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HP iPAQ hx2795
By David Ciccone, posted Friday, Dec. 30th, 2005
Reader Comments: 27
For those of you that don’t know, the Biometric fingerprint reader allows you to authenticate who is using the device using a unique fingerprint. I really like this feature for protection of the information I have stored on this device. If you choose, you can authenticate a print for another user…just use a different finger.
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HP ProtectTools secures your device using a PIN or password to control access. They have used industry-standard encryption to protect your stored data which should offer you a high degree of comfort. Access to the device is gained by using a PIN (or password). There are safeguards if you forget your PIN that institute a question that only you know the answer to. You can encrypt email, contacts, calendar, notes, My Documents and other files that are then automatically protected whether stored on the device or an external storage card. You can even have a hard reset done if your device is accessed a pre-determined number of times…another safeguard for you if you lose your device.
There is full VPN and WEP security included in the Microsoft OS and there is an advanced level of security for wireless communication. In addition, there is support for (Cisco) LEAP, 802.1X, and WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access).
Choosing the model that has Integrated Wi-Fi (802.11b), Integrated Bluetooth wireless technology, and Integrated Serial IR enables you to be able to communicate with other devices as well as the net. All three have become an integral part of any “power user’s” ability to fully use the features of a Pocket PC.
Although the display is not VGA, the 3.5” transflective TFT QVGA color display (which offers over 64,000 brilliant colors and a high-contrast ratio with rich color saturation) has been superior. There is a definite difference in richness of colors between a VGA display and this one, but this display has been excellent I personally think many powerusers will not mind having a QVGA screen since the power of this unit outweighs the screen resolution!
Battery life is really determined on how you use your device. If you use WiFi or Bluetooth a lot or spend a significant amount of time playing games or using multimedia applications, one can expect to decrease the power of the battery quickly. If you are like me, I keep the brightness setting high, which of course has an effect on the battery. That being said, I am impressed with the battery and its life cycle. If using the removable/rechargeable 1440 mAH Lithium-lon battery is a concern, then there is an option for an extended removable/rechargeable 2880 mAh Lithium-Ion battery. One would think that it would double your operational ability…my guess is that it would come pretty close to that. I have noticed a considerable difference in battery power from my hx2750 to the hx2795 towards the positive, one possible reason could be the way Windows Mobile 5 manages the power consumption.
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Schlockmaster, thanks for the great info...I have purchased a subscription to Mapopolis and it is AWSOME! I really wanted to buy the Arkon Bluetooth GPS Receiver but I have to be able to mount an external GPS antenna to the roof. I have a Hummer H3 and the windshield is literally almost vertical...so, hardly any sky visibility. Even on the dash against the windshield is still not enough visibility for the GPS to be very effective. So, I am still wanting a good quality GPS system that will allow for the external mount...any ideas? Thanks again for your help!
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TexasRTR78,
I have tested and used a variety of GPS devices and can give you some great advice. If you want an in car solution then the best product is the Arkon GPS PDA Mount. It is sleek solidly made and the satellite capture is unreal. You basically suction cup the unit onto your windshield, insert your pocket pc and go. You can purchase them with or without software. I personally find that most GPS software tends to be cludgy. Cludgy in the sense that you have to install it on your regular computer, select areas and cut and paste them, and then download or hotsync it into your Ipaq.
The easiest and simplest to use software is Mapopolis. You can get their software for free from their site, and then either purchase maps for the areas you want, or subscribe to a plan that allows unlimited downloads for your country. That is the best value!!!
The other great product is the Arkon Bluetooth GPS which uses the latest SirfStar III chipset and captures and holds signals like a tiger eating its prey.
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Dave,
I just bought the hx2795 and I had the Microsoft Streets & Trips 2006 (not the one with the GPS receiver) so I loaded the program onto the iPaq. What I am wondering now is what is the best GPS receiver to buy that will work with the hx2795...and I am not sure if I should buy one that just sits on the dash and plugs in to the power source (Bluetooth) or should I buy one that is Compact Flash...and, will any one I choose work with the Streets & Trips program??? If you could help me shed some light on this subject I would GREAT appreciate it!
Thanks,
Angela
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Does someone explain to me what's the difference from hx2790 and hx2795?
Thanks.
Posted by Vampirito, Tuesday, Jan. 10th, 2006
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I ordered a 2795 for my wife today. Or I should say, I tried to, but I applied for hpfinancing, and I need to call to get my account activated, even though the web site says approval in minutes. Is this typical when dealing with HP?
Ben
http://benfulton.net/blog
Posted by BenFulton, Tuesday, Oct. 18th, 2005
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i'm trading up (i hope) from my 4155. was going to purchase the 2755. now i will wait for the 2795. are there any other models in the wings? the 1950 has so little memory.
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No VGA, so not for me Im afraid.
I have also been dissapointed with HP's decision not to give more wm5 upgrades for other ipaq moddels. So Im switching to Dell (X51V) soon.
Posted by kiwiruss, Friday, Sep. 30th, 2005
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Dave,
Load up some today plug-ins sbp Pocket plus and/or contact breeze. Then tell me if you don't have any problems. It seems as today plugs eat into the memory area that the BT stack uses.
