If you haven’t been to the HTC website lately you might want to pay them a visit. Over the past few days HTC have re-launched their website and with a much nicer, more streamlined feel to it.
I also noticed that all of the handset pages have been updated with new images and writeups along with a list of stockists in each country.
Definitely worth a look!
Posted by: Matt
[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, iPAQ, HTC]
The 10 second review:
Device: MWg (O2) Atom life
Cost: SIM free: £199.95
On Contract : £0
Available from: O2 as the Atom , eXpansys
Summary: Budget Windows Mobile Professional Device, with masses of storage and surround sound for annoying your fellow bus passengers, a bit bling looking but with a great radio application.
Note: the pre-release review device I had access to had some stability issues which made the review process rather difficult. However other users I have spoken to have not experienced this so I could have just been unlucky – feedback welcome.
Best of: on board storage capacity, Radio Application, 3G.
Worst Of: cheap finish, stability issues in review device.
Ho hum: finish is a fingerprint magnet.
The Full Review
MWg is an emerging brand in the mobile market, formerly O2 Asia’s mobile device business (until Telefonica disposed of it) with an investment from our friends at Expansys the existing management team took over the established atom brand and have since added devices known by the unpronounceable moniker UbiQUiO.
I’m not sure quite what target market O2 Asia had in mind with the atom, We have a touch screen windows mobile 6 professional device, with a whizzy processor and massive Onboard storage at 1 Gbyte (about 800 Mbytes of which is available when you take into account the standard loadout) it’s almost pretty enough to be a desirable consumer device but looks businesslike and yet it has ‘surround sound’ via built in speakers and a great FM radio system which are surely personal applications not business ones.
Environment
The atom had a full workout in my regular business environment connected to exchange 2003 via exchange activesync; I used the atom as my primary portable device for around two weeks.
MWg Atom Life Specification
The MWg Atom Life comes well presented in an attractive box, the design of which is similar to the current HTC offering. You can see what’s in the box by watching Matt’s Atom unboxing video.
Highlights:
On Board Storage: a Gbyte of onboard storage which when you add a 2 Gbyte MiniSD card and you have oodles of space
3G: becoming more commonplace but still worthy of mention, 3g means that you can talk and receive emails at the same time.
Speed: in everyday use the Atom fair whizzes along the 624 MHz PXA XScale processor is a match for most handheld tasks.
No Lights:
Cheap Finish: the atom is a bit plasticy, and the gloss black case is a real fingerprint magnet, to add to the general feel of cheapness the button icons on the silver detailing band around the device lack definition, they look like the they’ve been quickly painted over. Bit of a shame really. It’s not helped by the hastily stuck on MWg logo used to obscure the printed O2 one.
Lowlights:
Stability: on several occasions during the review I had relatively long periods without interruption and I’d look at the atom to find that it had turned itself off without warning as I indicated at the start this experience differs from almost everyone else I’ve spoken to so I’d like to hear from other Atom users with good or bad experiences.
REVIEW
Despite my reservations about the glossy finish the Atom Life is actually not a bad size nor is it unattractive per se, the poor finishing is a little irksome but overall the device is similar in size to the well loved imate JAMin.
Form Factor
The Atom’s form factor is actually pretty good the device seems sturdy and follows a pretty standard pattern
Power, stylus and MiniSD card slot at the top
Video / camera button and record button to the right (my only criticism is that the two buttons are quite close to each other and the camera button is a bit fiddly.
Volume up and down to the left and an IrDA port
As you’d expect the 3G video calling camera is positioned on the top right of the device. You can see here the on/off legends poor definition, a bit of sloppy embossing spoils the finish.
And miniUSB, reset button and headphone / FM aerial jack on the bottom notice how much better the etched legends appear here, I wish MWg had used this technique everywhere rather than the sloppy embossing
The facia button arrangement is pretty good although the soft keys are a tad fiddly more suited to stylus than finger. You can see the ‘loudspeakers’ in this view as well but more of that later. The bottom right key gives access to O2 media plus which is a media library application more evidence of a consumer target audience.
