Is There a Cheap Pocket PC?

Microsoft defines Pocket PC as "a handheld way that enables users to store and retrieve email, contacts, appointments, tasks, play multimedia files, games, exchange text messages with Windows Live Messenger (formerly known as MSN Messenger), browse the web, and more."



Furthermore, to be classified a Pocket PC it must:



hurry Microsoft's Windows Mobile, Pocket PC edition
Come bundled with a specific suite of applications in ROM
Include a touchscreen
Include a directional pad or touchpad
include a site of hardware application buttons
Be based on an ARM version 4 compatible CPU, Intel XScale CPU, MIPS CPU, or SH3 CPU.



Five years ago there was no such thing as a cheap pocket PC. Major manufactures such as HP, Toshiba Acer, ASUS, Dell, Fujitsu Siemens, HTC and Viewsonic produced them and prices ranged from $300 to $800.



Newer features have been added to increase popularity of the pocket PC. One of the first additions was mobile telephony. More recently GPS has been added.



Today a cheap pocket pc will begin somewhere in the neighborhood of $150.00, Manufactured by Dell the Axim X5 Pocket Pc comes with a 3.5" high resolution demonstrate cover, four application keys an navigator button, scroll dial, portray button and a mini-jack for headphones. Inside is the Intel Xscale TM processor at either 300MHz or 400Mhz, 32Mb or 64 Mb of SDRAM and either 32MB or 48 MB of Flash ROM.



For a few dollars more, but composed within the cheap Pocket PC range is the Fujisu Siemens Pocket Loox 600 Pocket PC. It has the Microsoft Mobile Pocket PC 2002 Operating system. The process is a 400 MHZ Intel XScale PXA250. The prove has a cover resolution of 240 x320 and 16 bit (64k colors) . It comes with USB, Bluetooth, or infrared interface technology and the expansion slots will buy score Digital (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC) and a CompactFlash card. One of the features of this cheap pocket pc that is sharp to the business community is a built in screech recorder and speakers. Wireless capabilities are with Bluetooth or Infrared. It comes complete with a USB Synchronization Cable, stylus, protective bag and AC adaptor.