HP iPAQ rx5900 Travel Companion reviewed

The folks at LAPTOP Magazine have come out with some pretty high praise for HP's iPAQ rx5900 Travel Companion (a slight variation of the rx5915), calling it the best GPS/PDA hybrid yet and bestowing its Editors' Choice award on the shiny little handheld. The iPAQ scored the most points for its top-end navigation software, courtesy of TomTom, which they say worked like a charm in conjunction with the SiRFstar III antenna. And, being based on Windows Mobile 5.0, the iPAQ also provided all the PDA functionality you'd expect from a regular handheld, with built-in WiFi and Bluetooth to round out the connectivity options. The biggest downside, not surprisingly, is that the battery will run down pretty quickly when you have the GPS turned on, lasting just 90 minutes with the backlight on as well. Although it does come with a car dock and charger, which will come in handy if you don't want to have to worry about getting stranded on your next cross-country trip.

[incrediblemagi @ Oct 5th 2006 3:30AM]

90 minutes... can't say much about battery usage with HP products.. wonder how many radios this thing has...

[Dave Goodman @ Sep 29th 2006 12:45PM]

Telephone wiretaps by HP not included?

[Kamau @ Sep 29th 2006 12:48PM]

This would be tremendous if you could also load up Slingbox Mobile on it. Please someone tell me we can so I can buy one and hide it from my wife.

[Scott C. @ Sep 29th 2006 1:26PM]

You can, it's running Windows Mobile 5.0. You're SlingBox Mobile approved. Now buy me one too or I'll tell your wife.

[Scott C. @ Sep 29th 2006 1:24PM]

You can, it's running Windows Mobile 5.0. You're SlingBox Mobile approved. Now buy me one too or I'll tell your wife.

[Jon @ Sep 29th 2006 2:56PM]

So does this thing need an external antena? I can't tell from the review.

[Scott C. @ Sep 30th 2006 3:49AM]

No external antena needed it's all built in. Nice little unit

[Amanda @ Sep 30th 2006 9:16AM]

Anyone know pricing on this or the best place to buy it? Perfect gift for my hub.

[Scott C. @ Oct 2nd 2006 8:44AM]

Looks like CompUSA or HPShopping.com are the only 2 places for it right now.

[Bill @ Oct 2nd 2006 8:07AM]

Catching up on my RSS, this totally caught my eye...

I've been looking for a replacement for my Sony UX-50, and this is close, but not close enough. I don't need GPS, and too bad it doesn't have a clamshell keyboard like the UX-50. /sigh...

[Alice @ Dec 9th 2006 9:44PM]

I like the description of this item. Can you take it to europe with you, buy a Tom Tom memory card for europe, insert it and drive or walk with it as a GPS device? Do you have to subscribe to a different service in europe for this to work? Can you insert memory cards with recorded movies and watch them on this?

[purpleplume @ Jan 29th 2007 12:22PM]

Scott,

Tell me more about using this with SlingPlayer Mobile. Besides the iPAQ 5900/5915, what other purchases are required to pull this off---including any necessary access plans?

[al @ Dec 21st 2006 5:05PM]

will yahoo messenger with voice work with it? can i use the integrated mic or a bluetooth headset for yahoo with voice? or if not can i just use it with agile messenger or ebuddy?

[SMH @ Apr 19th 2007 9:54PM]

HP has just made updated maps for North America available for the iPAQ rx5910 FREE on their support web-site for customers to download.

You can go to the below link to download TomTom NAVIGATOR 6 North America updated maps on your device:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=215348&prodSeriesId=3263043&prodNameId=3263044&swEnvOID=2067&swLang=8&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=ip-48704-1

[Alex H @ Dec 21st 2007 12:14AM]

I just bought the Hp iPAQ 5900 on 12/16/07 for $420 dollars and I like it a lot, but my wife is going to get me the GPS that shows the road as it looks. So before I return it to the store I would like to know if anyone want's to buy it from me at the same price I got it for the $420 dollars. I belive its a good price and thought it would be best for some one else to get this deal. I can show proof of purchase and date with the reciept.