The back has the 2 Megapixel camera with strobe flash, self portrait mirror and a very conspicuous logo
Overall the Atom seems reasonably well manufactured a little prone to finger marks. I’m not a fan of the finish and the branding seems a little clumsy but a pretty good package overall
Connectivity
The Atom does offer both, Bluetooth; and IrDA. For file transfer and peripheral connection from a network perspective the Atom is tri band (dual UMTS 1900/2100 and GSM) and supports GPRS and HSDPA at up to 3.6 Gbps the onboard WiFi supports both 802.11 b & g.
The wireless manager is a little more intuitive than the standard application and a lot prettier
The Atom has a great FM radio application built in that supports RDS, traffic and news and as usual it will only operate if the headset if plugged in, you need to remember this when recording.
Operation
The fast processor and ample RAM mean that the Atom are reasonably fast, navigation is zippy and regular applications run well without problems.
MWg claim a standby battery life of 200 hours, I tend to charge devices a lot more often that this so can’t really vouch for this, I did however get reasonable talk time with about three hours of 2G calls with WiFi and Bluetooth activated.
Configuration
The Atom is a pretty standard PDA arrangement seems fairly well balanced and weighted and holds no real surprises the only unusual feature is the relatively large area of the fascia devoted to speakers
Applications
The Atom includes the standard windows mobile 6 application set you do get windows live and live messenger included in the build and mobile remote desktop all of which are useful. You also get Office Mobile in its entirety and Clearvue’s PDF viewer in the standard build.
There are three applications that stand out, the FM radio, the equaliser & SRS surround sound control panel and media plus.
The FM radio includes full RDS so you can see the station name and a description of the content.
You can set up a series of presets, the radio supports traffic announcements and best of all you can make use of that memory by pre recording your favourite stations, you need to ensure you have the headset / FM aerial plugged in or the application won’t start.
The app is reliant on you being in the right area at the time as you set frequency rather than RDS preset but it’s a useful feature
Mediaplus gives access to your media files and also to the
settings menu which is where you can configure your SRS surround sound settings
There’s a graphic equaliser
SRS surround sound
And trubass……
I’m not looking forward to sharing a bus with someone who owns one of these and has a lack of consideration for other passengers, I suppose the saving grace is that the loudspeakers are actually loud enough to hear and the trubass takes the tinny edge of the playback
Stability
This is the tricky area, I had a bit of a bad experience with the Atom, on a couple of occasions it turned itself off in my pocket, I’m not sure why and this seems a bit at odds with the experiences of others, so I’d like to hear if anyone else has had similar or dissimilar experiences.
Overall Assessment
Overall the Atom represents excellent value for money, at sub £200 SIM-free it’s a steal, there are a few things I’d change, the finish being the main one. However, overall the device is a well rounded PDA smartphone with some interesting applications.
Review by: Alasdair
[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, MWg, MWg Atom Life]
We’ve reviewed a few Lumix cameras in the past and this is the latest Lumix DMC-LS80 digital compact camera from Panasonic.
All new Lumix cameras incorporate a REC/PLAYBACK mode switch. This helps the photographer to instantly switch between recording mode and playback mode. The GUI (Graphic User Interface) has been upgraded to look more futuristic in terms of design and colour. The view screen also looks wider and clearer because all icons have been relocated to the sides.
Panasonic introduces a new Lumix digital camera, the DMC-LS80, that combines easy-to-use advanced functions and AA-battery operation convenience. A newly developed Lumix DC VARIO lens system with 3x optical zoom (equivalent to 33-100mm on a 35mm film camera) fits into its compact body and gives a clear, sharp clear image right to the edge of the picture. The CCD has been upgraded to 8.1-megapixel high resolution, so even after cropping, you will still have a high resolution picture. Both the external and internal design has been revised throughout to enhance the ease of operation.
