iPAQ 5450 Reviewed On pocketnow

[marlof]

<a href="http://reviews.pocketnow.com/content.cgi?db=reviews&amp;id=284">http://reviews.pocketnow.com/content.cgi?db=reviews&amp;id=284</a><br /><br />Derek Snyder and Russ Smith of <a href="http://reviews.pocketnow.com/content.cgi?db=reviews&id=284">pocketnow</a> pull off another multipage review with many screenshots and pictures of the iPAQ 5450. Although they do see some flaws, their overall opinion seems to be pretty favorable. If you're interested in this device, go have a look.<br /><br /><b>Update:</b> I've been informed that the site should be addressed as "pocketnow" in stead of PocketNow. So I've fixed my little mistake. If other sites have any special ideas on the use of caps in their name when quoted, please fill us in. We aim to please. ;)

[Fzara]

Wow, talk about an excellent review. I dont think they left out anything when reviewing the 5450.

The only thing I do wonder is how the Axim X5 compares, in comparison to this handheld. I would have loved to see the editor's take, and comparison to the 5450, along with battery life, graphics, benchmark speeds.

Great job guys. :P

[st63z]

Saw the 5450(5455) and ViewSonic V35 in Sunday's CompUSA circular, verified it at my local store. Now they seem to carry the complete next-gen PPC line...

But I couldn't find the 5450 at Best Buy, the store employee said there's a chance the stores won't carry it at all, although you can order it online at bestbuy.com. Too bad the 10% coupons Best Buy periodically mails you are good in store only, if I recall...

BTW, just looking at them in the store side by side, the 1910 seems to outclass the V35 -- smaller WxH, rounded shape and smaller bezel makes a prettier-looking package. Then you flip the back and see the removable batt as well... Also the 1910's screen looks better to me...

[Russ Smith]

Thanks for the kind words. We really take the review process seriously (Thus the extensive detail).

I've asked some folks about how the Axim and the iPAQ compare. According to most, the screens are comparable but the reliability of the hardware is strongly in favor of HP. (As you might guess from the prices.) My own impression is that HP spent a lot of time working on the integration of hardware and software on the iPAQ. It shows in almost every instance but especially in the BlueTooth and WiFi Manager software. HP has outdone themselves (and put Microsoft to shame for thier Connection Mangler) in making connectivity simple, reliable, and flexible at the same time.

[gpspassion]

I've asked some folks about how the Axim and the iPAQ compare. According to most, the screens are comparable...

Actually I've been using a 3955 (the 5450 I saw at CompuUSA seemed to have the exact same screen) and a Dell side by side with GPS programs for a few days and the screen of the Dell is really quite inferior, colors are less vibrant and have less "depth" and there is some "graininess" to the screen of the Dell that's a bit distracting especially when viewing maps like those of Mapopolis. In terms of brightness 100% on the Dell corresponds to about 50% on the 3955, which is not a problem for me.

Don't get me wrong, I'm planning to keep the Dell as I find it to perform very well but its screen is not in the same class as the 39xx or 54x series.

Also I'd say the backlit screen on the Dell is superior to the sidelit screen of my 3670, even if again, colors seem less vibrant. Overall it's much less "milky " though.

[Boxster S]

Thanks for the kind words. We really take the review process seriously (Thus the extensive detail).

I've asked some folks about how the Axim and the iPAQ compare. According to most, the screens are comparable but the reliability of the hardware is strongly in favor of HP. (As you might guess from the prices.) My own impression is that HP spent a lot of time working on the integration of hardware and software on the iPAQ. It shows in almost every instance but especially in the BlueTooth and WiFi Manager software. HP has outdone themselves (and put Microsoft to shame for thier Connection Mangler) in making connectivity simple, reliable, and flexible at the same time.

WHen are you going to review the 1910?

[portus]

Thanks for the kind words. We really take the review process seriously (Thus the extensive detail).

