Pocket PCs

It is true that the world has started to search for state-of-the-art handheld devices. Though the expectations of performance are large, it is a common notion that when things get smaller and smaller, they lend a helping hand to people who always need something that can save their time and reduce their work load in an extensive manner. Thus, Pocket PCs came into existence, as people have their reservations of carrying laptops with them on the go. And now then HP has come out with a new innovation namely the HP Jornada720 Pocket PC that intends to please all the users with its whole range of exciting features. The following review tells us how this Pocket PC demands its worthiness.

Design:

Attractive Display:

The display of the HP Jornada 720 is extremely pleasant with a 6.5 inch LCD colour display screen, capable of showing 65,536 colours which makes the texts and videos highly eye-catching. However, it is found to be tricky, tracing it in sunlight. It comes with a 2D graphic card that allows the user to view texts and graphics in a comprehensive manner. The HP Jornada 720 is built with 18.9 x 9.5 x 3.5 cm in size and is about 1.1 lbs in weight. In case of an extended battery, it may weigh up to 1.8 lbs. It has a resolution of 640 x 240 half-VGA pixels which is a certain improvement over the previous configuration of Jornada which had only 480 x 240 screens.

Smart Keyboard:

The keyboard of the HP Jornada 720 Handheld PC is small, with a thickness of about 15mm but it is found to be great when it is put to work. The top row keys act as single touch hotkeys in order to facilitate various functions such as Excel, Word, Power Point, Pocket internet Explorer and other such applications just by a single touch. It is a quick process as the user need not search for a start menu each and every time to open up a task. This saves time when the user handles multiple applications. However, these keys could be customized as per the user’s needs instead of default applications.

Buttons and Controls:

The top right hand side of the screen consists of four tap buttons. These buttons allow users to perform various key functions such as HP settings which help in customizing the Display profiles, Volume profiles and provide the details regarding Free Memory and Battery life. The HP back up application allows users to back up data from the HP Jornada 720 to a Storage card slot. The HP Dial Up application helps in connecting to the Internet through a built-in modem and the control buttons for Windows Media Player.

The front side of the HP Jornada 720 comprises Stylus storage and a Microphone controller. These buttons have the facility to get locked up in order to prevent the keys from inadvertent touches.

The left side of the HP Jornada 720 Pocket PC has the head jack, Smart Card Slot and PCMCIA Type II card slot. The right hand side has the power battery charge, power jack and the integrated 56K v.90 modem for connecting the HP Jornada 720 to the Internet network through a dial up connection.

The rear side of the HP Jornada 720 exhibits the Main battery, serial port and IR port. The alarm light is used both as the switch on and switch off set.

The underside of this Pocket PC has Compact flash (type I card) door, speaker holes and battery latch. The flash door is found to be robust. Just beneath the door is the CR-2032 backup battery used mainly for storing data for a few hours. Therefore it is always recommended to power up the main battery to the maximum.

Features:

Applications:

Certain applications are updated in order to make life easier out of the application prime settings and configurations. The major controls on these settings are from the Control panel, where they are basically from the desktop version of Windows. The users can manually adjust the display settings, Internet options, customize HP hot keys, adjust volume controls and check the battery backup. One of the predominant applications of HP Jornada 720 is the HP Security, where users can set up their device password, as no third parties could use the device illicit. However, these are not up to the mark when it is stolen. The data and applications have the propensity to get deleted in case a hard reset is equipped.

Pocket Office:

Contacts, Tasks and Calendar:
HP has updated the application viewer, formulated by the addition of HP applications such as Contacts, where the user can share the data and applications with a copy of all the contacts in the desktop outlook. It includes the Calendar, where the HP Jornada 720 allows users for a multiple view occupying the 640 x 240 display screen. This application is outfitted in four aspects including Day view, Week view, Month view and Year view. When the Day view is selected, the user has the option to view the monthly calendar just on the right hand side edge of the screen with the current date highlighted by a small square box. If the user has updated schedules for any given date, those schedules are provided when the user taps that particular date.

World Clock:

One of the most appreciative applications in the Control Panel is the inclusion of the World Clock. This enables the user to view the date and time of the current location and also the time of the location where the user is yet to visit. It also gives the information of the sunrise and sunset, airport code for the current location which is a three letter code and the distance from the home city and visiting city.

Pocket Internet:

The Pocket Internet Explorer comes with a ROM image like the desktop applications. The Pocket Internet Explorer has a 4.01 build that is much efficient and is similar to the desktop applications. On the other hand it is unsecured because a greater build is required in order to have a secured transaction. The HP Jornada 720 also has numerous drivers consisting of wired and wireless LAN adapters in its ROM that allow users to use LAN cards and other similar means to connect to the Internet.

Pocket Word:

Pocket Word in the HP Jornada 720 is not as influential as that of the desktop application where it has certain basic limitations such as creating a word file and editing it. It seriously lacks some basic formatting options like inserting a table and some graphical methods using the data. More over this is a major shortcoming as its limitations become very perceptible in case of challenging word processors.

Pocket Excel:

Like the Pocket word, the Excel also lacks some basic functionalities of what the Microsoft Spreadsheet application otherwise does. Most of the advanced formula cannot be formulated and we found it difficult to represent charts and graphical methods for our data.

Pocket Access and Pocket Power Point:

The Pocket Access of HP Jornada 720 also has some limitations in running its database applications. The Power Point allows the user to change the slide order, view the slides and present assignments, however creating and editing slides is a bit tricky. This feature has been integrated in the upcoming version with the Windows Mobile 5.0 edition.

Omni Solve:

One of the most interesting features of the HP Jornada 720 is the “Omni Solve”. It is nothing but a Landware used to convert interests, cash flow calculators and the percentages. It can also be used to convert temperatures and distances. The user may find this application interesting to work with.

Performance:

Operating System:

The HP Jornada 720 is incorporated with the Windows CE 3.0 core with a Handheld PC 2000, which is a modified version of Pocket PC world. It is much user friendly and thus provides a platform for a well versed application.

Sound Quality:

The speakers are located at the bottom end of the HP Jornada 720, a bit disappointing aspect as the sound quality is much lower when it is being played on a desk. However, this problem can be easily solved when a headphone jack is used.

Windows Media Player:

The Windows Media Player on the HP Jornada 720 is similar to that of the 7.0 version of the desktop player. It is capable of playing WMA files and MP3 files with an exterior stereo quality.

Processor and Memory:

The HP Jornada 720 Handheld Pocket PC comes with a 206 MHz ARM SA1110 microprocessor and comprises a memory of 32MB SDRAM. There is a drastic improvement in the speed of performing tasks, as this device utilizes the most updated version of microprocessor. The memory is basically for Storage Memory and Program Memory that can be adjusted manually in the Control Panel application.

Battery:

The battery life of HP Jornada 720 with a standard battery is 9 hours and an extendable battery is for 24 hours. It weighs up to 1.1 lbs with the standard battery and up to 1.8 lbs with the extended battery. Both the batteries are made of Lithium Ion.  The extended battery is considerably much big and at the same time stabilizes the unit when it is on task.

