Cingular Introduces the iPAQ h6320/h6325

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/pscmisc/vac/us/en/sm/pocketpc/h6300_Cingular.html' target='_blank'>http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/pscm...0_Cingular.html</a><br /><br /></div>"Cingular Wireless and HP (NYSE: HPQ; Nasdaq) today introduced the first integrated voice and data HP iPAQ Pocket PC to be powered by Cingular's nationwide digital wireless network. The Cingular-enabled HP iPAQ Pocket PC h6320/6325, which comes with the Windows Mobile software, incorporates GSM quad-band "world phone" capabilities to give users a wide-reaching international experience. The HP iPAQ h6320/6325 features three-way wireless capabilities via Cingular's nationwide GSM/GPRS network, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technology. Providing manageable, more secure access to corporate data, e-mail, and the Internet, the HP iPAQ h6320/6325 includes an innovative feature that automatically connects to the fastest available network and automatically switches to an alternate network if the initial connection is<br />lost."<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20050607-CingularHP.jpg" /><br /><br />Quite frankly, I'm a little concerned that Cingular's latest offering will be under-appreciated. With a whole collection of new Pocket PC Phone devices already in the market or about to hit the market, what sort of an impact will the archaic h6320/h6325 have? Are Cingular really "raising the bar" with this release? If you have a minute or two to spare, feel free to post your thoughts on this.<br /><br />Click <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/micro_stories.pl?ACCT=088644&TICK=CINGUL1&STORY=/www/story/06-06-2005/0003818231&EDATE=Jun+6,+2005">here</a> for the press release.

[stevelam]

Surely you would be better of waiting for the next gen of WM 2005 devices like the HTC Universal.

[ale_ers]

I am a little more interested in using my 6315 with Cingular now that it has (pretty much) the same phone.

My question is this...T-mobile has a great email forwarder that sends my Lotus Notes emails to my phone through the 'my email triggers' on the device...Does Cingular have something similar?

I have read their web site and I can't figure it out. They have something called xpress mail network addition but it sounds like it is a corporate solution. (the personal edition requires you to have your computer always up and running).

I can't use the phone to automatically check for e mail because it is a Lotus account.

Does anyone use Cingular with a Lotus Notes account?

[Jerry Raia]

Yeah I thought about one of these but with the constant doubt of upgrades being made available and a new OS around the corner, I'll pass.

[saznpins]

I tried out the T-Mobile version back in September when they were first out and returned it.

I know that these are more stable now with an updated ROM, but since Cingular already sells the SX66 (which I have now), what's the point of them carrying this too? The ONLY good thing about the Ipaq is battery life. Everything else is far superior on the SX66 IMHO.

[whydidnt]

I'm sure Cingular will sell a few of these to people who are buying the name recognition of iPAQ. I'm also sure they'll get a bunch of returns, like TMobile did, since this device was stillborn. It's now almost 2 OS upgrades behind the times. How many people would be rushing into CompUSA to buy a brand spankin new devices running Windows 98? Probably not many.

I guess though, when you consider HP is selling this for $599 w/camera, and you can purchase the SX66 for $499 after rebate from Cingular. One has to wonder how many they will sell. The only advantage the HP device offers is better battery life. But somehow I can't see that overcoming the rest of the features offered by the SX66. Maybe Cingular will drop the price down to $199 quick or something to move the HP devices.

I guess we get the 6320 instead of the Univeral or Mini II or even the original mini from Cingular. Makes you wonder what the management of Cingular is really thinking when they decide to sell a phone. I can't imagine there is anything about the HP device that would make it more profitable than the other new devices mentioned.-Unless HP is paying them to sell these.

[Silver5]

I think that this is a good thing for HP, if the device is now working as it should. In fact, it could be a great thing for them, and for Cingular, if it turns out that the problems created with the T-Mobile version were with the software that T-Mobile added and not the device in its original state.

The only problem that I had with mine that was never corrected was the ability to accept phone calls. Sure, most would come through without a problem, but at least twice per day phones calls would cause the phone to ring only once (or not at all) then go right to voicemail. This was not an issue of having no service, nor an issue with Windows Mobile, because my Jam and the SX66 work perfectly in this regard, rather something was wrong with the 6315. If HP and Cingular get rid of that problem and the issues that were probably caused by T-Mobile's added software are gone too, HP will be vindicated...at least somewhat.

