Design:

To be honest, we are quite delighted to see a full touch bar from Samsung. Of course, all the Galaxy S phones are full touch bars, but the i9000 is somewhat different when it comes to design. It is sleek, glossy, has smoother edges, and more importantly, easy to hold. Speaking of edges and sleekness, the i9000 Galaxy S Smartphone measures about 64.2 mm wide, 122.4 mm high and just 9.9 mm deep. This is hence one of the slimmest phones in the recent past. This is also an incredibly light weight device since it weighs just about 118 grams, which is pretty low when compared to an average high end PDA in the market today. And since as discussed before, the device is completely full touch bar type, there is no room for a keyboard. The 4 inch display occupies most of the real estate and a couple of keys occupy the bottom most part of the front display. And that is the main thing which we liked about this device. Since it is aimed at vying the Apple iPhone, the odds are that its design could be the same, though it has got its own identity. The full touch bar form factor is a pretty good idea for a latest PDA device since things could then be easier for the users.  Since the design attracts most of the users, it looks like Samsung has taken full care of the design of the i9000 Galaxy S Smartphone.

Immersive Experience:

Yes. And such an immersive experience can be derived only from a display that is as awesome as the one you see on this device. 4 inch display, make no mistake, the i9000 Galaxy S Smartphone sports a whopping 4 inch display, of course, measured diagonally, and is capable of displaying some real good pictures for you. And the kind of display used here is not seen elsewhere, not even on Apple iPhone. The Super AMOLED display technology used by Samsung is the main weapon in their repertoire. Samsung boasts that it has the brightest AMOLED screen in the world today and it is used n the display of the i9000 Galaxy S. Standing for Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode, this AMOLED display is a super cool technology that can display some great visuals, but at the same time, it also protects your very important eyes from straining. And with such an excellent display mechanism, you can watch videos, movies, scroll through pictures, engross yourselves in gaming, enjoy reading plenty of eBooks, and do lots of similar stuff. We really enjoyed the vibrant colors and their vividness on the screen. Another important fact regarding the display which we observed was that the screen is non-reflective. This means that even when you are under the sun or some light source, you can still clearly see the screen and the elements on it, and not the reflections due to the light. This will also increase your comfort while watching videos and moreover, you can also shoot videos in daylight with clear understanding of what you are filming. We honestly have never seen so many utilities sported by a PDA’s display.

Features:

And here comes the most interesting topic of everyone when it comes to any PDA or a mobile phone. What are the new features? Are they awesome enough for me to go for it? How well have they managed in bettering their counterparts on some other similar devices? These are the questions that linger in the mind of an average purchaser, and this briefly explains what users expect from their devices. Since we have already loved the design and display of the i9000 Galaxy S, let us now move on to the features and see if they can match the best in the business. Hold on to your hats!

Ultimate Processing:

In order to outperform it competitors, Samsung had to introduce some of the latest and interesting features regarding the hardware. And there is no looking back when it comes to hardware on the i9000 Galaxy S PDA Phone. If you look at the kind of processing system the i9000 comes with, you would then understand the fact that Samsung has made a lot of effort to boost up the performance of its Galaxy S series mobiles. A 1 GHz processor, made by Samsung itself, is enough to show you the power of the i9000. Honestly speaking, most of the PDAs and high end mobile phones today come with processors ranging between 500 Hz to 800 Hz. Therefore, you can obviously sense that the i9000 Galaxy S Smartphone will really be smarter than its all counterparts and it is going to be faster and more accurate than many phones and PDAs you will find in the Market today. This is hence known as the ultimate processing mechanism from Samsung and this means that even many applications are opened at the same time, there would not be much pressure on the processor and you still see the device operate with a good pace. The device also will not get stuck up too many times even during heavy multitasking and this certainly is good news to all those business professionals who often multitask while they are on the go.

Android Platform:

This needs no introduction maybe. Android is certainly one of the most famous platforms in the world at present and is also lately being integrated into many devices and gadgets. We also know the fact that this is one of the most user friendly operating systems you will ever see in the market. The reason is, there are many apps and features that are simple to use, which make your tasks much year. One touch, and you will get what you want. And today there are more free apps from Android than from Apple. Hence you can visit the store, browse for apps and download for free, whichever app you wish to have on your device. It includes loads of internet add-ons, instant messaging, instant email, instant Google search, and instant access to YouTube videos. Using 3G on a device that has Android is even better. You can then browse the internet faster than ever before, send emails within no time, search faster, and stream videos at a high speed. And in case you need an even faster performance, you can use the Android Operating System, download new apps or create your own, and put them on your daily briefing screen. This will help you do your tasks quicker than ever before. Also when compared to the other operating systems existing today, like Apple’s Mac and Microsoft Windows Mobile OS, the Android is better performing and is also preferred by most of the users.

Daily Briefing:

Daily Briefing is a special feature introduced by Samsung for the Samsung Galaxy S series Smartphones and it allows you to choose the type and also the number of widgets you want to have on your screen. Daily Briefing helps in transforming your Smartphone into your personal secretary and helps you through updating and organizing your daily information. There is a stock of applications and features regarding Daily Briefing, which make your tasks easier. For example, the weather report and the daily headlines are displayed every morning and if there are any tasks scheduled for the day, they will appear on the screen. Also stuff like Emails, SMS texts, notifications, reminders, and pending tasks will be seen on the screen and this briefly is known as daily briefing. It briefly gives you all the things you need to know for the day and helps you go through your daily activities with ease and without forgetting them. You can never be absent minded if you have your i9000 Galaxy S Smartphone with you. We have also liked this aspect regarding the device since it reminds you of work and also keeps you on your toes even if you are on the go. It can be one of those deciding features since not many Smartphones come with a feature that is as comprehensive as Daily Briefing.

Memory:

Memory is another major feature when it comes to any PDA since most people want to have a look at the internal memory given by the device. One would also want to see if there is a provision given by the device in order to extend the memory if needed. Well, the i9000 Galaxy S Smartphone answers both these questions lingering in the minds of the users, with some solid memory details. The device comes with a built in memory of 16 GB, which must be more than enough for almost any PDA. Since the Samsung i9000 Galaxy S Android Smartphone is aimed at the business professionals who need some good memory on their PDAs in order to save their important data and files, the i9000 could do them more than a world of good. It can also be used by others, and especially those of you who love to have entertainment on the go. Since there is ample of memory for you on the device, you can store plenty of music files, videos, documents, games, and sometimes even movies. If 16 GB is too less for some of you, you are blessed with an option to enhance your device’s internal memory. There is a provision to purchase SD cards, which are coming with a memory of 64 GB nowadays, and to insert them in your i9000. This adds to your already existing 16 GB of memory space. Hence, it is nothing but a great boon to almost every user of the device.

Camera:

And yes, this is one of those regular features nowadays. The camera is a must on every mobile phone these days and one must be surprised at its absence. But, quality is what is important too. We do not need some camera, but we look forward to a pretty decent camera that can capture some cool pictures when there is no digital camera readily in hand. The i9000 comes with a 5 MP camera, with features like auto focus, geo tagging, face detection and smile detection. Pictures with resolution of up to 2592 x 1944 pixels can be captured with this camera and videos of HD quality can be obtained too. The camera of the i9000 can capture pretty high resolution videos of 720p at 30 fps frame rate, so you get some decent movie like pictures off the lens.

Google Maps:

The Samsung i9000 Galaxy S cellphone sports a wonderful feature, which you will rarely see on any PDA device today. It is the Google Maps Navigation application. Though any PDA connects you to Google Maps through the internet, there’s practically no other device that comes with an application for navigating. In association with Google, Samsung has started an application that can help you search and find for places all around the globe. It allows you to find the destination you require, with ease and simplicity. You can even browse through the most complex streets that exist in each and every nook and corner of the world. This very special application provides you three distinct views, namely satellite view, real street view, and traffic view. This means that you will be able to find almost all the locations that are along the way, and places like businesses gas stations, and parking lots can be found easier than ever before. Now, unlike the maps feature on most other PDA devices, the Google Maps app on the i9000 works fine even when you are travelling. Even while you are traveling in your car, these maps load pretty quickly and more often than not show you proper directions. You can also combine Google Maps with GPS, and you get live positions and directions along with distances, whenever you want.

Swype + Write and Go:

Over the years, the most common mode of communication has been changing. A few years ago, people used to prefer talking on phone to texting. But now, things have changed, and texting is now preferred by almost everyone under the sun. With the issue of privacy being more and more important nowadays, people are starting to resort to texting while they are out in public. Though talking on phone is still preferred at homes, texting is the new trend when it comes to communicating via mobile. And Samsung has invented a new technology that makes to type even faster. Actually, this does not involve typing at all. A new term, called Swyping is introduced by Samsung in order to make texting easier than ever before. With this sort of technology, all you need to do is swype your finger across the alphabets and the words will be formed automatically. This process is easier than typing as it does not involve movement of all your fingers. With the new ‘Text at Hyper speed’ feature you can type your text messages 1.5 times faster than normal texting. Coming to Write and Go, this special feature allows you to write a text message beforehand and then later on, you can select such pre-written text messages from the memory, and send them by either of SNS, email, SMS, MMS, calendar or memo. These twin features are easy and fun to use and will also add to the awe.

