hw6500: Photos, Dates, And Measurements Oh My!

[Jon Westfall]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000543031267/' target='_blank'>http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000543031267/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"As much as we’d rather not drop yet another post on the HP hw6500 iPAQ Mobile Messenger so soon, details are slowly spilling out—now we have preliminary reports that the device will be announced March 17th, and will be carrier-available by Q2. It will come as no surprise that being an EDGE-enabled phone, Cingular will probably be its carrier in the states, but it wouldn’t be unheard of for T-Mobile to pick it up anyway. Oh, and those measurements we did? Well, they weren’t perfect (we quoted 4.75 x 2.86 x 0.77-0.9), but we came close enough: it should be 4.5 x 2.8 x 0.63-inches. We’ll keep you in the know!"</i><br /><br />Seems the news on this new iPaq are just rolling in! Coupling this information from Engadget and some rather <a href="http://www.pocketpcthai.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=129"> Nice Pictures </a> from Pocket PC Thai, we're starting to get a pretty clear picture of this device and its specs. Anyone drooling over this, or will something keep you away?

[Darius Wey]

Anyone drooling over this, or will something keep you away?

I reckon it's a nice little unit, and it's great that we're starting to see square-screen devices coming in. However, after playing around with many VGA devices before, I don't think I could start using one of these until I see a 480x480 screen.

[PhilH]

Anyone drooling over this, or will something keep you away?

I reckon it's a nice little unit, and it's great that we're starting to see square-screen devices coming in. However, after playing around with many VGA devices before, I don't think I could start using one of these until I see a 480x480 screen.

Agreed. Somehow 240x240 seems a step backwards. Whilst I'd love a Pocket PC with built-in GSM/GPRS, I too wouldn't take this one unless it was at least 480x480. I couldn't go back to lo-res again.

Now, if HP could somehow take my beloved hx4705 and squeeze a phone in, I'd have no hesitation whatsoever.

[Jonathon Watkins]

Anyone drooling over this, or will something keep you away?

I don't think I could start using one of these until I see a 480x480 screen.

Bingo. It's the screen. No chance untill it is 480x480. :? I just can't go backwards in terms of resolution!

[alandashby]

I will have to say that I think this device looks great. I am using the iPAQ 4155, and have been waiting for something smaller in a phone ed. I will have to say the screen makes little difference for me. I love the VGA displays but size and function is more of an importance.

Good Job HP.

[jngold_me]

I am using the iPAQ 4155, and have been waiting for something smaller in a phone ed. I will have to say the screen makes little difference for me. I love the VGA displays but size and function is more of an importance.

Bingo! If the revised numbers are truely representative of the device, we may have ourselves a winner.

[jerboa]

I'll say that it looks promising - but I'm disapointed to see that WiFi was sacrificed for GPS. WiFi on that unit would have made it that much more appealing to me...

[jeasher]

I'll say that it looks promising - but I'm disapointed to see that WiFi was sacrificed for GPS. WiFi on that unit would have made it that much more appealing to me...Exactly. This is where I'm at on this unit. I save the GPS for my car's navigation system. I'm also disappointed about the screen but it's not the deal breaker lack of Wi-Fi is. If they take the screen to 480x480 and add Wi-Fi, I'll start my drooling.

[cdcooker]

It is too big to compete with Treo 650. If they put 240x240 screen, they can use a smaller screen now, why they can't make this phone at least narrower? To be used as a phone, these HPs just too big.

[Jerry Raia]

I'll take it! :mrgreen:

[Jon Westfall]

To make matters a bit more interesting, I've been reading a few other sites that are reporting that HP also has the hw6700 planned for release later this year. This model will gain WiFi, but lose... SD cards! Really HP, whose in charge of your "Lets make it just slightly less than perfect" department?

[jeasher]

To make matters a bit more interesting, I've been reading a few other sites that are reporting that HP also has the hw6700 planned for release later this year. This model will gain WiFi, but lose... SD cards! Really HP, whose in charge of your "Lets make it just slightly less than perfect" department?OMG. Let that door hit Carly in the ass on the way out.

[Jerry Raia]

Well it will take MiniSD cards. Most of us SmartPhone users have succumbed to them already.

[PPCRules]

... will something keep you away?
Price.

[ucfgrad93]

It will be very interesting to see how this is priced. Interesting to see the screen at 240X240. That is what is going to keep this from selling very well in my opinion.

