Products - Compaq's Aero 8000
For educators on the go, Compaq offers a compromise between the portability of a handheld device and the higher levels of productivity found in a standard PC notebook. The Aero 8000 H/PC Pro is a Windows CE mobile device that weighs less than three lbs. and offers features similar to a higher end notebook.
A full keyboard, 10" SVGA color monitor and touchpad system, along with basic versions of Word, Outlook and other Office standards make this device as useful as it is portable. A built-in 56K V. 90 modem allows users to dial out and check e-mail or surf the Internet from anywhere, something we found to be particularly handy. Any documents created on the Aero can be transferred to a desktop or notebook through a PC-link. This handheld is powerful enough to drive a projector or outside monitor. There is also a handy voice recorder built in to record ideas or messages at the touch of a button.
Overall, we found this unit's portability to be quite good. At 2.95 lbs. and a measurement of 10.75" x 8.5" x 1", the Aero 8000 can easily be put in a briefcase or backpack. Its battery life is very lengthy, allowing you to use it for many hours before recharging. On the downside, without a floppy drive, the only way to transfer files to a desktop is through the PC link, which d'es require some degree of patience. It took us a little while to get it working and its transfer rate isn't terribly fast, but it d'es eventually get the job done. Still, for a good mix of convenience and productivity, the Aero 8000 d'es rather well. Compaq, Houston, TX, (800) OK-COMPAQ, www.compaq.com.
--Jim Schneider
jschneider@thejournal.com
This article originally appeared in the 10/01/1999 issue of THE Journal.