HP iPAQ rx5915 Travel Companion

I bought this for travel so I could do 3 things: (1) Use the GPS to find my way around, (2) Access my email, and (3) Complete my online timecard. Of those three things, only the GPS works to my satisfaction.

The GPS is very good. This is a relatively new technology and the maps aren't always correct but this is a problem with all GPS units. It is very easy to use but the screen is a little smaller than a dedicated GPS unit and some people have a problem with this.

I only have limited access to my email with Outlook. I can usually read emails but I can't send them. Nothing I've tried on the last 6 months fixes the problem and there is no information available to help me troubleshoot the problem. If I try to use my web-based email the buttons don't work because of software defects in Pocket Internet Explorer. I've tried other browsers and they aren't much better.

I can't do my online timecard because of the software defects in Pocket Internet Explorer. Pocket IE only supports basic web page display. I've found that most web pages either do not display correctly, or they have features that do not work. This is especially true if they use Java, JavaScript, style sheets, or any of the modern web page features.

Anyone who has used a Palm Pilot will probably be disappointed with the PDA functions. Microsoft PDA software tends to be clunky and prone to bugs. I've had a Palm Pilot for 5 years and the only time I ever had problems with it was when I tried to sync it up with this device. The Microsoft ActiveSync has changed my sync settings and lost my profile several times. When I plug into my computer it only connects about 50% of the time.

The hardware itself is very well made and seems to be quite rugged. The battery life has been very good even with the WiFi and GPS turned on. The WiFi connection is usually easy to make but sometimes it gets hung up and the iPaq needs to be rebooted. I've noticed that many airports have WiFi hot spots and most of them require you to view a "terms of use" page before allowing you to connect. At several airports around the country I could not connect because Pocket IE would not display the "terms of use" page correctly.

Overall I am satisfied with the hardware and the GPS function but I am hoping that better software will be available in the future. This would be a great unit if it had a functional browser. If Apple wrote a browser for Windows Mobile I would buy it in a second.

Finally I would like to add that I am an electrical/computer engineer with 22 years experience. I am quite confident that the problems I mentioned are actual software defects and not just "operator error."

I love my HP rx5915 with embedded GPS. (I can't say that about my previous HP iPAQs - an hx2415 and an h1910.)

The HP rx5915 has enough memory to load lots of programs. It has a fast CPU. It has embedded GPS with maps. It doesn't need to be reset every so often. It doesn't lock out memory on the SD memory chips. It hasn't turned on by itself and run down the battery. The TomTom mapping SW works great.

Regarding the GPS embedded in the rx5915 - I'd been using Mapopolis and an external GPS with my previous HP hx2415, and although it was great for mapping, and finding businesses, it fell short on ease of use and navigation - two areas the TomTom navigation SW included with the rx5915 excels in. Plus, I don't have to monkey around with an external GPS rcvr now.

HP really got it right this time, with the rx5915 - Easy to use navigation SW, with embedded GPS, and with a useful, reliable, iPAQ.

I bought this item because I had just bought another GPS and this one seemed to have SO much more potential. Internet access, global maps, basically a mini-computer with a GPS. Well, the GPS really doesn't work. I entered about three different addresses that I go to regularly and KNOW exist and it kept telling me they didn't exist. Then I asked it to guide me to the cross streets near those addresses and again it said they didn't exist. What a joke! The volume is not capable of going loud enough to be heard over music in the car and the display is so small that I was in fear of crashing every time I tried to look at it. There is really too much information on the display when trying to navigate. If this product did what it purports to do, it would be amazing, since it doesn't I returned it right away! How sad!

This is probably the best business tool I've run across yet. I've had it for 3 months now and spend almost as much time using it as my laptop. I highly recommend that to avoid a bad first impression you get the firmware update from HP that addresses poor signal strength for the GPS. If you're in Florida, this is really important since we only have 3 satellites covering our area. If you don't, you may experience the display dropping in/out or graying out. It will work OK, you just won't know where you are. I bought one of these for my partner since we are loss control specialists that do inspections for hundreds of clients. I've uploading our inspections programs to the unit, do the inspections, upload them back to the main computers, and BAM, I save 50% of my report writing time (with pictures). Make sure you get the 2GB flash card if you're going to have a lot of files. Also, Tom Tom has recently upgraded the North American maps (April 2007). Make sure you also get that from the HP site and load it up before you start using it. It will be worth it. Read the How to use instructions VERY carefully when installing the maps. I also like being able to download different voices from Tom Tom since I'm on the road so much. Most are free. When you couple the GPS, being able to run you own programs, and use Word, Excel, and Powerpoint on the road, you have one of the best business tools around. Oh yeah, you can play music and take photos off your bluetooth-enable phone as well. Amazon also has the best price on this unit that I've found and I looked around a lot.

Bought in March of this year 2007.

I like the PDA/GPS function. Synchs well w/ Outlook contacts off my PC. Like that I can grab a contact from Outlook and use that as the go to address. Good functionality, Tom Tom has good features like setting preferences to show all gas stations along a route, or pharmacies or whatever. Also, select to go to the closest gas station or other category.

I find the battery life quite good. I have a 40GB iRiver, so not really interested in the mp3 capabilities of the H-P.

I fly alot, and it is not uncommon that when I land it can take as long as 15 or 20 minutes to find a satellite, even on cloudless days. And on a drive from San Jose to Sacramento it frequently lost satellite for 10 - 20 minutes. Seems to catch satellites quicker and hold them quite well in Dallas, where I live.

I updated H-P firmware in March when I bought it, haven't checked lately to see if I need another firmware update. Maybe that will fix that satellite issue. Though the firmware update I did in March was supposed to improve satellite capture time.

I haven't updated the Tom-Tom US maps that came w/ it, but understand most people who tried got stuck in a finger pointing contest between H-P & Tom-Tom as to who's responsibility that was. Haven't heard if that has been resolved yet.

Great when it catches the satellite, useless when it has yet to catch satellite or has lost satellite, which is often.


When I purchased this it was to replace a Dell AXIM that I had dropped. Well this turned out to be more than I expected. I no longer need my Ipod as this plays MP3's just as good , so that's 1 less device to carry. Second the Pocket Pc function is second to none even after loading additional software in it it works fast and accurately.
What else can you ask for it Navigates, stay connected to the internet, and be entertained when you travel for business, for pleasure, or both.

I'm more than happy with it and now HP has Map updates avialable to download to keep the GPS up to date.

Don't hesitate it worth every penny.


I highly recomend this product for those who want a considerably powerful pda, with gps and wireless internet capabilities all in one reletively small and compact device. I mianly purchased this product for the gps aspect, but chose to go this route over a smart phone. i still have my cell phone, and now the pocket pc, they are separate, but the bluetooth works great. The battry life is not nearly as bad as seem people let on, but if using the gps, the car ac adapter is a must have for long trips (over a few hours). It works great for geocaching as well. The only this I wish it had, were a slightly more powerful prcessor, but hey, now that the price is dropping, definately pick one up.

I travel frequently for business and recreation, and I've been carrying this device on a daily basis for the past couple of months. 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.

I've been carrying this device on a daily basis so I can listen to music (replaced my ipod) during my commute to work. I spend a lot of time traveling domestically, and many times I would be surfing the Internet or reading work-related documents at the airport. I would watch movies or play games while flying, and I would use the GPS feature to help me navigate to my hotel/client site once I arrive. Other features I use frequently during business travels are: alarm clock (purchased Spb Time application), check-and-update weather (Worldmate comes pre-installed), read various e-books and e-magazines, and keep track of my finances. During my free time, I enjoy going hiking and backpacking. I purchased the National Geographic Topography map and last week was the first time I used this device to help me navigate in the back country. It works great in the outdoors, but could be a bit difficult to read in direct sunlight (despite that it's coated with anti-glare reflection and I have an anti-glare screen protector). I also have to baby it when I'm in the outdoors since this device is not waterproof and "drop-proof" like the dedicated outdoor GPS.


HP iPaq rx5915 Pros and Cons:

Pros:
* 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

Cons:
* 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.

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TomTom Navigator 6 Pros and Cons:

Pros:

* Extremely easy and intuitive to use - I figured out how to use it without reading any instruction manuals

* Uses very updated map

Cons:

* TomTom is really big in Europe, and supposedely the brand name TomTom is synonomous to GPS over there. I think it's a great software, but I personally don't like the POI feature. Other navigational software has POI broken down by sub-categories. For instance, Under "Food and Drink' POI category would be broken down to "American, Asian, Cuban, etc". It's just my personal preference.

* I've been testing it in location where I know where I am, and I don't really like the route TomTom takes me. I'm really just nitpicking here since chances are all GPS takes you to a less-than-ideal route. The most important thing is you get to where you need to go.

Conclusion

Although this device might have a few minor issues here and there, overall, it is a device with good value for your money.

By far the best GPS I've ever used. Much better than Magellan.
I have not yet used it as a computer.

This is a very useful product, as it says a Pocket PC combined with GPS. If has all the functions I needed and I can bring it everywhere to use it. The GPS is a bit slow but its still a good use as it can give correct directions to the destination. Overall, this is a excellent product to me.

Great PDA - It syncs great with my PC and I like the World Pac application that allows me to keep track of time in other countries as well as the currency converter. Also it has a units of measure converter that saves me from having to use an other application.

I have not used the GPS yet - but it's a great extra feature that allows me travel and still know where I am. I don't travel for business anymore since I am retired but looking forward to using it instead of having to pay extra for it on a rental car (Got use to having a nav in my personal cars.)

GPS freeze quite often when travel over than one hour and errors of locating destination are 4 out of 10. Other than that, most functions in IPAQ RX5915 are fine.

After six weeks of using my IPAQ I don't know how I ever did wiithout it. The IPAQ replaced three other possible purchases, an MP3 player, a standalone GPS unit and a PDA. The contained software allows me to track my appointments easily and keep notes with ease as well. I added a few Excel templates and since mobile Excel is included I keep my mileage and expense log at my side at all times.

Yes the older maps were troublesome at first but now the latest version of Tom Tom maps is available for download at the HP website, so now I am current and the road maps are very accurate for the areas I travel (Northeastern Oklahoma and the Las Vegas area).

My suggestion is to download some backup software online and to purchase at least one 2 Gig sd memory card to backup your full device on a regular basis. I haven't lost any data yeat but any electronis device is subject to failure so take heed. I have over 50 albumns on a single 2 GIG sd card right now for easy access to my tunes without cluttering up the storage space available on the IPAQ itself. It has about 500 Meg available for internal flash storage because 1.5 Gig is used by Tom Tom. the MS operating system and other preloaded software.

Highly recommend this rather than purchasing a standalone GPS unit if you have any other uses at all for the additional features.

