HP, Cingular Team to Offer iPAQ hw6920 Handheld

Hewlett-Packard (HP), a PC and electronics producer, on Wednesday announced that its newest iPAQ handheld device—which features five different wireless technologies—will be available on Oct. 31 in the United States, and it will initially be for sale via Cingular Wireless, according to an Oct. 25 press release on WebWire.com.

HP iPAQ hw6920

The new HP iPAQ hw6920 series Mobile Messenger will allow users to employ Cingular’s GSM/GPRS/EDGE wireless network, Wi-Fi, GPS, infrared and Bluetooth technology (1, 2 and 3) to connect to various data networks. Cingular claims its nationwide wireless network is the largest in the United States, reaching some 13,000 cities and towns and roughly 40,000 miles of freeway.

The device features a built-in GPS receiver that can be used to collect walking or driving directions, and it will also include the TeleNav GPS Navigator service to provide those directions—though users will also have the option of choosing additional GPS services like Microsoft Pocket Streets or HP Navigation Maps and Software, according to the release. The TeleNav GPS Navigator from TeleNav is offered via subscription from Cingular, and it can provide information on 10 million sites around the world, as well as additional location search options, according to the release.

Alain Debost, director of HP’s North American Handheld Business Unit, said in the release, “By combining the iPAQ hw6920 series wireless e-mail, voice and fast data access with Cingular’s expansive network, we are allowing customers to tap into the information and rich content they want, when they want it.”

The device will be offered in two versions: the hw6925—which will feature a 1.3-megapixel camera—and the hw6920 without a camera, according to the release.

The iPAQ hw6920 series will run on Microsoft’s Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system, and they’ll be available to business customers via Cingular’s B2B sales group starting at $359.99 with a two-year contract and eligible voice and data plans, according to the release. The device will also be available via HP’s website and through a number of HP partners. No additional pricing details were disclosed.