HP iPAQ 510 Voice Messenger review

We're used to seeing handhelds and other mobile devices from HP, but the iPAQ 510 Voice Messenger (£187 inc. VAT) is only the second smartphone we've seen from the manufacturer.

On first appearance, it looks like a regular mobile phone. The casing is finished conservatively in black and silver. It's light, weighing in at 102g. The display measures 2-inches, and is bright and colourful. It's not large or sharp by smartphone standards, and the start page looks cramped.

Look beneath the casing, however, and the Voice Messenger is packed with technology. Windows Mobile 6.0 is in place, and brings with it some welcome features. The email wizard is particularly good, and it's as easy to set up your email account as it is on a BlackBerry. Push email is included, allowing your emails to be delivered and received with minimal delay.

As the name implies, functions can be carried out by voice. These include checking your email without pressing a button, accessing appointment details or ringing your contacts. The OS also brings Microsoft's Office Mobile suite to the mobile phone platform. With no QWERTY keypad in place, and with the small display, we wouldn't want to create long documents. It did come in handy for editing the odd Word or Excel file, however.

The inclusion of a Wi-Fi adapter is also a welcome feature. Once connected to a wireless network, you'll be able to use VoIP to stay in touch with the office for free. A camera is built into the rear of the device, although the resolution of 1.3-megapixels doesn't give particularly good photographs. Battery life is also unremarkable, lasting for two days between charges.

Although it would benefit from a QWERTY keypad and a larger screen, the Voice Messenger is an impressive device. We found it responded quickly in everyday use, and the range of features on offer belies its small size.