The "eternal struggle" in the world of mobile computers is between size and functionality. In one corner you've got the simple Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a pocket sized appointment book and contact manager, but not much else. It's the bantamweight contender, quick on its feet but without much of a punch. In the opposite corner you've got the full-fledged notebook computer with a Pentium processor and a full suite of desktop applications. It's the heavyweight contender with power to spare, but it's just a little too big and clumsy to get in close for the K.O. And in the third corner…

That's right, there are more corners in this arena, and they are crowded with the middleweight contenders! These devices are more powerful than the simple PDA, but lighter and faster on their feet than the notebook PC. They come in different sizes and shapes, with different hardware and software features. The truth is that in this eternal struggle there's a separate brawl going on for the middleweight position.

All of the Windows Powered devices are part of Microsoft's evolving attempt to produce a middleweight champion. Microsoft's strategy is simple: pack more and more functionality into the smallest useable package. The two major Microsoft contenders are the Pocket PC (a powerful pen-entry device) and the Handheld PCs (a mini-notebook computer with a small, but useable keyboard). This review looks at the most unique and newest of the Handheld PCs, the Intermec 6651 "Pen Computer."

Unique, powerful, versatile

Intermec calls the 6651 the "Pen Computer," but it's really a small Handheld PC device designed by Intermec and Sharp Electronics of Japan. It's one of the most powerful and versatile "mini-notebook" middleweights I've ever seen. It's small but useable; it has a built-in digital camera that can take still-image photos or MPEG-4 videos; and it uses a fold-over clamshell design to let you use the 6651 as a notebook or a pen-entry tablet. (Note that Sharp still markets a fold-over Handheld PC called the TriPad. The 6651 is a completely different device.)

A small but useable "mini-notebook"

The Intermec 6651 is the smallest mini-notebook I've seen. When I say "mini-notebook" I mean a device that is smaller than, but still as useable as, a notebook computer. It has a readable and reasonably large display, and you can touch type on the keyboard (see Screen 1). The 6651 has a six-row, 79-key keyboard that measures just about 8.5" diagonally. Compare that to the HP Jornada 720 I reviewed in the last issue (six-row, 7.35" diagonal keyboard, a little too small to touch type on) and the HP Jornada 820 (six-row, 10" diagonal keyboard, easy to touch type on, but HP just discontinued it). Intermec Handheld PC is somewhere in between the two in size. I quickly adapted to its keyboard and wrote a good part of this review on the 6651.

Screen 1: The Intermec 6651 has a readable and reasonably large display, and a small, "touchtypeable" keyboard.

Lights, camera, action!

The Intermec 6651 comes with a still-image and video camera built into the hinge of the clamshell. It's quite small and sits out of the way, adding nothing to the thickness of the 6651 and only a fraction of an inch to the width. I've listed the camera details in the Spec Sheet on page xx. The camera is designed to be used when the 6651 is in tablet mode (see Screen 6; more on tablet mode in the next section). It's a fixed-focus camera that automatically adjusts to lighting conditions. You can select resolution for 1/4 VGA (320x240) or 1/16 VGA (160x120). The still images are saved as .JPEGs and the file size of the shots I took ranged from 5 to 21 Kb. The movies are saved in Media Player's .ASF format and occupy more storage space. For example, a 1 / 4 VGA mode, 10-second video occupied 282 Kb. You can store images in internal memory or on a storage card. There seems to be plenty of room for movies and images, and the camera doesn't seem to drain the batteries much. In one test I went around snapping still images for about an hour. The battery level indicated by Control Panel's Power Properties screen indicated a 23% drop in power, but I suspect most of that was caused by having the H/PC powered up most of the time. In another test I shot 50 still images, one after the other, with only a 2% drop in the battery level.

The Intermec 6651 comes with a number of add-on software applications, including the Sharp MPEG-4 Camera application (see Screen 2). This lets you control the camera, switch between still-image and movie mode, adjust the frame rate and brightness, select the storage location (internal RAM or Storage card) and more. A physical shutter button is located next to the display. Press it once and the MPEG-4 Camera app opens. Press it again and you take a picture, or start recording a movie.

Screen 2: The Intermec 6651 comes with the Sharp MPEG-4 Camera application built in. This lets you control the camera, switch between still-image and movie mode, adjust the frame rate and brightness, select the storage location (internal RAM or Storage card) and more.

The camera automatically adjusts for the level of light. Aim the camera and look at the image displayed on the 65,000-color TFT display. If you're outside in bright daylight the image might look like a white blur. Wait a few seconds as the automatic shutter adjusts and the image will become clear. When it stops changing, take the picture (see Screens 3 & 4).

Screens 3 & 4: The built-in camera automatically adjusts for the level of light. Wait a few seconds until the image becomes clear and then take the picture. I didn't wait for the photo on the left; I did for the photo on the right.

