iPaq 4155 Reactions! YOWZA!

[Wiggin]

“...I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore Toto” :mrgreen:

I can truly say, I’m on Pocket PC Cloud 9 …at least for a few months until the next crop of devices hit the market with 640x480 resolution, integrated wi-fi, bluetooth, CDMA, GSM, slide-out keyboard, SDIO, 256MB SDRAM, HP 19xx dimensions, 4 oz’s, and all for $299. It’s coming… just be patient. :wink:

BUT, in the meantime, I get to use the newest addition to my growing PocketPC pile.
The iPaq 4155 arrived on Saturday, and was configured and racing along by early evening.
This baby just plain ROCKS!

For those of you who are looking for in-dept technical feedback, performance metrics, detailed specifications, digital pics, and the like… keep looking for feedback… I offer none of that here. :razzing:

Instead, I offer some real world reactions to an amazing piece of technical gadgetry.

The most obvious impression you have once you unpack it from the box (and a VERY impressive box it is too) is how SMALL it is. Bear in mind that my trusty PocketPC companion has been an iPaq 3850, so the size difference caught me by surprise. Now, I’ve seen the 19xx units, and I have been impressed, but they haven’t had the horsepower I’ve needed…so I have usually said something like “…wow, nice PocketPC, enjoy it!” when an excited person has displayed their new 19xx.

But now the 4xxx is here. The RAM is there (64MB), the chip is there (400 MHz), the slot is there (SDIO), and the networking is there (WiFi and BT built in, and IrDA)… and it’s only a few grams heavier than the 19xx, a tad thicker (0.7mm), a tad wider (0.7mm), and a tad longer (0.3mm) … holy cow… it’s basically a 19xx after one workout on the weight machine! :rock on dude!:

Ok, so after I got over the size shock…I turned it on and it was ready to go in seconds. This chip just screams. AcitveSync now happens in the blink of an eye… for you Avantgo users out there… the dreaded
“…45/750: Saving updated Web pages…”
message that usually limps from 45 to 50, then 55, and so on… now just blurs by all the way to the end. I kid you not… 15 channels completes in 3 seconds.

The screen? It’s awesome :shocked!:
… but then, 19xx users already knew that. The “yellow” tint folks have been worried about is there…but only if you’re holding it at a silly read-angle… it’s a total non-issue of you’re using it the way it was designed. :bangin:

WiFi is VERY KEWL :way to go:
For the past two years, I’ve had to sit back and read everyone else talk about “surfing the web, or printing, or networking, or blah blah blah” while I waited for the right time to jump on the WiFi (or Bluetooth) band wagon. Well, the Band Wagon is very steady and VERY comfortable. If you’re like me, and not sure if it’s worth it… take it from the sceptic…it IS worth it. One Nano second after you pull up your first live Web page while sitting in an airport… you’ll wonder what took you so long.

WiFi set up was a COMPLETE non-issue… it sniffs out hot spots with ease, and connecting is as simple as a few taps. I haven’t used the bluetooth capability yet, so no comments about that element.

PocketPC 2003 is good stuff… not very different from 2002, but a few little touches here and there do make a real difference. If you’re not planning to buy a 2003 unit anytime soon, I suggest you spend the $25 and get the upgrade.

The 400MHz chip is a screamer :rock on dude!:
Applications are finally POPPING on/off with no hesitation. There is very little of that dreaded round dial which used to entertain me [for what felt like minutes at a time!] when I overloaded the processor.

So what is wrong with the 4155? Hmmm… not much… not much at all. If I was forced to come up with something, I guess I could throw out:
1) the battery cover is a bit flimsy (but it HAS one… I can swap now!!)
2) Button 5 (Record) on the side of the unit is a bit hard to use (it’s very small)
3) The Stylus is a tad too small for my monster hand
4)… and .. um.. oh, and the case that HP sends is useless.

For such a high end (and pricey) unit, you would think HP could spend just a few cents more and actually design/include a usable cover. :silly:
But no worries, I’m sure VAJA will have one on the market any day now.

