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HP Jornada 565

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By John Morris
Sep 11, 2001

In recent years the HP Jornada has played second fiddle to flashier Pocket PCs from Compaq and Casio. With its next-generation Jornada 560 series, HP attempts to steal first chair by preemptively announcing a line based on the Microsoft Pocket PC 2002 operating system. Neither the 32MB Jornada 565 (US$599) we tested nor the 64MB Jornada 568 will be available until early October. But many will find it worth the wait thanks to several advances over its predecessor, including a better display and longer battery life.

A Sexier Jornada
Although it has the same basic dimensions and shape as previous models, the Jornada 565 looks sexier. It has a metallic-silver flip cover and case protected by a band of gray, rubberized plastic. The flip cover may seem like a minor thing, but if you've been using a Compaq iPaq Pocket PC, which doesn't fit in its standard case with an expansion jacket on, you'll really appreciate the extra protection for the display.

Aside from the new design, the display is perhaps the most noticeable change. When HP introduced the Jornada 548 in April 2000, it advertised the device as a 16-bit display, but quickly admitted that it actually only supported 4,096 colors (12 bits). This time, HP got it right. Like the Casio Cassiopeia E-125, the display now supports a full 65,536 colors. Measuring 3.5 (diagonal), the screen is slightly smaller than the 3.8-inch one on the Compaq iPaq H3600 series, and the Jornada's backlight isn't as powerful. But in exchange you get a rated 14 hours of battery life. That's a significant improvement over the 8-hour rating for many current Pocket PCs. Even better, you can remove the lithium-polymer battery and keep going with additional standard batteries or replace it with an extended battery rated for 28 hours (pricing on these hasn't been set yet).

A Better Travel Mate
The Jornada 565's more compact AC adapter also makes it a better travel companion. The old, bulky universal adapter is still an option, but the new one weighs just 96g. The Jornada 565 itself weighs in at 198g, bringing the total travel weight to 292 ounces (the total differs due to rounding). You can use the new adapter with the included cradle or plug it directly into the Jornada 565. In fact, if you sync to a laptop via infrared, you may never use the cradle. That way you'll also never miss the portable data cable, which no longer comes in the box.

The Jornada 565 is HP's first Pocket PC based on the 206MHz StrongARM processor; previous versions relied on the slower Hitachi SH3 chips. And it includes 32MB RAM and 32MB of flash memory. You can add more memory via the Type I CompactFlash expansion slot, which has a removable panel to accommodate larger CF peripherals such as modems and LAN cards.

Evolutionary, Not Revolutionary OS
If you already use a Pocket PC, the 2002 version of the OS won't look much different to you. This is by design. Even Microsoft concedes that this version is meant to be evolutionary. Pocket PC 2002 contains all the Pocket versions of popular applications such as Word, Excel, and Internet Explorer. But Microsoft has streamlined the interface; added some of the most requested enhancements, such as the ability to view contacts by company, view meeting attendees, and synchronize multiples folder in your Inbox; and thrown in a few new tools such as MSN Messenger. It also includes some new enterprise features, such as a VPN client and the ability to access shared volumes over a network.

Everything You Need To Get Your Job Done
HP has a reputation for adding a good software bundle to its Pocket PCs, and the Jornada 565 is no exception. This model includes additional productivity software, backup utilities, an image viewer, applications for digital music and audio books, and drivers for popular accessories such as wireless LAN cards, modems, and keyboards.

The Jornada 565 offers all the usual buttons to access these applications. The four primary buttons default to the HP Home Menu (for quick access to frequently used applications and settings), Contacts, Calendar, and Tasks. The device also supplies the standard buttons on the side and front for scrolling through and selecting items, as well as taking text or voice memos. A lighted button on top of the Jornada glows red while charging and green when finished, and it will flash to remind you about upcoming appointments.

The tiny, built-in speaker wasn't as bad as we expected, but you'll still want to use headphones for listening to music using Windows Media Player. HP no longer includes headphones with the Jornada.

The Jornada 560 series' competitive advantage may be short lived. Presumably, Casio and Compaq will also move quickly to update their products for Pocket PC 2002. Reportedly, Toshiba will soon be joining them as well. But the Jornada 565 is a major step forward, and it deserves a close look when you choose your next Pocket PC.

Editor's note: The Jornada 565 is not currently available in Singapore. According to HP, it should be available in late September or early October this year.