When looking for a new personal-use Pocket PC, you most likely search for a model that delivers the best bang for the buck (see Dell Sets the Value Standard … Again). Whilst shopping for a business-use Pocket PC, on the other hand, price may take back seat to performance and features.

That's where Hewlett-Packard's new iPAQ hx4705 enters the picture. The new handheld bundles loads of features, and is available at a price, that aims it squarely at the business user.

Inside
Powering the hx4705 is Intel's current top-shelf handheld CPU, a PXA270 XScale processor running at 624 MHz. The hx4705 provides 64MB of RAM and 128MB of ROM.

About 80MB of that ROM is available to the user for the non-volatile storage of data, so it will remain intact even after a hard reset of the device. This is useful for backing up important files.

If the built-in storage of the hx4705 proves insufficient, you can expand its capacity or add peripherals via the unit's CompactFlash Type II and Secure Digital expansion slots.

Hewlett-Packard provides wireless communication via built-in Bluetooth and 802.11b Wi-Fi—the antennas for which are flush with the unit's charcoal-collared magnesium alloy chassis. The hx4705's IrDa port is of the 4Mbps FIR variety, making it a viable alternative to the included synchronization/charging dock for rapid transfer of data.

The battery on the hx4705 is rated at 1800mAh, which is large by PDA standards, but justified considering the power requirements of the unit's features. The battery is removable but the dock can charge only the PDA and not an extra battery. (An extended-life 3600 mAh battery, available as an option, comes with its own separate charging apparatus.)


Back, Battery Compartment

Outside
Primary input on the hx4705 is handled by stylus, but the unit's front panel buttons are somewhat distinctive in that they are recessed and flush rather than raised as in most handhelds. Even more unique is the hx4705's pressure-sensitive touchpad that takes the place of the typical four-way D-pad.

Made by Synaptics—the same firm that supplies touchpad pointing devices to many notebook manufacturers—this touchpad can operate in a mode which can be used to navigate a cursor through the Windows Mobile interface, negating the need for the stylus (though we think the stylus is still preferable in most situations).

About my only complaint about the hx4705's physical layout is the unfortunate location of the earphone jack, which is easy to mistake for the stylus storage port if you are not paying close attention—they're right next to each other on the top right side of the unit.

Screen Shines
Despite the other impressive hardware specifications, the technological centerpiece of the hx4705 is certainly its stunning 4-inch VGA display that displays 640 x 480 pixel resolution—twice that of a conventional Windows PDA.

These extra pixels don't result in twice the screen area though, as this would almost certainly make the display unreadable, even on a relatively large LCD like the hx4705's. Rather, with the hx4705, the higher resolution is used to provide an unusually crisp and vibrant image.

The extra LCD real estate is still useful though, especially given Windows Mobile 2003's ability to display in landscape mode. (The hx4705 also lets you easily switch between it and standard portrait mode by holding the calendar button for two seconds.)

HP provides an automatic brightness feature that senses ambient lighting and adjusts screen brightness accordingly. It did modestly alter the brightness as I moved from indoors to outside or from darkly lit rooms to brighter ones, but I often still found it necessary to fine-tune the settings to accommodate my preferences (or my eyesight).

Protecting the screen is a translucent and tinted plastic cover hinged to the left side of the unit that secures to the hx4705 right side with a small magnet. While I found holding the protective cover open to use the unit obtrusive at first (you can't tap through it), I quickly got used to the cover. I also found it useful for shielding the hx4705's display from fingerprints and accidental impacts. (You can easily remove the screen cover if desired.)


Cover

Software
While almost all PDAs come with number of bundled applications and utilities that usually consist mainly of curiosities or promotional versions of various utilities, many of those provided with the HP hx4705 are actually immediately useful.

iTask, a.k.a the iPAQ Task Manager, makes it extremely easy to see which applications are currently running, as well as launch or terminate programs. In fact, an iTask button takes the place of the standard "Home" button on the front of the hx4705.

Another useful utility is TodayPanel Lite, which lets you view and manage frequently-used settings for battery, memory, storage, and screen brightness directly from the Windows Mobile Today screen. Utilities for displaying Powerpoint presentations and PDF files are also included.

Security
While most of the hx4705's bundled applications are geared towards enhancing productivity or convenience, HP's ProtectTools software has a more serious mission—to secure your sensitive data from the prying eyes of anyone who may come across (or into possession of) your PDA.

When enabled, (it's off by default) ProtectTools requires the user to input a PIN or strong alphanumeric password in order to access the device, just like the built-in password feature of Windows Mobile does. The similarities end there however, because in addition to providing this first level of defense, ProtectTools will encrypt your data with one of several available algorithms (including industrial-strength 3DES and AES).

ProtectTools will encrypt certain information by default, including your contacts, tasks, schedule, e-mail, and the contents of the My Documents folder, but you can add additional folders of your own that can reside either in the hx4705's internal memory or on an expansion card.

The application doesn't kick in until the hx4705 is turned off or shuts down automatically due to a timeout setting. Once this happens, the data specified is encrypted, and then decrypted only when the unit is turned back on and the correct password is entered.

Encryption and decryption takes time—each took no more than several seconds in my testing, but a unit heavily laden with data could easily take several minutes to perform each process, especially with the more sophisticated algorithms.

Since this could be problematic if trying to access information on the PDA quickly, users will have to experiment to find the best balance of security and convenience. Provided that they don't contain information you're trying to safeguard, you can automatically exclude media files like audio, video, and images to save some time during device startup and shutdown.

Conclusion All this advanced technology doesn't come without cost: If you're looking for a svelte, willowy PDA, search elsewhere. Moore's law aside, you can't add features like a larger screen without correspondingly larger dimensions and added weight. The hx4705 dimensions measure 5.17 x 3.03 x .59 inches and tips the scale at a stout 6.6 ounces. Also, at $650, the hx4705 is arguably one of the most expensive PDAs you can buy.


hx4705 Package

Nevertheless, the HP hx4705 represents the current high watermark in Windows handheld technology—fastest processor, most internal memory, largest display, and an assortment of genuinely useful applications and utilities to boot.

Provided the hefty price, dimensions, and weight aren't a problem, business road warriors or even price-is-no-object technophiles will likely find the hx4705 a worthwhile purchase. For those who balk at the price of the hx4705, you might want to consider the Dell Axim X50v, which has a small but still VGA display, less memory, and a weaker software bundle.