iPAQ 5500 Series Coming To An End?

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://www.bargainpda.com/default.asp?newsID=2034">http://www.bargainpda.com/default.asp?newsID=2034</a><br /><br />This could be the end of sleeve enabled devices from Compaq/HP.<br /><br />"According to reports that have reached us, HP representatives and resellets have been telling customers that the iPaq 5550 has been reclassified as "end of life", meaning that it will no longer be manufactured. Coupled with the age of the unit, and the decreasing stock at various retailers, it's not hard to believe that this is accurate. While it's still unknown whether HP intends to make another iPaq model that's compatible with the existing base of expansion sleeves, HP has shown little to no interest in the sleeve system since it took over the iPaq line, making only minimal concessions to the design to follow through on promises made to existing users. I would have to say that the likelyhood of seeing another sleeve-capable iPaq is probably low, so if you're that one diehard who won't give up their Whitney CF sleeve/case, you might want to order soon."<br /><br />In a way, I am sorry to see this happen, but if you look at device capabilities today versus what they were the original 3600 shipped in 2000, there is very little, if anything, that an iPAQ 2215 can't do that a sleeve enabled device can do. While the article above doesn't specify the 5100 series, I suspect it too is on the block. Actually, I'm not sure if it is still available. This was so much easier when there were three devices, one from each of the big OEMs at the time. :wink:

[MasterOfMoo]

Most of the features provided by third-party vendors can now be built into the body of the PDA.

It'll be sad to see them go, only because I still have some older iPAQs that still see use with the sleeves.

:-/

[jt3]

The main reason I kept to the sleeve-capable format is the ability to use my Navman GPS sleeve. Now, I know that I can get GPS units in both CF and SD formats, not to mention bluetooth or built-in varieties. Still, purchasing one of these units would be an extra expense, while giving me absolutely no functionality that my Navman sleeve doesn't already provide (except, of course, the ability for use on non-sleeved formats).

So, to me, this is sad news indeed. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have a smaller 2200-sized unit, but at the same time, I don't want to have to shell out extra bucks for a new GPS unit. Besides, I haven't found a cover yet that I like as well as the sleeve-cover that came with the 3800/3900/5400 units.

Of course, when the iPAQs come out that provide GPS/GPRS/Wi-Fi/Bluetooth all built-in, with >128MB memory, biometric security, and a built-in keyboard... well, then HP may be able to drag me into a non-sleeve format after all.

[buckyg]

Yes, I've invested in a couple of sleeves for my 5555 and my wife's 5455. If they're history, well, that's part of the price of changing technology, I guess. It would be nice to have CF & SD in the same PPC, yet have the 5555's capabilities. I can't wait to see what HP has in response to some of the "high-end" models out (or soon to be out) such as the Toshiba e800. Hopefully, we will see something announced soon.

My company has several 3800 series iPAQs. They're perfectly good for what we use them for. If sleeves are indeed on their way out, maybe it's time soon to watch for clearance prices on them?

[PR.]

I bet we won't see another device with the finderprint reader again either :?

One of my favourite features of the 5450!

[whydidnt]

I think the sleeve concept was and is a great idea. However, in the iPaq's case, it's based upon 4 year old technology which is just too big. The only reason the 54-5500 series are as big as they are is to support the legacy sleeves. It seems in the mobile wold most of us thing "smaller is better" and it probably doesn't make sense to continue making devices large than you need to, just t support a sleeve, that will have limited usefulness -- since many "sleeve functions" are now built into the unit.

I wouldn't mind seeing HP or another vendor re-invent the sleeve for smaller units like the 41XX-43XX line. I'm sure some people would like to add CF or PCMCIA attachments this way.

[ricksfiona]

I don't have a problem with HP giving up on sleeves. I only used them once when I wanted a CF slot for memory purposes. SD cards are pretty well priced and any other peripheral I would like to use, I can use via Bluetooth.

I think the rounded top & bottom edges were a better visual design than what is currently out there. IPAQs are like the first generation iMACs. The iMACs changed the way people thought what a computer should look like. In my opinion, my iPAQ 5550 is one of the prettiest-artsy-cool PDAs out there.

