HP iPAQ Pocket PC 5400 Explained

[Andy Sjostrom]

<a href="http://www.brighthand.com/article/iPAQ_5400">http://www.brighthand.com/article/iPAQ_5400</a><br /><br />Steven G. Bush has written an informative article called "HP's iPAQ 5400 Series Pocket PC: Bluetooth and WiFi" which I highly recommend reading.<br /><br />"Still, the most ground-breaking new addition is the thermal swipe technology used in its fingerprint reader. HP now allows you to secure your device in a variety of ways, from a password to a PIN to a fingerprint, or any combination of the three. To use a fingerprint, you must first "enroll" your fingerprint by training the iPAQ to recognize it."<br /><br />One of the most interesting trends happening right now in the Pocket PC industry is the widening price range. Before, almost every Pocket PC was positioned as high end. Today, we find brand new Pocket PCs around the $250 mark and we know that Dell will open up a new range around $199. The HP iPAQ 5400 is definitely high end and will be priced accordingly. But don't think HP will let Dell play alone in the low end. Expect to see Pocket PCs from both companies right next to each other price wise just in time for Christmas shopping!

[Glader]

This is very interesting. I tried to find out how much this device costs, but couldn´t find it. Do you know??

[Foo Fighter]

Today, we find brand new Pocket PCs around the $250 mark and we know that Dell will open up a new range around $199.

The real question is...can they steal marketshare away from PalmOS vendors? There is still the possibility, a very small possibility I think, that consumers will still favor PalmOS over PPC. In which case, it won't matter how cheap PPCs become, just as it doesn't matter how expensive/inexpensive Macs are in relation to PCs. PalmOS could be entrenched enough in the public psyche that it is perceived as the "standard". As I say, that is a very small possibility, but one that is not to be ignored.

PalmSource has always viewed the simplicity, elegance, and general popularity of its OS as the key to its success. Now that theory is about to be put to the test. Pop some popcorn and pull up a chair, this is going to be quite a show. 8)

[Andy Sjostrom]

This is very interesting. I tried to find out how much this device costs, but couldn´t find it. Do you know??

I don't know how much it will cost. But I believe the "high end" will stay where it currently is: between $549 and $699.

[Paragon]

To use a fingerprint, you must first "enroll" your fingerprint by training the iPAQ to recognize it."

Training?? I don't think I like the sound of that to much. It sounds a lot like training my voice recognition apps. I would hate to get locked out of my PPC because it failed it's training course, or was just to finicy (how the hell do you spell finicky?) to get it right today.

Dave

[brntcrsp]

I'm very curious to to what features are included in the two other "high end" models mentioned, the h51xx and h56xx. I suspect one (h56xx) might have Phone Edition, in addition to the BT, WiFi, and biometric models and support CDMA or GSM. As for the other series, I'm at a loss as to what the features there will be. The h54xx looks to be a middle ground between a fully loaded model, and another model with fewer bells and whistles.

Anyone else have some wild speculations?

[WillyG]

The real question is...can they steal marketshare away from PalmOS vendors?

I highly doubt that this is the unit that will eat of Palms market cookie, or in general is targeted "against" Palm users. My impression from misc. Palm forums is that most Palm users are very economical when they select a device. They want simplicity, pay for simplicity and thats just what they get. This is more likely to be targeted to the exsisting Pocket Pc market as a re-purchase (iPAQ users?) device. Dell and ViewSonic OTH have a much greater chance of beeing "Palm eaters"

ThePalmOS could be entrenched enough in the public psyche that it is perceived as the "standard".

On the other hand Pocket Pc's represent Microsoft and Windows, thats pretty much a standard too. Guess it depends on the customers ability to differentiate between a screwdriver (Palm) and a swiss army knife (PPC) :wink: Personally (thinking of some of my colleagues) i doubt they are.

[disconnected]

It looks like bluetooth comes with everything. I could live without bluetooth if I could have 1xrtt CDMA (is it Sprint or Verizon?), so I'd a lot rather have the combination of CDMA and 802.11b, particularly if they are still not going to have a CF slot. I know 802.11b will be available sometime in SD form, but it's still a pain to have to switch from a storage card to the wireless card.

