This article reviews the Medion MDPPC 250 Pocket PC PDA with GPS Navigation. This device is at the budget end of the combined Pocket PC/Sat Nav market, so I was interested to see how it would compare to the more expensive HP iPAQ 5720 previously reviewed on this site.
This review will be split into two. This week I take a look at the Pocket PC and what is has to offer. Next week I will give an in depth report of the GPS navigation.
Box Contents
Inside the box you will find the following items:
- Medion MDPPC 250
- Touch screen stylus
- Docking Station
- External GPS receiver
- Car kit – includes windscreen mount, holder and car charger
- Battery
- USB cable
- CD-ROM (includes Microsoft Outlook 2002 and ActiveSync software)
- Instruction Manual
Detailed Specifications
- Model ID: MDPPC 250
- Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003
- Pocket PC versions of Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Reader, Internet Explorer and MSN Messenger
- Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series
- Medion Navigator 5 (on provided SD card)
- External GPS receiver: SiRF Star II
- Samsung S3C2410 300Mhz processor (ARM)
- 3.5” colour touch screen
- Display Pixels: 240 x 320
- ROM/RAM Size: 32 Mb / 64 Mb
- SD / MMC expansion slot
- Headphone jack
- Microphone/speaker
Setup
When the device is first switched on you are guided through a few initial setup screens to configure the PDA. Once this is done you can start using the device.
The PDA comes with a CD-ROM containing Microsoft ActiveSync and Microsoft Outlook. ActiveSync enables information on your PC to be synchronized with your PDA. This is information like your Outlook calendar, email inbox and contacts. You also have the option to create a shared folder on your PC which allows you to synchronize other documents between your PC and PDA, such as Word or Excel documents.
The whole setup process went smoothly. Once ActiveSync was installed it automatically transferred my Outlook calendar, email inbox and contacts over to the PDA.
The best place to start exploring the PDA is the ‘Today’ page, otherwise known as the Start screen. This is the page that is displayed when you switch on the device. It shows you at a glance the current date and time, your calendar appointments for the day, any unread email messages, and any tasks you have setup.
The Medion comes with an instruction manual which does a pretty good job of explaining the PDA side of things, but there is not enough documentation on how to use the Navigator satnav software/GPS.
Usability
You can navigate around the Medion Pocket PC using either the provided stylus or by using the program buttons at the bottom of the screen.
These buttons provide access to the following commonly used functions:
- Start screen
- Email inbox
- Contacts
- Calendar
There is also a navigation pad which moves up, down, left and right. Pressing the centre of this pad confirms a selection. This navigation pad can be useful for navigating items like your email inbox. These buttons can be adapted to access other programs if you’re not happy with the defaults.
People who don’t like using a stylus on the touch screen will welcome these buttons. I found the stylus pretty easy to use and rarely used the buttons.
On the side of the device there is also a button for recording voice notes. Unlike the HP iPAQ 5720, there is no option to rotate the screen, but that is only a minor niggle.
The 300Mhz processor overall performed pretty well. Applications loaded quickly and I didn’t observe any sluggishness or undue delays whilst using the device.
Docking Cradle
The Medion comes with a docking cradle which was a welcome addition. The more expensive HP iPAQ 5720 which I reviewed recently had no docking cradle. The docking cradle is a bit fiddly to use at first, you need to press the PDA firmly into the docking cradle before a connection is made. After a few attempts you will soon find this straightforward.
The PDA does not draw any power from the USB cable so don’t rely on your PC to keep the PDA fully charged. If you intend to keep the PDA connected to your PC for long periods of time then you must keep the docking cradle power supply switched on. If you don’t do this then the batteries will drain rapidly, in around 6 or 7 hours.
You can also purchase a separate battery pack if required which fits in the bottom of the docking cradle. This would allow you to charge the PDA without the need for an electrical socket.
Office Software
Outlook is probably the best piece of software on the Medion PDA. I found it straightforward to check my emails, manage my appointments and lookup contacts.
I personally found using applications like Excel and Word on this device too fiddly. The screen is just too small to work effectively with any documents, although if you just want to store documents or transfer documents from one PC to another, then it will perform fine.
When using applications like Word and Excel there are several different handwriting modes available. You can either use an on screen keyboard or use one of the handwriting recognition methods. I found the Block Recognizer and Letter Recognizer very difficult to use, the PDA had difficulty recognizing my handwriting.