[gohtor]

The sleeve support has been around for quite some time, allowing many 3rd party vendors to develop customized serial communication interfaces to a wide variety of systems. I still can't believe they are planning to abondon those vendors. Alternatives out there like cf and sdio are now offered to the most commonly needed peripherals. But I have not yet seen some vendors upgrade from the legacy serial connectors that they currently use.

[arnage2]

i bet nomore ipaq file store, just nand.

[ale_ers]

The main reason I kept to the sleeve-capable format is the ability to use my Navman GPS sleeve.

The one consolation is that if and when you do get a new GPS unit, you can get a Bluetooth one that will be compatible with many PPC, not just ipaqs. That is until Bluetooth is discontinued.

[huangzhinong]

Just go.

After h5500 and Toshia go out of PPC, nobody will say PPC is bigger than Palm device any more. :D

[djdj]

I wish HP would come out with another 128MB device before discontinuing the 55xx series. I'm stuck with my 5555 until another HP device with 128MB comes out. I'd love a 6300, but my app's won't fit in 64MB.

And the fingerprint reader sure is cool too...

[ntractv]

I wish HP would come out with another 128MB device before discontinuing the 55xx series. I'm stuck with my 5555 until another HP device with 128MB comes out. I'd love a 6300, but my app's won't fit in 64MB.

And the fingerprint reader sure is cool too...

I concur. I do not understand why with all the new devices coming out not one has the 128mb on-board. I don't have any strong feelings on the whole sleeve concept being discontinued. But, come on, enough with the 64megs. I'm holding on to my 5555.

[that_kid]

My 5555 is great but now that I have a bluetooth cell phone that negated the need to have a cf slot so I don't even use my sleeves much if any. There are times when I need to be on the phone and online and this is the only time I use my sleeve. As it stands right now I going to switch back to my 4350 for a while but oh I do love that 128 megs of ram in the 5555.

[OSUKid7]

Well, I use my 3870 with PCMCIA sleve every day. I can understand creating newer, slicker iPaqs, but is it really that hard to keep the ability to use sleves? Too bad. :( Will Pocket PCs ever be able to use PC Cards again?

[disconnected]

Now that they can fit most of the current 5555 features into something as small as the 41xx, I'd be happy to have something about the size of the 5555 with the same 128MB, but with a 4 inch screen, and an additional slot (preferably CF, though I guess I could live with a second SD). I'd like to keep the stuff I use all the time on my main SD card, and have a second slot to swap additional cards in and out for music, movies, maps, etc. Now that we'll have higher resolution screens, I expect movies will take more space, so CF is really preferable because of the price.

[Kacey Green]

How about something the size of the 2200 with biometrics
wifi, blutooth, vga, vibration alarms, WM 2003SE, 64MB (or 96MB) RAM, 64MB (or 128MB) FLASH RAM, 64MB Flash ROM, usb host support, dual slots, not over $700
the price of the current 2200s would be nice but lets get real.

I don't know how to use the list tag pls help

[DaleReeck]

A lot of people are focusing on the sleeves, but I feel the 5555 itself was its strength. Bulit in WiFi, built in bluetooth, excellent software to control each, finger scanner, vibrate alarms, 128MB of memory and a bluetooth audio headset profile. No PDA on the market is as feature rich as the 5500 series was.

[OSUKid7]

A lot of people are focusing on the sleeves, but I feel the 5555 itself was its strength. Bulit in WiFi, built in bluetooth, excellent software to control each, finger scanner, vibrate alarms, 128MB of memory and a bluetooth audio headset profile. No PDA on the market is as feature rich as the 5500 series was.
Correct. And IMO the 5500 series isn't too big. It looks a lot different than the original sleve models, yet still lets people use the sleves if they want. I can't see why HP would stop doing that. :|

[Kacey Green]

Don't forget about the Headphone/Microphone port :D

[Gen-M]

I use my sleeve to support a 5 GB PCMCIA Hard Drive. Unless HP is going to support USB Host, then that kind of storage will not be available without a sleeve.

