HP raises the high-end bar just a little higher with the iPaq Pocket PC H5450. Read about all of its extras in our First Take.
With the impending arrival of the iPaq H5450 Pocket PC, HP is raising the high-end bar just a little higher; this handheld has nearly every conceivable extra except a built-in camera. Similar in design to the company's H3900 series models, the H5450 builds on that line's already substantial feature set, adding biometric security, built-in Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity. Needless to say, that kind of feature bonanza is targeted toward corporate customers who are willing to pay close to US$700 to put it to good use. Australian pricing is yet to be announced, but we expect the H5450 to be available to buy some time in December.
Built for the power user
As you might expect, a fully loaded handheld such as the H5450 isn't going to be superlightweight; this model tips the scales at 205 grams and measures 13.28cm long (13.79cm when you include the length of the Wi-Fi antenna). The H5450 boasts the 3900 series' same sharp, 65,000-color, transflective TFT display. Under the hood, you'll find a 400MHz Intel XScale processor, 64MB of built-in memory, and a whopping 48MB of ROM. That ROM is chock-full of software extras, including the iPaq fingerprint reader and the Nevo universal-remote-control application. And yes, the unit contains consumer-grade IR along with Bluetooth.
We did get a little demonstration of the fingerprint-security feature, and it's pretty impressive, though obviously not a must-have feature for mainstream consumers. But it might go over well at the Pentagon, the FBI, and the Rand Corporation.
Sleeve compatible
iPaq owners looking to upgrade will be happy to note that the H5450, unlike the entry-level H1910, is backward compatible with the iPaq sleeves--including the CompactFlash card adapter--and many other accessories.
Again, because of its prohibitive pricing, we doubt that average consumers will be reaching for their credit cards in order to buy the H5450 during this holiday season. But hard-core mobile professionals should be eager to take this new iPaq for a spin.
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