Rating: 
Summary: Well-designed product--powerful, useful and fun!
Review: ... I almost gave up waiting on this unit to instead choose an HP, but I am so glad I waited-- thanks for delivering, Amazon! As a developer, I am kind of picky, and I didn't want just another slow Palm. For only ~$60 more than a Palm IIIc, I got so much more in performance. Plus, with free Microsoft Developer tools, I can now write my own applications. The advertisement pictures do it a "professional" injustice. I was a little apprehensive that the unit would look too much like a "GameBoy" for serious business use. However, that quickly vanished when I saw that the front "joystick" device was flat and unobtrusive. My peers all were impressed. It feels solid and metal-like, but I believe it is metalized plastic. The buttons are solid and I really like the way it is so responsive--I seem to never have to wait while applications launch. It's like having a Pentium PC in your hand. Here are my feelings so far after only several days of use: * - The display is truly outstanding--bright, clear, functional, under any lighting conditions. The only negative is that it does look a little bluish for pictures--maybe a limit of the backlight or only 4096 colors. However, it is a reasonable design compromise and not a distraction to me. * - I like the way it sites in the cradle by my desk and shows me new messages appearing in my inbox. I just downloaded PicturePerfect to try--it creates a pleasant picture slide show while the iPaq is docked. I copied over several digital family photos. Now it sits and shows them like a Photo album. PicturePerfect is a nice application and performs great on the iPaq! * - I use it with USB on Windows 2000. Microsoft ActiveSync works very well. It's interesting to see the changes take place on the iPaq as I read or delete email on my PC, and visa versa. The only disappointment was that it won't sync both my separate work and home email accounts in Outlook, as I was hoping to keep both on my iPaq. * - Last night the kids were having fun recording and playing back their voices, and now I have 30 wav files-- treasures I can electronically preserve so we can laugh about when they are older. It's like taking snapshots of their voices. I would never do that with a tape recorder--too much setup. Now I can record simple voice note for later action. * - So far, the 32 mb of memory goes a long way. Over the weekend, I loaded pictures, sound bits, several Word files, and an Excel file from work. I was impressed that Excel's entire spreadsheet transferred seamlessly. As an experiment, I changed a cell and copied the file back to the PC and reloaded it into Excell successfully. Impressive! Similarly, I loaded a large Word file of a book I extracted from a CD program. This still doesn't even put a dent into the memory. However, I've yet to do MP3 files, which uses 1 mb per minute. * - Battery life is 8-10 hours. At home I mistakenly forgot to plug the charger in along with the USB. It ran all day long in its cradle until I noticed a low battery warning. A quick plug-in and it charged in a few hours. As I am still discovering, the newness hasn't yet worn off. However, it appears I finally won't need to lug around my laptop as much anymore. It's well worth waiting for while Compaq ramps up their production. I am quite impressed with this iPaq device--it is good balance between power and functionality. Now, I hope they sell enough to encourage after-market supporting products. Nevertheless, I now have a device worthy of my development attention that will run the mobile applications I've dreamed of writing without feeling compromised or constrained!
Rating:
Summary: Airport Blues
Review: A couple of months ago I was sat at a UK airport waiting for a flight to Germany. I decided to stroll into the airport electronics shop and immediately noticed a cute little number sat on it's cradle - I'd fallen in love. I swiftly pulled out my credit card and purchased the Sexy Silver Compaq iPaq H3650. I'm a Psion man myself, but ever since that chance meeting in a remote airport, I've never looked back. The iPaq is more than just another PDA, it a MP3 player, a picture viewer and a ebook reader plus more. One thing I like most about the iPaq is its ability to synchronise perfectly with Outlook. Psion products I've had in the past always seemed to miss information or were difficult to setup. The iPaq was easy to setup and synchronisation through the serial or infrared ports is a breeze. I'm left handed, but still find the handwriting recognition software extremely accurate. I would recommend the iPaq everytime - If you can get your hands on one.
Rating:
Summary: iPaq Connectivity
Review: A great product, but is there any software available which will allow sync with Lotus Notes, my company's email standard?
Rating: 
Summary: iPAQ - Not perfect but closest yet
Review: After deciding that the PocketPC platform is the best PDA device that integrates with my Win desktop platform, I had to choose between 3 different vendors models. An in-store test of performance showed iPAQ far and away faster than its PocketPC competitors. It also had speaker volume that was able to get my attention. This was important since my Palm Pilot was basically useless to notify me of meetings since I seldom could hear its alarm. Things to note about the iPAQ are it's fixed battery. If you need something to go many hours between charges, it may not be for you. It's display is the best for reading outdoors and in bright light but may not be quite as brilliant indoors. But still outstanding compared to my Palm. I highly recommend iPAQ if you can find one.
