Customer Reviews
Not bad 
2008-05-03
This is my first pocket PC. Seems pretty good to me but I don't have much experience with others.
A few shortcomings, but they are major. 
2008-03-13
The HP210 / 211 / 212 / 214 could have been a truly great product. (They're all the same product: the different numbers indicate the channel and country; i.e., 210 US - Consumer, 214 - Asia, etc.) But it has a few shortcomings that, in my opinion, reduce it to an average product that should be considered carefully.
First, I am a big fan of PDAs and so-called smartphones and have been using them for years. None of them are perfect. In fact, most of them are far from perfect. In recent years the smartphone category, combining the cellular phone, the PDA and a camera, has really taken off. The standalone PDA is probably an endangered species and the HP211 could be the last of its kind. The emergence of the mini-laptop like the Asus Eee and Fujitsu U810 may, in fact, be the final nails in the coffin of the standalone PDA which I think would be a pity.
HP did a lot of things right with the HP211.
The screen is absolutely gorgeous. Photos and videos shine forth in all their glory. Glare from the screen surface has not been a problem. I have not tested it in direct sunlight, but it holds up well in bright daylight. The screen does require a fairly strong touch, but it is something you become accustomed to fairly quickly. Scrolling, however, in Internet Explorer seems to somewhat difficult. You have to apply firm pressure which the device may be interpreting as repeated taps. Something makes navigation in IE more difficult than it has to be.
For those who use the inking capability, once you get the touch done, it is a great experience. The Marvell processor is fast enough to make inking a delight. If you use an onscreen keyboard like TenGo, you'll be well impressed with how responsive the screen is and how fast your input can be.
Overall, the CPU powers the device with lots of horses to spare. And it is wonderful to have all that memory available, knowing as well that you can add humongous SDHC and CF cards as well. The idea that you can add 32GB of memory with 16GB card in each slot is mindblowing.
WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities are excellent.
The four function buttons are well placed and can be reprogrammed to meet your needs. On left side is another button that starts the recording function. The on/off switch is mounted on the front near the top right corner. While it hasn't happened to me, I am afraid it can be depressed accidentally, but the auto shutdown should render that moot even if it happens.
The D-pad is a major drawback and could be a dealbreaker for a lot of people. The designers lopped off the top of the D-pad. It is smaller than the right/left and down pads and, mounted just below the screen bezel, feels funny. It is also difficult to toggle precisely which is frustrating. As I use it more, it seems to be becoming more natural, but I consider it a dumb design move. I would strongly suggest that prospective owners either try it in a store or buy from a vendor with an excellent return policy.
The other major flaw - and this could be a deal-killer for a lot of people is the speaker arrangement. There are two speakers, but they do not work together at the same time. The front one is used only, as far as I know, with Skype. It has just barely adequate volume in a quiet room. If there's any kind of noise, forget it. By the way, the HP211 works very well with Skype.
The rear speaker is just plain horrible. It is inaudible even in a quiet room. It is unusable for playing back voice recordings and trying to use it for music or audio tracks on movies is unthinkable. You can also whistle goodbye to using it for voice prompts for GPS. In a unit this expensive, this design flaw is inexcusable. Making matters worse is that the headphone jack - which is, thankfully, a standard 3.5mm - is located on the bottom of the unit. I haven't tried it with Bluetooth headphones. one of the big pluses of a standalone PDA like this to me is the recording capability for quick notes. But if I can't hear them playing back without headphones, what good is it? Another reason for a standalone with Bluetooth is GPS. Obviously, you want GPS with voice prompts. But if you can't hear the voice prompts, what good is it?
Considering HP's legendary engineering, I am surprised these flaws made it into the final product, but they did and I think they greatly reduce the appeal of the product.
The unit is pretty big, which I appreciate because I want an ample writing surface and I have big hands. That's the good news. The bad news is that the surfaces are all slippery plastic. If you intend to use this unit without a case, I suspect it will become a casualty within a matter of days. Overall, the construction feels a little on the cheap side. Not awful, but it doesn't feel very robust either.
My primary reason for wanting a standalone PDA is to have a way (other than pen and paper) to take notes throughout the day. The HP211 fills this role well. I primarily use PhatNotes and TenGo. The HP211 screen provides an excellent inking experience with no vectoring problems. The stock Windows Mobile Notes and other applications and the letter recognizer also work well. It's a joy to have a ton of memory with the ability to expand to previously unheard of dimensions. The screen is a marvelous platform for viewing photos or videos. (The CPU, by the way, doesn't have quite enough ooomph to play video back smoothly. Using TCMP, I had lots of dropped frames.)