At the heart of the DMC-LS80’s super-easy operation is a comprehensive Intelligent mode that combines four distinct features aimed at making it easy to capture perfect images. First is the Mega O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer), a system that helps eliminate blurring due to hand-shake. Second is the Intelligent ISO Control, a system that fights motion blur by detecting if the subject moves and adjusting the ISO sensitivity and shutter speed setting according to the degree of motion and light conditions. Thirdly, is the Auto Macro mode. The camera automatically switches to the Macro mode according to its shooting distance with the subject. The Quick AF system allows the camera to start focusing on the subject even without pressing a shutter button halfway, as the camera is continually detecting and focusing. All these functions act automatically, so you don’t have to think about them each time conditions change. You enjoy effortless, trouble-free shooting in any situation, as well as the satisfaction that comes with capturing beautiful photos.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS80 Specification:
Posted by: Mark
[Post tag(s): smartphone news, Pocket PC news, Tracy & Matt, panasonic, LS80, Digital Camera]
Until the launch of the HTC TyTN II back in September 2007, my phone of choice was the Samsung i600. I liked the integrated keyboard and slim form factor but the one thing missing was built in GPS.
However, Samsung recently released the i780 which looks like an updated version of the i600 but has built in GPS!
In reality the Samsung i780 is an all-new device. First of all it uses WM6 professional, so there is an integrated 320×320 pixel touchscreen. The CPU clocks at 624MHz and there’s 256MB ROM and 128MB RAM. The i780 also has a new “optical joystick” for navigating through the OS.
So can the Samsung i780 turn me away from my TyTN II? I’ll discuss this and all the new features in the review which will be here soon. For now though, here is our unbox video:
Samsung i780 specification:
Posted by: Matt
[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, Samsung, i780]
The HP iPAQ 614 has been subject to a number of delays over the past few weeks but thanks to our friends at Clove Technology we finally have one to review.
I haven’t had much time to use the 614 as yet but my initial thoughts are that this is a well designed and built device which looks attractive and seems to perform well. I have to say, however, that it is a lot bigger than I expected it to be, I thought it would similar to the HTC S730 but in terms of size it’s slightly larger than the TyTN II!
We’ll be working on the review over the next week or so but until then, here is our unbox video:
HP iPAQ 614 Specification:
EDIT: As per comments below, I’m sorry I didn’t power the device up in this video but the 614 arrived only a few hours before I left for Paris and the battery was totally flat when I unboxed. I wanted to get the video live before I left rather than no video at all so I’ll record another video when I get back to show you the OS and GUI.
EDIT (again): The review is now LIVE.
Posted by: Matt
[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, iPAQ, HP]
More SanDisk news from CeBIT, this time SanDisk announces their new 16GB industrial grade CompactFlash card for Mission-Critical Mass Storage Applications.
The 16GB CompactFlash 5000 Meets Next Generation Demands for High Capacity and Performance in Harsh Operating Conditions.
The full SanDisk news release:
SanDisk Corporation today announced it is doubling the capacity of its CompactFlash 5000 flash memory cards for industrial markets. In addition to fast read and write speeds, the cards provide a high level of durability and reliability for mission-critical applications such as industrial PCs, medical instruments, military applications, point-of-sale (POS) equipment and gaming machines.
The new 16-gigabyte high-performance CompactFlash 5000 card was unveiled at CeBIT 2008, one of the world’s largest technology trade fairs, where it is on display at Booth D59 in Hall 26 of the Hannover exhibition center.
With twice the capacity of its 8GB CompactFlash introduced last spring, SanDisk’s 16GB flash card uses binary memory, designed by SanDisk specifically for mass storage applications, to achieve a sustained read and write performance of up to 30 megabytes (MB) per second. It supports a transfer mode of up to UDMA 4, an industry standard that enables high data transfer rates and includes performance boosters and on-the-fly error detection.
“There’s a substantial market for this type of industrial-strength card in mission-critical applications, especially those in harsh environments,” said Scott Deutsch, vice president of OEM sales and marketing for SanDisk. “In addition to providing high-performance and high-capacity, the CompactFlash 5000 is a mass storage solution that can be trusted to meet the demands of industrial users and applications.”
