Big review of HP iPAQ hw6915 (hw6900 series)

September 11, 2006 | Pavel Koza | format - Other (ar.) | viewed - 857x
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Big review of HP iPAQ hw6915 (hw6900 series)

When the iPAQ hw6500 series hit the market recently, it was a rarity among Windows Mobile devices. It was a very powerful device at that time (it was the first to offer a combination of GPRS/EDGE/GPS) but, most importantly, it was the first Windows Mobile-based device to sport a square display, which had been common in Palms. The device did not become very popular among ordinary users, though. The reasons included: the atypical display unsupported by most third-party applications, high price, and buggy software in the Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition. On the other hand, it was quite successful in the corporate sphere, especially as a mobile data collection solution. That is why HP decided to continue developing the concept.

I have been able to test an HP iPAQ hw6900 series device (the model hw6915) for more than 4 months in everyday use. I should note that there are several models in the series that differ in parameters (e.g. the hw6915 has an integrated digital camera, the hw6910 does not) as well as in the pre-installed applications suite. Some models may be sold under a mobile operator's brand; nevertheless, they will always be the same iPAQ.

I would like to thank Hewlett Packard for lending me the device for testing purposes, and to Sunnysoft, a Czech Republic-based mobile solutions company, for providing a final version of the device for comparison.

Note: The tested device had a ROM version 1.00.00 / 1.21UK. All parameters, benchmarks, applications and screenshots relate to this version of the system. Other versions may yield different results.

What is in the box?

The box is about average as to the size and design: a plain, colour-printed box with the following contents:

HP iPAQ hw6915 with a detachable plastic display shield
1200-mAh battery
Stylus (only one)
Stereo headset (headphones with microphone), 2.5 mm jack
USB cradle (or USB cable, depending on the model)
AC adapter with direct charging option
Plastic holder with a belt clip
Voucher for software from the iPAQ Choice on-line store
Warranty information and end-user license
Original CD-ROM with software from Microsoft and HP
Brief multilingual user guide

I'll get back to the device in a short while, right after we take a quick look at the accessories. The headset has a "small" 2.5 millimetre jack, unfortunately. It consists of earplug-type earphones on a one-metre cable with a clip and an oval remote control that includes a microphone, phone control button, and a volume control. More on the headset and its qualities below in a chapter devoted to audio features in general.

The USB cradle resembles those supplied with all the other recent Pocket PC devices from HP, the only difference is in a replaceable plastic holder. The cradle has the centre of gravity positioned extremely low, which, in combination with five rubber legs, guarantees extremely good stability. The USB cable is 120 centimetres long. There is no slot for a spare battery - if you buy one, you will receive a simple standalone charger with it - see here). The AC adapter does not have replaceable plugs for different types of outlets, the output parameters are standard (5V, 2A) and its cable is about 180 cm long. There is an adapter that plugs into the device's data connector for direct charging (fully compatible with other iPAQs). However, if you use the cradle, you won't need it.

Instead of a protective case, the manufacturer supplies a plastic display shield (removable flip) and a plastic holder with a robust belt clip. The holder is tailored precisely for the iPAQ hw6900 and allows access to all the main controls and slots, such as the reset button and memory card. The device is held in place by a spring-mounted upper part. My feelings about the holder are rather negative. In the first place, the device inserts facing inward, which prevents any meaningful operation, perhaps except for making phone calls. On the other hand, many other cases work the same way. This solution will probably be welcomed by users who purchase a stronger (i.e. bulkier) battery - they won't need to spend money on a new case or holder. The display and keyboard are quite well protected. This, however, does not apply to the rear of the device, which is left completely naked. The plastic battery compartment door does not look very sturdy, to say nothing about the integrated camera and its lens. If you dropped the holder with the device inside, the consequences could be tragic. Another problem is that inserting and removing the device time and again will result in scratches. I just did not trust the holder and opted for carrying the device in the pocket.

Finally, the box contains some applications on two CD-ROMs and some literature. The contents of the CD-ROMs is discussed in the Software chapter. As has become a tradition in iPAQs, instead of a package of third-party applications, the manufacturer bundles a voucher worth four or five points for the iPAQ Choice online store, where the user can choose software to his or her liking. As for the paper stuff, there are a few leaflets and a brief user guide in several languages.