Jimbo

The GPS function works great. Apart from one incident when it just froze after repeatedly recalculating the route coz I was driving in a crowded downtown, it works good. Finds a satellite from inside my house (if I am sitting near a window). Takes about one minute to lock on a sat.
Now (after 3 months) HP has finally made available to us customers the latest maps of North America. I installed them yesterday. Yet to try them on a long drive. So that is resolved for good.

Pda is a bit slower in my opinion. If you load 2-3 new programmes on it (apart from the factory installed ones) it gets really slow and freezes a lot. then you are frequently soft resetting it and that is annoying. 'I have been using it for three and a half months now and I can tell you that it works great if you just let it run in the factory installed condition. I have installed TCPMP player for watching movies and it is working fine with that. If you think you can load it with a number of programmes then think again.
Other than that it works good, battery life is good, looks are great(all my friends and co workers say that).
I am happy with my purchase I would recommend it to anybody who wants a GPS/PDA combine.

Before buying this unit, my only experiecne of GPS devices was with the Hertz never lost system by Magellan which I liked very much. So my comparison to this unit was obviously to that. Overall it is fine except a few things. First the navigation system is far from accurate. I understand that I live in rural Wisconsin where it is hard to navigate correctly but when it asked me to turn in the middle of jungle where there is no road for miles, I was a bit surprised. May be there was a road a decade ago or so. Second there is no option where you prefer only the freeways (again my bias from Hertz never lost system) but somehow I like that option and found it necessary. Third, I liked the ding before turn which was not there. Although there is a touch screen functionality but I thought stylus use was convenient (since the screen appears fragile and is more like a PDA) but not practical when you are on the road. Finally it loses satellite connection all of a sudden and freezes for a few seconds (I guess not a serius issue). Now the addition of PDA itself is definately a plus for the same price. It has a full functional PDA with all the features including internet connection. I returned the unit back to Amazon and bought Magellan RoadMate 3050T. There is a clear difference between the two as far as GPS capabilities are concerned. Without doubt Magellan is far more superior with more accuracy in driving direcions and not to mention their customer support. There has never been a wait for more than 30 seconds. No regrets at all. However if you want to combine the PDA functinality than HP iPAQ rx5915 is fine specially its sleek design.

I love this unit. It is easy to use and very helpful. I was concerned that the unit would not get a good signal inside the car. I was wrong the unit does fine. I could not be happier

This unit is absolutely great!!!! I have had several Garman GPS systems for car and boat over the years but I bought this one for my son's birthday since he is new to driving. I really like the GPS/mapping performance and would have paid this price easily for just that functionality. The best part is this unit is a great pocket PC with much more endless capability. I am the typical electrical engineer which means I like electronic gadgets and toys. My 50th birthday is coming up soon so you know what I'm expecting ...

Unfortunately, with my busy work schedule I haven't had a chance to explore all of the myriad capabilities of this product. The one complaint I've read that I believe is worth repeating is that connecting to satellite uplinks for the GPS function can take several minutes.

The unit uses pocket pc software (Windows Mobile), and gps software (Tom Tom).

The Windows Mobile includes a mobile version of Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, Media Player, and Powerpoint.

The Tom Tom software is good, you can create favorite destinations, and also change the style of exploration (aka are you traveling by car, bike, or on foot.)

I have no complaints myself, as long as I turn on the unit as soon as I get in the car.

The 5915 is jam packed with useful applications starting with the GPS. The maps for my area (Chicago) are very current and I hear that HP and TomTom are working on a way to enable 5915 users to receive updates.

I have an iPaq PDA and I own a TomTom GPS -- both of which work well. This combo iPaq/TomTom is 'in the rough' and needs to undergo some re-tooling. I'm surprised that other reviewers mention what I deem significant flaws and then go on to rate the unit as a 4 or 5 star. For example, the Travel Companion stalls and needs soft-resets. For a right handed person, the stylus is awkward. Support is not good. Moving through programs can be painfully SLOW. The GPS tracking lags. I depend on my GPS and PDA for business travel. Buy the rx5915 if you like to play with gadgets as it's loaded with some fun stuff. But, not if you need something dependable while on the road.

The GPS works great! Having said that, I'm disappointed with the 5919 overall. I could not get the free map updates from TomTom because HP does not include the Navigator 6 product code with the 5915. HP's support promised they'd get the maps and post them for 5915 users, but that hasn't happened after several months of promises. The wireless worked only with non-encrypted networks, and even then, only for 1 day. I have to perform a soft-reset at least three times a day because the system hangs. MP3s play fine. It will play video, albeit they are very choppy. USB connections to the computer seem to work only after loading the very latest MS ActiveSync, and only after a soft-reset. Even then, having the computer recognize the device is very "iffy".
The unit is a great idea if you travel--maps, email, Internet, music, contacts, appointments, etc., but if it doesn't work, it becomes a paperweight. I've read dozens of forums with others complaining of the same issues. HP support so far has been nothing but lip service. My recommendation--don't fall for the marketing hype, this unit still has to have a lot of bugs worked out.

Have made several trips and the GPS worked very well. Very easy to operate. I only wonder how it will be possible to update maps since HP did not provide the Tom Tom product code. Neither HP nor Tom Tom seemd to be willing to support. Any ideas? RHT Snellville, GA

This iPAQ is great. A lot of features. The GPS works very well. I have installed another GPS Application and using a GPSGate everything works.
Sometimes I have to reset the system but I knew about this.
Some application works only in portrait.
Maybe the internal memory could be increased.
The Connectivity is great with BT, WI-FI.
I'm happy with my new iPAQ.

I am so glad I choose this product. It has been a true travel companion for me. The GPS gets me around Atlanta (a new town for me) like I've lived here all my life. The IPAQ PDA and MP3 player functions are excellent. The size and the style, perfect. Thank you HP.

This jack-of-all-trades unit actually does quite well at each function. As a pocket PC it is flawless, allowing me to leave my laptop behind when I don't need full-blown computing power and portability is important. The bundled software (including MS Office suite) allows me to access all the files I need, using the SD card.

The TomTom GPS device works very well, and I particularly enjoy the usefulness of the Point of Interest function when on trips through unfamiliar terrirory - a few quick taps on the screen directs me to the nearest Starbucks along my route. Of course, if cookie cuttre coffee isn't your bag, you could just as easily search for the restaurant of your choice, your favorite brand of gasoline, or whatever else your heart desires.

The MP3 player is robust, and playlists are easy to set up. You can hook into your car or whatever you want via bluetooth. My only gripe here is that I haven't found a way for the iPAQ to automatically read my SD Card by default - each time I start the player, I have to tell it to retrieve the song library from the card, instead of internal memory. That's definitely a drag, as I'd prefer that it simply start playing songs when I hit the music button.

Battery life is excellent, in my opinion. I plug it in when I'm in the car, and use the PDA and MP3 functions for multiple days sometimes without plugging it in. I have never had a low battery warning. That's very nice.

Screen brightness is good. I notice that sometimes I am squinting at it on the dash when sun glare is at its absolute worst (direct sun on the dash and on the screen), but even then I can see and read it. I can't imagine how it could be any better, unless I put it under a hood or something. Even a CRT is hard to see in direct sun.

Overall an excellent product. I have owned mine for two months, and I will probably buy one for my wife as well.

I found it to be quite accurate as well as dependable. There were few times it lost signals. I noticed it took awhile to start up but once working recalculates fast as well as on the dot. It does not announce the street names just the directions. It also does not pause the MP3 player. The WiFi seems be spotty if you are connecting to secured access point. It took me a little bit of work to get that going. The best thing is that the navigation is accurate and the other features gives you the little extra that you will not get in just a GPS device. I definately recommend buying this product and buying it from Amazon.com ( I got mine in two days without having to pay any extra shipping charges. )

Everything is working good. The installed Tom-Tom doesnt always seem to take the best route but that wouldnt be HP's fault. I have had to reboot the device once or twice but that was not any big problem. Overall I think it is a great tool

I have had this unit for over 2-3 weeks now, works wonderfully, no complaints.
I have used a HP Jornada earlier. But The RX5915 has come a long way since the Jornada days. All the features i wished my Jornada had, are all present in this PDA Unit eg: Media Player, PPT, Excel and Word doc viewers/editors, WiFi, Bluetooth and the best of all, GPS functionality. So its an all in one.
Only negative points to mention are, TomTom maps for the GPS do not seem to be the latest as some of the roads are not recognised by this unit and also don't think TomTom allows any free Map updates for IPaq(No Product Code).
Another point though not very critical, external Flash card allows only 2GB expandable slot (Wish it was more).
All in all, its a good, stable and sturdy unit-worth investing.

the pda part is what i expected does everything I want,,,,the GPS part is what really caught my attention and it good ,,it does get confused going to my house ,but thats probably because the road has 3 different names ,,but it does get there,,it has roads that are just back dirt roads that are short cuts and there they are in my little pocket pppc,,very good ,just takes a little getting used to it,

I've been using this product for over 3 months now and I would highly recommend it. The GPS can take a minute or so to locate the satellites (especially when you are moving) but other than that, it has worked perfectlly. The bluetooth sync is very convenient amd the wifi is great. I don't have any complaints thus far.

Wonderful battery life. 4 plus hours with the gps and the display on.
Auto mount is very secure, no worries about it falling from the mount.
Tom Tom map software is great as well.

I'm sure there are minuses to this unit, I just can't find them.

Overall I'm very impressed and pleased.

I searched long and hard for an ipaq type of handheld. I had a 4700 series with lots of ram and a good processer (600mhz). I am disappointed with the companion as far as speed and ease of use, but, am happy with the size and weight. If you are looking for 'power' .. buy the other ipaq.

Maps are outdated, as others have pointed out, but it is still a wonderful gagdet. There is an option to update the Tomtom software with a wifi conx, but it tells me I have the latest update. I guess that would be an option to bypass the product code that Ipaq owners don't have, when you are doing the updates from the tomtom website. Was a breeze setting up skpye on wifi, calls are not that clear, echos with the speakerphone.no luck trying to pair a bluetooth enabled headset(if someone can recommend a bluetooth enabled headset that pairs with the ipaq, i'd be really grateful).
Used most of the programs that came preinstalled, quite stable overall, have to had to reset the ipaq just a couple of times though.
My othere complaint with this gagdet, I listen to audio books on it with the media player, and it doesn't pick up from where you left off.
Still love this cute little gagdet, much easier to carry around than a notebook, and I won't trade it in for anything else just yet!


I only received my travel companion a few days ago but so far I am impressed. I live in a small town not even near a large city and find that the maps are great - they even have a lot of roads in my hometown that I never expected to be. I have only played arround with the PDA features a little bit but everything seems to work just fine. The GPS functions such as the address entry, route calculations, alternate route and recalculations are all very simple to use and accurate.