Connectivity:

The HP Jornada 720 comes with a Serial Cable and this is something unsatisfactory. It would have been a great deal, if a USB cable has been placed instead of the serial cable. The 56K v.90 integrated modem intends for a faster connection of Internet network through a dial up connection.

In the Box:

The HP Jornada 720 comes with an AC adapter, back up battery, rechargeable battery made of Lithium Ion, serial cable, Active Sync/Outlook 2000 CD-ROM, UTP telephone cable, user manuals and warranty documents.

Verdict:

The HP Jornada 720 is an astounding Pocket PC with a perfect design and built-in quality. The selling point of course is the speed, where HP has integrated a higher version of microprocessor and significantly, the user might not have to wait for a long time when switching on to various applications. It has a compact, fine keyboard. It has a wonderful catch up on its hot key touch and shortcut key methods. The sound quality is comparatively good while the location of the speaker is quite disappointing. It has a package of all the Office suites and hence it is a good pick for those who really need a worth of it. This pocket PC weighs only about 1.1 pounds and so it suits the carry pack very well. However, the price of the HP Jornada 720 puts it off when it comes to the purchase power of the customers. But those who really insist upon a challenging performance with a handy box, the HP Jornada 720 is obviously reasonably built to rely on.

Check other HP Pocket PC Reviews in this website.

HP Jornada 720 Pocket PC – Product Specification Table

Manufacturer	HP
Model Name	HP Jornada 720 Pocket PC
Dimensions (H x W x D)	189 x 95 x 34 mm
Weight	520 g
Display Screen	6.5 inches
Display resolution	640 x 240 H-VGA pixel
Display features	Displays up to 65,536 colours
Memory	32MB SDRAM, Storage memory and Program memory
Card Slots	PCMCIA Type II Card slots Smart card slot Compact Type I Flash Slot RS232C Serial port IR Serial port
Operating System	Windows CE 3.0 Core with 206 MHz ARM SA1110 Microprocessor
Keyboard	15mm keyboard
Built-in-applications	Pocket Internet Pocket Word Pocket Excel Pocket Access Pocket PowerPoint World Clock Contacts, Tasks and Calendar Omni Solve
Modem	Integrated 56K v.90 modem
Sound Quality	Built-in- stereo speakers in headphone jack with 128k/sec
Battery	Lithium Ion Batteries 9 hours under Standard mode 24 hours under Extended mode
Package Contents	AC adapter, back up battery, rechargeable battery (Lithium Ion), serial cable, Active Sync/Outlook 2000 CD-ROM, UTP telephone cable, user manuals, warranty documents

O2 has been into developing its own XDA range of Windows Mobile Devices for quite a few years now. The original XDA Orbit, which caused a revolution being the first XDA device to have a built-in GPS, had been refreshed with the advent of, the rather unsurprisingly named O2 XDA Orbit 2. While this phone is exclusive to O2, which is not surprising either, the loyal fans of other networks will also be able to get this phone, with the name as HTC Touch Cruise. In other words, the O2 Orbit 2 is the rebranded version of the HTC Cruise. Though it might look slightly different to the Touch Cruise, most of the original features are shared. This blend of HTC’s technology and style of O2 offers you with quite an attractive pocket PC. Read on to find out if this product has enough juice to be as successful as its predecessor.

Design:

HTC Touch like:

As we had just mentioned in the introduction, the O2 Orbit 2 combines the aesthetic features of the original Orbit and HTC Touch. It looks like a bog-standard Windows Mobile PDA phone. We would say that this model is definitely a step forward in the right direction for the company’s sentence cased XDA portfolio. To be precise, it looks like a fallen out part from a BMW, and less like a business model. This is no ordinary Windows Mobile PDA phone and you only begin to appreciate how different it is until you meet it in the flesh.

Beautiful Display:

Viewing text and video on the Orbit 2 has been made as an enjoyable experience by its large 2.8” display. Unlike the majority of touch screens we have seen in the past year, is not set back from the fascia surrounding it. In fact, the surface texture of the display is one with rest of the phone’s fascia, the glossy surface of the device extends right to the edges and down to the button cluster. It is not glass hard like the HTC Touch’s screen or that of the iPhone, though, and has a slightly more plastic feel. Having said that the display’s QVGA technology’s 240 x 320 pixels looks more like yesterday’s technology. Though the resolution is high, it works brilliantly in conjunction with the Orbit 2′s host of interface enhancements.

Buttons and Controls:

The display is well complemented by the big and easy to compress navigation and soft buttons for activating the start menu and OK commands. There is a four way navigation control that doubles as a scroll wheel; a very handy inclusion to browse through the long lists. The top part of the phone has only the power button and the bottom houses the Mini USB, the reset hole. It also has the non-telescopic stylus housing. Also found is the slide lock release to open the battery compartment, which proves a lot less fiddly than a lot of other devices, and very simple to use, and not found on the HTC Polaris or Touch Cruise.

On the left side we find the voice command button, and volume slider which again is a slider and not a wheel, also here is the lanyard holes that has a changed position from the HTC phone. Differing for the HTC model there is only one aerial socket for the external GPS. There are two aerial sockets, one for an external aerial and one for external GPS, on the HTC model. A speaker grille is also found at the rear. Another addition that is worth mentioning is the easily accessible MicroSD slot which allows you to slip in and out MicroSD cards with minimal hassle.

Overall look and feel:

Apart from these small design perks, we cannot say that the Orbit 2’s design has got any drastic makeover on its original form. We have to agree that the handset has got a good cleanup, as for you to not be the one to laugh at during your business conference, but we also cannot deny that we would have loved to see some panache substituting the bulkiness of the mobile. It has its dimensions to be (H x W x D) 110 x 58 x 15.5mm, which seems to be about  the same size as a TyTN II but not as thick, while it is also 60g lighter at 130g. The overall look of the Orbit 2 is a great looking and feeling one, which is aided by the fact that the rest of the phone is equally well designed.

User Interface:

As in the case of HTC Touch, the Orbit 2 too sports the TouchFlo Interface, which will appear as you slide you finger up towards the display. This interface offers you a quick and finger friendly access to the contacts and apps selected. Unfortunately, it is quite disappointing too as it inevitably drops you back to the Windows Mobile interface, which is not as touchy feely. The finger friendly enhancement to the top task bar is welcome. You also get an enhanced screen keyboards that not only offer the mobile phone like XT9 text entry, but even a Blackberry Pearl style pseudo QWERTY keyboard with two letters per virtual on-screen ‘key’. In the case of a non enhanced Windows mobile, you will have to make sure that you place your finger in the right place, else the incorrect option will pop up. In this pocket PC, a larger bubble appears when you tap the taskbar, allowing you to choose between options such as notifications, Comm Manager and the volume control, but with larger icons.