Design

An integrated QWERTY keyboard usually substantially increases dimensions and weight of a device. The situation is different with this iPAQ, although acceptable dimensions and weight are rather relative terms. Owing to the square display, the overall size of the device does not exceed that of other Pocket PCs with a QVGA display. However, the thickness and weight are slightly greater than the average. The hw6900 is 118 mm long, 71 mm wide and 18 mm thick (4.65 x 2.8 x 0.71 in) and weights 178 grams (168 grams without the flip) which is 6.33 ounces. A table below compares this device with its competitors. I carried the device in my pockets all the time. Obviously, the size cannot compare to MDA Compact and the like, yet I managed to squeeze it in any pocket. It is sometimes rather inconvenient and requires adjustment (e.g. when getting in the car) but you will get used to it in a few days. In any case, those who find it too uncomfortable can use the belt clip or purchase a third-party leather or metal case.

The device is assembled very well. It appears sturdy and durable, even though it is made of plastic. The only movable part is the perfectly fitting battery compartment door, which is not wacky or creaky at all. Excellent.

Pocket PC	Dimensions (mm/in)	Weight (g/oz)
HP iPAQ h6340	119 x 75 x 18.7 5.42 x 2.94 x .82	190 6.7
HP iPAQ rx1950	113,6 x 70,6 x 13,5 4.47 x 2.78 x 0.5	125 4.4
HP iPAQ hw6900	118 x 71 x 18 4.65 x 2.8 x 0.71	178 6.33
Qtek 9100	109 x 58 x 23,7 4.29 x 2.28 x .93	160 5.64
T-Mobile MDA Compact	108 x 58 x 18 4.25 x 2.28 x .72	150 5.29
T-Mobile MDA III	125 x 72 x 19 4.92 x 2.83 x .75	210 7.5
Yakumo Omikron	117 x 67 x 23 4.61 x 2.64 x .91	165 5.82

As I have mentioned above, the hw6900 is a successor to the hw6500. The two devices are hard to distinguish. There are three easily noticeable differences, though - the newer hw6900 lacks an SDIO slot, its rear is darker, and the keyboard is different. We will deal with the keyboard later, so, let's take a closer look first at the design of the device.

The iPAQ is neither too big nor too small, it is just the right size to hold in the hand. Rounded edges at the bottom of the device contribute to a sure and comfortable grip. Like most other Pocket PC devices, this iPAQ, too, is designed for right-handed people, i.e. to be held in the left hand. Two controls on the left-hand side - a volume slider (20) and the only user-definable button - are best controlled by the left thumb. By default, the programmable button launches the Camera application (short press) and Sound Record (long press). In addition, the left-hand side carries an infrared sensor (17). The opposite side hosts only a miniSD card slot (8) and nothing else. The stylus (4) - which is only one in the package - is the same as that supplied with other recent iPAQs. It is a single piece of plastic, light and sufficiently long and thick.

If we divide the front panel in thirds, the upper two thirds are occupied by a 3-inch (75-millimetre) square display (6). Right above the display is a loudspeaker (1), two LED indicators (the orange/green one on the left (2) notifies of system status and events, the other one is blue (3) and indicates Bluetooth or WiFi activity). On the right is the power switch (5). The lower third of the front panel is taken up by a keyboard (10) with LED-backlit round keys, separated from the display by a row of controls comprising a miniature joystick (15), two soft keys (9, 16), and two phone-related keys (7, 18). Passionate gamers who are looking for a suitable machine will be disappointed - this device is not intended for games as witnessed by the design of the controls. The joystick is too small to allow sure control of aircraft or cars, and, most importantly, it supports only four directions (plus a press); you cannot move diagonally. On the other hand, the device supports a simultaneous press of two buttons. Anyhow, it was quite difficult to play the few games designed for a square display. Speaking about the joystick, I should mention the fact that this and the other buttons protract by about two millimetres, which can cause undesired operation if you carry the device in the pocket. That is why it is advisable to use a key lock.

The biggest part of the rear of the device comprises a large door (5) of the battery compartment that also hosts a SIM card slot. Besides that, the rear side carries usual equipment for digital photography: camera lens (2), miniature LED that serves as a flash (1), and a tiny mirror (3), as well as a loudspeaker (4), and a connector with a rubber plug. It appears to be a connector for an external GPS or GSM antenna, I cannot tell for sure.

We are getting close to the end of our round trip of the device. The top side is free of any controls. Most likely, the top is packed with antennas for the device's four wireless modules. The opposite end, the bottom of the device, carries a standard data connector in the middle (12), a microphone to the left of it (13), and a submerged reset button (11) to the right. It is very small and requires the stylus to activate. Finally, close to the left edge is a small connector for the headset (14). That's it for the design and controls of the device.

Parameters

As I suggested earlier, this iPAQ is extremely powerful. It is not that you will not find a device that excels it in a certain parameter but the strength of the hw6900 is in the sum total of its features, their tight integration and resulting synergy, better than in the older hw6500. There are many more differences "under the bonnet" than those apparent to the naked eye. And most of the innovations are real improvements.

