Internec Model 70

Another entrant in the PocketPC market, Interface’s Model 70 sits happily in the middle of the road when it comes to size, weight and features Weighing approximate!
150g, the Intermec is encased in solid plastic, and is small enough to fit comfortably into the hand. There are six configurable buttons on the face, in addition to a headphone socket and microphone for voice recording, an infra-red port, and a sheath for the stylus.
The boxed components are extremely basic, with neither a CD nor a good manual to accompany the device, although the included Quick Start Guide is concise and useful, especially as it points you towards relevant Web sites for extra information. As a matter of course, you have to download Microsoft’s ActiveSync software in order to get the RS-232 (serial) interface working with your desktop PC, which is going to be a problem if you don’t have Web access on your desktop or notebook computer.
Like all handhelds based on Windows CE 3.0, the Intermec includes Microsoft’s Pocket Office suite (bonsai Word, Excel, Outlook. Internet Explorer and Money), a multimedia player and ebook reader.
The unit is fast and responsive, due to the sensible partnering of a 206MHz RISC chip (Intel’s StrongARM processor) and 32M of memory.
The machine has a CompactFlash slot on the top for adding extra programs, storing large data files or backing up data directly to the CompactFlash card while you’re on the road, which means that you’re not forced to dock the Intermec into its own
cradle to store data in the long term.
The only disappointment in what is otherwise an outstanding digital organiser is a low-contrast monochrome display that makes the unit almost impossible to use when there’s not much light.
Approximately 10 hours of battery life can be gleaned from the rechargeable 3V lithium ion battery, which is recharged either while the Model 70 sits in its desktop docking cradle or by directly connecting the power adaptor to the handheld.
In most regards, the Intermec Model 70 is all you could want from a Windows handheld: fast, efficient, and extremely easy to use. The performance of the screen could be improved, however, and the lack of a USB interface can be frustrating.