The Today Screen is pretty much the same as most Windows Mobile Phones, however there are some nice additions that can be added to the today screen, that of which include Last call, Profiles, Meters, O2 Calendar, Shortcuts and Running Apps; which is our personal favourite as it let’s me close my Apps without having to go to memory control and end the running application. There is a ton of settings options to help you customise the Xda Orbit 2 just the way you want it.

Features:

The Orbit 2 has bought to its fans a high end feature set Quad band, phone, Touch interface, etc. While the built-in GPS was a big deal with the original Orbit that includes a 3Mpixel camera, fast processor, large RAM / ROM, GPS, this is no more the case as most smartphones have the feature by default. It is powered by the same 400MHz Qualcomm processor as the TyTN II, has plenty of RAM, about 128MB and a generous 256MB helping of ROM for internal storage.  While the internet connectivity features keeps you connected with the people, the CoPilot Live 7 sat-nav software that comes with Orbit 2 makes sure hat you do not get lost. This software is more than capable of taking you from point A to B without any hassle.

Internet Connectivity and Email:

Let us not disregard the hardware. As far as internet is concerned, you have nothing to worry about, as the O2 Orbit 2 connects to almost anything and everything. The Orbit is heavy, with quad band GSM, WLAN, EDGE-enhanced GPRS, 3G and HSDPA up to 3.6Mb/sec; simply implies that you will never be out of touch.

The Windows Mobile 6 Professional OS provides you with all of the Exchange email connectivity and MS Office editing and viewing abilities you might expect out of a 128MB SDRAM with a Qualcomm MSM7200 400MHz processor pushing it all along.

Software:

The Orbit 2 Pocket PC comes with other useful software extras. In addition to the usual Windows Mobile 6 Professional selection, there is Audio Manager, which is a large improvement on Media Player; Camera Album which is a handy picture viewer; Zip for unpacking and compressing archive files; and a really useful RSS reader, RSS Hub. There is also a simple, but much needed, profiles tool, which allows you to swiftly switch the phone between various different settings quickly.

The GPS Feature:

CoPilot Live 7 Professional:
As we had mentioned earlier the highlight feature of this pocket PC is its GPS receiver. The box is harmonized  by ALK’s excellent CoPilot Live 7 Professional, preinstalled on a 2GB microSD card. As we had pointed out in several reviews, the CoPilot Live 7 Professional is a brilliant navigational package with amazingly clear maps with admirable voice instructions. It sports all the features you would expect to see in full-blown sat-navs costing around the £200.

Multimedia:

Moving on to the part of multimedia, O2 has offered an MP3 player with support for a variety of formats including an FM Radio. As well as Windows Media Player, the Orbit 2 comes with the HTC Audio Manager and Audio Booster, which allows you to create, edit and delete playlist and listen to your songs which in turn you can fine tune as you have the ability to vary the Treble, Bass, and 3D effect of the sound output as well as choosing from various predefined profiles.

And on the rear, there is the above mentioned 3 mega pixel camera, which is capable of taking both still pictures and videos. The absence of LED photo light or xenon flash seems to be a growing trend in the current smartphones and the Orbit 2 is unfortunately one among them; which in turn makes the dim light photos simply impossible. However, the camera interface is quite lovable.

Performance:

Performance wise, the audio quality during calls is excellent with no noticeable distortion or muffing. Communicating to someone is simple and effective just like it should be with its smart dialling feature and big keys. The Video calling feature too is an excellent addition. The loudspeaker too, is equally clear, which is quite good while using the O2 Orbit 2 as a sat nav. As far as the camera is concerned, it is good only for MMS messages and push small prints. Since there is no light source on the phone, do not even consider thinking about using it at night and low light areas. The built-in speaker phone is adequately loud enough to be heard from inside the vehicle, and so, while listening to the GPS, you would not miss a turn if you are not paying attention.

Battery:

O2 has quoted the battery life from the 1,350mAh battery is similar to the TyTN II, which is four hours of talk time and about 450 hours on stand by. We noticed that the battery life varied dramatically depending on the usage of HSDPA, GPS and Wi-Fi.

Box contents:

The box contents of the 02 XDA Orbit 2 includes the pocket PC itself, Mains power charger, USB data cable and charger, Windscreen type Car holder, Car charger, Stereo headphones with a slightly more elaborate control panel than usual, Suede feel phone pouch, Spare stylus, CoPilot 7 Manual and CD and User manual and CD.

Warranty:

O2 offers its XDA Orbit 2 smartphone one year warranty for parts and labour.

Verdict:

While the O2 XDA Orbit 2 had an air of seriousness about it when compared with phones like the Nokia N95, this Pocket PC is really a likable one. This one is an excellent smartphone combined with its software enhancements. It is business as usual on the inside but the plethora of connectivity options make it a great choice if you always need to keep in touch. If at all we have anything we have to warn you about, it is that, switching to touchscreen might come in as shock if you are a big loyal fan of the mechanical keyboard. Our advice, try it before you buy. However, with the excellent CoPilot 7 built-in, if you are looking for a smartphone with a high-quality GPS sat nav system, the O2 XDA Orbit II could be the way to go.

O2 XDA Orbit 2 Pocket PC PDA Phone – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	O2
Model Name	O2 XDA Orbit 2
Dimensions (H x W x D)	110 x 58 x 15.5 mm
Weight	130 g
Colours available	Black
Display size	2.8 inches
Display type	TFT resistive touchscreen, 65K colors
Display resolution	240 x 320 pixels
Display Features	TouchFLO finger swipe navigation Handwriting recognition 4-way navigation wheel
Memory	128MB RAM, 256MB ROM
Card slot	microSD, SD 2.0 compatible
Camera	3.15 MP, 2048×1536 pixels, autofocus
Video	Yes, VGA videocall camera
Operating System	Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.0 Professional
CPU	Qualcomm MSM 7200 400 MHz processor
Messaging	SMS, MMS, Email, Instant Messaging
Browser	WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML (PocketIE)
Wireless LAN	WiFi 802.11b/g,  Security 802.11i and AES and QoS
Communication protocols	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900, HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100
Software	Pocket Outlook, Calendar, Contacts, Messaging, Tasks, Voice Notes & Email Setup Wizard, DirectPush Mail, Internet Explorer Mobile, Office Mobile, Word, Excel, & PowerPoint Mobile, Windows Media Player 10 Mobile, Pictures & Videos, ActiveSync Client, Pocket MSN, Internet Sharing, Device Management, OTA Provisioning, Terminal Service Client, Calculator and Games
GPS Navigation	Yes, CoPilot Live Navigator
Audio	Built-in microphone, Receiver, Loud speaker for Hands-Free supported
Battery	Standard battery, Li-Ion 1350 mAh
Battery life	Stand-by: Up to 400 h Talk-Time: Up to 5 h
Package contents	Mains power charger, USB data cable and charger, Windscreen type Car holder, Car charger, Stereo headphones with a slightly more elaborate control panel than usual, Suede feel phone pouch, Spare stylus, CoPilot 7 Manual and CD and User manual and CD
Warranty	1 year

The Archos 7 Home Tablet is the successor to the very successful release of last year’s highly versatile Archos 5 Tablet. Archos has to be given the credit for being the first market to place on the shelves a hundred percent Android tablet at a cost that is within the reach of most people. This time around, this French company is pushing the device as a “Home Tablet”, a third screen for entertainment, which means you will not have to fire up your laptop to check your emails or simply head online. It has been carefully named, as the ‘Home’ part is just Archo’s attempt to distinguish the affordable Android offering from a rather more famous slate. As such it pitches itself directly against Apple’s iPad, although there are the obvious differences in the hardware, size and most significantly, the price. If you are on the look for an iPad killer, the Archos 7 misses the mark, but it is sure not without its redeeming qualities.

