When it comes to PSAs I have always been an iPaq fan. They are well-built, reliable and just do the job very well. The good news for PDA users is that the new HP iPaq Windows Mobile 6 handhelds are in the shops at last. HP seems to have come up with something to suit everyone here. The range may appear a bit confusing, so here’s how it works:

The iPaq 114 Classic Handheld is the latest incarnation of the PDA. No phone, just a personal organiser with a lovely 3.5-inch screen. It runs Windows Mobile 6 Classic version (see my previous article on the different versions) and comes with both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and a SDIO slot so it’s got plenty of power if you’re happy with a separate mobile phone and only want to spend £145 + VAT.

Next comes the iPaq 214 Enterprise Handheld, which costs about £50 more than the 114. It also runs on the Classic version of the new operating system and also has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, but sports a massive 4-inch screen and both SD and CF card slots. Interestingly, HP state it has a planned three-year lifecycle, which must be aimed at corporate buyers because my old iPaq 2100 is still going strong after five years or so!

The phone-like iPaq 514 Voice Messenger is a smartphone (Microsoft Windows Mobile 6 for Pocket PC, Standard Edition) with Mobile Office applications, basic 1.3 MP camera, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. It comes with built-in Voice over IP client software, making it a very popular device with corporate buyers not keen to stray too far away from Microsoft applications but keen to harness new technologies both at base and out on the road. You can pick them up without a phone contract for around £150, so they’re not too expensive either.

Top of the range is the iPaq 614 Business Navigator, with the smallest (2.8-inch) screen but this one runs Windows Mobile 6 Professional, the version designed for smartphones with touchscreens. With a quad-band phone, GPS, 3 megapixel camera (in the 614c version) and media player system this is one powerful piece of kit, and at £296 + VAT it’s not too pricey.

The 300s and 400s are yet to come. A gap has been left to accommodate the iPAQ 300 Travel Companion, which will be available from January 2008. This is the only new device not using the new operating system and will run on Windows CE 5.0. However, it’s really just a smart sat-nav device. It features a high-definition landscape oriented 4.3-inch touch screen display and high-performance GPS with 3D mapping. It has quite a bit of power under the bonnet, being powered by Centrality Titan dual-core 600 MHz processor, and will come with HP Navigation software, Outlook Mobile, Bluetooth, SD card slot, Digital music player (with Windows Media DRM), digital video player, photo viewer and games. It also includes a mini USB port for syncing and charging anda car mount and charger.

Mention must be made of the white elephant of the current HP range, the inelegant iPaq hw6915 Mobile Messenger, a sort of fat BlackBerry running Windows Mobile 5.0 for Pocket PC Phone edition, with touch screen and full QWERTY keypad. Probably bought by executives whose employers won’t buy them a Blackberry.