Compaq iPAQ 3955 Color Pocket PC

I am very statisfied with my new iPAQ 3955. I would give it five stars but...It was necessary to do a return/replacement with the first unit I received due to a bad "frozen" pixel on the screen. With Amazon's excellent return/replacement policies this was a relatively painless process and the replacement unit was perfect with no problems whatsoever.Out of curiosity while I was out Christmas shopping, I checked several iPAQ 3955 units on display at a local retailer and discovered that 2 of the 3 units on display had bad pixels. I also noted that several of the Amazon customer reviews indicate a pixel problem. Apparently, this is a problem with the 3900 series - otherwise it is an excellent product with a lot of great features at a fairly reasonable price.Just be sure to check for bad pixels.

This has to be one of the worst PDA's on the market. It is all style over substance. I own two of these PDAs and none of them charge at all... They are completely dead. I was able to resurrect them once by hooking them up to an external power supply that I wired up the battery leads. It seems that these machine are programmed to fail after a year. The battery's that came with these PDA as still putting out adequate voltage and are perfectly fine. To bad that PDA is not. Word to the wise - DO NOT BUY THIS PDA!

I have had my 3955 for only 16 months of relatively light usage (I do not even use it every day, as I quickly learned how rapidly the unit burns through a charge). Now, for no apparent reason, the internal battery will not hold a charge . . . fully charged off the docking station, the unit is fully discharged (and all my data and settings gone!) less than 24 hours later after the unit has not been used at all! For this kind of money, I would expect better battery life and the ability to self-install a new battery, rather than having to send the unit in for service. I will probably not purchase another iPaq unless these issues are addressed by HP.

This is a great product! I researched for months and months, and finally decided to go with the 3900 series. While, if I were to do it again, I'd get the 3975, just becuase it's bluetooth enabled, but it'll be another year or so before bluetooth is used widely enough to justify the extra hundred bucks. No complaints with the iPAQ itself, execpt for the fact that I have a pixel out smack dab in the center of the screen. Amazon wouldn't take it back--because I live in Japan, and after I had my visiting friend hand deliver it to me, I couldn't get it back to America in time for Amazon to feel they had an obligation to help me out--other than by referring me to the manufacturer. So, I had it sent to a Compaq repair center and it was sent back to me with an explanation that my annoying pixel outage was within their accepted "industry standard" and they wouldn't repair it or replace my product. What a bunch of hay! What about my standards? I bought their product brand new for around $$$, and they don't care that it's defective and really annoys me? Bad customer service has likely cost Compaq a previously devoted customer.

Words cannot even begin to describe this handheld pc. Well, I'm over exagerating a little. If you wanted to get a pocket pc, I suggest you get an Ipaq. It has the most amazing backlight and it's amazingly easy to use. There's hardly nothing that can't be done with it since it can be expanded with different kinds of expansion slots. Buy an Ipaq.My main reason for writing this review was to actually thank the merchant that provided me her great service. Since it was too late for me to rate her using rate seller, I'll just rate her service here. I give yong2_wen2 a 5. Although I recieved the incorrect item at first, I was able to return the Ipaq and get the correct model with all shipping paid. yong2_wen2 was very responsive to every email I sent providing me with great customer service.

I have had this since it first came out and I have been very happy with it. I use my ipaq for everything now: contacts, schedule patients, music when I workout, email, games, and as an alarm clock. I have it in a wallet case, so it is also my wallet with my ids and credit card. It took awhile to get used to using this instead of pieces of paper and for anyone interested in investing in one should really consider this...it takes time and patience to learn how to use the ipaq in your everyday life. Being in the medical field it has become an invaluable resource for information I need to get my hands on quickly.For those who buy this, I give two recommendations:1) back up! You can lose much data through freeze ups. It is the nature of the technology and it is going to have some problems now and then.2) get an extended warranty program. If you use it alot, like I do, it will probably break within a year. After all it is a small machine with alot of technology and it is bouncing around with you all day long.Other than that, enjoy it! It is amazing that we can have all this technology in our hands! I can't wait till they come out with a car starter/door opener options. As I think it about it, it will be the next thing to patient charting. We will just speak into it and it will chart patient information. Maybe it will turn on our house lights, computer, oven, cars,etc. one day.... I look forward to that!

Got this refurbished from Costco. Good screen etc. BUT, the power runs out every time you turn your back on it and there IS NO BACKUP (watch-type) battery. When the power runs out, you LOSE every program you ever installed, and the software walks you through an insultingly stupid nano-tutorial before you can use it again. Stupid design of the decade. Bought a stowaway keyboard for it and whenever the keyboard got near it, the Ipaq got flaky. Tonight the thing died again and I destroyed it (dead, it makes a better work of art than it ever did a PDA). Reason: I had to spend more time and effort reviving it than using it. A great concept with severely crappy reliability.