Like its predecessor, this new iPAQ runs an Intel processor but this time, it is a PXA270 (revision C5) with a clock speed of 416 MHz. That should guarantee sufficient computing power for the vast majority of applications. Unfortunately, as has become a tradition in pocket devices from HP, there is no integrated way to adjust the processor's performance, so you have to use third-party solutions. The two models differ in the amount of memory, too. Whereas the iPAQ hw6500 offered 64 MB of RAM and 64 MB of FlashROM, its younger brother sports the same amount of RAM (64 MB) but double the amount of FlashROM (128 MB). However, considered the revolutionary changes in memory management in Windows Mobile 5, the user should be concerned with the amount available after a HW reset. This is a less impressive figure, with a virgin device offering 44 MB of FlashROM and 31 MB of RAM. This ranks it to the average in comparison with other WM5 devices. The speed of the FlashROM is another crucial parameter in WM5 devices. A benchmark showed that the hw6900's FlashROM is about five times faster than that of the hw6500, which is good news. It also answers the question why there is no upgrade to WM5 available for the hw6500 - the slow memory would render the system unusable. You can find comparison with other devices in a chart below. The iPAQ's performance is about average but wins the rest in the write speed.

The display has an unusual resolution yet we can compare its other parameters with a classic QVGA display that we find in common Pocket PCs. It is a transflexive TFT display with LED backlight, 3 inches in diagonal (75 millimetres). The resolution is 240x240 pixels, pixel pitch is 0.24 millimetres (it is the same display as that e.g. in the iPAQ rx1950, it is just about a third shorter). It can display up to 65 thousand colours simultaneously. The only difference from the standard is the resolution and shape. As for its qualities, it is within the standard - not bad but not impressive, either. The colour scheme is warm, which means white has a yellowish tint. The previous model sported cooler colours. Brightness is more intensive that in the hw6500 and can be adjusted at eleven levels separately for mains and battery operation; there is no automatic backlight adjustment. Two millimetres wide black boundaries look ugly but it is an aesthetical rather than functional problem. The touch-sensitive layer works just fine.

Audio features are also standard - the device can replay sound over its integrated loudspeaker or headphones, and can record sound input. The quality of the three audio components varies, though. Let's start with the worst performing: the headphones output. As in the vast majority of pocket devices with an integrated mobile phone, it is a 2.5 mm jack, which prevents you from using quality headphones (until an electronics manufacturer fills the gap on the market and comes up with a good-quality 2.5/3.5 adapter instead of those lousy ones commonly on offer). The bundled pair of headphones is no star performer and its gold-plated connector won't change much. A five-way graphic equaliser helps to tune music playback to your personal preferences but do not expect miracles. The headphones' quality is sufficient for making phone calls, with clear sound and high volume.

The iPAQ has two built-in speakers for loud playback. One of them is located at the rear and produces system beeps, replays music and serves as a loud handsfree. Its maximum volume is very high, like the headphones'. However, from about the middle of the range up, you can hear serious resonations. The other, phone speaker, located above the display, performs better. The sound is clear, free of any rattling. Finally, the microphone: its sensitivity can be adjusted either manually at eight levels or automatically depending on the environment. Quality of a close-range recording - whether using a headset or over the integrated microphone - is excellent. It decreases with the distance, yet a recording of a spoken word from seven metres away is perfectly comprehensible. As usual, you can download unedited sample recordings made at various distances [630KB] .

The iPAQ offers excellent connectivity. The basic interface is USB version 1.1. Unfortunately, it is common to all iPAQs that they do not support USB Host. The iPAQ offers a handy utility that will help in the event of problems with the cable connection: it can switch between two communication modes over ActiveSync - RNDIS and USB serial. If you experience problems with one type of communication (due to a software firewall or some other network communication watchdog on your desktop), try the other mode and it will surely work:) The data connector at the bottom of the device includes pins for a serial port but to use it, you have to buy an extra cable. At the bottom left corner is an infrared port, which is SIR type (max. 115 kbps). I tried to use it as a remote control for the TV set but unsuccessfully.

All the four main wireless modules are controlled centrally using a utility called iPAQ Wireless, which sits on the Today screen as one of the applets. You can activate/deactivate any wireless module or enter its settings screen by a single tap.

