iPAQs Pass FCC/Bluetooth Specs

[Janak Parekh]

The world's worst-kept secret, the iPAQ 6300, just got a little worse-kept; the FCC has approved the device for use in the US, and as usual, we get <a href="https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/cf/eas/reports/ViewExhibitReport.cfm?mode=Exhibits&amp;RequestTimeout=500&amp;calledFromFrame=N&amp;application_id=273312&amp;fcc_id='GKRP5TH6300'">plenty of documentation</a> to back it up, including photos and a user manual. Here's a frontal pic from the FCC docs:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20040616-FCCiPAQ6300Front.jpg" /><br /><br />Just as interesting is the fact that a pair of devices known as the iPAQ 3400 and 3700 <a href="http://qualweb.bluetooth.org/Template2.cfm?LinkQualified=QualifiedProducts&amp;Details=Yes&amp;ProductID=1781">just passed Bluetooth certification</a>. Surprisingly, those devices seem to be only BT 1.1 (not 1.2) compliant, and the list of profiles doesn't include Handset/Handsfree. Moreover, the Bluetooth SIG doesn't seem to publish more specs about devices that pass, so we'll have to <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=28132">continue speculating on what those devices are</a>.<br /><br />I've got a pair of pictures of the back of the h6300 as well from the FCC documentation, one with the regular battery and one with the extended battery<!>. Note the battery lock switch at the bottom... and is the camera "missing" in the second picture? :)<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20040616-FCCiPAQ6300Back.jpg" /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20040616-FCCiPAQ6300BackExt.jpg" />

[OSUKid7]

The world's worst-kept secret, the iPAQ 6300, just got a little worse-kept
You mean a little less worse-kept?

Interesting stuff. Doesn't look like I'll be wanting this iPaq much anymore. Bring on the 4700s! lol

[surur]

No headset profile in a large ppcpe bluetooth device? Very bizzare.

This is why i would wait for the Mpx - a ppcpe made by a phone company.

Surur

[Sven Johannsen]

Damn camera. :(

[ale_ers]

No headset profile in a large ppcpe bluetooth device? Very bizzare.

This is why i would wait for the Mpx - a ppcpe made by a phone company.

Surur

I agree, although the larger screen and quad band on the 6300 are tempting too. I'm going to have to make a pro/con sheet for the 6300 vs. the MPx.

[szamot]

At first when we heard about this device I almost fell off the chair from excitement. Now, as the information leaks it keeps getting worse and worse to me. I sure would like a single device to handle all my needs but not at the expanse of performance and functionality. Now this device with 128 MB, VGA and decent battery life and some speed, would be a move in the right direction, but as it stands now it is a Pinto dressed to look like an AMG Mercedes. :cry:

[Stephen Beesley]

Okay - I try not to make comments about what a device looks like (after all it is soooo subjective), but boy is that one ugly Pocket PC....

That combined with what in my mind are not really stellar features means this is really not something that would appeal to me.

Bring on VGA!

[heliod]

No headset profile in a large ppcpe bluetooth device? Very bizzare.

This is why i would wait for the Mpx - a ppcpe made by a phone company.

Surur

I agree, although the larger screen and quad band on the 6300 are tempting too. I'm going to have to make a pro/con sheet for the 6300 vs. the MPx.

I agree.

But I think you should add the XDA2 in the list. Maybe it doesn't have WiFi, but this can be added, and 64MB of extra RAM can make a lot of difference...

[PR.]

At first when we heard about this device I almost fell off the chair from excitement. Now, as the information leaks it keeps getting worse and worse to me. I sure would like a single device to handle all my needs but not at the expanse of performance and functionality. Now this device with 128 MB, VGA and decent battery life and some speed, would be a move in the right direction, but as it stands now it is a Pinto dressed to look like an AMG Mercedes. :cry:

Damn right :(

*Continues wait for HP Explorer*

[weisco]

As a T-Mobile subscriber, I have been anxiously waiting for this device. My T610 is a great phone with its Bluetooth headset. I also have the T-mobile PPC (I switch the sim card from one to the other).

I would use my PPC more if it had bluetooth headset capabilities.

After reading the owners manual for the 6300, the bluetooth profile can send business cards (who gives a ...) & other items that are easier done with either WiFi or IRDA but it doesn't HAVE A HEADSET PROFILE!

What are they thinking? You can use Bluetooth on the 6300 to connect to your cell phone (You made the 6300 a cell phone already HP) but you won't have the functionality that most people would want Bluetooth for?? If you are going to carry around the bulky design of the 6300 as your primary device, a bluetooth headset makes it MUCH more user friendly (as opposed to the cheaply made wired headset for the PPC which I have broken 4 of so far).

I hope these are not the final specs. I am NOT willing to upgrade my T-mobile PPC for a device (even if it is supported by T-mobile directly) that doesn't have the Bluetooth headset profile. Since I have replaced my PPC twice (once I dropped it, the second time I upgraded to 2003 & the device went batty) and both times T-Mobile was more than generous with their exchange policy, and their level 3 tech support has fixed a few GPRS glitches for me, I doubt I'd feel comfortable buying a device that T-Mobile doesn't sell and support.

