The Ipaq is a great product and will certainly do what your client wants
it to do using Outlook. If he only plans on using it for appointments
and clients, and is not as you said tech savvy, I would see if he could
return it and purchase a Palm OS based unit. You can purchase a Palm
unit for under $100 and can even purchase a color unit for $149 ($300 to
$400 less than the Ipaq. The palms are quicker to learn and easier to
read. Their only drawback in my opinion is their Graffiti handwriting
input system that once you get use to it is easy to use, and you can
always use the virtual keyboard.

If he plans on viewing, editing, or creating any type of MS document, or
any type of CPU intensive application in the future, the Ipaq or other
newer Pocket PC is the way to go. I truly have no biases either for or
against either unit and own a Handspring visor which I replaced with a
Palm M515 and a Cassiopeia E-105 which I replaced with a Dell Axim X5. I
am a Fireman / Paramedic and still use the Handspring at work for
different types of reference and calculation programs that are only
available in Palm OS versions. I use the M515 for my side businesses to
track clients and appointments and it also has my fire department
programs with a games pack. I use the Dell for mobile internet, entering
data into excel and word documents, getting my email while out (my M515
can do this also, but not as well), and driving directions (my dell can
plot a driving route in 4 - 5 seconds where as my Palm M515 takes 7- 8
minutes). The E-105 acts as a paper weight, and I will probably give it
to my 10 year old daughter. If the Pocket PCs were as easy to use and
read for appointments and clients, I would probably stop using the Palms
other than for the Fire Department Programs.

Dennis Noble

> A client has been given a Compaq Ipaq for Christmas and asked me to
tutor
> him in its use-I've never dealt with one of these beasts before. He is
a
> house painter who is contemplating using the device to make and track
> appointments. He is not even remotely tech savvy.
>
> I find only glowing reviews on the internet, yet I find this thng to
be a
> cumbersome pain in the neck-The stylus interface in particular seems
very
> primitive, and the device itself is very slow.
>
> Does any one have experience with these devices and/or suggestions as
to
> how
> best to utilize them?

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