Hewlett Packard Jornada 525 Color Pocket PC

But HP's Jornada 525 sells for under $400, nearly down to the range of the basic PDAs while still offering a lot of the upper-echelon goodies. The Jornada 525 ships with only 16 MB of integrated memory--normally a sizeable amount that gets eaten into quickly by Windows CE and its multimedia capabilities (we were only able to put a couple of MP3 files on the Jornada as it shipped). But you can add up to 128 MB of additional storage with a CompactFlash card. By boosting the storage, the MP3 playback actually becomes a viable option--for patient users.

The patience comes in with the serial connection of the Jornada. This is fine for normal synchronization of notes, e-mails, and other text files, but we found it painfully slow with multiple megabytes of MP3s. Playback of the music files was crisp through the stereo headphone jack and loud even via the built-in speaker. The Jornada ships with serial connection cable, but you can pick up a serial cradle. It also offers infrared transfer, if your PC or notebook offers the connectivity.

Weighing in at only 8 ounces, the Jornada fits snugly in the palm, with indented grips on the rubber sides, and offers four hot keys for quick access to the home screen, contacts, calendar, and tasks list. There's also a voice recorder built into the Jornada, accessible via a thumb button on the left side of the PDA.

Some flaws mar the overall design package: the flimsy CompactFlash slot cover feels like it could snap off easily and the rubber pieces on the top of each side look like they're meant to peel off (they're not) and do so with little resistance. The Jornada 525 also lacks a stylus slot on the device itself (the stylus is stored in the case that houses the Jornada), and the stylus could use a bit more heft.

Nitpicks aside, the Jornada provides a lot of kick from its 133 MHz processor--applications popped open quickly and we were able to multitask with little slowdown. The bright, 8-bit color screen was easy on the eyes and is also sensitive enough to allow touch manipulation.

Running Windows for Pocket PC and shipping with Microsoft Outlook 2000 also means that your Word, Excel, and e-mail files transfer to the Jornada seamlessly. The Jornada also runs on a rechargeable battery (although we didn't quite get the promised eight hours of life), saving on the cost of battery replacement.

While a redesign would definitely add to the Jornada's appeal, as it is it's a respectable Pocket PC for an excellent price. --J. Curtis

Pros:

• Inexpensive for a Pocket PC
• Light and sleek
• Bright color screen

Cons:

• Some design flaws
• Slow serial connection

The HP Jornada 525 has everything you need to gracefully juggle appointments, schedules, and to-do items as well as keep you entertained with music, photos, and more. You can review and act on your e-mail, send instant messages, and stay up to date with the latest news, sports scores, and stock information.

The HP Jornada 525 allows you to synchronize data with your desktop PC easily and quickly. Then carry and access your contacts, tasks, calendars, memos, and e-mail anywhere. You can even view e-mail attachment files. It comes with 16 MB of RAM and 16 MB of ROM.

You can listen to popular MP3 music and compile your own digital music playlists as well as listen to or read your favorite books and articles from leading newspapers and magazines. You can even create a digital photo album to share with friends. With the stereo-quality audio system and vertically aligned color screen, you can listen, read, and relax wherever you may be.

The slim and sturdy HP Jornada 525 features a rubber protection strip to make it easy to grip and carry anywhere. Its elegant alloy casing projects style and professionalism in any environment. You can also personalize it with a variety of accessories to fit your needs.

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