Device Lust: hw6500/hw6515

09/21/2005 08:13 PM by Chris Toohey

Being a Blackberry user (I still have my 7290), I've been looking at the HP Mobile Messenger very closely. It's got everything that I could want in a phone/PDA: great QWERTY keyboard, SDIO/Mini-SD dual expansion, Bluetooth 1.2, and the ability to run applications that I will actually use. I've got to admit that, despite being a huge fan of clamshell-type designs for mobile devices, the Blackberry/RIM form-factor proved time and again more useful in the field - more or less based on it's single-handed usability. This brings me to the main issue that I may have with this device... Based on what I've read recently, the HP Mobile Messenger hw65XX models will never have a Windows Mobile 5.0 upgrade.

My biggest issue with this is not that I won't have the bleeding-edge technology despite paying top dollar (while that does sting just a tad), it's a huge ding into what the device could be: WM5 allows for persistant storage, which greatly increases battery life, as well as other things (see that article for more details). And, for all of those that think there's no way a brand new device that should come with the latest OS anyway wouldn't come with an upgrade within a few months - I believe that this could very well be the case - due in part to the lack of rom needed to make the jump to WM5.

Shortly on the heels of the hw65XX will be the hw67XX models. There are two major differences between the two units:

1. More ROM: Thus it's coming OOTB with WM5
2. Integrated WLAN (apparently 802.11g) - but at the cost of the SDIO slot

Now, as always, there's a dilemma: do I wait around for the hw67XX models and lose the SDIO or pick up a hw65XX and pray they find a way to give me a WM5 upgrade?

If I wait around for the hw67XX models, (first and foremost, I'll be waiting....) I could very well lose the ability to expand this thing via the SDIO slot... as it won't have one. Therefore all of my current SD cards will be of no use and I'm again using yet another memory stick form-factor (SD, RS MMC for my Siemens S66, and now Mini-SD). However, this option at least has a future...

If I pick up a hw65XX as soon as it becomes available in the states (I refuse to import this thing just to be the first kid on the block with a shiny one), I'll get my SDIO and an instantly usable device, but would need to pick up an SDIO Wifi (which I don't mind switching in/out). I would also, as I mentioned, be at the mercy of HP as to whether they'll release a WM5 upgrade for my device - thus never being able to utilize it for all that it could be.

In an ideal world, I would have a hw67XX model with an expansion pack featuring a larger capacity battery (as I even upgrades my battery on the BB 7290) and an SDIO port. This would be best case scenario... but I haven't seen definite on when these models will hit the consumer, let alone anything on such an expansion sleeve.

More Information

• HP iPAQ hw6515 Mobile Messenger (FA635A) - specifications
• iPaq 6510/6515 - Cingular Wireless