07-07-2004, 12:00 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,350
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HP Getting Into Handheld PCs Again?
It was a Handheld PC (the Philips Velo 1) that caused my interest in the world of Windows CE back when. And currently, next to my Pocket PCs, I still use a Handheld PC, the HP Jornada 720. Although the form factor is not that much about portability, I do like the fact that these devices have a bigger screen, a typable keyboard, a long lasting battery, and instant on functionality. For light computing tasks, my HP Jornada still beats my iBook. But apparently not too many people were thinking like me, since the Handheld PC market was forever shrinking and one after the other OEM dropped the HPC line. After the Jornada 728, so did HP. But currently Psion reports there's a lot of interest in their NetBook Pro(running Windows CE). And according to an article in Computer Business Review Online HP is considering their return to this market.
Speaking with ComputerWire on a recent visit to HP's Office of Strategy and Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, center director Niklas Johnsson said it was possible that HP would re-introduce such a device into its range as a result of changing market forces and the greater ease of adapting Microsoft's latest mobile operating systems to devices of different form factors.
The product lines of the handheld market seem pretty blurred nowadays. We have mobile phones that are behaving like PDAs, we have PDAs that are behaving like mobile phones, we have PDAs that behave like mini-notebooks, we have mini-notebooks that come in a PDA format. What do you think? Is there room for the Handheld PC in this strange market?
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07-07-2004, 12:37 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 658
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I thought about getting a Jornada 690/720 before I chose to get my iPaq 2215 setup, but really the only thing holding me back was the old OS, no new software, and lack of support for such an old device.
If HP can manage to produce some new units like the Jornada Handheld PCs at a very affordable price, I just may switch. But until then I'll stick to my trusty iPaq. 8)
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07-07-2004, 01:00 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 287
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As I mentioned at my site, I think there IS a market for the HPC, especially in business. I had reviewed the Psion Netbook Pro here and really thought it was great for business.
HPC's have the advantages Marlof mentioned but they are also easier to maintain and support while in the field than a laptop. A soft reset will usually cure just about anything and iIt's impossible to corrupt OS files that are in ROM. Even if the HPC complete froze up you can hardreset and have it working again and pop in a backup memory card to restore data and settings. Once you are back in the office, sync up and you are completely back to normal. That beats the heck out of reinstalling Windows and all of the programs on a laptop. As well, there was no need to go to see IT about it.
I really think PocketPC's and Smartphone will continue to eclispe need and sales for consumers but enterprise should really consider the HPC format.[/url]
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07-07-2004, 01:23 PM
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Swami
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,303
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It would be so good if this was true. I hope that they would go to full VGA screens rather than the traditional half VGA (640x240) ones though.
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07-07-2004, 01:40 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 46
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That would really be cool - I miss my dear Psion so much, and although the PPC has nice colours, great apps etc., I still find myself using it less than the good ol' Psion. Too bad Psion got out of that business.
But if somebody would come up with a decept PPC with kbd and a good form factor - I would quickly get one.
Wasn't there a HP prototype last year already with kbd?
Michael
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07-07-2004, 02:37 PM
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07-07-2004, 03:23 PM
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Mystic
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,887
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Well, at this point in time a pocket PC with a built-in keyboard *is* a Handheld PC. :-)
All HP needs to do is build a clamshell PocketPC that boots into Landscape mode. With a full VGA screen and a Revo-type keyboard they'd be in business.
Not much new engineering needed.
Now, if they got clever and made it a flip-n-twist...
<sigh>
Yeah, there's room in the corporate market for one of these, say with a 5-6 in screen, to allow room for a decent keyboard.
So, get to it, HP!
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07-07-2004, 04:17 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 468
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The more I've thought about it, the more I think that a "handtop" is the right form factor for me. I still use my old Jornada 820 sometimes; alhough the ancient version of CE it runs is pretty dated and lacking in functionality, the form factor is outstanding.
Now that Microsoft allows Pocket PCs that run landscape and VGA, it would seem that an updated handtop running Pocket PC would be possible and pretty simple to create. And it might compete nicely with the more expensive XP-based handtops coming out like the Flipstart and OQO.
The biggest deal for me would be the inclusion of a "real" keyboard, like my 820 has, and not one of those thumb or chiclet-style keyboards. I hate those! 
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07-07-2004, 04:27 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 658
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I always thought that Samsung Nexio s160 looked pretty spiffy, but too pricy. They're going for about $600-$900 on ebay.
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07-07-2004, 04:39 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 137
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I used a Compaq C Series HPC and really enjoyed it. I think it was the combination of the landscape screen and keyboard (not to mention the screen protection).
My only holdback on a Jornada was price. when you can get a PPC and keyboard for half the $, well...
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