Rating:
Summary: Great PDA for USB user's - Serial users BEWARE
Review: After much research and investigation, I chose the IPAQ over the competition - even while most in my office were on Palm platforms with the latest techie's buying HP's Jornada. While I'm delighted with the functions and speed of the Ipaq, I quickly became very dissappointed when I found that Compaq cannot provide Serial connectivity to Sync as all of their marketing material states. Unfortunately, my (Fortune 50) employer is running a Win95 platform, which does not support USB - so I'm forced to use a serial connection. I've spent hours calling Compaq, much of it on hold, to find that there will be no serial cords or cradles available until December (yes they said December - can you believe it?) And while they have offered me a refund (not what I want), Compaq has yet to offer a solution; and I'm about ready to find a local tech shop who will build me a patch cord and send them the bill. Compaq needs to deliver the complete product and functions so vividly exhibited in all of their web based literature. And with Comdex coming, they must know that the competition will be on their heels! Note that the literature shows USB or Serial Cradle, depending on region: they tell me they're only shipping with USB and that Serial is a (customer payed) option.
Rating:
Summary: What a great Pocket PC
Review: After some pretty extensive research... I decided to buy thislittle jewel. This is the best Windows CE Pocket PC on the market. Itis fast (due to the speedy Intel processor) and the display iswonderful. The Microsoft reader is a real delight! Although it tookme a long time to get one... it was worth it. I was more than happy toretire my old Casiopeia E-11. I have seen the HP and the newCasiopeia but I was swayed by the faster processor and the displaythat was almost as good as the new Casiopeia (in fact I prefer theIpaq just a little). The ability to open both the Word and Excelattachements leave my friends with their Palm Pilot's green withenvy. Did I mention that I really like this little jewel? END
Rating:
Summary: Palm Convert
Review: After trying most of the features on the new iPAQ for a week now, I am a convert. My Palm V has been great and I have been loyal to Palm for a couple of years, but this machine represents a quantum leap in capabilties. It has a great screen, making reading everything easier for me. I love the MP3 player, and having my favorite photos to show off. Reading books actually works for me on this (and it didn't on my laptop) and emails and word documents are a snap. I print pretty well anyway, so handwriting recognition is about 95% (! much better than I get with Palm). After all of the raving, I do have to say that this is a complex device that takes some effort to master. I crashed 4 times working out how to transfer MP3s and JPEGs in one day (I have never crashed a Palm). More capabilities and features = more complexity and less stability. That said, it does work extremely well. Just be ready to invest time to learn it. After 1 week, I am also ready for more memory. (Time to go shopping for accessories. $$) I'd say that the base product is robust and very well designed, the documentation (there isn't any) and accessories (not available yet) have been rushed and have not been done well. I expect that Compaq will improve this in the coming weeks. Activesync was not included, so be ready to download this from the net if you want to sync with Outlook. I'd recommend this product. It's very fun.
Rating:
Summary: More than just a PDA!
Review: After using the Ipac H3650 for about 2 weeks I am sorry to not have purchased it sooner. Of course that doesn't mean I would have gotten it sooner. I have one of the first production models of the H3650 and to date I have noticed no real short-comings. The ups: It is FAST! Very Fast for a handheld computer. The term Pocket PC is perfect for this device. It came loaded with Pocket versions of Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, Outlook, Microsoft Money, Microsoft Reader, and Solitare (Yes, even a game). This beast is world's ahead of the Palm generation. I have had a Palm III for about 2 years. For the longest time I kept looking to get a Windows CE device so that I could do more that just be somewhat organized. The Palm's are good at what they where designed for but they just weren't designed to be a computer. Size wise the Ipac is barely bigger than the Palm III, thickness included. It is easy to hang on to, and easy to read the screen. The Ipaq can play mp3's and .wav files out of the box. By downloading some free software it can even play mpeg videos. The downs: The record button can get pressed when you don't mean too. Compaq should have released some accessories for the Ipaq when they shipped the first bunch. Compaq should bump up the production of these babies (I want to buy another one for my wife). Summary: If your looking for more than just a Palm, look here! This PDA is the best I've seen to date!
Rating: 
Summary: IPAQ Bummer Story
Review: After waiting forever to finally get my IPAQ 3630, I opened it hoping to get started synching up to my Outlook at work (where we have NT and NT doesn't support USB). It comes only with a USB cradle and the Serial version isn't even shipping from Compaq yet. Compaq's "service" department says they have turned all accessories over to retailers and to check with them. No Help From Compaq At ALL! They didn't even tell me they weren't being shipped yet. I had to get that info from one of the internet vendors... Seems like someone at Compaq would have seen this problem coming. NT doesn't support USB. HELLO!!!!
Rating:
Summary: I love my iPAQ!
Review: Both my wife and I have recently purchased Compaq iPAQ PocketPCs. We both love them. I greatly enjoy always having up-to-date pictures of my wife and child and it's groovy to be able to call up my favorite MP3's whenever I want. Not only that, but I'm able to carry around a copy of my resume in MS Word format wherever I go as well as some Excel spreadsheets which contain family budgets. These features as well as the ability to send and receive Word and Excel documents embedded in email make the Compaq a BIG, BIG winner over palm. My old Palm Vx is smaller, but seems otherwise very obsolete in comparison. If you are a techno-geek (and aren't we all?) you must, MUST own a Compaq iPAQ. They are neato-completo.
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