The Box

The 928s packaging is as per the HP standard house style showing a picture of the Jornada itself (strangely without the front cover) and detailing the specifications. A large point is made of it being a 'wireless digital assistant' which uses GPRS and GSM communications - which you would expect as it is one of the new Pocket PC 2002 Phone Edition devices. The build quality of the device is superb - it was developed internally by HP Singapore and is manufacutured by HP Singapore - by the team that created the Jornada 540 series, the J560 series and the J720 series. It is not manufactured by HTC (who manufacture the iPAQ and XDA PDA's) - as was reported originally.

On opening the packaging you find:

One annoyance here is that the mains adaptor power lead fits directly into the USB/Cradle lead at a point very close to the PC so if you wish to power the Jornada directly you have to reach down behind the PC. Why oh why have they not taken the power lead from the main adaptor directly into the cradle, this would have been much easier to work with! The Hands-Free kit is also very low-tech, consisting of ear phones and a tie clip, no buttons to accept or make a call at all and no volume control! It is basically a set of headphones with a clip and a microphone. Very disappointing!

• The Jornada 928 Pocket PC (with cover pre-fitted)
• Removable battery
• The Active Sync Cradle which includes the USB connector and a minature power socket
• The mains lead with minature power socket
• Serial lead which will only fit directly into the Jornada, not into the cradle
• Hands-free kit (which is a set of headphones - no answer or dial buttons)
• A voucher for a single issue of Pocket PC Magazine
• ISO declaration of conformity (equal to an FCC certificate)
• Microsoft End User License Agreement
• Accessories guide which details the availability of
  • hp jornada 540/560/920 pocket camera (f1869a)
  • hp jornada 920 stereo headset with microphone (f2898a)
  • hp jornada 540/560/920 serial cable (f1819a)
  • hp jornada 920 serial cradle (f2936a)
  • hp jornada 920 accessory cover (f2938a)
  • hp jornada 920 screen protector (f2942a)
  • hp jornada 540/560/920 USB cable (f2926a)
  • hp jornada 920 USB cradle (f2940a)
  • hp jornada 920 pocket keyboard (f2949a)
  • hp jornada 920 stylus pack (3 off) (f2939a)
  • hp jornada 920 battery (f2937a)
  • hp jornada 540/560/920 DC car adaptor (f2900a)
  • hp jornada 560/ 920 AC adaptor (f2922a)
• Warranty: Australia, New Zealand or Papua New Guinea
• Simple steps pamflet which details:
  • Inserting the battery & SIM card
  • Starting the Jornada for the first time
  • Overview of the LCD Phone display
  • Personalising the LCD Phone display
  • Using Voice dialling - with the case closed
  • Changing phone profiles - with the case closed
  • 3 ways to make a phone call; headset, handheld & speaker phone
  • To read SMS - with the case closed
  • Volume (PDA & phone) setting - with the case closed
  • Speed dials - with the case closed
• Getting started pamflet which details:
  • Inserting the battery & SIM card
  • Charging the battery
  • Setting up the phone
  • Jornada features
• User guide (198 pages)
• Voucher to save 15% on software included on the Companion CD.
• Getting started with your Pocket PC CD containing:
  • Start Here
    • Install Outlook 2000 (not 2002)
    • Install ActiveSync 3.5
    • Download connection wizard
  • Enhance Your Pocket PC
    • Overview
    • Productivity
      • Microsoft Money for Pocket PC
      • Microsoft Reader with Cleartype for Pocket PC (already in ROM)
      • Microsoft Reader Activation Pack
      • MS Reader Books: Treasure Island, Great Expectations, The Time Machine and the Encarta Pocket Dictionary
      • Microsoft Reader with Cleartype for the PC
      • HPC Notes 4.0 Lite and Professional from the Phatware Corp.
      • CodeWallet Pro from DeveloperOne.
      • Ia Style IA Presenter (trial)
      • Adobe Acrobat Reader for the Pocket PC
    • Mobility
      • Pocket Streets
      • AvantGo (in ROM)
      • Go offline with Hotmail and your Pocket PC
      • Vindingo for Pocket PC
      • Certicom movianVPN - Wireless VPN client (30 days trial)
      • EZOS exWAP 2.1 - mobile internet browser for Pocket PC
      • EZOS EzWAP 2.5 Mobile Internet Client (WAP 2 & MMS)
      • XTNDConnect - Synchronisation server for use with Microsoft Server, Lotus Notes, etc.
    • Entertainment
      • Link to Microsoft to download trial games: Minesweeper, Reversi or Hearts
      • Windows Media Player 8 for Pocket PC
      • MS Windows Media Player for PC
      • Microsoft Reader with Cleartype for Pocket PC (already in ROM) [again]
      • Microsoft Reader Activation Pack [again]
      • MS Reader Books: Treasure Island, Great Expectations, The Time Machine and the Encarta Dictionary [again]
      • Microsoft Reader with Cleartype for the PC [again]
      • 22000+ Audio titles for your Jornada (Audible.com)
      • Music Match Jukebox for the PC
    • Tools
    • Microsoft Transcriber (already in ROM)
    • Internet Explorer 6 for the PC
    • Fonix voicedial (already in ROM)
    • hp ChaiVM/MicroChai - Java environment (already in ROM)
    • F-Secure FileCrypto for Pocket PC (30 days trial)
    • F-Secure Anti-Virus for Pocket PC (trial version)
    • Access Panel - Speeds data entry on your Pocket PC
    • Handango
      • Links to each area of Handango (all graphics fail to load on this page)
    • Extras (all WWW links)
      • Jornada 920 Accessory Showcase
      • e-Bazaar Showcase
      • Spectrum 24 - High rate Wireless Networker
      • Jornada Today Screen and Ring Tones
  • Learn More
    • Overview
    • Microsoft (all WWW links)
      • PocketPC.com
      • More Pocket PC Applications
      • Pocket PC Accessories
      • Join Club Pocket PC
      • Go Wireless with Pocket PC
    • hp
      • Registration Online (just links to the basic hp site)
      • Users Guide (PDF format)
      • Accessories guide (online link)
      • hp Software Agreement

