Standalone PDAs are becoming somewhat rare, as smartphones continue to gobble up market share that once belonged to dedicated handhelds. Despite this, there are still some companies that offer powerful and inexpensive PDAs that keep you online on top of your data when you're on the move; ASUS is one of these companies, and its MyPal A626 PDA impresses us with its performance and its price tag.

The MyPal A626 is an inexpensive Windows Mobile PDA, although you won't get the deep price discounts that you often find on smartphones by signing a contract with a service provider. Its core power is better than expected for the price: It features a 312MHz Marvell Xscale processor with a reasonable 64MB of SDRAM. This gives the A626 enough power to run applications quickly and allows it to keep multiple programs open at once.

There's not much built-in storage space, so you'll want to take advantage of the SD/MMC slot that is available on the A626. This slot supports cards of up to 4GB in size, and since the prices of these cards are dropping, it is a good idea to get a large card or two in order to house media files or install applications.

Connectivity is impressive, as the MyPal A626 features 802.11b/g wireless and Bluetooth 2.0; the former lets you connect to the Internet at your favorite wireless hotspot while the latter allows you to connect peripherals and synch to your Bluetooth-enabled PC without using cords.

The 3.5-inch TFT touchscreen display features 320X240 resolution and an anti-glare coating. You can orient the screen either vertically or horizontally, which makes it handy for viewing Web sites or watching video clips.

The A626 also includes a built-in microphone and speaker, so you can use it as a voice recorder. The speakers actually produce pretty good sound for a PDA, although you'll most likely want to switch to headphones if you use the A626 for music playback.

The A626's case is stainless steel, which gives it a sturdy feel and a sharp look. This unit weighs in at just 5.57 ounces, so it's easy to carry inside a large pocket. ASUS also includes a protective case and a spare stylus, in case you misplace the original. Battery life lasts around six hours of continuous use, which is about average for a PDA in this class.

The ASUS MyPal A626 is a high-quality, affordable standalone PDA for users on the go.


Pros: Great price, light weight
Cons: Average performance

Warranty
1 year, limited