It can be quite difficult to say with any authority which Pocket PC is the best. Most experts would agree that the leading contenders for this title are the HP iPaq Pocket PC hx4700, Dell Axim X51v, HP iPaq hx2790 and the Garmin iQue M5. While all of these Pocket PCs represent a great value to the user and can easily be recommended for the Best PC title, only the HP iPaq Pocket PC hx4700 stands out among them.



One need not look far to see the reason for this. The HP iPaq Pocket PC hx 4700 comes equipped with powerful features and is a superb tool for professionals who are always on the move. This Pocket PC has the latest Windows operating system, Intel's high-speed 624MHz processor, an innovative navigational touchpad, and a sharp VGA screen.

An especially remarkable thing about this Pocket PC is its memory base. The 128MB of ROM and 64MB of RAM (yielding a total of 135MB of user-accessible memory) makes it possible to store a large amount of data. This is ideal for any user who needs powerful portable computing solutions.

This Pocket PC even stands out in the field of wireless connectivity, offering both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth receivers, both of which can be active at the same time. The iPaq Wireless utility makes life even easier by allowing all wireless connections to be quickly and easily managed.

The user also gets all the advantages that professionals have come to love about Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition. Features such as Pocket Outlook, Word, Excel, and Internet Explorer are built right in. As if that weren't enough, the Pocket PC also includes HP utilities like Image Zone for viewing images and creating slide shows.

The 4-inch VGA TFT screen supports up to 65,000 colors with a resolution of 640x480 pixels, ensuring crisp, bright images. The trapezoid-shaped touchpad is formed from four programmable shortcut keys that are designed to make the Pocket PC simple to operate. If a more standard interface is preferred, the Settings menu can be used to launch cursor mode, which works just like the mouse cursor on larger PCs.

Of course the HP iPaq Pocket PC hx4700 also comes with the standard LED buttons: orange for charging, blue for wireless, and green for alarms. All the other standard features are included; a stylus holder, the power button, the headphone jack, and an expansion slot that accepts SDIO, MMC, and CompactFlash cards. At the base of the device is where the IR port and the reset button can be found.

Even its design is striking. Rather than being encased in the traditional silver casing that is the trademark HP color, it is clad in a charcoal-gray body with black accents. If it has a disadvantage it would have to be its size: at 5.2 by 3.0 by 0.6 inches it is a little bigger than the competing handhelds.

Another potential drawback is the price. At a less-than-lightweight $649 there are many who would also consider its price a disadvantage. While the HP iPaq Pocket PC hx4700 may burn a hole in some pockets, most owners will agree that it is money well spent.