I had much greater success using the Transcriber Only method. I found this method much more natural, more closely resembling using a pen on paper, although still a bit fiddly at times. It takes a bit of practice but after a day or so you soon get used to it. Providing you don’t write too fast then the PDA should be able to recognise your handwriting without any problems.
Connectivity
There is no connectivity out of the box with this PDA which is a shame. That means no Bluetooth or wireless. If you want Bluetooth or wireless capabilities then you will need to purchase a separate SDIO card. Bear this in mind before purchasing.
When the PDA is connected to your PC the ActiveSync software will automatically download new emails to your PDA. Once you disconnect the PDA from your PC you lose that capability. You will need to periodically connect the PDA to your PC to pickup new emails.
If you only need to synchronize your emails and calendar once a day then this PDA will perform fine. You could for example, synchronize the PDA first thing in the morning, and then check your calendar and new emails on the train whilst commuting into work. For these types of task it will perform great. You could then synchronize the PDA again once you arrive at the office.
I found the whole synchronization process worked well. It was useful being able to synchronize my calendar in the morning and then take the device out and about, and get reminders about forthcoming appointments later in the day.
Media
The Medion comes with Microsoft Windows Media Player 9. I downloaded a few MP3 tracks onto the device and encountered no problems using the Medion as a MP3 player. There is a headphone jack on the side of the device if you want to use it for this purpose. The Medion also comes with two games – Jawbreaker and Solitaire.
Medion Add-Ons
As mentioned earlier, the Medion PDA does not support Bluetooth or wireless out of the box. The Medion does though have an SDIO slot. If you really want Bluetooth or wireless capability then you can purchase a Bluetooth or wireless card separately and plug it into the SDIO slot. These cards retail in the UK for under £20 so they are not too expensive.
Medion Pocket PC Summary
Overall this is not a bad PDA device offering easy integration with Outlook on your PC. I found Outlook worked very well with the screen size although you may find power applications like Word and Excel too fiddly to use.
The overall usability of the PDA is good and it has a reasonable battery life. The lack of Bluetooth and wireless may put off power users who want to regularly connect up to a network to synchronize the device. If you only want to synchronize the PDA once a day using the USB cable then it will perform fine. A separate SDIO Bluetooth or wireless card can be purchased to overcome this limitation.
What I liked
- Good integration with Microsoft Outlook
- Pocket PC easy to use
- Docking cradle included
What Could Be Improved
- No Bluetooth or wireless out-of-the-box
- Ability to rotate screen
Medion Navigator
The Medion Pocket PC also comes with an external GPS receiver and Navigator satellite navigation software. How does it compare to the TomTom that comes with the HP iPAQ 5720.
Read the Medion Navigator review.
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54 responses so far ↓
1 Semih Gorgulu // Aug 10, 2007 at 12:58 pm
Hey! I am from MyWebResource, great and very productive blog
you can expect me to stop by frequently. I hope you stop by at mine as well.
2 william dempster // Dec 23, 2007 at 10:12 pm
i am looking for a update of new street maps on medion mdppc 250 pocket pc. can u tell me where i can go to download the maps for my pocket pc.
3 Dean // Dec 24, 2007 at 8:25 am
I’ve looked around for map updates but haven’t had any luck.
It looks like this product is no longer supported by medion as there is no reference to it on their support home page.
I searched around on a few forums but didn’t find anything useful.
Sorry I can’t be of more help.
If anyone else knows please leave a comment. Thanks.
4 Mr Paul Cheetham // Feb 5, 2008 at 9:59 pm
I am looking for a Medion GPS RECEIVER can you help me??
5 Dean // Feb 6, 2008 at 8:22 am
Hi Paul,
I found one selling on eBay although it is not cheap, £37 total price seemed expensive to me. If you go into eBay and search for ‘Medion GPS Receiver’ you will see it.
6 j bogaert // Mar 21, 2008 at 3:33 pm
I need the car charger lead that powers the gps (rgm 2000) and the unit in the car can you tell me where i can buy one as mine is broken.
7 Dean // Mar 21, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Spare parts may be difficult to get hold of. You could try looking on eBay and see if anyone is selling one. Another suggestion is to search for “medion car charger” on Google and see if you can find a web site that sells spare parts.
8 j bogaert // Mar 22, 2008 at 5:02 pm
I got some one to order me one from medion but it never come and they have still got the broken charger . I ordered it by puttin the number in of the sticker on the charger, but not got it now so i cant do that this time, and it is not comein up with any in the medion shop when i search for “car charger” it was £20 plus p+p, which i thought was dear but cant us it without it.