[The PocketTV Team]

> there is very little, if anything, that an iPAQ 2215 can't do that a sleeve enabled device can do.

Like backing up one 4GB Microdrive on a second 4GB Microdrive ?

For that you need two CF (or PC Card) slots.

Is there any other device (other than iPaq + sleeve) that can do that ?

[Paula]

As I have posted in the past, I was told by the manager of HP handhelds (NZ) last September that the H5500 series would be discontinued in June 2004. At that time, I was also told that the 2200 series would also be discontinued in June.

Long Live the 2215!

Paula

[Kacey Green]

As long as we get WM 2003 SE before it happens, and similar devices replace them in the market. If I can't have SD and CF at the same time then I might start seriously looking at other manufactures.

Up 'till this point it was just to see what everyone else was up to, except maybe the e800.

The 2200 and 5500 were excelent and innovative devices, the 2200 slightly less so do to the lower price point.

[Talldog]

I bet we won't see another device with the finderprint reader again either :?
I'll take that bet.

[bnycastro]

I used to own a hp iPAQ h3870 and two sleeves (CF Plus and PCMCIA) it worked great except that the batt on the CF Plus was always falling off... when I upgraded to the h2210 I didn't miss the sleeves at all. IMHO dual slots is enough for most users however if hp or other manufacturers give us dual slots and dual wireless (think ASUS 716) then that would be better! I'm thinking however to keep the device small it would be better to put in dual SDIO slots.
So make it: 4 inch VGA, SDIO+CF (or SDIO x 2) + 128MB RAM/64MB ROM (or the supposed MPx memory setup 32MB RAM-for running apps + 64MB ROM-for memory... if that helps users during hard resets) + Bluetooth + WiFi and a 1800mAh Battery... Also if possible make the D-Pad more like the 43xx series (action button is separated) and also put the speakers in front.

[Kacey Green]

I used to own a hp iPAQ h3870 and two sleeves (CF Plus and PCMCIA) it worked great except that the batt on the CF Plus was always falling off... when I upgraded to the h2210 I didn't miss the sleeves at all. IMHO dual slots is enough for most users however if hp or other manufacturers give us dual slots and dual wireless (think ASUS 716) then that would be better! I'm thinking however to keep the device small it would be better to put in dual SDIO slots.
So make it: 4 inch VGA, SDIO+CF (or SDIO x 2) + 128MB RAM/64MB ROM (or the supposed MPx memory setup 32MB RAM-for running apps + 64MB ROM-for memory... if that helps users during hard resets) + Bluetooth + WiFi and a 1800mAh Battery... Also if possible make the D-Pad more like the 43xx series (action button is separated) and also put the speakers in front.

I agree completely with your post.
If they can't fit an SD and CF then dual SD would be good enough!

[eustts]

I will be keeping my 5555 until another 128MB device surfaces....

[iPAQ_ace]

I will be keeping my 5555 until another 128MB device surfaces....

You won't have to wait very long (http://www.ipaqabilities.com/reviews_articles/articles/0204-coming_attractions_hotfun.php).

BTW - the H1900, H2200, H5100 are also on their way out the door.

[DarkHelmet]

Last time I looked - HP isn't terribly interested in what you (or I) think of their decisions...

Carly and Company are not looking to keep current customers happy - witness the wholesale slough of current iPAQ owners underway in the legacy iPAQ consumer base.

Unless you are prepared to throw away your current iPAQ and buy something new every year - you can count that whatever you buy today is obsolete by the time you get it home.

So what we have here is the InkJet engineering permeating the handheld market.

I am stunned that more of us haven't already realized this - are you one of those deer, shocked by the headlights of reality? Consider this - HP is a Ford Taurus that just ran over you...