I've asked some folks about how the Axim and the iPAQ compare. According to most, the screens are comparable but the reliability of the hardware is strongly in favor of HP. (As you might guess from the prices.) My own impression is that HP spent a lot of time working on the integration of hardware and software on the iPAQ. It shows in almost every instance but especially in the BlueTooth and WiFi Manager software. HP has outdone themselves (and put Microsoft to shame for thier Connection Mangler) in making connectivity simple, reliable, and flexible at the same time.

For new devices just came out no more than three months, it's too early to talk about hardware reliability. The wireless and biometrics hardware drivers are obviously not without problems. Depending on specific usage patterns, most have experienced driver issues often while some seldom had similar issues. I have experienced both and have learned to avoid certain usage patterns to avoid these issues most of the time.

[Pony99CA]

The only thing I do wonder is how the Axim X5 compares, in comparison to this handheld. I would have loved to see the editor's take, and comparison to the 5450, along with battery life, graphics, benchmark speeds.

Geez, life isn't all about the Dell. :-D

Seriously, comparing it against the Dell wouldn't be best for many reasons. First, the Dell isn't really aimed at the same market as the 5450 (as their prices would indicate).

Second, I'm sure everybody would like to see every Pocket PC compared against every other Pocket PC, but that's not really practical. There are too many models out there for in-depth comparisons with every model.

Given those factors, if you did do a comparison of the 5450 with another Pocket PC, it should be something more comparable with the 5450, like the 3970 or the Toshiba e740.

Steve

[ricksfiona]

Good review.

The 5450 is a sweet device. I would like to see the device come down between $299 - $399. For $699, mobility has to be an absolute must since the PPC is capable of the most commonly used PC applications. When I factor in the cost of a credit card reader and foldable keyboard, USB/Car charger/sync cable, you're talking about $1100. Not cheap. Since they are all similiar in size and weight for the most part, you pay for features. R&D cost money.

One of the things I'll be standardizing in my business is the use of PDAs. IPAQ. Best supported PDA in the industry and the peripherals you can get with it far exceeds any other PDA maker. At the time I bought the 3870, the screen far surpassed every other maker. Though the margin isn't as great, the 5450 and 1910 still hold the lead in their respective markets.

When more manufacturers start offering higher-end devices for less money, HP will have to follow. I'll be happy to see that day come.

[Boxster S]

For $699, I'd rather have a laptop. You can EASILY get great Toshiba, Dell, Compaq laptops for $700 or less after coupons (Dell ALWAYS has coupons) and rebates. There have even been recent deals over on Fatwallet for new laptops for $450 - $500.

$700 is way too much for any PDA IMHO, no matter what kind of features it has.

[Paul P]

For $699, I'd rather have a laptop. You can EASILY get great Toshiba, Dell, Compaq laptops for $700 or less after coupons (Dell ALWAYS has coupons) and rebates. There have even been recent deals over on Fatwallet for new laptops for $450 - $500.

$700 is way too much for any PDA IMHO, no matter what kind of features it has.

A low-end laptop. :)

[Derek Snyder]

Thanks all for your kind words! We love to hear feedback on our reviews at pocketnow!

As for our review schedule, we are aiming to have a Viewsonic v35 review up this week, followed by the iPAQ 1910, followed by the Dell Axim.

Stay tuned!

[Boxster S]

For $699, I'd rather have a laptop. You can EASILY get great Toshiba, Dell, Compaq laptops for $700 or less after coupons (Dell ALWAYS has coupons) and rebates. There have even been recent deals over on Fatwallet for new laptops for $450 - $500.

$700 is way too much for any PDA IMHO, no matter what kind of features it has.

A low-end laptop. :)

What's your point? A low-end latop for $500-$700 with a CD-RW (you can get DVD-RW in this price range too) drive and a 14.1" screen is infinitely more useful than a PDA with a 3.8" screen. Also, 802.11b PCMCIA cards are around $30 after MIR these days. Not much of an added cost.

