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"I think the CNET editors got this one wrong - read below" on by jedidia
Pros: Very powerful device with lots of features. I am thrilled.
Cons: Speaker phone could be louder and plug is weird
Summary: I hope the following helps those deciding about this device.
I have a long history with PDA phones. I am a heavy user. I did the Kyocera, the treo 300, 600, and 650 and also the new Samsung Slider. I thought the Samsung was going to be the device for me but after a week I returned it to Verizon. I hated the slider keyboard. I needed to be able to type and hold the device with one hand (while driving). I also felt like the slider made the phone clumsy. I crashed a lot and for various other reasons I did not like it. I am sure different PDA phones will act quirky for some folks and not for others. So far the HP6515 has peformed flawlessly. I love this device. It is packed full of features. I think to knock if for wi-fi is silly. The samsung has wi-fi that I used once. If I am in an area that has wi-fi I mine as well use my PC. You could also buy a wi-fi card if you had to have wi-fi. There are two slots on the HP so there would be room for a memory card as well. The HP has GPS built-in. A very cool feature. The camera has a flash and comes with great software. I could care less about which version of software the device is running. I am still using WORD 2000 and it works fine. I use the Goodlink software for email and it works seamlessly with the device. The size is just right and I do not have to move the device around my ear to hear my calls (common problem I had with my treos). The sound is fantastic. I was not that impressed with the speaker phone but there was a lot of ambient noise while I was driving. I bought a blue-tooth head set and that solved the problem. The color screen is crisp and does a great job. The device comes with a nice bundle of software AND THE HOLDER TO WEAR ON YOUR WAIST (unlike the treo). The plug is awkward if you need to travel with it but if you use the docking station (I do not) it should be fine. I think HP should reconsider the plug as I thought that was a nice feature of the Samsung. So far so good. I will update this in a month to see if anything changes. -
"SmartPhone that Rocks!" on by glendawg
Pros: GPS/Bluetooth/Bright Screen/EDGE&GPRS/MP3 Player
Cons: HP chinced on System Memory/Could use Faster Processor
Summary: Bottom line: I love this device. I retired my Nokia 6620. I was an early adopter with AT&T Wireless with the Siemens SX56 PPC, which has a larger screen but horrible cellular radio for picking up the signal from cell towers.
Buy hey, this is about the HW 6515A. Nice device. Feels good in the hand when you hold it to talk. The Micrsoft Voice Command is a must. Very accurate with my 1000+ contacts.
Bluetooth implementation is sweet. I paired my Motorola HS85 & Jabra 250. In addition I have a Logitech diNovo Bluetooth keyboard/Mouse and the Bluetooth Hub paired with the HW 6515A flawlessly. I also carry a Belkin USB bluetooth (100M range) dongle and it too paired with my HW 6515 no problem ( I travel a bunch).
The integrated GPS was the big selling point for me. Once you register the device with HP, they offer a FREE download of Pocket Streets and Trips 2006 from Microsoft. I already own S&T 2005 but I took advantage of the newer 2006 version for my PPC. I copied maps over to the device in my home region of the Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA area. Initial GPS setup was simple as you watch the device locate 2, 3, 4.... satelites. Then fire up S&T 2006 and watch the red marker pinpoint where you are while it updates as you cruise around the area. It tells you local points of interest as you drive by them like gas stations, restaurants and other points.
The dual earphones headset with mic is nice too. As your listening to music and a call comes in, once you answer the music pauses and you've got a stereo conversation in your head while you converse.
HP cut some corners though. They put a whopping 64MB of system memory and 64 MB of flash ROM. Yhey should have ponied up for 128MB of system memory. In addition the 312 MHz Intel processor could have been a faster version. Sometimes if too many programs are running you have to cancel-all to get the performance back.
I put a 1GB miniSD and a 1GB SD memory card in it. I want to load maps, music and large PowerPoint and other work related files on this device. I can email or bluetooth to customers realtime to make me more efficient or I can read them on an airplane because we all know how the back of the seat in front of you always hinders opening up your laptop.
All in all with Cingular and their $39.00/month unlimited data plan, I am very happy with this device. I like the Windows 2003 Mobile and am not a fan of the Palm OS. The QWERTY keyboard is nice too. I still favor the virtual keyboard on screen for rapid pecking out a message with the stylis.
Cheers.... -
"My Dream Machine" on by cnetmarc
Pros: Sound Quality, PIM, GPS
Cons: Tiny keys, GPS software not included
Summary: Let me say upfront I do not use this this phone for email or Internet. I was interested in a phone that would sync with my PIM at work, which contains at least 300 future appointments at any one time, the address book, and tasks and was easy to enter data into vs. the Audiovox SMT5600 I just retired (which was usless for data entry).
As a phone I find the sound quality very good. For long conversations or driving I use a bluetooth headset. MS Voice Command ($35) is a requirement for this phone as the buttons are too small to use while driving. VC is amazingly accurate on first request except for Media Player song names (I'm sure I will eventually discover a file naming convention VC will like).
The GPS was the kicker. The software does cost an extra $129 from HP but worked very well on my last trip. GPS lock in took less than 30 seconds from startup. I added a miniSD 1 gig card which holds GPS maps for all of California and Oregon and 250 songs, leaving my SD slot free in case I wish to add WiFi in the future.
As far as the CNET review, let's be real. You are not going to get a machine that does everything this does in this size format with blazing speed and good battery life. WiFi can be added through the SD slot and it is my understanding will be offered standard in the 6715. There is an optional battery with over twice the mAh. As far as Mobile 5.0 I am actually glad it was not on this device because our corporate PIM is Novell GroupWise and 5.0 is not supported at this time by Intellisync, which is my interface software.
I typically have 5 prorams running at once including GPS and speed is not an issue. For my money, this is a dream machine. For the price of a GPS device I got a PDA, phone, MP3 player, camera, voice and video recorder, and a flashlight to find my keys.
Highly recommended (remember - I did not test the Data services). -
"Nothing Better" on by scleme
Pros: Does Everything
Cons: Kind of Expensive
Summary: There is nothing better on the market. This thing blows away everything currently available in the US. I've pushed this thing to the limit with the addition of a 2 gig SDIO, Spectec Mini-WiFi Card, AnyCom BlueTooth Headset, Toshiba BlueTooth Headphones. I've ripped 9 albums on it, and have at least 10 videos. (Music and Video is outstanding. Hint: You need to compile your videos using Windows Movie Maker using the Pocket PC option.) I check both personal and business email, and have even used the terminal services to check server settings etc.
And Yeah, the professional review is way off… I think he inadvertently hit 6 instead of 9. -
"Best PDA On Market" on by mitchmu
Pros: User Interface, GPS, GSM, Features
Cons: Expensive, Keyboard
Summary: I'm beginning to think the editor's reviews on CNET are near worthless. They give high marks to poor products that die within 90 days and low marks to incredible products. Case in point is this product. There can be no doubt this is the best phone/pda/email device on the market. The speed and performance is excellent. The user interface is incredible - truly incredible, and very easy to use, and full of delights. The feature set which includes quad band gsm, gps, as well as all the productivity and email tools one might reasonably need is beyond my expectations. My only complaint is the keyboard. I think the keys work well enough, but, the keys should be laid out in a straight line. The "curved shape" makes it much harder to use this keyboard than necessary. The battery life is no worse than a Treo. I purchased this to replace my Treo and will never again purchase another Palm product. I recommend this product without any reservation. I have been using smart phone/pda devices since 1995 and have evaluated all products on the market before purchasing this one.
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