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Hewlett Packard Jornada 720 Handheld PC | List Price: $899.99
Discount Price: $399.99
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Platform: Windows NT, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows 95
Brand: Hewlett-Packard
Binding: Electronics
Warranty: 1 Year Limited
Features: - Get fast performance with 206 MHz processor, 32 MB SDRAM, and 2-D graphics acceleration
- Features 640 x 240 screen and 3/4-size keyboard
- Powered by rechargeable lithium-ion battery
- Includes pocket versions of familiar Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint as well as Internet Explorer for Handheld PC
- What's in the box: Jornada 720, Stylus, AC adapter, Rechargeable lithium-ion battery, USB Docking cradle, Sync cable, User Manual
Excellent little machine [Posted on 2005-09-29]
I bought my Jornada 720 three years ago on ebay for a fraction of the "new" price - and I love this machine. The best thing is instant startup (unlike any laptop, which takes forever to start), and of course its size and battery life (again longer than any laptop). I added a 64MB card, and use another Compact Flash card to store and transfer large files from and to my deskotop. ActiveSync works fine too, but it is slower.
I was able to find better business apps than the Microsoft inferior "pocket" products included in the package - Textmaker (from a German software designer) which is a fully functional text editor (including footnotes and embedded objects); the same manufacturer also has a fully functional spreasheet, but I recommend SpreadCE from Bye Design Ltd. in the UK - it is a fully functional spreadsheet that has virtually all desktop Excel functions and some charts too. Cash Organizer (from Inesoft, which I belive is a Russian company) is an excellent addition to manage multiple financial accounts. One Cat Doodler 3 (from the US) is a great graphics program. Mobibook has a wide selection of titles, including dictionaries.
In short, it is a great, very dependable machine with nearly full business functionality, if right third party applications are added. It also doubles as a good mp3 player. The machine clearly has limitations - processing large Excel files can be painfully slow, no external file links, not so great graphics - but it is not a substitute for a desktop. But it certainly has many advantages over a laptop and doubles as an i-pod substitute. Too bad HP discontinued the model - perhaps because it is an effective substitute for other overpriced products such as clunky laptops and even clunkier windows XP - but it is still available here and there.
Consider This Before Accepting Negative Reviews [Posted on 2006-05-10]
The HP Jornada 720 (the final model of this line was the 728) is the finest, practical design mobile Handheld Computing device ever made. The Jornada rival is the NEC MobilePro 780-800 line. Both clamshell, mini-laptop looking, devices were high quality and expensive (average retail was over $1,000).
These devices are authentic handhelds and they are true mobile PCs. In comparison, PDAs are very expensive toys. Both NECs & Jornadas have practical data input-- a useable keyboard & a touch screen. Both Jornadas and NECs have built-in card slots. Being PDA type devices, handhelds have no moving parts & they are instant on - off. They come with built-in phone modems & infrared wireless ports. Neither line, the Jornada or NEC, was designed for modern radio type wireless Internet but both lines are fully capable of it.
By the way, the chief reasons laptops break down are all related to their being moved about. Damaged screens (from being dropped or handled roughly) & hard drive failure are problems. Own a 720 and like me you will soon consider a laptop a lug-a-bout portable desktop computer. Make a home made bubble wrap envelope for your Jornada or NEC and they should be O.K. There is no hard drive to fail from chuck hole caused rough movement in a car, or from dropping.
Don't let the memory limitations throw you off. Your basic productivity programs are permanently hardware loaded in ROM & Many mobile Windows CE programs can be installed and run from CF cards and both Jornada & NEC lines can handle up to one gig or bigger CF cards. Some enthusiasts report success runing CF micro drives. There are also inexpensive CF card slot adapters that allow additional adaptability.
Some of the software that comes with these devices is severely outdated, especially the Microsoft syncing software, Microsoft Activesync. No problem. The best version is Activesync 3.8 anyway and it is freely available. Download and install it to your XP system and you'll have no problem syncing with a Jornada or NEC
These handhelds were never meant for the general consumer market. They are enterprise devices, which is why few consumers know about them.
