The only notable omission is Wi-Fi, but with GPRS, Bluetooth and a quad-band phone it isn’t much of a problem. However, this Labs is more focused on how good the unit is at navigating, even though it’s great at being a mobile office.

This month we tested it with the subscription-based Whereis Navigator software (http://navigator.whereis.com). With this you’re freed from uploading a map of where you’re going. Instead, the relevant map segments are downloaded over GPRS as you need them. It’s not cheap at $299 for 12 months ($149 if you register before 23rd December) and the ongoing cost of GPRS adds further to this. However, it works in whatever country you are going to, making it ideal for business travellers.

But in practice we were disappointed. Once each grid of map downloads your location marker moves to the edge of the screen before the next segment appears making it tricky to decipher at a glance. Plus, using GPRS as the remote server takes a while to recalculate a wrong turn. The roads are too small to see easily and it was more comfortable to use with simple icons which displayed a generic left turn diagram if you needed to turn left, for example especially on the small 3in screen. Other features missing include adding waypoints and areas to avoid. Still, the volume was impressively loud and instructions were clear.

Ideally, the real-time GPRS information would carry traffic information to assist in route calculation. Telstra has plans for such a service but it won’t appear soon and will add further expense.

While en route, you can use a Bluetooth headset for any voice phone calls, as holding a 70 x 117mm PDA to your ear isn’t only illegal but also not very stylish. Typing on the small thumb-board isn’t terribly easy, but it’s better than handwriting recognition.

The 312MHz Intel XScale processor keeps the 3D map scrolling along nicely, and we noticed very little sluggishness when launching and using applications.

With 12MB of flash ROM available there’s enough space to back up Pocket Outlook and more. The 64MB of integrated RAM is best left alone if you want responsiveness, so even though there are two memory slots it’s disappointing that no memory cards are included.

Considering there’s no car-mounting kit or power adaptor included and that only a onemonth Whereis Navigator subscription is included the hw6515 moves out of contention in this company. However, we can see many liking the HP’s extra features, especially if you need an allin- one for navigating, communicating and working while out of the office.