HP's iPaq hx2795 has all the features that most users--business or consumer--would want or need from their PDA. Its retail price is on the high side, but so are its capabilities.

Business users especially will appreciate the integrated biometric fingerprint scanner. This protects access to data on the PDA without having to remember passwords. It's a unique find on a personal digital assistant.

The core power on the hx2795 is quite impressive as well, thanks to the 624MHz Intel processor. This swift chip opens applications quickly and, since this PDA is running Windows Mobile 5.0, those applications include mobile versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

There's 64MB of RAM and another 320MB of ROM, with up to 256MB available for user storage. It's not a ton of space, but it's larger than a lot of mainstream PDAs, letting you house quite a few files including larger multimedia files such as MP3s. Windows Mobile includes Windows Media Player, so audio and video files will play on this PDA. With the 320x240 pixel resolution on the 3.5-inch screen, video playback looked sharp, and you can switch between portrait and landscape view modes to watch videos in widescreen.

Of course, if you want to store a lot of large files on the hx2795, you might have to expand its memory. HP includes both a CompactFlash and an SD/MMC slot so you can add empty storage cards or even upgrade the functionality on the PDA via SDIO peripherals.

Connectivity options are quite good on the hx2795. You get 802.11b wireless so you can connect to the Internet via a WiFi hotspot. There's also Bluetooth and IrDA for synching up to compatible devices without having to drag along a USB cable. And there's a docking cradle to keep near your main PC so you can just drop the PDA into it whenever you want to synch.

There's a built-in microphone and speaker for using the unit as a voice recorder, and the headphone jack lets you listen to audio or videos in stereo sound. Battery life varies depending on your usage, but we were able to go over six hours even with some heavy wireless browsing.

HP offers a one-year warranty on this PDA, pretty much the same length you'll see from any manufacturer. You can purchase a three-year extended coverage plan, but it'll add $130 to the price tag of the hx2795.

Speaking of price tag, this PDA retails for a bit on the high side for a personal digital assistant. But if you need a fast PDA with the advanced security that a fingerprint scanner can provide, the hx2795 is a solid choice. It's not the cheapest PDA on the market, but the HP iPaq hx2795 is definitely one of the most robust.

Pros: Very fast performance, built-in fingerprint reader
Cons: Expensive

Warranty
1 year, limited