Warning! The obsession with geek gadgets is contagious!
Written: Jun 21 '01 (Updated Jan 21 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great color. Fantastic sound.
Cons: Some quirks can be annoying
The Bottom Line: If you don't get addicted to an iPAQ, you simply aren't a geek!
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| gracef's Full Review: Compaq iPAQ H3635 Pocket PC |
I blame my obsession with my newest geek toy on Epinions member amykhar. Her review of the iPAQ 3650 left me drooling. Since then, I have saved my pennies (lots of them!) so that I could get one too. However, by the time that I finally had sufficient cash, iPAQ 3650s were in shorter supply than Popsicle stands in the desert.
What to do? What to do?
Well, if I were the patient sort, I would wait until the 3650's were back in stock. If I were really patient, I would hold out for the new iPAQ 3670. However, anyone who knows me will tell you that patience isn't one of my virtues. Unable to restrain my geek demands further, I went for the next best thing... the iPAQ 3635.
In a lunch break to be remembered, I spent about $600 plus tax for the iPAQ 3635 at CompUSA and hoped that my hubby wouldn't kill me for my large lunch tab. When I left the store, I had a relatively big box for a "toy" that is supposed to measure less than 6 inches x 4 inches x .75 inch. The box was too big to be hidden underneath my coat and too expensive to risk leaving in my car, so I spent the afternoon fighting off my co-workers' taunts to crack open the box immediately. Still, I had a deadline, and I know myself well enough to know that when I start playing with a new gadget, I won't stop anytime soon. (It was a long afternoon!)
Boy oh Boy! What a toy!
The iPAQ 3635 is a PDA with a 206 MHz RISC processor. The unit comes with 32 MB of SDRAM (used for storing files and anything databases that are constantly being updated) and 16 MB Flash ROM (special memory for system files that should remain on the system even if the battery dies). The device is also configured to hold the backups of contact files on the ROM. I really appreciate feature, especially after having lost my contacts from my Palm II when the battery ran out.
One of the best features of the iPAQ 3635 (and the other iPAQs in the 3600 line) is that users can add more storage via Compact Flash (CF) cards inserted in a special sleeve that fits over the base unit. These CF cards are the same ones that I use in my digital camera, so it allows me use equipment that I already have. In addition, I can add large amounts of storage in seconds. My largest CF right now is 128 MB, though there are much larger ones available.
The iPAQ 3635 comes with a number of applications installed on top of a Microsoft PocketPC operating system. Many of the applications are also from Microsoft and interface seamlessly with their "big brothers" that I use on my "real" machine. Microsoft Calendar and Contacts interfaces with Microsoft Outlook. Files generated with Pocket Word and Pocket Excel are automatically converted to Word and Excel documents for use with Microsoft Office. It also has a mini version of Internet Explorer for browsing HTML documents. I was rather impressed with this, because I can now keep a version of my web site on my PDA! My iPAQ 3635 came with a variety of other useful toys and tools, including the Windows Media Manager (for listening to MP3's and WMA files), the Microsoft eBook Reader, Pocket Streets, and the Qutility Picture Viewer. Say what you will about the monster Microsoft empire, but it at least guarantees that there will be plenty of software for any of its operating systems!
Data on the iPAQ 3635 may communicated to a desktop machine via a few means, none of which requires any great amount of brainwork on the part of the user. First, the iPAQ 3635 comes with a desktop cradle. This rather space-age-looking device connects to the computer via the USB port. When the unit is placed in the cradle, Active Sync software that is installed on the desktop machine runs through the list of items that must be copied to the desktop machine (anything from bookmarks to web content to contacts. It's the user's choice!). The hardest part about this setup is finding a place where the cradle cable will reach the USB port on the desktop machine. It's nowhere nearly long enough to put the cradle on my desk where it belongs, so I just leave the cradle on top of the computer. I keep an extra USB cable (purchased separately) at work and simply plug in the cable when I get there. The device can also communicate via a built-in 115 Kbps IR port. My dream is to own the wireless modem, though, as it gives the ultimate in flexibility.