[Bladefree21]

Yes, that came to my attention sometime ago... HP seems to be bending toward the industrial cookie cutter PDA's, instead of the outside of the box, sleek designs of the past. Also cutting corners on quality, (i.e. Speakers, screens, innovation, etc.) Originally seemed Compaq/HP was out to see how much could be advanced in PDA technology, instead of following trends of other brands PDA's. Decent PDA phones have been out for sometime, the rumored 6300 is hardly innovative. Actually, similar to a succession in a line or series (like a desktop). Sometimes it makes me wonder.. why..? :silly:


On a positive note though, I do like how small they were able to make the 1900-4000&lt;-(almost bought 8)) series iPAQs. Though preferences go to the feel of the 3000-5000 series in my hand. I am of average height 5’10”

[Calculon]

That's probably why the astronauts got this model. (see previous story re: Astronauts using the 5550)

:twisted:

[dh]

I have often thought that the ultimate Pocket PC would be the 5550 with a Silver Slider, the one with CF and additional battery.

Like many people, I will be sorry to see the end of this series, the end for the real Ipaqs.

Hopefully there will be an Ipaq with a specification to compete with the A730. It would be odd if HP no longer competed in the high end of Pocket PCs.

[bnycastro]

Like many people, I will be sorry to see the end of this series, the end for the real Ipaqs.

IMO The sleeves support don't make an iPAQ an iPAQ; there is more to the iPAQ than just sleeve support. I agree that the sleeves are very useful and this is one of the strengths of the iPAQ; it certainly set the iPAQ apart from the other PPCs in the market. If the CF/PCMCIA users (which I feel benefit most from the sleeves) find it harder and harder to use their existing CF/PCMCIA attachments then they would be forced to buy newer formats of their accessories and I think this is what the manufacturers are after... for us to go out and buy the 'new stuff'--It is just business. However before hp or any other manufacturer 'forces' us to buy the 'new stuff' I hope there is something new in the first place. The next line of iPAQs must continue to innovate and bring fresh ideas to market so as to keep the brand strong and appealing to consumers.

I am surprised that the only rumors re: iPAQs are on h6xxx (the idea has been rumoured for a few years now); are there no other iPAQs to be released (or is hp learning to control those info leaks)? What about VGA? Maybe hp was too happy selling the lower end/mid-ranged PPCs (as it sells faster than the high-end ones)? I believe hp should continue to compete in the high-end PPC (devices like the h5xxx series) market as this would showcase their know-how and their capabilities and maybe 'lure' some customers to purchasing other products... a customer enters a shop; takes a look at a high-end model with all the bells and whistles... simply because it is top of the line... however he/she doesn't want/need all the features and they look at the mid-lower range devices and get one because they are thinking: hey these are the same guys that made that POWERHOUSE of a PPC, this must be a quality product...etc etc.

So... get rid of the sleeves (we can't really stop you) but give us something to be happy about (Think in these lines: OLED screens, VGA, dual SDIO, Tri-Wireless, etc etc) KEYWORD in hp is: invent!

[Kacey Green]

I think they are really good at rumor control.

Hey what happened to my frontpage screenshot, showing the h6300 on the support site?
HP rumor police?
DB error?

I don't recall any frontpage posts being deleted before this (of course I only joined last year)

[bnycastro]

I think they are really good at rumor control.

Hey what happened to my frontpage screenshot, showing the h6300 on the support site?
HP rumor police?
DB error?

I don't recall any frontpage posts being deleted before this (of course I only joined last year)

I think this is a different thread but has the same topic... the other thread http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=27609 has been locked and it was suggested we continue here.

I didn't even see the screenshot!--hp is getting better at rumor control :lol:

[Shadowcat]

Honestly I think the H5000 series would be the perfect size for a VGA Pocket PC. If they just added a VGA screen, the latest processor, maybe add more RAM/ROM, maybe an internal hard drive, and stick in a CF slot (you know they can if they can do it with the H2200), they would have a winner. I don't think VGA Pocket PCs can get much smaller than the H5000 (at least in the short term). Just look at how big the Toshiba is.

Although most people like smaller devices, I think the very top of the line Pocket PCs with everything and the kitchen sink will always have to be around the size of the H5000. Only after the technology matures will we see it migrate to the smaller devices like the H2200 and H1900.