First of the device's two wireless interfaces that fits in the general "Parameters" section, is Bluetooth (chip TI-6150) class II, version 1.2. The driver, which supports 14 profiles, is from Broadcomm as in other iPAQs. This solution is a promise not only of a wide range of functionalities but also of trouble-free operation. Naturally, I tried it out and it worked perfectly. I tested connection with stereo headphones from HP and with Jabra BT200 handsfree, synchronisation over ActiveSync with Dell Latitude X1 laptop, file transfer between several Pocket PCs and Smartphones, as well as internet connection over D-Link DBT-900AP Bluetooth Access Point. There were no problems whatsoever. Signal strength is sufficient even at eight metres where the headphones showed no decrease in sound quality. Some of the cool features include: easy file transfer directly from the Explorer, redirection of sound from the phone as well as any audio playback to the headset (although the quality is not very impressive) and many others. Many years of development yield fruit. The only drawback affecting a narrow group of users is an absence of the DUN profile. In other words, you can use the iPAQ as a modem for other devices (including PDAs) but you cannot connect the iPAQ to the internet using another device as a modem. For instance, if you have the iPAQ and a mobile phone that supports fast mobile data, you would have to swap SIM cards to be able to put the iPAQ online using that service.

The WiFi is IEEE 802.11b. Why just "b", some may ask. Well, I can assure you that any PDA has difficulties handling even an 11 Mbit data stream. I successfully tested the WiFi at home with my Asus WL-530G Access Point and did not run into any trouble at all. The device supports WPA, WEP and TKIP. A few seconds after activation of the WiFi module, a window popped up for me to enter a password and lo, connected I was. The antenna is sufficiently sensitive; if you experience problems, you can easily adjust the module's output. It you require maximum security of communication, I recommend that you explore a utility called Funk Software Odyssey Client which is available on the bundled CD-ROM and offers many more features than the standard WiFi connection configuration utility. The iPAQ is powerful enough to handle VoIP, which I have tested with Skype.

Finally, the battery and time on battery. Considered all those power-intensive wireless modules, a powerful accumulator is a must. The device ships with a 1200-mAh Li-Ion accumulator, which is rather weak. You can either charge it using the AC charger (with a connector adapter) as well as over the USB cable. It takes quite long but you do not need to carry the bulky charger with you. The iPAQ performed in standard tests as follows:

Standard usage, maximum backlight intensity - 3h 33min
Vide playback, maximum backlight intensity - 4h 4min
MP3 playback, inactive display - 11h 7min
Active GPRS, maximum backlight intensity, no workload - 5h 52min
Active Bluetooth, maximum backlight intensity, no workload - 5h 56min
Active WiFi, maximum backlight intensity, no workload - 3h 18min
Active GPS, maximum backlight intensity, running TomTom GPS - 3h 14min

Note: Due to a bug in Spb Benchmark, the device is being kept busy opening an extremely large Word document all the time during the standard test. This reduces the significance of the test because it has little to do with everyday use of a PDA.

In real life, the iPAQ lasted from the morning of one day till the evening of the following day. My typical daily usage was something like 10 phone calls, 5 text messages, checking e-mails every 30-60 minutes, browsing the web occasionally etc. In other words, I had to recharge the battery every other night. When I used an extra strong 1800-mAh battery, I could work for another day without recharging. However, the battery added an ugly bulge on the back of the device. I did not have a charger for the battery but I believe it would be possible to recharge the spare battery as well as the device in the cradle simultaneously by linking the charger with the cradle. While testing GPS navigation in the car, I encountered a problem: when I tried to recharge using a 12 V adapter, the iPAQ was recharging but heated extremely. It happened twice that the iPAQ overheated and stopped recharging. If you buy a car set (such as one from Brodit), I recommend installing it near an air conditioning outlet to fight the overheating.

Integrated keyboard

Unlike the previously reviewed Qtek 9100 and i-mate JASJAR, this iPAQ's keyboard is designed so that it does not need any special manipulation. On the one hand, it is easily accessible all the time, on the other the accessibility is at the expense of the size and number of keys. It is designed for thumb-typing. Typing with more fingers is virtually impossible. I tried one-handed operation, too, but did not find it very comfortable. You can compare both ways in the images below.

The keyboard comprises 39 keys arranged in four rows with ten buttons in the upper three and nine in the bottom one. With the exception of the spacebar, all the keys are circular, 5 mm in diameter. The keys are flatter than those in the hw6500 and more pleasant to the touch. Most keys have two functions - a standard one and one activated by a simultaneous (or sequential) press of a function button (the one at the bottom left) and the respective key. Besides alphanumeric and other characters, there are several special keys - tab, Start that invokes the start menu, OK that emulates a tap on the OK or cross in the top right corner of the screen, and a NumLock key that activates a block of numeric keys which makes numeric input much more comfortable.

There has been a great improvement in the keyboard backlight. While the hw6500 had an unpleasant blue backlight and you could see only the character whereas the button remained dark, it is the opposite in the newer model: the whole key shines except for the character. The backlight is white and the characters black, which is an incomparably more pleasant combination than the sharp blue light in combination with silver buttons. A step closer to perfection represents an applet that makes it possible to set timeout for the backlight in 2-second steps in a range from 2 to 10 seconds, or to deactivate it permanently. There is also an option to switch off the keyboard altogether.

