HP iPAQ rx5915 Travel Companion is actually a GPS with all the pocket PC features, not a Pocket PC with GPS features. This is a GPS first! It’s basically the same as a TomTom One navigation system, but with the added PPC functions. I’ve had other GPS/PDA/PPC combos in the past and they don’t stack up to this one at all!
I was looking for a device that would give me GPS and Internet access over WiFi, but that wasn’t a cell phone too, so I could avoid a data plan. There are surprisingly few devices that meet this simple requirement. Happily, the iPAQ rx5915 Travel Companion does this and much more.
The iPAQ rx5915 runs Tom Tom 6 GPS using a SirfStar III GPS antenna, featured MP3 player with equalizer, and it is also a very nice PDA. Beyond the normal PDA functions it has a travel assistant, (which includes weather forecasts in any four cities you choose, a global map with day and night overlay, times in any five cities, travel checklist, international dialing prefix list and conversions for currencies, measurements and clothing sizes.)
HP iPAQ rx5915 Travel Companion helps you make the most of your travels whether they take you around town or around the world. The premier GPS navigation system guides you to virtually anywhere with ease. Everything is pre-installed and ready to use. Just turn it on and go. The thin, stylish design fits simply in the car and is easy to take with you wherever you travel. Plus, your HP iPAQ Travel Companion is full-function Windows Mobile 5.0 handheld.
I had no difficulties connecting to wireless Internet, and regardless of what some reviewers have said about poor GPS reception, I’ve had no problem receiving GPS signals inside my house, with the meter showing five full bars. I would expect no less with a SirfStar III GPS antenna.
The map issue that others are having is going to depend on where you live or where you will be using this unit. Try different GPS’s software, as they aren’t all the same.
Though the iPaq rx5915′s GPS may be slightly inferior to Garmin, Magellan, or other top end dedicated GPS receivers, this is the perfect device to meet my daily needs. I consider it to be a viable option for most users. Instead of listing the features, I’ll describe what I use it for, and list the pros and cons based on my two plus months experience with it.
HP iPAQ rx5915 – Pocket PC or GPS
HP iPAQ rx5915 Travel Companion features:
- Microsoft® Windows Mobile® 5.0 for Pocket PC with Security Feature Pack and Samsung® SC32442 400 MHz Processor
- Integrated SiRFstarIII GPS receiver and pre-installed navigation software and maps
- 3.5 inch Transmissive QVGA color display with LED backlight, powersave mode, and anti-glare coating and integrated microphone, speaker and one 3.5 mm jack with stereo-earphone output
- Removable/rechargeable 1700 mAh lithium-ion user replaceable battery and AC Power input: 100-240 Vac, 50/60 Hz and USB 1.2 Client supported via mini-USB connector and one SD card slot
The Worth and Worst of HP iPaq rx5915
The Worth of HP iPaq rx5915:
- Integrated SirfStar III GPS chipset with an mmcx port (for optional external antenna) – For those of you who are not familiar with SirfStar III GPS chipset, it is probably the best chipset currently available. Many high-end dedicated GPS devices such as the Garmin Nuvi uses Sirf Star III.
- Pre-installed TomTom Navigator 6 (supposedly one of the best navigational software)
- 2 GB Flash ROM (1.5 GB used for TomTom) – this is probably the largest available ROM space available
- Wi-Fi and bluetooth makes communication easy
- Comes with a sturdy window mount
The Worst of HP iPaq rx5915:
- Some inaccuracies with the GPS – Note: I’ve already updated the GPS firmware. I’m not sure if it’s a bug with the GPS receiver or with TomTom, but ocassionally (usually in congested cities such as NYC and DC) TomTom will think I’m on another street and starts re-routing and/or sometimes it thinks I’m heading the opposite directions and ask me to make a U-turn when possible. I haven’t experience this glitch outside of the city.
- The time-to-first-fix (TTFT) is relatively long for a Sirf Star III chipset. It takes probably 2-3 minutes for the initially satellites lock.
- Only have SD card slot. I wish they have CompactFlash slot as well so I could either get more memory or use it for other IO devices.
This GPS device runs Windows Mobile 5. Granted it doesn’t have all the nice features of Windows Mobile 6, but you can download just about any application for it and most of them are free! Ex: I have installed MS Live search mobile, very cool app. that gives me the directions, movie times, traffic reports, etc. all via the internet. Another nice app. is Yahoo2go… I get syncronized email and contacts, weather reports, news headlines etc. And finally for video I have a blast with Youtubeplay!
If you’ve been looking for the best GPS with PDA, WiFi Internet, an MP3 player and Bluetooth, take the plunge. You can find these here on Amazon as well as elsewhere at a very low cost, so you have little to lose, and a great travel companion to gain. It’s so much more than just a portable GPS navigator.