Design:

Build and Quality:
Similar to most tablets in the current market, the Archos 7 Home Tablet does not have much to look at when it comes to design. It is a plastic slab measuring (W x H x D) 8” x 4.25” x 0.5”; the dimensions feel good in the hands and might even fit in a generously sized pocket. There is a slightly curved end which gives you something to hang on  to and nestling it in two hands feels comfortable enough, although at 388g, it might feel a little too heavy to hold in one hand whilst viewing for extended periods. The rear has a contemporary brushed metal finish, matching the screen surround, whilst the ends and sides of the device are black plastic. The plastic parts do not carry the impression of being especially good quality, with the rough join visible, but at this price, you cannot be too critical as it does not detract from the user experience after all. The kickstand in the rear is welcome, as it allows the tablet to sit neatly over your desk table. However, this kickstand is plastic and looks suspiciously like it would be the first thing to break. It sets the screen at a comfortable angle for viewing when sitting.

Ports and Controls:
Taking a cue from Apple, the design of Archos’ Home tablet has few buttons and ports. Of course, you have a power switch on the top, accompanied by a microSDHC memory expansion slot. Moving on to the side, on the right side there are sockets for headphones, a Micro-USB port, and the included power adapter. There is a circular opening on the front of the tablet where you would expect some sort of cam, but unfortunately, that is just a placeholder at this point. Strangely, the Archos 7 will not accept power through the MicroUSB which is a bit inconvenient, otherwise you could charge it with the same charger you use for your phone, in the car and so on. Stereo speakers are mounted in the front at either end and you will have to make sure you do not cover these with your thumbs which holding the device. Apart from the speaker grilles on the fascia and an integrated plastic kickstand on the rear, that is about all there is to the tablet’s design.

If you are in search for a home button or a volume switch, you will have to be happy with the onscreen controls of the tablet. This is not to say that we are content about this, especially given the inherent response latency that comes with resistive touch screens, in comparison with the capacitive displays used on many of today’s smartphones. Despite the generous size of the display, it often takes a few tries before you can get to the onscreen home, back, and volume buttons to respond.

Onscreen Keyboard:
The onscreen keyboard of Archos 7 is another kind of disappointment. Yes you guessed it right, the sluggish touchscreen response is the major drawback, as is the lack of multi touch support along with the predictive text; however, it is the tiny spacebar of the keyboard that will really have you singing the blues. The design of the tablet is tiny enough that you would naturally want to hold it with both your hands and type with thumbs, like a giant smartphone. Unfortunately, its narrow onscreen space bar, logically located in the middle of the keyboard, is just out of thumb’s reach, which means, you have to cradle the tablet in one hand and type with the other. Things like scrolling are not so good, as sometimes, you will open a menu or press a link whilst trying to move a page around.
The key screen ingredient that is nowhere to be found? That would be an accelerometer. The Home Tablet 7 does not have an accelerometer, and even worse not a software utility or hardware switch for switching the orientation of the screen. This one has had us scratching our heads for the last few days, and really we do not see the excuse for excluding this type of feature in a tablet, unless Archos is morally opposed to vertical web page reading, which is highly unlikely since its Archos 5 is capable of it. As the tablet does not have reorienting feature on its own, when held in portrait mode, there is just one way to type on the screen, and it leaves behind much to be desired.

The All-Important Display:
The seven inch display on the Archos 7 Home Tablet has a few positive qualities that work in its favour. This backlit LCD screen has 800 x 480 pixels resolution, a 16:10 aspect ratio that provides the movies and photos crisp detail and balanced colour. That resolution might sound familiar, because it is the same as you will find in the likes of the HTC Desire and HTC Evo. Obviously this means the pixel density is comparatively low at around 130ppi, although this is a similar density to the iPad and most net books. The resolution, given the price, is adequate, as you do not need such fine detail as you do on a smaller mobile phone screen. The size of the display, however, means it is pretty easy to press what you want, so it does not suffer in the same way that smaller resistive devices can with mis-keying. The likelihood here is that your press may not be firm enough, rather than hitting the wrong stuff.

The plastic overlay on the LCD provides a matte, antireflective finish that stands up to outdoor use better than the iPad or iPod Touch, provided you have the screen brightness cranked to a certain level. This kind of finishing also provides the tablet better resistance to smudges and fingerprints, when compared with the glossy glass screen of the iPad and Touch. As you touch it, you can see the top film moving around, a sign that it is not of the highest quality.

Features:

Operating System:
As the Archos 7 Home Tablet employs the Google’s Android OS version 1.5, it includes most of the core apps, such as a Web browser, e-mail, media playback for music and videos, and photo viewer. Due to the hardware limitations, other features of the smartphone operating system have been removed from the tablet, including apps for maps, camera, messaging, and contacts.  If you have used more recent versions of the OS on your phone, you may find it does feel a little dated such is the pace of change in the OS.

Home Screen:
Archos presents you with a three page home screen which can be dragged from left to right. A small number of widgets are available to drop and you can add links to apps or bookmarks for easy access. Applications can be accessed from the menu which you drag out from the right-hand side of the screen.

AppsLib:
If you are dreaming that this will be an Android wonderkid it unfortunately will not be. The major distinction to make between the Archos tablet and a conventional Android smartphone is that the included app store is not the Google’s Marketplace, instead, it is a collection of downloadable apps handpicked by Archos. It means you are left to deal with the AppsLib service. Some sites will offer apps when you visit a webpage, or you can download them directly in some cases, but searching and browsing AppsLib you will not find much that will get you excited. Archos representatives cited several reasons for using its own app store, the most notable fact is that many of the apps are not yet optimised for use on tablets and rely on hardware features that are not available, such as camera, GPS, and accelerometer control. All of this just means that the, users have to either do with the app selection provided on the device through Archos, or do some tinkering to load apps manually. This comes as disappointing news to anyone looking at the Archos 7 Home Tablet as an unrestricted gateway into the enormous world of Android apps.

