HP Jornado 928

When 'the New HP' announced its merger with Compaq a few months ago, rumour had it that HP's Jornada range of PDAs would come to an end in favour of Compaq's more successful Ipaq line. The arrival of the 928 therefore comes as a surprise, not just because we never expected a new Jornada to see the light of day; but more because it integrates GPRS and is one of the best we?ve seen to do so.

It's not without its faults though. It's a little on the large side for a portable device, and the stylus is too short for our liking, though at least it's thick enough to manoeuvre easily and has a ribbed section so it's easier to grip. The aerial also seems an unnecessary addition, as this could have been integrated into the body. It can also be pulled off rather easily, and reception is practically non-existent without it.

These complaints aside, there's a lot going for this PDA. It will initially be sold exclusively through Vodafone, though Orange will take up the device within the next month. Like O2's XDA, it is powered by Microsoft's Pocket PC Phone Edition and a 206MHz Strongarm processor. But, unlike the XDA, it has a cover for the screen. It is sturdy and doesn't prevent you using the device as a phone as you can receive calls while the cover is closed over the screen.

The LCD screen at the top displays who is calling, and the traditional green (accept) and red (hang up) buttons are next to the screen for easy access. You can also dial voicemail directly from these buttons. To make any other call, however, you do need to open up the device and use Pocket PC's phone menu. There's a headphone socket at the top for receiving calls and media playback. The 928 automatically switches to loudspeaker mode once the lid has been opened.

The 928 works like any other Pocket PC 2002 device, hot-synching to the PC with relative ease via Active Sync. The Phone Edition allows the integration of the applications using GPRS into the operating system so it functions as though a GPRS attachment was installed. Communicating via email, SMS and phone is therefore very easy as it adopts a familiar interface.

The screen is bright and clear, with a resolution of 320 x 240. It's not quite on a par with the XDA, but was still pretty much visible in direct sunlight and displayed images very well. Software on top of Pocket PC includes Musicmatch and Handango with a variety of games and applications, and there are plenty of other media players and assorted apps to keep you interested.

The lack of Bluetooth or 802.11 wireless connections may disappoint some, but at least there's an infra-red port. Next to this and the aerial at the top is a Compact Flash (CF) slot. This can house a host of accessories, such as the digital camera attachment. This has a 640 x 480 max resolution and surprisingly good image quality considering its size.

As well as an internal battery, there's a removable one at the rear, though there?s no way of charging it once it has been removed. You may need a spare battery, as we found the device didn't last for more than a couple of days with both internal and removable batteries fully charged. Admittedly GPRS was switched on as often as possible - such a constant connection will drain the battery very fast, but it seemed it would barely last longer than an overnight trip.

The Jornada 928 seems to focus more on usability than looks and does very well for it. Its size is its downfall, though, as it can only fit into the largest of pockets. Battery life is a concern, but what really set it apart is the price - at just £390, it's cheaper than any other GPRS device of its type. The only thing to come close is Handspring's Treo 270, but it has far fewer features.

Specifications

• 206MHz Intel Strongarm processor
• 32MB of Ram
• 32MB of Rom
• PocketPC 2002 Phone Edition
• 3.5in 320 x 240 TFT screen
• Compact Flash slot
• Dual-band GSM (900/1,800)
• GPRS enabled
• Infra-red port
• Weight: 194g
• Dimensions: 78 x 137 x 17mm (w x d x h)

  DetailsPrice: £390 (£331.91 ex VAT) with contract, currently not available without.