The world is full of PocketPC choices. Today's users have to choose from over 20 different models and that is only in the U.S. In the rest of the world, especially Asia, the choices are even greater. One company that I have been impressed with, ever since I saw their first PocketPC in Taiwan a couple of years ago, is Asus. A company based in Asia, they are better known in the U.S. for their motherboard and networking products. Asus has been making PDA’s for many years, but has only recently brought their PocketPC products to the U.S. So it is not surprising that very few U.S. PDA users have heard of or seen this product. What will surprise most users is the fact that this is one of the best quality and highest performance PocketPC's on the market.

For those of you who are aware of the Asus PocketPC and have heard of the two models, the A620 and A620BT, the only difference is the addition of the built-in Bluetooth on the A620BT. Otherwise they are exactly the same in features and performance. Let's focus on the A620BT model.

First, let's look at the basic specifications:
400-MHz XScale PXA255 Processor
Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003
3.5” Trans-reflective TFT LCD, 65536 Color, 16-bit Display with 320x240 resolution
64MB Flash Rom, 31MB usable for storage
64MB SDRAM, 55 MB user accessible
One Compact Flash Type II Card Slot (3.3V/5V)
One Navigation button with 4 programmable application buttons
Fast IrDA port with 4Mbps/115kbps
Audio, Docking, and power ports
Integrated Bluetooth version 1.1
1300 mAH Lithium Rechargeable Battery
125mm x 76.8mm x 13.3mm (LxWxH)
141g. weight

So there we have the usual "dry" facts, but what do they really mean. Looking closer, we see some really great features. The built-in Bluetooth functioned well. Combined with Windows Mobile 2003, I had no problems using the A620BT with my Laptop PC and Bluetooth mobile phone.

The A620BT features a Type II Compact Flash slot. I have used it with an IBM Microdrive, Pharos CF GPS, and assorted memory cards. Everything worked perfectly. The slot is 3.3V and 5V compatible and has a small plate in the case that can be removed in order to easily remove the Compact Flash card. This is a unique design and eliminates the need for an ejection level or button for the CF Slot. However, I do occasionally worry about losing the plate. The CF slot does not have a flap or door, so a plastic CF insert in supplied to cover the CF Slot when no CF card is used. Asus claims that the A620BT is the thinnest PocketPC with built-in CF support. I believe they are right.

The 400-MHz Intel PXA255 processor is currently the fastest processor available for a PocketPC. This processor can run in different modes to allow the user to customize it to their needs for performance or battery life. The Asus Settings utility allows the processor to be set to Turbo (400MHz), Standard (300MHz), Power Savings (200MHz), or Automatic mode where the A620BT automatically senses the needs of the current application and adjusts the processor speed for the best battery life. The Asus Settings Utility even features the Asus Advanced Performance Enhancement. I am not entirely sure what this feature provides, but based on the performance results it must be working. While you would expect that the 400-MHz processor would make this a fast PocketPC, the Asus is actually one of the fastest PocketPC's available. Able to run video at 60 frames per second, it has the fastest graphics speed of any PocketPC and with the top performance in many calculation and memory functions, its overall benchmark rating makes the A620BT one of the best performance units available at any price. To compare your PocketPC to the A620BT, go to www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/benchmark/ Spb Software House is the creator of Spb Benchmark, one of the best programs for benchmarking the performance of the PocketPC. You might be shocked to see how your current PocketPC performs against the A620BT. All of the PocketPC's from other manufacturers, which are in the same performance class as the A620BT, are typically $100-$200 more expensive.

While the size of the A620BT might be a little wide, I found it to be comfortable to hold. The thin shape and light weight makes this a great PocketPC to hold and carry. The application buttons are recessed into the case, so they are harder to "accidentally" push. This is very nice. The Navigation button is comfortable to use and responded well to fast inputs such as when playing games. The power button is at the top of the A620BT and is "flush" with the surface of the case. I rarely ever "accidentally" turned the A620BT on by the power button. The power button must be pressed from the front of the A620BT, which makes it less likely to accidentally turn on than if the button was pressed from the top or side like most PocketPC's. I wish the designers had done the same with the Record button. It is at the top right side of the case and is pushed from the top. I occasionally turn the A620BT on by the Record button when inserting it into the protective case. Fortunately, the Asus Settings Utility contains a "Wake Up" configuration that allows me to deactivate any of the application buttons, including the Record, so that they do not "wake up" the A620BT.

The A620BT contains a 3.5-inch, transreflective TFT, LCD display supporting 65,536 colors in a 240x320 resolution. This is typical of most current PocketPC's. The screen is clear, sharp, and does a good job reproducing colors. It is very easy to read indoors or in normal to low light levels. Outdoors in bright sunlight, it is still easy to read, but not as clear as some more expensive PocketPC's. The screen is much better visually when viewing from a horizontal angle rather than a vertical one (side to side vs. top to bottom).

The A620BT contains 64MB of SDRAM, but only 55.2MB of it are usable for programs and data. A fairly common configuration for current PocketPC’s. A nice feature of the A620BT is the 64MB of Flash ROM. 32MBs of the Flash Rom is used for the storage of the Windows Mobile 2003 OS and its applications. 31MBs are available to the user for extra program and data storage capacity, as well as data backup. Combined with the SmartKeeper software (see below), this extra Flash storage is a great feature for users with large amounts of critical data they want to backup to a secure area.

