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A review of Compaq's -Aero 1500 Ultra-Slim Palm-size PC The Bottom Line!
At a Glance...
Introduction Sleek Lightweight Design Crisp Grayscale Screen Great Battery Life Additional Hardware Features Good Software Bundle Conclusion Introduction Why would anyone want to buy a new monochrome Palm-size PC when for one or two hundred bucks more they can get a screaming multimedia machine like the Casio Cassiopeia E-100 replete with a dazzling color screen? This was my knee-jerk, geek-nerd like reaction when I first set my eyes on the new Aero 1500 Palm-size PC from Compaq. But after locking my color Palm-size PC away for a few days so that I could fully put the new Aero 1500 through its paces, I found quite a lot of things to like about the device. In fact, although I don't think I'll personally ditch my color Palm-size PC, I'm sure that there are many people who'd be willing to forego the benefits of a (larger and bulkier) color unit in favor of a much slimmer and lighter Windows CE device like the Aero. Slim Lightweight Design The most eye-catching feature of the Compaq Aero 1500 is its sleek, ultra-slim design. Measuring only half an inch thick, the Aero 1500 is a lot thinner than its cousin, the Compaq Aero 2100 (see table below), and at 5.2 oz it's a lot lighter, too. It might not be quite as svelte as the Palm V, but the Aero fits very easily into a shirt pocket and you can comfortably hold it for extended periods.
With its matt silver front and black rear, the Aero is quite an attractive device as well, and Compaq has done an excellent job of integrating a full set of features into such a small form factor. The application buttons are well positioned directly under the screen and, in a nice touch, feature small indentations into which you can press your stylus. The Action button, Voice Recorder button, and Scroll Wheel are handily located on the top left side the unit for easy access, and the CompactFlash slot, IR port and microphone are on the top of the device. Crisp Grayscale Screen Having used a color Palm-size PC for over six months now, it took me a little while to get used to working with a monochrome LCD again. Still, I have to say that the Aero's 16 gray-scale screen is excellent, clearly displaying text and icons -- though I wouldn't recommend it for graphics intensive tasks like web browsing or viewing image files. If you want to adjust the contrast on the screen, you can go into the QUtilities application that comes pre-installed on the device. The Aero also comes with a powerful backlight that makes it easy to view data in darkened conditions, such as when you are listening to a presentation. Great Battery Life Unlike earlier monochrome Palm-size PCs, which were equipped with standard AA, AAA, or NiMH rechargeable batteries, the Aero 1500 comes with a Lithium Ion battery. As a result, at up to 14 hours on a single charge, it delivers significantly better battery life than either first-generation monochrome Palm-size PCs or color devices. The unit can be recharged either via the synchronization cradle or the DC jack on the right-hand side of the device. As is standard with Palm-size PCs, it also comes with a back-up battery to prevent loss of data should the main battery run out of power. Additional Hardware Features Equipped with an NEC VR4111 processor and 16MB RAM, the Aero 1500 is a zippy performer, allowing you to rapidly switch between applications. The device's audio quality is also quite impressive, either via the in-built speaker or external headphones, making it ideal for listening to MP3 music or Audible book files. Other standard features include a neat curved synchronization cradle, an AC adapter, two styluses and a carrying case. Good Software Bundle The Aero 1500 comes with a useful utilities bundle loaded onto the ROM, which makes it much easier to navigate the Windows CE interface and execute simple tasks like launching and closing applications. Applications include QLaunch, which allows you to switch between tasks, close tasks, check the power status, launch files, and adjust screen contrast; and QUtility, which features a CF backup and restore utility, and also lets you change the device's application buttons to game buttons. Other software applications that come with the device are (strangely) Picture Viewer for viewing graphics files, Asset Viewer, AudiblePlayer and AudibleManager, Applian CoolCalc, Inso QuickView Plus for viewing word processing spreadsheet and presentation files, VCA finance, and a trial version of Expert CE. Conclusion At US$299, the Compaq Aero 1500 is very competitively priced even compared to Palm V units. And while I personally wouldn't be willing to replace my color Palm-size PC with this product, it provides an excellent solution for mobile professionals that need a slim and economical Palm-size PC without all the multimedia bells and whistles loaded on the color units. Pricing and Availability The Compaq Aero 1500 can be purchased online from the Compaq DirectPlus Internet store for US$299 plus tax and shipping at: http://www.directplus.compaq.com. Help and Technical Support The Compaq Aero 1500 comes with a one-year limited warranty. Internet support services are available through the Compaq website at http://www.compaq.com/products/handhelds/2100/service.html Links You can find detailed information about the Compaq Aero 1500 at: http://www.compaq.com/products/handhelds/1500/index.html Back to the top Home |
