HP Jornada 548
The latest in a long and successful line of handhelds from Hewlett-Packard, the HP Jornada 548 is slim, rugged, easy to use, and comes loaded with dozens of useful features. About the only thing lacking in our review unit (aside from six free hours each day to simply get lost in the wealth of software stored within) was a 16-bit colour display.
Perfectly sized and balanced, the Jornada 548 rests comfortably in hands both large and small. Its brushed-charcoal aluminum case, which is surrounded by a band of black rubber that helps prevent accidental slips and spills, feels as if it could take any beating. The flip-cover that protects the unit's display is removable so that it can make way for CompactFlash cards, such as a 56K modem or networking card.
HP has long stood behind Microsoft's attempts to produce a worthy handheld OS, and for the first time, Microsoft gets it right with Pocket PC. A full-colour miniaturisation of Windows 98, Pocket PC comes preloaded with such handy features as Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, and Pocket Money. The drag-and-drop interface, complete with pop-up start menu, will be immediately familiar to anyone who's used a PC in the past five years. The ActiveSync software that comes with all Pocket PCs lets you synchronise contacts, appointments, and email between Microsoft Outlook on the desktop and the Jornada 548.
But wait, there's more! In addition to all the work-related applications, the included CD-ROM has an image viewer, MP3 player, golf game, Yahoo! Messenger, and half a dozen other handy utilities that you can load on your Jornada 548 or desktop PC. Most are quite useful, especially the MP3 player, although the 32MB of RAM onboard can get filled rather quickly, so a CompactFlash card to increase the amount of storage is definitely in order. The tiny, built-in speaker is really only good for making that familiar, annoying ding when you've done something wrong; if you want CD-quality sound, you'll want to use the headphones, which HP thoughtfully included in the package.
In fact, there's not a lot that HP didn't include with the Jornada 548. The AC adapter, while a bit cumbersome with its three separate pieces, is a universal adapter capable of running off 110v or 220v AC, eliminating yet another wall adapter those international travellers need to carry. The desk cradle connects both the data cable to your mother PC and the power adapter all in one cord. (Oddly, our test unit came with a pokey serial cable cradle, not the zippy USB connection promised on the side of the box. HP says a USB cradle is standard equipment on the entire Jornada 540 series.) In addition to the charger and cradle, HP includes a portable data cable.
Unlike similar products from Casio, the Jornada ships with a clearly written and informative QuickStart Guide. Its diagrams clearly explain the functions of the four hotkey buttons at the base of the screen (all of which are reprogrammable), as well as the proper care and feeding of the unremovable battery, a lithium- ion unit rated for up to eight hours of use. We put the Jornada through its paces and consistently got four to five hours of hard use, but this included frequent MP3 playback that ate up battery power. A red record button on the left side of the unit provides easy access for your thumb to maneuver. While you dictate short messages into the Jornada 548's memory (keep them short because each one is treated like a high-quality MP3 and will therefore eat up storage space in no time).
A lighted button on top of the Jornada glows red while charging and green when finished, and it will flash to remind you about upcoming appointments. A scroll wheel under the record button allows fast scanning of long documents or address lists. The biggest disappointment with the Jornada 548 is the TFT colour screen, which supports only 12-bit colour (4,096 colours), not the 16-bit colour (65,536 colours) originally advertised. HP recognised the goof early on, and it has graciously offered to provide refunds to any dissatisfied customers. We found the screen a bit streaky but otherwise fine, and snapshots display clearly enough to show off baby pictures to coworkers.
Although the colour screen isn't quite up to par with other Pocket PCs available today, the Jornada 548 offers solid performance and a complete set of handheld features in a rugged, attractive package. In all, the HP Jornada 548 is an elegant, endearing entry in the Pocket PC market.
HP Jornada 548
Company:HP Australia
Ph:13 13 47
Price: AU$1,200
Rating
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