The camera application also lets you capture MPEG-4 videos. (MPEG-4 is an international standard for compressing digital video data to allow transmission over low-speed links such as telephone lines.) After you shoot a movie a dialog box will pop up indicating that the video is being compressed. This will take a few seconds. The camera application lets you adjust the frame rate of the video from "Low" to "High." Videos recorded at Low occupy less file space but are choppy. Videos recorded at High are smoother but the file size is larger. As mentioned earlier, you can select resolution for 1/4 VGA (320x240) or 1/16 VGA (160x120). Larger image videos occupy more storage space. The movies occasionally locked up during recording when I set the resolution at ? VGA and frame rate at High.

I had no problem playing these movies on the 6651's built in Movie Player application or on my desktop PC's Windows Media Player.

Fold-over tablet Handheld PC

One of the most unique features of the Intermec 6651 is its fold-over design, letting you use it as a notebook or tablet. The display portion of the H/PC is attached to the camera module, which in turn is attached to the keyboard portion of the H/PC. This makes it possible to fold the display over 360 degrees and use the 6651 as a pen-only tablet computer (see Screens 5 & 6).

Screens 5 & 6: Intermec 6651's hinge lets you fold the touchscreen display over 360 degrees and use the 6651 as a pen-only H/PC tablet.

Intermec designed the camera to be used in tablet mode. But when you fold the screen over, the desktop and application images appear upside down when you hold the tablet with the camera pointing forward. Intermec included a screen rotation feature that lets you tap on the rotate icon in the lower right portion of the touch screen to flip the display flips 180 degrees. After creating a wonderfully engineered fold-over screen including a screen rotation feature, I'm surprised that Intermec did not include handwriting recognition software with the 6651. As is, tablet mode works well with the camera application, and for reading data and documents. But there is no convenient way to enter data in tablet mode, except using InkWriter for freehand notes. This omission can be easily remedied with a user-installable copy of CalliGrapher 5.3, a full-featured handwriting recognition program from Paragraph software (www.paragraph.com). But Intermec might want to consider including handwriting recognition in future versions of this device.

To make it easier to use the 6651 in tablet mode Intermec includes a special "Keyboard Lock" application accessed from the Windows Control Panel. Locking the keyboard disables the keys, preventing accidental input when you're using it in tablet mode. You can also set the 6651 to automatically lock the keyboard whenever you rotate the screen. The Intermec 6651 also comes with a detachable plastic "keyboard hard cover" that slips over the keyboard to protect the keys when you're in tablet mode. It works well, but it looks like one of those accessories that you loose or leave behind.

A small warning: The AC adapter, modem cable and serial cable all attach to the back edge of the Intermec 6651. BE SURE TO DISCONNECT these cables before you rotate the screen.

A feature-rich Handheld PC

The fold-over keyboard and built-in camera are the most attention-grabbing features of the Intermec 6651, but there are a number of other nice touches to this Handheld PC, including:

• A vertical series of 10 quick-launch icons on the right side of the display and an additional 12 quick-launch buttons on the top row of the keyboard help access features and open just about any application quickly. Two "User Keys" in the vertical icons can be configured to enter special characters, text, or keyboard actions (Enter, Tab, etc.)
• Loads of expansion and connectivity options, including one Type II PC Card and one Type II CompactFlash Card slots; a serial/VGA out port; a USB port; an Infrared Port; an RJ-11 Modem Port; and an earphone jack.
• Two power On/Off switches, one located on the keyboard and another on the left edge of the H/PC (to be used when operating in tablet mode).
• A Security Slot located on the right edge of the H/PC. You can use this with a Kensington Notebook MicroSaver Security Cable to securely tether your 6651 to a table or other object.
• "One-touch" switches located on the left edge of the H/PC make it easier browse the Web and check your e-mail.
• Soft Reset button located on the right edge of the H/PC makes it easy to re-start a locked up system without loss of data. However, Intermec choose to also provide a Hard Reset button on the bottom of the H/PC. This wipes your internal memory clean and lets you start over with a fresh H/PC. You have to restore backed up data after a Hard Reset. Read that part of the manual and make sure you understand the difference between the two.

Loaded with extra software

The device I tested used the Windows CE 2.11 operating system and the Handheld PC Pro set of built-in applications, including Pocket Outlook (Calendar, Tasks, Contacts, Inbox); Pocket Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access); Pocket Internet Explorer; Voice Recorder; Solitaire and various setup and configuration utilities. We've described this software in detail in many articles, including one found at (www.pocketpcmag.com/Nov/hpcpro.htm).

Intermec will release the Handheld PC 2000 version in the 1st Quarter of 2001. The new device will include the Windows CE 3.0 operating system and H/PC 2000 set of built-in applications. In addition to the applications mentioned in the previous paragraph, the H/PC 2000 comes with and upgraded browser (Internet Explorer 4 compatible), an H/PC version of Media Player, and a Terminal Server Client program. For more on the H/PC 2000, check out the last issue of Pocket PC magazine.