A low-end laptop (even one with an Athlon XP 1300+ chip) is a much better buy than a $700 PDA.

[Paul P]

What's your point? A low-end latop for $500-$700 with a CD-RW (you can get DVD-RW in this price range too) drive and a 14.1" screen is infinitely more useful than a PDA with a 3.8" screen. Also, 802.11b PCMCIA cards are around $30 after MIR these days. Not much of an added cost.

A low-end laptop (even one with an Athlon XP 1300+ chip) is a much better buy than a $700 PDA.

It's a better buy in your opinion. My point was that you can always buy something else for that price. I can get a lot of things for $700 dollars, one of them being a high-end Pocket PC, not a cheap laptop, not a cheap anything else. What are you interested in buying, a laptop or a Pocket PC? We're comparing two things that are on the opposite sides of the spectrum. A low-end laptop is not more useful than a PDA with a 3.8" screen for people who are looking to purchase a high-end PDA. That is why they are buying a high-end PDA in the first place. 802.11b PCMCIA card is not the same thing as integrated 802.11b because of their related costs (cost does correlate with size). Same goes for processor speed, storage, and features. For the time being, $700 ($619 in my case :roll:) is how much it costs to buy a high-end Pocket PC.

PS: Which notebooks had DVD-RW drives? I thought only Sony laptops had them.

[Boxster S]

What's your point? A low-end latop for $500-$700 with a CD-RW (you can get DVD-RW in this price range too) drive and a 14.1" screen is infinitely more useful than a PDA with a 3.8" screen. Also, 802.11b PCMCIA cards are around $30 after MIR these days. Not much of an added cost.

A low-end laptop (even one with an Athlon XP 1300+ chip) is a much better buy than a $700 PDA.

It's a better buy in your opinion. My point was that you can always buy something else for that price. I can get a lot of things for $700 dollars, one of them being a high-end Pocket PC, not a cheap laptop, not a cheap anything else. What are you interested in buying, a laptop or a Pocket PC? We're comparing two things that are on the opposite sides of the spectrum. A low-end laptop is not more useful than a PDA with a 3.8" screen for people who are looking to purchase a high-end PDA. That is why they are buying a high-end PDA in the first place. 802.11b PCMCIA card is not the same thing as integrated 802.11b because of their related costs (cost does correlate with size). Same goes for processor speed, storage, and features. For the time being, $700 ($619 in my case :roll:) is how much it costs to buy a high-end Pocket PC.

PS: Which notebooks had DVD-RW drives? I thought only Sony laptops had them.

It was my mistake. The laptop had a DVD, CD-RW combo drive. This particular one was $750 after MIR's:

http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=18&threadid=127660

PRODUCT FEATURES
Mobile AMD Athlon™ XP processor 1500+ with QuantiSpeed™ architecture* and AMD PowerNow!™ technology for optimized battery life
*QuantiSpeed™ architecture operates at 1.33GHz
256MB 266MHz DDR SDRAM for multitasking capabilities, upgradable to 1.0GB
14.1" XGA TFT display
20.0GB Ultra DMA (4200 rpm) hard drive
DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo drive
ATI RADEON IGP integrated graphics; 16MB shared video memory; S-video TV-out
10/100Base-T Ethernet port
V.92 high-speed modem
Weighs 6.5 lbs./1.5" thin for easy portability; high-capacity LiIon battery
Windows XP Home Edition operating system preinstalled

