The HP iPAQ rx5000 Travel Companion

Built with an integrated, high-performance GPS antenna and SiRF Star III GPS receiver for a strong connection, the iPAQ rx5000 is packed with premiere GPS navigation software and complete, pre-installed maps to provide fast and reliable voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation instructions.

With HP’s Quick Launch buttons and a large 3.5-inch anti-glare touch screen, the iPAQ rx5000’s GPS application is easy to launch and use. The iPAQ rx5000 is also available with car-mount accessory and mobile car charger.

- Integrated GPS, enabling consumers to navigate to virtually anywhere with ease, find the fastest route to the intended destination, and even discover new places.

- Worldmate Standard Edition, an information-service package that organizes and manages travel needs with travel tools and services that provide indispensable real-time travel information.

- Windows Mobile 5.0, supporting a wide variety of business applications, enabling consumers to get work done on the go with connectivity options, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to stay connected.

- A smart design to enhance the consumer’s navigation and user experience with flexible screen view options and a large 3.5-inch touch screen for a quick launch of GPS, music, photo and video files.

The iPAQ rx5000 comes with great connectivity options, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, to connect to the Internet and e-mail, or even other Bluetooth enabled devices such as mobile phones and printers.

Built on Microsoft windows Mobile 5.0, consumers can be productive on the road with a full suite of Microsoft applications – Word, Excel and Powerpoint. To support a wide variety of business applications, there’s also the Open Windows Mobile platform.

Microsoft Outlook is also included, so consumers can keep track of their busy schedules easily by synchronizing the calendar and contact information in their PCs.

Most importantly, the iPAQ rx5000 is built with persistent storage to help prevent the loss of data, settings and installed applications even if the battery is removed or not charged.

The kind people over at Hewlett Packard Singapore were generous enough to lend Oneshift.com one of their iPAQ rx5000 Travel Companion units for a test. Being an automotive-focused website, the often used feature of the iPAQ rx5000 is the GPS. We even brought it along for some of the Road Test, ensuring the GPS is fully utilised while under our charge.

It does its job well, helping us navigate through the best route to our destinations. For a person who relies mostly on the latest edition of the street directory, yours truly took quite some time to get used to electronic guidance.

Using it is interestingly idiot-proof – switch to the “Navigate” mode from the main screen, enter the destination you want to go, and simply just follow both the voice-assistance and the arrow on the iPAQ rx5000’s screen.

The upside of having the voice-assistance is that you don’t have to take your eyes off the road while using it – for example, the device will tell you the distance you are from the next junction, where to turn to next, and also to “slow down” if you’re going too fast – all you have to do is just listen.

You don’t have to insert the destination you’re from – it automatically detects your current position thanks to the clever use of the many satellite system available throughout Singapore. And if you happen to miss a turn or junction, fret not.

At the snap of the finger (well, literally), the device will immediately find you the nearest U-turn, or better still, another alternative route. At least with the latter you don’t have to do any sudden lane changes and hassle yourself with having to get back on the right track…

Besides using it only to get you from one road to another, it can also guide you to the many Points Of Interest. You’ll be able to find shopping centres, commercial buildings and restaurants here – at least that saves time from having to look it up the Internet.

Key in the building you’re looking for, and in a few seconds, it will prompt you to confirm the destination that it has in its memory. Once that’s confirmed, off you go!

I had to go up North during one of the Road Test. Although I’m familiar with most of the Malaysian roads, I just had to bring it along to see how helpful this iPAQ rx5000 can be for those who are not well versed.

After clearing the immigration checkpoint in Johor Bahru, I followed Hewlett Packard’s step-by-step guide on how to activate the Malaysian map that is in the iPAQ rx5000’s memory. Once the Malaysian map has been selected, it automatically detected my present location.

Next, I simply key in my destination, “USJ 20”, which is a town in the heart of Selangor state (about 4 hour’s drive away).

The journey began firstly with a guide to the North-South Highway from the immigration checkpoint. And along the way, the iPAQ rx5000 shows real time information, like my current speed and which direction I should stay on.

Not only that, it even shows which highway I am travelling on, the next interchange and how far more to my next set of route.

Suffice to say, it brought me to my destination without a hitch. Now, if only the iPAQ rx5000 comes with a speed-camera detector, I probably won’t be booked at Ayer Keroh!

The iPAQ rx5000 is also very useful in helping to navigate me around the roads of Kuala Lumpur that can be quite puzzling at times.

The HP iPAQ rx5000 Travel Companion includes:

- Samsung ® SC32442 400 MHz processor
- 3.5-inch (75mm) Transmissive QVGA colour with LED backlight, power save mode and anti-glare coating
- 4 software programmable AP buttons, 9-way navigation pad and two dedicated software buttons
- 64 MB SD-RAM main memory for running applications, up to 2 GB flash ROM and 500 MB to 1.5 GB user available persistent storage
- Removable / rechargeable 1700 mAh Lithium-ion user replaceable battery
- Integrated wireless (WLAN 802.11 b/g and Bluetooth)
- Integrated SiRFstarIII GSC3F
- Microsoft ® Windows Mobile ® 5.0 for Pocket PC with Security Feature Pack
- HP Quick Launch, WorldMate Standard Edition, HP Photosmart Mobile software
- IPAQ wireless software with TODAY Screen plug-in
- Integrated microphone, speaker, and one 3.5mm headphone jack with stereo earphone output.

Every package includes the HP iPAQ rx5000 Travel Companion, lithium-ion 1700 mAh removable battery, AC adapter, mini-USB synchronization / charge cable, car-charger, car holder, windshield mount, slip case and a documentation kit.

The HP iPAQ rx5000 Travel Companion retails at S$699, and is now available at all authorised HP retailers. If you were to ask me, it’s really a value-for-money buy, considering just how feature-packed and operationally simple it is. Think of all the convenience the iPAQ rx5000 brings you…

Credits: Text and Photos by Azfar Hashim