WHAT'S HOT: The lightweight Toshiba E335 has a stylishly designed case that fits comfortably in the hand. Weighing a little over 6 ounces and measuring less than half an inch thick, this device is one of the thinnest Pocket PC systems we've seen. With 64Mb of RAM and a 300-MHz CPU, the E335 has more than enough power for tasks such as playing back MP3 files or handling large spreadsheets through the built-in version of Excel. And the $399 price is very attractive for a Pocket PC, second only to that of the $299 ViewSonic Pocket PC V35.

The E335 has a sensitive, rounded navigation button that responds to the slightest of pokes.

WHAT'S NOT: Even at its top setting, the screen on our test unit wasn't especially bright, compared to the likes of the Sony Clie PEG-NX70V or the HP IPaq Pocket PC H5450. The illumination was uneven, too: The bottom of the screen is distinctly brighter than the top. It's easy to inadvertently press the voice-recording button (on the top-left corner of the device), which turns the E335 on, when you put it into its slipcase. (The button can be disabled, however.)

The E335 has only one Secure Digital (SD) card slot for expansion; unlike some other Pocket PC models, you can't use CompactFlash memory cards with it.

The power button is unusually small--a mere dot-sized button located on the unit's top-right corner. Those with big fingers may find it a bit difficult to press.

WHAT ELSE: Battery life was adequate, based on our informal tests, but the built-in lithium polymer battery cannot be removed or replaced by the user. The battery can be recharged either in the cradle or by plugging the power cable directly into the PDA--a nice touch that allows recharging the device on the road without lugging the cradle along.

If you like recording your thoughts via voice memos, you'll like the recording functions: Sound quality from the monaural speakers was reasonably crisp. Recordings can be stored as files or on SD cards.

The software bundle includes the basic Pocket PC fare--Pocket PC versions of Word, Excel, and Outlook--but the unit does ship with ArcSoft PhotoBase, which lets you view images and perform simple image-editing tasks. Toshiba's documentation includes a handy start-up guide that covers basic operations, plus an extensive, well-illustrated manual that lacks only an index.

UPSHOT: The Toshiba E335 is a good option for those looking for a basic, lightweight Pocket PC at a good price.

SUMMARY

Toshiba Pocket PC E335 Pocket PC 2002 operating system, 64MB of internal memory, 2-by-3-inch active screen area, 240-by-320-pixelresolution, Secure Digital card expansion slot, lithium polymer battery, 6.2 ounces. One-year parts and labor warranty, toll-free support for 24 hours daily. $399 800/867-4422 www.shoptoshiba.com