HP cancels the iPAQ 610 smartphone in the US

Ah, iPAQ 610. You were so close, and yet... so far away. According to a handful of tipsters, after a round of delays, HP has decided to cancel the release of its upcoming Windows Mobile smartphone, the 610 (also known as the iPAQ 614, 614c and 600). The company didn't give a lot of information, though they did state that, "due to recent legal issues between suppliers of mobile phone technologies, HP has decided not to offer the iPAQ 610 Business Navigator to U.S. customers as previously planned." It's unclear whether this means the phone will be missing from shelves worldwide, but it certainly won't be popping up on these shores anytime soon.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[Plastic Monkey @ Feb 13th 2008 11:57PM]

HA, FIRST! sorry for the topical irrelevance i just need it in my day

[Plastic Monkey @ Feb 14th 2008 12:07AM]

On a more serious note, how similar is this "click wheel" to that of -say- an iPod? Would it be a stretch to suggest that this could be one of the "recent legal issues between suppliers of mobile phone technologies" preventing a U.S. release? After all such a statement leaves almost too much room for interpretation.

[Samurai Jack @ Feb 14th 2008 12:24AM]

More likely it's caught in the Qualcomm - Broadcom patent dispute.

[Tin @ Feb 13th 2008 11:59PM]

Bastards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tin @ Feb 14th 2008 12:00AM]

Okay, "FIRST" posts stopped being cool right after they started.

[iNap @ Feb 14th 2008 2:50AM]

After the "FIRST" one, you mean? ^_^

[Mike @ Feb 14th 2008 12:09AM]

I think I speak for everyone when I say, "Meh."

[AJ in the East Bay @ Feb 14th 2008 1:04AM]

+1

Do people still care about the Windows Mobile platform?

[Jack Storm @ Feb 14th 2008 2:57AM]

@ AJ in the East Bay

ummm yeah. Lots of people.

[i.c. weiner @ Feb 14th 2008 4:45PM]

http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/11/whats-an-iphone-14-3m-windows-mobile-phones-sold-in-the-past-s/

[Ellianth @ Feb 14th 2008 12:11AM]

Maybe now they should offer us loyal customers OS upgrades. I don't know why i keep buying their ppc phones :'(.

[Clinton @ Feb 14th 2008 1:42AM]

I agree. All this talk about iPhone, Android, and WM6, and here I am with the "top of the line" hw6925 and WM5!

Come on HP!

[iofthestorm @ Feb 14th 2008 2:17AM]

Cooked ROMs, or something like that. I don't own a WM device, I've just researched them in my quest for a smartphone and apparently people have hacked newer versions of WM onto older phones, and WM6 has actually been faster than WM5.

[nonamo @ Feb 14th 2008 7:11AM]

Yup, i own a smartphone of the HTC Tornado variety, which is a 3 year old phone with WM5. I flashed a Windows Mobile 6 cooked ROM onto it and it works flawlessly! (courtesy of forum.xda-developers.com)
Still waiting for a WM6.1 ROM :)

[Chris @ Feb 14th 2008 12:17AM]

People who really car could always make a petition, cause' you know that's always worked in the past. You never know, they could still magically save HD DVD.

[Backlin @ Feb 14th 2008 12:52AM]

Don't forget the Hardcore Pr0n industry. They re-branded HD-DVD.

[Plastic Monkey @ Feb 14th 2008 12:20AM]

...Said the fifth man to the scene! but yeah, point taken.
Gah, I never get to do ANYTHING!

[imacmatt09 @ Feb 14th 2008 12:25AM]

Neither was spamming..

[Reader @ Feb 14th 2008 1:17AM]

Plastic Monkey, not sure if it was on purpose but that totally came off in a teenage girl voice to her parents. I found it amusing at least...

[Umeadi @ Feb 14th 2008 2:31AM]

Good.........Good

[robertantill @ Feb 14th 2008 6:03AM]

kinda looks like the N70 music edition? http://bilder.amobil.no/194/194594/i_194594.jpg

[Keff @ Feb 14th 2008 6:19AM]

Yes, both are black, and have green background.
Here's your cookie, clever boy!

[engadget @ Feb 14th 2008 6:17AM]

Isn't the photo of the 900 series? (The 600 series has a qwerty keypad.)

[Darkest Daze @ Feb 14th 2008 8:53AM]

Well, according to the link they included in the article:

"The 900 series, meanwhile, swaps out the numeric pad for a standard QWERTY outfit and steps down to a 2.46-inch display, but the specs remain otherwise similar to its stablemate."

So, no.

[TZK @ Feb 14th 2008 7:30AM]

HP has never, nor will EVER be a player in the US for the cellphone market. They just plain suck.

[Alex Davies @ Feb 14th 2008 12:08PM]

It was cancelled due to issues that carriers had over it have VOIP out of the box....
I spoke to an HP rep at a conference a few months ago and he mentioned that the carrier they were talking to didn't like the fact that it was going to have simple VOIP over wi-fi out of the box

[Tim @ Feb 14th 2008 12:22PM]

What about the 912???

[DP @ Feb 14th 2008 12:39PM]

Good riddance.

[pheer6224 @ Feb 14th 2008 10:13PM]

damn!
I was waiting for that one...

[Delicashop @ Mar 27th 2008 10:38PM]

I have scored one of these and in Melbourne! Works an absolute treat after upgrading from a HP Ipaq 6515.

LOve the scroll keyboard adn finally a decent camera. Waiting on gps software to see how that goes and affordable.