It does everything that my friend's GPS device (he paid $399) does, and when you go to a coffee shop with wifi you can surf the Internet and check your emails. The wireless connection works very good at home and anywhere. The bluetooth connection is easy to set up and I have used my cell phone to connect to the internet several times. Great device overall. If you are going to buy a GPS or a PDA why not get both.

The Unit works great and no issues with it at all. But i am rating the unit 1 since the TOMTOM software that came with it is not current. TOMTOM customer service tells HP will provide the update. and HP people say they are working with TOMTOM to get the maps it had been over 2 month and there are no updates on the issues.

The GPS and TomTom software works great in both US and Europe and has helped to quickly find a destination.
Using the Wifi capabilites and browsing the internet at the airport and in the hotel has worked well, although some pages do not get fully displayed as Flash is not installed.
Really enjoy using it.

I have used this unit now for the last 6 weeks. The 5919 is very dependable and the GPS works very well. I have even used the TOM TOM trial service for the traffic and weather. Both work well with a live net connection. As a PDA the unit work fine and I keep all my apointments and contacts in this database. I have added a few programs to the system and things work fine. Unit is well work the $$$

Bought this item mostly for the GPS and for the Pocket PC operating system. I use Epocrates for the Pocket PC so couldn't get around the need for Windows Mobile operating system. The GPS uses TomTom which is pretty excellent. It got me through a snowstorm at night to the Boyne Highlands! I had never been to the Boyne Highlands before and it got me right to the doorstep. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to have every point of interest placed in it's maps correctly. I was looking for "Spicy Bob's Italian Express" in Boyne City, the device directed me to the right road but at a spot approxiamately 1.5 miles down the road. Overall a good device, but the address problems concern me. Greg.

Overall this is a good product. It is a PDA and GPS all in one, which is the reason I purchased. Fairly easy to get around on the interface, although some things are hidden. I recommend playing on it quite a bit to get to know it, before you need it for something serious. The GPS has TOMTOM software. I was disappointed that the audio did not speak the name of the street on which to turn next, but merely says to turn. Twice while driving in Central/South Florida it has made mistakes. Once it did not tell me to turn when a turn was needed. The other time it told me to turn and then had me do a u-turn to get back to where I was before the turn.

As a newbie truck driver, I was a little apprehensive about going over-the- road with just a map. After seeing this little gizmo advertised on HSN, I decided to do a little research on it and found it cheaper on Amazon. HSN's price was $599.99 I purchased it here for $459.99 big difference.

I decided to go with this GPS as opposed to a GPS specifically for truckers because it offered more than just GPS tracking. It offered me internet access, MP3 and mobile powerpoint, excel, word, and outlook. My orignal plan for traveling was to buy an iPod for my music, bring my laptop for internet connection and to buy a separate GPS unit for travel directions. I got everything I wanted in one very small unit; and saved money because the iPod would have cost me $250.00 alone for the model that I was going to buy. Not to mention the pc card for my laptop. With this I can just use my cell phone for my internet connection. Oh, and one very important factor in my decision to buy this unit was that other GPS units are bulky, I like this unit because when I'm done driving, it comes with me and I can listen to the MP3 player, watch movies on it or streaming videos from the internet.

The GPS is really strong on this unit. I have found that I can pick up at least 3-5 satalites while sitting in my bedroom to pre-plan trips. It does take a couple of minutes for the sats to pick up, but once they are on, they're on. This device is also very accurate. when I am on the road, The GPS shows the exact information as displayed on the street signs and also the exact speed that I am actually traveling. The voice command is nice and loud but I like to use my cd car kit tape thingy to make the sound come out over the car speakers and control the vol. through my car's audio system (I like the vol. nice and loud when the voice is giving me directions , because I am always nervous when I have no idea where I am going). You can also listen to your MP3 and hear the GPS navigation at the same time.

When I first used the GPS I was so nervous that a couple of times when it would say turn in 25ft., I jumped the gun and turned to quickly, but it automatically re-routed me. When planning a trip, if toll roads are detected, it will ask if you want to avoid these road I then use my truckers map to ensure that a truck can be traveled on the new route.

NOTE: For those of you who want to transfer your iTunes to this device, it can be done, just convert the protected itunes (M4P's) to MP3's and as stated earlier this has saved me a lot of money in not having to purchase an iPod for the iTunes that I already owned. To transfer the MP3's or files from my laptop, I use the iPaqs built in bluetooth I have a MAC so I could not use the ActiveSync program that comes with the unit.

Internet access is very fast and the screen is a good viewing size. The Tom Tom GPS will use your Outlook contacts as address destinations, which saves you from re-typing address information; this is also good for truckers because you can store the shipper/receiver information as a contact for future use. Also if you have a bluetooth enabled cell phone with a data-plan, you can access Tom Tom's other features like weather, traffic and road conditions, while in route.

I also purchased a 2gb sd card to store my music so as not to use up the hard drive of this device. About $30 as opposed to a $250 iPod. A 2gb sd card will store aprox. 480-500 songs or three full-length movies. Also this device is great for viewing photos, just take the sd card out of your camera and place in the ipaq for viewing. Since I am on the road traveling to different cities taking pics, this is handy.

This gadget has many suprises you really need to play with it. It has hand writing recognition which allows you to simply write anywhere on the screen as opposed to using the tap keyboard for each letter, I find that simply writing is much faster than using to keyboard for note taking.

I hope this helps in your decision making.

Another fine product from HP, GPS works good, a little slow in startup and unlike Garmin when you miss a turn it doesn't tell you it is recalculating, it just does it and let's you know the next turn. The maps also seem to be a little old. It does not contain a by-pass in my town that is over two years old. All the other features of the Pocket PC seem to work fine. The Wifi set up with no problem. The only other problem I found was that the on off switch was too sensitive. When placed in its case and carryed around, it gets turned on by accident to often. But it is a fantastic Value.

It's a user friendly GPS/PDA. A must have gadget for those who travel....

I haven't seen any comments from anyone that has used this product outside North America. I hope my experience will help someone out.

When I first saw the product I was very excited. I am constantly on the move all over the place. I wanted a product with GPS and extras like a calendar for appointments and meetings. I called HP to ask them about the product and wether or not I could use it overseas. The gentleman was not that familiar with the product and told me I could.

Upon receiving the product I immediately opened it up to try it out. I am currently living in Hawaii. I mapped out my home, and tried it out in the car to see how it worked. So far so good. I later started messing around with the calendar function, and the internet. I am going to be living in Japan, Korea, and Italy for the next 4 years and I am leaving next month. Not stepping foot on American soil for some time. I thought this product would help when I try to get lost in places I have never been. I mean it does have currency converters for these countries, area codes for phone calls, and current weather and time!

The problem is tom-tom. Not to downplay there products and GPS capabilities, they are just set up for the United States and Canada. I think you can get a Europe edition also, but it is a few hundred bucks. Though I am not sure if the rx5915 can support it or not? As far as any Asians countries.... not a single thing!

This travel Companion might be great for "travelers" from New York to Chicago, but for international travel and GPS, this product is an expensive MP3 player.... with a currency converter!!!

Doing more research would of saved me a few hundred bucks! Also I have to add that the tom-tom website is not the easiest to understand for maps, and don't bother calling there customer service line..... HORRIBLE!! It kicked me off almost every time, then when I did get through I waited 20 minutes on hold, and hung up because I actually wanted to enjoy my day off work.

If you don't leave the U.S or Canada, then this might be a great product. If anyone has used the GPS in another continent other than North America please let me know how you did it, and how much the extra costs were!

I read reviews on this HP iPAQ rx5915 and everyone appears to rave about it; so, I decided to purchase it. Turns out that there are quite a few negatives not mentioned:

1. For all the features that this machine supposedly has, the manuel (both online and book) is woefully inadequate. As a result consumers are left spending countless hours trying to master the unit.
2. The GPS signal is very inconsistant. It often takes minutes to locate signal.
3. My biggest complaint, though, is the GPS feature that allows you to quickly navigate by adding your Contacts to the Favorites list. Turns out that this feature is incompatible with the HP iPAQ rx5915. Contacted HP and they advised it is a TomTom issue. Contacted TomTom and they said that there's a glitch with TomTom Navigator 6 software and ALL HP iPAQ rx5915. I pointed out to them that their manuel and advertisement extols this feature currently. Manager said that the manuel is stating features that WILL work and that owners can download adjustment once it is done. Huh????

Misleading consumers is not the way to do business. I bought this machine expecting all advertised features to work today not next month or next year. If one feature does not work due to a glitch, then update your manuels and advertisements to address the problem. Unfortunately HP and TomTom fail to do this. As a result, I will return the product.





Hooray for HP! They have issued a firmware upgrade (get to it from the HP homepage) that addresses the GPS concerns some of us earlier buyers had complained about. (see early reviews). I applied the update last night and was blown away by the results. My rx5915 now locks onto satellites in 30 seconds or less (about a minute for the first bootup of the day). Awesome! The TomTom maps are now the latest version, and the TomTom "Extras" have been activated.

I love this little machine. I added a 4 GB memory card and Coreplayer which is much more versatile multi-media player than the Windows Media Player and a little Bluetooth earpiece that I got for less than twenty bucks at a surplus computer outlet and I can't think of anything else that I might want.

My job involves driving a businessman around San Francisco and waiting while he attends meetings with his client. With the rx5915 I now spend my waiting time watching movies, surfing the net or listening to MP3s. So glad that I didn't buy a unit that was only a GPS.

HP says that they only recommend a 1 GB card, but this little unit has had no problem with the off-brand 4 gig card I stuck in it. There was no problem at all pairing with the Bluetooth headset, and here in San Francisco, the number one city in the world for open Wi-Fi hotspots, I have only found a couple of locations where I couldn't find a free hotspot to log onto.

Great little machine and Amazon's price for it was the lowest I could find anywhere.

I bought this unit from amazon and had trouble with the first and returned it for a second. The second had the same problems. The GPS would freeze up, wander off the road into the middle of of the desert. It would show the icon going down the road sideways or 45 degrees off. If I switched views, then it would start to work again or I would have to do a soft reset. At times I would have to reset it every 5 minutes. HP had no good advice and tech support was poor.
When the unit worked I loved it. The wireless was great, the tomtom software was outstanding. I really wanted the GPS to work because of how much I liked the PDA integration and how it operated. I'm hoping HP will find a fix and I will reconsider this item in a few years. Too bad. It had great potential.

One of the best gifts I have every received. Always wanted to own one unit with everything built-in (Wireless, Bluetooth, GPS, Phone etal.,). rx5915 had everything except for the Phone.

