The HTC Shift straddles the line between PDA and ultra-portable notebook computer; it is not much larger than a typical PDA, but its unique design allows it to perform tasks that are more often associated with ultra-portables. As you might expect, its price is also much higher than that of a typical PDA.

The Shift measures roughly 8X5 inches and weighs 1.7 pounds. Its large 7-inch touch screen offers 800X480 resolution, so it is better suited for viewing Web sites and documents than a traditional PDA. What's more, the screen slides and tilts up to unveil a full QWERTY keyboard. You won't be typing 100 words per minute on this keyboard, but it is much faster and easier to use than onscreen keyboards or Palm devices.

Inside the Shift is an 800MHz Intel processor with a gigabyte of memory. This core power doesn't even hold its own against that of a budget laptop, but it's blazing fast when you stand it up against most PDAs.

The Shift's connectivity is excellent. For starters, it includes built-in 802.11b/g wireless so you can hop online at any Wi-Fi hotspot. This device is also a quad-band cell phone, so you can use it to send and receive calls almost anywhere with any carrier. This unit also includes Bluetooth 2.0 for connecting to wireless peripherals.

The Shift features a built-in fingerprint reader that lets you log in securely, and the integrated webcam lets you videoconference with the home office while you're away. There are also stereo speakers that let you play audio without having to plug in headphones.

Battery life lasts around 2 hours under standard conditions, which is not great for either a laptop or a PDA. The Shift does, however, feature SnapVUE software, which lets you access your Outlook e-mail and calendar, gives you the time and current weather conditions and lets you send and receive SMS messages without booting up the entire system. HTC says you can utilize this mode in standby for up to two days, so you can keep in touch for extended periods of time if you are away from a charger.

The high cost of this unit makes it difficult to recommend whole-heartedly, but if you're looking for a PDA that can do most of the things that a laptop can, the HTC Shift is a powerful, yet expensive option.


Pros: Powerful, versatile, beautiful screen
Cons: Very expensive