I did it. The unthinkable.
After writing off the PDA as a victim of advancing mobile phone technology and vowing never to have a Windows device in my home I singlehandedly broke both resolutions and splurged on the new HP iPAQ h6315 mobile phone.
Read More…
I did it. The unthinkable.
After writing off the PDA as a victim of advancing mobile phone technology and vowing never to have a Windows device in my home I singlehandedly broke both resolutions and splurged on the new HP iPAQ h6315 mobile phone.
The HP iPAQ h6315 mobile phone is the first tri-radio device in the world (see previous story) to feature a GSM/GPRS mobile phone, WiFi and Bluetooth. In addition, the iPAQ h6315 features auto-switching between the three radios, for example it switches from GPRS to WiFi when an open HotSpot becomes available, then back again when you leave range.
Those worried about Mac support can rest easy knowing that Mark/Space’s US$40 Missing Sync for Pocket PC is actually better than iSync. There. I said it.
Missing Sync 1.0.4 for Pocket PCs lets you synchronize a Pocket PC with iCal and Address Book on a Mac running OS X and iSync. In fact, Missing Sync is simply an iSync conduit, letting your Pocket PC sync the exact same way you sync your iPod, Palm and mobile phone now. The difference is that Missing Sync for Pocket PC can also sync iTunes and iPhoto, letting your Pocket PC look like an MP3 player or USB storage drive for easy transfer of media. You can even mount a PocketPC sync over WiFi!
The h6315 is available for US$599 from HP without contract or for US$499 with activation from T-Mobile. If you are already a T-Mobile customer you should call 1-800-T-MOBILE to find out if you are eligible for the US$100 “handset upgrade credit.” Another reason this phone made sense for me is that buying the US$80 T-Mobile monthly plan includes WiFi HotSpot access at over 4600 locations around the Unites States which normally costs US$30-$40 per month. T-Mobile HotSpots can be found in Starbucks, Borders Books & Music stores, FedEx Kinko’s, airports, and the airline clubs of American, Delta, United, and US Airways.
My first weekend with Windows Mobile 2003 has been a tad overwhelming and was topped off by the ritual of losing the included stylus (which I later found.) Some quick observations:
The radio/antenna combination in the h6315 is much stronger than the one in my Sony Ericsson T630. I was able to receive a signal at a friend’s house where I have never been able to get a signal with my T630 before.
Secure Digital (SD) media is much less expensive than the proprietary Memory Stick Duo in my previous mobile phone. I purchased a SanDisk 1GB SD card for US$99 from B&H Photo. In comparison, a 512MB Memory Stick Duo costs around US$250 for half of the storage and a 1GB Duo doesn’t even exist yet.
More on your editors switch to the dark side in upcoming posts. Stay tuned.
