Hewlett Packard was around at the very birth of Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system. In those days there was no such thing as a PDA with an integrated SIM card, Wi-Fi was a blip on the horizon, screens were monochrome and there was an air of excitement about a new generation of computing devices.

The iPAQ 114 harks back to those days in some respects. OK, it has a colour screen. Quite a large one, actually, at 3.5 inches corner to corner. And it has Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth. But the ‘harkening back' comment stands, because this is a Windows Mobile 6 Classic device. This means it lacks any support for a SIM. In these days when SIM support is considered a ‘must have' by many people looking for a PDA type device, the omission might seem odd.

It also lacks a camera. There is an argument that some employers don't like their staff to have handheld devices with cameras in case they go around photographing stuff they shouldn't. Fair enough. But as the iPAQ 114 Classic lacks SIM support it is likely that staff will have an accompanying mobile phone. And mobiles without cameras are few and far between these days. So the best we can say for the camera's absence is that it has helped keep HP's production costs down, and hence helped keep the purchase cost down too.

Despite these absences the iPAQ 114 Classic packs some strong features.

With 256MB of flash memory and support for SDHC cards in capacities over 2GB, there is no shortage of existing and potential storage space for your files. The large screen is part of an overall fairly sizeable device at 69mm wide, 117mm tall and 13.6mm thick. All the better, we suppose, for those who find some of the smaller format Windows Mobile devices a bit fiddly to use.

And it is powered by a fast 624MHz processor and good battery. When we tested the battery by asking the iPAQ 114 Classic to play music non-stop from a full charge, we got almost eight hours of continuous music from it, which is pretty good for a PDA.

The iPAQ 114 Classic comes with a slip case, which means you can drop it into a bag and be fairly confident that the screen won't get scratched. Given that some may find it too large to carry in a pocket, this could prove quite a comfort.

A PDA that doesn't also act as a mobile phone is not everyone's cup of tea. But if it is what you are looking for, then the iPAQ 114 Classic is a solid performer.