NEC's Pocket PC for Corporate Users

NEC's first personal digital assistant, the MobilePro P300 Pocket PC, has a distinctly corporate slant.

Based on Microsoft's powerful Pocket PC 2002 operating system, our preproduction MobilePro 300 came with a custom utility that lets users synchronize e-mail, swap data, and back up files to corporate servers. Using a wireless card and service (which you must obtain on your own), you can update your P300 almost anywhere. NEC offers a one-day rapid exchange service, in case your P300 has an untimely accident. You also get Westek's robust Clear Vue file viewer and ArcSoft's PhotoBase, a handy, simple application for viewing and managing digital images.

A conservatively stylish silver metal case complements the corporate theme. Unfortunately, I often accidentally pressed the small, dedicated dictation button, generating a series of short audio files.

The P300 includes both CompactFlash and Secure Digital sockets; in fact, half of its 64MB of RAM resides on an included Secure Digital media card. Meanwhile, at center stage, surrounded by the four standard task buttons under the display, a simple four-way cursor ring frames a tiny speaker. You can also scroll by rolling a dial located on the PDA's edge, firmly pressing it to make selections. The P300's sync cradle has both USB and serial ports (the unit comes with a USB cable); a serial converter is optional.

Though the P300's color screen can display up to 65,000 colors, sample images looked disappointingly dull. The unit's combination of active-screen lighting and a reflective backing makes its display easy to see either indoors or in bright sunlight, but it fades quite a bit in daylight shadows. Music played through the speaker sounded weak and tinny.

Overall, the $599 P300 will serve most needs of a corporate user, but you might also want to check out competitors such as HP's Jornada 565, Compaq's H3850 IPaq, and Toshiba's E570.

SUMMARY

NEC MobilePro P300 (Preproduction unit, unrated) Sturdy and stylish Pocket PC has expansion options and a software bundle suited to corporate use, but the screen disappoints. List: $599