[JohnJohn]

My SX66 will be handed down or sold if this thing is as small as they say it is. I am with Cingular now and the fact that this thing will have EDGE excites me. My hx4700 is still close to my heart and will be going nowhere.

This new unit would be a perfect daily use machine for me.

[NLS]

"Anyone drooling over this, or will something keep you away?"

something will keep me away
erm... as a matter of fact, EVERYTHING will keep be away
what's to like exactly please?
it's HP, it's resolution NOT only sucks but also will be non compatible with anything non PPC2k3SE FULLY compliant (and even then, IF there is space to use in a 240x240 screen), it lacks MANY of the things I'm used to having and are considered standard for real competition (non-enterprise-centered) companies with real (i.e. non-puppet) customers... you know, customers that actually chose the device
-not their company gave it to them
-not was the only brand to be found in the shop they visited
-not it's HP so it must be good and I won't look at anything else
-not I already had an iPAQ so I'll go on having iPAQs (duh?) (after all many people call PocketPC as iPAQs, so there are bound to be people that believe that iPAQ IS something else they need to be compatible with)
-not was a wife/girlfiend gift they cannot change (erm the device) so they have to love

now... if it had a touchpad... it would be a perfect HP-sucks-hard device

drooling over this? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA (you did mean this as a joke didn't you?)
what and then suffer the "excelent" HP service over the wet device?

once more a device from HP that is "for someone else that I fail to understand his needs" or maybe "that if you throw in the pot along with two three other iPAQ models you could make the perfect model"

sorry HP, not me... I tend to have the bad habbit of researching before I buy (and still managed to go wrong by buying a 5450 "once-a-flagship)
0X

[jimski]

Will somebody PLEASE :lol: buy NLS a new iPAQ already.

[NLS]

yes please :lol:

I do have a chair with a leg short...

:mrgreen:

[Jon Westfall]

NLS,

Is there a point to your HP bashing? I'm not knocking your opinion per say, I'm just wondering what useful contribution you think you are making to this community by these outrageous posts. If you think you'll keep people from making a mistake by buying an HP, I really don't think that will work. If anything, you may encourage someone to "prove you wrong".

So really, what's the point?

[NLS]

Thank you for your question.

Indeed there is a point; and yes you found it.
I won't agree that my comments are outrageous (well they ARE, to narrow minded iPAQ owners - note there is no comma after "minded", so I am not saying all iPAQ owners are narrow minded), I'd use blunt maybe (and my English suck). Most iPAQ machines are outrage but not the point.

Now if someone takes it the other way around, i.e. "prove me wrong",

1) it would be the wrong reason to buy a PDA (well if there was an ok reason to buy an iPAQ)

2) s/he will lose a considerable amount of money for proving some unknown NLS something

3) s/he won't prove me wrong anyway (well, in this matter)

4) welcome (who cares)

Since my bashing comes from PERSONAL experience with PDA, with Compaq/HP, with other vendors (all three factors not one or two of them) and DOES NOT come from how many reviews I've read, what my last IT Manager says (erm... I was my last IT Manager), brand name exposure OR sales (which in commercial products doesn't mean the best wins... I am in computing 21 years to know that... see IBM PC, see iPod and so on)... anyway since blah blah the above, the minimum I want people to take from me, is my suggestion to really compare, better also really compare by actually using, not just going down some checklist (where HP devices also usually lose for the last 5 years, but anyway).

I hope you got your answer. I can make it cleaner, but would turn to my usual blunt comments (that are to the point).

Now go and buy whatever HP says it's good for you.

Regards.

[Jon Westfall]

Now go and buy whatever HP says it's good for you.

Regards.

Thank you for the answer. It helps me understand what you hope to get out of this community.

I also really hope you didn't mean to direct that comment personally at me, as it may seem a bit ironic - given that only 2 out of my 8 PDAs have been from HP :mrgreen:

[NLS]

No it was not personal :)

I don't hope to get anything from this community. I see this forum as a place to share opinions (is it something different I miss?).

What could be personal is my comment on how could someone that has 8 PDA, has a 6315 as his current... it's really weird...

[jeasher]

Actually nls, I think my h4355 is an outstanding PPC from HP. It had no faults when it was new and is still relevant today. Sure HPs recent offering suck, but they have made some nice products in the past. You should have an open mind to what they may do in the future. As the products come out and they suck, then you can bash them.