Social Hub:

Social Hub is another comprehensive feature from Samsung. Whenever you have multiple accounts, and multiple mails and messages to check, you can take the help of the Social Hub. Social Hub connects itself to your phone book and it smoothly integrates all of your account details like SNS, IM, email, and calendar accounts to one single place so that you no longer will have the need to spend unnecessary time checking separate sites in order to view your mail and messages. The Samsung Galaxy S i9000 also helps you in easily keeping in touch with your family and close friends. With the help of Samsung Galaxy S’s integrated messaging service, a new feature, one can automatically sync and manage the history for all SNS and IM accounts, by the means of selecting them just from one screen. When everything is under one app, things will definitely seem a lot easier for you since you do not need to visit multiple sites for the same. One touch, and you will be seeing what all is in store for you for the day.

Layar Reality Browser:

The first ever Reality Browser, introduced by Layer is seen on the Galaxy i9000 Smartphone. The Layar Reality Browser may sound new to many of the readers, but it one of the fastest growing applications in the mobile market today. It is a mobile app designed for discovering more information about the world around you. One single click, and you can dig out information about your surroundings. This app uses the new Augmented Reality (AR) technology and therefore displays digital information about the world called “layers”. These layers are hence displayed digitally, into your Smartphone’s field of vision directly.

It is analogous to the map viewing that is seen on some other PDAs today, but it is a more interesting feature since it gives you an animated view of all the details of your surroundings. With this option, you can do lots of interesting stuff such as sharing your augmented experiences with your family, friends and followers. Just by simply connecting to Layar with your Facebook or Twitter account, you can upload and share your layers, spots and screenshots with your friends and family. It is certainly a fun filled application that keeps you engaged.

ThinkFree Document Editor:

There are quite a few differences between the ThinkFree document editor and a normal document editor. The ThinkFree office, which is analogous to the MS Office, allows you to access your documents which are saved online via your i9000. You can view or download these saved files anytime you need and then you are also allowed to edit those documents by means of typing, adding files, links, or attaching photographs or videos etc., Once you are done with the editing process, you can resave the documents again in the same place or even mail them to whichever person you want. Creating, editing, saving, and sending of files are made so easy when the ThinkFree Document Editor comes into play and we really liked the way security is provided to your files.

AllShare via DLNA:

The i9000 from Samsung Galaxy S, comes with the all new power packed feature known as AllShare (via DLNA). This feature is about connecting you to the other Samsung electronic devices at home. When all devices can be connected with such ease, it means that you can wirelessly connect and sync the devices in order to share stuff like videos, photos, music and more. AllShare can be seen on various latest Samsung appliances and it can be used to bridge connections between your phone, your TV, Blu ray player and PC. Just by the push of a button, the network gets activated and on your screen, you can see what all is in store for you in order to sync and share, and where are all the entertainment files hiding quietly. You can select files of your choice and choose to transfer them from one device to the other. It is such a comprehensive network that sharing will become so easy that you do not need any connecting wires, devices or mechanism. Things have become so intelligent after the word wireless came into play.

Wireless Tethering:

Internet has become an important part of our daily life. To connect to the internet and to be online always is one of our everyday jobs since it gives us fun and entertainment. But sadly, the internet is not sunlight and it is not available everywhere around you. There are places around us like cafes, airports, offices, universities, etc., where you can get connected to the internet easily via Wi-Fi. But elsewhere, unless you have a wireless modem connected to a laptop, or unless you have a 3G internet connection, you cannot go online and surf your favourite web pages. This is the reason why Samsung has introduced the concept of wireless tethering. Of course, the word play has paid off well here, but the utility is even more interesting and intelligent. It is analogous to Wi-Fi, but its working is, more or less, similar to 3G.  The Wireless Tethering application allows you to connect up to the web via 3G. This helps users a lot in places where they are normally not allowed to connect to the internet. For example, you can sit in your car or bathe in the oceans, but you can still go online and share your views via Wireless Tethering.

There ends the features list and we are pretty happy regarding almost everything. The errors are very few and far between and since no PDA device under the sun is regarded as perfect, we are very delighted that there are so many features sported on the device.

Performance:

Since we have already seen hat all features are sported by the device and how they perform, there is very little to analyze here, in the performance section. Whichever way you look at the i9000 Galaxy S Smartphone, you can see that there are not many faults in the performance. Since it has come with a combination of pretty solid hardware and software components, there supposedly would not be too many issues for one to get worried. The operating system, the processor are pretty solid and attractive, the extra features and utilities provided are way cool when compared to any other similar PDA device, and the numbers are more reasonable than their counterparts on some other mobile phones. On the whole, the Samsung i9000 Galaxy S Smartphone is totally smart when it comes to performance and one must be a proud owner of the device. You are guaranteed high quality output by Samsung and the reputation of the manufacturer says it all.

Battery:

The battery you will see on the Samsung i9000 galaxy S Smartphone is a Lithium ion battery with a capacity of 1500 mAh. This is way better than the battery capacities seen on similar PDAs, which come with 1100 mAh capacities. This very new revamped battery gives you longer battery lives, which is a pretty good sign, after all. When it comes to the talk time life of the battery, you can get a maximum of 803 minutes of battery life on 2G and 343 minutes on 3G. And regarding standby time, you get a maximum of 750 hours of life on 2G and 576 hours on 3G. This is pretty long for battery life and our tests also concluded that the battery sported on the i9000 Galaxy Smartphone is indeed super cool.

Warranty:

The i9000 comes with a 12 month parts and labor warranty. Extensions of warranty are also available and one can visit the Samsung website for more details.

Verdict:

If you are still waiting for our opinion on this mobile, we would like to say that this has got to be one of the best PDA devices going around today. A comprehensive feature package, captivating design and display, and pretty solid performance makes it our choice, and of you are a professional looking for a wondrous device, we recommend the i9000 for you.

Samsung i9000 Galaxy S Smartphone – Technical Specification Table

Having a glance at two other Galaxy S models of US, the AT&T’s Captivate and T-Mobile’s Vibrant, it should not take long for you to realise that this is totally a different beast. Being just the second WiMAX PDA phone to the released in the states, and the first one to have a physical keyboard, this will prove to be a very important release for Sprint as this a time when its subscribers count have started to pickup after several quarters of disappointment. As we just mentioned, it is quite important note that the Epic 4G is Samsung’s 1st WiMAX device and its direct rival, the HTC EVO 4G was simply mind blowing. And, Epic has lots to do and is it? let us find out.

Design:

Black: always in-trend

Out of most Galaxy S flavors in the market, the Epic 4G, despite its name and form factor, might just have the most nondescript appearance. If it is good or bad, totally depends on your personal preference, but FYI, we liked it. The fascia of the device is mainly dominated by an expanse of black gloss that is rimmed by a matching black bezel, making it an almost intimidating when it is just sitting in front of you with its screen switched off, as you will not be able to readily see the outline of the display or even the capacitive buttons below it. It will just be a whole lot of black with some tastefully proportioned logos of Sprint and Samsung at the top and bottom. In fact, it is so black that it is almost like you are looking at the rear of the phone.

Light:

Samsung Epic 4G PDA Phone feels very light at 15 grams less than the EVO, to be exact. To be frank, we really would not have cared it being a bit bulkier, which again leads us to wonder whether they could have equipped something beefier than a 1500mAh battery without causing any issues. Though the screen of the device is about three-tenths of an inch smaller than the EVO’s, the two are surprisingly close in length and width, and in other words, you should not consider this over the EVO simply because you think it is going to be easier to hold. At 14.2mm deep, the Epic is noticeably thicker, but still comfortable in the hand and it certainly does not produce that ridiculous bulge in your pocket, that is, unless you are wearing something skinny and fashionable.

AMOLED display:

The 4 inch Super AMOLED display at WVGA resolution of the Samsung Epic, is just the same as the one you will find on the Captivate and Vibrant, and as you can imagine, it is absolutely glorious. This display is capable of displaying about sixteen million shads and also possesses a WVGA resolution that allows it to produce some very vibrant and great looking graphics and video. This display also has got a wider viewing angle with a higher contrast ratio when placed next to a traditional LCD. If you are kind of not used to these kinds of displays, even if you are already familiar with standard AMOLED, we are sure that you will be pretty shocked by the insane black level and the rich, dazzling color saturation that you get from this display. Still, we would like to insist that it does not perform as well as a traditional LCD in direct sunlight, though it is not completely washed out; but you could always make out the contents of the screen if you squinted just hard enough.