The 16GB CompactFlash 5000 uses SanDisk’s patented flash management technology — such as back block management, error detection and error correction code (EDC/ECC) — to provide data reliability, even in extreme temperatures that can range from -13 degrees to 185 degrees Fahrenheit (-25 to +85 Celsius). It is available in fixed or removable configurations.
In addition to the mass storage-specific flash memory chips, CompactFlash 5000 includes an intelligent controller that provides a high-level interface to the host computer. This controller manages data storage and retrieval, defect handling and diagnostics, power management and clock control.
Posted by: Mark
[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, Sandisk, Compact Flash]
CeBIT is now in full swing and today SanDisk announced their new effortless, automated backup device – FlashBack. In simple terms this is an ExpressCard adapter for your laptop PC that automatically and continuously backing up and encrypting critical data onto an SD card.
Check out the press release for more info:
You’re at a conference and someone spills coffee on your laptop PC, shorting out the system and cutting you off from your presentation and notes. Or your computer slips out of your hands and crashes to the floor. These are moments that everyone dreads, but today SanDisk Corporation unveiled a rescue option — a lifeline for laptop users called the SanDisk FlashBack Adapter. This unique device fits into the ExpressCard slot of your PC, automatically and continuously backing up and encrypting critical data onto an SD flash memory card.
Whether your PC suffers a system failure or a full hard drive crash, the SanDisk FlashBack Adapter allows you to access your content safely from the memory card. Designed for the millions of newer notebook computers that have an ExpressCard slot, the SanDisk FlashBack Adapter offers a reliable, easy-to-use system to protect critical files by copying them automatically and instantly to an optional SD or SDHC memory card of any capacity. And with the backup card nesting completely inside the laptop, the system is literally out of sight. Nothing protrudes from the PC and nothing needs to be attached to any other port.
The SanDisk FlashBack Adapter is being demonstrated this week at the annual CeBIT electronics show, at Booth D59, Hall 26 in the Hannover convention center.
To use the SanDisk FlashBack Adapter, purchase an SD or SDHC memory card of any capacity and slide the card with the adapter into your computer’s ExpressCard slot, where it can be left for continuous backup protection.
The adapter comes with easy-to-set up software for Windows-based laptops. Once installed, users pre-select backup sources by individual files, folders and/or file types. Then the device backs up and encrypts the user’s data, images, music and other files — automatically and continuously — from the computer’s hard drive to the memory card. Backup occurs as soon as there is a change to a designated file, or when a file is added or deleted. There is no need for scheduling backups and no need for further user intervention. Also, the application has a handy screen indicator to show the amount of storage available, along with a taskbar icon that displays the ongoing backup status.
Restoring individual files, complete folders or the complete set of backed-up data is easy. Just open the application, log in to access, select the encrypted files on the memory card and indicate the restore destination. Voila! — your critical files are back and they are within the same folder structure as the originals. Also, you can restore data from the memory card on any PC that uses Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Vista and has an SD memory card reader. The SanDisk FlashBack Adapter is not needed for this process.
“This is a ‘set it and forget it’ solution for every laptop user with an ExpressCard slot who wants to be protected from unintended data loss,” said Matthijs Hutten, SanDisk’s senior product marketing manager for accessories. “We all know that we should frequently make backups of our critical files. But most of us don’t get around to it because it seems like too much of an effort, or we simply forget to do it. This practical solution does the job and does it automatically. So if your PC suffers a breakdown, you can flash back to your latest files wherever you are. The SanDisk FlashBack Adapter truly gives you peace of mind.”
For protection against laptop theft and to easily share backed-up files, the SanDisk FlashBack Adapter also offers users an option for backing up content online. This service is provided by BeInSync Inc. for a nominal fee and in addition to local storage on an SD or SDHC memory card (more information at www.beinsync.com).