A few useful Apps:
This is not to say that there are no good apps at all, as it also has some useful apps for the tablet too. Twitter fans will be able to download the popular Twidroid app. You also have games and Internet radio apps, for reading e-books, and apps for social networking.  Aldiko is an ebook application that put your books on a shelf, rather like Apple’s iBooks does; Deezer is a music streaming service and eBuddy offers a universal IM client, although we prefer Nimbuzz, which you can download from their website. Daily Paper provides a collection of links so you can use the browser to get directly to online newspapers, those without a paywall at least. Some of our favorites were missing, including Seesmic, Slacker, Pandora, and Facebook. You might not be able to download the hot app of the week, or month, but there is just enough substance in the Archos app store to lend the device the kind of mutability you might expect from an Android product.

Capacities:

The Archos 7 Home Tablet has features that are independent of the Android operating system which includes an integrated microphone, a pair of predictably tinny built-in speakers, and a microSDHC card slot that supports up to 32GB of additional memory. Out of the box, the tablet comes with capacities of 8GB and 16GB, some of which is used by the operating system.

Formats supported by Archos 7 Home Tablet:

The 600MHz ARM 9 processor at the heart of the tablet has the ability to decode audio formats such as MP3, unprotected WMA, WAV, APE, OGG, FLAC, and AAC, as well as H.264, Real Video, and MPEG-4 video codecs with AVI, MP4, MKV, MOV, and FLV file extensions. It allows you to play back video files with resolutions as high as 720p and at 30 frames per second, although playback can get a little jerky with large files and lipsync was sometimes a problem, as the frame rate slowed. We found some of the normal codec oddities, like MPEG4′s that did not play, FLV as audio only, etc. You will have to figure out the codecs that will work for you and ensure that you have files in the correct format to get the best out of the Archos 7.

Performance:

Browsing:
We have already mentioned about the black spots on this tablet’s keyboard, the slow response of the touch screen, and few of the user interface quirks, so let us dive in to some of the other real world issues the affect its performance. The two major features of the Archos 7 Home Tablet are Web browsing and e-mail, both of which are provided though Android. Like most features of the tablet, these applications only work in landscape view, which is sometimes inconvenient, but mostly forgivable in light of the large screen. If you want basic media functions and to browse the Internet, or read emails, then you will have no problems. Well, we say no problems, but in setting up email, we found that the usual seamless configuration of Gmail did not seem to work and manual settings did not either, but there is always webmail.

For many people though, the opportunity to browse the net without a computer will be a real attraction. The Android browser is pretty good, and given the screen space available, the browser experience is also pretty good. It supports multiple pages and if you regularly visit the same sites, it is easy enough to flesh out your list of bookmarks to speed things up. Stepping around some of the app problems, we found that using the mobile page of some websites, like Facebook, gave a great result. Since there is no Flash support, you will not be able to playback all videos. Usually Android devices have a YouTube player, but sadly this is missing, so you will not be able to watch this flavour of video either.

Another quibble of the Archos 7 Home Tablet’s Web browser that even the experienced Android freaks will have to adjust to is the absence of pinch or double tap zoom control. By touching over a Web page, you can bring up icons for zooming in or out of the page, but tapping or pinching the page will not result in anything. This might seem to be minor quirk, but in spite of the tablet’s relatively large screen, you will still find yourselves needing to zoom in and out frequently. The lack of a gesture controlled zoom function is another reason why the Web experience on the Archos 7 Home Tablet is quite sluggish.

Email:
Setting up e-mail on the Archos 7 Home Tablet is just a breeze. Once you down load the unread messages, the e-mail app is just about the snappiest app on the entire device. Unfortunately, two problems plague this particular execution of the Android email app. The first issue, as we had mentioned earlier, is the onscreen keyboard’s cramped spacebar, lack of predictive text, slow response and multitouch support. The second major drawback of using the Archos 7 Home Tablet as an email machine is the lack of a contacts directory. Unless you are simply replying to incoming mail, to compose a new mail from scratch, you have to type the recipient’s email manually for every message. Apart from the big display of the Home Tablet 7, we found the similarly priced iPod Touch and its integrated contacts database to be a more efficient way to compose and manage e-mails while away from a smartphone or PC.

WiFi:

The WiFi support of this Android phone is limited to 802.11 b/g, which, when paired with the modest processor, does not make for the fastest browsing experience. When we loaded the full version of The New York Times Web site on the Archos 7 Home Tablet, Apple iPad, and Apple iPod Touch and noted the load time. Connected to the 802.11g Wi-Fi router, the Archos 7 tablet took 23 seconds to load the full page, whereas the iPod Touch took 30 seconds and the iPad flew in at 10 seconds. With the San Francisco Chronicle’s news site, on the Archos 7 it took 41 seconds, 44 seconds on an iPod Touch, and 19 seconds on the iPad. Though the Apple iPad costs more than what you may have to pay for the Archos 7 Home Tablet, we think it is fair to say it affords more than twice the download speed.

Audio and Image Plaayback:
The music and video playback of Archos 7 Tablet performance is not too shabby. Sound from the Home Tablet is a little tinny, but load enough for playing back music in your hotel room whilst away on business. The bundled headphones are of the hard plastic variety and easily improved on by connecting your own. The music player seemed to work well enough, displaying album art and offering a number of preset sound profiles. The photo viewer will let you make an instant slide show from your folders of photos. We found photo loading to be a little slow when asking it to access high-res images. The slide show flicks through smaller images, which do not fill the screen, at a more acceptable rate, but really it should be able to give you a ful lscreen slide-show without a problem.

Video:
Although the screen is not the best, there is no denying that playing back your video files on the tablet is good. Its media format compatibility is better than many of the portable media players we have seen and the big screen works nicely to offer this all. Note that, though, that you only get 8GB or 16GB of built-in storage before you need to supply your own microSDHC cards. It is also worth noting that volume control is handled by two awkward onscreen buttons; one for increasing volume and the other for turning it down. Video playback is also encumbered with the same awkward volume controls, and the viewing angles are poor when the device is tilted forward or backward.

Reader:
Talking about the Archos 7 as an ebook reader; whilst the five was a little small for that, the seven seems more naturally suited. Aldiko is the application to make this happen. It supports EPUB format, but not of the DRM variety, so anything you buy will be useless to you. To import books you have to put the files in the right folder on your SD card, but then it adds them on to the bookshelf. The application itself is fairly good, with the option to switch between day and night mode; black text, white background or white text, black background. You can swipe from page to page, and within chapters pages roll over at an acceptable rate for reading, which is faster than the refresh of an E-Ink device. As a way to read something on the train or plane, then we are sure it will be fine, but in the long term we would prefer a traditional ebook reader with support for DRM content.

Battery:

Video playback is also one of the best ways to engulf battery life, which Archos generously rates at 42 hours of music playback or 7 hours of video. You can achieve such good ratings with the screen of the tablet set on low backlight and may not account for Wi-Fi activity. With Wi-Fi active and the backlight set midway, you might get roughly 3 to 4 hours of constant general use like browsing the Web, checking e-mail, playing video on a full charge.

