All You Need to Know About HP and the Windows Mobile 5.0 Upgrade

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/pscmisc/vac/us/en/sm/pocketpc/MS5.0_upgrade.html' target='_blank'>http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/pscm....0_upgrade.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"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."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20050927-HPWM5.jpg" /><br /><br />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 <a href="http://h71016.www7.hp.com/sp_main.asp?hp_url=searchresults.asp%3Fsku%3D2704544,%202704545,%202704546,%202701004,%202712149,%202712150,%202712151,%202712148%26jumpid%3Din_r3924_cote_MSwin_mob-upgr5">purchased</a> for $39.99 (plus extras for shipping and handling). HP iPAQ hx4700 users will still have to wait until Spring 2006 for their upgrade. <!><br /><br />Also up is HP's Windows Mobile 5.0 <a href="http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/pscmisc/vac/us/en/sm/pocketpc/MS5.0_upgrade_FAQs.html">FAQ</a>. 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:<br /><br /><b><u>HP iPAQ hx2000 and hx4700 series</u></b><br /><i>"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."</i><br /><br /><b><u>HP iPAQ h6300 and hw6500 series</u></b><br /><i>"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."</i><br /><br /><b><u>HP iPAQ rx3000 series</u></b><br /><i>"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 &amp; 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."</i><br /><br />Based on this, we can now confirm that <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=43082">earlier rumours</a> 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.<br /><br />In other news, <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/windowsmobile/default.aspx">Microsoft's Windows Media Player 10 Mobile website</a> 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.

[Jimmy Dodd]

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?

[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)

[whydidnt]

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?

[Steel]

Typical HP, It seems to them that no one exist outside the US,

[Darius Wey]

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.

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.

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.

Right. My thoughts exactly.

[Jimmy Dodd]

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)

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. :(

[Raphael Salgado]

: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.

[serpico]

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.

[Jimmy Dodd]

The downloads are now available.

[rich710]

I can only see that it Says that the Electronic Purchasing "Coming Soon", can you give me a link else?

[Jimmy Dodd]

I can only see that it Says that the Electronic Purchasing "Coming Soon", can you give me a link else?

hmmm. Earlier today the download options were listed along with the CD options if you clicked the "Purchase Now" link. Now they're gone. :?

[jag]

Hi everyone:

I tried earlier today to purchase the download for the hx2755, but tried four times, always getting the same result that there were technical problems and the support team was contacted???
Now when I retrieve my shopping cart it says that the product is no longer available. :evil:
I think HP continues playing with us, but that is just my opinion. :(

[Jimmy Dodd]

I actually had no trouble placing my order today, and I received a confirmation email this afternoon. HP's Order Status site shows the order with an estimated delivery date of tomorrow, so I will wait to see if I get another email tomorrow with download instructions. I'll update this thread if I hear anything else.

[Myrddin]

I actually had no trouble placing my order today, and I received a confirmation email this afternoon. HP's Order Status site shows the order with an estimated delivery date of tomorrow, so I will wait to see if I get another email tomorrow with download instructions. I'll update this thread if I hear anything else.

Much appreciated 8) Thanks to the guinea pigs for this little WM5 experiment! 0X

[Jimmy Dodd]

I received a generic email from HP today informing me that they would not make today's ship date for the download. No explanation was given. I think that adding the download option yesterday was probably a mistake on HP's part, since they are claiming the CDs will ship in 2-3 weeks.

[Jimmy Dodd]

In case anyone is still reading this thread... :wink:

I received an email late last night that my purchase was ready for download. I had written the whole thing off for another two weeks at least, so it was a nice surprise.

I'm downloading the file now. Once I've ensured I have a saved copy of all my data I'll be doing the install of WM 5.0 to my hx2750 today. I'll update on that once it's complete.