[brntcrsp]

A little off topic, but following the previous thought by Disconnected. If we have BT, WiFi, and some phone network (CDMA, GSM, whatever) what other expansion would we need that it only available in CF format. The only ones that I could think of off hand would be GPS, modem, and NIC (although most of the included technologies could fill that gap quite nicely). Is there anything else out there that we would lose by not have an integrated CF slot available to us?

I guess this also begs the question are integrated technologies worth while? I know most people go back and forth on the idea, and I used to be in the camp of non-integration, but the more I look at the new iPaqs the more I begin to think this might not be such a bad idea.

Sorry about the thread hijack.

[JonnoB]

It looks like bluetooth comes with everything. I could live without bluetooth if I could have 1xrtt CDMA (is it Sprint or Verizon?), so I'd a lot rather have the combination of CDMA and 802.11b, particularly if they are still not going to have a CF slot. I know 802.11b will be available sometime in SD form, but it's still a pain to have to switch from a storage card to the wireless card.

I like the idea of integrated wireless (GSM, CDMA,BT, WiFi, etc) but still want expansion slots (two). I would prefer to see SDIO+CF. Another good option would be just two SDIO slots. I want memory expansion and at least one IO option. I just don't want a sleave.

[Birdman]

These days the only thing I really need a CF slot is for a CF modem. If it had an integrated modem, I would be happy to use the SD slot for memory and other coming accessories. (For some reason, the one SD accessory I never hear about is an SD modem).

[vincentsiaw]

hey bluetooth, wi-fi it's all good and i loved it, but my experience tell me that this stuff really eats your battery, two hours battery live with this radio on? even if the battery is removable, how much spare battery do i need to have for a whole day? speaking of gsm/gprs enabled, using the xda doesn't satisfied me at all, really limited battery live that's why. i mean i just talk for 1 and half hour and the battery metter start to indicate that it need to be recharge. even my old nokia 3360 can last 4+ hour of talking time, not to mention days of stanby.

i guess pda manufacturer have to start making a better battery first, the one will power the pda for at least 6 hour with wi-fi on, then i'll be glad to buy one !

[JonnoB]

Someone may have thought of this and maybe even talked about it, but this was new for me.

Thinking about wireless access and biometric security, it dawned on me that this could be a great tool for law enforcement. A police officer making routine traffic stops for example could get a quick swipe of a finger and using the wireless features, have it sent to a central processing agency who would do a quick search and return results if the person has outstanding warrants, etc.

Anyone else think of that application?

[Maverick]

Someone may have thought of this and maybe even talked about it, but this was new for me.

Thinking about wireless access and biometric security, it dawned on me that this could be a great tool for law enforcement. A police officer making routine traffic stops for example could get a quick swipe of a finger and using the wireless features, have it sent to a central processing agency who would do a quick search and return results if the person has outstanding warrants, etc.

Anyone else think of that application?

Did anyone else think of big brother? :roll:

[dmkozak]

This is very interesting. I tried to find out how much this device costs, but couldn´t find it. Do you know??

I don't know how much it will cost. But I believe the "high end" will stay where it currently is: between $549 and $699.


When HP showed these to the press a few weeks ago, I thought the HP spokeswoman said they'd be priced in the $450-$650 range. It looks like the "new" PPC pricing is even reaching H-Paq.

[dmkozak]

I'm very curious to to what features are included in the two other "high end" models mentioned, the h51xx and h56xx. I suspect one (h56xx) might have Phone Edition, in addition to the BT, WiFi, and biometric models and support CDMA or GSM. As for the other series, I'm at a loss as to what the features there will be. The h54xx looks to be a middle ground between a fully loaded model, and another model with fewer bells and whistles.

Anyone else have some wild speculations?

Here's my guess. The article says there'll be a 5110, 5130, 5450, 5610 and 5650. The 5450 is supposed to be BT, WiFI & F-print scanner. There's also a picture of a BT, GSM/GPRS & F-print and a BT, phone & no F-print. Maybe the xx50 means F-print scanner. If so, then maybe the BT, GSM/GPRS & F-print will be the 5650. Also, maybe the xx10 means no F-print scanner. If so, then maybe the 5610 is the BT, phone & no F-print. Meaning the 5600 series would be BT plus telecommunication. That would leave the 5110 as the 3950 replacement (no BT or F-print) and the 5130 as the 3970 replacement w/BT & no F-print.

These are nothing more than guesses on my part. I have no knowledge to back them up. Good luck with them.