HP iPAQ hw6915 Mobile Messenger

In terms of connectivity, the hw6915 supports quad-band GSM, GPRS and EDGE. This makes it suitable for use all over the world, but the lack of 3G support is notable: we'd have loved to see this in what is otherwise a very forward-thinking device.

One improvement over the hw6515 is the use of SIM-assist to help find GPS signals faster, and we still like the hw6915 as an occasional GPS device - that said, if GPS is your prime reason for choosing a PDA then take a look at the Fujitsu Siemens Pocket LOOX N520 (see issue 142, p113). There's no car kit included with the Mobile Messenger, and only one area map is bundled, but TomTom's software remains a great system and you can buy full UK maps for a discount.

The use of GPS isn't tied to driving either. As we reveal in this month's issue of PC Pro (see issue 142, p120), you can also buy Fugawi's UK Digital Maps. Four discs cover the whole of the UK and cost £33 each (from www.globalpositionsystems.co.uk), and as they're based on Ordnance Survey Landranger maps they're perfect for walkers and cyclists.

Another extra feature courtesy of GPS is the ability to stamp photos with your location. Don't expect supreme image quality from the tiny lens though - there's a lot of noise in pictures taken inside, colours are far from accurate, and despite its 1.3-megapixel resolution we found photos lacked detail. It's a long way from a dedicated compact camera, but is still useful to have - after all, any photo is better than nothing.

Our final comment is about battery life. If you use the hw6915 as a phone or GPS system away from the office, you'll certainly need to take the travel charger with you for weekends: the 1,200mAh battery simply isn't big enough for intensive use. However, under sporadic, light use it kept going for several days.

So we have our reservations about the hw6915 Mobile Messenger. If you're just looking for push email, the BlackBerry 8700g remains superior; others beat it as a GPS device; and mobile phones remain both quicker to use and offer better call experiences. But nothing we've yet seen can match it as all-in-one device, especially if you'll take advantage of GPS.

Author: Tim Danton