COME ON HP--If already spending the money for the hardware and having with the great connectivity options 6300, give it the functionality it deserves...PLEASE.

Anyone else share this concern?

[The Yaz]

Everyone is into large processor numbers...

I think most people will be suprised by how much the 6300 will be able to accomplish with its 200mhz (gasp, how 2002!) processor. There are in fact people with 206mhz strongarm processors who still enjoy the full capabilities of their pdas.

The other issue to remember is that it is a TI OMAP chip. I do not know if there mhz is the same as Intel's (Kind of like AMD vs. Intel). The only complaint I see out of the gate for the 6300 is the available ram is only 64/55mgs. I would think that HP would know at this time that we've reached 128mgs as the next standard plateau, especially with the multiple tasks this pda/phone will need to accomplish.

I'm willing to wait for the reviews to come out before I give up on it.

Steve 8)

[Jason Lee]

Yeah... When i first heard about this ppc it was the _the_ one i wanted. But the more i hear about it the less i want it. It really doesn't offer me anything over my 2215 and my moto V600 combo. It actually offers less. no nevo (i am addicted to that, must have), same ram/rom, no CF slot, slower processor (this is still debateable), no ppc2003se. For me to fork out all this money for a new ppc it needs to be a bigger upgrade than this. For me at least. I used to go by the newest ppc just because it was new... :D can't afford it now though. I guess the same can be said about all the other new hp ppcs comming out. Only 2 with 128mb and only one vga, neither of wich have nevo... :(
Oh well, time to play the waiting game... (i really hate that game... lol)

[rzanology]

hmmmm....this is veeery unlike hp. It must be made in a dell lab :lol: .

[Janak Parekh]

After reading the owners manual for the 6300, the bluetooth profile can send business cards (who gives a ...) & other items that are easier done with either WiFi or IRDA but it doesn't HAVE A HEADSET PROFILE!
Well, let's wait and see. The owner's manual and other FCC docs were preliminary... note that my post didn't say much of anything about profiles on the h6300. ;)

The other issue to remember is that it is a TI OMAP chip. I do not know if there mhz is the same as Intel's (Kind of like AMD vs. Intel).
Early reports strongly suggest that it is not, and that the unit is responsive. We'll have to wait until production units are released to come up with a final commentary, but it's way too early to critique its performance.

As for memory, rumor has it they used 64MB instead of 128MB to reduce battery drain on the phone device. 128MB is certainly nice, but it's not utterly necessary for WM2003. I have a 64MB i700, and I've had zero problems with the memory - I keep an SD card in it, and that solves that. :)

--janak

[weisco]

Janak:

I hope you are correct about the Bluetooth Headset Profile--I'll cross my fingers and wait.

I also agree with your thoughts about the TI OPAP chip. A short while ago no one would have believed that the slower processor Centrino chips would meet or exceed the performance of the faster processor P4 chips. We shouldn't pre-judge the TI chip before looking at speed comparisons.

Even Intel is planning to move away from discussing processor speed with their newest set of chips coming out later this year and next.

[CharlesWilcox]

This tends to tip the scales for me. I think I'm going to go with the XDAII. Does anyone know a good place to get one since Tek-n-Toys isn't carrying them at this point?

[stjohn1335]

I've come to realize that it will be a while before we have a truly powerful Pocket PC phone. This device probably only has 64MB because HP has to keep this within a consumer price range. With the added cost of the phone they have to skimp elsewhere.

I'm sure the processor speed is related to battery drainage from the radios; a 500MHz processor working with the phone on would probably drain it in an hour!

So until parts like RAM/ROM become cheaper and battery life is improved, we should expect these specs for the forseeable future. Just my disillusioned $0.02.

[stephman]

Section 4 of the manual states...

"Your HP iPAQ Pocket PC comes with built-in Bluetooth
technology that allows short-range connections and provides fast,
reliable, and secure wireless communication.
With Bluetooth powered on, you can send information or perform
the following tasks wirelessly between two Bluetooth devices,
within a range of approximately 10 meters (30 feet):
�¡ Exchange contacts, calendar items, and tasks
�¡ Send or exchange business cards
�¡ Transfer files
�¡ Synchronize with a computer through an ActiveSync
connection
�¡ Partner with a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone and use the cell
phone as a wireless modem
�¡ Connect to other Bluetooth devices (Virtual COM port)
�¡ Print to a Bluetooth printer
�¡ Use a Bluetooth headset"

[Pat Logsdon]

I've got a pair of pictures of the back of the h6300 as well from the FCC documentation, one with the regular battery and one with the extended battery<!>. Note the battery lock switch at the bottom... and is the camera "missing" in the second picture? :)
I think it's just a poor picture. I jacked up the brightness and contrast of that section of the second picture, and it looks to me like there's a camera there:

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/media/users/5229/logsdon_20040614_6300camera.jpg

[yslee]

Still ugly. The consolation is that it might be affordable. Sigh.

[weisco]

stephman,

I also saw Section 4 of the manual:

�¡ Use a Bluetooth headset"

I'm crossing my fingers that the 6300 will include headset support.