Having used it for almost a month, I am quite pleased with it. Somethings I really liked about it

1. Sleek design, lightweight
2. Hard buttons for switching between applications (very handy while driving) and changing the screen orientation.
3. Feature-rich GPS application with loud & clear voice guidance
4. Easily pairs up with Bluetooth devices
5. Additional softwares HP has thrown in (Worldmate, Pocket MSN etc)along with shortcuts and customisations

Wish these were'nt there

1. Running GPS and windows media player seems to hang up the unit after a while. A reset puts you back in game
2. Wireless sometimes seems to connect right on first-go but other times it just seems to searching for AP or stuck (on orange) - reset fixes it up
3. Also noticed wireless would not get connected if you have the unit sync'ing to the PC - could be a setting that might fix it

overall very satisfied with the performance and would recommend it to would be GPS owners who want more from their GPS.


Out of the box, this unit does and comes with everything you need to fulfill it's namesake of "travel companion".

The integrated GPS (internal and very fast/accurate), WIFI and Bluetooth allow for connectivity and functionality that work well and fast.

Here's how I use my unit.

The Tom-Tom GPS software is the latest and is way better than the $2000 built in unit in my wife's car! For this alone, it's worth it. The latest stand alone Tom-Tom units (same software!) cost about the same. The unit has an excellent car mount and cable for power---everything you need. A very effective GPS solution! You can download Tom-Tom home software (free) to manage maps, back up and traffic and weather content for the rx5915.

With the WIFI, I can Skype (internet calls), slingbox (view live TV), browse the internet and send/read email. Of course it syncs my calendar and contacts with ease.

With the SD slot holding a 2 GIG card, I can carry around about 10 TV shows or a few movies. As well as ample music and photos and documents to meet my needs. It's easy to change cards or change what's on the cards to cycle content. I never get bored. The widescreen is bright and beautiful. I don't play games, but I'm sure it does them justice.

The included worldmate software is awesome. A traveler's swiss army knife of applications.

The rx5915 is lightweight, smartly designed, has a loud external speaker, a bright (sunlight readable) anti glare display---it's everything my old PPC wasn't.

I have a friend who was thinking of getting a video Ipod, but when I showed him this and just what all I could do with it, he changed his mind fast.

It's not a PC replacement for me, but a true extension of one and equipped with the software and hardware to make it a true travel companion with real function and value.

I did a lot of research before buying this product and I thought that I got a good deal. Here is my review:

GPS: As soon as I got the box I wanted to play with the GPS. It has a solid receiver with TomTom software which works very well. It will take you wherever you want to go. It is pretty accurate and recalcuates the routes automatically and quickly if you miss your turn. Tom Tom is a good software, but I wonder if we can get updates on the software form TomTom without paying $150. There are many extras in the program which I do not think I will ever use but you can play with them (some require subscription). You can navigate using alternative route, you have different voices which guide you, night colors - for night driving... The unit fits nicely in the holder which can be placed on your windshield and it is very stable there.

Bluetooth: the connection worked well and I connected to Internet via cellphone. The connection was fast and you can surf Internet. May work with your cell phone (if you have Internet plan) which means that you can have internet everywhere on the road, and the screen is bigger than my cell phone screen.

Word/Excel/Powerpoint mobile: These programs worked well. Have in mind that Powerpoint is just a viewer, you can not edit slides with it. HP Photosmart is a basic program for viewing and showing pictures, which I have used several times.

WLAN: The wireless conncection was the worst thing on my unit. At first I thought that it was my router, but then I could not connect to Internet anywhere, not even to the unsecured networks. I spent hours and hours trying to set up the connection with my router. Although it would connect to the router it was not able to go further and get me to the Internet via the router. Internet forums offered different settings for the Ipaq, but nothing worked for me. I called both Verizon and HP support and after troubleshooting I was told by HP that something is wrong with my Ipaq unit. So, I am exchanging it for a new one (Amazon did not make any problem so far). HP even offered to fix it in 3-5 business days, which was a good alternative. Reading the internet forums I realized that some units may have a problem with the WLAN chips, but HP offered to fix it in my case.

Anyway, the unit looks good and I installed an additional software for viewing AVI files, so that I can listen to my lectures in my car, while driving. Of course I did not use the unit speaker because it is not strong enough. It required purchase of an additional car radio which has aux input, but it is worth purchasing if you commute every day and want to use that time for education, listening to your lectures on your car audio system. I can put many mp3 songs on the SD card and use it as mp3 player, via the car audio system. The sound is terrific.

At the end, I love my Ipaq and I can not live without it. I give it 4 stars because of the WLAN problem, otherwise it could have been 5 stars.

The IPAQ 5915 is fantastic -- easy to use, light weight, and very powerful. The Tom-Tom nav system has been wonderful for business travel. You can plug in the destination and trust it to get you there. It is remarkable the way it even allows you to deviate from the planned route and reroute you from where you are.

I am looking for the GPS but, only dedicated GPS tool like Gamin is may be good for GPS but not worth for that expensive price. What I expected is multifunctional like GPS with PMP, TV, PDA. Actually, in South Korea GPS tool is much better than here in that point of view. The GPS market in Korea is very competitive so the GPS company have to make better gear. Korea GPS is multi funcitional ,mostly 7 inch, with PMP, digital TV(DMB), MP3 and because of the wide screen these can be used simultanesouly like watching TV with GPS at the same display but the price is only $300~500. And various voice can be selectable with famous celebrity's voice like comedian, pretty actress. They say according to the situation.

This rx5915 is nearly best GPS with other function(PDA). Actually, RX5915 is PDA but GPS function is also very good with Tomtom software. But Tomtom is definetely not best GPS compared with Garmin's edge gear like Nuvi.Tomtom is Ok but when I am in the road, I feel 2% not sufficient.

1. Map is not not perfect and there are many missing road. For example, My house road. And I got mail from tomtom, they released new map but I have to pay. What a customer service.
2. Night mode can not be changed automatically.
3. I expected GPS works inside the building but it doesn't.

And PDA is almost perfect. But display is not VGA.
It's very good with PDA and GPS together with cheap price. I recommend this one to not so sensitive gadget early adaptor. It's just too good everyday normal life.

Purchased this item for my husband for christmas. It came well packed and in time. My husband loves the Travel Companion. Glad I bought it through you. Your price was reasonable compared to others. Thanks for making
my shopping easier.

I had to replace my old iPaq 1910 and my Navman ICN 630 GPS.

This time I tried to get only one device. The iPaq RX5915 was the device of choice combining a GPS, a PDA with wireless LAN and Bluetooth.

When I received the iPaq RX5915 the first I did was to turn on the WiFi to get linked with my home network. The iPaq immediately detect my network. I just had to click on the network name, then the iPaq asked me to enter the security key and voila in less then 35 secs I got connected.

After I installed Skype on the device. I installed quickly the CAB file on the iPaq. Logged into my account. I was able to call quickly my friends with Skype.

Last thing I did was to pair my Nokia N73 with the iPaq over bluetooth. The process was very simple. Just turned on the bluetooth phone manager on the iPaq and it recognized almost immediately my phone.

I charged the iPaq all night long because the next day I had to travel to northern california.

I installed the iPaq inside my car on the dashboard. Turned on TomTom. I less than 90 secs the iPaq acquired the satellites signal. I entered the final destination and the iPaq gave me a precise itinerary in less than 20 secs.

On my way to San Francisco I decided to check the traffic. I turned on bluetooth on the iPaq and on my Nokia N73. On the TomTom menu I clicked on traffic. The iPaq connected to the TomTom server very quickly. I noticed on the screen an accident between two exit on the 101. The GPS offered me an other itinerary that I decided to follow.

As of today I really love this device. The SIRF chipset inside the iPaq RX5915 is very precise and very fast to pick up the satellite signal. The WiFi is very good as well. Very easy to setup, anybody can do it. The screen is very nice. You can watch movies on it without problems. You can stream sirius on this device too. It's incredible what you can do with this iPaq. I highly recommend it to anyone considering getting a GPS or even to anyone considering a new PDA.

I needed a PDA and a GPS. I found this. The best pocket PC I've ever seen. I've been telling every one about it. I'd love TomTom GPS and I am very pleased with bluetooth and wifi (I get my mail by using Yahoo Go!).
Very functional and easy to use. BY the way, the mp3 player (Windows Media player) in this beats my regular mp3 - by far. Nice sound.
I love the fact that I can use most of applications like Excel and Word with this device. Easy sync with any PC or Laptop.

Great product and worked well right out of the box. I have not found the touchscreen difficult to use and the GPS was quite accurate. I especially appreciate the convergence of Windows Mobile 5.0 with GPS. Now if they could have only included a phone and a WWAN.



GPS & PDA in one, great idea and have had no issues with it.

Great Buy!

I ordered two iPAQ rx5915 Travel Companions, one for me, and one for my boss. We both travel extensively. This unit is the most useful device I have ever had. My boss agrees...he's nuts about it too. The integrated Tom Tom GPS works right out of the box. We don't pay the premium for Hertz NeverLost GPS units in our rental cars anymore. The software that comes with the rx5915 Travel Companion works great too. Both of us are synchronizing with Microsoft Outlook, and we are using many, many other useful features. I wish I had benefited from a unit like this years ago.

I recieved the IPAQ in about 3 days and i have enjoyed it since. I love the GPS system. I searched on the web for a GPS system alone and it was costing me around $400 for a good one. Then i ran across this IPAQ, which has an operating system and other features that come with Windows Mobile 5.0. I use it all the time and it's great.



Without trying to sound like a cheerleader, I'm thrilled with the purchase of this IPAQ Travel Companion, and I think you would be, too.

I upgraded from an IPAQ 3635 PDA for several reasons; I wanted longer battery life in a technologically superior device--and I got it. I wanted wireless connectivity to the Internet for times during travel--especially at airports-- when I wanted to check email, but didn't want to have to pull out my laptop--and I got it; I've seen some amazing results since purchasing the unit.

Initial sync of material was flawless; everything--in every file--from the old IPAQ transferred to the Travel Companion with no errors. I opted to add a 2 MB SD Card so that I could add all my Power Point Presentations, copies of documents, etc., to my specific file mix. The calendar, contacts, and notes features work very well.

If there is a negative, I've found that I have to be "two fisted" when it comes to removing the stylus. The stylus exits the machine on the left underside of the unit, and I'm right-handed. If you're left handed, you'll find the unit perfect; if you're right-handed, like me, you'll find that you learn to cope!

The brightness is good--even in daylight, I don't have trouble reading the screen; bright sunshine in the tropics isn't it's friend, but how often are you going to be in bright sunshine and trying to view the screen? I don't have the best eyesight, but I'd say you'll find it--like I have--easy to read the screen. The "night" mode for the GPS is excellent, and works like a charm.