The all-important rear:

Moving on to the rear of the Epic 4G phone, Sprint has got it right where its rivals went wrong. It has quite a subtle black soft touch, which is nothing like the cheap glossy plastic of Vibrant or faux carbon fibre weave of Captivate, giving you a bit of grip while holding on to it. One of the few concessions to style on the entire phone are the sparkling flecks on the back cover. And, though most of us will not like our phones to sparkle, we have to admit that it would have been a bit too plain, if they had just did it with a flat black. The only issue that we have with the rear of the PDA is that, it pries off, and most consumers will prefer the sliding style phone as it involves vell less of, “I am afraid if I will break this thing” feeling that you will usually get when you are trying to yank a flimsy cover straight up and out, but taking into consideration you will need to get in there, it is basically not an issue.

Keyboard:

The overall feel of the sliding mechanism of the keyboard is quite solid and not flimsy at any side. It is a flat five row type with some good separation in between the keys. There is some good strong action on each of the keys, sans any mushiness. However, we would also say that we could have put up with the space between the keys to enlarge the keys themselves. The layout of this keyboard is a mixed package, for instance, the instance access to Home, Menu, Back and Search buttons is awesome, whereas the locations of the Enter and Backspace keys are troublesome and, we cannot understand the need of a dedicated smiley face key. The slideout keyboard of the Samsung Epic 4G kind of falls behind the ones of its Android counterparts such as the HTC myTouch 3G Slide and even the Droid 2. This is not to say that it is not good, it is just that not every novice user will be able to get around it without some bumps.

The connectivity and ports:

One of the other very stylish part about this phone is that, in the sides, there is a thin chrome ring that surrounds it, which is quite tasteful and actually seems to be working in here. There is the standard array of slots and connectivity such as the volume rocker, power, two stage camera buttons, a 3.5mm headphone jack and also a micro USB port. As in the case of its Galaxy S siblings, the Epic too possesses a spotless retractable door that protects the port; which is an alternative that is much better than the flimsy plugs that you can find in some of the other ones.

Buttons:

Just below the display, there are four capacitive buttons including Menu, Home, Back and Search. Since these buttons are located below the Samsung Logo, there is plenty of separation between them and the bottom of the display; however, they seem to suffer from a couple of issues. To start with, they are just not sensitive enough and you might have to tap twice occasionally in order to actuate it. There was also the issue that showed up its nasty head on the other Galaxy S models; the buttons seem to be backlit on the different schedule than the display. They just black out after about five seconds and switch on back when a button or the display is touched. But, Samsung has also offered a good solution for that. You can actually change the behavior of the button backlighting; it uses the keyboard’s backlight timeout setting, which is six seconds by default but can be set to match the screen. Problem solved.

Package:

Sprint has neglected the cute or strange (depends on how you look at it), “TV Dinner” kind of packaging that EVO had and gone for a more traditional packaging. Though it might seem a little boring, on the positive side, unlike the HTC EVO, with this kind of set up is easier to keep closed, that is, if you really care and plan on hanging on to it for a while. It does not depend on a flimsy cardboard sleeve to keep the lid on and the good news is that, they have gone with a really thick and sturdy high quality material for both halves of the packaging. Inside the box itself, you will find the Epic 4G itself, a USB charger, micro USB cable and surprisingly, the same decent ear-buds that comes with the Vibrant and Captivate. No cables are permanently attached to the charger, which has become pretty common these days. If you are looking to have some serious fun with music, you can still use your own headphones or earbuds, but it is quite cool that Samsung has offered some buds that are high in quality; just enough to include a pair of replaceable tips too.

Features:

Android 2.1:

In most areas, the Epic 4G runs the same TouchWiz 3.0-skinned build of Android 2.1 that you find on other versions of the Galaxy S Phones, which also means that you have to deal with the same set of complaints. Most of the issues that we will be mentioning here, will not bother those who are going to deal with it for the first time. The greatest issue with the device is that, it has too much colour in everything, an issue that is enlarged by the fact that the display that make the bright colours look very bright.

Memory:

In the box, you will also find a SD to microSD converter which can be used with the 16GB microSD card that comes pre-installed under the phone’s rear cover. The nice thing here is that, you will not have to remove the battery to get at it. You might be wondering why Samsung is offering 16GB when its major rivals offer only 2GB, well, it turns out that the Epic has only a little over 400MB of internal storage or the Apps, which is nowhere near the capacious 16GB capacity of the others. Hence, Sprint just compensates by throwing in a beefy card. This might work OK for most users, but it is important to note that, this in turn means that you will not be able to get up to 48GB of storage by spending on a 32GB card. We were just left wondering why Samsung had left out the internal capacity when they had tried to make the device as Epic as possible. The only thing that we can imagine is that, they might have simply ran out of space with all the modifications on the model over the standard Galaxy S, such as the slider mechanism, LED Flash and the WiMAX circuitry.

Software:

As far as software is concerned, Samsung has done an average effort at holding back. When the phone is switched on for the first time, the installed apps consume two full pages in the launcher, which feels quite manageable. Besides the normal Galaxy S custom stuff like AllShare and MediaHub, you also get Qik with video calling capability, Sprint Football and NASCAR, Sprint Hotspot, TeleNav-powered Sprint Navigation, ThinkFree Office lacking the Google Docs integration of the version available in the Market, and Sprint Zone, which is basically a one-stop shop for finding Sprint stores, checking out your account, and getting quick access to apps the carrier recommends. Sprint TV’s also included, of course, but it just hangs on 4G whenever you try to watch a program.

Home screen dismal:

The annoyances continue to creep up on the home screen, where Samsung seems to has opted to display a large panel number indicator just below the status bar. Note that they use a seven panel setup. We do not mind that they are permanently displayed, and in fact, we would rather prefer it looking at the way Droid X and Droid 2 manage to do it. But the issue here is that, the one TouchWiz has is simply huge, just large enough that they could have managed to squeeze in another widget or icon row if they wanted. We thing Samsung should have taken a cue from Google, HTC or even Motorola’s first generation Blur UI, in order to implement this the right way.

Camera:

Yet another area in with the Epic wins over its other Galaxy branded cousins is, what is just below its 5 megapixel camera, a good quality LED Flash. Obviously, you cannot expect a lot out of the primary camera of Epic, given that its cousins do not even ship with any sort of flash and it is quite obvious that Samsung has managed to prioritized a thin shell over the heavy duty optics. Having said that, the stills were pretty good, with the shots looking clean and sharp with minimal artifacts and 100 percent zoom. We even discovered the hard way that you will get locked out of the camera app if the battery dips to 15%, hence, make sure that you have plenty of juice before heading out for some serious shots. As we had mentioned earlier, the Epic is equipped with two cameras; the 5 megapixel primary on back paired with a weakling VGA cam on front. Make no mistake, this second camera is not to be used for anything but video calling, and considering that the quality of your video call is limited by bandwidth more than by camera quality, it will work just fine there. The Epic’s camera app allows you to toggle between cameras, while the second camera is used for a “self portrait” mode, but trust us; you really will not want to do that.

Video:

The video capture was very less impressive than the still images. The real issue here is that, it has been advertised as a 720p recorder. It is true that you will be able to toggle a 720p mode, but in order to associate the quality of the output that you get with anything you get with anything you might consider being 720p is totally bizarre. It is simply not good. What Samsung should have done is to cap the op to 480p and just offered 1280 x 720 as something like and “extended Solution” mode, which would have eased the consumers at least a little bit. On the positive side, the audio quality is quite decent, though not as strong as the Droid 2 or the Droid X.

Performance:

Apart from an occasional stutter while scrolling in the browser, the Epic’s performance felt in line with what we should expect of its Hummingbird core. It was generally responsive and smooth. By Android’s nature, it is easy to gum up the works by installing too many apps trying to do too many things at once, but with a few of the essentials installed, the device fully synced to Google account and everything sped right along. There was some occasional hiccup with the phone’s many window transition animations where they would flash or stutter; it was hard to tell whether this was a performance issue or simply a bug.

Call Quality:

Call quality is very good most of the time. There is a little bit of voice distortion in the caller’s voice, but that did not wreck the overall call quality. It was loud and clear, though a bit tinny.

4G:

As far as 4G performance is concerned, it get quite tricky as the network performance varies highly by locations and other variables. But, generally we are quite happy with the on device data and hotspot mode. It will never cease to make you feel “WiFi Fast” both in terms of speed and latency, which is exactly what you will need to make a fantastic mobile hotspot. We managed to get 4Mbps down and 1Mbps up consistently.

