HP iPAQ hw6515 Mobile Messenger review

Features
The processor behind the iPAQ hw6515 Mobile Messenger is Intel's PXA270 running at 312MHz -- by no means the most powerful available for a Windows Mobile handheld. Although there is a total of 128MB of memory (64MB of RAM and 64MB of Flash ROM), user-accessible storage is relatively limited. HP says that up to 56MB is free for the user, although after a hard reset our review machine offered 43MB of RAM and a further 11.5MB of Flash ROM -- a total of 54.5MB.

HP touts the iPAQ hw6515 Mobile Messenger as a global communications device. To that end, its integrated GSM phone is quad-band with support for GPRS and -- uniquely for a connected handheld -- EDGE. Bluetooth and infrared are integrated, and of course there's the aforementioned GPS receiver.

A notable absentee is Wi-Fi. This is presumably excluded because of operator concerns about Voice over IP (VoIP) services, and perhaps device bulk, but its absence is a pity. Wi-Fi can be added via SD card, but the resulting protrusion from the right edge of the device will be irritating. Adding Wi-Fi will also put further strain on the battery, which already has plenty to cope with in such a feature-laden device.

HP has augmented the standard Windows Mobile 2003 software suite in several ways. The Today Screen is adorned with power and storage meters, while the ClearVue PDF and Presentations viewers provide useful tools for business users.

The built-in GPS receiver is accompanied by navigation software from TomTom, but unfortunately no maps. To obtain your single free city map, you need to log onto the TomTom Web site and download it. Further maps must be purchased as required.

The 1.3-megapixel camera is capable enough, with a maximum still image resolution of 1,280x1,024 pixels, video shooting at up to 352x288-pixel resolution and a range of tweaks such as LED flash, a self timer and effects like sepia and negative. For a device aimed at mobile professionals, the user interface for the camera software has a 'consumer' look and feel and, most annoyingly of all, uses only a small segment of the screen's space to frame images.

Performance
We found the Qwerty keyboard fine for tapping out short messages such as emails or SMSs but, as is usual with such units, would not want to use it for serious data input. There is no '£' sign, and a number of other symbols are missing, so you'll have to resort to the Windows Mobile soft keyboard or handwriting recognition on occasion. That said, shortcut keys to the Today screen and for tap-and-hold menus reduce the need to resort to the stylus.

The integrated GPS receiver proved effective. We got an adequate signal sitting by a window in our office, and it retained a connection even in built-up areas. TomTom's navigation engine was up to its usual high standard as well. Not surprisingly perhaps, battery life was mediocre. Our usual MP3-looping battery rundown test delivered 4 hours 33 minutes of music and a further 20 minutes of life after playback stopped.

Although we are unhappy about the lack of Wi-Fi and disappointed by its battery life, the hw6515's innovative square screen could prove to be the biggest drawback. Bundled Windows Mobile applications all render well, but we had mixed experiences with third-party software, some of which did not cope with the unusual screen size. No doubt software developers will modify their products in due course, but incompatibilities could prove annoying in the short term.

Edited by Charles McLellan
Additional editing by Nick Hide