All Windows Mobile handhelds use ActiveSync to synchronize the data from your PDA with Microsoft Outlook on your computer. Because Microsoft Outlook is the only program that an iPAQ or other Windows Mobile device is able to synchronize with, a full version of Outlook 2002 accompanies current iPAQs. For models with Wi-Fi connectivity, such as the rx1950, you can use ActiveSync to synchronize your data wirelessly. Regardless of what type of connection (wireless or wired) you use for synchronization, you will have a backup of all of your data in case anything should go wrong.

In addition to Outlook Mobile, Windows Mobile 5.0 comes with Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, and PowerPoint Mobile. Although these programs are less powerful than their PC counterparts, they have most of the basic features you’ll need to open, edit, or create documents on your handheld.

Using Word Mobile you can open, view, and edit Word documents originating from a PC or another handheld. You can also use Word Mobile to create new documents on your handheld. After saving changes on your iPAQ, you can email the revised document, transfer it to your PC during synchronization, or beam it to another PDA. Word Mobile includes some of the most useful functions that you can’t live without, including spell check, Find And Replace, bulleted lists, text formatting, and many others. The newest version of Word Mobile that accompanies Windows Mobile 5.0 also includes enhanced support for embedded objects, including tables, lists, and images.

Excel Mobile gives you the ability to create and edit spreadsheets, crunch numbers, and create and edit formulas. When you copy a spreadsheet from your iPAQ back to a PC, the spreadsheet automatically converts to the full version of Excel for your desktop. The newest feature in Excel Mobile gives you the ability to create charts using the Chart Wizard.

With PowerPoint Mobile, you can review slides on the go or practice a presentation while en route to a meeting. PowerPoint Mobile lets you view full presentations, rehearse timings, check slide order, and test any live links in your presentation. If a colleague back at the office makes a change to the presentation, all he has to do is email the change to your iPAQ; no conversion is required.

Another handy feature of the iPAQ is its ability to record audio. Whether you need to make a quick voice note to remind yourself to send a document to a client, or if you want to record a conversation from a recent meeting, the integrated audio recorder has you covered. You can also create a Voice Note and attach it to an email instead of typing a text message.

Learn Windows Mobile

Some new PDA users have a hard time adjusting to entering data on a small device without a full-sized keyboard. To help with this adjustment, the iPAQ has several ways to enter text: You can enter information using an on-screen keyboard; or you can write information in your own handwriting for conversion to text using the Block Recognizer (similar to Graffiti for Palm PDAs), Letter Recognizer, or Transcriber features. The Notes program with Pen functionality lets you keep a note in your native handwriting without using textual recognition, which is especially helpful for diagrams and notes with unique characters.

For basic navigation, all iPAQs generally include four hardware buttons at the base of the display with a five-way navigation button sandwiched in the middle. In addition, there usually is a Notes button on the left spine of the iPAQ. Each of these hardware buttons is programmable, so you can set them to the most convenient applications for your uses.

Other basic tasks of a computer, such as browsing files, displaying time, searching for documents, and performing calculations using a calculator, are also available on all iPAQs. The File Explorer lets you access and view a list of all of your files similar to that of Windows Explorer on your PC. To ensure you’re always on time to appointments, you can pair the internal iPAQ clock with your calendar or task list to display or sound alarms to remind you of certain events.

Sometimes a narrow PDA display makes it difficult to read or view a document. For this reason, you can view all applications on your iPAQ in Landscape or Portrait mode. The settings menu in Windows Mobile 5.0 lets you toggle between views. If you use this feature regularly, you can set one of the hardware buttons to switch views without having to navigate through the Settings menu.

If you use a Palm OS on your PDA, then you are accustomed to having to close one application in order to work in another. With Windows Mobile, however, you can have multiple programs open at any time. The iTask feature on iPAQs lets you toggle between open applications.

Entertain Yourself

In addition to editing and creating documents or managing email, your iPAQ can also become a form of entertainment when you have downtime. With the integrated 3.5mm stereo headphone jack (the standard size for most headphones) and Windows Media Player 10 Mobile, you can listen to your favorite songs in WMA (Window Media Audio) and MP3 format. In addition, if you have video content in WMV (Windows Media Video) format, you can watch it using Windows Media Player 10 Mobile.

For more hands-on entertainment, Windows Mobile 5.0 also comes with two games: Solitaire and Bubble Breaker (a puzzle game known as Jawbreaker on previous OSes). For more gaming choices, we suggest searching the Web for other options.

The main screen of all Windows Mobile 5.0 handhelds is the Today screen, which is similar to the Desktop on your PC. For fast access to entertainment, you can customize the Today screen with quick links to Music, Internet, Games, and Photos using the iPAQ Entertainment plug-in. Some models, including the rx1950 use the iPAQ Entertainment screen by default. If you prefer not to use the iPAQ Entertainment Today screen, you can implement that change in the Settings menu.