That is not everything, though. Upon the press of some buttons, a notification icon displays on the screen: capital "A" for Shift, "1" for the NumLock, and a circle for the function button. There is also a feature that prevents undesired operation due to accidental presses of buttons when you carry the device in the pocket or handbag. Many devices make it possible to lock all the keys but for the power switch. However, the iPAQ takes it a step further. After you press Power, a dialogue window pops up, asking you to press first the left and then the right software key. This virtually eliminates accidents caused by an unwanted press of a button.

Enough descriptions, let's try it out. Frankly, I was surprised to find the keyboard relatively well usable, although the size of the buttons suggests the opposite. If you type with the thumbs, the size matters less than the span, which is sufficient. Only rarely did I press two buttons at the same time. The keyboard is good enough for e-mails and on-line chatting. In addition, thanks to the instant availability of the keyboard and shortcuts in WM 5, you can perform most operations without the stylus, meaning significantly faster. As for accented characters, the situation is not as rosy. I had a Czech localisation from Sunnysoft that supports national characters but typing them is quite clumsy as the keyboard lacks the fifth row of buttons where these characters are located on a standard keyboard. Instead, you have to type an unaccented character, then hold down the function key and repeatedly press the spacebar to cycle through available accents. Good enough for entering names in the contacts, though.

iPAQ as a mobile phone

One of the key components of the iPAQ as a versatile communicator is undoubtedly its integrated GSM/GPRS/EDGE module. I should note right at the beginning that the new iPAQ does not differ from its predecessor very much in this respect. However, while the hw6500 could have been called innovative for its implementation of EDGE for fast data transmission, the hw6900 does not bring anything new and offers only average capabilities measured by today's standards. The module is quad-band with fully automatic switching between 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM frequencies (detailed specification is available on the HP Website). The antenna is integrated, which slight yet noticeably impacts its sensitivity. It is not a problem in the city but you will experience an increased number of blind spots once outside densely covered areas.

The voice part of the module supports standard network services, such as second call, call redirect, conference call, CLIP, CLIR, etc. The integrated keyboard will come handy when you want to type an SMS or compose an MMS. You can make phone calls either the usual way holding the device at the ear, or using the supplied cable-mounted headset, or a wireless BT headset, or with loud handsfree (audio output is redirected to the loudspeaker and microphone sensitivity is boosted). The iPAQ features also a vibrating alarm, like the majority of Windows Mobile devices. As I said, no extravagance but standard features. What I hated about the iPAQ as a phone was its sluggish responses. The speed of reaction to presses of buttons ranged from "the verge of tolerability" to "how the heck do I switch the piece of $#!^ off!". I am not a very demanding users but imagine a situation when the phone starts ringing, you are in a meeting and decline the call but the phone rings another three times, or you accidentally start dialling a number and although you hang up immediately, the phone goes on and completes the dialling sequence so that the other phone rings. This is not how I fancy a phone should work. The behaviour improved with a newer version of the firmware yet there is a huge room for further improvement.

Data transmission capabilities are also about average as compared to the latest competitors. Besides the basic 9.6-kbps CSD connection and GPRS (Class B, multi-slot Class 10), the iPAQ supports the EDGE technology, which increase the speed of GPRS. The difference between GPRS and EDGE in real life is tremendous, especially if you have a good signal. An indicator in the top bar shows the way you are connected (G for GPRS, E for EDGE) and how strong the signal is. The faster data transmission is useful when you use the iPAQ as a modem for a laptop or desktop PC. The iPAQ can connect to a PC as a modem in three ways: over a USB cable, infrared port, or Bluetooth. USB connection was easy, stable and reliable. All it took was to run an application called Modem Link, activate the modem, install drivers from the bundled CD, set up network connection and jack in. I connected several times and spent about three hours online in total. I successfully downloaded several files, some of them as large as 10 MB. The Bluetooth modem connection was more "fun". For some reason, the iPAQ has troubles communication with Bluetooth drivers on the PCs, so I spent two days playing around with the settings. I eventually resolved the problem with a kind help of our readers (AT string had to be AT+CGDCONT="APN", not the full string I always use). The connection was as stable and worked as well as that over the cable. My laptop lacking an infrared port, I could not test this type of connection.

An extremely handy and for many users indispensable phone-related utility is HP Profiles, which makes it possible to quickly and comfortably change settings for backlight, ringing, power management and wireless modules activity. You just save your set of preferences under one of five pre-defined names and then can switch between them any time after holding down the main switch for 3 seconds. Unfortunately, it sometimes behaved strangely and forced me to soft-rest the device several times after changing the profiles...

