I want a Windows Mobile Handheld PC. Unfortunately, Microsoft and most device manufacturers believe that a clamshell, pocket-sized, handheld computer with keyboard is unnecessary, a specialized product for certain Enterprise niches, and an anachronism. Despite this view, many of us would kill for a Pocket PC turned on its side with a fold-over keyboard.
Handhelds were for the 90s
The naysayers tell us the handheld experiment has been tried throughout the 90s without huge mass market success. Manufacturers produced the HP 200LX Palmtop, the Sharp Zaurus, the Psion, and, of course, the original Windows CE Handheld PC upon which this magazine was originally based. The handheld "market research" ended with the HP Jornada 720 series introduced in 2000.
When the specification for Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition came out last year, it sounded like a formula for a great handheld. The Second Edition supports landscape mode, different-sized screens, VGA, and keyboards.
The 21st Century HP Handheld
Based on my initial understanding of the specifications, I dreamed of my new, ideal, HP iPAQ Handheld. It would, of course, have the normal built-in Pocket PC software with ActiveSync. That would mean away from my desk, I could use the keyboard to update my calendar, enter a new contact or task, all for later synchronization. I would also be able to create or modify my Pocket Word or Excel documents, or thanks to third-party software, update my database or PowerPoint presentations. In fact, I could use my keyboard with any of the 1000's of third-party Windows Mobile applications and games that do or will soon conform to the Second Edition specification.
Handhelds in the 90s had primitive and mostly non-existent wireless capabilities.
The new 21st century handheld would have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and even cellular phone capabilities. A pocket-sized machine with landscape orientation, useable keyboard, and full wireless capabilities would be ideal for e-mail, Web browsing, and Exchange Server e-mail syncing away from my desk. The keyboard would let me look up a contact quickly for a phone call.
The handhelds of the 1990s did not have multimedia functionality. In 2005 VGA resolution, long battery life and landscape would make my new iPAQ handheld ideal for movie viewing and showing off photos. I could enjoy my music with the enhanced iPAQ sound system using my HP Bluetooth headphones.
My new handheld will have lots of built-in storage and card slots. Because of weight, speed, low battery demands, and decreasing costs, I want lots of built-in non-volatile flash ROM—at least two GB for storage. At the same time, ideally my new handheld would have an internal slot for a removable, reasonably-priced 20 GB hard drive, such as those built into the Portable Media Center. Then I could store lots of video, photos, and music. For more storage and input/output options my handheld would have at least one and ideally two SD and CF card slots.
The keyboard is too small
The challenge with pocket-sized devices, even with a keyboard, has always been input. I have a solution. Why not create hardware that utilizes one or more of the creative third-party soft keyboard solutions?
Consider, for example, Tengo (http://www.tengo.net). Tengo divides the standard alphanumeric QWERTY keys into six sections (the three rows divided down the middle). Its dictionary is able to recognize a high percentage of words from typing the section key containing the letter. So, for example, typing "hjkl," "qwert," "hjkl," "hjkl," "ghiop" enters the word "hello." A switch on the new iPAQ could put you in "Tengo mode," where typing one of the letters in a section would represent that section key.
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