HP Jornada 545

Most analysts believe that the desktop computer is no longer a young, vibrant upstart, but a middle-aged, beer-bellied being that ought to start planning for its retirement. The future, they say, is based on the Internet and mobile computing.

Microsoft is hoping that its latest spin on Windows CE - baptised Pocket PC (reviewed issue 68, p172) - will be the dominant platform of the future, but for this to happen manufacturers need to build hardware to match. HP was first to market with a colour Windows CE palm-sized device, and now it's beaten the rest with a Pocket PC as well. However, later offerings from Casio and Compaq put HP's Jornada 400 series firmly in the shade, so the company must make sure history doesn't repeat itself with the Jornada 545.

The first signs are positive. Instead of the unwieldy and awkward square lines of the Jornada 430se (reviewed issue 64, p167), the 545 is attractively thin and compact - the perfect size to fit into your pocket. What's more, when you take it out of your pocket you're not faced with a lump of purple plastic but with understated grey metal. Also, not only does it look good, it's well protected thanks to the removable hinged cover and a solidly constructed body, which add up to a rugged design. The only immediate drawback to HP's approach is that if you decide you don't need the cover's added protection, you've got to find somewhere to put your pen, as this now slots into the inside of the cover itself.

There's a longer-term drawback to HP's streamlined approach as well: by concentrating on making the Jornada 545 as compact as possible, its designers rejected the CompactFlash Type II card, preferring the slimmer Type I. The most obvious casualty is IBM's remarkable microdrive (reviewed issue 63, p179), which can pack an incredible 340Mb hard disk into the Type II format, with even bigger capacities expected in the future. However, even Type I CompactFlash cards are now reaching 128Mb, and these also have the advantage of non-mechanical components, so if you drop them they're less likely to break.

When it comes to the consumer market, this decision may put the Jornada at a competitive disadvantage, as both the Casio Cassiopeia E-115 (previewed p170) and Compaq's iPAQ Pocket PC (previewed p170) support CompactFlash Type II cards. Unlike Casio and Compaq, however, HP is targeting the business user more than the everyday consumer, and is aiming to team up with third parties to provide complete solutions. Thanks to its rugged design, HP's password-protected security and Microsoft's enhanced synchronisation procedure for setting Pocket PCs up on a network, there's certainly a compelling argument to choose the Jornada 545 over conventional solutions.

The Jornada's corporate nature is also a major justification behind choosing a CSTN screen rather than TFT. This has only one real advantage, namely its price. Its viewing angles can't match those of a TFT screen, and it's also more difficult to read in bright sunshine (not necessarily a problem for British users), but HP uses 16-bit colour to help boost the image quality, and unless you're used to a TFT screen you'll be perfectly happy with the results.

HP sticks with the 32-bit, 133MHz Hitachi processor debuted in the HP Jornada 430se, which is the same speed as Casio's Cassiopeia E-115 but no match for the 206MHz StrongARM chip Compaq opts for in its iPAQ. We've yet to devise a benchmark for the Pocket PC OS, but for sheer speed the Compaq lives up to expectations, with the E-115 in second place and the Jornada 545 bringing up the rear. Unlike early Windows CE devices, however, the Jornada is quick to respond to commands, so isn't frustrating to use.