[Darius Wey]

In case anyone is still reading this thread... :wink:

I'm still reading it. I thought it might be fun to read about the bumpy ride HP users have had to endure in getting their update. 8) But glad you finally got it in the end. ;)

[Jimmy Dodd]

In case anyone is still reading this thread... :wink:

I'm still reading it. I thought it might be fun to read about the bumpy ride HP users have had to endure in getting their update. 8) But glad you finally got it in the end. ;)

Sort of like watching a train wreck, eh? You know it's going to be awful and people are going to get hurt, but somehow you just can't look away.

[Jimmy Dodd]

OK. I now have a iPAQ hx2755 running Windows Mobile 5.0. It seems to be doing just fine, though the changes to the UI will take some getting used to. Also, I have to download Voice Command seperately, it's not included on the distribution. Oh well...

Activesync 4.0, however, is another story. Everytime I try to start it I get an Application Error message box for WCESMgr.exe. "The application failed to initialize properly (0x00000005). Click on OK to terminate the application. This, I believe, is a firewall issue.

Ugh. :roll:

[Jimmy Dodd]

OK. We finally have an end to the saga, but not in the way I'd hoped.

I did finally get ActiveSync running (which required deleting some dll files by hand and reinstalling). But, like I said earlier, when I took a look at Windows Mobile 5.0, specifically the new apps it has, the first thing I noticed was that Voice Command wasn't there. I went back to the installer and sure enough, you have to install it separately after downloading it from the web.

Following the link I was a bit surprised to find myself at Microsoft's website confronted with the option of downloading the 5 day trial or paying an additional $39 for it. I returned to HP's Upgrade web site and confirmed that they (HP) claimed it was part of the download.

Thus began my 4 hour quest for Voice Command. I first spent 2 hours on HP's chat software with three people who tried to convince me that Voice Command didn't work on non-Pocket PC Phone editions models. Then they tried to tell me that the web-site didn't say it would be included in the non-Phone edition models, despite the fact that the only models HP makes the upgrade available for are non-Phone edition models. No amount of logic could get this point across nor could I reach anyone who knew anything beside the canned responses (despite three escalations).

Finally I multi-tasked and started a phone quest in addition to my chat endeavor. I was passed from Customer Support to Tech Support to Pre-Sales Support to Sales (who tried to send me off to Microsoft) and finally back to Customer Support. At the point I finally just asked for a refund. :evil:

Moral of the story #1: if you are expecting Voice Command to be part of Windows Mobile 5.0 from HP, forget it. They aren't including it, despite their advertisements to the contrary (see the FAQ - which will probably change soon, but I kept a copy).

Moral of the story #2: All those guys who kept saying "Should've bought a Dell" were right. And, believe me, next time I will. :oops:

Now I'm off to uninstall the upgrade. I just hope they actually included the uninstall routine they advertised and I don't have to pay extra for that too.

[Darius Wey]

I first spent 2 hours on HP's chat software with three people who tried to convince me that Voice Command didn't work on non-Pocket PC Phone editions models.

Geez, talk about bad info. :?

No amount of logic could get this point across nor could I reach anyone who knew anything beside the canned responses (despite three escalations).

Finally I multi-tasked and started a phone quest in addition to my chat endeavor. I was passed from Customer Support to Tech Support to Pre-Sales Support to Sales (who tried to send me off to Microsoft) and finally back to Customer Support. At the point I finally just asked for a refund. :evil:

Moral of the story #2: All those guys who kept saying "Should've bought a Dell" were right. And, believe me, next time I will. :oops:

Sounds like you were taken on a wild goose chase. I had a similar experience once - yes, it was with HP, and yes, it concerned an iPAQ too. I got so frustrated at their shoddy support that I went with Dell, and I tell you what, I haven't looked back. HP make some great devices, but when it comes to the support, it's lacking, and for me, no product (however good it is) will shine without decent support. And as can be discovered from the countless number of posts in these forums, there are others who think the same.

Sorry HP. No support for me last time? No support from me next time.

[rlaustin]

Does anyone knows if downloads are available for Canadian users?