October 20, 1997
Do today's handhelds pack enough punch?
By Bob O'Donnell
I'll admit up front that I'm a tad biased on this one: I'm a gadget freak. Having never
truly outgrown my boyhood fascination with toys, I'm always intrigued by the latest
developments in and newest generation of handheld computers, electronic organizers, and
other pocket digital devices. Thanks to my position as a journalist, I've been able to try
and use everything from the original Apple Newton to Psion's Series 3 to Palm Computing's
(now U.S. Robotic's) Palm Pilot to today's Windows CE machines.
In each of the various machines, I've found plenty of things to like, as well as lots
not to like. The Newton, because of its groundbreaking nature, was a hoot to play with.
But when it came time to get something useful done, the device's well-documented
limitations made it a miserable failure. Psion's Series 3 was (and still is) an elegant
machine -- I think of it as the Macintosh of handheld devices -- that really did let me do
some useful work. Ultimately, though, its limited connectivity with desktop applications
and shortage of useful communication options left me feeling unsatisfied.
The Palm Pilot, too, is a great machine that does what it does extraordinarily well. In
fact, I almost bought one. In the end, however, I decided that I wanted a handheld device
to do more (and I wasn't interested in owning more than one handheld). Finally, the
Windows CE machines, which offered the promise of a real Web browser, relatively seamless
connections with desktop applications and files, and easy expandability, reeled me in. I
ended up buying HP's 320LX, primarily because of its large (640 pixels by 240 pixels)
backlit screen. (By the way, if you're thinking about buying a Windows CE machine -- or
any handheld device, for that matter -- make sure you get a backlit screen. I think many
of these devices are practically useless without one.)
Having lived with the purchase for several months now, I can still say that I'm fairly
happy with it, although I'll also be the first to admit that there are some problems.
Foremost among them is that taking advantage of the enticing communications abilities,
including Internet e-mail and Web access, requires a PC Card modem in most instances
(Philips' Velo1 device being a notable exception), and Windows CE machines using PC Card
modems do not run on batteries very well. In fact, though I've read reports of
battery-based Web-surfing sessions lasting for about 45 minutes -- compared to about 15
hours of normal use on two AA batteries -- my HP 320LX basically shuts itself off after
about two minutes when I try to surf the Web without AC power. If the AC adapter is
connected, it works fine, but part of the appeal of a handheld Web device is to connect
easily without having to fumble around with power cords. (Of course, what I really want is
a completely wireless connection, but all the options that I've seen are either too bulky,
too expensive, or both.)
The other main problem with these handhelds is that Windows CE 1.0 can be pretty
confusing, particularly when it comes to changing (or finding) various communications
settings. (Let's see, is that function under the Communications control panel or in the
Communications programs folder?)
The result of all this is that I find that I'm not using my handheld as much as I
thought I would. In some ways, I think my experience may be somewhat reflective of the
marketplace and might explain why, despite a great deal of hype, handheld devices still
haven't really caught on. Sure, things are getting better than they used to be -- the
Pilot, in particular, seems to be a very hot product these days -- but there still seems
to be a general reticence among business computer users and IS managers to deploy these
devices on a widespread basis.
In an effort that's undoubtedly designed to address some of these concerns, Microsoft
formally introduced Windows CE
2.0 last week. The new version offers support for larger color screens, better
networking and other enhanced connectivity options, and lots of small-but-useful tweaks to
the OS' and built-in applications' interfaces. OEMs, in turn, announced several new
Windows CE 2.0-based machines, including several that offer a form factor closer to
Toshiba's Libretto and other "mini" subnotebooks, which lets them overcome
limitations in the frustrating "Chiclet-style" keyboards found in
first-generation CE machines.
Maybe it is my fondness for gadgetry, but I'm looking forward to the upgrade and the
new devices (and accessories) it spawns. Windows CE 2.0 doesn't address all my concerns,
but I'm hoping it will lead to better, more productive use of my handheld PC, as well as a
larger total market.
©
Copyright 1997, by InfoWorld Publishing Corp., a
subsidiary of IDG Communications, Inc. Reprinted from InfoWorld,
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