Toshiba e740 in your pocket

Pro

1 April 2005

PDAs aren’t for everyone, but if you like the idea of carrying a PC in your Pocket (albeit a small one), then you can’t go far wrong with the Toshiba e740.

Sleek, silver casing aside, the Toshiba e740 isn’t a bad looking device. The 3.5in colour screen is bright (which can be adjusted), and displays colours well.

Running on Microsoft’s Pocket PC system, the e740 has a scaled down version of what is on your PC: Pocket Microsoft Word; Pocket Excel; and Internet Explorer. The device is powered by an Intel Xscale PXA250 processor.

The e740 has 64Mbyte of SD RAM with 32-bit bus system RAM. A slot for an SD card gives users the option of extra storage space that is even more portable, as does the Compact Flash II slot.

A more manageable version of graffiti is included with the Pocket PC system. Rather than learn new ways to write the letter ‘a’, the Pocket PC system on the e740 allows you to write in normal handwriting on the screen; provided your words and letters are clear enough, it will convert them to text when you pause.

<p >The device is Bluetooth enabled, so you can communicate with other Bluetooth devices such as a PC or a mobile phone. It also has an infrared port, which allows you to beam information to similar devices, such as an infrared printer.

A cradle connects the e740 to a PC, which can be synced so users can transfer information between the two devices. You can synchronise your Outlook e-mail and appointments, so there is no need to forget about an important meeting. To keep in touch with your online ‘buddies’, MSN Messenger has been included on the system, and a Windows Media Player can be accessed at the touch of the stylus. The inclusion of Microsoft Reader allows you to read books on the move using your PDA. If you are really at a loose end, the Pocket PC has a mini version of that great office time-wasting staple — Solitaire.

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