Compaq Aero 1550 review

Where Compaq's iPAQ is all style and glamour, the Aero 1550 is aimed directly at the less fashionable business sector. On paper, its silver finish and mono screen appear to match the Palm Vx, but place the two units side-by-side and the Vx beats its rival for style by some margin. This is mainly due to the Aero's square and angular design, but it's also 15mm taller and 2mm thicker - it may not sound much, but it makes a difference when placed in a pocket.

The advantage of the Aero's size is twofold. The first is its full-size 57 « 77mm screen, allowing the standard 240 « 320 resolution for Microsoft's Pocket PC operating system. We were impressed by its clarity, and it's also worth noting that it includes a backlight, but Pocket PC is a colour-based OS so the 1550 isn't the perfect medium for programs like AutoRoute, Pocket Excel or Pocket Money. The second benefit of the Aero's size is a Type I CompactFlash slot, which Compaq somehow manages to squeeze into the body of the machine. We'd have preferred a Type II slot, but Type I at least allows easy backup to external media or the insertion of extra memory.

Unlike the iPAQ, the Aero isn't designed for memory-consuming multimedia use, and with good housekeeping habits most users won't need to add to the 16Mb of RAM that Compaq includes as standard. At just 70MHz, the processor is a slightly bigger compromise, but it's only when you compare the Aero against the iPAQ or Cassiopeia E-115 that you realise just how slow it is. Like the Jornada 545, however, it's fast enough to avoid being frustrating in use.

Compaq includes the usual selection of shortcut buttons on the front of the machine, providing easy access to Calendar, Contacts, Tasks and Notes. It also includes a handy jog dial, a one-touch Record button for making quick notes, and a shortcut button to QLaunch, Compaq's own utility for direct access to your favourite apps. Compaq's other noteworthy inclusion is QUtilities, providing a one-stop applet for backup, diagnostics and programming game keys.

Despite the Aero's low scores, the 1550 still has many good points. It's thin and light, includes the handy CompactFlash slot, and is well built enough to withstand the bashes of working life. However, it's not cheap enough to justify the loss of colour, and business users will probably be tempted away by the Jornada 545, or even the more stylish Palm Vx.