The device is not necessarily behind the SX66 in what it provides, rather it has a slightly different focus. I do agree about the software needing an upgrade to WM2003SE, but that is not a very big deal. Most people who buy these devices don't really miss much by not having that upgrade available, and even I don't use many of the improvements of the newer OS version on my i-mate, even though I have them. The 6315 is a really impressive device that is actually more intuitive in many ways that the SX66 with Cingular, and it has a number of features included with it that I miss. I don't think that I'm willing to go back to such a "large' PPC now that I have owned a Jam, but I am certain that if I hadn't had problems with it receiving calls it would still be my phone of choice at this moment (because I never would have tried the Jam).

[Jerry Raia]

I think the biggest problem for all the carriers for us is that they still think like phone companies. These aren't just phones anymore Cingular! Verizon! anybody listening??

[Jon Westfall]

Despite some hardware flaws, when you have a perfectly functioning 63xx series, it's a very nice device. As my daily driver, I find T-Mobile's My Email Triggers to be wonderful, and that functionality alone has made me stay with the 63xx for everyday work. My Email Triggers is simply some add-on software that runs in the background and waits for text messages that indicate new mail is waiting. Given the time and effort, one could probably port it over to other PPCPE's. However, I don't think you could make it work with Cingular since it depends on some server somewhere popping your accounts every few seconds to see if anything new is coming in, and then sending out a text to your phone to download mail.

[mbabischkin]

I'm sure Cingular will sell lots of these to the thousands of people out there who don't follow the Windows Mobile world. Those of us in the know will wait for the better, unlocked devices to be released with WM5

[WyattEarp]

The only reason I can think of them carrying this is choices. How many time have we looked at a new PPCPE only to find out it not coming here (in the U.S.) any time soon if at all, or a carrier we are not with offers it.

If Cingular starts offering multiple PPCPEs then maybe other companies will do the same. So don't knock the phone itself (we know its not what it should have been) it could lead to better brighter days ahead.

[Mona13]

I really wanted one, but then my HP5555 quit and I'm so glad I bought an x50v. It's the best PPC device I've ever had! Had the Cingular HP come out just a couple of months earlier, I would have bought it in a minute.

I have the MPX220, but I like both. I read a lot of books and only sync my calendar to the phone.

Mona13

[szamot]

Must have bought them cheap from TMobile - these don't work SALE!

[alandashby]

I got my 6315 just a few days after the newer ROM update and I have been really happy with it. I have seen a few small bugs but nothing that I really did not expect. It came down to having a device now and not waiting for something to come out. I love the Wi-FI, and bluetooth connection options on the device. I think the price might be a little high, but it is a good combined device. It makes me excited that HP will offer more support if another carrier offers the same product.

[pdagal]

According to the press release HP sent us today, the Cingular versions of the iPAQs are running Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition, not "first edition"as with the T-Mobile model.

[peterg]

To be more precise these devices are running PocketPC Phone Edition Version 4.20, Build 14133.

[Raphael Salgado]

I believe the h6300 series would have a different fate if Cingular decided to pick up the JAM (Magician) or the M500/600 from Eten.

But, like many companies, having a product already out there for some time also has its advantages: many of the bugs have been recognized or tapped out, and accessories have been established for it already. Probably the most prevalent is that there may be a price break for it since it's considered "older technology" to other devices such as the JAM or the M500.

I work in a pharmaceutical company and we're still on Acrobat 5.0 and Word 2002 SP3 on Windows 2000 workstations, because of the same reasons above.

[whydidnt]

To be more precise these devices are running PocketPC Phone Edition Version 4.20, Build 14133.

Hmm, the 6315 (with ROM upgrade) I have is running "Microsoft Pocket PC Version 4.20.0 (Build 14350). It sounds to me like they are both running WM2003, not second edition. I don't know what kind of numbering schemes they use for these builds, but it sounds like the TMobile version has a later build. That seems odd, but maybe they already had the Cingular ROM done and working well when they fixed the TMobile version.

[brianchris]

"The HP iPAQ h6320/6325 comes with Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition software for Pocket PC"

That quote comes straight from the Press Release. At the same time, the HP website linked to in this thread's first post does NOT indicate Second Edition. More confusion.

If this was a dramtically lower price than the SX66, I'd understand it, but as of now, I don't really.

[Darius Wey]

Version 4.20.0 is the numbering used to describe Windows Mobile 2003 (the original edition).