Windows Mobile Dream Machine

First off, I’d like to thank Hal Goldstein, the publisher of Smartphone & Pocket PC Magazine, for inviting me to join in the conversation of talented team of bloggers on the pocketpcmag.com website. For those curious about my background, I’ve been an avid computer and embedded systems technologist for over 25 years, have designed numerous applications for several popular desktop operating systems and Windows CE platforms and use a HP6315 iPAQ as my primary mobile communication device every day.

At the time I obtained the iPAQ almost three years ago, it represented the latest in multifunctional portable digital communication capabilities and has served me well all that time. I find it humorous how people are so enamored with seemingly magical, freshly released devices because they provide high quality audio and video playback, take photos and can connect to cellular phone and WiFi networks. This is something my trusty old 6315 has been doing since they day I purchased it.

Three years in the technology space represents eons on the evolutionary technology timetable and with the release of Windows Mobile 6, the time has come to pass along my long-time digital companion to my kids, just as I have with the mobile gadgets that came before it. As such, I’m hoping to score the same level of technical longevity and satisfaction with my future replacement as I have enjoyed with the iPAQ. Doing so will require the selection of an advanced Windows Mobile device far ahead of its time in terms of features and functionality and something that will repel technical obsolescence for at least three or more years. Here’s a short checklist of some of the requirements such an ideal replacement must supply:

• Quad-band (EDGE/GSM 850/900/1800/1900 and WCDMA 2100) voice and data communication.
• Hands-free voice navigation w/speakerphone.
• All the current WiFi standards (a, b, g); 802.11n would be a nice bonus.
• Bluetooth 2.0 with Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) and Audio/Video Remote Control Pofile (AVCP) support.
• Fast acquisition GPS, preferably with an extra onboard 512MB memory partitioned for flash memory storage of mapping data.
• QWERTY keyboard, either via detachable Bluetooth, clamshell or slide design.
• 3 megapixel or higher camera with flash and MP4 640x480 video capture and playback.
• Advanced graphics chip such as the nvidia GoForce for accelerated hardware video.
• Stereo speakers for high-fidelity audio playback.
• High resolution 800x400 VGA screen, preferably with an inconspicuous external output adapter for large screen application demonstration, presentations and video playback.
• And of course, running Windows Mobile 6 or higher ;-).

So does such a dream machine exist? If you know of one that meets are exceeds these specifications, I welcome your comments with URL’s pointing to the device either available today or expected to be released in the next few months. Also, I encourage you to post a comment describing your own dream machine. I’m looking forward to seeing the cutting edge configurations desired by like-minded Windows Mobile users!