Smartphone/PDA watch thread!

[Kid_Eternity]

Seeing as threads about PDA/hybrid phones (otherwise known as smartphones) come up on here regularly I figure an ongoing thread might be fun!

This week’s new phone that caught my attention is the i-Mate K-JAM. It has three things that make it a real temptation for me (I’ve been humming and ahhing over getting one for months now but never can quite find what I want); it aint too big, it has WiFi and it has a slide out keyboard! Check it out!

Operating System: Windows Mobile 2005
Wireless LAN: 802.11b/g
EDGE: Yes
GSM/GPRS: Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
Bluetooth: Yes
Camera: Yes (1.3 megapixel)
Memory Slot: Mini SD

 

[Piers Gibbon]

yeah my treo 270 has now died so I am looking around too

I was hoping to stay Palm as I'm a Mac-user

but the Treo 650 is not wi-fi enabled....

hmmm how much would I use wi-fi I wonder...and does the wi-fi free Skype calls thing really work on a mobile??

I mean I have a wifi network at home but am unlikely to use that to surf or call...

and the Mb charges for my email use on the old treo were never scary

One thing occurs to me - I would like to ne able to upload photos from the phone to my website..hmm that would definitely cost a bit of Mb chargeage

hmmmm...still thinking (and using an old t610 while I wait)

 

[Kid_Eternity]

hmmm how much would I use wi-fi I wonder...and does the wi-fi free Skype calls thing really work on a mobile??

As far as I know you can get Skype on a windows based PDA or smartphone running.

I mean I have a wifi network at home but am unlikely to use that to surf or call...

I surf from my PDA all the time all over the house (reading news, email or posting on Urban75 while lounging on my bed!), very cool to not have to lug a laptop about or be bound to a desk.

 

[WWWeed]

That HTC wizard is really ugly compared to the old one:

(by the way thats the HTC Magician)
and I think my M2000 (HTC blue angel) looks better:

Anyway the one you want to watch is the HTC Universal:

 

[Kid_Eternity]

I don't think its ugly at all but yeah the new HTC (re-branded the XDA Exec for O2) is nice but too big...

 

[Bob_the_lost]

Since this thread is here, i might as well use it:

I want a PDA that can run Skype and general other internet apps, phone function is optional, any ideas? (Budget options prefered)

 

[Kid_Eternity]

This rumour is doing the rounds right now but now a website has surfaced claiming to have inside knowledge on the look and specs of Sony Ericsson's successor to the P910i: link

Oh yeah and if you fancy believing this dodgy looking site you'll be pleased to hear it will have WiFi!

Dimensions:
5.5 x 10.5 x 2.0 cm
(P910 is: 5.8 x 11.5 x 2.6 cm)

Screen:
Type: TFT LCD, touchscreen (source)
Dimensions: 4.5 x 6.0 cm
(P910 is: 4.2 x 6.4 cm)
Resolution: 240 x 320 pixels (QVGA), 262 K colours

Network:
UMTS
Tri-band GSM (GSM 900 / GSM 1800 / GSM 1900)
GPRS
Wi-Fi (confirmed!)

Camera:
Front camera for videophone (probably)
Back camera with 2 MegaPixels resolution (1632 x 1224 pixels), CCD (probably)
Autofocus, Macro (probably)

Input:
Flip closed, there's a 5-way button and 2 rocker buttons. Top portion is for virtual keys (displayed on screen), bottom left is return (U arrow sideways) and right is C. Like the the previous models, the flip can be opened and dismantled.
Flip open, touchscreen plus a qwerty keyboard in the body of the phone, similar to the P910 keyboard but with larger keys.
The jog-dial is smaller than the P910's.

Processor:
Philips Nexperia™ Mobile Multimedia Processor PNX4008 (source)
208 MHz speed (probably)
Processor specifications - NOT phone specifications
Full specifications (PDF)
Key features
• Unique architecture for unprecedented multimedia performance
- ARM9 processor in 90-nm CMOS technology running at 208 MHz
- Dedicated accelerators for video, audio, graphics, and security
subsystems to provide optimized performance and reduce power
consumption
• High-resolution imaging
- Still image capture up to 4 MegaPixels
• Video record/playback
- Simultaneous H.263, MPEG-4 encode/decode of streams up to
CIF resolution at 30 fps
• Video telephony
- Full-duplex, low-latency video encode/decode mode
• Enhanced audio/music
- Dedicated DSP for all audio activities
- Integrated stereo DACs and ADCs
• 3D gaming
- OpenGL-ES compliant 3D graphics accelerator
• Security
- PKI, Symmetric and Hash Coprocessors
- Random Number Generator with fuses for key generation
• Space-saving LFBGA320 package

Operating System:
Symbian OS 9.1
UIQ 3.0

Synchronization:
New ActiveSync system like, licensed from Microsoft.

 

[fractionMan]

Networks with full internet access confusion

I want to upgrade my phone/move networks and I'm finding the info I get from various shops to be next to useless.

