HP iPAQ 5555 Pocket PC

[Archived in Bluetooth, Games, HP Handhelds und PDAs, Handheld PCs und PDAs, Handhelds and PDAs, Hewlett Packard, Music, Productivity Software, Products, Wi-Fi (802.11b)]

Manufacturer: Hewlett Packard
Price at amazon.com: $555.69
This item is not stocked or has been discontinued.

Product Features:

• A powerful and flexible Pocket PC with enhanced security and wireless features
• Integrated Bluetooth for wireless connectivity both in and out of the office
• All the benefits of the Microsoft Pocket PC 2003 Premium operating system
• Biometric fingerprint reader for serious security
• What's in the box: iPAQ Pocket PC, USB Desktop cradle/charger, AC Adapter, holster with belt clip, lithium-ion battery, getting started poster; charger adapter, hp iPAQ Pocket PC Companion CD

Product Description:

The hp h5555 allows you to gain competitive advantage through increased mobile productivity that allows you to communicate, access, and manage information when you want.

Average Customer Rating:

---

Comment: Nearly Flawless Rating:
For me, this machine is nearly flawless. It's backward compatible with most accessories that were made for any iPaq from the 3600 series or later, which is great for me since I have a lot of old accessories lying around (From my old iPaq 3670) that I like to use.

Using the built in media player, I can play most file formats for video and audio. Using MorphGear, I can play many old video games, even from the SNES, which was too intensive to play on older models, without any glitches and a nice framerate.

I've only used the Bluetooth for syncing, but that seems to work fine. The 5555 fixes a problem that the 5455 had, in which it would run out of memory trying to run both the Bluetooth and 802.11b drivers at the same time, if the machine had been on for a while, and wouldn't be able to load the 802.11b module.

There are only two things that bother me about the 5555. The first, isn't really a big deal. It didn't come with the Nevo software that the 5455 had, and so can't be used as a universal remote. The second is a big deal. If you don't charge the batery soon enough, your iPaq will basically be restored to factory defaults when you do charge it up and use it. The only things you won't lose are files in the iPaq File Store, and on storage cards. Very inconvenient.

---

Comment: great features, poor reliability Rating:
I would love the ipaqs if I could ever count on them to work. The 5555 is the third ipaq I have owned in the past three years (The company I work for gets them at a great discount, and I don't have to pay for them, which is why I keep getting them)

First off, there are many things to love about this pda. The fingerprint recognition is really cool. It works perfectly for me, and I don't have to worry about remembering a password or having it stolen. The integrated bluetooth and 802.11b is an excellent add-on, and hasn't added to the bulk of the device at all. There is a large amount of built-in memory, the display looks beautiful, the battery is swappable, and there are a lot of nice applications built in.

What disappoints me with every ipaq is the low reliability. It is so poor that I would never personally spend my own money on one of these devices. I typically have to hit the reset button on my ipaq several times per day, becuase under heavy use the thing will freqently slow down or completely freeze up. You can't blame third party apps for these faults, since I am commonly using the standard features of my ipaq when these faults occur.

My first two ipaqs died within about a year of purchase. The first one had a battery go bad, and since it was built into the device I could not swap it myself. The second one just stopped working. I could turn it on, but it basically just gave me a blue screen of death and nothing more.

I love what the ipaqs offer, I just wish HP could get their act together and make them work as they're supposed to.

---

Comment: Always by my side. Rating:
EDIT Start -

I would like to comment on reviewers who claim that the technical support is junk along with the device's reliability. May I point out that it is Microsoft's operating system, which is to be expected as no operating system is perfect. The iPAQ's hardware has nothing to do with how many times a reset is needed, since it has not only more ram, but a faster processor than most other pda's currently on the market. As for the technical support, I have had two iPAQ's and always received the same friendly and careless help needed to fix my problems straight away. Here's a recent example of how HP's support works.

1. Problem occurs.
2. Call to HP, they check warranty (lasts a year).
3. They send you an empty box, shipping and parts replacement, 100% free.
4. Ship it out next day.
5. Repair begins and ends in under an hour.
6. You receive an email confirming depature and repair success.
7. You receive the iPAQ back, only having it leave your side for less than 3 days.

If that's not service, then I don't know what is. I believe that many people are rude, arrogant, and are ignorant to their mistakes. I told the support technicians that I had dropped it and they said no problem, and replaced the screen, usb host connector, and battery all free of charge. Hope this helps your buying decision.

EDIT Finish -

In comparison to newer-age pda's including the Toshiba e805, the Asus MyPal, and the new Dell Axim, I hope you will regard my post only within HP and Compaq's products. This particular iPAQ is a giant leap from my Compaq iPAQ 3835, gone are the days of cradle synchronizing and wired connections. With Bluetooth and wi-fi I can synchronize and receiving data virtually anywhere.

A few reasons to avoid buying this:
- it is not a good first pda, as some features require proficient computer knowledge
- it is not worth buying unless you plan on using all features, including the finger print scan, otherwise go with the cheaper 4100 series iPAQs.

A few reasons to avoid buying another:
- is an 'upgradable' iPAQ, which means all previous software, cords/connections, sleeves (jackets), styli, and cases will work with this iPAQ.
- has wi-fi and bluetooth built in, along with 128megs sd ram, and 48 megs rom, gives you extra storage space.
- speedy processor and an sdio slot.

I believe this is the current best option for anyone wanting a powerful handheld machine. With the largest array of expansion abilities and wireless capabilities, it is the smartest choice you can make.

Posted at November 11, 2003 07:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)