PC Magazine has named its Best of Comdex product list for the 2003 conference. The HP iPAQ 4355 was named a finalist in the Mobile Devices category. The 4355 is a Pocket PC with an integrated backlit keyboard, 802.11b and Bluetooth wireless networking, and a bright color display.
According to the article, this is the first iPAQ to have an integrated keyboard. I am sold on keyboards like this one on handheld devices, in light of my experiences with Handspring Treos and RIM Blackberry personal communication devices.
The iPAQ 4355 is not a mobile phone, it’s a data centric PDA. It looks like a good choice for fans of the Pocket PC platform who need a powerful, flexible handheld, but don’t need to use it to make phone calls or access wireless data applications when out of range of wireless LANs.
Amazon.com reports that the 4355 will not be released until January 4, 2004. You may want to place an order in advance. Demand for this iPAQ is likely to be high. [ via PDAlive.com ]