I saw a H1900 today and I was so pleased with the size. My H2200 with its leather case plus WiFi CF card looks monstrous compared to it. Yet I demand a CF slot and more than just the bare-bones hardware so I think I will always be looking for a bigger device. I would have gone with the H5000 series if they had included a CF slot.

If HP really does away with this series (which I think they will very soon) I hope at least they will come out with something of a similar size and jam-pack all the goodies in the H5500 and then some.

Just my 2 cents

[Pony99CA]

As an owner of an iPAQ 3650, 3870 and 5550, I will also be disappointed if sleeve-compatible iPAQs become extinct.

In fact, if HP stops making sleeve-compatible iPAQs, I will start seriously considering other Pocket PC manufacturers. Up until now, I've only considered iPAQs because of the sleeves I use. I even coined the term "iPAQ inertia" for that. :lol:

The sleeves made iPAQs the most expandable Pocket PCs on the market. To go way out there, with my iPAQ and NexiPak dual CF card sleeve, I could have 25 GB of storage (two 12 GB CF cards and a 1 GB SD card -- if I don't mind paying $20,000+ :lol:). Try that with any other Pocket PC.

Steve

[DarkHelmet]

Well - I am glad to see that people are recognizing the death of innovation at HP.

When are "the rest of us" going to realize that the PC companion is a harbinger of corporate disposability?

Get with the program people... Bring us TabletPC functionality in a PocketPC pricepoint...

$500 for a burned in ROM OS that you don't want to support after a year is disrespectful to the customers.

[crairdin]

The sleeve concept was always stupid, even in 2000. They made a bulky, expensive unit even bulkier and more expensive at a time when others were adding the same functionality inside packages that were no bigger and no more expensive than the unsleeved iPaq.

I'm surprised it's lasted as long as it has. I own a boatload of very capable Pocket PC's, Palm-size PCs, etc and none of them are sleeved iPaqs. The sleeves added nothing to Compaq's ability to compete.

I wave a hearty good-bye to a technology that was DOA, and people are only just now realizing it.

Craig

[Pony99CA]

I wave a hearty good-bye to a technology that was DOA, and people are only just now realizing it.
For something that was supposedly DOA, Compaq sure sold a lot of iPAQs -- and sleeves.

Steve

[Janak Parekh]

Honestly I think the H5000 series would be the perfect size for a VGA Pocket PC. If they just added a VGA screen, the latest processor, maybe add more RAM/ROM, maybe an internal hard drive, and stick in a CF slot (you know they can if they can do it with the H2200), they would have a winner.
Even without the CF slot... I think it would be a winner.

I don't think VGA Pocket PCs can get much smaller than the H5000 (at least in the short term). Just look at how big the Toshiba is.
Actually, the A730 will be smaller than the iPAQ 5500 or the e800 units.

--janak

[Len M.]

We and our customers need the dual expansion packs, both HP's Dual PCMCIA Expansion Pack and the three third-party Dual CF Card Expansion Packs.

Why?

Our PDAudio-CF card is a Type I (extended) format card. It's the only card in the world that allows an iPAQ to record high-resolution audio (currently up to 24-bit/96 KiloSample per second). Recording in the 24/96 format takes 2 GB of storage per hour of recording time.

Two hours is the minimum acceptable recording time (4GB), and ten hours (20 GB) or more is desirable.

To run PDAudio-CF we need either two CF, one CF and one SD/ or two PCMCIA slots: one for the PDAudio-CF card and one for storage.

To get two hours you need 4 GB. That's doable by using either a 4 GB CF flash memory card (currently around $700), a Toshiba 5 GB PCMCIA hard drive, or an external drive with a PCMCIA interface (e.g., the Addonics Pocket ExDrive with up to 100 GB of storage).

We'd love to use the 2210/2215 but SD flash memory cards only recently became available in sizes up to 1 GB; that's half-an-hour of recording and simply not enough, and much more expensive than CF and PCMCIA equiavlent storage. We don't expect 4 GB SD card at reasonable cost for another 24 to 30 months.