Posted by: Mark
[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, Sandisk, FlashBack]
Proving that there is more than one way to expand your Windows Mobile phone portfolio, Acer have announced that they have made E-TEN an acquisition offer which has been accepted.
With the financial clout of Acer, the worlds third largest laptop manufacturer, it likely that we’ll see good things from E-TEN in the coming months.
The official release:
E-TEN Information Systems has announced that it has accepted an acquisition offer from the world’s third-ranked PC vendor, Acer Inc. The deal is expected to accelerate the penetration of E-TEN’s products and services, including Glofiish-brand Pocket PC Phones, on a global level while enabling E-TEN to deliver more efficient local support to its existing customers.
The board of directors of E-TEN recently voted unanimously to accept a proposed acquisition offer made by Acer. The successful completion of the deal is not expected to impact the management structure of E-TEN, and the company will continue to deliver products and services at a quality its customers have come to expect.
“E-TEN’s proven success in bringing state-of-the-art products and business concepts to the consumer mobility sector, united with the Acer Group’s global infrastructure, will allow us to provide more efficient local support to customers, while at the same time further extending the footprint of Glofiish-brand products.” noted Simon Hwang, CEO, E-TEN.
E-TEN remains committed to the continued innovation of versatile connectivity solutions for mobile professionals and consumers, which has become synonymous with the Glofiish brand.
With the worldwide smartphone market estimated to grow by more than 30% by 2011, Acer plans to leverage E-TEN’s experience and expertise to enhance its competitiveness in the ultra mobile segment, by combining PC and communication technologies.
The acquisition is subject to standard closing conditions, including obtaining approval from shareholders and regulators, and is expected to close during third quarter 2008.
Posted by: Matt
[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Acer, E-Ten]
With the vast array of mobile phones on today’s market equipped with Windows Mobile, or other PDA software, can HP’s latest standalone PDA device compete? Will people really want to carry around several devices for contacts, calendars and calls?
Introduction
HP’s latest iPAQ, the 214, at first glance seems a step back to the original iPAQ days. A PDA Device running Windows Mobile 6 Classic, with all of the standard features you would expect from this operating system – Except, no SIM card or telephone support. HP have integrated full wireless and Bluetooth support into the device so the old days of connecting wires to your desktop may at least be over.
HP have stated to us that continued interest in this style of perhaps, traditional PDA’s are attracting new market areas where mobile phone connectivity is not required, such as the health marketplace covering hospital usage for example.
What’s in the box?
Once again, HP’s market brand is clearly in evidence with the box and packaging. You can see our full unboxing video HERE. User Guides and Software are first to come out of the box, revealing the pretty sizeable iPAQ 214 Enterprise Handheld. A pretty hefty 2,200AH battery should keep the device running for a while. A standard charger with multiple country options hooks up to the non-standard charging lead. The USB Sync cable included also has a connector for the charger so the device will not charge from USB alone.
Hidden right at the bottom of the box is the retro style carry case.
HP iPAQ 214 Specification:
General
A rather simplistic set of buttons and connectors adorns the very smart and well built HP 214.
To the top right of the device we have the power button.
The large screen 4 inch diagonal screen dominates the front of the case leading us down to the typical control keys
Shortcut keys either side of the main navigation control provide quick and simple access to common features such as Calander, E-Mail and Windows Shortcuts. The navigation pad allows standard control of the PDA and features.
The bottom of the phone provides the propriety charging and docking connector, as well as a mini USB for PC synchronisation. I never managed to get the device to charge from the USB connector alone and had to use the supplied docking cable and mains charger.
Many people however will be really pleased to see the full size standard 3.5mm headphone socket.
The top of the case hides a dual SD/CF socket allowing great expansion with devices or memory cards.
Interestingly, HP have also accommodated a small light sensor right next to the power switch which will automatically adjust the screen brightness depending on ambient light conditions.
On the left of the device is a solitary voice recording button.
The right side is home to nothing more than a reset button.
