Tabby, welcome to the forums! Firstly, I wanted to say that if you are new to the PDA market, the hx4700 may be considered overkill. You can do most everything the hx can do on a device 200-300 dollars cheaper. More on this later.
The hx4700 and hx4705 are the EXACT same device. Hewitt Packard uses the variation in model number to simply track inventory for their company. If a device is sold online or sold refurbished, it is classified as an hx4700, if it is sold new, at a retailer, it is called the hx4705. But the devices are the same.
Secondly, to get on the web, there are a menagerie of methods that may or may not cost money. If you already have a wireless network at home, then you can get online free. you can also get online free wherever an unsecure wireless signal can be picked up. Like, for me, there are alot of homes around my school with wireless signals, I can connect to any one of them for free right from class. But lets say you want to go and get online at Starbucks, there will be a charge for that. If you have a bluetooth enabled cell phone, you can connect to the internet through that, but, depending upon your cellular phone plan, there may be connection and airtime charges.
Thirdly, yes you can use Pocket Word as a digital notepad, eliminating taking notes at school. But I warn you, using the onscreen keyboard is meticulously slow, and I would reccomend you to look into purchasing a portable wireless keyboard for the hx, should you decide to buy one. I use my hx combined with my keyboard to take notes in class every day. Then I can wirelessly send them to my printer and have them printed and waiting even before I get home.
Lastly, no you won't NEED anything else to make the iPAQ work. It will include all of the necesary software out of the box. But most users choose to add what are known as "third-party" applications (programs available for download throughout the net) to enhance the usability of their hx. For someone with basic needs or minor needs, like yourself, the hx may be overkill because any PocketPC device can take notes in Pocket Word, and all of them can connect to the web (either with built-in wireless, or with third-party devices like wireless cards).
But should you want to go all-out and get the hx, you will find it money well spent. This device will blow the competition out of the water when it comes to more extensive applications like watching movies and enterprise usage, but, again, for the basic user this is way more than needed.
Should you have any questions about the hx or Pocket PCs in general, feel free to contact me at
jnppc@comcast.net and I would be more than happy to assist you! Take care and God bless!
- Justin