Superior performance, great graphic speed, light weight and slim. All great features, but what about the battery life you ask? Well I’m glad you asked. While the A620BT contains a non-replaceable Lithium battery, it is a 1300 mAH rechargeable battery. It is rare to find an "extended" battery in a PocketPC. Cheers to Asus for making this a standard feature. Asus claims a 19 hour battery life. Of course this would be under ideal conditions, running in Power Savings Mode, minimum screen brightness, etc. In the real world, most users run in a more "power hungry" mode. I found that operating at full screen brightness, Automatic Power Mode, and running power-hungry applications such as games and Windows Media Player, I could still get over 4 hours of use before the A620BT would shut down on me. This is really good for a PocketPC and better than any PocketPC I have owned.

The A620BT contains the standard microphone and speaker for a PocketPC. The microphone is located at the top right corner and works as you might expect. No surprises. The speaker, which is located in the lower right corner, has very average performance. Not as good for music reproduction as I would like and the maximum volume level is still pretty low, but it is fine for the normal clicks and sound effects found in most applications and games. For music and audio-in-video, use a headphone. The headphone jack is located at the top left corner of the A620BT. Personally, I always prefer the headphone jack at the lower portion of the PocketPC so that the cord does not hang in front of the screen.

Two LEDs in the top left corner of the A620BT provide notification of battery charging, alarms and appointment alerts, and Bluetooth activity.

The A620BT features a fast IrDA port with 4Mbps/115kbps speed capability. This feature worked well, but like most PocketPC’s, the port is on the side of the A620BT. Inconvenient when "beaming" to another PocketPC or trying to use the screen, in normal portrait mode, while communicating with a laptop computer. I would have preferred the port be placed at the top.

In addition to the usual applications built into Windows Mobile 2003, the A620BT includes a great program called SmartKeeper. This is a very useful program as it automatically and intelligently backs up existing system status and data in order to prevent loss when the power level is low. A back up utility is also provided to save all your data to a Compact Flash card. The Asus Settings utility allows you to control the A620BT's screen brightness, processor speed, microphone sensitivity, audio volume, treble, and bass, as well as other functions. A basic application launch program is also included, but would have been more useful if it contained functions to close running applications.

The A620BT includes a CD of additional software that you can install. Included are full versions of:
IA Presenter – Allows you to play Power Point presentations
IA Album – A very useful photo tool for image viewing
IA Zip – A WinZip compatible file compression/decompression utility
Zera – Puzzle game where you arrange balls to remove them
Boyan’s Crystal – A shooting puzzle game where you combine balls in groups of three.
Dung Cleaner – An arcade game where you climb ladders and clean up…stuff.
Pocket PC 2002 Themes – Many themes to customize the look of your PocketPC

Trial versions of a number of other applications and games are available on the CD. If you want to continue using them after the trial period, you must purchase them.

In a world of "reduced cost" manufacturing, it is refreshing to find a product that still includes a printed manual, something I really appreciate. It is very common to find computer products that have a one page "quick start" guide and the complete documentation on the CD. The A620BT comes with a very complete, printed, instruction manual. I was impressed that the Asus quality extended all the way to the Docking Cradle. Unlike most docking cradles, the Asus cradle is a solid design with a "weighted" base and two wide rubber pads to prevent slipping. Once placed on the desktop, I never had the cradle move when I did not want it to. One nice touch is the guide tabs, which are a part of the plastic back support on the cradle. The tabs slip into the recessed "channel" on either side of the A620BT. Unlike many PDA cradles where the user must always carefully place the PDA into the cradle so that the connector lines up with the PDA, I could easily drop the A620BT into the cradle without having to always line up the connector and remove the A620BT from the cradle with one hand. The guide tabs allow you to quickly "drop" the A620BT into the cradle and have perfect alignment almost every time. The carrying case is even surprising. A basic case design with a long, cover flap which closes using a Velcro pad, it is a simple design using a scuff resistant material. It even has a small pocket for an extra Compact Flash card. The impressive part is the firm plastic insert that is built into the case to protect the front of the A620BT. This is a nice feature for a standard case that is included with the product. Something you would normally only see on premium, after-market cases. Unfortunately, it is missing a belt loop or clip, which would have made the case much more usable.

The weight and feel of the A620BT is comfortable and easy to use. The smooth edges and texture are a nice part of the design. After two weeks, I have had no problems using the A620BT. It has become one of my favorite PDA’s. The lack of an SD Slot might be disappointing for some users, but the wide range of Compact Flash accessories will allow you to do anything that can be done with SD. And Compact Flash accessories are traditionally less expensive than their SD counterparts. For the price, performance, and features of the A620BT, this is one PocketPC that everyone should consider. The Asus A620BT has won many awards in Europe and Asia. I expect the same will happen here in the U.S.


--Harvey Lee
Technology Editor

Pros:
Great quality
Light weight and slim
Fast Performance
Built-In and bundled software
Long battery life
Competitive Price

Cons:
IR Port on the side
Non-replaceable battery
Low speaker volume

Rating: 9.5 out of 10 Stars.



Buy your Asus 620BT Here and get Free UPS Ground Shipping with purchase of this Pocket PC! Free shipping offer valid through 04/30/2004.