Highlights and Lowlights
Highlights
Lowlights
Review
The HP iPAQ 214 is a pretty sizeable PDA device with a massive 4 inch 640×480 resolution screen. It has certainly been manufactured extremely well and the looks and quality are superb – Very much a high end PDA device.
After unboxing the unit and charging for a while I played around with the customary interface and the stylus. I’m not convinced by the feel of the screen though. Whilst it undertakes stylus control very well, it feels like a thick bit of plastic and almost feels like it moves under the point of the stylus. (And yes…. I had taken off the protective cover!!). Many of today’s touch screens have a much nicer look and feel.
Hooking the device up to my WiFi connections was a breeze – HP certainly make connectivity a joy with all of their devices. Browsing the internet really has the device coming into its own though. The exceptionally sharp 640×480 display allows so much more of a web site to be visible and navigation becomes so simple. Looking at images, maps and text were great. Even better, the screen is more than bright enough to be viewed clearly outside.
What you also notice, certainly compared to many PDA Phones, is the speed of the device. I’m running my HTC Touch overclocked at 260, rather than 201mHz and it still seems mighty, mighty slow compared to the HP 214. The slowest of slow applications run so well making the device a dream to use.
As this is classed as an Enterprise device I thought I’d better test some of these features so I enabled Bluetooth on my laptop and ran through the HP configuration settings to hook the PDA to my laptop. As mentioned previously, HP are the King of connectivity on many of their devices. I was able to sync to my laptop within minutes and have my calendar and e-mails synchronising across the Bluetooth connection.
This is where I had to step back a little though. Bluetooth or wireless for synchronisation? It’s great when I’m sat in the office but on the road to be without synchronised mail unless I stop off at Starbucks just seems a little backward, especially for an “Enterprise” classified device.
If you want to view maps or anything when you are out and about you need to make sure you download them first or else you are going to have to use the Bluetooth connection on your mobile in order to access the internet.
The device has been fun to use though, with no real issues or major complaints. The button placement is great and, apart from my dislike of the feel of the screen, stylus control is precise and responsive. The really handy navigation buttons save stylus time, and some extra neat features like holding the buttons down for a few seconds will launch other shortcuts is well thought out and very useful.
Conclusion
I have to admit, I wasn’t overly looking forward to reviewing this device, the idea of a standalone PDA seemed very old school especially when my HTC Touch does all of this and has phone calls as well! I was however very impressed with the HP iPAQ 214.
I can also understand the market place HP are trying to attract, people may want to be able to go out and not be bombarded with e-mails such as your normal Windows Mobile or CrackBerry. There may be places such as hospitals where phones are not allowed, but simple access to internet via WiFi may be.
However, for an Enterprise device I just can’t help feel this has a restricted market sector.
If you are looking for a top of the range PDA and happy to carry your normal phone with you, this device is simply the best I have seen on the market. However, I for one will stick with my Windows Mobile device, which, although smaller and harder to view web pages, does everything I need in one nice small package.
Review by: John
[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, iPAQ, HP]
The nice peeps at Devicewire just dropped me a line to let me know that they have just recieved their first shipment of HTC Shift’s and that they have stock available! So if you want to get ahead of the crowd and beat the Jones’ then you can head over to Devicewire.com and order one today!
Where once you traded productivity for portability, now there is no need for compromise. Powerful enough to run Microsoft Windows Vista® on a large touch screen, the HTC Shift delivers functional clout in a sleek, lightweight design.
With the optimum blend of portability and functionality, HTC SnapVUE™ provides instant and easy access to critical information, such as your emails, calendar, SMS and contacts – even if the device is not switched on. There’s now no need to power up just to check your emails.
High-speed, always-on connectivity provides the ultimate in productivity and highest fidelity experience, no matter where you are.
The expansive 7-inch touch sensitive screen slides and tilts to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard, providing you with an uncompromised PC environment while working on the move.
Posted by: Matt
[Post tag(s): smartphone news, Pocket PC news, Tracy & Matt, Orange, HTC, HTC Shift, Microsoft Communicator]
Connect
Connect with us on the following social media platforms.