The cradle is nicely designed (finally!!) and charges the extra battery I purchased without interfering with the docked unit. Oh, and did I mention that HP did NOT change the connector on the bottom of the unit… so all of the cords, power units, etc. that I have for the 3850 work just fine on the 4155!!! I’m in utter shock… I can still use the single synch/power USB cable that I’ve had for two years. Full applause to HP for doing the right thing… FINALLY. :clap:

Ok, that’s enough of a brain dump for now. If you have any questions, feel free to post them and I’ll offer what I can to satisfy the curious.

WELL DONE HP! You’re making a believer out of me once again… Technology is a kick in the pants when it actually works exactly as you want it to!

Cheers
:way to go:

[Palmguy]

Sure is great, ain't it? I absolutely love mine.

[JustinGTP]

Wow, you sound very excited! :D Good mini review :D You have been in the dark age for so long with your 3850! LOL, Im glad you like your PDA. I like everything HP. Especially my "baby" the 2215

-Justin.

[CorysWorld]

Thumbs up for the 4150 from me also!! what a great unit. When it come to PDA's it is all about size!!

I just wish a hard case would come out soon so I can protect my investment

[madbart]

“...
For those of you who are looking for in-dept technical feedback, performance metrics, detailed specifications, digital pics, and the like… keep looking for feedback… I offer none of that here. :razzing:

Instead, I offer some real world reactions to an amazing piece of technical gadgetry.Cheers
:way to go:

That's what i like. An everday user giving a everday review without all the fluff & bubble.

:lol: You can also sense the exciment & enjoyment from his words.. :way to go:

Can'T wait to get mine.....but i am holding off due to the lack of nevo which i use a million times a day

[rob_ocelot]

The most obvious impression you have once you unpack it from the box (and a VERY impressive box it is too) is how SMALL it is. Bear in mind that my trusty PocketPC companion has been an iPaq 3850, so the size difference caught me by surprise. Now, I’ve seen the 19xx units, and I have been impressed, but they haven’t had the horsepower I’ve needed…so I have usually said something like “…wow, nice PocketPC, enjoy it!” when an excited person has displayed their new 19xx.

I concur. I went from a 3955 w/ specially modified dual CF slot Silver Slider to the 415x. The 39xx feels like a brick in comparison.
.

The screen? It’s awesome :shocked!:
… but then, 19xx users already knew that. The “yellow” tint folks have been worried about is there…but only if you’re holding it at a silly read-angle… it’s a total non-issue of you’re using it the way it was designed. :bangin:

The screen is comparable to my 39xx, the yellow tinge is similar to the grey tinge I got with the older unit. It's not usually a problem.

One thing I *will* miss is the ambient light sensor and the almost infinite number of backlight brightness settings on the 39xx. The 415x has a paltry five levels of brightness and the first notch is a tad brighter than what I am used to getting from the auto brightness of the older unit. I'm getting used to it quickly though.

So what is wrong with the 4155? Hmmm… not much… not much at all. If I was forced to come up with something, I guess I could throw out:
1) the battery cover is a bit flimsy (but it HAS one… I can swap now!!)

2) Button 5 (Record) on the side of the unit is a bit hard to use (it’s very small)

I agree wtih you here. I used to use that button for playing landscape mode games on my other IPAQ's. The 415x's button just isn't ergonomic nor sturdy enough for this. Why couldn't this have been a 'push slider' button -- similar to a jog dial that you can push in but with a flat profile?

I think my Button 5 is defective because if I press it repeatedly it gets stuck in the down position about 20% of the time. Does your Button 5 sit flat or does it taper slightly towards the top of the case? I suspect that the top end of the button has dropped into the case and is getting caught on the housing.

The cradle is nicely designed (finally!!) and charges the extra battery I purchased without interfering with the docked unit.

While I think it's a step up from the god-awful IPAQ cradles of the past I'm concerned about the way the unit is supported in the cradle by only the connector... one wrong move and you'll easily ruin the cradle and the IPAQ's connector in one swoop. Kudos to HP on the standard USB cable though-- you can swap it with one of a different length.


Power/Battery Stuff:

The kludgy 36xx to 38xx/39xx/415x power connector setup HAS GOT TO GO!

It's ugly, easily damaged, and IMO *dangerous* (My 3900 nearly caught fire from a damaged/defective adaptor, luckily I unplugged it as it was starting to smoke!). HP/Compaq must still have a surplus of power supplies left over from the 3600 days because I see no reason to keep this dinorsaur around. For something as svelte as the 415x to be saddled with this POS is a crime.

