iPaq-enabled IP Appliance

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.mitel.com/products/products.cfm?c_id=18&p_id=144' target='_blank'>http://www.mitel.com/products/produ..._id=18&p_id=144</a><br /><br /></div>Here's one interesting IP telephone: the Mitel 5230. Apart from the usual IP telephony features, it has a docking station for iPaqs. Obviously, they're catering to the corporate segment, where someone might carry their iPaq throughout a large office and want access to their data, or the ability to dial from their iPaq's address book.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/Mitel-20030210.jpg" /><br /><br />I'm not sure this will be successful in the long-run, since wireless is the way to go, IMHO. Integrating a Bluetooth or 802.11b AP in the unit might be a more compelling solution, and would work with a broader variety of devices.

[Underwater Mike]

Hmmm, not too much bulkier than the Yiso CF card with the add-on battery! :wink:

[R K]

Wow, is that the new iPAQ Telephone Expansion Pack?

[jizmo]

When can I mount my Toshiba to the front panel of my car and use the directional pad to steer the car?

/jizmo

[fireman]

... and ten years ago it was called "Notephone", used Newton technology and looked much better ...

http://www.comnets.rwth-aachen.de/kultur/CN-Museum/fotos/fern10.jpg

[Janak Parekh]

Fireman, interesting contrast, although the two units are fundamentally different. :)

--janak

[Bob Anderson]

Nice concept... but it's a day late and a $ short.

Any manufacturer brave enough to try and make something like this is really asking to add a &lt;loss> to the bottom line. Unless they make a universal connection of some type, this isn't going to work, even in a corporate environment.

[vincentsiaw]

wow, i could say,this is maybe the most bulkiest ipaq expantion system i ever seen :lol:

[pro_worm]

Way to much criticism going on here -
I for onelove this idea. Even at home, my room has an iPAQ cradle and a telephone; how cool would it be to combine the two? And to be able to use the iPAQ as a pocket pc phone (i.e. wireless internet, messaging, etc.)? The answer - very cool. And personally, I think this device is just plain suave.

Now if only it were under 70 bucks...

[Peter Foot]

Way to much criticism going on here -
I for onelove this idea. Even at home, my room has an iPAQ cradle and a telephone; how cool would it be to combine the two? And to be able to use the iPAQ as a pocket pc phone (i.e. wireless internet, messaging, etc.)? The answer - very cool. And personally, I think this device is just plain suave.

Now if only it were under 70 bucks...

Firstly its an IP phone so you couldn't just plug it in at home and make calls on it. Secondly you could easily fit a docking cradle and a phone on your desk, this item requires a whole room...

I'm sure that voice data integration will eventually become mainstream but probably not with a device as limited as this. It would be much better to see IP cradles for devices that can plug straight into your network and if you want to make calls from your pocket pc address book there should be some open protocol to do this (if there isnt already...) which is applicable to a wide range of devices.

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

I can see this as being a cool "W?BIC" type of device at home. Otherwise, as Janak pointed out, Bluetooth would be more practical IMO. Do away with proprietary hardware connections whenever possible...