I've found that I use the Travel Companion in "landscape" mode more than in what I would consider the standard IPAQ "Letter-orientation" mode. Landscape seems to be the way that IPAQ designed the Travel Companion, because the front panel controls are labelled for a "landscape" design. You do have the option of moving the viewing window 360 degrees in 90 degree increments, which is a nice option to have, too.

Before you even think to ask it, my first question was/would be in battery life. My previous IPAQ ate it's battery in a short time frame--the old unit normally died within three-four hours of charging. Even battery replacement didn't solve that problem, and I found it to be very inconvenient on long airplane flights...and even on coast to coast flights, I'd be running into the terminal to find an electric outlet and give it a shot of "juice" until the next longer layover.

Conversely, I've found that the battery on the Travel Companion--which is removeable, so you can have an extra battery charged and ready to go--lasts me all day. I don't normally leave the Travel Companion on all day...but I do sometimes leave it connected via USB when I'm doing a full day of work on my laptop.

The GPS function is good, and has a variety of options programmable, from the voice you choose, to saving a trip if you'll make it again. It's what I believe is the basic Tom Tom program, so if you're acquainted with this very stable and reliable platform, you'll appreciate the GPS function is a good one. Drilling down to the target address takes some getting used to, but once you think that way--as opposed to simply keying in an address--it becomes second nature. The volume of the GPS "voice" is more than sufficient for normal use in a car with the built-in speaker in the Travel Companion.

I did some extensive research to be sure this was what I wanted before purchasing the Travel Companion, and I'd suggest you do the same. It has bluetooth as well as WLAN facilities, and I viewed the GPS as a value-added feature.

I had read in several reviews during my research on this device that some users had trouble with the unit initially finding where they were located. Not me. Mine "spun up" within 30 seconds, giving me the number of satellites it saw and the relative latitude and longitude of my location--which it found, it seems, within a few feet. I was using it the first day..it works right out of the box. Nothing additional is required. They even send along a neat multi-axle adjustable holder for your car. Great idea.

On balance, what are its drawbacks? All I've found is where the stylus is stored, and if that is the only drawback, I'll take it, left hand down, so to speak.

If it sounds as though I like it--let me correct the assumption--I love it! It's the perfect blend of functionality for my lifestyle and travel--and I can't imagine anyone purchasing this and not being thrilled with it. More than just a "big boy's toy," it's truly a dream machine.

Excellent choice for a new generation. HP has outdone themselves.

ag



I bought this with the intent of using it overseas as well as for replacing my computer driven DeLorme GPS. The Delorme was a little behind in driving instructions and using a full size laptop in the car was cumbersome.

The Travel Companion has TomTom GPS and works like a dream. As far as as a PDA, it does an excellent job. Use on the internet is okay but it dosen't do the job nearly as well as my laptop.

Overall I am very satisfied and would buy it even though it has not fulfilled ny needs 100%.

I have had this device for about 2 weeks and I am pretty happy with it so far. The GPS is pretty accurate for the backwoods of KY. I am a computer field technician and this thing is great for getting me to my service calls on time, I have a radio transmitter from HP that sends the voice guided navigation to my car stereo while it plays my MP3's the same time. I've found that with the internal memory I have enough storage for an afternoon drive. It wlll be btter when I get an SD card. I would like to figure out how to conect it to an external HDD. That would make it even cooler and more useful than some cheesy iPod.

The only complaints that I have about it really is the GPS is sometimes a little slow to connect and it seems to place me nearby the address in a rural situation but sometimes I have to find the exact address on my own. It works well in the city. However, I doubt that a Tomtom upgrade would really fix that problem. Since I am talking about using it in KY. The Wifi is a little buggy and so is Windows Mobile 5.0 at times.

I say that if you can get it for under $500 and you are a road warrior who needs to stay organized this is the right product to purchase. This was also my first buy on Amazon and I have to say that I am happy with their service as well. I only wish that HP would allow me to register it and would offer more support than they currently are right now.

I had the old Hp Ipaq 5550, but the new Hp Ipaq Rx 5915 is the best. Combines excelent GPS (with TOM TOM 6), a quick Wireless g and the new bluetooth release. I am using in Brazil and work very very good.

I bought this for my daughter. She loved it! GPS, Internet, e-mail, Word, Excel, Outlook. It does it all and is small and lightweight. Good handwriting recognition too. GPS worked well so far.

GPS works extremely well...anywhere in the car (sitting on the center armrest). Voice quality is certainly accptable. Mapping seems accurate and up-to-date. the map itself is not as detailed as others, probably due to the lower resolution of the screen. It certainly should have been higher resolution.

Windows Media works well, with very few resets. Battery life is quite good (not outstanding, though). Overall quality is good.

It's a GPS with all the pocket PC features, not a PPC 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!

Lets look at the GPS first:

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.

Personally, I like the Magellan software for it's "Dings" when approaching a turn, as well as it's "Approaching destination on the left" notifications. TomTom doesn't tell you what side of the street your destination is on, except for the location on the screen (no verbal prompt.) TomTom however has a much better itinerary planning capability than the Magellan, one feature I liked more.

You can load your own custom POI's if you want, but the TomTom POI's are a little lacking. It's not like I found everything in my Magellan either though. It depends on how much you want to rely on the POI's. As an advantage, since this is wifi enabled and has pocket internet explorer, you can always use the internet to find the POI you are looking for.

The biggest negative I have is with the GPS fix time. It's slow. I mean really slow. Sometimes it can take a few minutes, and if you are already moving it seems to take even longer. Up to several minutes.

I wish one of the buttons was a mute/un-mute button, but it's something I can live without.

The car cradle is the best one I've ever used. It's very easy to mount, and it's even easier to insert the GPS and remove it. Takes no time at all. Since it's powered by mini-usb, this is an added bonus for me, as my cell phone charges on the same connection.

Battery life is excellent, it lasts about 5 hours for my use so far. Enabling wifi or bluetooth will of course lower the battery performance.


Onto the PocketPC functions:

As a PPC, this thing rocks! With wifi and bluetooth you have every connection you could need. I use the internet on this more than I thought I would. I check my web based email, browse the news headlines, watch streaming video and listen to online music. It's got a few hundred megs of extra space for MP3's if you want, but I use my ipod for my mp3 listening. I also use this to store my photos. I have a phone that runs pocket windows as well, and with it's camera I can take a photo and send it via bluetooth to the PPC and add a contact in no time!

Pocket Internet Explorer doesn't always work for me. I like the Opera browser more (free 30 day trial) but I've found a few sites that wouldn't work in Opera, or looked better in Pocket IE.

It came down to this or a Magellan 3050T GPS system. I chose this because it's smaller, lighter, and has a ton of options over a stand-alone GPS. You can't compare this to a stand alone GPS because it's not. It has many more options that you may or may not use. If you are considering buying a TomTom One GPS, then get this instead. It's about the same price, runs the exact same software (TomTom 6.0) and has all the PDA features in a smaller package.

I hope this was helpful, but in the end it depends on what your looking for. I travel a lot, and needed something that had all the maps built in, was small enough to take on my carry on, could travel with me and was easy to use. I think I've found it in this unit. Just try and take one of the stand alone GPS's and casually put it in your pocket, good luck getting it out!



Additional Information:
TomTom and HP are currently working on an updated map release for this product and will (hopefully) have it available on the HP support website by the end of January. TomTom is hailing this update as "The most detailed and accurate maps of the US and Canada ever produced.." This update will also be free to owners of the RX5900 series Travel Companions.

Update 02/08/07:
HP Hasn't released an updated map pack yet, however they did release a firmware update for the unit. This update improves the GPS functionality and accuracy. I now get GPS locks in seconds, where it used to take minutes. While driving, I get a lock in 10 seconds. I get a lock faster if I'm stopped. It is definitely a significant improvement and I recommend everyone that owns one of these updates the firmware.

Pro's
1.really good navigation software (TomTom)
2.good amount of memory on-board to store the music and movies (you'll have more than 400Mb free and SD-card slot)
3.reasonable set of resources (WiFi, Bluetooth, USB-charging, SD-slot)
4.clear and bright screen
5.good bundle (includes car charger, pda-case and car-holder)
Con's
1.not a VGA screen (it's 2006 year model so you can expect a VGA screen, but alas)
2.small screen (I mean ratio of the PDA and the screen itself)
3.old map (it's weird when you cannot find the street that have been already for 2 years and google map can show it) and updates didn't help, though it's the only one case for the 3 months of usage

My old PDA was a Palm V, so this was a significant technology leap. I have been using PDAs since the early 90's and have seen significant progress in the features. I use Microsoft Office including Outlook, so that drove some of my decision to move to a Microsoft based PDA. I am very pleased with how easy it synchronizes with Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. I am disappointed in how difficult some of the features have been to figure out, configure, and use. The documentation is weak and does not exist for many features. The documentation is very Microsoft like in that if you already know how to do everything, or you are willing to read through a number of technical bulletins, or you consider it fun to explore web sites and user groups, then the documentation is just fine. I know you won't believe me, but I am an engineer who actually reads instructions...well sometimes.

Individual features:
Wireless connectivity works fairly well. I have been able to link up to a number of wireless networks and surf the web, download e-mail, or other tasks. Some websites are very supportive of the smaller PDA screen. Many websites do not. Exploring websites on your PDA is more of a hobby or emergency measure than a practical way to surf. This is a generic comment about the web on PDAs more than a comment about the iPAQ.

Bluetooth is okay, but configuring devices takes some exploration to figure out. The documentation is not very good in this area and I am still trying to configure some tasks even after a few hours of playing with it.

The handwriting recognition works very well. There are a number of different ways to input handwriting from recognition to pop-up keyboards. Not a significant leap forward from the Palm, but everything just works better. I am sure later versions of the Palm have incorporated these same improvements.

The GPS system works well, not great, but well. The Tom Tom software is a reduced function mapping software from the full size stand-alone units and is designed for PDAs. The GPS receiver can take a few minutes to update and capture satellites. The sensitivity is not as good as the stand-alone units either. Having said that, I cannot put a stand-alone unit in my pocket and the price for including the functionality in a PDA is pretty sweet. The USA and Canadian maps are pretty complete and the points of interest are pretty up to date. It will not replace my stand-alone unit, but my iPAQ is more likely to be with me on a trip. Maps for places outside the USA and Canada are pretty weak and involve some cumbersome map file management. Forget China. Brazil was marginal with an emphasis on the big cities. Germany was okay, once again with emphasis on larger cities.

The WorldMate software is a nice utility and was a good inclusion in the standard software. I work and travel across a number of countries and time zones and this feature helps me to mange currency conversions, time, and weather. It is a simple package, but a nice utility. The full version is pretty expensive and I have not invested in it.