Some older iPAQ models and some current iPAQ smartphones include a built-in camera that lets you capture pictures and video. Although the resolution on these cameras isn’t very high, it’s still adequate for a basic shot. For viewing pictures, all iPAQs have a color display and the Windows Mobile 5.0 Pictures & Videos application, which lets you view and edit pictures stored on internal memory and on a flash card. The default view in Pictures & Videos displays thumbnails of your pictures. You can open a picture for larger viewing by tapping it with the stylus. With the image open, the Menu will display additional editing and sharing options.

Mobile Connectivity

For increased productivity while you’re away from home or your computer, many iPAQs have mobile connectivity tools such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other expandability options. The rx1950 has integrated 802.11b Wi-Fi functionality, which lets you connect to wireless hotspots. Because many wireless access points have special security settings and require a code or password to access, the iPAQ Wireless program lets you manage your Wi-Fi connectivity and enter any special settings or passwords. Windows Mobile 5.0 even supports WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) encryption for additional security.

You can also lock an iPAQ from the Today screen or after a certain period of inactivity. By locking your iPAQ, you disable all functionality until the correct PIN is entered. For even greater security, the iPAQ hx2795 includes a built-in Biometric Fingerprint Reader that requires individual authentication before someone can use the device.

After setting up the correct security settings for an available wireless access point and connecting to it, you can surf the Internet using Internet Explorer Mobile, send and receive email, or synchronize your PDA. In addition, you can transfer your favorite links between your iPAQ and PC using the Mobile Favorites folder in Internet Explorer.

Some iPAQ models, such as the hx2495 and hx2795, also include Bluetooth. With Bluetooth you can connect other wireless devices, including GPS (global positioning system) receivers, wireless headsets, keyboards, and printers, for even greater usability. In addition, most iPAQs, including the rx1950, have IrDA (Infrared Data Association) functionality for transferring files wirelessly between handhelds.

Pocket MSN comes with all Windows Mobile 5.0 handhelds, giving users another way to communicate with other all other users. Pocket MSN includes small versions of MSN Messenger, MSN Hotmail, and a direct link to the MSN Mobile home page. With MSN Messenger on your iPAQ, you can chat in real time with coworkers, friends, and family. A couple of the new features in MSN Messenger for Windows Mobile 5.0 include an upgraded contact list that displays more contacts and additional information than previous versions and an updated user interface that more closely resembles the desktop version of MSN Messenger. Because Microsoft servers host MSN contact lists, you never have to worry about uploading and transferring your contact list from your PC to your iPAQ.

Because the rx1950 and other iPAQ models have an SDIO (Secure Digital Input/Output) expansion slot, you can add extra functionality, such as Wi-Fi (for those models that don’t already include it), Bluetooth, FM radio tuner, digital camera, and more with an SDIO card. The SDIO slot also provides a way to increase the memory in your iPAQ, because it can read SD or MMC (Multi-MediaCard) flash cards. Other iPAQ models also have CF (CompactFlash) card slots for memory expansion.

Smart iPAQs

In addition to handhelds, HP also offers a line of iPAQs traditionally known as smartphones. The hw6500 series is currently available from Cingular, and the updated hw6900 series is expected to be available this summer from an unannounced carrier. Two main features separate an iPAQ smartphone from a more traditional iPAQ PDA: GPS and cell phone capabilities.

Integrated GPS in the iPAQ smartphones lets you use your iPAQ as a navigation device. If you’re only looking for mapping functionality, hw6500 series owners in the United States and Canada are eligible to download Microsoft Pocket Streets 2006 free. The hw6900 is scheduled to ship with Microsoft Pocket Streets 2006. For navigation capabilities, you can purchase a GPS software package that will give you turn-by-turn voice instructions. Because HP realizes that every user will have different preferences regarding this navigation software, you can choose from a variety of programs, including the HP iPAQ Navigation Maps and Software, which is available through the HP online store for $129.


One of the handier features of the integrated cell phone feature on the iPAQ smartphones is the fact that your Outlook address book and contact information is readily accessible from the cell phone. Anyone currently using a separate cell phone and PDA will recognize the benefit of combining his address books so he doesn’t have to wonder where a particular contact’s newest phone number resides.

For hands-free use, the hw6500 and hw6900 series of smartphones also include a speakerphone and 2.5mm headphone jack (standard for most telephone headsets). If you want to use standard headphones to listen to music on one of these smartphones, you need an adapter to convert the 2.5mm jack to a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Another key difference between the hw6500 and hw6900 series of smartphones and traditional PDA-based iPAQs is the inclusion of a thumb keyboard on the smartphones. Most iPAQs have a color display that measures at least 3.5 inches diagonally with no attached keyboard. Conversely, the hw6500 and hw6900 smartphones have smaller color displays that measure 3 inches diagonally and include a thumb keyboard at the base of the display.

Use Your iPAQ

Given the numerous functions of an iPAQ, it’s no wonder these devices are sometimes considered more of a minicomputer than a basic PDA. Although we’ve covered the main features included with many iPAQs, the possibilities for expanding the functionality of your iPAQ by connecting external devices or installing additional software are endless. For more information regarding additional hardware and software for the iPAQ, check out “iPAQ Extras” on page 42.

by Jennifer Johnson