So we say to HP: if you discontinue the h5500- and h5100-series iPAQs, please be sure to introduce another model that can accept the expansion packs.


Len Moskowitz
Core Sound
www.core-sound.com




So we need

[Shadowcat]

Honestly I think the H5000 series would be the perfect size for a VGA Pocket PC. If they just added a VGA screen, the latest processor, maybe add more RAM/ROM, maybe an internal hard drive, and stick in a CF slot (you know they can if they can do it with the H2200), they would have a winner.
Even without the CF slot... I think it would be a winner.

I don't think VGA Pocket PCs can get much smaller than the H5000 (at least in the short term). Just look at how big the Toshiba is.
Actually, the A730 will be smaller than the iPAQ 5500 or the e800 units.

--janak

For some reason I always thought the A730 didn't have a CF slot but I just checked and they do. It's amazing how small they can make things these days! However I do wish the A730 had a 4.0" display even though 3.7" is already above today's standards.

[crairdin]

I wave a hearty good-bye to a technology that was DOA, and people are only just now realizing it.
For something that was supposedly DOA, Compaq sure sold a lot of iPAQs -- and sleeves.

If you got suckered into buying an iPaq sans expansion slots then you were kinda stuck buying a sleeve, otherwise the thing was not very useful.

Imagine if you had to buy a sleeve for your car that let you plug in cruise control or all-wheel drive. Imagine a sleeve for your TV to let it receive channels above 13. Imagine a mashed potato sleeve to accomodate gravy.

Yes, they sold a bunch of iPaqs, but people do the dumbest things every day and there's no explaining it. Meanwhile I was buying Pocket PCs with the features I wanted, such as multiple expansion slots, that were smaller and cheaper than a sleeved iPaq.

I'm just saying it was a dumb idea and I don't care if it goes away. There's plenty of people here upon whose collective shoulders you can cry if you feel differently.

[Bladefree21]

If you got suckered into buying an iPaq sans expansion slots then you were kinda stuck buying a sleeve, otherwise the thing was not very useful.

Imagine if you had to buy a sleeve for your car that let you plug in cruise control or all-wheel drive. Imagine a sleeve for your TV to let it receive channels above 13. Imagine a mashed potato sleeve to accomodate gravy.

Yes, they sold a bunch of iPaqs, but people do the dumbest things every day and there's no explaining it. Meanwhile I was buying Pocket PCs with the features I wanted, such as multiple expansion slots, that were smaller and cheaper than a sleeved iPaq.

I'm just saying it was a dumb idea and I don't care if it goes away. There's plenty of people here upon whose collective shoulders you can cry if you feel differently.


There is rarely a reason for cutting others down, and there are many strengths in the expansion packs. True that other Pocket PC's have caught up to most of the abilities that PPC's (with expasion packs have) Innovation can make expansion(ization) LoL :D for any model more usefull to those that press/use the limits. There shouldn't be a need for you to call others names, etc. because you do not see the benefit/gain of there devices! It's excellent and groovy :robot: that you have found fufillment in the devices you have! :D 8) How often is cutting others down a good thing?

I enjoy expansion packs also 8) and I hope the advancements continue :wink:

[crairdin]

There is rarely a reason for cutting others down... There shouldn't be a need for you to call others names, etc. ... How often is cutting others down a good thing?

No :D cutting down :) or :( name calling 8O going on :? here. 8) Just offering 8) a contrary :lol: voice to the :oops: opinions of :cry: others who :evil: are whining :twisted: about the :roll: death of :wink: this "technology". :!:

[Kaber]

I have an iPAQ "BRICK". Really, its the size of a brick with the dual sleeve on. But I rarely carry it in my pocket anyway. I have a backpack stuffed full of great gizmos and gadgets to use with my ipaq and a number of them are PC Cards which require me to use the dual sleeve. I purposely bought an iPAQ because I knew I could get a dual PC Card expansion for it and I love it very much. I guess I'll go out and get a 5555 if its gonna be the last PDA I can use with my dual sleeve. I don't plan on buying another one after that until my dual sleeve breaks.

