Log in

View Full Version : CNET Reviews the HP iPAQ rx5900


Darius Wey
10-04-2006, 07:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/handhelds/0,39001708,61955776-39270983p,00.htm' target='_blank'>http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/handhe...9270983p,00.htm</a><br /><br /></div><i>"It's been a while since we were excited about any handheld device from HP; don't get us wrong, the company has produced a solid line of PDAs over the years, but they've all been pretty status quo--until now. Today, the company introduced its HP iPaq rx5900 Travel Companion--a sexy and sleek handheld that not only offers the benefits of a Windows Mobile PDA but also integrates GPS into the mix. It's more refined than some of the other PDA/GPS combos out there, such as the Asus MyPal A636; plus, the PIM functionality gives it an edge over the Garmin Nuvi 350. Unfortunately, it stumbled a bit in the performance department. The rx5900 was slow to acquire an initial GPS fix, and the various functions took a toll on processor speed. All said, we still think the rx5900 is a handy device for on-the-go professionals, providing them with the tools for organization, travel, and entertainment. The HP iPaq rx5900 is expected to ship in November to selected Asia-Pacific countries and will cost US$499, which is on the pricier side, but you do get both the PDA and the GPS capabilities, and it's on a par with other devices in this category."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20060905-rx5900.jpg" /><br /><br />CNET has put together a huge review of the upcoming iPAQ rx5900. While the device looks great and comes packed with features, GPS is supposedly a little slow, and the battery life is ho-hum. Is that going to stop you from purchasing one? You tell us. :)

Jason Dunn
10-04-2006, 08:43 PM
Looks like a decent device actually - I like where HP is headed with this line of thinking: landscape-based devices, big Flash memory, entertainment focus. This has some potential...

tap0utt
10-04-2006, 09:51 PM
it looks too clunky with large side borders.

rather have something with less chassis.

IpaqMan2
10-04-2006, 10:11 PM
I think it's too little to late for this device. It's nice to see a large OEM company push Windows Mobile into new areas and new form factors, but not at it's targeted price. There are cheaper GPS units on the market, and I think it's safe to say that the stand alone PPCs/WM devices never did to well at the high end of the market to the masses and thus the average person wont see the vaule in this unit at it's high price. And second if there is anything PDA / smartphone vendors should of learned in the 10 years of the market, is if any of the key features of the PDA is underpowered, or noticeably laggy (slow) in compareds to other devices of it's kind, it will fail. A slow GPS to signal is as bad as a slow phone to turn on when you need to just make a phone call. Too many good PDAs over the years have been passed by because they didn't perform to par, and it's sad to see HP taking a sub-par acceptence for an already overly priced device that should of been corrected before it goes public.

Standalone PPCs of the past are fading, it's sad but true. The RX5900 brings too much to the table of what caused standalone PDAs of years year to be outdated and forgotten in today's market, and having landscape and GPS is not enough to make this a big success in the PDa market.

Personally I think HP should of went with more of a smaller UMPC style device, with perhaps even a slide out keyboard and a good 5 plus inch screen, keeping it thin, light weight, and the best battery they can stick in it. I think this would seperate it enough from the standalone PDAs of the past, while giving it a new spark of interest.

Just my thoughts.

alandashby
10-05-2006, 01:48 AM
it looks too clunky with large side borders.

rather have something with less chassis.

Just wait until you hold one. I got a sneek peek at one and loved it. Makes me wonder if I will add this to my device list even though I am a strong PPC Phone user.

hamishmacdonald
10-05-2006, 10:56 AM
This device is likely more complicated than a dedicated GPS unit, so there you lose Joe Consumer, and from what I've read it's insufficient for a dedicated PPC user like me.

It looks nice, but why not just use the Acer I have? It's so slim and has no chassis 'overhang' around the screen, and even has a VGA screen. How is this a groundbreaking device, except for the increased memory (most of which is unavailable to the user) and the GPS?

I'm underwhelmed by the units being presented lately. I'm in the market for a new mobile phone, and I was thinking I might get a PPC/Smartphone because I finally see the advantage of only carrying one device. But everything that's currently available, and even the upcoming devices from HTC, all have some fatal flaw to them -- usually around having a tiny, QVGA screen. The one fully featured device on offer here in the UK turns out to be enormous in real life -- too big to practically carry around on my person.

I need to actually *work* on the thing -- am I receding into a small minority, or are these companies shifting their attention away from power users to focus on capturing the beginner market? (Most of whom will likely never incorporate the thing into their daily process, which means a one-time purchase that sits in a drawer.)

Jason Dunn
10-05-2006, 03:04 PM
But everything that's currently available, and even the upcoming devices from HTC, all have some fatal flaw to them -- usually around having a tiny, QVGA screen. The one fully featured device on offer here in the UK turns out to be enormous in real life -- too big to practically carry around on my person.

I've been thinking about this same topic lately, so let me ask you a question on your statement: you seem to be asking for something that's impossible without going to folding screen technology, so how would you design a device like this? I assume you're talking about the HTC Universal as being the VGA device that's too big to carry around. So if the QVGA devices have too small of a screen for your needs, and the VGA devices are too big, what's your ideal solution?

hamishmacdonald
10-05-2006, 05:05 PM
Actually, what I want isn't too different from what exists now, it's just that it doesn't exist in the right combination.

What I would like is the offspring of the Acer n311 and the HP 6915 -- favouring the Acer's big VGA screen and the HP's connectivity.

I'm a writer, so the appearance of text on the screen matters a lot to me. Now that I've got crisp text, I couldn't go backwards. A smaller screen at this point would seem limiting or headachey. I don't talk on the phone much, but I do send and receive a lot of data. Most of my phonecalls happen over Skype, and I use a headset for those.

I was tempted by T-Mobile's MDA Vario II:
http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/Dispatcher?paymentPlanType=pmt&amp;pmid=7297&amp;nmid=phones_ews_overview&amp;menuid=ctl_phones_details
...But then I really looked at its screen, and the type is tiny compared to the way it displays on my Acer. There's no way I could compose on that, and I'm spoilt by being able to watch movies comfortably on my device when I fly.

I know I would be tempted to entirely switch over to using it as my primary device, and it's just not up to the task. Having it as well as the Acer is just a recipe for losing data.

As an aside, a bit of research into T-Mobile's Web'n'Walk unlimited data plan -- the only reasonably-priced one I've found in the UK -- highlighted some killer restrictions on it: no instant messaging, no VOIP (Skype). So, basically, surf the web and answer e-mails, but don't do any other network-based activity. Bluh.

Further off-topic, last night I looked at one of the new UMPCs last night and was surprised to find that my ultimate reaction was that the Pocket PC is a better option for me right now. It filters out things that I don't need on the road while supplying what I do.

And my dream combination?

A small device with a large screen that's connected to an always-on network for both voice and data that I can connect to anywhere in the world without paying roaming charges or paying swindling Pay-as-You-Go prices for airtime.

Jason Dunn
10-12-2006, 11:36 PM
Thanks for the feedback Hamish, I appreciate it!

hamishmacdonald
10-13-2006, 01:40 AM
Thanks for asking and listening, Jason! It allows me to imagine for a moment that I might one day get exactly the setup I'm looking for.

(The Acer is still pretty sweet, and I'm still delighted by its form factor six months on.)

What I decided to do, with regards to the mobile phone, is just get a tiny, dedicated phone, a Samsung D900. It's so small that it doesn't feel like carrying an extra device.