HP iPAQ 500 series - it’s a cellphone

It is a cellphone, I said it. I can’t believe I said, but I have. To be honest I think I need to start this post off by saying how incredibly boring I think this phone is. boring, boring, boring. There are no two ways about it, if you are looking for anything exciting, cutting edge or innovatively different then this phone is not for you.

This phone is a safe option with standard features and a few perks, much like the Windows system that the phone is based on. Yes it’s Windows mobile all the way.

Let’s get those perks out of the way. Firstly the home screen is perfect for what I like. I like to know everything at one point. The homepage display will tell you how many incoming sms’s, emails, voice messages, missed calls, mms’s you have and even tell you the time. It has a bit of a Blackberry feel about it in terms of look and feel. There is a main navigation button in the center that will allow you to browse through the icons that looking strikingly like icons from other phones. Like I said, no innovation to speak of.

Setting up my email account was the first thing that I did on the iPAQ. Not sure why, but that’s what I did. And it was easy, really easy. I simply connected to the wireless in the house - yes the iPAQ connects to wireless networks simply and quickly. For the email I chose my Gmail account. I followed the steps, entered in my password and bam, it was done, there and then I started downloading my emails. Too easy.

Then the bluetooth on the phone is another perk that will actually turn out to be an irritation - but I’ll get to that soon enough. I like to test every phone that I have on my Motorola Car-Kit and this was no different. I sat in my car, switched on the engine and within seconds the phone had asked to connect, I entered the password and it was done. Everytime subsequently I would enter my car, switch it on and without hassle or request the phone would connect. Brilliant, no other phone I’ve had has done that. However the irritation comes in because the bluetooth works too well. Everytime the phone locks, a message is received, a phonecall comes through, I fart, wink, blink, move, touch the phone, anything, the radio cuts out and the handfree kit activates. Extremely frustrating.

Unfortunately the browser is Internet Explorer. This immediately put me off. However it is fast and does the job it needs to so I can’t complain in that regard.

In general I must say that the phone is solid, the battery life lasts long (about 3 full days of usage) and is not a bad buy.

RRP: R2,599 (not too shabby)

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Filed Under Featured Reviews, Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, Mobile, Smartphones