Package Contents:

In the box, Archos includes a pair of pretty crappy ear-buds, a standard mini USB to USB cable, and an AC adapter. Archos plans to sell the composite-out cable separately.

Warranty:

Archos offers its 7 Home Tablet one year warranty for parts and labour.

Verdict:

The Archos 7 is a device that feels like it has been engineered to a price, and that seems to be the scary thing about the Archos 7; the price is biggest plus point. The fact that it runs Android is not such a benefit as you do not get to experience what the rest of the Android world takes for granted, those freedoms are denied, unless you are glad to hunt out new apps, something the average customer would not want to do. We can accept the build not being that exciting and at this price, we will even forgive the screen, which really does not sell the device as well as it should. We find ourselves scratching our head over small design points that make the Archos 7 less user-friendly, like needing a separate charger and not having a volume control; simple things that detract from the everyday experience. So you have to see the Archos 7 Home Tablet for what it is. Given the right source, it is a capable video player and the freedom to expand the memory via microSDHC is welcomed and this makes it really easy to add content. The browser is good enough to quickly look something up online.

Depending on what you are looking for, your hard earned cash may be better spent an iPod Touch, Sony Dash, or a Kindle or Nook. But look, if you are desperate to get your hands on a larger screen Android tablet and have a few pounds saved, the Archos 7 Home Tablet is really your only option at the moment, though we are hopeful that some of its soon-to-arrive competitors will impress us more.

Check other Pocket PC Reviews, Dell Pocket PC Reviews in this website.

Archos 7 Home Tablet Specification Details

Manufacturer	Archos
Model Name	Archos 7 Home Tablet
Dimensions (H x W x D)	203 mm x 107 mm x 12 mm
Weight	388
Colours available	Black
Display size	7 in
Display type	Colour TFT active matrix
Display resolution	800 x 480
Display Features	High resolution touch screen with virtual keyboard Up to 16.2 million colours
Memory	Flash Memory: 8 GB and 16GB Extendable via micro SDHC Slot
Card slot	SDHC Slot
Camera	NA
Video	H.264 up to 720p resolution – 30 fps / 2.5 Mbps, MPEG-42 – 30 fps / 2.5 Mbps, Realvideo™ up to 720p resolution – 30 fps / 2.5 Mbps
Operating System	Linux, ANDROID™ 1.5 application framework
OS Required	Apple MacOS, Microsoft Windows Vista / XP / 7, Linux
Compatibility	Microsoft® Windows® XP, Vista, 7 or higher, Mac OS or Linux in mass storage mode
Messaging	Yes
Browser	Android
Internet	Yes
Communication protocols	WiFi (802.11 b/g)
Miscellaneous	2 built-in speakers Leg stand Microphone
Computer interface	USB 2.0 interface
Wireless Connectivity	IEEE 802.11b , IEEE 802.11g
GPS Navigation	None
Music player	Yes
Audio formats supported	MP3, WMA (non protected), WAV3, APE, OGG, FLAC, AAC3
Video formats supported	.avi, .mp4, .mkv, .mov, and .flv
Photo viewer	JPEG, BMP, GIF
Interfaces	• USB 2.0 Slave: Mass Storage Class (MSC) • USB 2.0 Host: Mass Storage Class (MSC) – Connect a mass storage device or keyboard & mouse (adapter micro B/A sold separately). • Micro SDHC card
Power	Internal: Lithium Polymer battery External: Power adapter/charge
Battery life	Music playback time: up to 42 hours Video playback time: up to 7 hours
Package contents	ARCHOS 7 home tablet, earphones, Standard USB cable (micro B/A), power adapter, user guide, legal and safety notice.
Warranty	1 year

It is a clear fact that the past decade has been the best and the fastest developing of all in the history of mankind. Science and Technology have been beautifying our lives throughout the last few years. As a result of this wonderful and lightning quick evolution of technology, we have seen many devices get smaller and smarter and also more personal in their way of performance. User interfacing has also been improved quite a lot and when you look at the electronic devices that are coming out at this point in time, you will find out that there is an inundation of technology involved. Out of all these, the evolution of pocket PCs from the heavy looking desktop computers can be regarded as one of the best outcomes. We are here to discuss one such topic.

Now, the frequently travelling multitude needs a very good pocket PC in order to fulfill most of their requirements. If you are also a part of that multitude, then here is a good device for you. The Traveller 505 is the latest pocket PC introduced into the market recently by Pharos, a company that has been producing pretty good PDAs at very affordable prices. The most important feature of this is the GPS equipment that it possesses. But, that is it for now. All the details are coming up and hence sit back and look at them as we bring out all the features of the Pharos Traveller 505 Pocket PC.

Design:

Comfort icon:

The Traveller 505 is a special kind of a Pocket PC. It looks quite comfortable, since the device is perfectly engineered and is made to fit into the hands of almost all sizes. To be more specific, look at the measurements of the device which read that the Pharos Traveller 505 is 4.8 inches wide, 2.8 inches deep and 0.9 inches high, and weighs about 5.6 ounces. Now, let us move on to the details of the design. When you have a closer look at the Traveller 505, you will find out that there is some speciality in its design. It looks like it is both portrait and landscape oriented and hence has some uniqueness in the way it looks. On the front side, the display occupies most of the real estate as it is the most important user interface for any device. But, even then, Pharos has managed to put many buttons and dials that make things easy for you. There is the microphone, indicator light, and then there are volume control buttons atop the device.

Display:

The 3.5 inch TFT LCD screen is a big one for any PDA device. Most of the PDAs do come with at most a 2.7 inch screen and even 3 inch screen is a rarity. So, a very good visual experience is guaranteed when you have such a good and big screen. Traveller 505 comes with a screen resolution of 340 x 240 pixels, which is good enough for most of the applications. You normally do not associate a high resolution screen with a PDA since the device is mainly aimed at the business or official usage. Now, since we have seen that the screen is a very big one and it covers a lot of area, it is hence clear that the screen is touch responsive. This makes it very easy for the users to interface the device and this feature means that the busy people can quickly access all their application by the means of only a mere touch. Isn’t that a pretty good option? This can be preferred to the strenuous pressing of the buttons on the keypad, if ever there was one. Hence, the display part of the device leaves a positive note on the Pharos Traveller 505 GPS pocket PC.

Buttons and Controls:

Then, below the display, you will find the usual controls. There is a jog dial or the navigation button at the bottom centre and a few buttons known as the program buttons which are dedicated to some of the functions in the device around it. The speaker is at the bottom most point of the device. Coming to the right hand side, which is full of buttons unlike the empty left hand side, you will find an earphone connector, hold switch and rotate button, SD card slot and the power button. The left hand side looks empty bit it is not. There is the mini USB output port here and also the stylus is placed along the left hand side edge of the device. Hence, the device will provide a lot of shortcuts and thereby help the busy people, saving their valuable time.

