HP Jornada 565

Pocket PC is Microsoft's operating system for handheld computers and it has to be said, it's pretty good. A year after its launch, Microsoft has updated it in the shape of Pocket PC 2002 and the HP Jornada 565 is the first device to go on sale that uses it.

HP was one of only three manufacturers to make Pocket PC devices last time round, but while both Casio and Compaq have also announced updates to their existing models, other manufacturers have Pocket PC 2002 devices in the pipeline too. It will be interesting to see how the Jornada 565 stands up against those models.

In the meantime, the new Jornada looks pretty good. Those familiar with the current model will see a clear resemblance, but the new Jornada is both slimmer and lighter with smoother, sleeker lines. The metallic protective lid has been swapped for a plastic one, but HP has thankfully abandoned the flat stylus that used to clip to its underside in favour of a cylindrical one that slots into a hole in the case. Unfortunately, the stylus is rather flimsy and bends when it's used for writing on the touch-sensitive screen.

Speaking of screens, the Jornada 565 has a new one, too - a TFT with a resolution of 240 x 320. It is slightly smaller than that used on the existing model, but it's streets ahead in terms of quality.

The screen is still a little murky but it can be used in daylight with the backlight turned off, which will cut down on battery use. You don't need to worry, since HP reckons the Jornada should run for 14 hours on its lithium polymer battery, which is quite a claim. The battery is removable too, so it's possible to carry a spare fully-charged one for emergencies.

Unlike the previous version, Pocket PC 2002 only supports the Intel StrongARM processor (as used on the current Compaq iPaq). The Jornada 565's processor, like that on new devices from other manufacturers, runs at 206MHz, which gives it a fair turn of speed for everything from taking notes to viewing web pages to watching downloaded movies. The 32Mb of memory won't hold much in the way of multimedia, but there is a CF Card slot for adding more.

A 64Mb model costs £50 more. Usefully, all Pocket PC 2002 devices store their operating system in programmable memory too, which means they can be easily upgraded to anything else that Microsoft offers.

Pocket PC 2002 isn't a radical upgrade from the current 2000 operating system and many of the changes are simply cosmetic. The interface now bears a strong resemblance to Windows XP, with colourful, cartoon-like icons and bubble windows that pop up with important information.

The built-in applications have also been improved. Pocket Word has gained a spelling checker, Internet Explorer supports new web standards and MSN Messenger is now included for instant messaging. The Transcriber handwriting recognition system is supplemented by a block recogniser that apes the Graffiti system used on Palm palmtops and is just as easy to use.

Price
Jornada 565 (32Mb) - £449
Jornada 568 (64Mb) - £499

Contact
HP: 08705 474747 www.hp.com/jornada

ALSO CONSIDER

Compaq iPaq
Style in abundance and light enough to carry in your pocket.
£339 *****
Computeractive, Issue 65.