The Outside - Details and Design

When first taking the Jornada 928 out of the box the initial impression is WOW! The sleek lines catch the eye and the contoured cover makes the dvice look much slimmer than expected. Once the 928 has been held in the hand other features start to be enjoyed, the rubberised surround at the sides and base (this avoids the slippery grip problem encountered with the naked iPAQ, XDA and the LOOX) give a comfortable grip and the thumb sits naturally on the up and down buttons.

	The top front mounted phone module serves to hold the Status LED, SEND button, LCD display (backlit), earpiece, END button and finally the ambient light sensor. The contoured outer casing feels sturdy and comfortable in the hand despite it being, made of plastic. To the right of the 'hp' logo you can see the case piercings which allow the sound from the speaker to emerge. The Status LED has various display modes: Constant yellow - charging Constant blue - fully charged Flashing blue - notification (phone call / SMS / notification)
Many of the buttons on the Jornada 928 are multi-function, especially with respect to telephone functions: Button Phone Ringing Phone Standby (cover closed) SEND Button - Brief press Answers call Activates Speed Dialling SEND Button - Hold Activates deferred ring system Activates Fonix voice dialling END Button - Brief press Hangs on the call - Activates missed call reminder - END Button - Hold - Turns phone functions on or off RECORD Button - Hold Activates recording of voice notes RECORD Button - Brief Press Activates Fonix voice dialling Power Button - Quick Press Turns the Jornada on/off (Standby) Power Button - Hold Toggles the backlight on or off
	The top of the Jornada holds the stylus, headphone/Hands-Free socket, IrDa port, CF (type 1) slot, and the pop-up antenna.
	The base showing the microphone slot, serial/USB port and the power socket (non-standard design).
	The left hand side of the Jornada showing the UP and DOWN buttons and the RECORD button. The buttons are again rubberised and have a very good positive action. The RECORD button is recessed to avoid accidental operation. The RECORD button is dual function and if pressed and quickly released it activates the Fonix voice dialling facility.
	The back of the Jornada showing the soft reset button, outer CF slot cover, external antenna port, and locking external battery / SIM card hatch.
	The front cover (which can be removed) when raised reveals the inner buttons: Standby (on/off button) Home Button Contacts Button Cursor Pad Action Button (below the cursor pad) Appointments Button E-Mail Button Speaker
	Here we come to one feature of the Jornada which I dislike greatly - the stylus! The stylus is held in the body purely by friction and the fit is relatively loose - if the stylus is withdrawn even a fraction of a millimetre it slides out easilly - I can see this being lost very shortly. And as hp do not provide you with a spare........
	The stylus itself is short and made of light weight plastic, making it very awkward to hold and use with any degree of accuracy.
	When preparing the Jornada for us the first step is to open the external battery / SIM card cover......
	....... and insert the SIM card into the locking SIM slot .....
	.... finally fitting the external battery prior to the initial charging of the unit. Charging takes around 2-3 hours. The 928 is fitted with an internal battery (carrying 50% of the charge of the external battery) which serves to protect you against data loss in the event of the external battery running low. If the external battery does fail then the backup battery supports seamless power change over allowing you to remove the spent battery and fit a new charged unit.
	The Jornada 928 with the pop-up antenna raised to it's highest point (90 degrees from the top) - this can be used to improve reception is low-signal areas - however so far I've had 4-5 bars of signal is 90% of locations so the arial has remained in it's standard position. The movable arial can be useful but it can well be a hidden design flaw as it is somewhat flimsy and great care should be taken to avoid snapping the hinge assembly.
	The flip cover supports 'active-flip' which means that the Jornada is turned on when the cover is opened and turned off again when it is closed. The activation point is around 15-20 degrees from the vertical. So far while using the 928 I've only used the standby (on/off) button three times - the rest of the time active-flip has been used. This has to be a major design plus point for the machine.
	The flip cover in it's open position, approximatey 120 degrees from the horizontal. The cover can be removed if required and refitted again in a matter of seconds.

