Well, it’s been 3 days since I got the 6500 and I think I’ve gotten used to it enough to right an objective review. (Normally, writing a review off of the first few hours with a new gadget tends to skew your observations a certain way: it magnifies the good stuff and the bad stuff such that all else tends to fade into the background.)
Right so, here it is again, in case you didn’t see it in the previous post, and are too lazy to scroll down:
![HP_hw6500_1_L[1].jpg](/img/pics/HP_hw6500_1_L[1].jpg "HP_hw6500_1_L[1].jpg")
I’ll just run through the specifications really quickly for reference (you can read it in geek-level detail here). HP’s 6500 Mobile Messenger series runs Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition, has a 312MHz processor and a total of 128mb of memory. Connectivity includes Bluetooth, GSM, GPS (!), GPRS, EVDO and IR (but no Wi-Fi, ugh), and it accepts both SDIO and mini-SD cards via two separate expansion slots.
As you can see from the picture, the thumbboard is built right in to the unit. It doesn’t detach like with the older 6300 series models, nor does it slide away like with the XDA IIs. Its form factor is essentially like a Treo without the antenna. (You can check out the size comparison here.)
APPEARANCE
I actually came up with a short list of Must-Know Things about the 6500, which anybody who is vaguely interested in getting it should be aware of.
Here’s the first one:
1. The 6500 isn’t the most beautiful gadget you or I have ever seen. It’s got that silver-gray functional look that HP uses on all of its business-solution-type products. It’s not shiny or elegant or particularly eye-catching. Apart from being fairly expensive, there is nothing about this phone that will draw much attention to you when you use it in a crowded cafe.
Speaking of appearance, it’s important to note that the picture above isn’t entirely accurate — it’s a marketing image, so they didn’t include the plastic visor that protects the screen. The only reason why I mention it is because I happen to find that visor fairly annoying. For one thing, it’s chintzy as hell. It makes a little snapping sound every time you flip it up or down, and obviously it blocks you from using the stylus on the screen whenever it’s closed. Now, you could choose to pop it off if it really bugs you; the visor isn’t really fixed on to the housing. Personally, I’m still busy trying to decide if I can’t get used to it enough to just keep it on — I don’t really excel at keeping my stuff unblemished and I have a feeling this visor is going to come in handy the next time I accidentally slip the phone into my pocket alongside my keys and spare change.
Weight-wise, this thing is heavier than a 20gb iPod (165 grams vs. the iPod’s 158), a bit lighter than the Treo 650 (178g) and a lot lighter than the O2 XDA IIs (210g). Make no mistake though: you are definitely going to feel this thing in your pocket.
EXPERIENCE
I guess it’s a testament to the iPAQ’s maturity as a device that setting it up was such a no-brainer. I was able to insert my SIM card, boot the device and configure the necessaries right on the counter of the store where I bought it, in about 2 minutes. GSM and GPRS are configured automatically (as long as you’ve already activated the relevant services with your network) and pretty much the only thing left to do is load it up with your software.
Which brings me to the second Must-Know Thing about this device:
2. A lot of current PocketPC software won’t work with it. This is primarily for two reasons. The first is that few apps have been designed with a screen resolution of 240×240 in mind (none of the games I tried to install could be viewed properly because of the missing 80 pixels). Add that to the fact that the 6500 sports the Second Edition of Windows Mobile 2003 and you’ve got some major compatibility issues. I couldn’t even find a proper Theme Generator for it on the Microsoft site (they were all either WinMo 2002, or Smartphone-only).
Suffice to say that in terms of software addons, you lose quite a bit of flexibility with this device. Fortunately, the single most important PPC app in my collection, Microsoft Voice Command, is completely resolution-independent, so the screen-res didn’t bother me quite as much. (Voice Command is, btw, the first MS app since Reader that has truly impressed me. If this is where MS is taking us with Vista, I’m packing my bags right now.)
[ continued tomorrow: more experiences, and some bugs ]