I own a Jornada 680e (under $90 like-new refurbished)& a 720. I also own a NEC Mobilepro 780 and the 790. My favorite is the NEC 780 - 790 because NECs have a larger keyboard than Jornadas do. I have big hands but I am able to two-finger touch type with the Jornada models (680 - 728).
Among handheld enthusiasts the Jornada 720 and 728 is the clear favorites. While both Jornadas and NECs are high quality engineering and make, the Jornada is the best. The 720 & 728 has external voice record and playback buttons and they have a stereo headphone jack.
Get this: Both Handheld lines get 7 or more hours active use time per battery charge and they weigh less than 2 pounds including the Li-ion battery. The Jornadas are more energy efficient so you can be a little more sloppy about leaving a CF or wireless card plug in the off state. The NECs need to be plugged in if you leave cards plug in. No problem. I simply make sure my cards are disconnected when I am not using them.
I do about everything with a computer that computers are used for. When I leave my house, I never take a laptop. I always take either my NEC 780 or NEC 790. I connect with public access points automatically without any problem. I like the Jornada 720 better but I can type much easier and faster on the larger NEC.
There are a lot of things you can do to update a Jornada or an NEC and there is a very active, quality user support group whose members will help you as you have never before received information and assistance for a Computer. The site? HPCFactor.com... Registration is easy and free and the site is a storehouse of free software and drivers for handheld computers.
The site again for everything handheld is hpcfactor.com
I give the Jornada 4 stars because I consider the Sharp Zaurus SL 3500 the best handheld made. They are Sharp Linux devices, are not sold in USA, are cheaper than current HP and Dell PDA toys & the keypad is too small for many westerners.
Good memories but you can't go home again [Posted on 2006-07-23]
I am on my 2nd Jornada 720; the first one I positively loved, but in the rush to upgrade (and free up some money) I sold it in 2003.
Recently the Jornada handhelds have fallen into Bargain Bin status, and I picked up my current 720 and a 680e (older sibling) for almost nothing. The 720 is by far the snappier and better of the two. The 680e is a little heavier and bigger, and better as a mobile typing platform.
However, these are 1998-2000 era machines; and things have changed substantially. Heck, they can barely play video! The two biggest signs of obsolescence are the serial cable for connecting (though ActiveSync still works) and Pocket Internet Explorer 4.0. For most of the serious business stuff people would use these for such as taking notes, spreadsheets, calendar and contacts, these are invaluable.
However, the lack of a modern web browser hurts severely, as checking your e-mail, accessing bank accounts, corporate intranets, secure websites, etc., becomes difficult or impossible.
Still, despite all the whiz-bang functionality of the Pocket PC toys, I still prefer the palmtop format. I've had more than a few people wonder what these new gizmos were I was taking notes on at meetings, not having any idea how old they are. And for discreetly being able to type notes/ideas there's nothing better. The 720 can support flash cards and PCMCIA network cards, so it can (or was) useable as a mini web terminal with a wireless card.
That was a lot of fun, being able to whip it out, surf the web and take care of errands/business, and put it back in your pocket while the old school road warrior is still trying to get their laptop booted up and connected.
While the 720 is at the tail edge of usefulness, it's still a neat little computenmaschinen to have around.
Small but Sweet [Posted on 2007-01-16]
This is a marvelous device, great for a writer. I can work on my stories on the fly and synchronize to my laptop for editing.
Containing Excel, Word, Power Point, Outlook, it is everything you can ask for in on-the-go computing.
The charge lasts about 9 hours at a time; I plug it in every other night to keep it topped off, and carry it in my pocket on the subway.
Lay in an extra battery if you can (before HP stops making the product - they are up to Jornada 900)
not a great item [Posted on 2008-02-17]
It is not a great item if u just fancy a touch screen without much functionality and outdated techology
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