09-26-2005, 03:00 PM
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Developer & Designer, News Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,959
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All You Need to Know About HP and the Windows Mobile 5.0 Upgrade
"The Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 upgrade is currently available for the HP iPAQ hx2000 series Pocket PC. The upgrade kit for the hx4700 will be available in Spring 2006."
That's right - after much waiting, the Windows Mobile 5.0 upgrade for the HP iPAQ hx2000 series is finally here. Available as a CD kit or as a download, the upgrade can be purchased for $39.99 (plus extras for shipping and handling). HP iPAQ hx4700 users will still have to wait until Spring 2006 for their upgrade.
Also up is HP's Windows Mobile 5.0 FAQ. It's filled with all the usual doodads on what's new in Windows Mobile 5.0 and ActiveSync 4.0, but it also includes information on upgrade eligibility for the rz1700, rx3000, h6300, and hw6500 series. Here's what HP had to say:
HP iPAQ hx2000 and hx4700 series
"HP wants to ensure that the functionality and overall customer satisfaction of the iPAQ product line is not compromised. Therefore, HP has decided to provide the Microsoft Windows 5.0 upgrade on the following product series: hx2000 and hx4700 series. These models will best be able to take advantage of the new features in Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0, while not compromising product performance and functionality."
HP iPAQ h6300 and hw6500 series
"The h6300 and hw6500 product lines are significantly more complex products that function on mobile operator networks. Mobile operator networks require stable product performance in order to maximize quality of service for their end-users. In some cases in order to maximize service performance with the new operating system, hardware changes are required. Hardware modifications to on the h6300 and hw6500 are not planned; therefore HP will not provide MS Windows Mobile 5.0 on the iPAQ h6300 and hw6500 models."
HP iPAQ rx3000 series
"The HP iPAQ rx3000 product is targeted for the individual purchaser who is focused more on entertainment functionality and looking for good value in a product. HP does not offer upgrades for every platform and in every language. Our upgrades are typically offered on our mainstream & performance products such as our HP iPAQ hx2000 series. We do offer the Microsoft Media Player 10 as a ROM download which can be found on our support and driver�s website which is one of the features of MS Windows Mobile Version 5.0."
Based on this, we can now confirm that earlier rumours of the hw6500 series not receiving a Windows Mobile 5.0 upgrade are true, so any Mobile Messenger users wanting to take advantage of Windows Mobile 5.0 will be forced to upgrade to the hw6700 series, if and when it is made available in your country.
In other news, Microsoft's Windows Media Player 10 Mobile website now contains a link to the hw6515 from Cingular, with a block of text stating that it's due in Fall 2005. The link doesn't lead to anywhere significant, but it's a strong suggestion that we may soon see the device on American soil.
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09-26-2005, 03:40 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 713
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Hmmm. I don't see a way to download the product. Everything on the website offers shipping methods only (which won't happen until middle of October). Anyone find the downloadable version?
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09-26-2005, 04:06 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 398
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I think that it is shipping only. There is no way that they would let you download it as people would hack it for differant Pocket PC's that arnt getting the upgrade. Not that they havent already. 8)
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09-26-2005, 04:17 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,202
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It seems to me that all of the previously posted "rumors" we saw here turned out to be true. To be honest, I'm not really sure I'm going to even upgrade the HX4700 at this point in time. The more I use WM5, the more I don't like it. This seems more like a 1.x product from MS than a 5.x product, and in some ways it probably is, with the significant changes made under the hood.
I will say that it greatly improves the one handed experience most of us desire for converged phone/qwerty keyboard devices, but otherwise - it's much slower, is HUGE memory hog, and offers very little improvement in battery life. Plus it requires change to less functional AS 4.x - not to mention some program incompatibilities (to be fixed as some point, I'm sure).
BTW - am i the only one that thinks it's funny think it's only Mobile operator networks that requre stable product performance? :? I think we all require that, yet it only with the mobile networks is it a reason not to upgrade. I think it's the PC way of saying, it's too much hassle to try and certify with the operators, so we aren't doing it.
Why would anyone purchase the 65xx device if released this fall by Cingular, when the 67xx devices appear to be right around the corner. With the recent release of the HTC WM5 devicese, it seems to me HP has fallen far behind in the WM5 game. HTC and their partners certainly have to pass the mobile network's tests as well, don't they?
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09-26-2005, 04:25 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 1
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Shipping Or Download?
Typical HP, It seems to them that no one exist outside the US,
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09-26-2005, 04:31 PM
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Developer & Designer, News Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,959
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by whydidnt
BTW - am i the only one that thinks it's funny think it's only Mobile operator networks that requre stable product performance? :? I think we all require that, yet it only with the mobile networks is it a reason not to upgrade. I think it's the PC way of saying, it's too much hassle to try and certify with the operators, so we aren't doing it.
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If you were around to hear what HP had to say about their decision not to upgrade their previous devices with Windows Mobile 2003SE, you'll come to realise that obscure excuses are a common day-to-day thing as far as iPAQs are concerned. Sucks, doesn't it?  Especially since most of the iPAQs are rather decent devices.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by whydidnt
Why would anyone purchase the 65xx device if released this fall by Cingular, when the 67xx devices appear to be right around the corner. With the recent release of the HTC WM5 devicese, it seems to me HP has fallen far behind in the WM5 game.
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Right. My thoughts exactly.
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09-26-2005, 05:01 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 713
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by stevelam
I think that it is shipping only. There is no way that they would let you download it as people would hack it for differant Pocket PC's that arnt getting the upgrade. Not that they havent already. 8)
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I spoke to an HP support person via their LivePeople chat software and was told that, despite the advertisement to the contrary, the electronic download is not yet available. That it would take "some time" before they had that ready. So, for the time being, purchasing the CD is the only available option. 
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09-26-2005, 07:29 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 349
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:bangin: Yes, God only knows how much harder it is to post one file on a few web servers versus sending out a master image to be pressed commercially on CD, followed by documentation, packaging, and shipping.
:bad-words: HP has yet abandoned another and even brand new device such as the HW6500 series in favor of a new product that will likely suffer the same consequences in support and confidence as many previous HP products.
:grumble: HP = Highly Pathetic.
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09-27-2005, 03:56 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 212
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It's too bad that HP doesn't give upgrades for us older users. Nice to see that they brought back the design of my iPaq 41xx series. It's the best form factor I have had in a PDA. The Handspring Edge was pretty skinny, but no builtin expansion ports, so pretty useless with it's limited memory.
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09-27-2005, 05:25 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 713
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The downloads are now available.
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