So long expansion packs. You will be missed.

[ctmagnus]

:werenotworthy:

[Pony99CA]

I wave a hearty good-bye to a technology that was DOA, and people are only just now realizing it.
For something that was supposedly DOA, Compaq sure sold a lot of iPAQs -- and sleeves.
If you got suckered into buying an iPaq sans expansion slots then you were kinda stuck buying a sleeve, otherwise the thing was not very useful.

So you're calling me a sucker? I don't believe I got "suckered" into anything. I had seen other Pocket PCs, and none of them really made me want to give up my Sharp Mobilon Handheld PC. The iPAQ 3650 did.

Imagine if you had to buy a sleeve for your car that let you plug in cruise control or all-wheel drive.
On many cars, those are options that you pay for separately.

Imagine a sleeve for your TV to let it receive channels above 13.
Imagine set-top boxes to let you receive cable channels, satellite TV or HDTV.

Any other misguided analogies?

Yes, they sold a bunch of iPaqs, but people do the dumbest things every day and there's no explaining it.
So now you're calling my decision "dumb", too. If you want to say you think the idea of sleeves is dumb, which you do below, fine. But calling our decisions dumb when you have no clue about how we made them is just ignorant.

I'm just saying it was a dumb idea and I don't care if it goes away. There's plenty of people here upon whose collective shoulders you can cry if you feel differently.
Yes, and maybe we don't care if you go away. :roll:

Steve

[dh]

The Ipaq sleeves were never for me personally, I would have prefered the 5550 with built in CF.

However, the ability to add all kinds of options to the Ipaqs really got HP into many commercial applications that no other device could touch. The success of the PPC platform was very much based on the expandability of those 3600 and other models.

Personally, I think of the single SD only devices as toys compared to the 5550 and it's ealier versions. Sure they are small and pretty, but with expansion memory limited to 1GB (512MB for most people) and only 64MB of RAM, there is a limit as to what one can do with them. If the 5550 is phased out, HP will have only the 2210 series, which is unlike them.

I'm sure there will be a 256MB, twin slot, mini HD, VGA Ipaq at some point. I certainly hope so.

[Pony99CA]

The Ipaq sleeves were never for me personally, I would have prefered the 5550 with built in CF.
I think most sleeve-compatible iPAQ owners would love an iPAQ with CF and SDIO slots that also allowed for sleeves. That way, we could have what we needed most of the time without needing a sleeve, but we could add things using sleeves when necessary.

However, the ability to add all kinds of options to the Ipaqs really got HP into many commercial applications that no other device could touch. The success of the PPC platform was very much based on the expandability of those 3600 and other models.
I agree 100% with that.

Personally, I think of the single SD only devices as toys compared to the 5550 and it's ealier versions. Sure they are small and pretty, but with expansion memory limited to 1GB (512MB for most people) and only 64MB of RAM, there is a limit as to what one can do with them. If the 5550 is phased out, HP will have only the 2210 series, which is unlike them.
I wouldn't call those Pocket PCs "toys" any more than I'd call older Palms "toys". For many people, they serve a useful purpose. Just as some people like ultra-portable laptops and some want desktop replacements, so some prefer size and weight to expandability and power.

I'm sure there will be a 256MB, twin slot, mini HD, VGA Ipaq at some point. I certainly hope so.
I'm not sure I'd want a hard disk in a Pocket PC (see my editorial about that (http://thoughts.svpocketpc.com#THOUGHT_PDA_HARDDISKS)); the rest would certainly be nice, though.

Steve

[Pete Wilson]

Does HP make a CF slot PDA without a sleeve?

Medication Management is moving toward a PDA with a barcode reader. Any SDIO barcode readers out there yet?

[Pony99CA]

Does HP make a CF slot PDA without a sleeve?
Yes, the iPAQ 2210 has a Compact Flash slot.

Medication Management is moving toward a PDA with a barcode reader. Any SDIO barcode readers out there yet?
Pretec has announced one. I posted a story about it at pocketnow (http://pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=news&id=2325).

Steve