Plemix

The iPAQ 912 is another top-notch smartphone from HP. The iPAQ 912 includes the best connectivity options (HSDPA and b/g Wi-Fi) in a tough and non-slippery body. It is 15mm thick and weighs 154g only which is quite compact for a smartphone!

The package comes with the phone, a battery and a travel charger, a handsfree, a data cable, a CD and a manual. There is no extra stylus or battery.



The front surface has a piano black finish which attracts fingerprints frequently. The 2.46” landscape screen is quite different from the 2.8” portrait screen commonly seen in other smartphones. The bright and reflective screen holds up against sunlight pretty well but it is rather small for any serious reading, but it has just enough space for reading email. The landscape setting allows you to view powerpoint without rotation.



Besides the standard Answer/Reject buttons and the left and right soft keys, the iPAQ has 4 addition buttons for launching calendar and messaging, opening the start menu and closing applications. With that amount of buttons you don’t really need the stylus most of the time.



The keys are too small and soft. They are good for occasional typing and are still better than on-screen keyboards, but they are no replacement for a slide-out keyboard.



The scroll can be quite handy for viewing long documents in the landscape screen.



The reset button has a really nice design: you can use your fingernail instead of the stylus for resetting the device. I hope I don’t have to use this nicety often…



The rubber covers protect microSD slot and the mini-USB port from dust and they provide extra friction for a better grip. Note that the microSD card is optional.



The camera function is surprisingly good for a business-oriented phone. The 3MP camera has auto focus and a flash! Pictures are sharp with minimal noise. There is no front camera for 3G video call though.



The retractable stylus is about the right size for comfortable use. The stylus locks tightly to the phone so it could be a real pain if you need it quickly.



Apart from the standard WM6.1 software bundle, HP throws in some extra applications to make the phone more usable. The Google Map works nicely with the GPS and the Voice Commander allows you to make calls or open programs over the handsfree. I wouldn’t run too many programs at once because the iPAQ912 uses the aged PXA270 processor which quickly succumbs to heavier workloads.

The iPAQ912 has a little bit of something from screen-only and slider smartphones. It has the advantage of having a full QWERTY keyboard in a compact body but it suffers from a smaller screen and a less comfortable keyboard.

# posted by plemix @ 7:46 PM