HP iPAQ hw6515 Mobile Messenger

The only trouble is that you'll want to play with the hw6515 a lot, and the combination of a GPRS connection and a bright screen inevitably have a hit on battery life: ten minutes of web browsing consumed 5 per cent of the battery, while ten minutes on the phone stole another 4 per cent. By the end of a weekend away, you'll be looking nervously at the life left. Fortunately, you can buy a replacement battery for £50 (exc VAT) or an extended-life battery for £79.

So how good is this device at handling email? The first hurdle is getting email onto the hw6515, and you have many options at your disposal. For individuals, you can follow the usual trials of accessing POP3 and IMAP over the Internet for free, or you could sign up to Pocket MSN for a one-off fee of £10.99 inc VAT.

For anyone in a business, there are two main options. If you're running Exchange Server 2003, you can wirelessly synchronise your email, calendar and contacts over air when out of the office - but note the lack of push email support - and for everyone else there's the option of using a package like GoodLink (www.good.com).

So does this all add up to a BlackBerry killer? In almost every way, yes; the only areas where the BlackBerry still wins are industry support (HP has announced a deal with Vodafone to sell the phone, but we must wait for the rest), push email out-of-the-box and, arguably, cost of ownership. The iPAQ is a more complicated device, so will almost certainly lead to more support calls.

Despite this, we can see the hw6515 becoming an incredibly popular tool, particularly if it follows RIM into partnerships with other network operators. Most crucially, it's surprisingly compact: there's no aerial to ruin its streamlined shape, unlike the palmOne Treo 650, and the simple but effective transparent grey visor means you don't need to worry about buying a case to protect the screen - just slip it into your pocket. Once there, it doesn't feel much different to the bulk of a normal phone. What's more, HP has got the price just about right. If your job relies on keeping in touch at all times, and you need the extra flexibility the Mobile Messenger brings over its opposition, this is £370 incredibly well spent.

Author: Tim Danton