HP (Hewlett-Packard) iPAQ hw6945 Mobile Messenger

a completed PDA

Strengths: all functions, phone WiFi, bluetooth, GPS, EDGE, GPRS, camera in one, which can be put in your pocket. self-flip cover is simple good protection for the screen. good keyboard design, easy for use

Weakness: small internal memory for such a high-end PDA, a little bit low screen resolution (bad for many games), no side wheele for scrolling, a little bit short battery life. only a miniSD slot

I have been waiting for my new hw6945 for almost one month, and I am still very excited as I got it. Its size is acceptable, and every function works smoothly. I like it very much. Though the internal memory is small, but with a big miniSD card, the problem will be solved. I tried a 2G card, it works great, but I am not sure what is the max size of miniSD hw6945 support. the keys are small but...
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I have been waiting for my new hw6945 for almost one month, and I am still very excited as I got it. Its size is acceptable, and every function works smoothly. I like it very much. Though the internal memory is small, but with a big miniSD card, the problem will be solved. I tried a 2G card, it works great, but I am not sure what is the max size of miniSD hw6945 support. the keys are small but seperated enough for easy input. touch screen is easy to use, but there is only one pen which can be lost pretty easy.

In summary, this is a very good PDA, fully functioned. Suggest to have it if you want the functions.

After used it a couple of days, I found the wi-fi is not as fast as I expected, maybe due to my setting (not sure)

By riverlike - Jan 13, 2007

HP set a new bar

Strengths: total integration: Wi-Fi, GPS, IMAP POP3 email, Media Player, SkyPe, Active Sync

Weakness: 240x240 LCD resolution, Built-in Speaker is not stereo, Control keys are insufficient, Extra $129 fee to activate HP GPS navigation software is ridiculous, it is USB 1.1

Bought from PageComputer,product is new factory sealed with all accessories. I inserted my cingular sim card and hp battery, charged it, it started up at once. I made a call, it worked. then I turned on wi-fi,it worked with my D-Link wireless router (shared mode with security key), tried IE, went finance.yahoo.com, it navigated to it within a blink, then I used its cradle to connect to my PC,...
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Bought from PageComputer,product is new factory sealed with all accessories. I inserted my cingular sim card and hp battery, charged it, it started up at once. I made a call, it worked. then I turned on wi-fi,it worked with my D-Link wireless router (shared mode with security key), tried IE, went finance.yahoo.com, it navigated to it within a blink, then I used its cradle to connect to my PC, after installed active sync 4.1, sync is so easy. finally I installed GPS software, clicked the select button on iPaq to let iPaq install GPS application, then created map on PC and selected iPaq main memory as its target, turned on GPS application, it worked smoothly.

Wi-Fi is reliable: tried Pocket MSN, went to its website, cliked entertainment, tried live TV, sports, high speed bit rate, it played the TV in media player, zoomed it into full screen, set it to repeat mode, it played very smoothly, pictures rendered very well like HDTV, let it play for 30 minutes, didn't find single broken-connection on battery alone or in cradle. Some one reported unreliable wi-fi, I believed it was the default setting 1. it becomes unavailable is due to it enter into power saving mode and shut off wi-fi which can set to always on instead,(I prefer to set through User profile) 2. when putting iPaq into its cradle, after it syncs with PC, it automatically semi-turns off Wi-Fi, and it uses the ActiveSync to go to internet. 3. when picking up from its cradle, it automatically restores to original wi-fi state.

GPS is excellent: I throwed in a 2GB miniSD, uninstall GPS from its main memory, then reinstalled it into Storage Card (the 2GB miniSD), along with a 500MB map (maximum 512MB map coming from PC MAP generation software, it is absurd), it took pretty long about 30 mins to finish.
I used it for a couple of trips, it allowed me to choose route by quickest, local, shortest, major roads, local roads. include or exclude ferries, toll roads, carpool. Voice prompt was loud clear. The GPS receiver is highly sensitive (18 feet), NavTaq map is precise for US and CA, GPS software is very strong. There is one insufficient UI integration with hard keypad, only Space button could be used for repeating voice prompt, navigator keys for zoom in/out. all other has to use stylus to operate either on its command menu or on-screen keypad. But it is still okay, no one needs to operate it on the road. The another draw back is GPS software couldn't voice-prompt street name except it is numbers. But the street Name it displays on top of screen is bigger enough.