If I were ranking the device very narrowly, I would give it 5 stars without hesitation and then take 1 star away for the price, which I think is too high. Thus a net 4 stars. Because of the D-pad design and, in particular, the utterly useless audio, I can give it only 3 stars. Considering the high price in conjunction with these defects and I have to strongly urge that anyone considering this device consider it very, very carefully. One of the reasons I prefer Windows Mobile devices is the wide array of software available for them. The main reason for buying the HP211, on my part, was the large screen, which is admittedly much easier to work with than the one on my smartphone.
But at $400+ for the HP, there are alternatives and I suggest that they be considered. The Nokia N800 is less than half the price and provides WiFi, web browsing and email. The screen is great, though converting video for the N8*0 is dicey. The N800 offers SDHC expansion capability. The N810 adds a sliding keyboard. And both have a rudimentary camera which the HP211 should have, but doesn't. The big drawback to the N8*0 devices? They're Linux and apps are still relatively scarce.
On the whole, I think the HP211 is well suited for a notetaking function and moderately well suited for web browsing when Opera is installed. It is an adequate video platform. But the built-in speakers simply stink. The headphone jack is inconveniently placed and the D-pad is something of a design disaster.
The big problem is that there just aren't that many standalone PDAs out there running Windows Mobile 6 with a ton of memory and a great 4" screen. At half the price, I'd live with the problems. At $400+, though, I'm still wondering about it. My smartphone does everything the HP211 does: it's just smaller and more difficult to work on. Is the convenience worth $400+? I'm not sure yet, but am tilting toward saying "no".
Jerry
My $0.02 Worth 
2008-03-08
I've been using Windows Mobile and Windows CE products for almost 10 years. I've owned the 4700, 2595 and now the 211. My wife has the 110. I use these devices extensively and have an entire workflow planned around it. It goes everywhere with me. My requirements are such that a converged device doesn't provide much use to me: processor usually too weak, memory too little, and definitely the screen too small.
I bought the 211 about a month ago. Here are my impressions:
- My first reaction was "BIG!". It is bigger than all my other devices. It's thick, more so than the 4700. The weight is ok, though. I don't think about the size any more. I've gotten used to it.
- The screen does require more pressure to operate, but again, I'm used to it now and it's forgotten. I haven't noticed different pressure reactions on different screen locations.
- The screen is perfect. To address previous comments about being able to see more stuff: I scan all my documents and commit to PDF. Everything. Then I sync to the 211's SD card. I have a lightweight PDF reader, and I can read PDFs easily without scrolling horizontally. I can't come close to doing that with my wife's 110, or my 2495. Yes, you can fit much more on the screen, and it's much much sharper than any other device. Yes, the unit takes advantage of the higher resolution: it's not just bigger pictures on a bigger screen, honestly. Having said that, it's up to the application to do that. Most do.
- I have *not* noticed any negative performance difference between this and my previous devices. It's as fast as my 2495 and my wife's 110.
- I have approximately 30 applications(!) on it. None have had compatibility issues. And because of the impressive amount of memory, I still have approxiamtely 55% of storage memory left.
- Yes, there's a proprietary cable for sync and power. However, there's also a mini-USB port, so the proprietary cables aren't necessary at all. I don't travel with them. I only use a retractable mini-USB for charging and synchronization. It's really not an issue.
- Battery life is better than the 4700 and the 2495.
- I love the buttons. I honestly don't understand the criticisms I have read about them. I'm happy.
- Bluetooth and WiFi have worked without any issues. My only complaint here is for WM6: it can't connect to my work WiFi network because WM6 doesn't support WPA enterprise.
Sorry for the rambling review. Just wanted to give my opinion on issues raised here. It's the perfect device for my requirements: no converged phone/PDA, and I don't need a camera. BTW, my employer gave me a 8525. I don't use it at all. It simply can't do what the 211 does.
Great performance and great looking! 2008-03-08
I have to admitt that this is my first PDA but I think I have enough computer technology experience to judge this as a wonderful product.
It's performance is outstanding. I have not only used all the applications that came with the PDA but two others that I find really interesting.
One is adding a Compact Flash GPS and using GPS Tuner software and what a great combination of hardware and software to have a superb GPS utility.
The other is using Remote Desktop to have remote access of the server I daily work with and it's just unbelievable how great it performs with this application.
Battery life is very good. Usually more than 7 hours without needing to recharge.
The screen and touch interface works perfect and the visibility is great for a 4 inch screen.
The only thing that I wished this PDA to have is an infrared port so I could use it as a remote control for my TV and other appliances but I still think this product well deserves a 5 star rating.
