When the first Pocket PCs were introduced in April of 2000, only three companies partnered with Microsoft to manufacture the device. By the end of 2002, over 20 will have versions of the new Pocket PC 2002. This success is great, but with so many available, it's becoming more and more difficult to find the one that's right for you.

A good place to start is with the Pocket PC manufacturers that were around in April of 2000. They've been there and done that. They've had the chance to design, manufacture, and market a Pocket PC; take feedback from end users; and improve the design for the new Pocket PC 2002. One of the most improved devices I've seen is the new Casio Cassiopeia E-200 Pocket PC 2002. Casio has entered the 2002 competition with what I feel is the best, most versatile Pocket PC I've seen so far.

Small, sleek, with lots of power

The E-200 is one of the smallest and lightest Pocket PCs available. Its cool and sleek silver design fits very comfortably in your hand. Despite its small size, it still manages to contain a built-in Type II CompactFlash card slot and a Secure Digital / MultiMediaCard slot. But if you need the versatility of a full-sized PC Card slot, Casio offers an optional "PC Card Unit," a slip-on sled that includes a PC Card slot, extended battery, and USB host port. (MSRP $149.99, see Screen 1) The PC Card slot lets you use wireless connectivity cards (using CDPD, GSM, CDMA and LAN connectivity via 802.11b technology.), storage cards, and other PC Card devices.

Screen 1 (above): Casio offers an optional "PC Card Unit," a slip-on sled that includes a PC Card slot, extended battery, and USB host port.

USB host capability

The Casio E-200 is the first Pocket PC to include industry standard USB host capability. The battery/PC Card sled, and the standard sync/charging cradle each have a USB host port. Casio also offers a small USB host adaptor that plugs into the bottom of the E-200 and lets you access USB peripherals without the sled or cradle. (MSRP $29.99, see Screen 2).

Screen 2 (above): Casio also offers a small USB host adaptor that plugs into the bottom of the E-200 and lets you access USB peripherals without the sled or cradle.

This new feature promises to give the Casio E-200 incredible expandability. For example, E-200 users will be able to access devices such as printers, keyboards, digital cameras, Zip drives, large hard drives, and even portable DVD players. You'll be able to print documents and input large amounts of text using a keyboard. In fact, I am actually writing this review using Microsoft's new USB Office XP Keyboard connected to the E-200 via its charging cradle! You can also retrieve documents and databases from mass storage devices, and even hold video conferences from your Pocket PC. Casio tells me that drivers for all of these peripherals are in the works, though not available as this issue went to the printer. Keep checking Casio's Web site (www.casio.com) for future developments in USB connectivity with the Casio E-200.

Bright screen, great battery life, and more!

The screen on the Casio E-200 Pocket PC is crisp, bright, and easily viewable indoors and out. At its brightest setting, it easily has the best display I have seen on any Pocket PC.

The E-200 has a removable, rechargeable Lithium Ion battery and a small removable backup battery. As mentioned, the optional slip-on sled includes an additional rechargeable battery that extends the battery life of the Pocket PC. Casio estimates the battery life of an E-200 with sled to be approximately 12 hours. (Actual battery life will vary depending on software and peripherals used.) The Casio E-200 is powered by the Intel StrongARM SA-1110 processor and uses IntelStrataFlash memory. It has 64 Mb of RAM standard and 32 Mb of flashROM.

Pocket PC 2002 software from Microsoft

The Casio E-200 ships with the new Pocket PC 2002 operating system and built-in applications from Microsoft. This software is summarized in the Spec Sheet at the end of this review. A more complete review of the new MS software can be found on the Pocket PC magazine Web site (www.pocketpcmag.com/Jan02/2002os.asp).

Microsoft's Pocket PC 2002 software features powerful network connectivity that allows users to access files stored in servers via a virtual private network (VPN). This software is enabled for network connectivity through IEEE 802.11b, Bluetooth, CDPD (cellular digital packet data), CDMA (code division multiple access) and GSM (global system for mobile communications).

In addition to Microsoft's new Pocket PC 2002 software, Casio bundles some excellent software with the E-200.

Casio Menu

One of my favorite Casio applications, and one that has appeared on their previous Pocket PCs, is a utility called Casio Menu (see Screen 3). This is Casio's third version of Menu, and it is the best yet. Menu gives you 10 pages of application launch buttons, 12 buttons per page. The button icons can be arranged and customized to suit your needs. In addition, each button can be defined to open a folder that will hold an additional six launch buttons. This gives you a possible 720 user-programmable application launch buttons. That ought to be enough!

Screen 3 (above): Casio's Menu application gives you 10 pages of application launch buttons, twelve buttons per page.

If you don't want to program the applications yourself, Menu will search your device and populate the ten pages with the applications it finds. This can then be customized to suit your needs (see Screen 4).

Screen 4 (above): Casio's Menu application will search your device and populate the ten pages with the applications it finds.

In addition to the launch menu, this program places a new Menu Bar on the top left side of the screen (see top left, Screens 3 and 4). From left to right, Menu Bar lets you do the following:

Task Switcher/Closer — opens the task switcher menu, which lets you switch between tasks or close all opened tasks.

Launch Menu Program — launches the Menu program described above

Per Cent/Graphic of Remaining Battery Charge — gives you a numeric and visual indication of the amount of charge left on your battery. If you are connected to the AC adapter, it indicates that also. (Note: if two batteries are present, it shows the combined total power remaining.

Memory Indicator Bar — displays a graphic of the remaining storage memory left in main memory and any expansions cards present.

Casio's Menu program is very complete, and I will not be adding a third party application loader or task switcher. I would love to see Casio make an alternate File Explorer, similar to the Resco File Explorer (www.resco-net.com). Until then, I will continue to load Resco's excellent program onto my E-200.

Casio Backup software

Casio also includes a program that lets you back up your entire device to an SD/MMC or CompactFlash card. You only need to lose your data once to learn the value of a regular backup routine. Get an SD or CF storage card and back up often. Don't leave it in the card slot. If you lose your device, you lose your backup. This isn't the flashiest backup program I have seen, but it does the job. Use it. Set a recurring appointment in Calendar to remind you. Back up your data regularly!

In addition to the great applications described above, Casio also bundles ActiveSky, Packet Video, and Audible on the installation CD.

The best portable device I have ever used!

Hats off to Casio for creating an incredibly versatile Pocket PC. With all of the expansion possibilities, great look and feel, and brilliant screen, it sets a new standard in portable computing. As a physician, I can see a nearly unlimited potential for healthcare applications. The bright screen, ergonomic design, and unique USB host functionality are ideal for the medical industry, and other vertical markets. It doesn't have as rich a selection of add-on software as some other Pocket PCs, but its unique hardware features more than make up for it.

I love the HP Jornada 560 and the Compaq iPAQ 3800 series, but I feel these devices are limited by the fact that each contains only a single card slot. Both require slip-on sleds to add additional card slots, which make the devices bulkier. The Toshiba e570 does have a Type II CF card slot and an SD/MM card slot, but does not have options for add-on sleeves, and none of these have USB hosting capabilities. The new NEC Pocket PC has two card slots and USB capability, but I haven't tested it yet.

I do like the sleek designs of the new Jornada, iPAQ, and Toshiba, but when you hold the somewhat bulkier Casio E-200, the differences seem insignificant. The added benefits of the E-200 make it my first choice in a Pocket PC. I reviewed an evaluation unit that I have to send back to Casio. I like it so much that I am going to buy one!

As the appropriate drivers are written for the USB host port, more and more standard, off-the-shelf USB accessories will become available for the E-200, making it even more powerful, versatile, and incredible!.