Jaime Rivera
01-12-2008, 10:38 PM
It's been fun working with the iPAQ 110 over the last few weeks, and here are some closing thoughts about the device:
I love...
1. A sleek design: The iPAQ, while much larger than most current Pro devices, proves to be quite light and thin in comparison to past classic devices that were as powerful. It's also quite comfortable to carry around and was well designed to be held with one hand
2. Lots of speed: Yes, I felt quite nostalgic when I started opening applications and saw the iPAQ perform quite as fast as its older brothers back in the old days when everything lied on RAM.
3. Hardware and software package: Even though buggy in some cases, the iPAQ sports enough software to improve the device's user experience without risking storage space. It also has great connectivity options for any demanding user.
4. Very affordable: I consider the device to be quite a power house for its price range. I'd rather buy an iPAQ and invest on a large SD card to carry just one device for music, games, ebooks, and other treats than to buy a separate, less powerful and function specific device for each of these tasks.
I hate...
1. A buggy device: I can't guarantee the problems I had lied only on my review unit, but both the Wi-Fi and the battery indication issues I mention on the video reviews still continue to happen. Let's hope HP is kind enough to fix that for future models.
2. Weak hardware buttons: Though I consider the device's construction and material to be good, the hardware buttons feel very weak and sometimes give you the impression that they're going to fall off, which is not good for gaming.
3. QVGA on a large screen: If we were still back in 2003, this probably wouldn't have been an issue, but with today's competition it definitely is. The device pixelates a lot while playing video or while viewing images because of the poor resolution on that screen.
4. Poor video quality: Powerful as it is, video didn't measure up to the device's specifications.
5. Poor support: I'm still trying to figure out how to hard reset the device even with some tips I got from current owners. No user manuals are included and the HP website doesn't offer any either.
Conclusion: Even with all its cons, the iPAQ fits easily in my back pocket and gives me enough power to toy with it without being interrupted by an incoming call or a text message. I guess it's just a matter of taste; but in my opinion, even though I'd definitely not switch back to carrying a classic device and a simple phone, I'd rather keep my small and laggy Pro device for its connectivity and have the iPAQ keep me company for the stronger tasks, media, and improved Windows Mobile functionality. Current Pro and Standard devices' performance would still compel me to buy an extra media player, so for that matter, I'd rather spend a similar amount for a full iPAQ.
See also:
HP iPAQ 110 Video Review, Part 4 (http://pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=news&id=4933)
HP iPAQ 110 Video Review, Part 3 (http://pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=news&id=4882)
HP iPAQ 110 Video Review, Part 2 (http://www.pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=news&id=4869)
HP iPAQ 110 Video Review, Part 1 (http://www.pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=news&id=4863)
HP iPAQ in the House: Unboxing Video (http://www.pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=news&id=4851)
I love...
1. A sleek design: The iPAQ, while much larger than most current Pro devices, proves to be quite light and thin in comparison to past classic devices that were as powerful. It's also quite comfortable to carry around and was well designed to be held with one hand
2. Lots of speed: Yes, I felt quite nostalgic when I started opening applications and saw the iPAQ perform quite as fast as its older brothers back in the old days when everything lied on RAM.
3. Hardware and software package: Even though buggy in some cases, the iPAQ sports enough software to improve the device's user experience without risking storage space. It also has great connectivity options for any demanding user.
4. Very affordable: I consider the device to be quite a power house for its price range. I'd rather buy an iPAQ and invest on a large SD card to carry just one device for music, games, ebooks, and other treats than to buy a separate, less powerful and function specific device for each of these tasks.
I hate...
1. A buggy device: I can't guarantee the problems I had lied only on my review unit, but both the Wi-Fi and the battery indication issues I mention on the video reviews still continue to happen. Let's hope HP is kind enough to fix that for future models.
2. Weak hardware buttons: Though I consider the device's construction and material to be good, the hardware buttons feel very weak and sometimes give you the impression that they're going to fall off, which is not good for gaming.
3. QVGA on a large screen: If we were still back in 2003, this probably wouldn't have been an issue, but with today's competition it definitely is. The device pixelates a lot while playing video or while viewing images because of the poor resolution on that screen.
4. Poor video quality: Powerful as it is, video didn't measure up to the device's specifications.
5. Poor support: I'm still trying to figure out how to hard reset the device even with some tips I got from current owners. No user manuals are included and the HP website doesn't offer any either.
Conclusion: Even with all its cons, the iPAQ fits easily in my back pocket and gives me enough power to toy with it without being interrupted by an incoming call or a text message. I guess it's just a matter of taste; but in my opinion, even though I'd definitely not switch back to carrying a classic device and a simple phone, I'd rather keep my small and laggy Pro device for its connectivity and have the iPAQ keep me company for the stronger tasks, media, and improved Windows Mobile functionality. Current Pro and Standard devices' performance would still compel me to buy an extra media player, so for that matter, I'd rather spend a similar amount for a full iPAQ.
See also:
HP iPAQ 110 Video Review, Part 4 (http://pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=news&id=4933)
HP iPAQ 110 Video Review, Part 3 (http://pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=news&id=4882)
HP iPAQ 110 Video Review, Part 2 (http://www.pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=news&id=4869)
HP iPAQ 110 Video Review, Part 1 (http://www.pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=news&id=4863)
HP iPAQ in the House: Unboxing Video (http://www.pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=news&id=4851)