To upgrade or not... what should I do?

[Guido]

Hi, I'm new to this and am looking for advice. I just picked up a used iPAQ 3650. Here are some details:

Product revision level: 1.0
ROM date: 12/26/00
ROM Revision: 1.69.00 ENG
OS Version: 3.0

Should I upgrade anything to never versions? Am I missing out on cool features if I don't upgrade? I'm don't plan on doing anything fancy with it (web browsing, wireless, etc) so unless an upgrade actually fixes a problem or adds/improves a feature, then I'd rather leave it as is since it's running fine.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Chris Spera]

If all you're going to do is simple PDA stuff, then you should be ok. The only problem you're going to bump into is the RAM limitation. You've only got 32MB of RAM in that device.

Pocket PC Techs can upgrade that device for a reasonable fee. (about as much as you'd spend on a decent SD card...if the 3600 could actually USE an SD card without a CF/ PC Card Sleeve and some sort of adapter...)

You can see the details here:
http://www.pocketpctechs.com/i3600up.asp


Please also remember that you will need sleeves for any sort of expansion. CF and PC Cards can only be used with sleeves. You can pick many of those up on eBay for a fraction of their original cost.

Let me know if you need any further help!


Kind Regards,


Christopher Spera

[Guido]

Thanks for the reply. I don't think the 32mb ram would be a problem for a while - I use it mostly for appointments, notes, some Excel files and to view photos. I've downloaded and installed many programs and have yet to get a "no more memory" message. I'm sure there are killer aps that can't fit in my ipaq, but I'm really not interested in watching movies or editing photos or playing flight simulator games.

I'm just wondering if upgrading the bios or OS (if it's even possible) will offer any benefits such as faster performance or less battery drain. Or maybe better display of graphics or more stable operation. Things like that.

[Jason Dunn]

It may be a moot point because it might be hard to find the iPAQ 3650 upgrade - I don't think Compaq/HP sells it any more...

[hopeful797]

i've had my 3650 since 2000. its been my only pda that whole time and has served me well with the sleeve and a CF modem for email and internet as well as for everyday PDA functions, MP3s, pix viewers, etc.

you can find the 2002 upgrade on ebay fairly regularly for $30 or so on a good day. but you'll also find that none of the upgrades really adds very much in basic PDA functionality. or usefulness. some of them seem just designed to slow things down in true MS fashion--like a comet trail thingie that pops up on 2002 when you use the stylus at points.

the 3650 feels as fast as the modern PPCs. and the build quality is solid. the screen isn't great for pix and the battery life is awful but i don't think it makes sense for you to invest $100 on new memory or battery upgrades or sleeves etc. you can get practically same PDA functionality for under $200 now in a package that has the SD slot with the 1900 series new or used.

[Guido]

Thanks - that's the type of advice I was looking for. So basically I'm not missing much by not upgrading my 3650. I was wondering about all the different ROM versions, 2002 upgrade, etc. I'll just leave it as-is.
The picture quality is OK for me. The battery life could be better. Oh well. It's my first PDA, so I'm not spoiled yet by the modern ones out there now.

Thanks again. I'll leave it as-is and if I find an expansion card cheap I'll pick it up.