HP iPaq hw6915 PocketPC phone reviewed
By Evan Blass 
posted May 15th 2006 3:01PM
posted May 15th 2006 3:01PM
We've been on the fence about HP's hw6000 line of Swiss Army phones ever since we first spotted the GPS-equipped iPaq hw6515 -- these models include everything but the kitchen sink, but they also force you to use that non-standard 240 x 240 screen. Still, MobileTechReview's in-depth look at the latest member of the family, the hw6915, makes us think we could overlook the square screen and lack of 3G data options because, well, the rest of this Windows Mobile 5.0-powered smartphone sounds like exactly what us convergence-geeks are seeking. According to MTR, the quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE handset impresses on many fronts, including its solid keyboard, powerful internal antenna, GPS performance, and best-in-class benchmark numbers. HP also throws in some nice extras, like helpful Today screen plug-ins, a full-featured wireless radio manager, the ability to location-stamp photos, and even A2DP in the Bluetooth stack, which isn't normally included in WM5 AKU2 devices out of the box. Besides the fact that this screen resolution may not support all third-party apps, the only real knock to this model concerns the camera's startup/shutter lags -- and if that's the worst thing to be said about a device that seemingly does it all, then we're totally sold.
I have the 6515 which is pretty good, though hampered by a slow processor. GPS/Phone/Camera combination is excellent, but am planning to get the 6915 as soon as it's out. The extra processor speed, WM5 and Wifi is a great combination.
I currently own the 6515 from Cingular and I gotta tell ya, the size is embarrasing and the fact that it only runs 15% of Windows Mobile software has lead me to sell it in favor of the Cingular 8125.
I disagree with the criticism of the screen. I like the square dimensions of the 240x240 screen. Using a standard 320 screen only elongates most PDAs and makes them bulky and unwieldy to use. The 240 screen may be a compromise but it is one that most people would gladly take to make these devices more pocketable and phone-like and yet still usable. Heck, if you don't like HP 6900 series screen size there are plenty of alternatives that use the more traditional 320 screens. I for one like to have a choice.
If they want the title of "Treo Killer" Please update to a VGA screen, upgrade the camera to at least 2.1mp, add HSDPA or EVDO, and of course these things can always use more memory (how about 4-8gb NAND).
Most of the criticism on the 240X240 screen is that WM5.0 happily supports 480X480 screens, which are readily available to manufacturers, NOT that it's square. The manufacturers are sticking the 240's in because they know that when sales begin to taper they can shove a shiny-new 480X480 screen in the same form-factor at little cost to them and jump-start their sagging sales.
I have the HP Iraq HW6915 very good all round phone have to say I like it so far. The battery is very good. But when you use the GPS you need a charger.
Can anyone help me with my HW6915, I had a "dismiss" button at the lower left hand side to cancel alarm clocks and meeting notifications. I went over seas and whaen I came back the "dismiss" capability has disappeared and now the Ipaq just keeps beeping and vibrating. How do I get the ability to turn alarms and notices off?