1. Out With Today, In With Tomorrow Start Screen

It becomes readily apparent as soon as the device is booted up that HP's iPAQ rx3715 packs many more capabilities than your average PDA. Instead of the familiar Today screen, for example, a Start button and screen makes the rx3715's special multimedia functions immediately accessible.

The iPAQ rx3715 start screen and its Multimedia control center

The iPAQ rx3715's small and accessible control buttons differ only slightly from those of a standard PDA. The iPAQ Mobile Media, HP Image Zone and Nevo Universal Remote applications as well as the iTask task manager are accessible with a click of a button from the Start screen.

Function keys and directional pad

Holding the buttons down allow for access of the standards calendar, mail inbox and contact list functions.

The Wireless Manager program activates and deactivates the integrated WLAN and Bluetooth wireless features.

Wireless Manager for centralized function control

Setting up a connection with a wireless network and pairing with mobile phones via Bluetooth worked perfectly in the test and will present no problem for non-tech-savvy novices either. A blue LED on the top left of the device indicates whether or not one of the two wireless functions is active.