The real attraction of the iPAQ 3635 is the color display. The 240x320 resolution display is capable of showing 4096 colors. The screen brightness may be adjusted to conserve battery life; however, even on "average" brightness, the colors are vivid. The graphics displayed on this unit look just as good as when displayed on my Gateway Solo laptop, which is saying something. The screen size (around 2 1/4" by 3") is small but still large enough to allow for comfortable reading of text.
The only thing more astounding than the graphics on the iPAQ 3635 is the sound. I really wanted a PDA capable of playing audio files, but I highly suspected that any music coming from a PDA would sound less than adequate. I was SO wrong. The sound on this unit is awesome. Through the external speaker on the device, music does sound rather like an expensive transistor radio. However, through earphones, the sound is better than my desktop computer! Since purchasing this PDA, I have found that no one is ever prepared for just how GOOD it sounds, regardless of how much I try to impress that point upon the curious!
With so many fun uses for the iPAQ 3635, one might think that battery life would be a problem. However, the battery on mine has only expired once in the 2 months that I've owned it. Both times, the fault was mine because I left the unit on for days without turning it off. The screen can be configured to use different screen intensities to lesson the power use. It can also be configured to turn off after a certain length of time without use. However, at the time, I hadn't learned of those features yet, and my battery ran out as a result. On the average, though, the 950 mAh Lithium Polymer rechargeable battery lasts for about 6-8 hours without recharging. When I am at my desk at work, I connect an AC power adapter, which I purchased through the Compaq site for $28. When I'm at home, I use the cradle that came with the unit.
Quirks
I love the iPAQ 3635. However, there is no crashing feeling than that caused by the reality of a new high tech toy. Given the price, I expected to be nothing but thrilled. It didn't take me long to start discovering quirks.
Since I use the mp3 capabilities most, that is where I have found the most problems. The biggest problem is in volume control. Without headphones in use. the volume is loud enough for the person holding the unit to hear but not much better. When headphones are in use, the same mp3s are earsplittingly loud even at the lowest volume setting.
The iPAQ 3635 also has some problems with management of playlists. When a playlist is first created, the playlist may show 25 tracks from the RAM, and/or the CF. However, after variable amounts of time without screen activity, some tracks drop off the playlist... sort of. The titles are listed, but they are grayed out and unplayeble. This is corrected by recreating the playlist or sometimes by reselecting the playlists.
The concept of the "sleeve" is a good one. Several are available. Some are simply for changing the color while others allow for the addition of a wireless modem, two compact flash slots, etc. However, on my iPAQ, the sleeve becomes dislodged easily. It also makes it more difficult to lodge the device in the communications cradle.
Amykhar is still supporting my obsessions, though, and she was more than happy to help me feel better about my iPAQ. I had initially complained about popping in between playlist tracks. In a comment to this review, Amy pointed out that there was a new version of the Media Player available. This caused me to go searching for what might be a fix to an annoying "feature". I found the Media player, but I also found a new release of the OS available. Installing this eliminated the popping. According to the release notes, the popping was caused by the amplifier turning on and off. (I still have not determined if these upgrades fixed my other problems.)
The lesson is to check the Microsoft PocketPC site (http://www.pocketpc.com) and the Compaq site (http://www.compaq.com) if you purchase the iPAQ 3635. It might help you as much as it did me.
The wow factor
Despite the annoyances, there are still many reasons to be impressed by the iPAQ 3635. At around 6 1/2 ounces, this device packs lots of functionality into a small package. Even if you can't appreciate the integration capabilities of the software, I can't say enough about the jaw-dropping sound and stunning graphics. After seeing my iPAQ 3635, my Palm-devoted coworkers were scrambling to locate one too.
Author's Note:
This review composed on an iPAQ 3635.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 600
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gracef
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Location: Lost in Texas
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