iPaqs To Lead Wireless Charge For New Hewlett-Packard

Hewlett-Packard

Burke, formerly vice president of iPaq products and connected devices at Compaq Computer, said although the new combined company hasn't released specific road map information for the second half of the year, wireless will be a key focus. He also said the division plans to release a new device based on Intel's XScale technology, low-power processors for mobile and wireless applications.

Burke said he expects iPaq models to include integrated wireless capabilities by the end of the year. "What we will be doing is decreasing the overall size, and you won't have the need for expansion pack sleds," he said.

HP also is close to releasing its GSM/GPRS expansion pack in the United States, said Burke. The company is waiting for certification on U.S.-based carrier networks, he said.

The pack, which includes software that enables mobile users to make cell phone calls from an iPaq, is already on sale in Europe, he said. Although the pack isn't part of Microsoft's new Pocket PC Phone Edition release, expected to ship this summer, an HP spokeswoman said the product will be compatible with the new software.

Larry Mittag, vice president and CTO of mobile integrator Stellcom, San Diego, said he expects to see both 802.11b and 2.5G radios built into Pocket PC devices by the end of the year. "The 802.11 phenomenon is very important," he said. "Most wireless carriers are making investments in 802.11, either quietly or otherwise."

Burke added there will be additions to HP's developer program at the Pocket PC Summit, to be held in Philadelphia on May 28. Over time, he said, the new HP division will also seek to help solution providers obtain wireless activations from carriers.

"We would look to have a relationship with carriers for those resellers that do not have that," he said. "We need to be that conduit to help them sell product and wireless services or activations."

As part of the recently finalized merger between HP and Compaq, the handheld division moved under the HP umbrella while maintaining the iPaq name. That line will be rebranded the HP iPaq. This move was no shock to solution providers; iPaq has easily been the top-selling Pocket PC device in the industry.

HP plans to phase out the Jornada 500 and 560 Pocket PC devices, over the next six to nine months. The Jornada 720 clamshell product that uses Windows CE will remain but will be rebranded as an HP iPaq device, and Compaq's BlackBerry device will now be called the HP BlackBerry.