9 Derek // Mar 29, 2008 at 4:19 pm
My Medion pocket PC will not connect to my computer. Also it will not let me turn it off. Can anybody help?
10 Dean // Mar 30, 2008 at 8:31 am
Hi Derek,
Have you installed the Microsoft ActiveSync software that came with the Medion Pocket PC?
11 Derek // Mar 30, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Yes I have installed the Microsoft ActiveSync software but it still will not connect.
12 Dean // Mar 31, 2008 at 4:22 pm
If you’re using Windows Vista there may be some compatibility issues. Other than that I’m not sure what to suggest next.
You could try contacting Medion support (assuming you live in the UK) on 0870 727 0370.
Or you could try asking your question on the following forum:
http://medion.adslweb.co.uk/
13 Dave // Apr 27, 2008 at 9:31 am
Im looking for updates for sat nav for medion pockek pc thanks
14 Dean // Apr 27, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Hi Dave,
I don’t think there are any more updates for the Medion Pocket PC. It is a discontinued product.
15 Steve // May 2, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Hi.
Does the Medion have a SDIO slot as mentioned “The Medion does though have an SDIO slot.” all the reviews I have read have conflicting information, info wanted to purchase a SDIO wifi card. Thanks
16 Dean // May 3, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Hi Steve,
The model I reviewed had an SDIO slot although I didn’t try inserting a card so can’t validate whether it worked OK.
17 Steve // May 3, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Hi Dean,
Thanks for the response on such an old but useful model, I will just have to find a very helpful shop somewhere.
Thanks again.
Steve
18 muhammad naveed // May 17, 2008 at 11:10 am
my name is muhammad naveed i have medion ppc250 i have a problem that is in ppc italian vertion of wm operating system installed now i want to convert to english vertion of wm now how can i convert it plz reply me as early as possible i will be very thankfull to u.
by muhammad naveed
19 Dean // May 20, 2008 at 9:18 am
Sorry I don’t have any idea of how you could do this you would probably have to totally re-install everything again.
20 Ico // May 28, 2008 at 11:20 am
How and where can i buy that grey stand, because there is no other way to recharge the pocket pc.
21 Dean // May 28, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Accessories for the Medion can be difficult to get hold of. I’m not sure if there are any suppliers who sell what you need. I suggest you do a search on eBay and Google.
22 Ico // May 28, 2008 at 4:41 pm
I have already done it, but there are no results…
Even on eBay. The strangest thing is that of the back of my pocket is written – TCM instead Medion
23 neo // Jul 26, 2008 at 2:19 pm
hello, anyone can help me on how to install an english ROM for medion PP250?
PLZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
thx
24 Dean // Jul 28, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Neo,
I don’t think there is anything you can do, apart from either buying or swapping it for another one with English on it.
25 Neo // Jul 29, 2008 at 4:45 am
Dean, i already had a medion 100 and i change it, but i need the right winceimg.bin file. i cant find
26 Jordan // Sep 29, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Hii
Is this a SDIO Device or not?
And would this PDA work with the
WiFi Wireless 802.11b LAN SDIO Adapter Card.???
27 Dean // Sep 29, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Jordan,
Yes this device has a SD/MMC slot. I don’t know if it will work with a LAN SDIO adapter card. There seems to be conflicting information on the internet about whether it works or not. Some sites say it works whilst others say the SDIO slot is not enabled. If possible, see if you can try out a SDIO LAN card in a shop before buying one.
28 mrs c plant // Sep 30, 2008 at 11:06 pm
i have the ipaq 5720 i am told that this will take a wireless card in the SDIO slot, however i am having difficulty finding where to purchase the wiresless card from, can anyone help
29 Dean // Oct 1, 2008 at 7:49 am
Something like this might do the trick:
WiFi Wireless 802.11b LAN SDIO Adapter Card
This wireless card is only compatible with Windows mobile 2002 or 2003. If your iPAQ has windows mobile 5 installed then have a search on Google for alternative suppliers.