Battery Life:

Moving to the battery power, we were able to get 3 hours and 43 minutes of use from about 97% power to shutdown with the phone in 4G hotspot mode while occasionally interacting with the handset, continuously streaming internet radio, and some other internet stuff. That bests the EVO by a few minutes. We checked Android’s built-in battery monitor shortly before the Epic shut down, which is the screen where you can see what components and apps have been draining your juice the most, and were surprised to see it report that the display had allegedly been responsible for fifty five percent of the drain, despite the fact that we had played with the phone for perhaps 10 to 15 minutes. We suspect the app is not properly accounting for the 4G radio, but that is just a guess, and if by some odd chance it is accurate, that paints a pretty scary picture for the power consumption of these Super AMOLED displays.

Value:

Understandably, the biggest issue with the Epic 4G is its price. At about 250 dollars, it is the dearest Galaxy phones ever from Samsung, this price comprises of a new two year service agreement and a 100 dollars mail in refund.

Warranty:

Samsung offers its Epic 4G one year warranty for parts and labor.

Verdict:

It is quite impressive that Sprint has already managed to release two very high-end, exceptionally desirable devices built specifically to take advantage of its 4G network. So, the question is, if it is the right phone for the job? Yes, it is a great phone.

Samsung Epic 4G Smartphone – Technical Specification Details

Design & Build:

The RIM Blackberry Curve 8330 is designed to fit hands of any size and it comes in two different shades – a bright silver from Verizon, with Sprint choosing a more dashing Titanium finish. Both versions have a rubbery trim that runs alongside the phones. Its sleek design is sure to catch the envious glances of Blackberry Pearl owners. Weighing just 7 ounces, the Curve does not really require any nerdy holsters and can just about slip into any pocket. Accepted that the Curve does not really catch your attention at a first glimpse, but its silvery finish along with its rounded edges and chrome accents, is a definite competition to the Samsung BlackJack. The top right corner hosts the LED indicator flashing varied colors, based on the events. The volume rocker and multifunction key are towards the right, both standing out against the black trim with their flashy chrome. The miniUSB port and 3.5-mm headset jack is nested on the left with the back multifunction key right below it. On the top left is a single chrome key that acts as a mute key, which also functions as a standby key, with being held pressed for a few seconds. Again, the two cutouts, one in the center and the other towards the right acts as speaker holes for the Curve. The hardware volume controls is located on the right. The rear of the Curve is otherwise flush and uneventful, but for a 2Mp camera lens, with no opening for the battery. While the Curve’s microSD slot works suitably with memory expansion, it is not that easy getting to. Well, RIM could have found a better slot to locate the microSD card, as against being located beneath the battery. It makes removal of the battery kind of irritating and particularly the need to switch off the phone every time the card needs to be accessed is all the more annoying. Then again, since the chances of removing the card is pretty rare, we can live with it.

Curve 8330′s Display:

The front panel is quite a star with its striking 320×240 pixel, 2.5-inch display, featuring a light sensor that blends with the dim ambient lighting. The vibrant QVGA screen does, beyond doubt, a solid job when it comes to displaying pictures and text. Nonetheless the Curve, similar to the other Blackberry gizmos, uses an archaic font that is known to take extra space, which we feel is unwarranted. That being said, almost all the items are pretty legible in any given lighting conditions. Again, RIM’s signature feature does not come as a surprise anymore – yes! we mean the backlit trackball, this in conjunction with the Send, Back, Menu and End Call keys along with the sublime, well-spread QWERTY backlit keyboard.

QWERTY Keyboard:

RIM’s keyboards are highly touted for their abundant shortcuts and ease of use. The well spaced out keyboard that RIM has managed to squeeze in, is absolutely convenient to type, even for those, who are not great fans of QWERTY keypads. It is definitely much sturdier and wider as against the Pearl, which hosts a not-so-sure to type keyboard and not really good with guessing words that we are trying to peck in. The QWERTY keyboard  in Blackberry Curve 8330 Smartphone is housed beneath the trackball that aides with navigation. Though the trackball takes some time to get used to you might find it, eventually, to be pretty responsive. Well, you may not experience the same speed levels as in a scroll wheel, but it ultimately wins you over with its versatility, particularly with navigation of web pages and the like, wherein a 2-D movement would be appreciated as against 1-D. Confirmation is achieved by inward clicking of the trackball.

Interface:

There is nothing much to comment on the Curve’s interface, as its OS is very much similar to the several other Blackberry models like the Pearl and 8830. The highly customizable interface allows users to reorder applications as per their preference, and also to remove unwanted icons from the main display as seen fit. Of the lot, the customizing option worth mentioning would be assigning both the multifunction buttons to just about any task that users see fit. The trackball seems to be of great help with it comes to navigating the menu, much better than the Pearl’s trackball or the rigid 8830. The only hitch is, as much as it could be moved 360 degrees, it only traverses vertically or horizontally through the menus and cannot be wrapped around the ends of the menu. This is kind of annoying and we prefer the mouse as against this semi-input mechanism. Though we are highly impressed with the customizing gimmick, organizing folder and hiding icons, we are kind of disappointed with the interface on the whole. Yet another aspect of annoyance was with adjusting the ring volume. Any other phone under the sun lets you to adjust the volume by just hitting the rocker in the standby, a fairly simple task, of course. Blackberry decides to differ here! You will have to click on Profiles, go to Advanced, choose your preferred profile, scroll down and get to Phone, go to Volume and then it finally lets you set the desired level. Absolutely ludicrous! We hope RIM takes care of this in their following versions to avoid such seemingly simple tasks appear Herculean.

Features:

Phonebook:

Thanks to RIM for keeping the Curve’s phonebook relatively straightforward and simple to use. Choosing New Address from the Context Menu in the Address Book allows entry of a new contact, or the other alternate is to directly save the person from your recent call or email list. Every entry is allowed two office numbers, three email addresses, two home numbers, a pager, mobile, fax and “Other” number along with an entry for a BlackBerry PIN number. There are slots allocated for home/office addresses, as well as anniversary and birth dates. Sorting of Contacts is done either by user definable categories such as custom ringers and picture IDs. There are sections allocated for webpage and notes as well. Searching directly from the main screen giving the contact’s first or last name, yields result with the Curve matching it from the contact list. With a highlighted entry in the main contacts view, the user can initiate a call by hitting the send button. If an entry has several numbers, a window pops up allowing you to select the person you wish to call.

Messaging:

Following the BlackBerry tradition, the Curve offers oodles of messaging options. Aside from the standard MMS and SMS onboard, support is also offered for Blackberry PIN messaging and multiple email accounts. Of note, the Sprint version of the Curve, does not support MMS and hence has to be received in the SMS format and users might have to view the images by clicking on the link via the browser. Likewise the images needs to be sent as mail attachment as against conventional MMS. PIN messaging almost identical to sending an SMS, but for the fact, that it needs to be sent via RIM’s secured server as against the conventional SMS gateway. Regardless of their carrier, all BlackBerries come with an exclusive PIN. All one has to do is to opt for the PIN Message option, and the message is sent by entering the PIN in the “To” field. As much as this looks similar to an SMS, this is not considered as an SMS package, although the data gets used. While the Sprint CDMA comes with messenger clients such as Yahoo, AIM and Gtalk, the Verizon version does not, but can be availed of through their portal.

Organizer:

The robust Calendar function in the Curve 8330 PDA Phone can be managed both on phone and PC, and is remotely manageable with pairing it to a BES (BlackBerry Enterprise Server). Tasks such as creating an appointment are fairly simple along with options for reminders and recurrence. Mark the Appointments as private if you wish to for added security.

PIM and Other Apps:

The Blackberry Curve 8330 Phone is loaded with Personal Information Management (PIM) Apps such as Tasks, Address Book, Alarm, Password Keeper, Calculator, Voice Recorder, Memo Pad, etc. All of these, for the most part, are to the point and simple, no bells and whistles. While there is nothing extravagant about any of the above, it is nice to have a solid password application as a part of the package. Few other notable applications as a part of the default suite include Sprint Music Store, Voice Dialer, Handmark’s Pocket Express, Sprint TV, Facebook, IMs that include Gtalk, AIM, Yahoo and of course Blackberry Messaging. The Curve allows for Reminders to be set and to group them into categories as well. There is also a Voice Note Recorder that helps with taking notes, especially helpful for those always on the move.

Reception And Voice Quality:

With the GSM Curve models being well known for their clear and punchy call quality and above average reception, the Curve 8330 is no exception and continues the trend. In strong coverage areas, the reception is generally 4 bars out of 5 and a 1 to 3 with moderate coverage areas. Both the Verizon and Sprint versions of the Curve 8330 are not known to have dropped calls and possess a relatively good call quality. Its loud and clear built-in speakerphones are worth mentioning. The Curve 8330 also supports headset and hands free profiles via Bluetooth. The DSP also seem to work just fine via both headsets with reduced noise levels in the road, but for the winds. Blackberry’s voice command software, VoiceSingal VSuite 2.1 works exceptionally well with voice command and voice dialing. It also performs well even in the absence of voice training or pre-recorded voice tags and is also seamless over Bluetooth.