Media Player is excellent: it integrates with media player 10 library smoothly, sync with PC by ActiveSync itself or by Media Player 10 PC version. it is better than iTune for me. it allows me to choose to sync with main memory or storage card, of course, I selected storage card. Downloaded 10 albums (no maximum limit), it took more than one hour only a little bit faster than iTune to Mot Razr V3i (which has 100 songs limit). When playing music through Library, it shows Album Image, very nice.

Tried email function, it worked pretty well with my accounts and outlook contacts synced from my PC. It supports hotmail, yahoo email and any one else at same time. Have not tried excahnge server, but I believe it should work.

MSN Pocket Messenger sucks. So I downloaded and installed skyPe into iPaq Storage Card, tuned on wi-fi, it took just seconds to sign on and made a call to PC throuh SkyPe, PC side party heard my voice very clear, however, I could hear some background nosie from my iPaq, finally I found it was the noise of notebook cpu fan. after ask my wife stood 3 feet away from my notebook, the noise disappeared, voice became very nice.

Downloaded IMplus trial version, it worked well with iPaq wi-fi, but voice call is not available currently.

Cell phone itself: good sensitivity, good sound quality, lack of voice command ( needs to buy seperately ), bluebooth is 1.2 not 2.0, bluetooth headset doesn't support voice command.

Battery life: 2 days for typical use without using wi-fi, blue tooth, gps. Standby time is very long, I believe 1 week. Since I use one cradle at home and the other at office, battery life is not an issue for me, the trip between my office and home is 10 miles and it used 15% battery life when GPS was open.

In general, the experience is fantastic.

By wangqi64 - Nov 17, 2006

Hw6945 has everything

Strengths: Complete solution for business travelers. It has all the features one can think of. Easy to turn on/off GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Cellphone on the screen. Camera is easy to operate. Computing power.

Weakness: Battery life is not long enough if you are using wi-fi. When on cradle, the wi-fi is cut off automatically. The size of the internal memory is too small for such a high-end PDA.

I swaped the SIM card (prepaid plan) from my Cingular phone into HW6945 and it worked instantly. Then I installed Skype which is working very well. The sound quality of Skype is good. Now I am using Skype to make all the calls when I have wifi, which is not a problem on campus.

By qqqcj - Dec 22, 2006

Perfect All in 1 (not just a smartphone... a very smartphone)

Strengths: A complete package! Reliable connection (WIFI, bluetooth and phone calls) GPS is working well and I'm amazed with the voice guide on which road to take. Sounds using the headset is very clear

Weakness: Does not have a capability to assign ringtone per contact and it cant assign ringtone for text message GPS software trial period only. Does not come with complete manual including software manual

Before buying this item I'm thinking and analyzing it for 2 months. Comparing the benefits for me. Buying an ipod will cost me a $200 buying a phone will cost me $400. It is a smart decision is to buy the HW6945. Now I test it every day to see if it is working well. So far, I did not encounter any issue. All of its features is working well. I used a 1GB minisd and it also work. I will try to use...
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Before buying this item I'm thinking and analyzing it for 2 months. Comparing the benefits for me. Buying an ipod will cost me a $200 buying a phone will cost me $400. It is a smart decision is to buy the HW6945.

Now I test it every day to see if it is working well. So far, I did not encounter any issue. All of its features is working well. I used a 1GB minisd and it also work. I will try to use a 2GB.

I'm thinking to buy again for my brother and sister.

I would recommend this product if you are a high-tech person or if you want to learn to be a high-tech person. Like I said on the weakness side it does not come with a complete manual such as how to operate each application.

By patience guy - Dec 10, 2006

Hw6945

Strengths: Multi-functional, wi-fi, PDA functionalty

Weakness: Cannot get GPS to activate. Gives error when linking to get the activatin key needed.

Called HP and they say call Navteq and Navteq says its an HP problem. Cannot resolve this issue. Called couple of times. GPS was the main reason for bying this product.

By Abbi; - Nov 3, 2006