Another worthy utility is Phone Data Manager that includes a database of settings for many of the world's operators. It automatically recognises the operator after you insert a SIM card and sets everything from Internet connection to SMS gate for you. In case you need to reconfigure something, you can do it manually.

Other capabilities include opening of Java MIDlets using Esmertec Java, management of contacts and messages on the SIM card using SIM Manager, and management of applications on the SIM card using STK Service.

A special feature that the competitors lack is support for users with hearing and/or speech impairment. A special device connects to the headphones jack and transfers text instead of voice. I have never seen it in real life but if you are interested in more details, try Wikipedia for instance.

Summing up, the iPAQ and its communications capabilities can be viewed from two different angles. It would be a decent mobile phone hadn't it been for the lousy responsiveness to commands. On the other hand, the iPAQ hw6900 is a great data communicator. Even though it lacks the latest technologies, it performs well and handles all tasks without any problems. You will be satisfied unless you require a superfast mobile modem for your laptop. Besides, the device needs to be viewed in its complexity and not judged by individual features outside the whole context.

You will never go astray again or Integrated GPS module

The HP iPAQ hw6900 has an integrated GPS module by Global Locate. What is interesting is that unlike the majority of other GPS-enabled devices, the iPAQ's module supports the Assisted-GPS (A-GPS) technology that uses the NMEA communication protocol. If you do not have a clue what this means, do not worry. It was the same for me before I searched it on the web. If you wish to learn more, I recommend this article: Assisted GPS: A Low-Infrastructure Approach. It seems that A-GPS is much more complex than it may seem from Global Locate's website.

What I gather, the difference from the traditional scheme of GPS satellites => GPS receiver, is that A-GPS employs additional servers that the device communicates with over a terrestrial data connection (GPRS, WiFi or another). The receiver does not rely solely on satellites but can draw information much quicker from those servers. Communication with the servers being much faster than with satellites, it takes the system tens of seconds or minutes less than an ordinary GPS to obtain necessary data to establish the initial position. Additional time is saved due to the fact that data from the servers is pre-processed and the device does not have to decode satellite signal and make difficult calculations (which are due to an effect called the Doppler Frequency Shift caused by motion of the satellites relative to the receiver). All this saves energy, increases positioning accuracy and enhances reception.

In the iPAQ's case, you need to download four data files from the internet using Quick GPS Connection. These data will significantly accelerate the initial establishment of position. They are valid for just a few days and need to be kept up to date. The system works great and without the data, the operation takes incomparably longer. Perhaps the most convenient way is to install a special module for the ActiveSync (from the bundled CD-ROM) that will automatically update the GPS data every time you synchronise with the PC.

The device comes with a pre-installed GPS Navigation application (in reality it is TomTom) but without maps. You can download one map (one city!) from the internet for free but the offer includes only maps for selected countries of Western Europe and North America. Other maps must be purchased.

I worked mainly with TomTom Navigator but tried other navigation applications, too, namely Dynavix, Be-On-Road, and SmartMaps. Everything worked fine with no limitations due to the device's computing power, and recent versions of the applications supported the square display more or less successfully. The receiver's sensitivity is about average, perhaps above average among GPS-enabled PDAs. As long as I had the device in a holder at the windscreen, there were very few dropouts (even though my windscreen has some reflexive coating that makes it difficult for satellite signal to pass through). When I put the device between the front seats, dropouts were more frequent but the navigation was still usable. If you do not have a protective coating on the windscreen and find a meaningful position for the device in the car, you won't have problems with the signal. Otherwise you have to put up with the occasional dropout (or connect an external GPS over Bluetooth, which isn't as cool:).

Digital imaging toy or Integrated camera

I have grown tired of commenting the fact that digital cameras integrated in Pocket PCs do not compare to those built in some mobile phones. Pocket PC manufactures keep producing laughable-at imitations of cameras (as opposed to some of the latest models by Nokia and Sony-Ericsson, for instance). If you take a look at the sample photos below, you will understand why I did not bother to spend too much time with the camera and why it is wiser to buy a cameraless model (iPAQ hw6910) and save some money.

Parameters of the integrated camera are as follows: CMOS chip, 1:2.8, fixed focus at 120 cm, and 1.3 MPix resolution. It can capture still images as well as video. Photos can be saved in the JPEG format with three different levels of compression and a resolution of up to 1280 x 1024 pixels. Supported video format is 3GP (H.263) up to 352 x 288 pix. The camera application offers a wide range of features, such as white balance (sun, light bulb, fluorescent tube, automatic), colour scheme (B/W, vintage, etc.) and suppression of flickering of computer monitors. The application is quite sophisticated. It is a shame that it is better than the camera. Funny is that although the display is square, you need to turn the device 90 degrees clockwise to make landscape-mode photos. I took the sample photos on a short walk around the place where I live in Prague. As usual, the original unedited photos are appended here [4277KB], as well as sample videos [412KB].