Wireless Connectivity:

RIM has a notable series of devices in the Curve line to its credit, in that it supplements the levels of connectivity to the Blackberry lineage. The Sprint variant of the Curve compliments the EV-DO connectivity with Bluetooth and GPS.  Well this literally means that the options are endless for users to connect to devices and services.  When it comes to the cellular world, the Sprint version of the Curve is an EV-DO 1x gadget, which though cannot be compared to the speed of a basic DSL connectivity, is still quite prompt for a cellular connection, and is efficient enough to not drain the battery.

Bluetooth:

The RIM Blackberry Curve 8330 features a 2.0 Bluetooth that is compatible with AVRC, HSP, SPP, HFP and A2DP profiles, this literally means that it could only be used with a stereo or mono headset. Nonetheless, files can be transferred to Media Player through a complicated or sensitive process. Once inside the Media Player, go to context menu and opt for “Receive Using Bluetooth.” Yet again, Bluetooth is another wireless option for headsets and DUN (Dial-up Networking). With using the Bluetooth, the Curve takes the form of a modem for tablet PCs and laptops, which obviously attracts additional costs, depending on the plan used. Sprint’s Version of Curve does not support Wi-Fi though.

GPS/Maps:

Both Verizon and Sprint version of the Curve 8330 comes with an in-built GPS, which takes roughly around 30 seconds to get a lock and very much reliable in terms of a navigational tool. The GPS performance is just mind blowing and is right on dot (when it comes to accuracy) and gets signals indoors too. Sprint’s Blackberry is loaded with RIM’s BlackBerry Maps for free, offering maps of North America along with navigational software with just the directions and no voice guidance. No worries, if you are particular about voice guidance, there is always the option of buying Sprint’s Navigation services for $2.99 a day or $9.99 a month or better still purchase a full package which includes voice guidance supported by TeleNav. If you are wondering about the same on Verizon’s version of the Curve, well bad news – Verizon switches off the GPS access and BlackBerry Maps, but the good news is it offers its very own VZ Navigator supported by “Networks In Motion” for the same cost as Sprint. There is not much of a difference in the options, navigational features, directions, routes, maps, and voice guidance and the info provided by both Curves is relatively accurate. Besides providing the directions and your location, the same can also be forwarded to your friends via E-mail, SMS or PIN. Now if you are not keen on paying the extra charges, it is your call, as you can still avail of the free Blackberry Maps that does certainly render turn-by-turn directions on screen along with point of interest. But the speed is definitely no match to the 3D TeleNav maps, not to mention its lack of voice guidance. So, you might want to think twice before opting for free maps, as it is not a wise choice especially if you were to drive alone, then checking maps and looking at directions would be tedious without voice guidance, particularly with the screen turning off every now and then.

E-mail:

The E-mail setup on the Blackberry is as good as it gets. Be it the Curve or for that matter any Blackberry model, it is a “Killer App.” It comes as no surprise with their undeniable advantage with corporate backend assimilation along with push email. Setting up a Gmail account utilizing the setup wizard is a child’s play in the Curve, particularly with the phone supporting ten corporate and personal accounts. Once inside the browser, the trackball, which is used more so as a mouse makes navigation easy. Page and Column are the two viewing modes with the former shrinking the page for the users to pan around and zoom in on areas of interest. Though this cannot be compared to the typical desktop experience offered by Opera Mini, it can be compared to Mobile Internet Explorer. The additional spell checker feature (only for email, not for multimedia/text messages) along with a customizable dictionary is something that is welcomed with open hands. Akin to the 8800 and Pearl, the Curve also allows viewing JPEG attachments, PDF, Word, and Excel. Overall the Curve’s performance is very much snappy identical to its kith and kin, with a loading time of 9 to 10 seconds followed by the images. 10 to 20 seconds later. WAP pages are loaded at lightning speed. Despite their popularity with E-mails, Blackberry devices lag behind in comparison to other smartphones like the iPhone, Window Mobile, Nokia etc., when it comes to rendering mails in HTML format, as they still end up showing broken links or unsightly pages when displaying HTML pages.

Multimedia and Apps:

The Curve 8330 Smartphone from Blackberry is loaded with a media player for video playback and music with the Sprint’s variant offering a Sprint Music Store and Sprint TV while the former charges $0.99 for downloads over the air and also offers its own music player, the latter offers a mix of both on-demand clippings and live TV, which includes unique made-for-mobile content. MP3 and AAC files are supported by the player with the unprotected iTunes also working just fine. The audio quality is just awesome, via both the stereo headset and the built-in speaker with the volume being fairly loud. For all the Bluetooth headset fans out there, you would thoroughly enjoy listening to music on the 8330. Yet another benefit is, being able to skip tracks by just clicking on the Fast Forward button in the headset as against the conventional 2-step process of clicking on the menu and then selecting the track. The player also comes with standard playback controls along with shuffle and playlist support. Video playback on the Curve 8330 is pretty decent on a bare minimum 326kbps/15fps/QVGA, but it had trouble playing WMV files though. With the Curve packing an EV-DO, it is capable of data speeds of roughly 300 to 600 Kbps and can probably hit 2.4Mbps, which means faster web access and downloads and hassle-free media streaming. In comparing the two CDMAs, while the Sprint version supports Sprint TV, the Verizon version does not support V Cast music/videos on their smartphone. Well, Verizon must be under the impression that corporate/business users wouldn’t really miss streaming songs or videos. But hey Verizon! Blackberry is no longer for just the corporate crowd, it is open to consumers as well. That being said, the smartphone does have other varied avenues for multimedia. Along with supporting MP3, AAC+, WMA, eAAC+, AMR-NB and MIDI audio formats and WMV, MPEG, H.263 video formats, it also allows to search songs by Album, Artist and Genres. The Curve comes with a software CD with a copy of Roxio Easy Media Creator that enables creating Mp3s from CDs with a provision to add audio tags, not to mention the full-screen mode for video playback. The Curve also supports AT&T services like streaming XM radio at a monthly rate of $9.99. The download happens quite rapidly with a wide choice to stations to choose from with the inclusion of seven genres namely Rock, Pop, Hip Hop, Urban, Country and Decades.

Pocket Express:

Yet another noteworthy feature of the Sprint worth mentioning would be the Pocket Express previously called On Demand that offers rapid access to weather, sports, stocks, travel info, entertainment etc., to its users. It also acts as a portal for downloading ringtones and games, a relatively handy application that gathers hoards of information in one place and extremely useful for users, turning them more productive.

Sprint’s Facebook:

While the Facebook app comes preloaded with the Sprint CDMA, Verizon users need to download the same over the air and will have to find the link al by themselves. Sprint’s variant of the Curve is definitely considered more compelling and user friendly as against Verizon’s with the inclusion of all such apps (TV, IM clients, Facebook etc). while Verizon users can still download all of the above or even go ahead and utilize third-party substitutes, it kind of gives us the feeling that Verizon is all set to strip the Curve (and phones alike) of their functionality. Well, no one can help noticing the drastic out of box difference between the two CDMA phones, with the Sprint version being a definite hit among users.

Memory:

In terms of storage capacity, the Blackberry Curve 8330 has on-board a memory space of 96MB with the expansion slot being able to take up to 8GB. The only glitch is the microSDHC card being located underneath the battery, but we can still live with an 8GB SanDisk.

Camera:

The Curve’s robust multimedia competence is what makes it stand out from the 8800 and the Pearl. It comes with a 2Mp camera loaded with LED flash, digital zoom and a self-portrait mirror. Both CDMA versions of the Curve performs outstandingly well with not much difference in their performance. The images can be shot in three resolutions namely, 640 x 480, 1024 x 768, and 1600 x 1200 under three quality settins and the pictures taken are very much adequate for a 4×6-inch print. Everything from natures beauty to human portrait is richly saturated and with great detail. We especially appreciate the in-built flash along with its rapid shutter speed that enables it to shoot decent close-ups even in dimly lit areas. The not so wide camera lens aides in turning on the LED flash both automatically or manually. Despite the images being overly sharpened, they look relatively good with the high contrast enhancing the images. There is a good amount of colour balance in the images shot both indoors and outdoors, with flash turning on automatically under poor lighting conditions. The images can be used as wallpapers, caller ID and can even be sent via MMS and E-mail.  And the good news is, its ability to record videos, a feature thus far enjoyed by the Pearl users only.  The video clips can be shot in two resolutions namely, 176 x 144 and 240 x 176, but it is kind of weird that the Cure allows for storage of these only in the storage card and not the Phone’s memory. Well at least, the videos are of decent quality, no complaints here with the LED flash illuminating subjects fairly well even at an arm’s length.