When you read further in section 4 (the Bluetooth section), the manual states you can only communicate with bluetooth devices that have one of the following services...unfortunately it doesn't liste headset as a service, nor is there any information on pairing later in this section with a headset (though there are detailed instructions for other pairings ie: file transfer, activesync, cell phone partnership, etc).

I hope that HP forgot to add "headset service" in the draft manual and the 6300 will have support for bluetooth--we'll see when someone has a chance to do a review!

[ale_ers]

I think it's just a poor picture. I jacked up the brightness and contrast of that section of the second picture, and it looks to me like there's a camera there:


There was a site listing the model numbers for the devices a while back and they stated that there would be a model with a camera and one without. The only drawback was that the model without a camera was only priced about $30 less.

I personally want a camera in my next PPC, I do however understand those of you who don't/can't. I think that we will see future PDA's offer a with/without option.

[mscdex]

Just as interesting is the fact that a pair of devices known as the iPAQ 3400 and 3700 just passed Bluetooth certification (http://qualweb.bluetooth.org/Template2.cfm?LinkQualified=QualifiedProducts&Details=Yes&ProductID=1781).

Is it just me, or did anyone else realize that there's already an iPaq 3700 line of devices? Albeit it's outdated, but still.

Unless of course this "new" iPaq 3700 is going to have PPC2002 with bluetooth, since it never had it built-in. :lol:

[MaximumPDA]

Is it just me or does it seem to be taking forever for this thing to come out. It's like waiting for water to boil. :)

--Bill

[Jason Lee]

Is it just me, or did anyone else realize that there's already an iPaq 3700 line of devices? Albeit it's outdated, but still.

Unless of course this "new" iPaq 3700 is going to have PPC2002 with bluetooth, since it never had it built-in. :lol:

Yeah but the old one was the h3700 the new one is the rx3700. That's the dif. :roll:

[Jonathon Watkins]

Damn camera. :(

Well you do know that there will be one model without a camera, right?

See here (http://www.bargainpda.com/default.asp?newsID=1889) for more details.

Smart move on HPs part! I get the feeling that vendors that do not offer a camera-less alternative to their devices will regret it. It's probably not hard to have one production line that puts with ether the optics & electronics in, or a blanking plate.

Choice is good and I'd be very interested to see the price and sales figures for both models.

[stephman]

Damn camera. :(

Well you do know that there will be one model without a camera, right?

See here (http://www.bargainpda.com/default.asp?newsID=1889) for more details.

Smart move on HPs part! I get the feeling that vendors that do not offer a camera-less alternative to their devices will regret it. It's probably not hard to have one production line that puts with ether the optics & electronics in, or a blanking plate.

Choice is good and I'd be very interested to see the price and sales figures for both models.

I believe the they're named like this.

Camera-less:
6310

Camera:
6315

Can't remember where I read that though. Sorry.

[Steven McPherson]

I would agree that no headset profile is STUPID in this device. That being said, if this is anything like the 5400/5500, I believe there was a hack to make the headset profile available.

In all fairness though, the device hasn't be released yet and we should withold judgement until we confirm.


O2kman

[enrio600]

any rumors on possible pricing and avail on t-mobile ?

[Ryan Joseph]

I think I'm going to go with the XDAII.

That's what I did. I really, really wanted the 6300 when I first heard about it, but I got tired of waiting.

Then there's the fact that the XDA II has 128MB and a 400MHz processor. The only thing it lacks when compared to the 6300 is built in WiFi. I just use a WiFi SDIO card and it works fine.

The XDA II also lacks the antenna. I know it's needed for WiFi, but I like the fact that the XDA II doesn't have the antenna and that I can add the WiFi sticking up out of the top when I need to. :mrgreen:

[R K]

Why does everyone keep complaining about the RAM size?
It has 64MB of ROM, so that's practically the same as having 96MB of RAM. Not perfect, but it's still way above the storage capacity of the current iPAQ H2215/H4155.

[ultraman]

Besides still picture, does the 6300 supports video capture as well?

[gonsped]

Gosh - enough about the bluetooth headset complaints! Worry about that later. :?

Whats more important - when is the approximate date of availability?

I just hope this is something everyone (outside the US) could also use without having to buy a PPC like the Audiovox 4100 locked into ATT Wireless.

[aussieandre]

How do you guys carry these phones? The biggest thing stopping me from getting a pocket pc phone is I need to carry it on my belt.

This is why I think the mpx will be my converged device. I currently use a 2210, but have owned, many, many palm/pocket pc's.

Cant wait to have one device.

[Pat Logsdon]

The XDA II also lacks the antenna. I know it's needed for WiFi...
Actually, it's not. :wink: The 415x, 435x and a few others do just fine without a WiFi antenna... :D

[Janak Parekh]

The XDA II also lacks the antenna. I know it's needed for WiFi...
Actually, it's not. :wink: The 415x, 435x and a few others do just fine without a WiFi antenna... :D
Well, I'm assuming they have an internal antenna. I'd assume you can only squeeze so much inside; different frequencies internally might be challenging.

--janak