, and has so much dust that it is downright annoying, should absolutely be fixed or replaced. At no cost or difficulty.

My "no sympathy" comes in when, for example, a friend of mine spent an entire afternoon LOOKING for dust. He hadn't seen any, or had any issues with it before, but just wanted to go looking. He had had the device over a year. After having thorougly investigated the unit, he had found a few small dust specs and since then this is all he talks about.

My poinst is that we should deal with a real problem when there is one, and not make one up when there isn't.

[jwf]

I wonder how many people (like me) have put off buying a new Jornada due to the dust problems. The review, once again, made be lust after one like mad - I couldn't live without my side jog/scroll mechanism, but I'm probably going to wait until the next generation of machines and see if the dust issue gets resolved.

Currently on a HP 548.

John

[jpzr]

My poinst is that we should deal with a real problem when there is one, and not make one up when there isn't.


Maybe it depends on the person. There are 2 types of PocketPC users: one that carries their PDA in cases, that takes big care about it, that looks after it, and second one which is totally careless, PDA being just one of af many items of content of the pocket (in this category I am). For the first category obviusly there is no dust problem - hardly any dust is there. But if you carry PocketPC like I am then PDA with dust problem is not tolerable.

Which type of PocketPC user are you, Andy? I suppose the first category...

[Andy Sjostrom]

I carry my HP Jornada 565 with me every day. But yes, it's in a case when I am between point A and point B. Heck, my Pocket PC is an expensive device... I like to care for it! :wink:

[Paragon]

For me the many positive features of the 560 Jornada have far out weighed the dust issue. It took me four replacement before I got a dust free unit, a real PITA to be sure. I did not want to give up and go to a lesser device to solve the dust issue when I felt I (we) could eventually have dust free units.

I think HP has done a terrible job of handling this issue, as did Compaq previously, which makes me think there is more to this issue then simply sealing the screens.

As consumers paying a very high price for devices such as these we should not have to jump through the hoops we have to get a defectless device, BUT I think for many of us it has been worth it in the end.

Dave

[Tari Akpodiete]

gee Andy, your friend may need treatment for obsessive compulsive behaviour!

and as for dust stopping or slowing sales, well, it didn't really with the iPaqs. reports and pictures of serious dust in those were legion and it still sold big time. and that's not their only defect. anyway, i don't want the iPaqers after me.

what really gets me is that so many companies close the barn door after the horse has gone: am i the only one wondering why did Compaq keep making their devices the same way? and also, why did other companies, knowing Compaq's problem, then chose the same method of manufacture?