dolphs
11-19-2004, 09:50 PM
Well, I am now at 7 days and counting with my T-Mobile HP 6315 IPAQ. I agree with much that has been posted here already but I do seem to be having better luck than some. I also have an HP2215 IPAQ and Motorola V600 phone so those will be my "comparison" devices. I am a moderate user, frequent email checks and phone calls but I rarely need to access a lot of apps while calling or browsing.
The GOOD :lol: :
WiFi browsing and email is great both on my home network and the T-Mobile hot spots. Nice for me since my emails tend to be attachment laden. The little HP interface allowing you to turn different networking on and off is extra handy.
GPRS browsing is about as expected, slow but it gets you there.
The phone. Works better than it thought it would. Yes the speaker is weak (hard to hear rings) but the Speakerphone actually works well both for the me and the person on the line. I do miss voice dialing and the loud and clear rings from my Motorola V600.
Soft Resets. I was worried about this from other reviews. But so far I've only had 2. One when I tried to adjust the volume while a call was being dialed. The other when I tried to put the 6315 in its case with the keyboard on it. Despite ZD net review saying this will work - it does not. Causes multiple buttons to be pressed creating a lockup
Sync with MS Outlook. No problems here (none on my 2215 either). Although sometimes attachements that are within the designated size range don't come over. Contacts and Calendar all work fine. I really like being able to dial directly from my contact lists. I did not like the way the Motorola V600 handled contacts. It added a seperate name listing for each type of contact. So one person could have their name on the directory 4 times for home, mobile, email and fax. V600 would not handle recurring appointments either.
The MARGINAL: :?
I still find the center button (what do you call it) that allows you to move up/down almost useless (same with the 2215). You can never hit the spot you want, it is always to fast or slow.
The snap on keyboard is nice but you can't leave it on and use your case or docking cradle. It was easier to type on than I thought it would be though.
Callers consistently complain that the supplied earbud has poor voice quality (to much gain) and is distorted. Listening to calls is fine.
The docking cradle does not "dock" as well as the one with my 2215 nor does it sit still on the desk while you are trying to dock and undock.
Processor speed hasn't really bothered me yet but it is noticably slower that the 2215.
I am sure it is just a matter of time before that dumb rubber cover over the earphone jack breaks off.
The BAD: :evil:
Haven't heard this from others but it chaps me to have to buy all new accessories (except SD Card) within the same IPAQ brand. Even the stylus is not the same.
My Motorola blue tooth headset is not working at all (so far), a documented issue. It was my favorite gadget with the V600 phone.
Overall, I find I am getting much more use out of the 6315 versus the 2215 thanks to all the connectivity options. On the phonse side, except for good Blue Tooth functionality, I don't miss the V600 phone at all (it is not well designed despite all the bells and whistles). The HP is doing better than I expected. I certainly do not miss ATT Wireless whose oversubscribed network in the Dallas/Fort Worth area was an outrage (they seem better almost everywhere else). Their marriage to Cingular (one of the world's most disfunctional companies) is a match made in hell. T-Mobile is fine so far but it's early! By the way, check your local T-Mobile factory stores for specials. I picked up an extra $50 off the price because of an unadvertised sale they ran last weekend.
The GOOD :lol: :
WiFi browsing and email is great both on my home network and the T-Mobile hot spots. Nice for me since my emails tend to be attachment laden. The little HP interface allowing you to turn different networking on and off is extra handy.
GPRS browsing is about as expected, slow but it gets you there.
The phone. Works better than it thought it would. Yes the speaker is weak (hard to hear rings) but the Speakerphone actually works well both for the me and the person on the line. I do miss voice dialing and the loud and clear rings from my Motorola V600.
Soft Resets. I was worried about this from other reviews. But so far I've only had 2. One when I tried to adjust the volume while a call was being dialed. The other when I tried to put the 6315 in its case with the keyboard on it. Despite ZD net review saying this will work - it does not. Causes multiple buttons to be pressed creating a lockup
Sync with MS Outlook. No problems here (none on my 2215 either). Although sometimes attachements that are within the designated size range don't come over. Contacts and Calendar all work fine. I really like being able to dial directly from my contact lists. I did not like the way the Motorola V600 handled contacts. It added a seperate name listing for each type of contact. So one person could have their name on the directory 4 times for home, mobile, email and fax. V600 would not handle recurring appointments either.
The MARGINAL: :?
I still find the center button (what do you call it) that allows you to move up/down almost useless (same with the 2215). You can never hit the spot you want, it is always to fast or slow.
The snap on keyboard is nice but you can't leave it on and use your case or docking cradle. It was easier to type on than I thought it would be though.
Callers consistently complain that the supplied earbud has poor voice quality (to much gain) and is distorted. Listening to calls is fine.
The docking cradle does not "dock" as well as the one with my 2215 nor does it sit still on the desk while you are trying to dock and undock.
Processor speed hasn't really bothered me yet but it is noticably slower that the 2215.
I am sure it is just a matter of time before that dumb rubber cover over the earphone jack breaks off.
The BAD: :evil:
Haven't heard this from others but it chaps me to have to buy all new accessories (except SD Card) within the same IPAQ brand. Even the stylus is not the same.
My Motorola blue tooth headset is not working at all (so far), a documented issue. It was my favorite gadget with the V600 phone.
Overall, I find I am getting much more use out of the 6315 versus the 2215 thanks to all the connectivity options. On the phonse side, except for good Blue Tooth functionality, I don't miss the V600 phone at all (it is not well designed despite all the bells and whistles). The HP is doing better than I expected. I certainly do not miss ATT Wireless whose oversubscribed network in the Dallas/Fort Worth area was an outrage (they seem better almost everywhere else). Their marriage to Cingular (one of the world's most disfunctional companies) is a match made in hell. T-Mobile is fine so far but it's early! By the way, check your local T-Mobile factory stores for specials. I picked up an extra $50 off the price because of an unadvertised sale they ran last weekend.