This past summer, Hewlett-Packard introduced the Jornada 728 Handheld PC 2000. The release came almost two years after the launch of HP's original and very popular Jornada 720. The 728 retains much of the 720's design, but HP has come up with a new look as well as hardware and software enhancements that make the device even better. (A review of the HP Jornada 720 is in the January 2001 issue of Pocket PC magazine: www.pocketpcmag.com/Jan01/jornada720.stm).

I've been a Jornada Handheld PC user for quite some time now. I prefer the H/PC platform because of its enhanced hardware features. The landline modem is built in, which means I don't have to purchase one, or give up one of the card slots to use it. The Jornada 728, like other H/PCs, comes with two built-in card slots: one for PC Cards and another for CF cards. This means that I don't have to carry around sleeves or adapters. I spend a lot of time viewing Web pages and managing our Windows 2000 Servers via the H/PC's Terminal Services Client. The screen is larger than that on a Pocket PC, and that makes my job much easier. Finally, I prefer the H/PC's keyboard to the "soft keyboard" or handwriting recognition of a Pocket PC. I find it easier to use, faster, and more accurate.

Better looking and more power!

The Jornada 728 has a 6.5" diagonal 1/2 VGA color touch-screen that is large enough to display Web pages and documents comfortably without a lot of scrolling. Its 3/4-size keyboard is large enough to allow touch typing by most users, although it may take a little time to adapt to the smaller size. Unlike the Pocket PCs, Handheld PCs have a built-in 56 kbps landline modem for communications and two built-in card slots: one that accepts Type I or II PC Cards, and another that accepts Type I CompactFlash cards. Type I CF cards are slightly thinner than Type II CF cards. The IBM Microdrive, for example, is in the form factor of a Type II CF card and cannot be used in the CF slot. However, you could use it in the larger Type II PC Card slot with the help of an inexpensive CF-to-PC Card adapter.

Most of the upper portion of the clamshell case is silver-gray, and there is a dark swath across the lower portion, with a design embedded in it. When the 728 is open, the screen is surrounded by the same silver-gray. The bottom part of the case surrounding the keyboard is a darker grey that matches the color of the keys and the battery.

The 728 comes with 64 MB RAM--32 MB more than the Jornada 720. This memory is partitioned between program memory and storage memory. Since I really don't need more program memory on my Handheld PC, I can use most of the extra 32 MB of RAM for file storage. This has the effect of tripling the internal storage. I no longer run out of storage space when I synchronize my large Inbox and Contacts databases.

According to HP's estimates, the high-capacity (1950 mAh) rechargeable lithium-ion battery lets you use your 728 for up to 14 hours between charges. That's a 75% increase over the 8-hour (1500 mAh) battery found in the 720. HP offers an optional extended battery that can run up to 28 hours between charges!

Built-in software from Microsoft

The Jornada 728 is powered by the Microsoft Windows for Handheld PC 2000 operating system. The version number on this OS indicates that it's newer than the one found in the Jornada 720. I don't have any specifics from HP, but I did notice the following changes.

The Jornada 720 had a problem with the sound driver that caused the sound to mute randomly. This seems to have been fixed on the 728. Also, the Make New Connection screen reveals a new button that lets you create a Virtual Private Network connection to a remote server. With VPN available, users and administrators can take advantage of a Windows 2000 server's built-in VPN functionality to connect securely to a remote network infrastructure, intranet, or application.

The Jornada 728's Make New Connection screen now lets you take advantage of a Virtual Private Network set up on your organization's Windows 2000 server.