[NLS]

Oh but I agree.

H4355 was ok (not the best of it's time), H5450 was ok too (maybe the best for a brief period), both for when they came out, most HP models are not though... 4700 is not (as much as some defend their valuable investment), 6300 series is not... even old 3600, 3800 and 3900 IN FACT where not (easily alternatives where out with same and more), BUT did sell crazy anyway...

when I bought my 5450 (which now resides in my closet and I'll probably never manage to sell it), ment I did keep an open mind (because I already hated pre 5400 series iPAQs), but HP seems to prove me contantly I do have to bash them ...and after all even if any of their upcoming models won't suck, who says I'll be forgeting their "great" quality, great "service" (as long as you preemptively pay for it), "great" support for their older models, "great" problem solving (joke of a) forum etc.

sorry... they have to try REALLY hard for me to like one of their model and think of buying it PLUS that nobody else would give an alternative (even with the about same characteristics) at the time, because then I would prefer the alternative (as I can easily do now, since HP helps me by producing models that REALLY don't include everything I can find elsewhere)...

[Phoenix]

From the photos I've seen of the 6500, it doesn't appear that the keyboard is backlit. That would be incredibly stupid if that's the case, as the keyboard would then be useless at night or in low light environments. It's not a touchtype keyboard and it's not braille. It needs to light up.

I hope we see backlighting here.


And why did they choose to go with Mini SD instead of SD, with the 6700? :bad-words:

[NLS]

Can someone please give me a reason (or more than one if you have them) to buy this instead of an MDA3 or MDA4?

Because AFAICS they have what this thing lacks and more.

and the GPS functionality... if there is one will be one of these (mark my words) ->

1) an SD expansion of some kind (which could get me interested if I didn't already have both a CF GPS and a BT GPS and my SD slot ocupied by a little 1GB card AND HP wouldn't lock to work only for HP, as they probably will) - and is a good reason for HP to include both SD and miniSD (btw anyone knows the RAM of this thing?)

2) some other expansion

or

3) some telephony cell decoding software (GSM positional services already offered by many - and it's a software thing) where it just finds in which cell you are and your provider knows where you are... and some software can make some use of it (but nothing like the ~5m sensitivity of real GPS, with real choices of maps and use in remote areas - on the other hand it would work in a house if there is some use in this... of course without giving details of WHERE in the house or in which house in the area)

[Stephen Beesley]

From the photos I've seen of the 6500, it doesn't appear that the keyboard is backlit. That would be incredibly stupid if that's the case, as the keyboard would then be useless at night or in low light environments. It's not a touchtype keyboard and it's not braille. It needs to light up.

I hope we see backlighting here.


I agree that if there is no backlighting the usefulness of the keyboard would be seriously diminished. I had the HP Pocket keyboard for my Jornada 568 and that had a really nice backlight, i hope this has something similar.

That said I really couldn't see myself buying this device - the screen resolution puts me of even before anything else...

[Ryan Joseph]

Resolution and screen size aside, I can really see myself using this device. I've never owned a VGA PPC, so the resolution wouldn't really be a step down for me. Plus, the square screen makes the device that much smaller.

I really like it actually. And since it's an HP it will be released in the United States! Very exciting.

[jeasher]

Can someone please give me a reason (or more than one if you have them) to buy this instead of an MDA3 or MDA4?

Certainly:

1. It will be available in the U.S.
2. It will have quad band functionality (I'm on Cingular)
3. It will have support for EDGE
4. It will be reasonably priced (as opposed to a probable $800-$1100 price of the MDAIV)
5. The version I buy will have WiFi built-in, not GPS
6. I'm comfortable with the keyboard from using my h4355 (the best)
7. Better dimensions and operability
8. Less moving parts

I'm a huge fan of the MDAIV, probably more so than this HP device, but I can't waste time lusting over something I can't have.

[nosmohtac]

I think this device is the perfect answer to compete with the Treo650, but I also have to agree with some of the nay sayers.

I don't understand HP's decisions in any of their latest offerings. The top of the line models in the past gave you an "Everythings in There" PDA. Now they seem to leave one or two things out of every one of their high end models, but charge even more than their previous offerings.
I don't know.....maybe things will change with a new CEO.