The 415x has a NiMH backup battery in addition to it's removable LiIon, presumably to keep a trickle of power while you are swapping the main cell. The rest of the time the LiIon keeps the NiMH topped up.

Sadly, that NiMH battery could have had another use -- recharging the Liion cell in a pinch if you were away from cradle and had no other way to charge (and presumably no extra cells to swap in). It's pretty much what those 3rd party external chargers do anyway. Note that there may be electrochemical reasons why HP chose not to have this feature -- too many rapid discharges and recharges of the NiMH battery will eventually kill it.

Whatever happened to using CR2032 watch type batteries as backup? The old HPC Jornada's had them and they worked fine.

Oh, and make sure you turn off 'Recieve all incoming beams' in SETTINGS/CONNECTIONS/BEAM and make sure you set 'WLAN Power Save mode' to Auto or Extended in SETTINGS/SYSTEM/POWER/CONTROL. These should give battery life a big boost.

You'll want all the extra power for Wifi. -- it's addictive! The 415x's Wifi is POWERFUL -- especially for an internal antenna. Suppoesly it's rated for 1000 feet outdoors. I pick up more networks than I ever did with my old CF Wifi card.


WARNING

I've found my first piece of totally incompatible software with the 415x:

** MultiIE 3.0 **

After installing and clicking on the tab to register **it will totally crash the IPAQ and you will need to hard reset** 8O :( .

I verified this a number of times. I don't think this is a wm2003 issue as the software works fine on my 2003 upgraded 39xx. Hopefully a fix will be forthcoming.

Regards,
Rob S.

[toxostoma]

“Now, I’ve seen the 19xx units, and I have been impressed, but they haven’t had the horsepower I’ve needed…so I have usually said something like “…wow, nice PocketPC, enjoy it!” when an excited person has displayed their new 19xx.

I would like to post just one thing real quick... The 1945's 266 mghz processor is anything but slow. Benchmarks around the web confirm this. Opening applications is a snap. Scrolling through Pocket Bible for example used to take time to load chapters, especially long ones... Now, it almost instantaneously loads the text. No more "clock" icon.

I just point this out because I think you're misrepresenting the speed of the 1945.

[Wiggin]

Can'T wait to get mine.....but i am holding off due to the lack of nevo which i use a million times a day

Ah, yes, Nevo would have been nice... truth be told, I assumed it was a normal component of all PPC 2003 units. But, even if it was included, it would not be very useful... the IrD port is on the bottom of the unit! It is pointing at the ground (or your lap, or your.... well you get the drift) when you are holding it in your hand. LOL

So, my stack of remote control devices is still safe for a few more months :lol:

:beer:

[JOEJOETHEJOEY]

Can anyone tell me the difference between the h4155 and the h4150? Is it just a difference in maing conventions for US (h4155) and UK (h4150) version?

They look identical in every way (includint the specs) to me.

Thanks!

[starbot]

usually the 5/0 on the end of ipaq model numbers refers to the market it is sold in- i.e 5 is on the internet, where 0 is in brick and motour(spelling?) stores

[JOEJOETHEJOEY]

Cool. Thanks for the quick reply.

One more question, how good is the infra-red on the h4150/h4155? I've read that it's not as powerful as the h2210, but will it still be good enough for domestic usage, ie. for in the bedroom controlling TV, DVD about 8feet away.

[Wiggin]

The 4155 IrD port seems to have similar strength (e.g. distance throw) as my 3850, based upon a very scientific, and expertly calibrated, experiment I just conducted in the Test Lab! :lol:

(test description... pointed the 4155 at the 3850 and walked backwards until I lost the link)

So, your existing IrD apps should work fine... with the note being made [as a reminder] that the Ird window is on the bottom of the unit, not the top!
Cheers :way to go:

[JOEJOETHEJOEY]

What was the approx distance though Wiggin? Will it be good enough as a TV remote of approx 8ft away?

[Wiggin]

Joey, the carefully calibrated and measured distance was 5' 4" (or something pretty close to that, give or take a foot or two). So, it may not reach the full 8-10 ft... but then again, it depends on the IrD port on the TV as much as the port on the PPC. Best of luck.
Cheers

[JOEJOETHEJOEY]

Cool, thanks for checking it out Wiggin! Really appreciate it!!