09-14-2004, 10:00 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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PDA Buyer's Guide Reviews the iPAQ 6315
"After months of rumors, two years of waiting for various iterations of iPAQ Pocket PC phones that never made it to market in the US, and and a great deal of patience, the iPAQ 6315 is here. The iPAQ brand is the Kleenex of Pocket PCs, having become so established that novices often say "iPAQ" when they mean Pocket PC. Thus, we'd expect this model to take the market by storm, and boost T-Mobile's customer base since they have the initial exclusive offering on this product in the US."
I know a lot of you are fans of PDA Buyer's Guide reviews, and this one is certainly no exception -- it's nice and detailed. Take a look if you're on the fence about buying a 6315.
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09-15-2004, 02:59 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 71
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I dont know is it about me... The look of this model does not impress me at all :lol:
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09-15-2004, 03:14 AM
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,998
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I had a chance to play with one of these (and a 4700) for a few minutes today when our HP rep was onsite. I was pretty impressed with both devices actually. If I had to buy today, I'd have a tough time deciding which. If only the 6300 had VGA... :?
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09-15-2004, 03:35 AM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 7
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I just wish you could use this phone with AT&T....I thought I heard somewhere that T-Mobile would unlock this phone after 90 days. Is that true?
Telengard
Jeff, what did you think of the 4700? That is the model I am waiting for...
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09-15-2004, 03:42 AM
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,998
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I thought it was pretty good looking. Everything seemed to work well. I didn't have a lot of time with it, but I liked what I saw. Seeing the touchpad in action was helpful as well. It's not something I'd use all the time, but it's a great option for those times you want to do something quickly (like look something up) and only have one hand.
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09-15-2004, 04:11 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 164
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by telengard
I just wish you could use this phone with AT&T....I thought I heard somewhere that T-Mobile would unlock this phone after 90 days. Is that true?
Telengard
Jeff, what did you think of the 4700? That is the model I am waiting for...
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I believe one creative feller bought the phone and activated using a pay-as-you-go kind of service with TMobile. He then said he needs to use it overseas as well, so they unlocked it... cost him around $50-75 and no contract.
What I've heard is you need an active contract for 90 days, it's not tied to the phone. I've had my 6315 for about a month and they sent me the unlock info because I requested it (going to Japan again). Worked like a charm and customer service was excellent.
*Phil
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09-15-2004, 04:23 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 434
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Someone posted on my web site that they had returned the 6315 and I asked why. Here's what they said (no names):
In answer to your question about the Ipaq 6315, let me start off by saying that I have an Ipaq 2215, which I just love. Great for keeping schedules, contacts, notes,etc. I also run Pocket MS Money, a little Diet Log software program, and some Pocket PC Map program. I can take pictures with my camera, load the CF card and voila... Everything was "Happy-Happy".
I liked the 2215 so much that I hatched this hair brained scheme to get an Ipaq that could do "more". I read all the reviews I could find, and thought the 6315 could solve a really big problem I had. What I need more that anything else right now, is mobile internet access for "DayTrading" purposes. Enter the Ipaq 6315. Problem is that when a gadget does "sooooo much", it doesn't do anything really well. (In my humble opinion).
Here's how it compared to the Ipaq 2215. Speed in loading programs is noticeably slower that the 2215. It seems to lock up quite a bit, which NEVER happens on the 2215. I had to re-boot it about 4 times the first day I got it. The WIFI connection to our home network has intermittent problems, so I had to keep it in the docking station connected to my computer to test the internet. As for the internet, I thought it would work just like our Desktop. Ok..... so this was pretty silly of me to think that. After all, all of the other software programs, Excel, Word, Money, were "Pocket versions." In my excitement of finding a solution, I didn't think about what the internet access would look like. No "surfing" as I know it, and I couldn't get access to Ameritrade, because I am using an older version of their website which doesn't have a Pocket PC version yet. This is not the fault of the Ipaq 6315. I really should have tested a model in the store first, and then called Ameritrade to see if it would work.
Funny thing is, the Convergent Technologies CF card will work in the 2215. I can even buy a cable to connect the Ipaq 2215 to my Motorola cell phone for $39.95. In fact, most of the features of the 6315 can be added to the 2215, if you are willing to buy the CF Cards, camera attachment, etc. As for the camera, I've been spoiled by my Canon Powershot S50. Yeah, I know they now make smaller, more mega pixely, etc, cameras, but mine works great. I really can't say that anything on
6315 made me go "Wow", "This really is better that my 2215".
The experience sent me on a quest to find a PDA that runs Windows XP - they don't exist. But, this did led me to the Sony Vaio U series "Hand Top" computers, and to your very informative website. I know that there are a few American companies, (Vulcan, etc), threatening to come out with a version of the U, but so far, they haven't materialized. What's the holdup? No matter, from the specs I read, they don't seem have the "oomph" of the U. So, I'm saving my dough and will be buying the U in a few months, along with a GSM/CF card for constant internet access. In addition, I will continue to use my cell phone, camera, and sometimes even my beloved Ipaq 2215.
I guess what I learned from this experience is that I'd rather carry around more equipment, then sacrifice the features I need. But hey, that's what rolling luggage and big purses is for....
__________________
James Kendrick* ...using mobile devices since they weighed 30 lbs
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09-15-2004, 06:04 AM
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Pupil
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 13
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the review is well written, unlike some other merely as a mean of ipaq promotion.
whether you need a phone pda or a pda is solely individual dependence. I would like to have some hand on on phone pda but not at this moment as i do believe there will be a lot of issue... as i am more use to pda. and pda especially for ppc still hang quite often. i would not like to reset my phone so often as does on the pda.
for the moment i will stick to two seperate...phone and pda
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09-15-2004, 01:33 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 209
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Performance
I tried to load a GPS navigation (iGuidance) on the 6300 using Bluetooth...
It is way too slooooow to my conclusion: Not usable.. for anything than simple PIM functions..
So GPS user beware!
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09-15-2004, 02:18 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 270
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Re: Performance
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Dhpss
I tried to load a GPS navigation (iGuidance) on the 6300 using Bluetooth...
It is way too slooooow to my conclusion: Not usable.. for anything than simple PIM functions..
So GPS user beware!
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In contrast, I use Tom Tom on my 6315 and it works great. No issues what so ever, as a matter of fact, it seems to work better than on my old 5455. And the 'Profiles' work great. I set one up for Car Mode so that bluetooth comes on for my GPS and headset as well as brightening the screen and changing the ring tone.
I'm sure everyone's needs are different, but I am a big road warrior and for me, this is the perfect device. My needs are PIM, Navigation, e-mail, phone with a little bit of music and e books thrown in. So for me the big screen (as opposed to upcoming devices like the MPx), always on connection, wonderful battery life fits the bill.
And moving from the 5455, the processor speed isn't noticeable to me (I don't watch movies or play games, so YMMV). The biggest con, the low speaker, is fixable by increasing the volume level of your WAV files on your desktop.
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Linear Mode