Here's another:

http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=18&threadid=132923

Toshiba 1115-S103 Notebook $500 AR @ Best Buy

TOSHIBA 1115-S103 Satellite notebook Computer Toshiba Satellite 1115-S103 notebook Computer - This notebook computer features an Intel Celeron processor 1.5GHz and 256MB of PC1600 DDR RAM sufficient power to handle most any application. The 14.1 display coupled with the built-in DVD-ROM drive also make the Satellite 1115-S103 a great way to watch your favorite DVDs.
20GB Hard Drive
ATI M6-C graphics controller with 16MB of DDR memory
Maximum Resolution of 1024x768
16-bit Stereo Sound with 2 built-in speakers
2 PC Card slots that support 2 Type II or 1 Type III PC Cards (32-bit CardBus support)
Integrated 56k v.90 data/fax modem
Integrated 10/100 Ethernet LAN
TV Output
3 USB 1.1 Ports
Includes lithium-ion battery AC adapter Windows XP Home Works Intuit Quicken Basic 2001 Norton Antivirus 2002 & more









I've personally dealt with Wi-Fi on my PDA. And while it was cool and fun for a while, the novelty wore off VERY quickly. The screen just isn't large enough to get the full "Internet" experience.

I guess my point is, if you want to be wirelessly connected, there are cheaper alternatives that can get the job done MUCH better. Sure, laptops are larger, but I've never been in a situtation where I was handicapped by it.

[kettle]

can anyone point me to the wireless version of pocketnow ?
sorry if this is off topic

[Fzara]

Geez, life isn't all about the Dell. :-D

Seriously, comparing it against the Dell wouldn't be best for many reasons. First, the Dell isn't really aimed at the same market as the 5450 (as their prices would indicate).

Second, I'm sure everybody would like to see every Pocket PC compared against every other Pocket PC, but that's not really practical. There are too many models out there for in-depth comparisons with every model.

Given those factors, if you did do a comparison of the 5450 with another Pocket PC, it should be something more comparable with the 5450, like the 3970 or the Toshiba e740.

Steve

Bah. Who said the Axim isnt comparable to the 5450, screen and processor wise? The only advantage I see with the 5450 is the biometric scanner and the wifi/BT connectivity. There were virtually no holdbacks when they designed the Axim, as cheapest, most economical, feature packed handheld out there.

[Paul P]

I've personally dealt with Wi-Fi on my PDA. And while it was cool and fun for a while, the novelty wore off VERY quickly. The screen just isn't large enough to get the full "Internet" experience.

I guess my point is, if you want to be wirelessly connected, there are cheaper alternatives that can get the job done MUCH better. Sure, laptops are larger, but I've never been in a situtation where I was handicapped by it.

Don't get me wrong, those are good deals for a laptop, but buying a PDA is completely different. The goal is to pack as much power and functionality as possible into something truly mobile. I don't see myself grabbing my notebook and expecting it to replace the functionality of my iPaq. When I am on the go, I don't see myself booting up my laptop to quickly look up a contact (sorry, best example I could come up with at this late hour, :) ). My point is: PDAs exist for those situations in which using laptops would either be impractical, inefficient, or both.

With respect to Wifi, I agree that the full user experience is limited by the smaller screen. For me though, Wifi capability extends beyond that of simply being able to surf online. Wifi effectively eliminates the need for cradles, or rather the USB cable that connects the cradle ( :arrow: in any case, not a fan of the cradle). I find the main advantage of Wifi is its ability to synchronize and transfer files wirelessly. I have enough wires on my desk as it is. :) Of course, checking email, reading PPCT, and using AIM on my iPaq doesn't hurt either.

[Pony99CA]

The 5450 is a sweet device. I would like to see the device come down between $299 - $399.

Well, umm, who wouldn't? :roll: But if you think you can price a device with the 5450's capabilities that low, why not start making them yourself? I'll be happy to be your first customer. :-)

At $699, the 5450 has major improvements over the 3970 and lists for $50 less than 3970 did. That's not too bad.

Finally, if HP priced the 5450 at $299 - $399, where would the 1910 be priced?

Steve

[Pony99CA]

I've personally dealt with Wi-Fi on my PDA. And while it was cool and fun for a while, the novelty wore off VERY quickly. The screen just isn't large enough to get the full "Internet" experience.

