Question on basic gaming/ebook reading on the 4700?

[Jonathan1]

I’m practically hovering over the buy button for a 4705. I have two final questions. First and most important e-books. The primary reason I’m upgrading is because the PDA rocks for ebooks. Obviously the 4700 doesn’t have a rocker button and the touchpad, as little as I’ve played with it, isn’t exactly attuned to paging up and down. That leaves the record button in easy reach. I’ve noticed that you can remap the button to pagedown but since neither MS reader nor, my favorite, eReader is installed at the CompUSA 4700 demo model I can’t be 100% certain that paging down is going to be “easy”. Does anyone have any experience with ebooks on the 4700 what is your solution? Or will the remapped button work perfectly fine?

Second is gaming on the 4700. I’ve read the reviews. I know that using the touchpad is a PITA but since I’m more of a RPGer then a purebred action gamer I’m wondering can I get away with the touchpad for RPG’s and how is the performance with the 4700 and VGA. I’ve seen the benchmarks in regards to video and its understandable that most VGA devices will take some hit because its driving a VGA screen but is the device at least usable when it comes to games?
Sorry if some of the questions seem a tad daft. I’m highly nervous spending a tad under $600 on a new Pocket PC. (My current device is a Jornada 568.) I just want to make sure I have all my bases covered. Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.

-Jonathan N.

[Dave Beauvais]

The hx4700 is hands-down the best Pocket PC I've ever owned. I really do love it, but all things considered, I wish it had "real" buttons instead of the touchpad. For RPGs like PDAmill's new Arvale (http://www.arvale.com), the touchpad is not a good method of control. Fortunately, the interface is fully functional using only the stylus, so it's not really an issue.

Arvale is not currently a VGA game, but gameplay is smooth. VGA games like the new Bejeweled 2 (http://www.astraware.com/ppc/default/bejeweled2/?skucode=0079-446-0167) are simply stunning on the hx4700's VGA display and game performance is exceptional.

As for e-book reading, if you use Palm Reader... sorry... eReader, you'll be disappointed with the current version. Unless you use something like SE_VGA to switch your display to "true VGA" mode, text in eReader is horrible. I and several other people have e-mailed eReader to request a WM2003 SE VGA-compatible version and they say that the next release will have that support. They could provide no ETA for that version, however.

I still read with eReader every day, but it's not the clear, crisp experience that I enjoyed on my previous three QVGA Pocket PCs. I just reach out and tap the screen with a fingernail to turn the page, but a quick tap on the up or down direction numbs on the touchpad works well, too. But again, all things considered, I wish HP would add a jog wheel or something to the side of their iPAQs. Now that we don't have to consider sleeves, there's not much reason to not put buttons on the side.

If you want the best screen of any Pocket PC, stellar performance, and can afford the price, the hx4700 is an amazing device and I don't regret my upgrade at all.

[ChristopherTD]

It may be heresy to suggest it here, but if you are a RPG fan then consider getting a GBA SP for mobile RPG, there are any number of excellent RPG titles for the GBA, whereas the few that are available for PPC are IMHO not in the same league.

I use my iPaq almost exclusively for reading ebooks and the 2 dozen or so games that I purchased never get played - they don't have the "one more turn" addictiveness that grabs you and demands that you play.

I have had a GBA SP for a month now and am amazed at the quality and depth of the two games I have played so far (Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Pokemon Sapphire).

The SP fits nicely in a pocket, has decent battery life, and a readable screen.

[FrozenIpaq]

SP is old....Nintendo DS IS THE NEW world of gaming, and im gettin one for christmas, seems promising since Nintendo made it. It's the best portable gaming device so far. If you have an existing PPC then i would stick with it, unless you got a good job.

HINT: You will always havae regrets with anything you get.

[Jonathan1]

It may be heresy to suggest it here, but if you are a RPG fan then consider getting a GBA SP for mobile RPG, there are any number of excellent RPG titles for the GBA, whereas the few that are available for PPC are IMHO not in the same league.

I use my iPaq almost exclusively for reading ebooks and the 2 dozen or so games that I purchased never get played - they don't have the "one more turn" addictiveness that grabs you and demands that you play.

I have had a GBA SP for a month now and am amazed at the quality and depth of the two games I have played so far (Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Pokemon Sapphire).

The SP fits nicely in a pocket, has decent battery life, and a readable screen.

The problem is invariably whenever I purchase a game boy (I own the original, GB Pocket, GB Color, GB Adv.) and they are entertaining for a while but get boring after a while.) The reason I'm getting a Pocket PC is because it does my PDA, web surfs, and can do some basic gaming (as long as you don't use the touchpad.) Its similar to the old argument of bypassing getting a computer and just get a console. I want to do more then just gaming. :)

Thanks for the info guys. I ordered my 4700 last Friday. The killer is the device was a gift from the mother. (She cut me a check.) So as soon as I get it sometime this week I take it over to her house and put it under the tree and agonize until Christmas Eve. Can you say torture? 8O :cry:

[ChristopherTD]

SP is old....Nintendo DS IS THE NEW world of gaming, and im gettin one for christmas, seems promising since Nintendo made it. It's the best portable gaming device so far. If you have an existing PPC then i would stick with it, unless you got a good job.


I have a DS too, but until DS software arrives in force, the SP is smaller and more pocketable if all you are playing is GBA titles! The DS is very sweet though...