While the iPAQ is an MP3 player, it is not a practical one. Windows media player is perfectly fine for playing tunes and the sound is okay, but the memory is a significant limitation. Without using the expansion slot, forget carrying more than a few songs with you. Even using a 2MB SD card in the memory slot does not give you much room once you move many work files to the iPAQ. The iPAQ can work as an MP3 player in a pinch, but I will still carry my iPOD as my MP3 player and photo viewer.

Battery life has been very good. I can use the iPAQ for a couple of days of normal use without recharging. If I have it on for extended time using the GPS function, then I get 8-9 hours of continuous use. The included car charger, AC charger, or USB charger works very well and keeps me from having to worry much about power management.

I hope this helps.

What I like most are its large LCD screen, its cool design and powerful WLAN capabilities.

I'd like give the product 3 1/2 points because of its GPS software defect. Everytime I powered down and powered up, the GPS software might not start up because it shows it could not find GPS signal. And that's not true because I exit the software and re-start and it would find GPS right away. Doning this while you'r driving is dangerous. That's why I think this is a major defect. It's strange why their QA didn't find this problem. By the way, the version of TomTom software I use is 6.1, which I believe is latest.

I used other GPS. Some other products show current elevation and car speed on the staus page. But Tomtom doesn't. Of course, this belongs to the category of "even better if....".


I used a Palm Zire 71 for years. It met my palm needs, but I'm a gadget freak and have always been tempted by the pocket PCs. I recently decided to get an I-POD. Then it hit me: I could use the money I would spend on an I-POD to upgrade to a pocket PC. (I'm all about finding justification for my foolish spending.) I started shopping online and ran across the iPAQ rx5915. Ureka! a pocket PC that plays music AND has GPS and WLAN. A match made in gadget heaven.

It has been quite a transition from the simplicity of the Palm to a full-blown pocket computer. The iPAQ is not nearly as simple to use, but that is to be expected - it does so much more. Holding the iPAQ to view the landscape display is a bit awkward, but you can transition to a vertical view with the touch of a button. The tap area for several functions is very small, and I frequently miss the target and open something I didn't intend to. The plastic cover to the battery compartment seems rather thin and flimsy, but it's flexible and perhaps stronger than it seems. Overall, everything that I use works well (I have no experience with or use for the Bluetooth technology.). Synchronization with MS Outlook and my music library is relatively easy. I down-loaded a Bible program that works fine. I also loaded a couple of MS Word documents. (I rarely use MS Excel and have not tried PowerPoint.) I took it to the IHOP and read my email and the news. I even connected in the parking lot of a strip mall once. If you keep the WLAN/GPS/Bluetooth turned off when not using them, the battery life is adequate.

User reviews are often very subjective and tend to go from one extreme to the other. (One person's trash is another's treasure.) I try to be very objective, but the reader needs to understand that I'm only rating this from a practical standpoint (not technological). The iPAQ travel companion is a combination pocket GPS/PC with connectivity (which really puts it in a class by itself). But the advertised emphasis is on use as a "travel mate" - not a pocket PC. For its advertised purpose - it is a neat little unit.

However, for use as an "office" companion it has its limitations - the most significant being limited available memory. I'm also a data junkie. I'd like to be able to load up a lot of data that I really don't need on a day-to-day basis (Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, etc.) as well as various reference programs (dictionaries, Bible programs). I will have to be conservative with this unit. One thing that I anticipated I could do with the iPAQ is loading PowerPoint presentations and presenting them by connecting the iPAQ to a projector. Apparently projection is not an option, but in reality this is not something I would use very often.

I knew about the limited memory issues before I purchased. But I read one review of the unit that suggested that the memory issue could be easily overcome by adding a 4GB card. After purchasing I went shopping for a card of this size and found the SanDisk 4GB SDHC card for around $130. Not being certain that this (HC) card would be compatible with the iPAQ I called HP. The tech told me that while many people use a 2GB card with the iPAQ travel companion without problems, HP does not recommend using anything larger than a 1GB. There have apparently been compatibility issues with larger cards. Had I known this before hand, I probably would have made a different decision.

Bottom line: Hardly anything ever lives up to our greatest expectations. I've had no technical issues with the iPAQ, and so far I'm content with my choice. (I've had it about 3 weeks.) The memory issue may eventually become a source of disappointment for me. I have not loaded everything into the iPAQ that I intend to, and I may soon run out of room on the 1GB card. I can restrain myself to make it work for me. I have everything on it right now that I really need - just not everything that I want. If you have money to burn and want a neat toy - this is it. But if all that you really need is a good pocket PC, you can do much better for the money.


I bought this nifty little combination device about 3 weeks ago. So far it is performing as expected, but with a few quirks. I have not noticed startup times to be a big issue, as has been noted in some other reviews. The GPS locates my position easily and has been able to find routes and shortcuts in my hometown that I wasn't even aware of. The POI interface is annoying, though. For example, it wouldn't find my local Walmart until I spelled it "Wal-mart" which is what it had in its database. I live in a small rural town and have so far found the maps to be adequate. Haven't tested it in a big city or on highways.

Perhaps the biggest qualm I have is what other reviewers have also talked about. TomTom has released new versions of its maps which are supposed to be free to eligible customers. However, it requires you to enter a product code, which is nowhere to be found in the packaging. I spent half an hour with an earnest but unhelpful HP support person on the phone but haven't been able to contact TomTom. Anyone else know a way around this dilemma?



When my ancient Handspring Treo took to blowing up my new HP desktop whenever I tried to synch up, I knew it was time for me to (literally) enter the 21st Century with a new PDA. Once I saw that getting WiFi on a unit was going to push me into major-purchase land, I said what the heck and settled on the HP Travel Companion.

Out of the box it was fairly easy to use, and the included upgrade to Outlook 2002 was an unexpected bonus. WLAN smoothly hooked up with and got through the WEP on my crappy 2Wire router, and away we went.

Device does everything that it's supposed to and seems to do them pretty well -- but I'm docking HP a point because:
- The manual and built-in help are pretty useless
- The WiFi konks out at times and requires battery removal to bring back
- The GPS maps are out of date and a little quirky (e.g., it has the 'burb that I grew up in under the name of an adjoining community, and can't find it at all when I search by ZIP code)
- I don't feel confident that the upgrade to the new Tom Tom maps is going to be easy

Still, I look forward to showing my new toy off at a client meeting this Friday....

I have had my iPAQ rx5915 for a little over a week now, and overall I like it. It packs a lot of features into a small package and it has been fairly stable. However, the bundled Tomtom sw has been a major disappointment to me. I had mistakenly assumed that I would be getting the equivalent to the retail standalone Navigator 6 product. NOT TRUE! The sw and maps come preinstalled on the unit, and they work as expected. However, you do not get a DVD containing the sw and maps as you would with the standalone product. More importantly, you do not get a product code for the sw/maps as you would with the standalone product. The first omission means that you are not provided with a means of reinstalling the sw should the preinstalled sw become corrupted for some reason. This is not a deal breaker for me since it is possible to copy the preinstalled TomTom sw/maps to your desktop or laptop computer as backup. The second omission is the killer. It means that you are not entitled to the product upgrades offered to purchasers of the standalone product. A case in point is that Tomtom just this month released new updated maps of the US and Canada. They are making this upgrade free to all full-fledged (i.e. those that have product codes) owners of Navigator 6. iPAQ rx5915 owners do not have product codes and are welcome to purchase the updated maps for $150. The bottom line is that this product comes with outdated maps, and if you would like the most current version, plan on adding $150 to the purchase price of the unit. I wish someone had made this clear to me before my purchase.

HP really blew it on this one: the documentation that accompanies the product is lacking any substantive utilitarian value. It was written for the clinically brain dead. When I received my product I immediately went to the HP web site - with the obvious intention of getting the latest alerts, support bulletins, and software updates, if any. I could not even register the product because HP had failed to even update its internal databases allowing consumers to register it! It took me 2 emails and a 3rd one to which they never responded to get that fixed (and this product has been in the field since Sept., 2006!)

I have 31 years of experience as a software engineer with strong experience in networking, technical writing, and software configuration/installation - on PCs and mainframes. I have expended at least 18-24 hours in the last 10 days trying to get the WLAN support to function - all to no avail. My IBM ThinkPad and my desktop can seemlessly print to my Bluetooth HP printer. The iPAQ rx5915 fails to even recognize that the printer is even available despite trying virtually every possible setting I could find on the iPAQ. The WLAN support recognizes the existence of my LINKSYS 802.11B router (unencrypted), but fails to connect - period! No browsing of the net for me! The GPS fails intermittently - it only worked once in Clarksville, TN, but has never worked in the City of San Francisco - period - go figure! The iPAQ fails to locate and properly triangulate with any satellites in San Francisco. However, the GPS in my Honda Accord works just fine.

HP documentation is marginal and non-existant. There are countless pull down windows and no onboard iPAQ help of any value to configure or explain what these settings are for - NONE! HOW THIS DEVICE EVER MANAGED TO GET EDITOR'S CHOICE AWARD in LapTop Magazine, November, 2006 issue DEFIES any reasonable explanation!!! LapTop Mag must have been paid for the hype. HP has categorically failed to disclose if there will be any updates to the TomTom Maps which are reportedly old and outdated. LapTop Mag stated this in their review and also criticized the high price. I can only assume you MIGHT get updates - but only at a price. They don't disclose how software will be updated (if at all) and delivered including updates to the firmware. Don't most consumer laws in most states require some "implied merchantability and fitness of purpose" when you buy a product? HP needs to write and ship documentation, disclose their intentions for this product, correct the software bugs (the back button on the Media play frequently gets grayed out and can only be reinstated if you kill the application entirely and restart it), provide updated TomTom Maps, and get their service organization onboard and in place to support and service this product. Disgusted customer? YES! I plan to return it to Amazon within the week and request a full refund.

I ordered the Travel Companion on Wednesday and received it Thursday. I travel about 40% of the time and wanted to reduce my gadgets that I have to carry. This iPAQ is great. It is smaller than my Navman CoPilot GPS and is about the same size as my Dell Axim Pocket PC with GPS included. It locks in on the GPS signal much faster than my old Navman. The US and Canada pre-loaded maps will save me a bunch of time I used to spend loading maps before trips. The Tom Tom GPS software is user friendly - I like it. The maps are missing a few new roads and interchanges added to my local area in the past two years, but that also was the case for other GPS units I've used. With the HP support and upgradeable Tom Tom GPS software, this unit will be relevant for future travel use.

