It has been a year since HP announced the iPaq 912 Business Messenger. Between then and now, companies like HTC, Samsung and, most notably, Apple, have released and started selling numerous devices which have all received quite a bit of attention. While the specifications of the 912 seemed above average last year, the fact that it's only available now makes it seem a little dated. What has changed though is the design, but unfortunately, we didn't think it was for the better.

Design

When it was announced, the 912 was completely black. If you look at the comparison image, you will notice that HP has added silver edges and redesigned the buttons below the display. The chrome edges really don't work for the 912 as they take away from the business feel of this iPaq and make it look cheap. This is further exacerbated by the overly glossy black plastic around the screen and keyboard--a look usually reserved for more consumer-oriented devices.

The old design (left) compared to the new (right).

One good thing that has come out of the design change is the improved keypad. While the keys on the earlier design were more attractive, we lamented that they were hard to press. The present 912 keyboard is well spaced-out and each key's surface is curved so your fingers don't mistake one key for another. We did find the spacebar a little too narrow, but overall, it makes for a good thumb-typing experience.

The directional pad on the front is also quite effective. Nothing fancy there, but it just works fine. To complement it, there is also a scroll wheel on the right which can be depressed to select items, adding another option for those holding the device using the right hand. Aside from these, various shortcuts are found along the sides including a camera button on the right and volume control on the left. Also on the left are the microSD card slot and mini-USB port. These are protected by a rubber dust protector when you don't need access to them.

Around the back, the 912 has a black, soft-touch finish battery cover. Above that you'll find the 3-megapixel camera with an LED flash and a preview mirror for self-portraits.

We may not like the aesthetics of the 912, but one thing worth mentioning is the stylus. This is a telescoping variant that extends to the length of the device and isn't toothpick-thin like some others we've seen. It would have been better if it was heavier, but all things considered, this one is much better than many of the other styli around.

While the screen on the 912 has a standard QVGA (320 x 240) resolution, it has a diagonal size of 2.46 inches which we found too small for our liking. On the bright side, while other comparable Windows Mobile devices like the Palm Treo Pro and Samsung Samsung i780 opted for square screens, the 912's standard resolution display makes it easier when you want to install and use third-party applications.

Features

If you look at the specifications list of the 912, you'll see almost every connectivity option you need thrown in. It supports quad-band GSM and tri-band HSDPA so this PDA-phone will allow you to roam to most places. It also comes with Bluetooth 2.0 and Wi-Fi for connecting at wireless hotspots.

Additionally, the 912 has GPS built-in so you can do satellite navigation. What's more, HP provides a full copy of MapKing 2007 with the device for turn-by-turn navigation. Depending on which country you buy the device from, you may receive different maps in your bundle, so check with your local HP office regarding this.

We tested the GPS using Google Maps and found that it took quite long to get an initial GPS lock. This was quickly resolved when we ran the GPS Position Accelerator application and downloaded a data file which helps the device approximate where to find the GPS satellites. Getting the starting position was really fast from then on, and we found positioning to be fairly accurate.

The most successful Windows Mobile devices these days have software modifications which try to hide, well, the Windows Mobile interface. That's true in the Touch range of HTC PDA-phones and also in Samsung's handhelds. HP has traditionally provided small enhancements like a Task Manager you can access from the Home screen or even a little slider to adjust the screen's brightness. None of these are found on the 912. Aside from a few HP settings including an auto keyguard feature, the version of WM6.1 you find on this handheld is pretty much vanilla.

Performance

The battery found on the 912 is a massive 1,940mAh cell--one of the largest we have ever seen on any PDA-phone. We used the device for over three days. This included voice calls, some GPS use and a smattering of Wi-Fi surfing at hotspots. As usual, how long the device will remain powered depends on your own usage pattern, but most people should have no trouble making a full charge last for over a day.

Voice quality and reception were hits and misses for us. While the other party could hear us clearly, we noticed a slight hollowness in voices when listening to them. Also, moving from a place with poor reception to one that was all right, the phone took some time to get back on the cellular network. Note that this handheld doesn't do video calls.

A 416MHz Marvell processor is found in the 912 along with 128MB of RAM. Applications ran smoothly though it did become sluggish on some occasions, especially when the GSM radio was trying to get back on the network.

Conclusion

Now for the worst part: It costs S$1,299. This price is astronomical compared to others like the Samsung i780 (S$828) and Palm Treo Pro (US$549). Even if it did cost the same as the other devices, the unexciting design and lackluster features don't make it very appealing at all. HP doesn't quite deliver with the iPaq 912, so we'll have to say skip it and go for an alternative from one of the other brands instead.