Ipaw 6515 / 65-series mobile messengers

Ipaq 6515 was what I’ve been waiting for, for about 5-6 years.  A device that is a PDA, phone, GPS, camera, video, bluetooth and MP3 player.  If that wasn’t enough it also does infra-red so you can use it as a remote control. 

PDA functions – all the usual, Word, Excel, contacts etc.  Great diary with alarms that can be set years in the future.

GPS – works OK, you need to download the GPS file daily for accurate location of the sattelites – otherwise it can take 5-10 minutes to find the sats.  Tom Tom crashes here and there, but that is either windows software or TomTOm problem

Camera – rubbish 1.3Megapixel, but OK for an emergency.  Takes OK pics in daylight, useless in dark.  Video OKish but still very basic-mobile phone style.

MP3 – not great sound quality, but it’ll do.  Comes with headphones, which is just as well as it doesn’t take standard phones (you can get an adaptor from ebay for £5)

Video playback – great.  Works good with .avis made for Pocket PC (convert using windows movie maker)

Bluetooth – works great. 

Internet – works fine through mobile sim card.  No wireless but you can buy a small card that plugs in for £40.  The new 6915 has wireless built in.

Downsides – it switches itself invariably.  To fix, turn over the IPAQ onto it’s front and removing back plate.  Where the backing plate slots into it’s how (top right) that is the problem – it’s a crappy sensor…so push in some small pieces of paper into it to force the switch to be on permanently.  It will now not switch itself off (full article on how to do this shortly).

Otherwise, a great device.  The 6915 has a slightly faster processor, ability to hook up with 7 sats and built in wireless.  So only slight improvements.