NEC Mobile Pro 790 review

Releases of keyboard-based PDA devices have fallen by the wayside a little compared to the smaller palmtop PDA devices. However, despite the technological advances and multimedia capabilities of the latest palmtop PDAs, such as the Cassiopeia EM500 (reviewed issue 78, p159), they still lack the flexibility of their keyboard-equipped rivals. Lately, the HP Jornada 720 (reviewed issue 73, p179) has been the only Handheld PC 2000 device of note. However, with the introduction of NEC's similarly specified Mobile Pro 790, HP's dominance could be over.

Owners of sleek palmtop devices may scoff at the Mobile Pro 790's large chassis. Yet, despite its size, the Mobile Pro 790 still cuts the mustard in the looks department.

The general specification is also quite impressive, boasting a 168MHz MIPS processor and 32Mb of RAM, supplemented by 16Mb of Flash storage space. Expansion possibilities are handled by a Type II PC Card slot and a CompactFlash Type II slot, which also provides the option of using IBM's Microdrives - a feature only available on the Jornada 720 through using a Type II PC Card adaptor. The keyboard is a pleasure to use too, although it's perhaps a little spongy when compared to the Jornada 720's.

The bright 16-bit colour DSTN screen is slightly disappointing. The passive-matrix display updates slowly and also has problems with ghosting and interference. Viewing angles were acute, making it difficult to maintain an optimum viewing position. That said, text was sharp and easily readable, although it certainly wasn't up to the standard of the Cassiopeia EM500's TFT screen.

For a device designed for use on the move, build quality is paramount and the Mobile Pro 790 appears to meet the requirements. The lid felt solid and withstood a few hard presses without affecting the screen. Only the RJ-11 cover could potentially be broken off, although due to the tight fit it would be difficult to achieve in practice. The lightweight stylus was dissapointing, though, undermining the professional feel of the main unit.

The 168MHz MIPS processor was up to the job, and performance was impressive. Even with several applications running, switching was prompt, but don't expect desktop-rivalling power; searching through a 1,200-strong contacts database took almost a minute.

The battery can last for up to nine hours, although lifetime varies depending on the level of usage.

Configuring an Internet connection through the built-in 56K modem was simple and, once on-line, navigation was surprisingly swift and productive using Mobile Internet Explorer 4.

Other software includes Pocket versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and Outlook, which all operate smoothly and will be familiar to users of the full PC versions. You also get Windows Media Player to play music - a function enhanced by the CompactFlash slot and a stereo headphone/microphone jack.

The Mobile Pro 790 is an excellent handheld PDA that's better featured than HP's Jornada 720, while costing an impressive £106 less. Performance is excellent and combined with the keyboard it's certainly capable of replacing a notebook for those with undemanding mobile computing requirements, while fulfilling your PIM requirements too.

Author: Gareth Ogden