HP's iPaq hw6920 / hw6925 finally hitting Cingular next week
It's been almost a full year since we first spotted the Swiss Army Phone better known as the iPaq hw6900, and after endless teasing and false starts, Cingular will finally start selling this highly-anticipated jack-of-all-trades starting on October 31st. We have to admit that we're not quite as excited about the hw6920 / hw6925 (with / without camera) as we were, like, nine months ago, but its release is still notable due to the fact that it'll be one of the first mass-market US smartphones to include integrated GPS hardware and software (in the form of TeleNav's GPS Navigator). As you're probably well aware from both the official and leaked spec sheets we've covered, this 416MHz, Windows Mobile 5.0 AKU2-powered handset also features Bluetooth with A2DP, 802.11g, a 1.3 megapixel camera, miniSD slot, reportedly-loud keyboard, and frustrating 240 x 240 pixel screen. The only other major downside here is the lack of a 3G radio, although the GPRS / EDGE capabilities should offer decent connectivity while you search for the nearest hotspot. Obviously having your cake and (almost) eating it too doesn't come cheap, as the hw6920 will start at $360 with a two-year contract and continue to climb skyward.[Via Mobility Site, thanks Ronald D.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Trin_Tran @ Oct 25th 2006 12:32PM
1.3 megapixel cameras are so outdated. All camera phones should be at least 2.0 megapixels in this day and age.
Omagus @ Oct 25th 2006 12:46PM
You have to keep in mind the cost. When you see a phone with an "outdated" camera, it's usually because the manufacturer/carrier is worried that the additional cost will prevent them from moving as many units as they can. Obviously, most people would rather have a better quality camera but are they willing to pay for it?
Rod @ Oct 25th 2006 12:53PM
Unless you're a teenager with nothing better to do or someone who isn't a teenager and yet has nothing better to do, who actually uses the phone camera?
Sure, you could do all sorts of "fun" things like make photo caller IDs and so on, but do you need 2 MP for that?
Furthermore, it's the quality of each pixel that matters, not the actual number of pixels.
Photos taken by a compact digital camera are bad enough... do people really need to shoot with even poorer alternatives?
Finished Law School @ Oct 25th 2006 2:37PM
There will never be enough features in a phone to make me want to go back to Cingular.
Mike Mckee @ Oct 25th 2006 4:15PM
Does this model have wifi built in? I have the 6515 and that is really the only thing I am missing. Well I guess Windows 5.0 as well.
Trin_Tran @ Oct 25th 2006 4:48PM
Finished Law Whatever: I think one day during Q1 '07 you'll have to eat your words....
exchguy @ Oct 25th 2006 6:04PM
HP and Cingular should be embarassed by this. This phone is nothing new and is the same design HP has been hawking for years. Nothing new here other than GPS. HP had a chance to win big on phone devices, but they chose to stay with PDAs instead. No 3G this day and age, no sale.
Matt T. @ Oct 25th 2006 11:21PM
Well, It is this or the Treo 680 so far. The Treo 680 is an embarrassment to mankind as it is just 650 with about 2 new things and a higher price and internal antenna. At least this has WM5 and Wi-fi ( with free fast wireless a LOAD of places, who wants to pay slower data charges?) And to the people who complain about 3g, should learn they have Wi-FI, availible evervy EDGE(for email) isn't good enough
I am still begging for the Treo 750, If we don't see anything soon. I may just get the
k0something @ Oct 26th 2006 1:11PM
Rod, lots of people use camera phones for memory jogs like contact and white board photos, and these uses will grow if decent capabilities are present. Outside of these "business" uses, I see lots of people using camera phones all the time and I think it's great. Sorry you find it so negative.
Nish Vamadevan @ Jan 24th 2007 8:04PM
I have got this device for over 3 months. Very nice and handy device to carry around.
This is probably the closes thing you could get to have your entire office into your pocket. Plus it will have a built GPS and Wifi.
The keyboard is very handy, you can type while you drive (Not advisable!) :)
It is pretty heavy compared to other phones (Around 175g) I can carry it on my pocket without a problem...
The camera isin't that great but it can take fairly good shots in day time... That is probably the only downside of this device.