Compaq iPaq H3870 (with Bluetooth)

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The original Compaq iPaq gets a nod of approval from most Pocket PC users with its stylish design and great display. With the arrival of the Pocket PC 2002 operating system, Compaq has decided to update its iPaq line. In the H3870, Compaq has not only addressed a few shortcomings of older iPaqs, it has added Bluetooth connectivity to this handheld.

Improving On The Best
The H3870 is essentially the H3850 with integrated Bluetooth. The look of the device is similar to previous iPaqs, with a few differences. The most obvious is the black plastic piece situated at the top of handheld. Housed behind this plastic component is a built-in speaker which used to be behind the directional pad, the microphone, the Bluetooth transmission radio, infrared port, and an expansion slot for a Secure Digital (SD) card.

Since the speaker is now no longer a part of the directional pad, Compaq has made the pad smaller and thus more responsive to touch. Another difference is that instead of having a stylus that is ejected through pressing a button, you can now depress the top of the stylus and it will spring out of the silo. The handheld also ships with a plastic fold-over screen cover that provides better protection than the leather slip-on case that comes with previous iPaqs.

As for hardware specifications, the H3870 houses a 206MHz Intel StrongARM processor, 64MB RAM and 32MB of flashable ROM. The unit also has a crisp 16-bit (65,536K) reflective color screen that you can set such that the backlight automatically adjusts its brightness according to the lighting condition.

Since the 190g H3870 retains the same form factor as other iPaqs, this means it'll be compatible with existing expansion sleeves for various CompactFlash (CF) and PC cards. In response to critics who lamented the original iPaq's lack of an expansion slot, Compaq has thrown in an SD slot for those who desire greater storage space.

Bluetooth-Ready Handheld
The most significant addition to the H3870 is the integrated Bluetooth capability. On the bottom right of your "Today" screen, you'll see an icon that lets you turn on Bluetooth and start the Bluetooth Manager utility, where you can configure and set up your PDA to connect to other Bluetooth-ready devices.

Once you find another Bluetooth device, you can then set up your device to share files, exchange business cards, dial up to the Internet, even do an ActiveSync. We tested the H3870 with TDK's USB adapter, and found out that with the right settings we were able to sucessfully share files and sync the handheld to our desktop PC. Although we initially had to wade through various menus and screens to input the various settings and spend some time trying to get the connection to work, it wasn't as painful a process as we thought it would be.

When Bluetooth activated, a blue LED light will flash to indicate that Bluetooth has been enabled. It's a helpful indicator that tells the user if a Bluetooth connection is established.

Software Bounty
The H3870 also comes with impressive and useful software. In addition to Pocket PC 2002 and extras such as Windows Media Player and Microsoft Reader, this iPaq has an iTask utility that lets you quickly switch to another application and also toaccess various iPaq settings such as the backlight and memory status.

On the bundled CD-ROM, you can find even more third-party software that is both useful and fun to use. IBM's Embedded ViaVoice Mobility Suite enables you to control your handheld with voice commands. By mapping the record button on the side of the device to this app, we were able to launch any of the software onboard with a command. We even got the H2870 to read the emails in the Inbox. Kudos to the built-in powerful speaker which delivered the messages in a clear, manly voice.

If you're not satisfied with the text input method on the Pocket PC, the CD-ROM also contains the WordLogic Keyboard, a virtual keyboard that incorporates prediction of words you're entering. Other supplied apps include Quick View Plus which lets you read various file formats, the Compaq Dashboard that allows you to personalize the look of your Pocket PC with various skins, eWallet for encrypting and storing passwords and other private data, and ListPro that enables you to organize various lists which you may have.

Although most of the software in the CD-ROM are productivity-oriented apps, Compaq has not forgotten the fun factor. The company has included Virtual Game Gear, an emulator that lets you play games released on Sega's Game Gear handheld gaming console. And yes, the H3870 now recognizes simultanous button presses, which means you can move, jump and fire all at the same time. For those who'd rather get a taste of a virtual Vegas, Blackjack and Video Poker are included.

A Pocket PC To Have
Without a doubt, the H3870 gets two thumbs up from us. By adding built-in Bluetooth connectivity into an already impressive handheld, Compaq is giving those who want to jump onto the Bluetooth bandwagon a device that doesn't require optional, bulky add-ons. However, the absence of a built-on CF slot means that if you want to use CF cards, you'll still need to get the CF card sleeve, which'll only add bulk to a handheld that 's already 16mm thick. If you're not likely to blink an eye over the S$1,399 price tag, this stellar handheld is highly recommended.