Side-By-Side Comparisons of Dell, HP and Viewsonic

[Brad Adrian]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1341736,00.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,414...,1341736,00.asp</a><br /><br /></div>If you'd like a concise overview of some of the latest Pocket PC models out there, here's a great article on the <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1341736,00.asp">PC Magazine site</a>. It includes a review of the new Dell Axim X3i, HP iPAQ h4150 and h4350 and Viewsonic V36.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/adrian/pcmag.jpg" /><br /><br />I'm not going to spoil the fun for you by telling you the details of the article (you'll have to read it for yourself), but let's just say that the authors and I happen to agree that these three manufacturers still have some interesting tricks up their sleeves. Reading the review just made me want a new Pocket PC even MORE!

[Ed Hansberry]

The h4150 and h4350 are almost Sony-esque in their appealing style and functional integration. HP continues to include Bluetooth in its Pocket PCs, even though real-world Bluetooth use is lagging in the U.S. These two models add 802.11b Wi-Fi in the same slim cases, combining "must-have" Wi-Fi with "maybe useful someday" Bluetooth.

yup.

[Timothy Rapson]

Of the models reviewed, I like the ViewSonic.

I first heard a price of $329 for this, the first PPC to offer an integrated camera. Then at some Cell Phone expo they were showing it with the news that it would sell for $199. Now, we hear $250 after rebate.

That $250 price is terrific and may finally make ViewSonic a real player in the PPC market. Their products have been OK, but they followed that same goofy NAND memory scheme that clippled the HP1910. It appears that both HP and Viewsonic have fixed that. If so, this product makes the Palm Zire 71 look overpriced.


At least it is not just another "me too" model with one slot and the other standards for $199. I wonder why the magazine would even bother to review the V37, Axim X3, HP 1910, and Toshiba E355 as separate units. They're about as indistinguishable as two rolls of toilet paper.

[bdegroodt]

It's interesting to see the snide, back-handed comments the press insists upon making about Bluetooth lately. In spite of what the "analysts" would have us believe, the only reason I never bought the T-C was the lack of BT support. I don't know of any reasonable way to stay connected to a wireless service (GPRS etc) without it. Cables and IR aren't reasonable and BT serves this purpose very well...and that makes my Blackberry at risk of being replaced this November with a shiny new 4350. Can't wait.

[Foo Fighter]

It's interesting to see the snide, back-handed comments the press insists upon making about Bluetooth lately.

The press like to jump on every bandwagon. When analysts move in one direction, tech journalists follow as is they know where they are going.

[ricksfiona]

The 4350 is certainly a nice device. With the limiting capabilities of the Palm OS, there is no real decision to make here.

[felixdd]

Because no other Pocket PC has an integrated camera—let alone one with such good video quality—the only other way to measure the V36 against competing models is by price, where it still holds up well.

I know of at least 2 more PPC 2K3 devices with cameras: Mitac Mio 339 and the Toshiba -- but then again none of them have hit North American shores so it's an understandable mistake. But even if you compare to those two competitors, the Viewsonic is very competitively priced at $250 :)

[OneAngryDwarf]

Can anybody outside the PPC ever write a review that is not screwed up. This article talks about the 4100 series having the same design as the 2200 series which is obviously false since it has the same basic design as the 1900 series. You might think that the writers just got the numbers mixed up which is understandeable but no... they say the one that it is similar to had a CF slot which the 4100 does not. True the 2210/2215 do have the CF slot but they are not even close to similar to the 4100's making them impossible to actually compare in style (contrast yes)