Yesterday I was joining a superb HP presentation about the new HP iPAQ H3900 and what else we will see in near future.
The new HP iPAQ H3900 will be announced official tomorrow indeed but anyway - I got at least all facts together now. Beside this, Compaq will also launch a new web site/customer program called "iPAQ Software Choice Program"
HP iPAQ H3900
The H3900 series didn't changed its design to the previous H3800 series iPAQ. This means that all expansion packs will work as well as all iPAQ H3800 accessories as the connectors aren't changed (like before from the H3600 to H3800 switch).- The HP iPAQ H3900 series will comes in two versions - the H3950 without Bluetooth support and the H3970 with Bluetooth support. While the H3950 has 32 MB flash ROM only, the H3970 will have 42 MB flash ROM and will be the first Pocket PC 2002 with more than the today's common 32 MB. Both Pocket PCs will have 64 MB RAM anyhow. Don't ask me why there are 42 MB ROM now ;-) - however, this will also increase the iPAQ file store.
- Both models will run the new Intel XScale 400Mhz processor which will/should guaranty lower power consumption with higher CPU speed, compared to today's Intel StrongARM 206 MHz CPUs.
- The included SD card slot supports SDIO (Input/Output) now which means you will be able to use I/O cards like W-LAN or Bluetooth cards - if supported by the card vendors.
- The high-resolution 3.8" TFT color display with backlights and sidelight is even brighter and sharper than today's iPAQ displays. This is a step into a new class of display technology for Pocket PCs which isn't used today by anyone else. Like before with the first iPAQ screens, HP (even if it was designed by Compaq) shows the competitors again which is the way in display technologies for Pocket PCs.
- The new built-in consumer infrared lets you control your home entertainment devices like your TV, DVD or CD player. That's pretty cool and seems to work within a range of a least 5 meters. So in most cases it will be enough for a living room.
HP iPAQ Software Choice Program
The target is to give the iPAQ user additional benefits beside the HP iPAQ platform. HP will offer different categories from Business Finance to Entertainment to Travel & Languages to Software Tools.
HP will offers this service free of charge. However, you need credits to download any software and this seems to be available for new iPAQ customers only. Actually I don't know if this will works for H3900 series iPAQs only or for H3800 also
http://www.ipaqchoice.com
Jornada to iPAQ Pocket PC Transition
Here is the roadmap how the Compaq iPAQ and HP Jornada series will be merged within the new HP:
| Jornada 710/720/728 |
to |
Jornada 710/720/728 |
Nothing changed |
| Jornada XScale |
to |
iPAQ H3900 series |
No more Jornada Pocket PCs |
| Jornada 565/568 |
to |
iPAQ H3800 series |
The Jornada series will be canceled while the H3800 series will be still available (for a limited time?) |
Final Conclusion
With the new HP H3900 series iPAQ, HP (or better the former Compaq Pocket PC division) will launch a state of the art Pocket PC again! What I've seen so far, it worked very stable. Bluetooth doesn't seems to make any trouble again and we will also find some cool new applications on the new devices. If you are a current iPAQ user, you will like to upgrade from you current iPAQ to this new killer models. With the success of Bluetooth in the mobile phone environment I'm sure that the H3970 will become a best seller. Let's see why HP added 48 MB flash ROM but my personal opinion is that this is the first step into predefinition of Windows CE-Net for Pocket PC devices.
It's great that a 3.8 " screen is used again for the iPAQ, so the iPAQ screen is still wider than most other Pocket PC screens. Beside the XScale CPU, the new transflective screen is the key for a future success. It's brighter and clearer and if you use it for navigation on the car, you will not see any sidelight again. It's brighter in the direct sun but its strength is the darker environment; unbelievable!
Personally I will save my money for sure to get a new H3900 iPAQ; however a launch date wasn't given today and also not a price.
Cheers ~ Arne
Update: Find the press release now below on the More Information link
Related Links : [More Information]
