With names like HP iPaq 612 Business Navigator and iPaq 212 Enterprise Handheld, the computer giant has decided to make the names of its new range of handhelds very informative--which is kind of like buying a pack of diapers named Pampers Mess Preventor. We got a quick hands-on with the 612 during its Asian launch--here are our initial thoughts.

Pros

The last PDA-phone from HP was the iPaq rw6828. This was over a year back and was a contemporary of the O2 Xda Atom. The announcement of the iPaq 612 marks the company's first device with 3G and HSDPA. This new handheld also comes with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a GPS chip for navigation.

With a 520MHz Marvell PXA270 processor, the 612 won't lag behind in the speed factor, too. It also comes with 128MB of RAM for running applications, a plus point for multitaskers who always have many programs running in the background.

A numeric keypad under the display makes it look like a regular mobile phone. With good text completion software, this will also make the 612 good for one-hand texting.

In our conversations with an HP spokesperson, he revealed that a non-camera variant will be available, too, soon after the stock version is released. This is crucial for a small group of users who work in organizations that have very strict policies regarding cameras on mobile phones.

Cons

A raised circular line is found on the 612's numeric keypad. This touch-sensitive portion allows scrolling just by moving the thumb around, somewhat like the iPod music player's controls. While innovative, we are not too sure if it will be a useful feature. For one, there is no way to select an item once you have scrolled to it because the center of this circle is the 5 button, not a selector. With a regular directional pad commonly found above the keypad, pressing down on it usually selects an item.

Our issue with the 612's smart touch wheel is made worse by its alternative scroller, a jog dial on the left edge. Pressing down on this selects an item, but in our short time with it, we found this navigation option too recessed to be effective--especially for those with fat thumbs.

Bottomline

The HP iPaq 612 Business Navigator will arrive in stores from Q4 2007. It will be priced from US$599 for the basic model. A bundle with map software and car kit will also be available for slightly more.