USB host feature?

[TheMouseMan]

I recently smashed the screen (by accidence that is!) of my beloved iPAQ 4150 :mecry:
Therefore I have started the very time-consuming (but fun!) search for my next PPC... (considering the 2750...)

One feature I would really like is the USB host capability (as currently available in e.g. the PocketLoox 720). This is NOT available in the 2750 at present, as I understand.

Can any of you experts/gurus on this forum tell me:
1) Will the USB host feature be available after the upgrading of the 2750 to WM2005? (i.e. is it a hardware or OS issue?)
2) Would it be better to wait for the new iPAQs to hit the market (in 1-2 months time?????)? - and is it expected that USB host will be a common feature in the upcomming generation of iPAQs?
3) ...or should I just get the PocketLoox 720 that looks like a nice PPC? (shame on me for abandoning HP?!?). :oops:

Any thoughts?

[Sven Johannsen]

USB host does require the hardware to support it. If HPs hardware supported it, there is no reason they wouldn't have included it. It does not appear that HP believes USB Host is a neccessary feature.

Why do you want USB Host?

[mscdex]

You could always buy a CF USB host card and use it whenever you need USB host capabilities. :)

[Duncan]

Why do you want USB Host?

I used to wonder the same thing until I had it. Now I carry Gigabytes of music, ripped DVDs, Office documents and more everywhere I go on a small HD MP3 player - I simply connect to my Loox (no fuss, no bother) and I've got access to it all whenever and wherever I want.

[Nurhisham Hussein]

I find USB host to be indispensable now, and I won't go to another PPC without it. To answer your questions,:

i) As Sven say, it needs hardware support. The OS has actually had the drivers available since Pocket PC 2002. I'm not sure I'd agree with mscdex though - the card would be another thing to bring around, it's hard to find, and there's the added cost as well.
ii) HP seems to take the view that USB host is an unnecessary feature - I wouldn't bet on them coming up with a PDA with it. They seem to be concentrating more on communication connectivity options re: 65xx, 57xx
iii)PL720 is a great machine, if you can live with the lack of support and accessories. There are alternatives however e.g. Acer N50. An incomplete list can be found here:

http://forum.mypdacafe.com/viewtopic.php?t=4177&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=host&start=15

Quite frankly, the Acer's have better support for USB host than the Loox - you can use a mouse out of the box, which is not the case for the Loox.

Be aware that there are limitations to what you can do with USB host:

http://www.mypdacafe.com/articles.php?id=219

It's still enormously worthwhile though IMHO.

[TheMouseMan]

To all of you: Thanks for the quick replies...

The reason that I would like USB host is totally in line with what is already said (also a neat feature to be able to copy/view a file from someone else's usb/pen-drive on the fly).

@hishamh: Thanks for the links. I guess I will go for the Loox 720 as it has (besides support for USB host), VGA, 128 mb RAM, and will get the WM2005 upgrade in the nearest future...

[Menneisyys]

Quite frankly, the Acer's have better support for USB host than the Loox - you can use a mouse out of the box, which is not the case for the Loox.

Yes, but adding USB mouse support to the PL720 isn't very complicated either; see this (http://www.firstloox.org//forums/showthread.php?t=4320) thread (and the linked ones from it).

[pocketpcadmirer]

well yes..even i think that the usb host feature should be a must-be-there feature of future ipaqs