30 ppc games // Dec 31, 2008 at 11:22 am
nice
31 j bog aert // Dec 31, 2008 at 5:45 pm
i have a full mdppc250gps engish one i still use this as a sat nav now and again, i still have the box and all the software . would take a reasonable offer
32 ali // Jan 18, 2009 at 4:57 pm
yeah i was wondering if you were going 2 sell the docking cradle if you are contact me ali_ov_wn@hotmail.com
33 j bog aert // Jan 21, 2009 at 10:13 pm
mine hasent got a cradle i never got one when i bought it, it has got a charger for both the house and the car though but i wouldnt sell it in bits cause its hard to get hold of parts for these now so it needs to be kept as a complete set
34 DELACROIX // Feb 25, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Impossible de transmettre une seule carte sur mon PDA apparement vista refuse de transmettre MapExportTool
35 Leswin // Mar 3, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Interested in all the Medion MDPPC250 comments. I have one, with all rthe GPS bits but have converted to a Garmin GPS. It is great.
I intend using the Medion as a Pocket PC. Has anyone a guide for the PC side which I can borrow for copying, or buy, or pay for the loan.
To j bog aert, my house charger IS the cradle and can be used for spare battery charging.
36 GRAHAM // Mar 29, 2009 at 6:06 pm
I HAVE A MEDION MD 40600 IT CANT READ THE SD CARD IT DID WORK WITH MY PICTURES AND NAVIGATION BUT WHEN I WAS ON THE NAVIGATION IT LOCKED UP I TOOK THE BAT OUT BOOTED UP EVERYTHING WORKS BUT THE SD CARD
37 tablet pc laptops // Apr 12, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Hey, got a question about your blog. I noticed it loads pages lot faster than mine. Do you host your blog on dedicated server? thanks.
38 Dean // Apr 13, 2009 at 8:13 am
Yes I use a dedicated host.
39 Habib Rehman // Jul 22, 2009 at 10:29 pm
hi
i am looking for the screen holder for medion mdppc 250 n home charger if any body could help me i am thank full to u
40 Dean // Jul 23, 2009 at 7:24 pm
I think the best place to look is eBay. If you can’t find one there then have a search on Google for possible suppliers.
41 [Vând] mini desktop (super silent) - Computer Games Forum // Aug 17, 2009 at 12:07 pm
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42 emmanuel owusu // Aug 30, 2009 at 7:49 pm
HOW DO I GET TO REPLACE MY SCREEN WHEN IT CRACKS
43 Dean // Aug 30, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Emmanuel,
I don’t know any specific companies to help you out. I suggest you do search on Google for “sat nav repairs” or something similar. You may find someone who can help.
44 gary palmer // Mar 15, 2010 at 11:11 am
i need a new battrie for my mdppc250 does any one know where i can find one
45 Dean // Mar 15, 2010 at 5:18 pm
All I can suggest is to search on Google or eBay, not much help I know.
46 j bogaert // Mar 21, 2010 at 3:16 pm
does anyone want to buy a complete medion mdppc 250 pocket pc i have a complete one still got box and instructions reasonable offers
47 dave // May 24, 2010 at 10:45 pm
hi…. iv got a medion pocket pc all the cables including the cradle its bin used no more than 4 times im lookin to sell any one interested……
48 ayeola lanre // Jun 6, 2010 at 4:35 am
if u want to sell ur pda call 08134564710 make sure it is at reduced price
49 muhammad naveed // Feb 23, 2011 at 6:25 am
hi naveed there i have medion ppc250 pocket pc how can i use internet in this device
50 ROBERT // Feb 26, 2011 at 3:22 pm
I HAVE A MEDION POCKET PC BUT NEEDS A REPLACEMENT SCREEN. WERE CAN I BUY ONE NEED IT ASAP.
51 ken sharman // Aug 27, 2011 at 5:13 pm
please does anyone know where i can buy a SDIO wireless card for me newly aquired Medion
MDPPC250 pocket pc and can i get onto the “net”(emailing) without one
a very new OAP computer man
52 luigi // Jan 13, 2012 at 2:05 pm
I have a Medion ppc 250 but I need to know how start it in boot loader mode, because it does not work.
thank you
53 Ken Sharman // Jan 14, 2012 at 5:55 pm
can anyone out there help me buy a docking staion for my Medion MD PPC 250 Second hand if it works alright Yours with his fingers crossed Ken Sharman
54 Ricarda Kagel // Jan 17, 2012 at 11:50 pm
I’m really enjoying the theme/design of your site. Do you ever run into any browser compatibility problems? A small number of my blog readers have complained about my blog not operating correctly in Explorer but looks great in Opera. Do you have any suggestions to help fix this issue?
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