Now a few indoors photos...

...and finally, close-ups...

No need for further comments, the quality is really poor. The camera is complemented with a pseudo-flash in the form of a white light-emitting diode. Its usability is questionable, though. The camera cannot shoot photos at a close range (120 cm the closest, anything closer will be blurred) and the flash is too weak and therefore ineffective at a longer distance. Here, too, I experienced problems with responsiveness of the system. You have to wait about 10 seconds before the camera is ready to shoot, the resulting image displays within 5 seconds after you press the shutter release. This, however, is true only when you save photos to the main memory. Saving photos (in the highest resolution and quality) to a memory card took up to half a minute, which is very, very long. Let me end on a positive note, though. The camera application can be linked to the GPS module and insert positioning information in the EXIF data of the photo. That gives you precise information not only WHEN a snap was taken but also WHERE it was taken, which may come handy.

Expandability

Considering all the integrated features, expandability is not as important as in other devices: the iPAQ includes virtually everything you may need. The most common expansion is likely to be a memory card (miniSD format). Note: even though the card scored well in the benchmark, it felt sluggish in real life, especially writing to the card. Besides this option, you can connect peripherals and other devices over Bluetooth or, in some rare cases, over WiFi.

Software

The HP iPAQ hw6900 comes with pre-installed Windows Mobile 5 Premium Edition in its latest version, i.e. complete with a package of patches and new features known as AKU2. Besides standard productivity applications, such as Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, PowerPoint Mobile, Internet Explorer Mobile, a set of office applications and a package of various utilities, the system includes several communication applications that enable the user to control the phone, send SMS and MMS messages and perform other mobile phone-related tasks. In addition, the device's memory as well as the bundled CD-ROM contains some bonus applications. This despite the fact that the manufacturer provides to the users a voucher for the iPAQ Choice server to download software of their choice up to a certain value. So, what is there in the iPAQ from the manufacturer and third-party software vendors?

We have introduced almost all of the pre-installed applications in the previous chapters as they are directly linked to respective hardware components. The only remaining one is called HP Photosmart Mobile and replaces Pictures from Microsoft. HP Photosmart Mobile together with its desktop counterpart forms a strong solution for management of your images and photos. The more regrettable it is that this iPAQ is not fitted with a decent camera but with a pitiful parody. The application is a manager, not an editor, and enables you to view, organise, print, send and otherwise work with your images. It can serve also as a screensaver that activates after a few minutes of system inactivity while charging and displays all images stored in the device as a slideshow.

The package I got included two CD-ROMs. One with "standard" applications, such as Microsoft Outlook 2002 and Microsoft ActiveSync 4.1, modem drivers, some software for your desktop (RealPlayer 10, Adobe Acrobat Reader 7), and updated versions of some applications on the Pocket PC (BVRP Phone Data Manager). There are also two modules for the desktop version of ActiveSync - one downloads fresh data for Quick GPS during every synchronisation, the other automatically backs up photos form the iPAQ to the PC. The only true bonus is ClearVue PDF, a PDF viewer.

The last application on the CD is a security tool called HP ProtectTools. It was pre-loaded in the ROM of some older devices (e.g. iPAQ hx2750 and iPAQ hx4700), here you need to install it. It provides maximum protection for your data and can wipe them out after repeated entry of a wrong password. You can choose from four encryption methods of different strength - basic (lite), Blowfish, Triple DES, and AES. All you need to do is to choose the data to encrypt (contacts and tasks database, e-mails, any data or binary files) and set password. When someone tries to break in and reaches the preset number of unsuccessful attempts, the system will reset itself clean and no-one will be able to restore the data anymore. This is optional, the other option is to set a timeout before another attempt at logging in is possible.

And that's it for software.

Pricing

The price tag asks for a substantial $650 USD without VAT, which is quite a lot for such a small electronic thingy. On the other hand, the device integrates a unique set of features: from wireless modules to the keyboard, which affects the price. Whether it is acceptable is up to you, potential customers:)

[POLL]

Impressions, Benchmarks & Tests

I always insist that each device needs to be viewed as a whole and this iPAQ is a good example of that. There is no point in picking one feature (display size, dimensions...) and argue that it could have been better. The HP iPAQ hw6900 is a complete mobile communication solution. It is not designed for everyone but for a narrow target group of users. On the other hand, if you accept it as it is, you will love it. I was initially reserved about this iPAQ but after those several months that it made my company, I will be sorry to part with it. The reason is that the hw6900's capabilities almost ideally match my most important requirements for a PDA as an everyday tool.