The Outside - The LCD

	The LCD serves as a multi-function status indicator detailing everything from signal to battery data. It is even customisable (see Part 2 of the review)
	The display also changes depending of the status of the phone system.
	A plethora of battery status messages are also displayed via the LCD.

The Cradle

	The cradle itself is a constructed of grey moulded plastic with a very heavy metal base which gives it the best stability I've yet encountered of a PDA cradle, there are no worries concerning this inadvertantly moving around on the desktop when docking the 928 or tapping on the screen. The manual advises that the Jornada should be turned off before being placed in the cradle but I've docked with the device turned on with no ill effects. The Jornada looks very (I have to say the word) cool when docked and with the cover raised offers a pleasant working angle of around 30 degrees. So far only only on one occasion has the Jornda 928 failed to dock with the PC (appeared as a guest device) compared to the iPAQ 3870 which fails to dock at least 40% of the time. The only complaint with the system used by hp here is that the powered adaptor plugs into the cradle lead near the junction of the USB port take-off lead which means you can not easily connect the Jornada directly to the power source if your PC is tower based with ear USB ports.

Initial Hardware Conclusions

The Jornadas hardware design is superb with excellent build quality, each component appears well manufactured with no rough edges.

The 3.5" screen (compared to the 3.75" screen used on the iPAQs) is clear and well lit when the backlight is activated. The backlighting is even across the display and much brighter than my iPAQ 3870 giving good visibility both indoors and under varying lighting conditions outside. [Some 928 owners have reported that there is a shadow present at the top left hand side of the screen caused by interference from the phone module - I'm glad to report the 928 used for the review had no such problem. UPDATE: 23/08 - I've got got the shadow, it was not there originally but has now appeared.]

The LCD acts as a powerful secondary status screen and works well - it does succesfullu avoid opening the 928 when using it as a phone.

The rubberised side grips give you confidence when using the Jornada as you 'know' this will not easilly slip from your grip.

Even though the processor clocks as slower than previous processors (see the speed tests in Part 4) no noticable slow down is actually found in operation.

It is clear that great thought has been put into the design of the Jornada 928s hardware, especially with respect to the LCD display and the dual function of many of the PDA and Phone Buttons. These work very well indeed with the software supplied within the machine as can be seen in Part 3 of the review where we look at the Jornada 928 specific software.

Jornada 928 Technical Specification (From hp Web site)

designed for

The HP Jornada 928 WDA is based on the latest Microsoft® Pocket PC 2002 Phone Edition Software, providing a robust and familiar environment for a host of applications for the mobile professional. The product has been intelligently designed inside and out to deliver seamlessly integrated voice, data and personal information management in a single sleek device.

The new HP Jornada has integrated MicroChaiVM software, a voice-activated dialing application, and a unique dual-battery system for extended autonomy. This dual-battery system comprises one integrated and one removable/ rechargeable lithium-polymer battery for extended autonomy - an estimated 3 hours talk time or 12 hours PDA usage and 120 hours standby time.

stay in touch

• battery life* Rechargeable Lithium Polymer battery (up to 5 hours* talk time, 150 hours* standby time, 12 hours* of PDA battery life)
• AC adapter (multi-voltage)

*Actual battery life will vary based on usage and network conditions

• expansion 4-way Navigation pad
• side up/down button
• four user-configurable quick-launch keys and record button
• call accept and reject button
• mulitcolour external charging and notification LED status
• pen-and-touch interface
• on-screen keyboard and hand-writing recognition software
• optional foldable keyboard
• optional pocket keyboard.

be productive

• synchronisation USB cradle, IR, GSM, and GPRS (may require additional hardware and software)
  Optional USB cable, serial cradle, and serial cable.
• memory 32 MB FlashROM
• 64 MB RAM
• 66 MHz memory data bus
• operating system Microsoft® Pocket PC 2002 Phone Edition software
• software** Microsoft Pocket PC 2002 Phone Edition software includes:
  • Microsoft Windows® for Pocket PC
  • Pocket Outlook (manage calendars, tasks and contacts)
  • Pocket Internet Explorer
  • Plug-in for AvantGo Mobile Channels, Mobile favourites Synchronization, Microsoft Mobile Channels
  • Inbox (manages e-mail and SMS)
  • Pocket Word with Spell Checker
  • Pocket Excel
  • Microsoft Windows Media Player 8
  • Microsoft Reader 2.0 for Pocket PC
  • MSN Messenger
  • Microsoft Transcriber
  • Terminal Services Client
  • Phone Dialer
  • SIM Manager
  • Note Taker
  • Voice Recorder
  • ActiveSync 3.5 / Desktop Pass Through / ServerSync Client
  • Calculator
  • File Explorer
  • Solitaire

Jornada 928 Index:

• Part 1 - Design and External Features
• Part 2 - The New ROM & Processor >>
• Part 3 - The New Applications >>
• Part 4 - Final Thoughts and Comments >>