NEC's Pocket PC for Corporate Users
NEC's first personal digital assistant, the MobilePro P300 Pocket PC, has a distinctly corporate slant.
Based on Microsoft's powerful Pocket PC 2002 operating system, our preproduction MobilePro 300 came with a custom utility that lets users synchronize e-mail, swap data, and back up files to corporate servers. Using a wireless card and service (which you must obtain on your own), you can update your P300 almost anywhere. NEC offers a one-day rapid exchange service, in case your P300 has an untimely accident. You also get Westek's robust Clear Vue file viewer and ArcSoft's PhotoBase, a handy, simple application for viewing and managing digital images.
A conservatively stylish silver metal case complements the corporate theme. Unfortunately, I often accidentally pressed the small, dedicated dictation button, generating a series of short audio files.
The P300 includes both CompactFlash and Secure Digital sockets; in fact, half of its 64MB of RAM resides on an included Secure Digital media card. Meanwhile, at center stage, surrounded by the four standard task buttons under the display, a simple four-way cursor ring frames a tiny speaker. You can also scroll by rolling a dial located on the PDA's edge, firmly pressing it to make selections. The P300's sync cradle has both USB and serial ports (the unit comes with a USB cable); a serial converter is optional.
Though the P300's color screen can display up to 65,000 colors, sample images looked disappointingly dull. The unit's combination of active-screen lighting and a reflective backing makes its display easy to see either indoors or in bright sunlight, but it fades quite a bit in daylight shadows. Music played through the speaker sounded weak and tinny.
Overall, the $599 P300 will serve most needs of a corporate user, but you might also want to check out competitors such as HP's Jornada 565, Compaq's H3850 IPaq, and Toshiba's E570.
| Buying Information |
NEC MobilePro P300 (Preproduction unit, unrated) Sturdy and stylish Pocket PC has expansion options and a software bundle suited to corporate use, but the screen disappoints. List: $599 |
Tracey Capen