Battery life:

In comparison to the other Curve models, the BlackBerry 8330 has a slight increase I battery life. It comes with a rechargeable Lithium Ion 1150 mAh battery with a longer talk time and shorter standby time. The alleged 11 days standby and 4.3 hours talk time is kind of overrated, but not that much. While using the phone to make calls, browsing and listening to music does not drain the battery life dramatically, using the GPS for long commutes, watch Sprint TV in addition to using the phone for calls and browsing generally does, and warrants daily charging. For instance, watching Sprint TV for 15 minutes drains 15 to 20% of battery life. So with regular and normal usage of the Curve, the battery life is at its best.

Performance:

The Sprint version of the BlackBerry Curve 8330 is no fancy gadget nor does it seem special in a specific way. Nevertheless, it is rock solid and well designed with the kind of attribute to blend easily into day-to-day activities and does not really demand much by way of altering the default setup or tweaking. But at the end of the day, it sure is the kind of gadget that provides users with ample info and gets them places. Curve’s GPS integration and E-mail would be the best example to prove this. Now, it is ultimately your call to decide switching over from your existing device to the Curve taking into consideration your requirements and the budget, of course.

Warranty:

With a limited parts warranty and labor warranty of one year from the date of purchase, all other details pertaining to warranty can be found in the warranty leaflet.

Verdict:

The BlackBerry curve remains an office phone; great support for mail connections (be it with MS Exchange, Lotus Domino, Novell Groupwise etc.). While the new ads try to tell you that this is not just for corporate users, we beg to differ. The choice of provider plays a huge role in the quality of apps you can have on your Curve; but then the choice of applications should not drive the choice of the phone itself. The Curve is a great choice for a CDMA customer waiting on a Black Berry so long; but then if you are planning to use this like a millennial you might be a touch disappointed with the trackball, UI and usability for the average user. For a change, check if your profile suits a Black Berry rather than the other way round.

Blackberry Curve 8330 Smartphone – Technical Specification Details

Design:

Build and Display:

Encased in a matte black candy bar design, Motorola Droid X Smartphone comes with a 4.3-inch 854 x 480 pixels capacitive touch screen LCD display, a significant leap from the 3.7-inch screen of the Droid, is big and expansive by current standards and is bound to captivate the media geeks for being benevolent for multimedia purposes, with playing movies, viewing photos and so on. It has got great color saturation, contrast and functions well when used outdoors. For those who just need to text and mail, the screen can really catch the eye due it’s expansiveness and also reduces eye strain.

Swype Keyboard:

With a big screen comes a big keyboard, and it makes it easier to send those long texts, e-mails and keep it error free with less mistypes, dial or interact with the Android OS. The Swype keyboard enables the user to type faster without taking the finger off the screen. The user merely needs to drag the finger from one character to another.
This helps in efficient typing of texts and mails. It can also be turned off for those users who prefer the traditional input method.

Ports and Connectivity:

It provides DLNA compatibility and HDMI Micro out pins which enhances its connectivity. DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) is used to share content wirelessly with other DLNA equipped devices. It provides inter-operatability and helps the user to share, transfer, send and receive data with another phone. The 3.5 mm headset jack is located on the right side of the phone, and the ports for micro USB and HDMI features on the left.

Interface:

The Droid X operates on Android 2.1 operating system, with an upgrade to 2.2 coming later this year. The new software is expected to enhance the speed of the already fast Droid X and also the JavaScript integrated into the browser of the phone. The advantages of 2.1 are that it includes a good keyboard interface, HTML 5 support, and Microsoft Exchange support. There are multiple customizable home screens (up to nine) available.

There are dedicated keys for controlling the volume, Camera, Back, Home, Power/ Lock, Menu. There is also a hepatic feedback feature which makes the phone vibrate each time a button is pressed. With a pinch-to-zoom feature, the browsing experience is enhanced.

The system supports a wide array of applications and this enables the Motorola Droid X  Android OS phone to be customized and tweaked according to the user’s demands. It is Flash supportive and this in turn helps in the performance of many applications and games. Free maps are available with turn-by-turn directions, and a lot of Google applications such as Google Maps, Google Maps Street View, Google Talk, etc can be integrated into the system. Widget capability, Social Networking sites integrated via ninjablur are other features likely to turn heads.

Features:

Processor:

Fitted with a 1GHz TI OMAP processor and a 512MB RAM, one can only expect the Droid X to be fast. And fast it is. The Texas Instruments OMAP processor helps the phone to be fast, efficient and responsive and helps to run things super smooth. It makes everything ranging from browsing to moving between panels fast.

Memory:

24GB storage! Enough said. With an in-built 8 GB storage and a 16 GB microSD card included, and that’s plenty of room for multimedia and everything else. And if you feel the 24 GB storage is not enough, here comes the catch. The microSD card slot supports up to 32 GB cards, which can increase the storage capacity from 24 to a solid 40 GB.

Camera:

While the previous Droid version came with a 5.0 mega-pixel camera, the Droid X is coming out with an impressive 8.0 mega-pixel camera, so the user can take photos up to an incredulous 3266 by 2450 pixel resolution. That is not all. It also shoots a good solid 720p HD video, with also a noise canceling feature enabled by the mics for video recording.

Cameras have become a vital component in any phone. With it, people can share what they witness and with a good camera, this experience is enhanced. The 8.0 mega-pixel camera produces images of superior quality and with in-built features of image stabilization, flash and zoom, and supportive features like scene functions, color effects, and editing functions and Geo tagging, taking pictures will definitely be a pastime, this phone means much more when in the hands of someone who clicks images on the go.

The camcorder can record high-definition videos at 720p or 1280 by 720 pixel resolution, at 24 frames per second. This results in good detailed video quality and also with high definition audio along with editing features like resizing, audio editing and so on.

Noise Reduction:

With three built in mics, the phone provides apt noise cancellation improving call quality by reducing static. This also helps in getting good audio while recording videos with the camera.

MotoBlur:

MotoBlur is a push-based service that focuses on social networking. With social networking playing a big role in daily life of every tech savvy consumers this is one feature which most cannot do without. It includes a wide variety of widgets for this purpose by combining various social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and a whole of other services all in one place with regular feeds and data coming into your hands through these widgets. One can connect to their friends, keep up with important events and know what is happening around them, and in a secure environment all thanks to the MotoBlur.

Multimedia:

Motorola Droid X PDA Smartphone packs enough in terms of entertainment factor would be an understatement. The phone is loaded with features like Android Media player, Android Market, the popular game Need For Speed Shift and that is just saying a few. The Android Media player makes listening to music a pleasurable experience. The headphones are sold separately. Radio lovers can tune into the FM Radio, songs can be bought and downloaded from Amazon’s MP3 store or merely by transferring from the computer. The Android Market is an innovative idea which enables users to create and develop programs for use in the phone which are put up in Google’s store and can be purchased online. A wide range of applications are therefore at the user’s disposal.

With the high quality screen bound to enthrall the user, watching movies will be easy. Movies can be downloaded from a Blockbuster application, and video playback is simply too good to ignore. For gaming aficionados, the built in ‘Need For Speed Shift’ is definitely a must have. Flash capability enhances the performances of other games as well.

Connectivity:

Droid X stands out for its connectivity features. With Bluetooth technology, WiFi, 3G, WLAN and DLNA capabilities and the Android HTML Webkit, one can be assured to be connected wherever they are. The device can act as a 3G hotspot for up to 5 other devices, definitely advantageous to connect other mobile devices and laptops and computers. A valuable service when faced with a Wifi less environment. This smart phone can be used as a modem to access the Internet on a system. It is also provided with GPS and Location services. Google Maps and a whole other applications being available, the Droid X provides also turn-by-turn instructions, which means getting places will never be a tedious task. The device can also be hooked up in a car to aid navigation. Impressive.

Performance:

Interface:

The interface is a smooth and quick Android 2.1 operating system powered by the OMAP processor. It is customizable and delightful to the eye, though it can be cluttered with meaningless widgets. Occasional chances of sluggishness and slow responses are encountered. Still, the Droid X does not leave it to be found wanting. With a whole lot of custom widgets available, the user can tweak it to his needs. With the coming upgrade the current performance is predicted to be improved.

Call Quality:

The phone has good audio quality, though it could be a little louder. With the Verizon’s network providing service, the frequency of dropped calls is very low. The 3G network provides strong reception, and with good clarity even when signal strength is low. With 8 hours of talk time, one can simply chat away!

Camera:

The 8.0 mega-pixel camera provides high quality images, however stumbles in low light conditions and when in high zoom. The camera application is a tad slow and can be quite slow in response. Still it manages to dish out quality photos and with a lot of editing features. The video recording at 720p is worth looking into. With an 8.0 mega-pixel camera one cannot ignore the quality of video it provides. The device demands a steady hand for non-wobbly footage. Also the three mics can be switched between, depending on the shooting style and the subject. It also provides noise cancellation.

