For many years HP's iPAQ line offered stiff competition to Palm's line of PDAs. However, as Treos, BlackBerry handhelds, and a flood of other converged smartphones hit, HP didn't stay at the forefront of this technology. The new iPAQ hw6920 and hw6925 (currently offered exclusively by Cingular Wireless) get HP back into the game -- though it's not an MVP. Nevertheless, enterprises should consider these Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PCs because their built-in cellular phone is surrounded with quad-band GSM wireless data networking, corporate e-mail solutions, and enterprise manageability.
The hw6925 model I evaluated (the 6920 is the same, except it lacks a 1.3 megapixel camera) features a 3-inch (240 x 240 pixel resolution) TFT color screen, making it a tad wider compared to a Palm Treo 700w or BlackBerry Pearl. Like the BlackBerry and Palm Treo 680, the hw6925 doesn't have a stubby antenna so the rounded design fits comfortably in your hand. Measured against Motorola's Q or Cingular's 3125 (developed by HTC), the hw6925 is about 33 percent deeper -- and at 6.3 ounces, it's one of the heaviest handhelds out there. Yet I think the larger size and weight is a fair compromise to accommodate the additional radios plus a bigger, replaceable battery; one charge lasted about 7 days in standby (with GPS and Wi-Fi turned off) and gave me almost 4 hours of talk time.
Connectivity is clearly important to business users, and this unit generally delivers on its Mobile Messenger title -- with GSM/GPRS/EDGE, Wi-Fi, GPS, infrared, and Bluetooth wireless connections. Most of my testing was on Cingular's EDGE data network in Eastern Pennsylvania. My test hw6925 delivered the best voice quality of all the cellular phones I've used. Digital signal quality was consistently very good, with expected speed (about 100 – 150 kbps), which proved very acceptable for retrieving my e-mail and remote access to mobile-enabled enterprise applications. One disappointment: HP didn't include HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) which is the evolution of GSM/EDGE technology; Cingular's 3G network is one of the first to use HSDPA.
For e-mail, HP supports several push technologies. I connected to a corporate Microsoft Exchange 2003 server (over EDGE and Wi-Fi) and accessed my messages with Window Mobile's built-in Outlook application. Other options include Good Technologies (now part of Motorola) GoodLink for connecting to Exchange and IBM Lotus Domino servers. Cingular's Xpress Mail service ($4.99 per month) let me easily configure and use my Comcast POP e-mail account.
The built-in QWERTY keyboard worked well for composing messages. I also liked HP's 5-way navigation button located right above the keyboard because it let me quickly navigate menus and make selections without touching the screen.
GPS is a useful tool for business travelers and the hw6920 series' built-in high-sensitivity GPS receiver gives you several options. I tested the optional TeleNav GPS Navigator service ($5.99 to $9.99 a month), and I found that it quickly acquired a GPS signal and continuously updated the map display. As alternatives, HP bundles Microsoft Pocket Streets, or you can purchase HP Navigation Maps software ($129.00). The built-in photo software let me attach GPS coordinates to pictures, which would be important feature for insurance investigators or field service employees.
The standard parts of Windows Mobile 5.0 are what you'd get with other PPC products, including mobile versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Internet Explorer. Microsoft hasn't changed these applications in a while, though they ran quickly on the hw6920 series' 416 MHz Intel PXA270 processor. Further, these devices ship with Microsoft Messaging and Security Feature Pack for Windows Mobile 5.0.
As I've experienced with other manufacturers' Windows Mobile 5.0 handhelds, I did have to reset the hw6925 a couple of times during my testing when it locked up. While HP representatives wouldn't comment on any upgrade for this device, they have indicated some other iPAQs may have a firmware upgrade to what's likely a Service Pack 2 for Windows Mobile 5.0 (code-named Crossbow). I'd certainly encourage the company to consider this for the hw6920 series in the hope of better stability.
Enterprises should also look at the overall security and manageability of a mobile solution – areas that HP addresses with several optional services. For example, HP ProtectTools for Windows Mobile lets administrators remotely wipe devices if they're lost or stolen and enforce corporate polices, such as strong passwords. (Admittedly, enterprises running Exchange may already have access to many of these features since mobility security is standard with Exchange Server 2003 SP2).
HP iPAQ hw6920 series Mobile Messenger
Availability: Now
Pricing: Starts at $359.99 with two-year Cingular Wireless contract and qualifying voice and data plan.
Verdict: While the iPAQ hw6920 series Mobile Messenger has a few blemishes, and various HP and Cingular services can get pricey, it still represents a sound enterprise mobile solution. The hardware isn't a svelte as you'll find, but its quality construction and multiple connectivity features should meet requirements of many organizations. And don't ignore HP's optional mobile services, including security and manageability. The most glaring omission is a HSDPA radio.
Posted by Mike Heck on December 20, 2006 10:31 AM
