MWG's sleek new Atom Life PDA gives you high-speed broadband connectivity in a powerful, yet very portable mobile device.

The Atom Life weighs just over five ounces, yet it features a swift 624MHz Intel XScale PXA 270 processor and the new HSDPA 3.5G connectivity. "HSDPA" stands for "high-speed download packet access", and it gives you broadband speed on your mobile devices. Currently available mainly in major metropolitan areas, HSDPA networks are in the process of expansion and should be more widely available soon. This wireless protocol supports speeds in the megabits per second, thus allowing you to download large e-mail attachments and other files extremely quickly. This PDA also supports the EDGE protocol, which makes it versatile across data networks.

In addition to HSDPA and EDGE, the Atom Life PDA also offers built-in 802.11b/g so you can hop onto the Internet at traditional wireless hotspots. It also offers Bluetooth (albeit Bluetooth 1.2) and IrDA compatibility.

MWG pairs the processor with 64MB of RAM and a healthy 1GB of flash ROM for relatively expansive file storage. You can pop in a miniSD card to further enhance the PDA's storage capacity; these cards are traditionally more expensive than larger SD cards, but their prices have been dropping considerably of late.

The built-in 2-megapixel digital camera captures both still images and video, and there's even an LED flash, so you can take low-light photos at a fairly impressive resolution. Audio includes a built-in stereo speaker that actually delivers decent sound. There's even an FM receiver, so you can listen to your favorite local radio station through said speakers.

The 2.7-inch screen isn't the largest you'll find, but it delivers bright images and features text that is crisp enough to read easily thanks to the standard 320X240 resolution that matches that of larger screens.

The Atom Life PDA ships with Microsoft Windows Mobile 6, which gives you mobile versions of Word and Excel so you can take your office documents on the road; you can even edit them. It also serves as a tri-band cell phone, so you can find service almost anywhere. There's a built-in microphone as well, so you can talk via speakerphone and use the PDA as a voice recorder.

Essentially, the only thing that the Atom Life lacks is a keyboard; all input is handled via the touch screen, either by stylus or by finger.

With its fast processor, expansive flash storage and HSDPA support, you'd expect the Atom Life to be quite pricey, but we find it to be surprisingly affordable, especially if you shop around. If you're looking for cutting-edge speed and performance, the MWG Atom Life puts it all into a slick package that sells for less than it probably should.


Pros: Broadband speeds, powerful processor
Cons: No keyboard

Warranty
6 months, limited, included accessories; 1 year, limited, main unit