Love it or hate it, Compaq's pack technology, introduced with its new iPAQ Pocket PC, is getting plenty of attention. But does it really deserve all the hype?
Commonly referred to as "sleeves", these add-ons come in two flavors: style packs and expansion packs.
The style packs serve to "dress up" the iPAQ Pocket PC. So far there are the basic style pack, which is included with the iPAQ, and the executive leather style pack. Others are planned, including one with a flip-top waterproof cover.
But it's the expansion packs that have the most potential. Currently there are two expansion packs: the CompactFlash (CF) Card Expansion Pack and the PC Card Expansion Pack.
The CF Card Expansion Pack slips onto the iPAQ Pocket PC and accepts standard Type I and Type II CompactFlash cards, including the IBM Microdrive.
We tested CF memory cards from SanDisk, Lexar, Kingston, and Pretec. We also tested the IBM 340 megabyte Microdrive and the Pretec 56K CompactFlash modem (see pictures below.) We experienced no problems using any of these cards.
The PC Card Expansion Pack also slips onto the iPAQ and accepts standard PCMCIA cards. Of course, software device drivers must be written for each PC Card to be able to work with the iPAQ.
The PC Card Expansion Pack along with a PCMCIA wireless modem and an iPAQ Pocket PC will provide an excellent wireless data solution. However, production models of this pack are not currently available.
But PDA enthusiasts are certainly a demanding bunch and some have begun to complain that the CF Card Expansion Pack makes the iPAQ too bulky for everyday use. So we thought we'd weigh in with our own observations on this and provide a few pictures of our own as well.
Our view on "pack mentality"We have appreciated Compaq's design philosophy for the iPAQ Pocket PC since we first heard about it. The basic unit is small and lightweight and provides all of the basic PDA functions, along with 32 megabytes of memory. For many people that's all that they'll need. And for them, the pack technology appears to be a perfect solution.
The style packs are a nice touch. Some people we've spoken to are taken with the silvery iPAQ casing, but others (like ourselves) prefer their iPAQ slipped into the matte black basic style pack. Still, we're sure that the executive leather pack will appeal to yet another crowd. It's all a matter of taste, and who are we to argue with personal preference.
The expansion packs can be used or removed, and that is the true purpose and beauty of their design. Do they increase the size of the iPAQ significantly? Well, let's just say that with the CF Card Pack on you'll no longer have the smallest Pocket PC.
However, our experience has found that most people use the basic style pack 90% of the time and the CF Card Pack 10% of the time. So the increase in size is typically not an issue. But if you use CompactFlash cards all the time and therefore expect to be using the CF Card Pack all the time with your iPAQ then you might be disappointed. Again, it's simply a matter of usage.
So as we've said many times before, when choosing a PDA, pick one that suits YOU. Don't just follow the "pack", pun intended.