HP iPAQ 114 Classic Handheld

HP iPaq 114 Classic

Background

HP's iPAQ 114 Classic is amongst one of the newest models released by HP in its completely overhauled range. This new series of PDAs consists of; the 100 & 200 series which are basic PDAs running on Windows Mobile 6.0, the 300 series (which has built in GPS) and the 600 & 900 series which have built in cellular phones and GPS system.

I am reviewing a model which sits in the ...
...shows the contents of a HP iPAQ 114 Classic box as bought in the UK;

- HP iPAQ 114 PDA
- Stylus
- USB Sync cable which also doubles up as a mains charger (with the supplied adapter)
- Leather Carry Case
- Drivers containing software for Windows XP users (Windows Vista has native support in the means of Windows Mobile Device Center')
- Various literature including user manual, guarantees and warranties ... more

HP iPaq 114 Classic

Background

HP's iPAQ 114 Classic is amongst one of the newest models released by HP in its completely overhauled range. This new series of PDAs consists of; the 100 & 200 series which are basic PDAs running on Windows Mobile 6.0, the 300 series (which has built in GPS) and the 600 & 900 series which have built in cellular phones and GPS system.

I am reviewing a model which sits in the 100 series.

What's in the box

The list below shows the contents of a HP iPAQ 114 Classic box as bought in the UK;

- HP iPAQ 114 PDA
- Stylus
- USB Sync cable which also doubles up as a mains charger (with the supplied adapter)
- Leather Carry Case
- Drivers containing software for Windows XP users (Windows Vista has native support in the means of Windows Mobile Device Center')
- Various literature including user manual, guarantees and warranties etc

Overview

The HP iPAQ 114 has had a bit of a face lift when comparing it with older revisions of the iPAQ family however it still manages to keep the well known shape and layout common to most iPAQs past and present. The brushed metal effect with chrome buttons is pleasing to the eye yet it doesn't look too cheap and tacky.

Notable specifications for the HP iPAQ 114 are as follows;

- Windows Mobile 6 Classic operating system
- Marvell 624Mhz Processor
- 3.5inch TFT display
- Integrated Bluetooth & Wi-Fi connectivity
- 64MB SDRAM / 256MB Flash ROM (of which 190MB is available to the user)
- SD card memory slot

Usability

When my iPAQ 114 first arrived and I eagerly got it out of its box the first thing which hit me was that the unit itself is very light compared to other iPAQs which I have owned, even though I mentioned above that the look of this PDA was pleasing the weight made it feel slightly cheap, however this was rescued by the fantastic stylus which comes in the box which is nice and balanced and does have some weight to it. I still feel HP could have added a tiny bit more weight to the unit to make it feel a bit more stable in the hand.

Once I had charged the device and turned it on for the first time (charge time of around 2 hours) the main factor which annoyed me the most to begin with was the amount of downward force you needed to exert on the screen for it to recognise that commanded a click or drag. This was tedious for the first few hours of use however one soon gets used to this.

The initial setup of the device is very simple and built in OS of Windows Mobile 6 Classic has a very Windows Vista feel to it. I soon installed several applications (OK these were mainly games!) to test out what the processor was like and I was amazed the device packs some serious decent punch and is extremely responsive.

Another area which pleased me was the amount of wireless connectivity which was included on the iPAQ 114, you get both Bluetooth and (more importantly for me) Wi-Fi. Setting up the Wi-Fi connection with my router was a doddle and it even supports the security protocol of WPA-2 which at least slows down any potential hackers.

The Bluetooth connection was a bit more of a fiddle to setup as I was trying to pair it with my GPS receiver which I use in the car in conjunction with TomTom. I had to navigate through several menus in order for it to find my device and pair with it, however once this was done it was relatively easy to get the PDA talking with my GPS unit.

Durability

One of the main weak points of any PDA is its screen, if you crack or scratch it you usually have to replace the whole screen (which can be costly if you don't know how to do it yourself!) - Apart from the leather case which is included there are no plastic screen protectors provided which in this day and age is a must have I had to get some off eBay in the end.

The other area of concern is the weight of the device, it might just be me but it feels like if I dropped it on a hard surface it would easily break, however I have been proven wrong on several occasions when the above has actually happened and the device has survived without any damage.

Battery life is generally around 4 - 6 hours, however you can expect to halve this if you continuously use any of the wireless connectivity features, I'm not going to mark the device down on this as it is a common issue with many devices such as laptops and mobile phones.

Conclusion

The HP iPAQ 114 Classic is a fine basic PDA with some nice added extras such as Wi-Fi and a fast processor, however a bit more money spent on the build quality would probably result in me giving this an excellent mark instead of good.

I have read a few other reviews on this device which slate it for not having cellular phone support built in, now I don't really get why reviewers have done this as the HP iPAQ 114 Classic is marketed as a basic PDA without a phone, my personal opinion is that I don't like using brick like devices for my phone so this PDA neatly fits into my lifestyle, and it is worth noting that the 600 & 900 series of these new PDAs from HP do feature cellular support.

All in all if you are looking for a basic, affordable PDA which has a few neat features I would highly recommend this model.

I paid £146 (inc. Delivery & VAT) for this model in January 2008 

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