Intermec includes a variety of add-on software pre-installed in ROM on the Intermec 6651. This means that you don't have to install it, it doesn't take up file storage space, and it doesn't corrupt. Most of the applications are associated with the built-in camera or communications. They include the following:

Backup Tool - Lets you create a complete backup (files, data and installed programs) of your 6651's internal memory to a PC or CF storage card. A PC or CF Card backup tool like this is a must for mobile users. But make sure your remove the card after you make the backup and store it somewhere else. If it's in the 6651, and you loose the H/PC, you loose the backup.

Image Editor - Lets you edit and view the still-images you capture with the built-in camera, or any .gif, .jpeg, .bmp and 2bp images (see Screen 7). Users can open full color images (max size 800x600).

Launcher - Lets you start frequently-used programs or documents quickly (see Screen 8). This is a very simple application that lets you open commonly used documents as well as start applications. One of the more useful applications included on this Handheld PC.

Mail - Alternative e-mail application that lets you send text and attachments such as images, spreadsheets and other documents.

Movie Gallery - Displays thumbnails of still images and MPEG-4 movie files recorded using the MPEG-4 camera. Will display any .ASF, .JPG, .GIF, or .BMP file. Also lets you move these files between internal RAM memory and storage files.

Movie Player - Lets you play MPEG1 formatted video files (see Screen 9).

MPEG-4 Camera - Video record application that lets you use the built-in camera to shoot still images or record MPEG-4 movies. (MPEG-4 is an international standard for compressing digital video data to allow transmission over low-speed links such as telephone lines. After you shoot a movie a dialog box will pop up indicating that the video is being compressed. This will take a few seconds. See my comments earlier in the article.

PC File Viewer - Lets you view (but not edit) popular file formats on your 6651 without and conversion. PC File Viewer supports popular word processor, spreadsheet, database and graphics formats. This is a handy utility.

Simple Internet Connection - Makes it easier to set up an Internet connection. You need to do this before you can use Internet applications.

Web Surfing - Lets you register desired Web pages and then let Web Surfing automatically connect to the Internet, and download and store the specified Web pages for offline viewing using Pocket Internet Explorer. Another handy utility. An MP3 music player is described in the user manual, but was not included in the device I tested.

Screen 7: Image Editor lets you edit and view the still-images you capture with the built-in camera, or any .gif, .jpeg, .bmp and 2bp images. I added a caption to this "used car."

Screen 8: Launcher is a very simple application that lets you open commonly used documents as well as start applications.

Screen 9: Movie Player lets you play videos you record using the built-in camera, or any MPEG1 formatted video file.

A mobile office with digital camera - for whom?

The Intermec press release for the 6651 describes how warehouse and manufacturing workers could use the device to transmit data and video across a wireless LAN. I suppose that's true, especially with the devices wireless LAN option. But the 6651 seems better suited to a slightly higher level of mobile service worker. After all, it comes with the full suite of Handheld PC Pro's productivity applications in addition to the camera and wireless capability. And though it seems to be a sturdy device, it's not the ruggedized, dust-proof niche device I'd expect to see on a factory floor. Perhaps the manager of the warehouse would have one.

I'd say the Intermec 6651 is better suited to another group of mobile professionals mentioned in the press release. These include insurance adjusters, building inspectors, and service workers who need not only to capture critical visual images but also to write reports, check email, and communicate with the company via landline or wireless. An article on page 44 of the July/August 2000 issue documents the use of a Pocket PC in Casio's Merchandising Services department (www.pocketpcmag.com/July00/ginsberg.htm). I could easily see the Intermec 6651 being used in a similar manner. Intermec is focused on multi-unit sales to corporations, but they make it available to individuals through Mobile Planet (www.mobileplanet.com). If you're interested in a mini-notebook computer with a built-in camera, it's the only one I've seen. But at $1,495, it's also pretty expensive for an individual user. Intermec will introduce version without the camera in Q1 2001. If they bump down the price below $1,000 it might be a nice device for students or others needing an ultra-portable, but useable notebook. But remember that this is a Windows CE device and it doesn't run resource-hungry desktop PC applications.

Sharp will market the device in Japan, but Intermec has distribution rights for the rest of the world. Intermec has been making handheld devices since 1969 and Sharp has a long tradition of building excellent Handheld PCs, electronic organizers, digital cameras. They worked together in the development of this H/PC and it shows. It's way too early to talk about a middleweight champion. But the Intermec 6651 Pen Computer is certainly a contender. For more information, including an online version of the 6651's User Manual, visit Intermec's Web site (http://corp.intermec.com/products/spec6651.htm).