I was concerned at first of the reception from this device considering it had an internal antenna. I was even prepared to buy an external antenna to boost reception. I am happy to say there is no need for this since my reception has been excellent. I have not used it in a city environment but in the flat lands of florida, I have had no problems. Tom Tom is also an excellent GPS software providing clear directions. I have experienced one misdirection on Los Olas Blvd in Ft Lauderdale so tourists beware...

The PDA is great and I have successfully connected my Motorola cell phone to it for internet access. With this connection, I have had it sync with my company's exchange server for email etc. Overall, a great package. Some minor bugs but I have been pleasantly surprised at the great integration of WM 5 and Tom Tom GPS.

I have had the hp rx5915 for about a week now. It is the best gadget for someone who travels frequently. The GPS is just like the dedicated units. The portability makes it useful for car and on foot traveling. Although the gps can take a few minutes to lock on, it is still very accurate. US and Canadian maps are loaded to the onboard memory. European maps need to be purchased either on cd and downloaded or on sd memory chips from TomTom.

One drawback is that the device is very MS centric. If you use an email application other than outlook, additional software is required. Having said that, transfering data to and from the rx5915 is a snap. The mobile office tools work well with Word, Excel and Powerpoint slides. You can even view the ppt animation. Calendar, task management and pda functions work very well.

Would recommend purchasing the additional memory for use as an mp3 player or if you are going to use it as a secondary PC. Audio quality is excellent from the headset, the speaker on the back is only ok.

Battery life is very good (taken recently on a 7+ hour plane flight).

Was initially pricy, but even a week after release, the price has dropped on $100 Amazon. When you consider the cost of a PDA, GPS and an MP3 player, the price is a bargain. I Highly recommend it.

I owned it only a few days and been testing it around the area this the best thing that came for travlers in years. The Tom Tom GPS work great coem with everything you need to hook it up to a rental car and when you not using the gps it's also great in picking up my email and doing my spread sheets in excel. Then when all done you can relax with the window media when play your mp3. Only thing I wish is came with a better case to pack all the plugs and bracket for traveling and I think a good idea to buy a big SD card and extra battery. But over all great unit you won't reget it.

Have had Activesync problems. They seem to be related to the Worldmate application. Can't remove Worldmate from the PDA. I like the info in Worldmate, it just causes problems.
The display is good.
The stylus is mounted for left handed use.
The GPS is not as easy to shut off as the Wifi or Bluetooth and it consumes the most energy.

I've had this for about two months and it has done great. The first thing I did was the software updates from HP, but other than that, I've had zero issues. The wireless is excellent and GPS is quick to lock on and stay locked. I haven't had a chance to use the bluetooth yet, but I'm sure that's great as well. I was a little hesitant to buy this because of some of the negative reviews--but having had it and tried it out and tested it by using it as it was meant to be used, I just don't know what some folks are talking about. I suppose if you are wanting to add a bunch of extra programs different utility programs, it may give some compatability problems, but everything is like that. Even my desktop starts doing funny things when I try to make it read a program it isn't designed to read. The PDA performs exactly as expected--I can sync with my deskrop calendar, store all of my contacts, and do everything like that. It's nice to be able to access documents of any kind on the go. The wireless internet is great. Yes, some pages don't load very well and it can be cumbersome to navigate through many pages. But that's what the laptop's for. News, sports, email, and other simple pages work fine. And the GPS is just a bonus all the way around. Just type in the address, tell it to find it, and you're done. Couldn't be more simple. I charge it about once a week with light PDA use each day. The battery seems like it takes forever to run down. Really, if you're in the market, you can't beat it for the functionality you get. You would spend almost as much on the GPS alone. I would reccomend this product.

I bought this for travel so I could do 3 things: (1) Use the GPS to find my way around, (2) Access my email, and (3) Complete my online timecard. Of those three things, only the GPS works to my satisfaction.

The GPS is very good. This is a relatively new technology and the maps aren't always correct but this is a problem with all GPS units. It is very easy to use but the screen is a little smaller than a dedicated GPS unit and some people have a problem with this.

I only have limited access to my email with Outlook. I can usually read emails but I can't send them. Nothing I've tried on the last 6 months fixes the problem and there is no information available to help me troubleshoot the problem. If I try to use my web-based email the buttons don't work because of software defects in Pocket Internet Explorer. I've tried other browsers and they aren't much better.

I can't do my online timecard because of the software defects in Pocket Internet Explorer. Pocket IE only supports basic web page display. I've found that most web pages either do not display correctly, or they have features that do not work. This is especially true if they use Java, JavaScript, style sheets, or any of the modern web page features.

Anyone who has used a Palm Pilot will probably be disappointed with the PDA functions. Microsoft PDA software tends to be clunky and prone to bugs. I've had a Palm Pilot for 5 years and the only time I ever had problems with it was when I tried to sync it up with this device. The Microsoft ActiveSync has changed my sync settings and lost my profile several times. When I plug into my computer it only connects about 50% of the time.

The hardware itself is very well made and seems to be quite rugged. The battery life has been very good even with the WiFi and GPS turned on. The WiFi connection is usually easy to make but sometimes it gets hung up and the iPaq needs to be rebooted. I've noticed that many airports have WiFi hot spots and most of them require you to view a "terms of use" page before allowing you to connect. At several airports around the country I could not connect because Pocket IE would not display the "terms of use" page correctly.

Overall I am satisfied with the hardware and the GPS function but I am hoping that better software will be available in the future. This would be a great unit if it had a functional browser. If Apple wrote a browser for Windows Mobile I would buy it in a second.

Finally I would like to add that I am an electrical/computer engineer with 22 years experience. I am quite confident that the problems I mentioned are actual software defects and not just "operator error."

I love my HP rx5915 with embedded GPS. (I can't say that about my previous HP iPAQs - an hx2415 and an h1910.)

The HP rx5915 has enough memory to load lots of programs. It has a fast CPU. It has embedded GPS with maps. It doesn't need to be reset every so often. It doesn't lock out memory on the SD memory chips. It hasn't turned on by itself and run down the battery. The TomTom mapping SW works great.

Regarding the GPS embedded in the rx5915 - I'd been using Mapopolis and an external GPS with my previous HP hx2415, and although it was great for mapping, and finding businesses, it fell short on ease of use and navigation - two areas the TomTom navigation SW included with the rx5915 excels in. Plus, I don't have to monkey around with an external GPS rcvr now.

HP really got it right this time, with the rx5915 - Easy to use navigation SW, with embedded GPS, and with a useful, reliable, iPAQ.

I bought this item because I had just bought another GPS and this one seemed to have SO much more potential. Internet access, global maps, basically a mini-computer with a GPS. Well, the GPS really doesn't work. I entered about three different addresses that I go to regularly and KNOW exist and it kept telling me they didn't exist. Then I asked it to guide me to the cross streets near those addresses and again it said they didn't exist. What a joke! The volume is not capable of going loud enough to be heard over music in the car and the display is so small that I was in fear of crashing every time I tried to look at it. There is really too much information on the display when trying to navigate. If this product did what it purports to do, it would be amazing, since it doesn't I returned it right away! How sad!

This is probably the best business tool I've run across yet. I've had it for 3 months now and spend almost as much time using it as my laptop. I highly recommend that to avoid a bad first impression you get the firmware update from HP that addresses poor signal strength for the GPS. If you're in Florida, this is really important since we only have 3 satellites covering our area. If you don't, you may experience the display dropping in/out or graying out. It will work OK, you just won't know where you are. I bought one of these for my partner since we are loss control specialists that do inspections for hundreds of clients. I've uploading our inspections programs to the unit, do the inspections, upload them back to the main computers, and BAM, I save 50% of my report writing time (with pictures). Make sure you get the 2GB flash card if you're going to have a lot of files. Also, Tom Tom has recently upgraded the North American maps (April 2007). Make sure you also get that from the HP site and load it up before you start using it. It will be worth it. Read the How to use instructions VERY carefully when installing the maps. I also like being able to download different voices from Tom Tom since I'm on the road so much. Most are free. When you couple the GPS, being able to run you own programs, and use Word, Excel, and Powerpoint on the road, you have one of the best business tools around. Oh yeah, you can play music and take photos off your bluetooth-enable phone as well. Amazon also has the best price on this unit that I've found and I looked around a lot.

Bought in March of this year 2007.

I like the PDA/GPS function. Synchs well w/ Outlook contacts off my PC. Like that I can grab a contact from Outlook and use that as the go to address. Good functionality, Tom Tom has good features like setting preferences to show all gas stations along a route, or pharmacies or whatever. Also, select to go to the closest gas station or other category.

I find the battery life quite good. I have a 40GB iRiver, so not really interested in the mp3 capabilities of the H-P.

I fly alot, and it is not uncommon that when I land it can take as long as 15 or 20 minutes to find a satellite, even on cloudless days. And on a drive from San Jose to Sacramento it frequently lost satellite for 10 - 20 minutes. Seems to catch satellites quicker and hold them quite well in Dallas, where I live.

I updated H-P firmware in March when I bought it, haven't checked lately to see if I need another firmware update. Maybe that will fix that satellite issue. Though the firmware update I did in March was supposed to improve satellite capture time.

I haven't updated the Tom-Tom US maps that came w/ it, but understand most people who tried got stuck in a finger pointing contest between H-P & Tom-Tom as to who's responsibility that was. Haven't heard if that has been resolved yet.

Great when it catches the satellite, useless when it has yet to catch satellite or has lost satellite, which is often.


When I purchased this it was to replace a Dell AXIM that I had dropped. Well this turned out to be more than I expected. I no longer need my Ipod as this plays MP3's just as good , so that's 1 less device to carry. Second the Pocket Pc function is second to none even after loading additional software in it it works fast and accurately.
What else can you ask for it Navigates, stay connected to the internet, and be entertained when you travel for business, for pleasure, or both.

I'm more than happy with it and now HP has Map updates avialable to download to keep the GPS up to date.

Don't hesitate it worth every penny.


I highly recomend this product for those who want a considerably powerful pda, with gps and wireless internet capabilities all in one reletively small and compact device. I mianly purchased this product for the gps aspect, but chose to go this route over a smart phone. i still have my cell phone, and now the pocket pc, they are separate, but the bluetooth works great. The battry life is not nearly as bad as seem people let on, but if using the gps, the car ac adapter is a must have for long trips (over a few hours). It works great for geocaching as well. The only this I wish it had, were a slightly more powerful prcessor, but hey, now that the price is dropping, definately pick one up.

I travel frequently for business and recreation, and I've been carrying this device on a daily basis for the past couple of months. 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.

