In September 2004, HP introduced its high-performance, business-class hx4700, wowing us with its large VGA screen, its innovative touch pad, and unfortunately, its eye-popping price tag. Now, the company has released its hx2000 series, offering professionals another mobile business solution. Not to be outdone by its more powerful sibling, the high-end hx2750 has enough talent to shine on its own. It boasts a biometric fingerprint reader for enhanced security, integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and solid performance. At US$549, it's still costly, but if you can forgo the fingerprint reader and make do with a little less memory and a 520MHz processor (vs. 624MHz), check out the hx2410 (US$449) or the hx2110 (US$379), which has a 312MHz processor and Bluetooth only.
Design
If there's one word to describe the HP iPaq hx2750, it
would be sturdy. From its appearance to its feel, the PDA has a solid
build and could probably withstand some rough treatment. Outfitted in charcoal
gray and carrying a similar footprint to the Dell
Axim X30, the hx2750 is fairly compact (119.4 x 76.6 x 16.3mm), but it's a
bit thick and hefty, at 164.4g. A nice touch, however, are the rubber sides,
which make for a good grip and easy one-handed use.
Another positive design feature is the included plastic flip-screen cover. The detachable, transparent cover pops onto the top of the device, and again, the durability theme continues here. It's strong, and it remained scratch-free during our tests, although it's prone to fingerprints and smudges. Of course, the whole purpose of this armor is to protect the hx2750's gorgeous 3.5-inch TFT screen. While it's only QVGA level (compared to the hx4700's and Dell Axim X50's high-resolution VGA screens), it displays 64,000 colors, and we were surprised by the vibrant images and sharp text. Beneath the display are four programmable shortcut keys--Appointments, Contacts, Inbox, and iTask, by default--and a four-way navigation toggle with a center Select button. And like the h5550, the hx2750 features a biometric fingerprint reader for enhanced security.
The rest of the device is standard PDA fare. Finishing out the face of the device are a power button; a speaker; a microphone; and two tiny LEDs that blink orange when the hx2750 is charging, blue for wireless mode, and green for alarms. On the left side is a lone voice-record button, and you'll find a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, dual expansion slots (CompactFlash and SDIO/MMC), and the stylus holder on top of the device. A small Reset button and a USB connector reside on the bottom, and a battery-release switch is on the back.
HP delivers the hx2750 with just the essential extras, including an AC adapter and a USB desktop-sync cradle. Although you get the plastic screen cover, we were disappointed the device didn't come with a protective leather case. However, if you want to carry a backup power source, a higher-capacity 2,880mAh lithium-ion battery with charger is available for US$129.99.