Stylus:

The Stylus is also one of the important accessories of any PDA. The screens of these devices are made of liquid crystals and hence they are meant to be quite delicate. Hence, using your hand at all times and under all circumstances is not that advisable. It would be better off if the device is operating taking the help of the stylus. Most people use their finger nails but this not that good for the health of the screen. Now, coming to the usage details of this stylus, the screen is programmed for multiple functions when the stylus is used depending upon how it is used. They are the Tap, Drag, and Tap and Hold; By tapping the screen once, you can select options on the screen and also open various applications. By dragging the items like texts and pictures on the screen with the stylus, you can select multiple items at a time and hence also move them, delete them or copy them all at once. The tap and hold function is to view all the options for a particular application and also to select from a pop up list that appears after holding. Hence, the stylus provides great functionality to the device and also adds value.

Features:

There are a few features that you can afford to look at for the Pharos Traveller GPS 505 pocket PC. However, when you compare these features to those found on the more popular PDAs from manufacturers such as Dell and HP you will find that these are lesser in number, it is still good news that whatever features are present, have made their presence felt by giving excellent performance. Here is an analysis of the features found on the Pharos Traveller 505 pocket PC.

Processor:

There is no doubt that when it comes to processors that are found inside the electronic devices, Intel is the best and the most renowned manufacturer. This very fact made Pharos to incorporate one of Intel’s processor into the Pharos Traveller 505 pocket PC. The Intel Bulverde PXA270 processor is seen inside this device. The uniqueness of this processor is that it has got an unusual clock speed of 416 MHz. While the maximum clock speeds that you will see on various high end pocket PCs is about 600 MHz and some manufacturers even go with the 800 MHz one, this very processor on the Pharos Traveller 505 may look quite inferior, but still it is quite an impressive clock speed. But the fact is that, this device suffers from performance deficiency when the GPS is switched on along with some other important applications. When you have an application that is as big and imposing as the GPS, you would normally expect a higher performing processor. But, having said that, this processor is not that cheap and it still performs well. But, a better processor would have brought home better and quicker performance and nothing more than that.  The device was tested under various circumstances and it showed quite a time lag when the GPS mode is switched on. This means that the processor is taking a toll when multiple applications are being run on the device.

Operating System:

The Pharos Traveller GPS 505 Pocket PC PDA comes with an in built operating system, which turns out to be Windows Mobile 5.0 platform this time and it is regarded as the present trend for most Windows based GPS navigation devices and also other personal and portable devices. There is a lot to tell you about this new operating system from Windows, which is specially designed for use in the PDAs and pocket PCs. It has got in it many new functions and shortcuts that make things easy for you while you are browsing through your device. These relatively new shortcuts are quite special in the way they perform and, this is not the only thing. This new operating system designed by Windows, also makes your device look great on the inside, which complements the very cute outside design of the Traveller 505 pocket PC. There are very few problems or complaints regarding this operating system unlike the memory of the device and hence, this fact might turn off a couple of consumers.

GPS Functionality:

Finally, the long wait is over and the main attraction of this device is going to unveil itself as we discuss about the built-in GPS antenna and functionality of the Pharos Traveller 505 Pocket PC. This is one of the most important features of this device and from your careful and rather insightful observations you can notice that this paragraph will be having the most number of positive sentences and statistics regarding this device than any other. Since this is the main feature of this device, it is obvious that Pharos has taken the greatest care while designing it. When you compare this GPS functionality with the ones on the other similar counterparts of the Pharos Traveller 505 pocket PC, this one has surely got the better of them all others. Since4 it is a pocket PC, it features the typical TTFF functionality which is most commonly seen in the inbuilt GPS antennas. Notwithstanding this, you will find that depending on the type of functionality, different I/O results are obtained.

Looking at the statistics of this device, we see that the hot start of the GPS is just about 8 seconds, while many other devices sport a hot start that ranges between 30 and 40 seconds. This is a significantly great achievement of the Pharos Traveller. The warm start is about 38 seconds and the cold start is about 42 seconds. Even these above two aforementioned start times are quite ahead in the race when they are compared to those seen in the other devices. You also get updates within one second, faster than most devices on earth. With an altitude of 18000 m, a velocity of 515 m/sec, and a maximum acceleration of 4G, this has got to be one of the best GPA systems in the market. Hence, drawing conclusions from what we have seen during the tests, we assure you that you get an impeccable performance from the GPS functionality of the Traveller 505 pocket PC.

Shortcuts:

As we have seen previously, the Pharos Traveller 505 Pocket PC PDA has a very well programmed buttons that act as shortcuts to various important programs and applications on your device. The four important buttons that are placed near the joystick have specified functions which are as follows: The first program button is dedicated to the ezGO or the access to the quick menu. Just the press of this button takes you to the main menu of the device where you will find all the applications and programs. The second program button takes you to the navigation options or the GPS, about which we will be discussing in detail at a later point of time. The third program button is for the calendar under normal conditions and it acts as a zoom in button when the camera mode is switched on. The fourth and then the last program button is for the contacts list and it shows you all the saved contacts of your mobile. It also acts like a zoom out function when in the camera mode. The joystick is five way directional and hence many functions can be assigned to it. This makes the Pharos Traveller 505 a very good user friendly PDA.

Connectivity:

The Traveller 505 Pocket PC GPS device comes with a good deal of connectivity options and applications, although there are more negative points regarding their functionality than the positive ones. Features like Bluetooth, infrared, Wi-Fi and other networks are found on this device. But, infrared is not that effective as the data transfer rate is a mere 115 kbps. This is also an obsolete application and normally, most of the devices in the market do not possess this feature. Coming to the Bluetooth feature, it is of the version 1.2, which is on the verge of extinction. It is now no more seen in most of the high end PDAs in the market. But it is still good enough to do your work.

Wi-Fi is also slow at times and it takes time to get connected to the networks which sometimes makes things worse. But, the only thing that is left out without any reported complaints is the mini USB port that enables you to connect your device to the computer. This is pretty useful and is also very quick responsive. One the whole, it has got a good deal of connectivity options, be them effective or not. Using the Active Sync software that is provided along with the device, you can sync your device with your computer and hence exchange the data such as documents, videos, music files and applications etc., between them. This concludes the list of connectivity options that are found on the Pharos Traveller 505 Pocket PC.

Memory:

Memory is one of the important features of almost any electronic device in the market. The Traveller 505 pocket PC comes with a minimal memory of 64 MB of RAM and also 64 MB of ROM. Now, this is an obvious and a direct indication of the level of performance of this device. When you come across a device and that too, a pocket PC, with a 64 MB of RAM, it means that the device is going to be slower than normal. The virtual memory is so low that you can least afford to play video and music files on your device because more often than not, you will only be left with frustration instead of a quick responsive play of videos or music. Moreover, since the ROM also has only 64 MB, there is very little for you to choose which files are to be synced to the device. Not more than ten songs can be supported by this minimal memory. You may think that thus memory can be upgraded, but it only makes the device slower. So, all you can do is insert an external memory card of required memory and this can solve your woes to some extent. If not for the memory card slot, this section of the device is not at all attractive.