I've been carrying this device on a daily basis so I can listen to music (replaced my ipod) during my commute to work. I spend a lot of time traveling domestically, and many times I would be surfing the Internet or reading work-related documents at the airport. I would watch movies or play games while flying, and I would use the GPS feature to help me navigate to my hotel/client site once I arrive. Other features I use frequently during business travels are: alarm clock (purchased Spb Time application), check-and-update weather (Worldmate comes pre-installed), read various e-books and e-magazines, and keep track of my finances. During my free time, I enjoy going hiking and backpacking. I purchased the National Geographic Topography map and last week was the first time I used this device to help me navigate in the back country. It works great in the outdoors, but could be a bit difficult to read in direct sunlight (despite that it's coated with anti-glare reflection and I have an anti-glare screen protector). I also have to baby it when I'm in the outdoors since this device is not waterproof and "drop-proof" like the dedicated outdoor GPS.


HP iPaq rx5915 Pros and Cons:

Pros:
* 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

Cons:
* 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.

====

TomTom Navigator 6 Pros and Cons:

Pros:

* Extremely easy and intuitive to use - I figured out how to use it without reading any instruction manuals

* Uses very updated map

Cons:

* TomTom is really big in Europe, and supposedely the brand name TomTom is synonomous to GPS over there. I think it's a great software, but I personally don't like the POI feature. Other navigational software has POI broken down by sub-categories. For instance, Under "Food and Drink' POI category would be broken down to "American, Asian, Cuban, etc". It's just my personal preference.

* I've been testing it in location where I know where I am, and I don't really like the route TomTom takes me. I'm really just nitpicking here since chances are all GPS takes you to a less-than-ideal route. The most important thing is you get to where you need to go.

Conclusion

Although this device might have a few minor issues here and there, overall, it is a device with good value for your money.

By far the best GPS I've ever used. Much better than Magellan.
I have not yet used it as a computer.

This is a very useful product, as it says a Pocket PC combined with GPS. If has all the functions I needed and I can bring it everywhere to use it. The GPS is a bit slow but its still a good use as it can give correct directions to the destination. Overall, this is a excellent product to me.

Great PDA - It syncs great with my PC and I like the World Pac application that allows me to keep track of time in other countries as well as the currency converter. Also it has a units of measure converter that saves me from having to use an other application.

I have not used the GPS yet - but it's a great extra feature that allows me travel and still know where I am. I don't travel for business anymore since I am retired but looking forward to using it instead of having to pay extra for it on a rental car (Got use to having a nav in my personal cars.)

GPS freeze quite often when travel over than one hour and errors of locating destination are 4 out of 10. Other than that, most functions in IPAQ RX5915 are fine.

After six weeks of using my IPAQ I don't know how I ever did wiithout it. The IPAQ replaced three other possible purchases, an MP3 player, a standalone GPS unit and a PDA. The contained software allows me to track my appointments easily and keep notes with ease as well. I added a few Excel templates and since mobile Excel is included I keep my mileage and expense log at my side at all times.

Yes the older maps were troublesome at first but now the latest version of Tom Tom maps is available for download at the HP website, so now I am current and the road maps are very accurate for the areas I travel (Northeastern Oklahoma and the Las Vegas area).

My suggestion is to download some backup software online and to purchase at least one 2 Gig sd memory card to backup your full device on a regular basis. I haven't lost any data yeat but any electronis device is subject to failure so take heed. I have over 50 albumns on a single 2 GIG sd card right now for easy access to my tunes without cluttering up the storage space available on the IPAQ itself. It has about 500 Meg available for internal flash storage because 1.5 Gig is used by Tom Tom. the MS operating system and other preloaded software.

Highly recommend this rather than purchasing a standalone GPS unit if you have any other uses at all for the additional features.

Jimbo

The GPS function works great. Apart from one incident when it just froze after repeatedly recalculating the route coz I was driving in a crowded downtown, it works good. Finds a satellite from inside my house (if I am sitting near a window). Takes about one minute to lock on a sat.
Now (after 3 months) HP has finally made available to us customers the latest maps of North America. I installed them yesterday. Yet to try them on a long drive. So that is resolved for good.

Pda is a bit slower in my opinion. If you load 2-3 new programmes on it (apart from the factory installed ones) it gets really slow and freezes a lot. then you are frequently soft resetting it and that is annoying. 'I have been using it for three and a half months now and I can tell you that it works great if you just let it run in the factory installed condition. I have installed TCPMP player for watching movies and it is working fine with that. If you think you can load it with a number of programmes then think again.
Other than that it works good, battery life is good, looks are great(all my friends and co workers say that).
I am happy with my purchase I would recommend it to anybody who wants a GPS/PDA combine.

Before buying this unit, my only experiecne of GPS devices was with the Hertz never lost system by Magellan which I liked very much. So my comparison to this unit was obviously to that. Overall it is fine except a few things. First the navigation system is far from accurate. I understand that I live in rural Wisconsin where it is hard to navigate correctly but when it asked me to turn in the middle of jungle where there is no road for miles, I was a bit surprised. May be there was a road a decade ago or so. Second there is no option where you prefer only the freeways (again my bias from Hertz never lost system) but somehow I like that option and found it necessary. Third, I liked the ding before turn which was not there. Although there is a touch screen functionality but I thought stylus use was convenient (since the screen appears fragile and is more like a PDA) but not practical when you are on the road. Finally it loses satellite connection all of a sudden and freezes for a few seconds (I guess not a serius issue). Now the addition of PDA itself is definately a plus for the same price. It has a full functional PDA with all the features including internet connection. I returned the unit back to Amazon and bought Magellan RoadMate 3050T. There is a clear difference between the two as far as GPS capabilities are concerned. Without doubt Magellan is far more superior with more accuracy in driving direcions and not to mention their customer support. There has never been a wait for more than 30 seconds. No regrets at all. However if you want to combine the PDA functinality than HP iPAQ rx5915 is fine specially its sleek design.

I love this unit. It is easy to use and very helpful. I was concerned that the unit would not get a good signal inside the car. I was wrong the unit does fine. I could not be happier

This unit is absolutely great!!!! I have had several Garman GPS systems for car and boat over the years but I bought this one for my son's birthday since he is new to driving. I really like the GPS/mapping performance and would have paid this price easily for just that functionality. The best part is this unit is a great pocket PC with much more endless capability. I am the typical electrical engineer which means I like electronic gadgets and toys. My 50th birthday is coming up soon so you know what I'm expecting ...

Unfortunately, with my busy work schedule I haven't had a chance to explore all of the myriad capabilities of this product. The one complaint I've read that I believe is worth repeating is that connecting to satellite uplinks for the GPS function can take several minutes.

The unit uses pocket pc software (Windows Mobile), and gps software (Tom Tom).

The Windows Mobile includes a mobile version of Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, Media Player, and Powerpoint.

The Tom Tom software is good, you can create favorite destinations, and also change the style of exploration (aka are you traveling by car, bike, or on foot.)

I have no complaints myself, as long as I turn on the unit as soon as I get in the car.

The 5915 is jam packed with useful applications starting with the GPS. The maps for my area (Chicago) are very current and I hear that HP and TomTom are working on a way to enable 5915 users to receive updates.

I have an iPaq PDA and I own a TomTom GPS -- both of which work well. This combo iPaq/TomTom is 'in the rough' and needs to undergo some re-tooling. I'm surprised that other reviewers mention what I deem significant flaws and then go on to rate the unit as a 4 or 5 star. For example, the Travel Companion stalls and needs soft-resets. For a right handed person, the stylus is awkward. Support is not good. Moving through programs can be painfully SLOW. The GPS tracking lags. I depend on my GPS and PDA for business travel. Buy the rx5915 if you like to play with gadgets as it's loaded with some fun stuff. But, not if you need something dependable while on the road.

The GPS works great! Having said that, I'm disappointed with the 5919 overall. I could not get the free map updates from TomTom because HP does not include the Navigator 6 product code with the 5915. HP's support promised they'd get the maps and post them for 5915 users, but that hasn't happened after several months of promises. The wireless worked only with non-encrypted networks, and even then, only for 1 day. I have to perform a soft-reset at least three times a day because the system hangs. MP3s play fine. It will play video, albeit they are very choppy. USB connections to the computer seem to work only after loading the very latest MS ActiveSync, and only after a soft-reset. Even then, having the computer recognize the device is very "iffy".
The unit is a great idea if you travel--maps, email, Internet, music, contacts, appointments, etc., but if it doesn't work, it becomes a paperweight. I've read dozens of forums with others complaining of the same issues. HP support so far has been nothing but lip service. My recommendation--don't fall for the marketing hype, this unit still has to have a lot of bugs worked out.

Have made several trips and the GPS worked very well. Very easy to operate. I only wonder how it will be possible to update maps since HP did not provide the Tom Tom product code. Neither HP nor Tom Tom seemd to be willing to support. Any ideas? RHT Snellville, GA

This iPAQ is great. A lot of features. The GPS works very well. I have installed another GPS Application and using a GPSGate everything works.
Sometimes I have to reset the system but I knew about this.
Some application works only in portrait.
Maybe the internal memory could be increased.
The Connectivity is great with BT, WI-FI.
I'm happy with my new iPAQ.

I am so glad I choose this product. It has been a true travel companion for me. The GPS gets me around Atlanta (a new town for me) like I've lived here all my life. The IPAQ PDA and MP3 player functions are excellent. The size and the style, perfect. Thank you HP.

This jack-of-all-trades unit actually does quite well at each function. As a pocket PC it is flawless, allowing me to leave my laptop behind when I don't need full-blown computing power and portability is important. The bundled software (including MS Office suite) allows me to access all the files I need, using the SD card.

The TomTom GPS device works very well, and I particularly enjoy the usefulness of the Point of Interest function when on trips through unfamiliar terrirory - a few quick taps on the screen directs me to the nearest Starbucks along my route. Of course, if cookie cuttre coffee isn't your bag, you could just as easily search for the restaurant of your choice, your favorite brand of gasoline, or whatever else your heart desires.

The MP3 player is robust, and playlists are easy to set up. You can hook into your car or whatever you want via bluetooth. My only gripe here is that I haven't found a way for the iPAQ to automatically read my SD Card by default - each time I start the player, I have to tell it to retrieve the song library from the card, instead of internal memory. That's definitely a drag, as I'd prefer that it simply start playing songs when I hit the music button.

Battery life is excellent, in my opinion. I plug it in when I'm in the car, and use the PDA and MP3 functions for multiple days sometimes without plugging it in. I have never had a low battery warning. That's very nice.

Screen brightness is good. I notice that sometimes I am squinting at it on the dash when sun glare is at its absolute worst (direct sun on the dash and on the screen), but even then I can see and read it. I can't imagine how it could be any better, unless I put it under a hood or something. Even a CRT is hard to see in direct sun.

Overall an excellent product. I have owned mine for two months, and I will probably buy one for my wife as well.