HP iPAQ 211 2008-03-02
Great product if your looking for a top of the line PDA. Great screen resolution, large spreadsheets are readable. Very usable for web browseing. Expensive, but worth it.
Great PDA! 2008-02-22
Whether you're an IT manager or a mobile professional, you can maximize your business results with an organizer that makes the most of your on-the-go style. The powerful iPAQ 211 Enterprise Handheld will run your work applications and a broad range of third-party solutions. The large 4" touch screen means excellent viewing in a variety of light conditions. It has robust SDIO expansion and it lets you connect to the Internet and get e-mail, at the office and in Wi-Fi hot spots in airports, cafes, and hotels. Integrated WiFi - 802.11 b/g with WPA2 security Integrated Bluetooth v2.0 with EDR Marvell PXA310, 624MHz Processor 4 transflective TFT 260K color Display, 480 x 640 pixel (VGA) touch panel with LED backlight 64MB SDRAM main memory for running applications, 256MB flash ROM 2200-mAh Lithium Ion rechargeable, user changeable battery 24-pin docking connector, mini USB, Micro SD card slot Integrated microphone, receiver, two speakers, and 3.5mm 4 pin headphone jack Operating system - Microsoft Windows Mobile 6 Classic Dimensions - 4.96 x 2.99 x 0.63 Weight - 114.6 grams (3.68 ounces) with battery
Best PDA yet 2008-02-18
I've owned HP pocket pc's since they first came out and have owned 5 different models, each better than the one before, and the 211 is no exception. Maybe some want their phone and pocket pc melded into one, but not me. I've checked out the teensy weensy screens on the PDA/cell phones, slow processors and limited memory, and that doesn't work for me. Yes, the new 211 pocket pc is bigger than previous models, but the screen is bigger with incredible resolution. And no, I don't want to use my PDA as a phone, either. I pretty much forget about my cell phone in my pocket, and I depend on my PDA dozens of times a day as a fully functional computer. Whenever I need to do something on my computer, I pop this on and in a few seconds I'm on. I wouldn't pay attention to the reviewer who said the screen is bigger, but so is everything else. This isn't true. Also, all of the Office Mobile applications have a "Zoom" feature that lets you scale the text down if you want, giving you more useful real estate. Combined with the fact that the resolution itself is higher, this screen is spectacular. Connectivity via WiFi is faster as well. And I don't know what the reviewer meant when he said the applications are slower. Mine certainly aren't, and again, I use mine every single day, many times a day. For the first time, internet browsing is pretty amazing with the fine detail and larger screen. It's hard to imagine a better pocket pc at any price. This is an extremely good balance of form and function.
HUGE leap from HX2495 and Dell X51v 2008-02-17
got this "monster" this week
the first feeling is "HUGE", my hand can hold it because I have big palm
the screen is eye candy, 4" VGA can make a quite difference, the color is very good, not "yellowish" like other HP products, the screen looks dark when the backlight is off, however, it's pretty viewable under sunlight
the buttons and d-pad are pretty comfortable to press, but up direction of d-pad is a little bit difficult to press because the bottom of screen frame, the arragement is
calendar/contacts (I changed to IE/File Explorer)
Start button (cannot to be changed)
OK and minimize/? (I changed ? to Bluetooth Manager
messaging (not changed)
the application is typical WM, but HP signature application "iTask" is no longer exist, which I can shut down an application with ease, it doesn't have ipaq backup
Monster Chinese users must read, you must use version 5.3, ver 6.0 will mess up the machine, cause it unable to boot, requires factory reset
all jacks are located on the bottom, even headphones jack, that you may want to use wireless headphones instead, luckily, the updated bt is alot more stable, almost no skip/interruption on a2dp; you can almost forget the new data port, the miniUSB can do both async and charging (1A or higher USB charger is highly recommended, the included AC adaptor has supplied charging adaptor to the data port)
the unit speed is OK, slow down a bit when a2dp is active, video is decent, with TCPMP, no slowdown on mpeg (ripped directly from VCD), Divx is fine (VGA @30fps), wmv has some hiccup
the battery is OK, VGA can use good amount of power, it is recommended to setup screeen auto-off to save power, I tested with Pocket Player, play 160-192kbps ogg vorbis, got around 7 hours when bt a2dp is active
this unit has 2 memory card slots, I put 16GB CF (A-Data) and 16GB SD-HC (A-Data), both work 100%
RF on wifi and bt is pretty impressive, can get signal easily, and give wireless headphones more range (though it's not good as class 1 bt)
this unit is a big leap from HX2495 and X51v, HX4705 users will find similar pleasure with this unit
I give 95%
pro:
HUGE VGA screen, buttons are comfortable to press, 2200mA/h battery (you can use HX4705 battery), miniUSB port, stable bt, good RF
con:
weak speaker, headphones jack is located on the bottom, no cradle included, kinda bulky
A big disapointment 
2008-02-15
I have always owned Pocket PCs made by HP, and their quality hands down has always been superior for me. These include the 3800, 5555, 4155 and 2755. When the Ipaq 211 came out, I bought it because it was the first PPC to include 128MB of Ram, 256MB of ROM **AND** have a VGA screen. It's something I wanted for years and have always criticized companies like Dell for always sacrificing one strength for another when releasing a new design...such as creating PPCs with more storage and a VGA screen, but intentionally limiting the ram to 64MB so running multiple robust applications became next to impossible.