Connectivity:

The Droid X runs on Verizon’s 3G network and calling, texting and other features are fast as fast can be. There are significantly less number of dropped calls and with three microphones and a quality speaker, the call quality does not disappoint. The WiFi connectivity enables the device to be latched on to a WiFi service when available and has been excellent in that account. Surfing is speedy as well.  The device serves efficiently as a 3G hub and can be connected to up to 5 devices.

Battery Life:

Considering the magnanimity the developers have provided in the number of features, the Droid X would have been assumed to be a heavy consumer when it comes to power. However, the 1,540 mAh Li-Ion battery provides an 8 hour window for talk time and 9.2 days on standby. This is good enough considering the utilities that come with the device. Motorola has added a performance toggle between three modes of CPU throttling, Performance, Smart and Battery Saver. The 3G hotspot feature can guzzle a chunk out of the battery though.

Warranty:

Motorola Droid X PDA comes with one year warranty from the date of purchase.

Verdict:

With technology moving at a pace seemingly faster that light, the market is flooded with a plethora of smart phones, each one encompassing new features to knock the fluff out of its competition. The Droid X’s arrival has already indicated the shift that can be witnessed in this scenario henceforth. With a device packed with a whole lot of user friendly features the Droid X is one phone that cannot be missed out on. With a responsive and expansive screen, a smart keyboard, the fast interface and extended connectivity, the Droid X announces its arrival in style.

Check HTC PDA Phones Reviews, Samsung Smartphone Reviews in this website.

Motorola Droid X PDA Smartphone – Technical Specification Table

Design:

Familiar and Fashionable:

The overall design of the Blackberry 8530 is quite identical to that of the Curve 8250. It is slightly taller than the 8530, but narrower, thinner and lighter. The Curve is built with stylish fashionable design aimed at the younger lots. Instead of a chrome bezel, you have a rubber strip around the side with convenience keys bulging out of its sides. The media control keys are located on the top of this device and the fascia colonizes the track pad in place of a traditional track ball.  Track pad shapes out to be one prominent thing you would appreciate no matter what kind of person you are. This is one of the strong points in this mobile. Talk, End, Return, and Menu keys have been redesigned. But sadly, this hype is let down by the screen and the LED Indicator light. Rather than the screen, the LED irritates you with it being greater than the tip of a ball point pen. RIM has made sure that overall, with a narrow thin and lighter design this device feels like a much compact device in your hand. It is very plasticy however; we will not go as far as to call it cheap feeling, but RIM is really toeing the border here.

For rough users this is a news that they would love to hear. With the Curve 8530 being smaller and lighter dropping this down will not be a problem compared to the delicate phones in the market. Weighing nearly 106 gm this beauty would never trouble your pockets.

Display:

The display screen is 2.4 inch with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels supporting 65K colors, the same as the original Curve. While this resolution is fine for general use of the phone like navigating through the operating system, emails , calendar or alarm clock etc; this makes a huge difference in when it comes to the part of web browsing. The screen gives you an annoying experience when you try to zoom a full web page, and the appeal is not as good as the one seen in 8900 or storm.

Keyboard:

The keyboard in design is not much different from its siblings in the series. It comes with small plastic keys which are easy enough to type on, though not as fast as the QWERTY keys in 9xxx series. If you are hoping for an escape from the plastic spaced out keys, then you are out of luck. The keys are small and tightly packed and raised such that typing or tapping out email is not a problem. Overall, this QWERTY keyboard is designed for ease and reliability.

Track pad:

What sets the two devices apart is that the 8530 replaces the trackball with an optical trackpad.  The 8520 was the first RIM device we saw with this, but we have seen it on all RIM devices since save the trackball pad-less 95xx series.  The trackball was not perfect, but we are far from being crazy about its replacement.  We definitely appreciate the sensitivity options, but no matter what we have it set to we just cannot be as precise as with the analog ball.

Buttons and Ports:

In the bottom portion you could see a 3.5mm headset jack, microUSB charging along with one or more convenience keys. On the right side there is the volume rocker with a second convenience key.  The top houses the play back keys.  The battery door features a nice looking carbon fiber finish, which is the only visual difference from the 8520. The camera is just above the door.

Features:

Despite being more of an entry-level device, the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 comes with a good set of features, more so than its T-Mobile counterpart.

Operating System and Processor:

The system used here is the Blackberry OS 5.0 which makes navigation much faster. With this Operating System, you would find that RIM has made slight polishes to the menus and some screens.  The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 has a slightly faster 528MHz processor than the 8520, and the RAM is doubled to 256MB, along with 256MB ROM.  With this increased memory the OS runs very smoothly. The processor allows you to navigate through the operating system very quickly but still is not very strong compared to 8900 models.

Connectivity:

This blackberry boasts a lot about connectivity. Indeed, it very well can and has the right to. In its arsenal are GPS, Bluetooth, Wifi and 3G Sprint antenna. The connectivity included are Bluetooth friendly and there is support for mono and stereo Bluetooth headsets and audio video remote serial port dial up networking. It is blessed with GPS/A-GPS, 3G, and WiFi. Enabling a WiFi is sure a relief as it brings more WiFi connected devices to its garage, and provides an alternative way to get online. With blackberry OS 5.0 to its back up, there are some slight improvements to the browser like page rendering. One short fall could be that the 3 G coverage is not extensive as AT &T but no troubles were observed in the coverage region. One major advantage the 8530 has over the 8520 is 3G cellular data, EVDO Rev. 0 in this case.

Camera:

RIM Blackberry Curve 8530 is equipped with a 2MP camera. Compared to other PDA models, the camera falls way below the mark when it comes to auto focus and resolution, and it is also devoid of a flash.  Even though the resolution is low, the photos could distinguish between colors distinctly even when the sunlight is low.

Multimedia:

Music is something you would love in this product. Of course, the phone comes with all required add-ons to support music. The playback is quite impressive due to the speakers with robust volume and without sounding too less. With a standard 3.5 mm jack you could plug in your favorite headphone or ear-buds without an additional audio adapter. With media controls on top of the Curve, it is easy to control the player without looking at the screen.

Blackberry Curve 8530′s media player supports MP3, WMA9, AAC LC AAC+, eAAC+, AMR NB, MiDi music files, MPEG4, and H 264 video clips. The photo viewer supports BMP, JPEG, WBMP files. To support all these features the makers have provided the microSD expansion slot located behind the door which can support up to 16GB giving plenty of space to store multimedia files.

Convenience Facilities:

The Blackberry 8530 comes with voice activated dialing, Speed dial, chat view text and multimedia messaging. You can also add Verizon’s Visual Voice Mail service for an additional $2.99 per month. There is also a link to MyVerizon to get information about your account, such as voice and data usage, account balance, and features. Other Verizon services available on the Curve 8530 include VZ Navigator, V Cast Music, and VZ Navigator. The phone’s address book is only limited by the available memory and has room in each contact file for multiple numbers, e-mail addresses, work and home addresses, and more. For caller ID purposes, you can assign a photo, group ID, and/or custom ringtone. A shortcut to VzwTones is loaded on the device so you can download more ringtones to your device.

Additional Software:

Software package is typically cool including Social networking applications, Blackberry maps Pandora and the likes.  The sprint version of this phone comes with NFL, TV, Music applications, Sprint navigation, Sprint NASCAR. Despite, the enormous swarm of applications you get, one must accept the hard times we have with launching the applications or making them perform reliably well. The web browser suffers from JavaScript issues, and it gives you an annoying experience when you try to browse a real web page.

Wifi:

It has taken a long time for the makers to include WiFi into the Curve series. Including it has finally been a dream come true.  WiFi networks work really smooth and it gives no issues while browsing the net or finding a hot spot.  The WiFi included in the 8530 supports the IEEE 802.11b/g.

Combining voice and data:

Previous models did not allow reception of calls or reading of emails, browsing the web at the same time. This was because the network was unable to support both voice and data. Having the Wifi associated into the Blackberry 8530, you could establish a second connection to RIM NOC over the net.  So now, you have the ability send mails or browse while you are chatting.

Messaging:

Every object has its own strong and weak points. The strength of this Curve, or any Blackberry for that matter is messaging. With strong net connectivity, it allows you to deliver email in real time or get into Black Berry Enterprise server. It has all necessary features in its arsenal including Yahoo, AIM, Windows Live, Google Talk. As always, email setup on the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 PDA Phone is about as perfect as it gets, we simply put in our email and password and that was it; we did not have to enter any server information. The push email arrived nearly instantaneously in our testing. With the BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) the user can have up to 10 email addresses on one device.

There is a built-in attachment viewer, so you can open Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Corel WordPerfect, PDF, JPEG, and GIF files. In addition, the device ships with DataViz’s Documents to Go Suite Standard Edition (you’ll need to upgrade to the Premium Edition if you want the ability to create new documents), but you can download more productivity tools, games, travel aids, and much more from the BlackBerry App World.

