HP wants a piece of the smartphone market. No, not a tiny sliver, but a massive slice that other people at the party think is probably a little too much for one person.
The release of the iPaq Voice Messenger and the iPaq Data Messenger handsets are there to do just that.
It's not targeting this one at consumers, that's too negative. Nor does it want to get bogged down with pro users, either, because they're too niche and boring. So step up the ProSumer (intercaps added for effect), the man / woman on the street who wants a bit of everything.
Well, if they pick up one of these two handsets they'll be getting a fair whack of tech to play with: 3.1MP cameras, Windows Mobile 6.1, and the Data Messenger packs a 2.8in QVGA touchscreen to boot.
Connectivity
The Data Messenger also comes with Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth and 3.5G HSDPA connectivity, which measures up nicely against the rest of the smartphone competition.
Oh, and did we mention about the QWERTY keyboard that's hidden underneath? We didn't? Well, you're in for a surprise... it's got a QWERTY keyboard that slides out from under the screen.
But what of the Voice Messenger? Is it the little brother that would be OK emotionally if it didn't have an over-bearing, over-achieving brother to compete with?
Yes, yes it is. It's got no touchscreen, so will not feel the warm push of fingers over its face. It's got no slide out QWERTY keypad, so won't ever be able to wrap itself up in a cocoon of letters.
And not only that, it's only £60 cheaper than the Data Messenger. Both are due out in November, with the larger handset coming in at £399 SIM-free, and the Voice Messenger wobbling along at £333.
