Setting up the iPAQ IA-1 was a breeze. An included poster guided us through the basics like attaching the power cord and putting batteries into the infrared keyboard. When we turned on the IA-1 for the first time, a short tutorial explained basic Internet navigation and common Web-related terms. A person with little or no PC experience who has never surfed the Net or used a Web browser would find this introduction especially helpful.

Appliances like the iPAQ IA-1 do not have hard drives to store programs and downloaded files. The OS and browser applications are stored in the IA-1's non-volatile memory. All other Web-based applications are downloaded as needed. The IA-1's sealed case and embedded software protects the user from many PC-centric problems like corrupted registries, virus mayhem, and hardware conflicts.

The iPAQ's wireless infrared keyboard is the control center of the appliance. Ten function keys across the top of the keyboard give users one-touch access to Web-based applications such as search, email, banking, and shopping. The smallish, lightweight keyboard was easy to type on, and it worked well from up to six feet away from the base. We found that the keyboard worked best when placed on the same flat surface as the base itself. Any time we angled the keyboard away from the base, even slightly, the keyboard would lose contact and stop responding. Wireless keyboards are nice, but the iPAQ keyboard's narrow IR field left us little choice but to leave it right in front of the unit.