All right, you can’t put it in your pocket! But you can type on it easily, browse the Web with its built-in 56 Kb modem, and view Web pages, e-mail or documents on its crisp, full 600x800 color display. With all the news about Pocket PCs, NEC’s release of its new MobilePro 880 Handheld PC Pro almost slipped by us.

The MobilePro 880—inside and out

The NEC MobilePro 880 is the updated version of the full-screen MobilePro 800 introduced by NEC over a year ago. Like its predecessor, the MobilePro 880 has a large screen capable of displaying 64K of colors. The screen on the unit I tested was very readable. It seemed a little brighter around the edges than in the center, but only in the opening desktop screen.

The MobilePro 880 also comes with a 78-key, 92% full size keyboard. It’s about the size of a keyboard on a small notebook PC and probably one of the best keyboards on any Handheld PC Pro. The keys are closer together than a standard desktop PC keyboard and don’t travel as far. I found that it took a day or two of part-time use to fully adjust to the differences. During that time I’d occasionally hit the wrong key or hold a key down too long and type it twice. But once I got the feel of the keyboard, typing was a breeze. The MobilePro 880 has a pad below the keyboard that you rest your palms on while you're typing. If you’ve never typed on a keyboard with one of these pads, it’s another thing that takes getting used to. But it’s supposed to help prevent repetitive-motion injuries.

NEC VR4121

The major hardware to the 880 is on the inside. Both of NEC’s new MobilePros, the 880 and the smaller 780 are powered by NEC’s new VR4121 MIPS processor, which clips along at 168 MHz. Without exceptions, applications opened and closed quickly on the test unit. And with the exception of some very large spreadsheets and Word documents, most documents opened quickly. I tested a 780 a while back and it was about as fast as the 880. Both of these newer MobilePros are noticeably faster than their predecessors.

The various I/O ports are spaced evenly around the edge of the 880. The C/F Card slot and phone jack are on the right edge. The PC Card slot, the mono speaker/headphone jack and the AC power jack are on the left. Nothing except two LED indicators are on the front edge. The back has the IrDA port, serial port and USB port. I like this relatively spacious arrangement of ports and card slots.

The case is a nice silver-gray with black accents. The 880 is the size of a very small notebook computer. It weighs two pounds, six ounces and it was easy for me to carry in one hand. The case is a little too smooth to provide a good grip. Carry it with an underhand grip or keep it in your briefcase.

The MobilePro 880 comes with an AC Adapter, a VGA-out cable, a serial connectivity cable and a modem cable. These items are also available as accessories if you want to purchase a spare or replacement. NEC also offers the following optional accessories for the MobilePro 880. A Deluxe Carrying Case; Combination Earphone/Microphone; High-Speed Printer Cable; Stylus 3-pack; and the MobilePro UltraCareSM Extended Service, which extends warrantee for two additional years.

Microsoft and NEC software

The MobilePro 880 comes with the Microsoft Windows CE 2.12 operating system and the Handheld PC Professional Edition version 3.01 set of applications. These include “Pocket” versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook (Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, and Inbox). Also included with the H/PC Pro applications are various setup and communications utilities and, of course, the game, Solitaire.

In addition to these Microsoft programs, NEC has built into ROM the following programs:

• bSquare Backup Plus (www.bsquare.com) — a popular, full-featured backup utility.
• bSquare Script (www.bsquare.com) — a scripting program that helps you automate repetitive tasks.
• NEC MobilePro FAX — a fax send and receive program.
• XTNDConnect client (www.extendsys.com) — a server synchronization that enables multiple H/PCs to remotely connect, over any networking infrastructure, directly to corporate systems. It provides synchronization between the H/PC and any database, including Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Notes.
• Citrix ICA client (www.citrix.com/) — provides server-based computing for full Windows applications.

The MobilePro 880 ships with a CD-ROM from Microsoft which includes the ActiveSync desktop PC-to-MobilePro synchronization program and Microsoft Pocket Streets. NEC includes a second CD-ROM with bonus, user-installable software, including V-One SmartPass (a VPN client for Windows CE), an Internet setup wizard, extra printer drivers, and a client for Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Notes.

An “Enterprise Computing Companion”

According to the press release NEC sent me, the MobilePro 880 is “..a thin client and enterprise PC companion…” Don’t worry, NEC will still sell this to individuals in the market for a lightweight and powerful Handheld PC Pro. In fact, I just saw it for sale at MobilePlanet’s online store (www.mobileplanet.com) for $949.

But it’s clear from their press releases and the software they are including with the device that NEC is focusing on large enterprise sales. Both the 880 and the 780 can have 4 Mb of internal Flash ROM built in as an option. This gives an organization the ability to build in proprietary business applications and security features. The XTNDConnect (formerly ASL-Connect), Citrix ICA client software, and the V-One SmartPass CE VPN client enhance the ability of the MobilePro user to connect and synchronize with enterprise networks and enable secure Internet communications.

NEC added two additional utilities from bSquare (www.bsquare.com). bSquare Backup Plus is the best backup utility available for Windows CE devices, and bSquare Script is a scripting program that helps automate repetitive tasks. I haven’t used Script much and don’t know how useful it would be to an enterprise user. But bSquare Backup Plus is a great addition to the MobilePro 880, no matter what kind of user you are.

Full screen or half screen: you choose!

The NEC MobilePro 880 H/PC Pro has a big and beautiful SVGA color display. It’s great for seeing your whole document, or browsing the Web while you’re in your hotel room. It has the built-in applications and connectivity options to make it your office away from the office. But it’s a little larger than some Handheld PCs, and a lot larger than the new Pocket PC. You’ll end up carrying this with you in your briefcase or shoulder bag.

I’ve also mentioned the NEC MobilePro 780. It’s almost identical to the 880 except that it has a smaller (1/2 VGA, 64K color) display and lacks the USB port. It’s about 2/3 the size and weight of the 880. If you want to travel lighter, and don’t care about the bigger screen, take a look at the MobilePro 780. Both will be available through NEC dealers, and authorized online retailers including MobilePlanet (www.mobileplanet.com). The MobilePro 880 lists for $998.99 and the 780 for $840.99. A list of online stores carrying the MobilePros can be found on NEC’s Web site (www.neccsd.com/shoponline.html).