Basically, I want a phone and network that has access to the entire internet. This seems to confuse most salespeople who can't get their heads around it, to the poijnt where one says one thing and another says the opposite. One bloke told me that internet access is free on 3, another said that it's resticted to 3's website only. One said that the nokia 6680 can access the entire internet wheras another said it couldn't.

Can the u75 collective enlighten me as to which networks allow this, which phones allow this and how much it might cost?

 

[Piers Gibbon]

well I can access the whole internet on the treo 270 on o2 for a start


newsflash...have just found that someone has made an accessory for the new treo 650 that allows full wifi hotspot use

a bit chunky

http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=120505

 

[Kid_Eternity]

That's not too bad! Although tbh i'd rather wait for the windows based 670 edition (rumoured to have full WiFi built)...

 

[Kid_Eternity]

More shots of the new "P1000":

http://hermione.cogia.net/

Link

 

[Kid_Eternity]

The HTC Wizard has been rebranded by O2 as the XDA mini and coming out in Germany around October! Hopefully this means we'll see it in the UK this side of Christmas. I'm less than impressed with the CPU on it though; it's a measly 200mhz which as far as I know isn't suficient to run Skype (from what I gather Skype mobile needs around 3/400mhz to run properly or at all)...but saying that it's still a cool smartphone (built in Wifi!) which means dumping my phone/PDA set up once and for all! Article

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Interesting stuff on what makes a smartphone a smartphone here.

 

[pinkmonkey]

My next upgrade is due in November.
I want a phone /pda that is wifi enabled/that I can run skype on and that has a 2m pixel camera.
Don't want much do I ?
If it makes the tea, then even better!

 

[Kid_Eternity]

My next upgrade is due in November.
I want a phone /pda that is wifi enabled/that I can run skype on and that has a 2m pixel camera.
Don't want much do I ?
If it makes the tea, then even better!

Mine contract hits twelve months next week! The one I posted above is as close to what you're asking (also what I want ) that I can find.

 

[the B]

KE, which one are you recommending to pinkmonkey? XDA or iMate?

I'm looking for something similar (and even though I'm on a Mac, I can sort out software for PocketPC to Mac - will have to double check it is compatible with the correct unit though!)

 

[Kid_Eternity]

KE, which one are you recommending to pinkmonkey? XDA or iMate?

I'm looking for something similar (and even though I'm on a Mac, I can sort out software for PocketPC to Mac - will have to double check it is compatible with the correct unit though!)

The XDA mini.

 

[pinkmonkey]

The XDA mini.

<makes notes>

 

[Kid_Eternity]

I should say to be fair that i'm no authority on PDAs/smartphones! I've just read alot and i'm sure there'll be other smartphone/PDA users on here that could give their views on what makes a good smartphone etc.

 

[the B]

What isn't so good about the iMate K-JAM?

 

[the B]

I should say to be fair that i'm no authority on PDAs/smartphones! I've just read alot and i'm sure there'll be other smartphone/PDA users on here that could give their views on what makes a good smartphone etc.

Got my trust though

 

[Kid_Eternity]

What isn't so good about the iMate K-JAM?

I like it the only thing that causes me concern is the cpu is a bit slow (200mhz) compared with my current PDA which as a 400mhz cpu. The only thing, as far I can tell, this would cause problems with would be running skype...

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Got my trust though

Heh, cheers!

 

[the B]

I like it the only thing that causes me concern is the cpu is a bit slow (200mhz) compared with my current PDA which as a 400mhz cpu. The only thing, as far I can tell, this would cause problems with would be running skype...

I've read reviews saying it can not skype.

So, when is this XDA mini out?

I was thinking of getting the XDA with 3G (meant to be out already but when I went into an O2 shop, they said they won't have units til mid October).

You can read a review by some dude called Mike Slocombe (who? )

http://digital-lifestyles.info/display_page.asp?section=platforms&id=2461

 

[the B]

In fact, I'm going to PM him about this.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

I've no idea about the XDA mini release date, it's rumoured to be out in Germany in October which seems to get these things a few weeks before we do but nothing official yet. I have heard it can do skype, it can't do it, it can just about manage it so couldn't say whether it's true or not (although like I say 200mhz seems a bit slow for it from what i've read)...

Yeah the XDA Exec looks fecking cool and I was seriously thinking about getting one and even though the size didn't put me off too much the existance of the XDA Mini has put me off!

 

[the B]

What will be the main differences between the Exec and mini?

I feel like a n00b here

 

[Piers Gibbon]

er so is anyone actually using a smartphone/pda right now to make free, decent quality calls over the net via a wireless hotspot?

or are we waiting for the next batch to be able to do this?

 

[pinkmonkey]

er so is anyone actually using a smartphone/pda right now to make free, decent quality calls over the net via a wireless hotspot?

or are we waiting for the next batch to be able to do this?

Someone I used to work with in China has a pda and I've seen him use skype on it, but they are a bit more forward with that kind of thing than we are.........

 

[Kid_Eternity]

What will be the main differences between the Exec and mini?

I feel like a n00b here

Apart from size and look? Specs and generation; the Exec is a more powerful device and is 3G only where as the Mini is slightly less powerful and a 2G phone.