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Hewlett-Packard unveiled its next-generation Pocket PC Phone, the iPAQ hw6500 (also known as the Mobile Messenger), a couple months ago. Since then, many pundits have supposed Cingular Wireless would be among the first wireless operator's to deliver the new smartphone in the United States.

Why? Because Cingular is the only carrier capable of fully supporting the hw6500's highly publicized 3G EDGE radio. The operator has, by far, the most widely deployed EDGE network in America.

Adding credence to the speculation are reports that Microsoft MVP (most valuable professional) Joe Schurman recently made available a PowerPoint document on his Web site that indicated the hw6500 would in fact be carried by Cingular. Schurman's credentials center around a specialty in the software giant's Windows Mobile platform for PDAs and smartphones.

Lack of an EDGE network, of course, shouldn't keep other operators in the U.S. and abroad from delivering the hw6500. Its GSM/GPRS radio should see to that.

These other carrier's subscribers simply won't be able to use the Pocket PC Phone at the high-speed bandwidths of about 100 to 135 kbps—for voice and data exchanges—supported by EDGE.

iPAQ hw6500
The iPAQ hw6500 is purportedly the opening salvo of a slew of new smartphones due for release this year from HP. Quite a bit of information about the new Pocket PC Phone has leaked since its introduction.

Here's what we know so far:

The hw6500 runs on Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition, Phone Edition, a 312 MHz Intel XScale processor, 64 MB of memory (46 MB available to the user), and an 8 MB File Store. Taiwanese original equipment manufacturer High Tech Computer (HTC) designed the smartphone.

In addition to GSM/GPRS and EDGE radios, the hw6500 also integrates a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver with NMEA (National Marine Electronics Association) standards support for navigation and other location services.

Even though the hw6500 lacks an external GPS antenna, HP asserts the Pocket PC Phone can still get good reception from satellites. Where that isn't possible, the device turns to cell phone tower triangulation to determine locations. It will bundle TomTom Navigator software with the ability to choose and download one free city map.

In an apparent change in strategy, the hw6500 incorporates a backlit QWERTY thumb-keyboard. While the company's first smartphone, the iPAQ h6315, shipped with a keyboard attachment.

It appears HP is responding to prospective customers who passed on the earlier model because the keyboard wasn't physically merged into the unit like with palmOne's Treo 650 or newer Pocket PC Phones (e.g. Sprint's Audiovox PPC-6601 and Cingular's Siemens SX66) that even have retractable keyboards.

The 4.7 x 2.8 x 0.8 inch (118 x 71 x 21 millimeter) and 5.8 ounce (165 gram) hw6500 integrates two memory card slots—one for Secure Digital cards and the other for miniSD cards. It also supports Bluetooth wireless, but not Wi-Fi like some other new and upcoming smartphones.

Interestingly, the Pocket PC Phone is the first handheld of its type with a square 240 x 240 pixel resolution display. The cellular-wireless handheld also has a 1.3-megapixel camera for 640 x 480 pixel pictures and video.

HP and a carrier partner could ship the hw6500 as soon as next month. Rumors say the smartphone may sell for around $600.