WHAT'S HOT: ViewSonic, known primarily for its CRT and LCD monitors, dives into PDA waters with a cost-conscious, stylish unit that runs Pocket PC 2002. Priced at only $299, the V35 is a bargain compared to others, and one of the least-expensive Pocket PC PDAs we've tested. It resembles the thin, sleek Zayo USA A600 PPC and Toshiba Pocket PC E335, but it weighs a tad less. The light weight can be partially attributed to its plastic (rather than metal) case.

The V35 displays text and images at a resolution of 240 by 320, which puts it on a par with pricier units. The quality of the display's text and images is adequate, though the screen is not as bright as on other Pocket PC devices we've looked at.

WHAT'S NOT: The V35 can record voice memos, but in our tests with the feature, the sound quality during playback was marred by a scratchy, whistle-like background noise, even at relatively low volumes. Other PDAs we tested at the same time, such as the Zayo USA A600, offered better sound quality.

In terms of style, it's a notch below PDAs like the Toshiba Pocket PC E335. Its plastic silver case doesn't feel as sturdy.

WHAT ELSE: The V35 has most of the features you'd expect in a PDA that costs $300, including an IR port for beaming information between devices, a Secure Digital card expansion slot, and a headphone jack built into the unit's bottom-right side for listening to MP3 files.

Aside from standard applications bundled with the Pocket PC 2002 OS, such as Pocket PC versions of Word, Excel, and Windows Media Player, the unit doesn't come with any of the extra software that pricier PDAs, such as the HP's IPaq Pocket PC H5450, offer. But with 64 MB of internal memory, you can add plenty of applications.

UPSHOT: Though it doesn't have the high style or plethora of features that higher-priced models do, the V35 is a good PDA value.

SUMMARY

Viewsonic Pocket PC V35 Pocket PC 2002, 64MB of internal memory, 2.7-by-2-inch active screen area, Secure Digital card slot, 240-by-320-pixel resolution, removable lithium ion battery, 4.2 ounces. One-year parts and labor warranty, toll-free support for 24 hours daily. $299 www.viewsonic.com