Unlike some other devices that experimented with ultra low consumption processors, you do not need to worry about the hw6900's performance. The Intel processor running at 416 MHz is not the fastest you can find on the market, yet it is powerful enough to easily handle everyday tasks with the exception of extremely demanding applications. The memory is large enough, and navigation requires a memory card in any case. The iPAQ is not suitable for watching video - a wide format shows either as a narrow strip or is severely trimmed on the sides. However, if you do want to watch video, the iPAQ will play it for you. The iPAQ scored 122 percent for playback of a test video (640x480 pixels, 1.5 Mbit) in the TCPMP benchmark. This may seem as an excellent result but in reality, you need to optimise the video for a lower resolution and slower data stream (slow scenes were fine, dynamic scenes were a little jerky). After scaling down, the video played perfectly smoothly.

The display's technical specifications are absolutely uninteresting. The quality is the same as that of the majority of common QVGA displays. What is rare in the world of Windows Mobile is the display's unusual shape. It is not an issue but a feature, however deterring some potential users may find it. If you are not sure whether the square shape would be acceptable for you or not, here is a summary of its pros and cons. If you use the device for work, type a lot of texts and are scared of tapping out characters with the stylus, you use a limited package of applications (typically professional, paid ones) and cannot be bothered with games, you won't have any problems with the square display. Look at the photo under this paragraph: you will see that this iPAQ's square display provides the same working area as a QVGA display with an activated SIP panel (software keyboard). That means that there is no difference in what you see on the display when entering text. With the exception of games, the vast majority of applications are adapted for the square display, so you need not worry about the 240x240 pixel resolution. On the contrary, if you are a passionate gamer, or you like some older applications, or you view information more often than enter it, you will find the unusual display limiting. I fall in the former category and did not find the square display an obstacle to comfortable use.

I have dealt with sound, wireless modules and battery above in sufficient level of detail and need not repeat myself. The integrated GPS is good enough for a common user. If you require a higher-end performance, you would have to buy an external GPS receiver. As for communication, data transmission is trouble-free and does just what one would expect of it. Voice communication works fine, too, but the system sometimes responds very slowly. My job does not require more than a few phone calls a day, so I did not find it as too much of a pain. If I needed to make many calls, I would probably soon be annoyed by the GSM module's sluggishness.

I am slightly disappointed by the stability of the system and applications. I had an opportunity to test several versions of ROM, from early betas to the final build, and my impressions are rather mixed. There is no point in evaluating the test version, so let's focus on the final one. It is not as big a tragedy as in the hw6500 but still far from perfection. Even though I use very small number of third-party applications and their potential impact on the stability of the system is limited, the device collapsed every other day and needed to be reset. It was not that the device stopped responding completely but for instance, the Internet connection stopped working suddenly (whereas it worked for two weeks without problems with another ROM version). Or, without any apparent reason, a colour ball started rotating on the screen and kept rotating until I lost patience and reset the device. There were more such glitches. Some of the bonus applications caused trouble as well. HP Profiles sometimes froze while changing profiles, the camera and HP Photosmart Mobile stopped working having been launched several times, and HP ProtectTools used a wrong language (Spanish) when the system was set to Czech but when I switched the system to English, the application was English, too. All those problems may share the same cause: the regional settings. There were virtually none in the English environment. However, after switching to Czech, all the aforementioned problems started occurring. I hope HP posts a patch or new ROM soon (although the company is no longer as eager to fix bugs as it once was...). In any case, it is a shame.

In general, the iPAQ hw6915 is a very good device intended primarily for work. It is an all-in-one mobile solution, although this goes to the expense of quality in some points. If you avoid extreme workload and use it for everyday agenda involving entering large amounts of data, you will find the iPAQ a worthy tool as I did. As soon as bugs in the firmware are fixed (it would be naive to expect the first final version of ROM to be 100-percent bug-free), it will be a reliable assistant with which you will never be lost. Weigh all the pros and cons carefully before you decide to buy it because it is not an ordinary Pocket PC. If you decide for it, you will get great value for a lot of money.

That's all. If you expected a numeric evaluation of individual parameters, I must disappoint you - there is none. It took me an increasing amount of time to produce the rating but, more importantly, it was becoming more and more difficult to categorise devices with respect to the ever-growing number of competitors. Unfortunately, I cannot buy every device I review to be able to make direct comparisons, so have had to improvise more and more often of late. You just cannot fairly compare a device's display with one you saw half a year ago. Hopefully, when a new version of this website comes to life, I will try and deal with the problem. Until then, there are going to be only descriptive evaluations. Hope you find them satisfactory.