Memory Card:

We have already discussed about the fact that the Traveller 505 is not great when it comes to memory. Hence, Pharos has given the slot for inserting external memory cards in order to fulfil the various requirements. Although you might be tempted to buy a big memory card, as big as a 4 GB one or maybe even an 8 GB one, we advice you not to do so as that will definitely decelerate the performance of the device considerably. What we came to know after the conduction of various tests on the device was that the device, or the processor of the device to be more precise, cannot withstand memory that exceeds 1 GB. You might well argue that this is unfair, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles. The processor fails to perform fast when higher memory cards are used. The performance here not only refers to the playing of music and videos, but it refers to the overall gross performance. Hence, minimal memory always gives you better and faster overall performance. There is a slot provided for this and it is only compatible with SD cards, SD I/O cards and multimedia cards. And also please make a note that the security function of the SD memory card is disabled by Pharos due to some technical problems. Hence, the users shall be careful while purchasing a memory card for their device.

Adaptability:

We have already seen that the Pharos Traveller 505 is a very sleek and comfortable to hold. Along with this, it has got a few features that make it compatible in places where many other similar devices. It can be used in places of high altitudes and also deep waters. It can withstand higher air and water pressures, which makes it even more special. But an important notification to all the users of this device is that it is a very delicate electronic device, just like any other PDA and hence it may get damaged if placed near high electromagnetic fields such as a transformer or even the electronic devices in an industry. Hence, people working in industries must make a careful note of this. This can happen because the of the GPS facility. It gets damaged when there are static or moving electric fields in the vicinity and the electronic components and the circuitry inside the device may malfunction in severe cases.

Performance:

When a PDA is flooded with the best of features available in the market, you would normally expect it to perform at the very best. But, it is not the case here. The 416 MHz processor may not be the fastest on earth and hence it does not help the processor perform at lightning quick pace. But never mind. This is also not the worst processor in the world. It is manufactured by Intel and hence it got something in it to offer. The speed of the device slows down considerably when the GPS function is switched on. Call quality is generally quite clear but you find it quite disturbed frequently when in crowded areas. Adding to these woes, the response time of the touch screen is slow and also varies from time to time, making it frustrating for you busy people. Hence, in a conclusive manner, this is a good processor, but not the best and also not the worst at the same time. The audio and video performances of the device are in general fine, although not that great. It is the GPS functionality that stands out and it rightly deserves the applause. The overall performance of the device depends upon how it is used and how many applications are being activated at a time.

Battery:

The Pharos Traveller 505 pocket PC comes with a removable and rechargeable lithium-ion battery that has a power of 1320 mAh. This battery is a seriously good one and it is also pretty widely used. It is generally found on most Nokia devices. It is also renowned very well for its huge and longer power supply along with a quick recharge time and at the same time, a long battery life. The battery lasts up to 200 hours while in the standby mode and for more than six and a half hours of talk time. You will also get nearly 6 hours of battery life in the GPS mode. Even though the Pharos Traveller 505 pocket PC has not been particularly designed to be used as an entertaining multimedia device, it is still very quite interesting to know the fact that the battery of this device lasts for more than 8 hours of WMV playback and also an average of 12 hours of WMA playback.

The device also demands very less time for its complete charging to be done. It gets quickly charged up and when we tried to charge it full from a zero position, it took less than just four hours. But, even Pharos accepts the fact that when the device is charged in the car, it takes a very long time. This is the only problem but it is not that significant and it can be understood. The Pharos Traveller 505 pocket PC comes with 2 types of AC adaptors, namely the AC input adaptor with 100-240 volts at 50-60 Hz and then an AC output of 5V/1A and the second one is a universal AC-IN OUT car charger adaptor which allows you to charge the device in your car itself. It is very useful when you are travelling particularly long distances. The device takes the power from the battery of the car. But, this process might take a very long time, longer than the usual charging time.

Package Details:

Let us have a look at the package details of the Pharos Traveller 505 pocket PC so as to know what we are going to receive in addition to the device, at the time of purchase. Along with the Pharos Traveller Pocket PC 505, you will find some more components in the box. In the box, you will get in addition to 2 Pharos map CDs, an AC adaptor with mini USB plug, a battery, a car charger, a windshield bracket mount, a headset, the user manual, the quick start guide, the getting started CD, the PC Sync CD and the Cable. Another interesting fact is that in addition to all this, you will get a 1GB SD card preloaded with all the maps of UK.

Warranty:

The Pharos Traveller 505 pocket PC comes with a parts and labour warranty for period of one year from the original date of purchase.

Verdict:

Our opinion is generally quite clear and straightforward on most of the occasions. But, the review of the Pharos Traveller 505 has resulted in quite confusing conclusions. But let us try to clear the cloud in your minds. The design is pretty good and the features are really fine. The device also performs quite well on most of the occasions. The GPS is great except for a few upgrades which can make it even better. Everything else is fine. In fact, everything regarding this PDA is really admirable except the most important thing, unfortunately, which is the price of the device. The device is fairly costly and hence may not be that advisable the commons. It is not that useful for everyone, and hence those of you who are not that particular about this device, can choose from a wide variety of cheaper but still amazing PDAs that are in the market at present.

Check Pocket PCs Reviews, other Pharos Pocket PCs in this website.

Pharos Traveller 505 – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Pharos
Model Name	Pharos Traveller 505 Pocket PC
Product Type	Pocket PC with GPS navigation
Dimensions	4.8” x 2.8” x 0.9”
Colour	Grey and Silver
Weight	5.6 ounces
Display	3.5″ Transflective TFT display
Colour depth	16 bit/pixel
Resolution	Touchscreen
Primary:Keyboard	Not supported
Directional:Pad	5 – way
Embedded:Operating System	Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition for Pocket PC Professional Edition Browse devices running this OS
Processing Speed	412 MHz
Processor	Intel Bulverde
Processor core	PXA270
CPU:Clock	416 MHz
Level 1 cache	32KB data cache / 32 KB instruction cache
RAM type	SD RAM
RAM Capacity	64 megabytes out of which 48 MB is accessible
ROM type	Flash
ROM capacity	64 MB
PC Connectivity	Yes
Audio output	3.5mm jack
Interface	Touch screen
Expansion interface	SD, SDIO, MMC along with expandable memory card support up to 1GB
USB connectivity	1.1 USB
Bluetooth connectivity	1.2 internal antenna Bluetooth
Infrared connectivity	IrDA v 1.2
Wireless connectivity	IEEE 802.11b, internal antenna Wi-Fi
Built-in:GPS:module	Supported
GPS Protocol	NMEA 0183, SIRF
Paralell Satellite Channels	20 channels
Included GPS accessories	Headset, 512 MB SD Card, Car power adapter
Battery	1320 mAh Lithium-ion battery
Estimated Battery Life	8 hours
Warranty	One year