And your point is? You don't get the "full Excel experience" in Pocket Excel or the "full Word experience" in Pocket Word, either. That doesn't mean they aren't useful.

Inbox and AIM are very useful even on a small screen. AvantGo makes getting news from C|Net quite readable. I do those regularly with WiFi in my house while watching TV. I don't believe I ever carried my laptop around to do that.


I guess my point is, if you want to be wirelessly connected, there are cheaper alternatives that can get the job done MUCH better. Sure, laptops are larger, but I've never been in a situtation where I was handicapped by it.

I've got to agree with Paul P here. PDAs aren't meant to be laptops, and laptops can't really go everywhere PDAs can.

I bought a GPS system for my laptop and have used it once I believe. Why? Because putting my laptop in my car is a pain, and, if anybody is riding with me, it's not practical at all. With the NavMan sleeve on my iPAQ 3870, I use Pocket CoPilot regularly when I'm going somewhere I've never been before (or even some places I have been).

I take my iPAQ to a restaurant, fire up a spreadsheet I wrote for Pocket Excel, punch in the prices of the items people are ordering and I know how much the bill will be before the check comes. Right now, it works with four people, so I can tell up to three guests exactly what their part of the check is, too. I really can't see doing that with a laptop (although it certainly is possible).

And, if you like listening to MP3s, I think you'll look damn silly with a laptop at your side. :-) With a 512 MB CF card in my iPAQ, I have plenty of songs, and even though it won't hold as many as an iPod, I didn't pay another $300 nor do I have another device on my belt (my iPAQ and cell phone are plenty, thanks).

Steve

[Pony99CA]

Bah. Who said the Axim isnt comparable to the 5450, screen and processor wise?

I don't know, who said that? Oh, wait, regarding the screen, that would be gpspassion, who said (in this very thread):


Actually I've been using a 3955 (the 5450 I saw at CompuUSA seemed to have the exact same screen) and a Dell side by side with GPS programs for a few days and the screen of the Dell is really quite inferior, colors are less vibrant and have less "depth" and there is some "graininess" to the screen of the Dell that's a bit distracting especially when viewing maps like those of Mapopolis. In terms of brightness 100% on the Dell corresponds to about 50% on the 3955, which is not a problem for me.

Maybe you missed that. :roll:

In any event, I didn't say the Dell wasn't comparable processor-wise or screen-wise; I said they weren't intended for the same market. Are you disputing that? You can also compare a Mazda Miata with a Ferrari, but what would be the point?


The only advantage I see with the 5450 is the biometric scanner and the wifi/BT connectivity.

Yeah, only those trivial differences like better connectivity and security. Oh, and a larger screen, consumer IR (and Nevo universal remote control software), vibrating alarms, combined headphone/microphone jack, probably the best software bundle and the best hardware add-on capabilities on the market. (I left out the SDIO support, as the Dell doesn't need it with Compact Flash, and the hardware volume control, which Dell might not need with the jog dial.) But, other than that, nothing. :roll: :roll:

Steve

[emjay]

While this is the best ipaq to date, and the only one I've actually liked, I defintely won't be buying it. Actually I don't think I'll be buying a new PDA for a while, unless there's a major breakthrough in battery technology, which IMO is lagging far behind every other aspect of PDA development.

In the meantime, I just thought of something that would be really useful - I have a tiny Sony minidisc player that has a small NiMH battery, but also has a small external battery case that holds one AA battery and clips onto the end of the player. It doesn't add that much bulk to the device, but allows you to greatly increase the battery life. A similar attachment for a PDA would be very useful! I've got some 2000mAh rechargable AAs that could extend the battery life significantly! Is there some technological reason why this couldn't be done, or just greedy manufacturers selling their way too expensive extra batteries??

[Derek Snyder]

can anyone point me to the wireless version of pocketnow ?
sorry if this is off topic

The wireless version of pocketnow is simply www.pocketnow.com from your Pocket PC browser. You will find that everything is formatted for the small screen.

