First 60 minutes with HP iPAQ hx4700

July 16, 2004 | Pavel Koza | format - Other (ar.) | viewed - 212x
rating -

(484 votes) | category - -

First 60 minutes with HP iPAQ hx4700

CLASS="code">Please note: This is not a regular review. I have not tested the device properly in an effort to discover its strengths and weaknesses. Instead, I am presenting my - mostly positive - impressions from the first encounter. So, this is not an objective report but rather a subjective description of a completely new device, full of uncritical admiration and enthusiasm about its new features. If you don't like this type of article, please wait for a proper review. It won't come before a few weeks' time, though. While the hardware configuration has been almost finalised, the software needs a lot of tuning and can change substantially before release. Please take therefore any information about software applications with a large grain of salt.

When I recently posted an article called First 60 minutes with HP iPAQ h6300, I had no idea that another would follow in just a few weeks. Back then, I had a great opportunity to play shortly with a device that was soon to become the absolute top performer of the iPAQ family, or possibly of all Pocket PCs. You may already have some idea thanks to leaked information, so let's get to the business. Ladies and gentlemen, HP iPAQ hx4700!

At first sight, you'll notice the device's unusual design. HP designers allowed their imagination free rein and hx4700 resembles a futuristic communicator rather than 2004 PDA. Forget about silvery plastic - the body is made of magnesium alloy so that it is as light as plastic but incomparably more durable. Its dark colour with metallic shine makes the device appear smaller than it is. Instead of a common joypad, this iPAQ features a unique touchpad, the same as that used in laptop computers. It can work in two modes - either as a rather unusual joypad or as a normal touchpad which even shows a pointer on the display! It remains to be seen if it is an ingenious innovation or a dead end - now, it's too early to judge. For a device with two expansion slots (SDIO and CF type II), it is extremely thin - it looks gorgeous with its 15 millimetres. Other dimensions are bigger than usual, but it is due to a giant display. Display protection is almost perfect. Compared with a plastic shield in iPAQs h3000 series, this solution is much better.

If you have not seen Toshiba e800, you will be amazed not only by the design but also by a wonderful 4-inch display. Regular readers of pdagold may remember that lately, I have not been very positive about displays in new iPAQs. If THIS is where the development is heading to, all the better. The display seems huge in comparison with usual PocketPCs. Measured with a ruler, the diagonal is just half an inch longer, but it makes a big difference. The resolution being twice finer than usual, the pixel density must be significantly higher. It means that it is extremely fine and smooth and I do not exaggerate when I use superlatives. Last but not least, the iPAQ offers automatic backlight adjustment based on lighting conditions. Also, the display is very bright and highly contrastive, with rich colours. I know, it may sound suspicious, but it is really superb:) It simply has no mistake when combined with Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition in the landscape mode (although I was a little disappointed by the OS in VGA resolution, but more on that next time).

Let's look under the bonnet. The device is powered by an Intel PXA270 processor running at 624 MHz. This is the best processor for pocket computers available. Responses are immediate. Somewhat surprisingly, the IPAQ offers a combination of 128 MB and 64 MB of memory but the larger is FlashROM, unlike in other device. It contains the system, so that you cannot use all those 128 MB but "only" some 80 MB. Coupled with 63 MB of RAM, you have more than enough room for your data and applications. Obviously, I did not have time to perform any benchmark tests but if this iPAQ has any weaknesses at all, it will not be its performance. I tried playing a video clip, although not optimised for VGA, and it was perfect. By the way, I have never seen such bright colours in a Shrek 2 trailer on a PDA.

Audio features are excellent, too. There is no noise and, for the first time in the Pocket PC world, there is a full-fledged five-way graphic equaliser that makes it possible to adjust the sound exactly to one's taste. However, it works only with the headphones output. It is a great experience if you use high-quality headphones. I have tried a few MP3 songs and compared with other iPAQs, this one is yet closer to perfection. Hardly anyone will be surprised to learn that there is a microphone with automatic sensitivity adjustment and that it provides an absolutely faithful recording.

Except for a GSM module, the iPAQ features all communication technologies used in PDAs. They include USB and serial ports, fast infrared port of up to 4 Mbps, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi version 802.11b. The Bluetooth version 1.2 is from Widcomm and it worked fine when I browsed the internet for a while using a BT-enabled modem. I did not try the Wi-Fi functionality, though.

All of those require a lot of power. The iPAQ is therefore equipped with a large, 1800-mAh Lithium-Ion battery. Optionally, you can use an extra 3600-mAh battery. There is a standard feature that makes it possible to set time in hours when the iPAQ is supposed to retain memory contents after the battery runs flat. The device can also be charged over a USB cable.

The device comes with pre-installed Microsoft Windows Mobile for Pocket PC Second Edition. Besides that, there are many bonus software applications, both from HP and third parties, such as Pocket Informant, DockWare, ClearVue PDF and HP ProtectTools, to mention just a few. The last mentioned is a utility that provides maximum protection and security for your data. However, the system, applications and utilities are still in development and the final package may be different.

[POLL]

Conclusion? Well, they have been quite busy at HP over the past year. While other manufacturers aim to produce good-quality PDAs, HP tries to add another dimension. Some features, such as the touchpad, are great innovations and I wonder how the market will react. We should bear in mind that iPAQ hx4700 is intended for the upmarket and corporate sphere. That is why there is stress on durability and security. HP is planning different models for the other segments. Paradoxically, my biggest disappointment was my first encounter with the Second Edition Mobile Windows OS on a VGA display. I think it is strongly exaggerated to call something like that a "Second Edition". The logic of some features in VGA resolution also remains a mystery to me. I am going to elaborate on WM2003SE in a coming article, but I can say straight away that I had expected more. That, however, does not change anything about the fact that as far as hardware is concerned, HP iPAQ hx4700 is a top-class device and I cannot wait to obtain one for a proper review:)

Photos temporarily replaced