HP iPAQ rx1950 review

HP's iPAQ rx1950 is the first handheld we've seen that uses the new version 5.0 of Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system.

It's a sleek-looking thing - far less bulky than the handhelds we're used to, with a curve at the bottom that fits comfortably in your hand. Windows-based handhelds are usually pricey and this is fact that has made rival Palm devices a more obvious choice for people on a budget. At only £198 though, the iPAQ could be the device to change all that.

OVER THE WIRELESS

Getting to grips with the iPAQ is a cinch. You get around Windows Mobile 5.0 using a Start menu that launches the device's main organiser and entertainment applications, as well as Settings and Help options. It's in this menu that you'll find the HP's biggest selling point - tucked between more familiar selections such as the Calendar and the Contacts manager is another icon labelled 'iPAQ Wireless'.

Despite its diminutive proportions and low price, the rx1950 comes with built-in 802.11g wireless networking. Web pages and other graphics appear bright and clear on the device's 240x320 screen. Other pages with more complex layouts require a certain amount of scrolling around, which isn't the easiest task on a touch-sensitive display. Microsoft has also made improvements to the mobile version of its Internet browser, making it compatible with a wider range of Web sites.

We were a bit gobsmacked, however, to discover that the rx1950 doesn't support WPA encryption - the standard method for securing wireless networks. So, to get it onto your home network, you'll have to abandon WPA for the older, and less secure, WEP standard.

LONG LIFE BUT NOT THAT POWERFUL

The move to Windows Mobile 5.0 isn't just a matter of surface tinkering. Microsoft promises it offers greater stability, but admits that it does slow down access to the device's memory. This makes the performance of the iPAQ's processor an even more crucial factor, and here things aren't quite so rosy for the rx1950. The 300MHz Samsung SC32442 chip runs simple programs like the organiser or Web browser fine, but it's not really up to the task of displaying full-screen video.

Not that you'll really be messing about with too many multimedia files - by the time the operating system has taken its share of the 96MB of memory, the rx1950 has just 23.5MB of memory left for programs and just over 37MB for your own files. This is enough for Word documents, but not much else. If you need more space, you'll need to invest in a separate SD memory card. According to HP one of this device's selling points is that it "mobilizes your digital music, videos and photos" - questionable grammar aside, this just isn't realistic unless you buy an extra memory card.

On the plus side, the iPAQ's meagre processing muscle does mean it offers remarkably good battery life. We managed over six hours between charges with Wi-Fi turned off. Searching for wireless networks is a power hungry business, though. If you're planning to use this handheld for Internet access, you'll get considerably less time out of it than that.

We were a bit disappointed by the built-in handwriting recognition. Palm has long since had handwriting figured out - its mobile devices use a system of stylised letters specially adapted to be input using the stylus. Once you've learned the new letters, it's easy to quickly and accurately enter text. Windows Mobile, by contrast, just takes a stab at recognising your normal handwriting. The results are variable and entering lots of letters, for instance WEP keys, was tricky and resulted in too many errors.