Hope this helps!

[Janak Parekh]

I've personally dealt with Wi-Fi on my PDA. And while it was cool and fun for a while, the novelty wore off VERY quickly. The screen just isn't large enough to get the full "Internet" experience.
You've obviously never tried Thunderhawk :)

And just to piggyback off of Steve: try pulling out a laptop in a lecture or meeting to surf, as opposed to a PDA running Thunderhawk. There's no comparison in terms of discreetness, convenience (no bootup time!), and oh, weight!

--janak

[emjay]

You've obviously never tried Thunderhawk :)

Wow! Why have I never heard of this software before?! Now this is a really excellent implementation of PocketPC web browsing, and actually makes it a viable choice rather than a last resort :) It beats squinting at a normal landscaped display!

[Pony99CA]

You've obviously never tried Thunderhawk :)
Wow! Why have I never heard of this software before?! Now this is a really excellent implementation of PocketPC web browsing, and actually makes it a viable choice rather than a last resort :) It beats squinting at a normal landscaped display!
Janak has certainly mentioned Thunderhawk in other threads, but I don't remember if it's been on the front page recently. For anybody who wants to check it out, here's a link to Bitstream's Thunderhawk (http://www.bitstream.com/wireless).

One minor question. As Thunderhawk is a landscape browser, did you mean that it beats a portrait display, or that their landscape technology seems better than other implementations (like NYDITOT (http://www.nyditot.com))?

Steve

[Janak Parekh]

One minor question. As Thunderhawk is a landscape browser, did you mean that it beats a portrait display, or that their landscape technology seems better than other implementations (like NYDITOT (http://www.nyditot.com))?
The latter. Thunderhawk uses a special Bitstream-designed font which takes advantage of ClearType-like concepts to be extremely narrow and yet readable. You get much closer to a readable 640x480 browsing experience than a Nyditot-based solution, which is closer to 320x240 (unless you zoom, at which point the text becomes rapidly unreadable). The Thunderhawk proxy also scales down images, which reducing the font in IE doesn't do.

--janak

[st63z]

^ Can they scale the technology to be used on 640x480 or 800x480 devices to gain proportionally better "effective" browsing resolution experience? It'd be nice, especially once Pocket PC moves to VGA (knocks on wood)...

I would think going to "640x480" browsing experience isn't yet enough for many sites?

[Janak Parekh]

^ Can they scale the technology to be used on 640x480 or 800x480 devices to gain proportionally better "effective" browsing resolution experience? It'd be nice, especially once Pocket PC moves to VGA (knocks on wood)...
Theoretically, sure. It's too far away to determine whether it will happen, though.

I would think going to "640x480" browsing experience isn't yet enough for many sites?
It's close enough. Most sites have sidebars that you don't absolutely have to see.

--janak

[Pony99CA]

One minor question. As Thunderhawk is a landscape browser, did you mean that it beats a portrait display, or that their landscape technology seems better than other implementations (like NYDITOT (http://www.nyditot.com))?
The latter. Thunderhawk uses a special Bitstream-designed font which takes advantage of ClearType-like concepts to be extremely narrow and yet readable. You get much closer to a readable 640x480 browsing experience than a Nyditot-based solution, which is closer to 320x240 (unless you zoom, at which point the text becomes rapidly unreadable). The Thunderhawk proxy also scales down images, which reducing the font in IE doesn't do.

Thanks, but I knew about what Thunderhawk did. I was just wondering what emjay meant, actually. :-) He could have been referring to the "normal" portrait display and simply mistyped "landscape", or he could have been referring to various applications (like Snails) or utilities (like NYDITOT) which make landscape displays (but I don't consider those "normal"). Hence my confusion.

As I haven't used NYDITOT, I was hoping that's what he meant so I could get an impression from somebody who has used it. You seem to have used it, too, so feel free to give us your impressions (or link me to a more appropriate thread where you have already :-)).

Steve