HP's iPAQ rx4000 gets a big brother: the rx5915

This new line of consumer-oriented HP iPAQ devices is growing into a family right quick. We just saw the rx4000 a couple of days ago, and now we're catching wind of at least a couple rx5000 devices. The rx5000 types go with the "Travel Companion" moniker, since they include a SiRF Star III GPS receiver for a bit of navigation action. WiFi seems to be optional for the rx5000 units, but the rx5915 has it, along with a 3.5-inch QVGA touchscreen, 2GB of flash memory, 64MB RAM, Bluetooth 2.0, SDIO slot, standard 3.5mm headphone jack and a 400MHz Samsung processor. Hopefully these specs give us a better indication of what HP is packing in the rx4000 units, and the flash memory size does appear to be a variable, so we're guessing we'll at least get a 2GB option in rx4000 land. The Travel Companion iPAQs feature a traditional 9-way direction pad, along with 2 Windows Mobile buttons, but none of the rx4000's jog dial action. As for price, the rx5915 weighs in at a hefty, if almost reasonable, $600. We've been hearing some rumblings about whether or not these new iPAQs were going to make it to the States, but we can at least say that the documentation we've seen shows off the rx5000 nav features gallivanting around North America, so we've got that going for us.

[Harold @ Sep 6th 2006 6:12PM]

I hope there is a VGA model.

[Dave @ Sep 6th 2006 6:57PM]

Yeah ... I don't really see myself buying any HP stuff in the near future:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14687677/site/newsweek/

[Max H @ Sep 6th 2006 7:59PM]

Can't wait to buy this model. Looking through the reviews now.

[Jake @ Sep 6th 2006 7:27PM]

Finally, someone appears to get what direction standalone PDAs have to go in to survive. They just have the price wrong, i.e. we should be seeing something like this around $400 in around a year or so, assuming HP sticks with it. Then again, by then it'll be woefully inadequate.

Ah, the electronics market.

[pcfanboy @ Sep 6th 2006 10:01PM]

Great feature set, and I agree with Harold, VGA would be nice. And yes it should be $400

[booboo @ Sep 6th 2006 8:59PM]

Very good. HP finally make a competent iPaq.

However after shopping all the 4" screen large PDA, I optioned to order a PSP. I should make a better movie and game player. It can do GPS very soon as well.

[SiG @ Sep 7th 2006 11:20AM]

It's nice to see the PDA evolving in order to remain useful, and this is a step in the right direction, but..

Given how "cheap" flash memory is these days there is little reason for only 2Gig. I would hope and expect >4Gig of flash.

And why only 64Meg RAM? IIRC 64Meg is embedded into the Samsung CPU. Clearly not enough.

Like the others, a VGA screen

The two "soft keys" required for WM5 seem to be missing.

Maybe the none "consumer-oriented" devices will have a more impressive spec and an Intel chipset.

[Erwin @ Sep 11th 2006 5:25AM]

IMHO, intel already sold their Xscale division ?

[Diabolus @ Sep 11th 2006 5:55AM]

ROFL, HP made us Asian journalists sign an NDA (till Sept 27) at a preview in Beijing just 2 weeks ago. They even had the units covered under a cloth and no photographs were allowed. They were sure no one knew of the existance of the rx4000 and 5000s. Well, looks like the cat's out of the bag now.

[EDD @ Sep 7th 2007 9:09AM]

YEAH HOW DO U UNLOCK THIS THING BECAUSE ITS ASKING ME FOR A PASSWORD?