The Good: Beautiful design, terrific screen size and color...and superior wireless connectivity. Loaded with a good complement of software, and includes both compact flash and secure digital slots. It also has a decent battery life, even when running Bluetooth or Wireless (I used it for almost 5 hours straight.) Windows Mobile 6 is feature rich and is ready for business right out of the box. On the outside, it appears to have it all.
The Bad: HP changed their universal 22pin serial cable connection to a larger 24pin version for no reason, so none of the external docking peripherals, cables or anything that previously interfaced directly with the HP series will work. The new interface offers no new benefit and renders your PPC incompatible with a lot of hardware. If you own a GPS with a serial connection, get ready to buy another one with a wireless Bluetooth interface or pray that your GPS company decides to offer a converter cable. Unlike every other PPC I have ever bought, there is no docking cradle included, and instead of giving you a USB serial cable that syncs and charges through the USB port, the cable given also requires a separate power connection, making carrying the included power supply more of an unnecessary burden. In addition, the amount of force necessary for the stylus to interact with the screen is greater than what I was ever used to, and different parts of the screen were more sensitive than others.
The Ugly: Despite the 624Mhz processor, this PPC is SLOWER and demonstrates more inconsistent and laggy performance than any other PPC I have ever owned, period. The Marvell PXA310 processor...being a member of the XScale family, has broken compatibility enough so that even applications like Pocket Hack Master, which ran on every other Pocket PC I ever owned, cannot recognize or make full use of it. TCPMP, probably the most efficient video player in the PPC world, would crash after attempting to end the playing of video. No other PPC ever had that issue. Every application I installed exhibited enough of a delay to the point where I was certain that the machine was clocked to run at on 1/4th the speed it was advertised to do. The difference was so obvious that I even installed the same applications an another friend's Ipaq just to do a side by side comparison. Both hard and soft resets yielded no benefit, and since I bought this direct from HP, it already had the latest drivers and firmware.
The performance and compatibility issues...both on the software and hardware side...make upgrading to this unit a very risky proposition for people who have come to expect more from their PPCs. I was so profoundly disappointed that I promptly returned it to HP for a full refund. Aside from the drawback of only having a 320x240 screen, my hx2755 outperforms this unit in every measurable way. As such, I have come to the conclusion that no PPC manufacturer has any intention of actually giving people what they want without *intentionally* introducing drawbacks or flaws into the design or functionality. HP has no valid excuse whatsoever for releasing what I have no choice but to deem a sub-standard product that is easily outmatched by units that have been discontinued for years. If you are someone that expects more for your hard-earned money, this is not the unit to get.
Best PDA ever 2008-02-09
I really like this iPaq 211. My old 1945 died unexpectedly so I went in search of a replacement and selected the 211.
The screen is very large, and extremely clear. The 640 x 480 can be used in landscape or portait mode, and high or low resolution can be selected. It's amazing how much you can get on the screen. I've used it for several hours of browsing the internet, and it's very easy to use most sites. My old iPaq's screen was just too small to be usefull for any serious writing, but this thing is so easy to see.
The processors speed is very good. A fast processor and lots of memory means that it doesn't bog down when I've got lots of apps in memory. Also the battery life very good, I've surfed the web on WIFI for several hours, and had plenty of juice to spare. MS Mobile office has some nice improvements,too. I really like the way that it handles multiple mail servers - it keeps the email boxes separate, and allows you to specify which one you want to work with. I have my google, msn live, comcast, and corporate mailboxes available.
Before you put an ounce of faith in any less than favorable reviews, go see what Mobile Tech said about this beauty:
[...]
The only negative is the Activesync program that is used to synchronize the iPaq with my PC. It can be very slow at times.
