HP Jornada 680

There was a time not so long ago when the absence of quality products supporting Microsoft's Windows CE operating system was getting worrying. Too many H/PCs (or PC companions as Microsoft prefers to call them) were falling short of being truly usable and rarely rose above the mediocre. This was usually down to a lack of thought or time invested in the design process, combined with poor battery performance. Thanks to its excellent keyboard, responsive OS and good battery life, the Psion Series 5 has continued to be an attractive alternative to Windows CE.

When HP's Jornada 820 appeared at the beginning of this year (reviewed issue 52, p176), featuring the new revision of Windows CE (2.1 or Jupiter), it was a breath of fresh air, and was quickly followed by the superb LG Phenom Express (reviewed issue 53, p176). Both had vastly improved battery life, along with great keyboards, but they were larger and less portable than the venerable Psion.

Enter the Jornada 680, the latest addition to HP's Jornada range. Although it sports similar styling and the same purple livery as its brethren, it bears more similarity in shape and size to HP's older LX range of handhelds with its heavy lid, rechargeable battery jutting out at the rear, and alarm cancel button set into the hinge. It's still noticeably bulkier and heavier than the Series 5, but comes closer than any other CE device of its size to the Psion's famed usability.

It's hardly surprising to find that this is largely due to the 680's extremely good keyboard. In appearance it looks very much like a slightly larger, less fiddly version of a Toshiba Libretto keyboard, and its keys are in the style of a shrunken notebook keyboard. In use, it turned out to be extremely responsive and was relatively easy to get used to. We're not exactly talking touch-typing here - its dimensions and keytops are just a little too small for that - but I found it perfectly adequate for email and the odd bit of light word processing.

As the 820 and Phenom Express did before it, the 680 also managed to draw an impressive lifespan from its lithium ion battery. In fact, it took three days of on-and-off use to run flat, and I found that it retained its charge well when powered down. HP's claim of seven hours per charge seems to be accurate enough.

The 680's small size means it can't quite match the 820 or Phenom Express in terms of connectivity, but it still manages to squeeze in a fair amount. Around the edges of the 680, you'll find Type II PC Card and CompactFlash slots as well as an RJ-11 port for the built-in 56K V.90 modem, and the obligatory infrared, serial and power connections. The 680 also comes supplied with a docking cradle in matching colours to make desktop connection simpler.

The whole package has that typically HP solid feel about it too, until you get to the combined PC Card and CompactFlash card slot, that is. The 680 rather outlandishly uses an extending hinged panel on the underside of the device to accommodate both slots in the same space. It doesn't feel particularly well constructed, however, and moves around alarmingly, even when locked in place.

Its colour 640 « 240 resolution CSTN screen is another area that causes concern. While it's perfectly usable in most indoor situations, it's too dull to be used comfortably in daylight, even when adjusted to its brightest setting. The screen is also quite grainy and distractingly reflective, but at least its angle can be adjusted to reduce the latter effect.