HP Peps Up iPaq Smartphones For Mobile WorkersHP Peps Up iPaq Smartphones For Mobile Workers

Hewlett-Packard rolled out a pair of Windows Mobile-powered smartphones that it hopes can snag some business users away from their BlackBerry devices.

The iPaq Data Messenger has a 2.8-inch touch screen with an LED backlight, and it has a slide-out full QWERTY keyboard. The smartphone is meant for the mobile professional who wants to handle corporate e-mails and documents on the go.

Powered by Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, the Data Messenger comes with mobile versions of Microsoft Office and Outlook, as well as other business software from HP. The smartphone has integrated Wi-Fi for browsing the Web or accessing e-mails, and people can also use HSDPA 3G networks for a maximum downlink speed of 7.2 Mbps.

A GPS chipset is built in, and this can be used in conjunction with cellular data services for assisted GPS services like turn-by-turn navigation and location-based services. There's also Bluetooth version 2.0, expandable memory via a microSD slot, and instant messaging support.

The Data Messenger can use the mobile version of Windows Media Player for audio and video playback. There's also a 3.2-megapixel camera that has flash, autofocus, and is capable of recording video.

The iPaq Voice Messenger packs many of the same features as the Data Messenger, but it opts for a different form factor. The candy-bar Voice Messenger has a 20-key keyboard on its face, and the lack of a slide-out keyboard makes it thinner than the Data Messenger.

The Voice Messenger has Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard, and it sports a smaller, non-touch screen. But the smartphone retains the Wi-Fi, assisted GPS, 3G, corporate software, multimedia, and Bluetooth features of the Data Messenger.

The HP smartphones are expected to be out in November, and may be sold unlocked. The company did not announce what the price would be.