CELL PHONES
» Coming soon
» Top 15
» Best-rated
LAPTOPS
» Coming soon
» Top 15
» Best-rated
CAMERAS
» Coming soon
» Top 15
» Best-rated
» infoSync TV » Review Center
» Tech Gifts » Expert guides
» RSS & Alerts » Ask The Editors
Home / Cell phones / Business smartphones
Hands-on preview: HP iPaq 900 business smartphoneBy Philip Berne, 6 September 2007
GALLERY
HP iPaq 910
Enlarge
HP iPaq 910
Enlarge
HP iPaq 910
Enlarge
HP iPaq 910
Enlarge
HP iPaq 910
Enlarge
HP iPaq 910
Enlarge
HP iPaq 910
Enlarge
We take a look at HP's new iPaq 900, a full QWERTY messaging phone loaded with features. Will it take the iPaq to the head of the class?

HP has finally updated their aging iPaq line, starting at the high-end with the new iPaq 900. The iPaq 900 will look familiar to pretty much anyone who has used a QWERTY smartphone in the last couple of years, as it seems to borrow styling elements from most of the major players, like RIM, Samsung, Motorola and even Palm, and really lacks any specific styling cues to distinguish itself from the pack. However, HP has never been known for style, and has always been a popular brand for serious business users. For these customers, the iPaq 900 won't disappoint.

We had a chance to get our hands on the device, and we were impressed by the hardware specs. The phone packs tri-band UMTS and HSDPA, so it will surf the world's fastest networks. The phone also uses quad-band GSM for worldwide telephony, so HP clearly isn't resigned to being walled into a single U.S. carrier's garden. The device will feature WiFi, with which HP is specifically targeting business VoIP users. It acquires some Voice Commander capabilities from the short-lived HP Voice Messenger, in addition to a full QWERTY keypad.

The phone will feature Windows Mobile 6, and will use Google maps for navigation. Though A-GPS hardware should come standard, HP isn't bundling its newest navigation tools with the device, though company reps told us that if demand is high, this situation could change. Around back, a 3-megapixel camera will allow users to snap photos, and then upload them to the HP-owned Snapfish service.

It is hard to be impressed by the iPaq 900 in the short time we spent with the device, as the improvements are much deeper than skin level. Though the device isn't very attractive, HP has clearly taken strides to bring the hardware feature set into the next generation. The phone will be released before the end of 2007, and pricing has yet to be determined, so whether the next generation has passed them by when the phone hits the market remains to be seen. Still, as a competitor in the Windows Mobile market, HP may not have the design edge over more innovative companies like HTC, but we think business users might be impressed by the fast networking, Wi-Fi connectivity and navigation options. We hope to spend more time with the device in the near future to see if it lives up to its predecessors.
Best Business smartphones
Name Score Price Carrier
C
HTC Touch Pro (Sprint) 77% $400Sprint
HTC Fuze 77% $350AT&T
Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 76% $800Unlocked
HTC Touch Diamond (Sprint) 76% $350Sprint
AT&T Tilt 74% $300AT&T
RIM BlackBerry Curve 8330 (Sprint) 74% $200Sprint
RIM BlackBerry Bold 9000 (AT&T) 74% $300AT&T
HTC Mogul 73% $400Sprint
Nokia E71 73% $500Unlocked
Nokia E66 72% $500Unlocked
Click here to see full and advanced chart »
 
 
RECOMMENDED
Bold vs. E71 vs. Epix vs. Treo 800w
 
Storm vs. iPhone 3G vs. Omnia vs. Touch Diamond
 
T-Mobile G1 vs. Xperia X1 vs. Touch Pro vs. AT&T Fuze
 
TOP STORIES
5 best cell phones sans touch
 
Nokia N97 touchscreen QWERTY slider hands-on
 
Top 15 smartphones
New smartphones and cell phones this week
 
Top 15 cell phones
 
BlackBerry Storm review (Verizon Wireless)
CELL PHONE RESOURCE CENTER
Best phones
 
Expert guides
 
Ask the Editors
» Top 15
QWERTY phones
 
All-touch phones
 
Touchscreen phones
Business phones
 
Multimedia phones
 
Concept phones
3+ inch screen phones
 
Wi-Fi phones
 
More...
» Search (New!)
Search by cell phone features
» Manual comparison (New!)
Select up to 4 cell phones side-by-side
» By release
October 2008, November 2008, December 2008
» Top 15 by carrier
Unlocked, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, Helio, Alltel
» Top 15 by user type
Average Joe, Business users, Calling addicts, Fashion conscious users, Globetrotters, High-res addicts, Internet addicts, Multimedia enthusiasts, Music aficionados, Outdoor enthusiasts, TV addicts, Video lovers, More...
» Top 15 by brand
Apple, HTC, LG, Motorola, Nokia, BlackBerry, Samsung, Sony Ericsson Other
» Top 15 by platform
Palm OS, Symbian S60, Symbian UIQ, Windows Mobile
» Top 15 by cell phone type
Business smartphones, Multimedia smartphones
Consumer QWERTY phones, Multimedia phones
Concept phones
NOW IN BUSINESS SMARTPHONES
LG Incite review (AT&T)
 
Samsung Saga review (Verizon Wireless)
 
Samsung Omnia review (Verizon Wireless)
 
Nokia E75 S60 QWERTY slider hands-on gallery
 
BlackBerry Storm review (Verizon Wireless)
LG Incite all-touch Windows Mobile smartphone comes to AT&T
Best Windows Mobile smartphones
Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 review
HTC Fuze review (AT&T)
Sony Ericsson Xperia X1a confirmed for November release
NOW IN PHONES
BlackBerry Storm update: When will it be released?
 
Smartphone sales numbers for Q3 2008 released
 
$99 iPhone 3G could be on its way to Walmart
 
5 best cell phones sans touch
 
Nokia 6650 review (AT&T)
Nokia N97: Will it make HTC phones in Europe redundant?
Nokia N97 touchscreen QWERTY slider hands-on
Top 15 smartphones
Next 25 stories
MUST READ
CELL PHONES
» Coming soon
» Top 15
» Best-rated
LAPTOPS
» Coming soon
» Top 15
» Best-rated
CAMERAS
» Coming soon
» Top 15
» Best-rated
MP3 players
» Coming soon
» Top 15
» Best-rated
INTERNET TABLETS
» Coming soon
» Top 15
» Best-rated
GPS NAVIGATORS
HDTVs
CAMCORDERS
About us | Site map | How to advertise | Feedback | RSS Feeds | | Archive
Copyright 1999-2008 © infoSync World