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For months, HP has been able to keep secret almost all the handhelds it has on its drawing boards, but in just the last few days the dam has burst. After multiple leaks of information, a fairly complete picture of all the 2004 iPAQs is available.

The latest unconfirmed information comes from MobileGadgetNews, which has been leaked the descriptions of no less than seven upcoming HP models.

Consumer Focused

Reportedly, the company will be releasing in July a trio of iPAQs targeted at consumers.

The first of these is currently known only by its code name, Eastwood. With its $229 price, this will be a bare-bones model. It will run Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition on a 203 MHz processor and include 32 MB of RAM and 32 MB of ROM. Its 3.5-inch screen will be QVGA. It will have a single SD slot, and it won't come with a cradle.

The next model coming in July will be code-named Gable. This iPAQ will include a built-in 1.3 megapixel camera. It will run Windows Mobile SE on a 300 MHz chip. Gable will offer 64 MB of RAM and 64 MB of ROM. Its 3.5-inch screen will be QVGA.

This Pocket PC will have Bluetooth wireless networking and a single SD slot that supports SDIO. It will be bundled with a cradle and will cost $399.

Finishing up HP's consumer-oriented models for this summer is an iPAQ code-named Monroe. It will be very similar to Gable except that it will include a 400 MHz processor, and it will add Wi-Fi. This model will sell for $500.

Supposedly, both Gable and Monroe will have the same form factor and have been designed to act as universal remote controls. They will come with software for this, and also have extra-powerful infrared ports.

Although the details currently aren't clear on this, both of these models will be able to record and playback MPEG video, suggesting they may be usable as digital video recorders.

The First VGA iPAQ

Mid-summer is going to be a busy time for HP, as it is also supposedly going to release the iPaq hx4700 in July. This will be the first iPAQ ever to include a 4-inch VGA display.

It will have plenty of other high-end features as well, like 128 MB of RAM and 64 MB of ROM. Of course it will use Windows Mobile SE.

The hx4700 will supposedly also sport both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless networking, as well as a CompactFlash slot and an SD/MMC slot that supports SDIO. It will come with a cradle.

This handheld will also include one other high-end feature: its price. It will sell for $649.

More information on the hx4700 is available in this article.

Coming this Fall

Expected in November is the iPAQ rz1700. This will run Windows Mobile SE on a 316 MHz processor. It will include 64 MB of RAM and 64 MB of ROM.

This model is shaping up to be the replacement for the iPAQ h2210. Like this current model, the rz1700 will have dual memory card slots: CompactFlash and SD/MMC. It will also have a 3.5-inch QVGA screen and Bluetooth.

This Pocket PC, which will be bundled with a cradle, will sell for $349.

Also coming in November is the iPAQ hx2700, which will include a biometric fingerprint scanner.

This Windows Mobile SE device will include 128 MB of RAM and 128 MB of ROM. Half of this ROM space will go towards a 64 MB file store. It will use one of the new XScale processors running at 624 MHz.

The hx2700 will offer both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, as well as a CompactFlash slot and an SD/MMC slot that supports SDIO. It will be bundled with a cradle.

According to MobileGadgetNews, this model will include only a 3.5-inch QVGA screen. This contradicts another source, which said that all models whose names begin with "hx" will have VGA screens.

The iPAQ hx2700 will sell for $549.

And One Cellular-Wireless Model

The first cellular-wireless HP device expected to hit the market is named the iPAQ h6310, about which rumors have been circulating for months. This Pocket PC will be focused on communication, and it will also include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

It is the only upcoming iPAQ that will run the original version of Windows Mobile 2003, not the Second Edition, though an update is expected a few months after the device is released.

The exact pricing and release date for this device depends on the wireless carriers who will be offering it.

More information on the h6300 series is available in this article.

Readers should be aware that none of this information has been confirmed by HP. In any case, all of the models are months away from release, and the prices and specifications of the handhelds that actually hit the market could be different.

Related Links

• Brighthand Reviews Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition
• Brighthand Reviews the Dell Axim X30