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Closer
Look:::...
First
impressions are that the 4150 is unusually slim for a PocketPC
boasting such a broad range of specifications. The design
is sleek and elegant and at just 4.67 ounces it's far from
heavy.
I
was pleased to see the absence of any kind of external antenna
bump which adds further to the symmetry and form. Though
plastic, the front fascia boasts a good quality matt finish
in silver.
Amazingly
the 4150 is almost identical to the iPAQ 19xx series and
I take my hat off the HP's engineers for working their magic
and making room for the extra functions with no penalty
to my pocket.
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The
Stylish 4150
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A
now standard 3.5" transflective display dominates the
front as you'd expect. The square d-pad and four programmable
buttons ar all redesigned over previous models though in
practise the difference seems to be almost entirely cosmetic
with no ovious advantages in functionality. Their
action feels precise and positive in use. The shiny finish
though may make gaming with damp hands a little hit and
miss.
The
power switch is now flanked by two status LEDs, one signifying
charge status and the other flashing blue or green (or both
alternately) to signal that Bluetooth or WiFi is activated.
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Power
Button/LEDs
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The
rear of the 4150 is finished in black and has a more pronounced
matt surface which certainly aids with grip. In time of
course some areas will no doubt polish up from regular handling
but this is unavoidable short of using a rubber coating
of some kind, which I'd also quite like to see despite its
tendency to add somewhat to the weight.
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Rear
View
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Unlike
so many of the budget PocketPCs available on the market,
the 4150 features a removeable back panel giving access
to the supplied, replaceable 1000 MAh battery . Battery
life will vary depending on usage but you can reasonably
expect around two hours when using WiFi to around four hours
with WiFi off. With a rake of power saving options on offer
your mileage may differ depending which you use.
I
found battery life to be reasonable and perfectly in keeping
with similar devices though naturally I wouldn't have minded
seeing HP opt for a slightly beefier cell.
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Rear
View - Battery Cover Removed
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Rear
View - Battery Removed
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The
supplied docking cradle allows simultaneous synchronising
with your PC and recharging. There's room for a spare battery
to be charged as well as the one already installed and this
has a separate status light on the front of the cradle.
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Docking
Cradle
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The
USB cable and power cable both plug in to the rear of the
cradle.
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Rear
View - Battery Removed
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And
if you want to recharge your 4150 without docking it you
can use the supplied dongle which lets you plug the power
lead straight in. The dongle is tethered to the power lead
by a rubber strap so you don't have to worry about loosing
it.
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USB
and Power Connectors
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