Compaq iPAQ 3670 Color Pocket PC

* My Compaq has fried its memory repeatedly
* The stylus no longer clicks into place, that mechanism has apparently broken.
* The silver coating is coming up

The color screen is nice, but doesn't make up for the headache or the cost. I wish I'd just purchased another Palm V when my last one was stolen.

Summarily, you get a cool little computer with a stubborn streak and a big mouth that can thankfully be turned down, with MUCH more space and operational capacity than a Palm, but still not enough for most people to call it Home.

Thanks to the back light, you can actually >see< the information, which is a clever bonus. Unlike some PDAs, there is no drab olive-green screen to twist your eyes into pretzels. Its like you're in a little office with the flourescents on.

The 'sync' software works (ok), just don't expect any pampering like the Palm people gave us with their one-button push sync. You'll work for this peanut, baby. It has the distinct flavor of rushed-out backroom benchmarking.

But after several knock-down drag-outs you'll (hopefully) find your feet and eventually get your Purple Heart, and then you're ok; you become VALIDATED, a part of the GREAT-SYNC legion - a surviving Groto of the IPAQ challenge, the strong, the proud, the survivors. Or else you'll have a _________ yard-sale or throw it in the trash (I dare you.)

So go ahead and stick MS Outlook in the Start-Up menu, cause she's a legend in her own mind and hates to be left out of the fuss (sync loop), (this is one thing, among others, they don't mention).

If you get through the software installation, wait 30 or 60 seconds til blastoff, and make a connection, you might actually get to build a working relationship or two..but don't get comfortable. LOL.

Hey, why can't the Compaq people invite the Palm people to a pool party, and let them explain how to make (like they did A LONG TIME AGO!!!) that INGENIOUS ONE-TOUCH SYNC BUTTON and that TOTALLY FUNCTIONAL (AND PRETTY) PALM DESK-TOP SOFTWARE, that makes you the king of your castle, not a serf in a wrestle.

The bad news: you just heard some.

The good news: It's a buyer's market baby on the 3670 due to the yard sales from the frustrated and upgraders - and after all, it is a cool little computer. So why not test your skills and pick one up?

Take a hint from Nike..JUST DO IT!!!!!!

Now, the Compaq screen wins hands down. It's bigger since the keyboard and hand recognition areas hide, releasing the screen space for images, text, etc. Plus, don't forget the MP3 player, which the Palm does NOT have (I think they only beep, how embarassing).

The programs are a bit memory hungry so it would be nice to have internal expansion for memory (64MB is really very little for this unit - the equivalent of 8MB in the Palm). Sounds weird, especially coming from an engineer, but that's how it feels. The Windows environment really gobbles up the memory. You can buy an expansion port that will hold additional memory, although with good management you can get away without expanding it.

The only real problem that I have with this unit is the battery life. Well, actually, WHAT BATTERY LIFE? If you play any game for 1.1/2 to 2 hours...you're out of battery!! If you leave the unit, WITHOUT USING IT, overnight - for two nights - you're out of battery again! Did I get a lemon? Do they all work like this? Does anyone sell battery packs that also include memory expansion? How does battery life compare with the Palm, you ask? Well, the Palm 505 (Color) will last about a week with decent everyday use and a lot of playing each day. The Palm V will last about 2 weeks (yes, WEEKS), with average use. The iPAQ will last 1 to 2 days with average use (and I'm being kind).

It's sad to see the best selling Pocket PC with such few options where accessories are concerned, shame on Compaq for not providing incentives to other manufacturers. Let's see how HP plays the game. Congratulations to the NEXICAM for bringing the first digital camera adapted for this unit. Now, they should have combined it with a battery pack, GPS, Cell Phone and Memory Slot - that way I could get rid of all the other gadgets that clutter up my night stand.

Want the best ? If you can live with low battery life, then this is your unit. I have a car charger and 110VAC-12VDC adapter that goes with me when I travel or I lose access to my contact information while I'm away.