Posted by JNGold, Friday, Sep. 30th, 2005
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Dave,
I was wondering if you could give some input on this Ipaq compaired to the hx2750? If cost wasn't to big of an issue, would it be better to purchase this item (which sounds great from your review) or to save some extra cash and purchase the hx2750 and get the free WM5 upgrade. I wanted the hx2750 until I read this review which has me reconsidering. Each of the Ipaqs sound roughly close in to each other. Please give your input (or anyone else), it would be greatly appreicated. I pretty much have an idea where this is going to go, but I would like to get some input.
Thanks & great review! Matt
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Well it looks like I'll keep my 2750 for now, and hope that PPCT gets back into the business of doing ROM upgrades. Even though RAM is used totally differently, I'm still glad I'll have 128MB for WM5. Maybe some more PC-like software will come out to tax it.
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I have no issues at all with the 2795..
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Phys,
I can only personally attest to the BT problems encountered on my 2750. Apparently, it affects other devices as well. It seems as though the memory stack used by Today screen applications interferes somehow with the requirements of the BT stack.
I was wondering if it has been corrected on the 2795.
Posted by JNGold, Tuesday, Sep. 27th, 2005
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JNGold, are you referring to the hx2795 devices, some other HP device or a particular device that was giving this isssue?
According to the 'Compliance Portion' document on the BT qualification site for the HX2700 devices: http://qualweb.bluetooth.org/Products2/DownloadExecute.cfm?CompliantPortionFileName=CPD-BHTK-040017.pdf&ProductID=2013
There are quite a few features missing from some of the profiles. This may or may not be contributing to BT issues accross the board for these devices.
Posted by Physboy, Tuesday, Sep. 27th, 2005
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Handymanski, like most words in the english language converged has more than one meaning. The meaning that I am most familiar with and which I felt applied to my explanation to Stephon is: "to tend or move toward one point or one another : come together : MEET" (Miriam-Webster; www.m-w.com). Which definition of the word converge did you think applied which I, in your opinion, did not use.
BTW, not making insulting statements to someone about whether or not they have looked up the definition of a word, is a good way to ensure that you "do not get in the middle of a fight"
Posted by Physboy, Tuesday, Sep. 27th, 2005
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What I would like to know is if MS/HP has corrected the BT driver memory stack problem. It's been a common problem of being able to turn on BT without getting a "Out of Memory" problem, which has nothing to do with the amount of RAM free.
Posted by JNGold, Tuesday, Sep. 27th, 2005
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I don't think so. The same scenario was available for the last round of devices. The 4700 is still considered HP's top-of-the-line device. The reason the wm5 update is not available is that someone screwed up technically.
Posted by JNGold, Tuesday, Sep. 27th, 2005
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i don't want to get in the middle of a fight, but the word converged means a lot of different things. You should look it up. Awesome review. I think the reason the wm5 update hasn't been released for the 4700 is cuz they want us heavy-hitters to buy this device. It just might work on this heavy hitter. We'll see.
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I'd like to see a comparison between an upgraded (to WM5) hx2750 and this new one.
Posted by dleppin1, Monday, Sep. 26th, 2005
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Stephon,
A converged device is a single device which has technologies that are normally found on separate devices coming together on the one device. E.g. (A device like the h63xx devices which has cell phone capabilities, PDA, WiFi, BT, etc.. technologies in one device. Whereas a PDA only has the PDA functionality, cell phone only has cell phone capabilities, etc..)
Derath,
I posted on both articles because what I had to say originally, applied to both articles. I made my point, and my final statement regarding my original post on the other article. That is all I have to say about it.
Posted by Physboy, Monday, Sep. 26th, 2005
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Great review Dave. Am I incorrect in assuming that the comparison of my hx2750 to the hx2755 is the same setup as now exists with the hx2790 and the hx2795 in your review? That being the channels in which the unit is procured? If that is true then aside from HP mucking with the memory map to make the units more WM 5.0 friendly, we basically have a hx2750/2755 in WM5 clothing? Yes/No?
bill
Posted by billpool, Monday, Sep. 26th, 2005
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Physboy,
Are you going to troll this comment on every review? From what I remember, at least in a podcast mentioning the new Axim's is that what seemed a flaw for Dell is that they have no devices or roadmap for a converged device. While many these days may still just want a PDA, if you want a converged device you simply cannot buy one from Dell. At least with HP I can unify on one manufacturers platform while having the option for converged and non-converged devices.
And for the record (again) Dave is certainly allowed to like a device from a review perspective without personally wanting to use one.
Dan
Posted by derath, Monday, Sep. 26th, 2005
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What does "converged device" mean?
*S*
Posted by Stephon, Monday, Sep. 26th, 2005
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Well I for one do not want a converged device.
Posted by Laura, Monday, Sep. 26th, 2005
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It is still important for those who are getting into the Windows Mobile Devices..
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As Dave stated about the Dell Axim when that was announced, "kinda boring.... Non converged devices are getting to be useless in the tech world...." and as Steve stated in the same thread "I would agree with Dave that it is boaring only only for the fact that I really don't have a use for a regular PDA.", I am going to have to agree and submit that this also applies here.
Posted by Physboy, Monday, Sep. 26th, 2005
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Does this have a vibrating alarm? The 2x1x series seems to have removed that feature, and it's one of the features I used most on my iPAQ 5550.
Steve
Silicon Valley Pocket PC
http://www.svpocketpc.com
Posted by Pony99CA, Monday, Sep. 26th, 2005
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