Performance:

With tack pad being a big leap over its brethren, the Curve 8530 hits out well with its operating system. The OS used currently, Blackberry OS 5 which to its credit, is used only in this Curve.  This OS is packed with better application permission management, ability to flag messages for follow up and ability to manage profile settings.  Plugged in, is a processor which is quite weak compared to its peers; this accounts for the frequent system hangs. Hence, this device delivers a less power packed performance.  The call quality appears muffled and bleak, thereby making us to repeat several times. The story is same with speaker phone, with the background noise garbling the voice quality. Problems would be little if you switch to the headset mode. The swift 3G speeds have made websites access quick. You could download a 2.5 MB song around 56 seconds.  Overall, the performance is very snappy with little problems here or there.

Voice Clarity:

As we just mentioned, disappointing enough, the call quality is just average giving you a hollow sound coupled with a feel that you are using your dodgy cell phone when making calls to the Curve 8530.

The Package:

Verizon offers the smartphone in black or smoky violet and ships with an AC adapter, a USB cable, a software CD, and reference material.

Battery:

This Blackberry 8530 Cell Pone is packed with an 1150m Ah lithium ion battery which offers a talk time of 4.5 hours and up to 10 days of standby. The 4.5 hours of talk time is a noticeable departure from the original Curve’s 6 hours, especially since they use the same battery. But shockingly, it beats the claimed hours by giving you a 5.5 hours talk time. This Curve 8530 is gifted with an SAR rating of 1.31 watts per kilogram and has a M4/T4 hearing aid rating.

Warranty:

The Blackberry Curve 8530 PDA comes with one year manufacturer’s warranty for parts and labor.

Verdict:

Being the close cousin of Curve 8520 the Blackberry Curve 8530 lacks some of the higher end features such as world roaming capabilities and a high end resolution display. This being the negatives, the Curve has made some credible changes including an optical track pad, dedicated media controls and new processor. It also includes Wifi which is a feature lacked in the previous models. With the price tag being very less, this is surely bound to attract first time smart phone buyers.

Blackberry Curve 8530 Smartphone – Technical Specification Table

Design:

A huge one:
The HP Jornada 728 looks like a small scale laptop, but then, it cannot be called a palmtop as well since it is even bigger than a normal palmtop. The design, on the other hand looks like it is an archaic model. Some of the critics have also reported that it is more like a toy than like a mini computer. It measures about 7.4 inches wide, 1.3 inches deep and 3.7 inches high. These are rather unusual dimensions that you will not see nowhere in these days. Weighing about 18.2 ounces, it is also not very comfortable to hold in your hands. Hence, basically the design part of the PDA is completely archaic. So, at present, you can buy it only if you love antiquity.

6.5″ Display:
The 6.5 inch LCD screen may turn out to be a great plus. But then, it is not using the latest technology, which is the TFT matrix. Instead, the Color CTSN passive matrix is used here. This is means that the Jornada 728 Handhled PC comes with an old screen technology. It may not create a derogative feeling in the users, but still, to know how good a product is, we need to compare it with the other similar products and the Jornada 728 is clearly behind them when it comes to the technology that is used.

Features:

Since the model is a bit old, there will also be lesser features and also they will be less advanced than the modern PDAs. Even then, HP tried its best to incorporate the best technology available at that time. Let us see if they are applicable to the current trends of living.

Processor:
Since the processor is a very important thing regarding any electronic device nowadays, it is necessary that we should choose a PDA that comes with a reasonably good processor. Looking at the HP Jornada 728, it seems to have a good enough processor for a PDA. The 206MHz 32-bit Strong ARM SA1110 processor seems to be quite good for the applications featured on the PDA. Although the device will not be functioning at an ultra high pace, there will still be no complaints regarding its speed. You could not expect anything better in this part of the device since this was the then best available processor.

Operating System:
The operating system is one of the major drawbacks of the Jornada 728. It comes with the already superannuated Microsoft Windows 2000. This is a very old operating system and its oldness can be determined by the number of newer versions released by Microsoft after it, till date. Although it works fine without too many issues, the main problem with it is its compatibility. If you want to install any software on the device for any purpose, then the problem arises. Many of today’s software applications are not compatible with such old operating systems, and if you are really in need of such applications, then you need to browse for them on the internet, download them and then install them separately. This is a big headache but only if you are a frequent user of many applications. Conversion of data may also be problematic sometimes due to the change in operating system. Hence, the users are advised to look over their decision towards buying the Jornada 728.

Memory:
Memory is very important for a device to store data and also to perform better. The Jornada 728 comes with a 64 MB of RAM and 64 MB of ROM, which is of type CompactFlash 1. The RAM is also SDRAM type so that there may not be many compatibility issues. But there is no option for the integration of memory on the Jornada 728 and the built in flash memory may not be sufficient for all. It can hence, only manage to save documents and PDF files but then, saving many mp3 files may not be possible.

Touch screen:
This is at least one of the more useful features of the Jornada 728 Handheld PDA. It comes with a touch responsive screen so that there is no need to place a joy stick or any other thing for the purpose of navigation through the device. There is also a stylus provided along with the device so that it will be great to use instead of the finger.

Keyboard:
This PDA surprisingly provides a complete keyboard so that even though it consumes a lot of space, occupying about 76% of the total device, it will be very easy for typing over the device. Since, it is very difficult to type documents lime Word and Excel on the touch screen keyboard, HP has provided this special full keyboard. Anyway, the device is already big and this keyboard has got nothing to do with it. Hence, it is a very good option provided by HP on the Jornada 728.

Internet Connectivity:
HP quotes that the Jornada 728 PDA comes with a High-performance internal modem with a bandwidth of 56Kbps and of version v.901. This can be considered as a good enough modem that helps you to connect your device to the internet wirelessly. With a reasonable speed, you can browse the internet and the bandwidth of 56 kbps means that it will be a speedy and secure internet connection. Along with the Internet connection, there is also e-mail support for your device along with a few attachments like POP3, IMAP4, SMTP, and LDAP, MS Internet Explorer for Handheld PC (ver. 4.01), which are likely to help you browse the internet.

Infrared:
For the sake of wireless communication, the Jornada 728 has a built in Infrared port system. Even though it is quite surprising regarding the absence of Bluetooth technology on this PDA, HP has made it over by providing the Infrared port. This will be a lot helpful for the transfer of data such as documents, PDF files, music files and many others. The transfer of the data is also pretty fast there are also no reported connectivity issues. Hence, this has eliminated the use of a data cable for the transfer of data between devices. You can also transfer data files between the device and your infrared provided mobile phone. This is also another useful feature provided by HP.

Software:
The Jornada 728’s package sports a decent software package that is also quite useful for office works. There is Microsoft Pocket Word which allows you to take and type notes and documents, or transfer the Word files from your desktop to read and edit them on your device while you are away from your office. Then there is Microsoft Pocket Excel which allows you to view and edit excel files on the HP Jornada, or you can also fill out different kinds of forms while you are on the go. Microsoft Pocket PowerPoint allows you to create presentations on your desktop, and then copy them to show on the HP Jornada. Or, you can also use a PC Card or a VGA adapter in order to project them on to an external monitor or a VGA projector.

Microsoft Pocket Access allows you to take the database information and fill in custom forms, when you are away from home. Microsoft Pocket Outlook allows you to keep track of different tasks, calendar events, contacts, and electronic mails. Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4 allows you to browse the internet from home on the HP Jornada or you can also subscribe to channel content. With the specially designed Microsoft Windows Media Player, you can listen to WMA or MP3 music files on your device. The Microsoft Voice Recorder allows you to record voice messages for later reference. Lastly, the Microsoft Terminal Server Client connects to the internet with the help of a Windows Terminal Server. Hence, at least, there is a very good package of software in the Jornada 728 PDA.

Performance

Overall, the performance of the HP Jornada 728 is quite satisfactory, except for a few issues, which are not that significant nor they are that frequent. A reasonably good processor, along with a good, but very old operating system, makes a mediocre combination and although it is reliable, it is not that necessary to choose such an old combination however good it is, since it may cause compatibility and speed related issues in the future. Lack of Wi-Fi is also another drawback of this PDA. This device was released at a period when Wi-Fi was no big deal. But there is a built in modem that can connect you to the internet. Hence, to conclude, even though the Jornada 728 is a reasonably good performer, you can see that it is very old fashioned and hence it develops a negative image in the minds of the users. But otherwise, it is fine.

Connectivity:

Coming to the connectivity options that you will find on the Jornada 728, you will find that there are quite a few of them. When you look at the sides and the back portions of the PDA, you will find the following connectivity ports: One IrDA infrared port, as we have already discussed for the transfer of data files, One RS232C serial port, One RJ11 modem port, for connecting your device to the internet, One PC Card Type II card slot, for reading SD memory cards, One CompactFlash Type I card slot, which holds the SD RAM cards used for storing data, One Smart Card reader slot, Audio speaker and microphone, which can be used for recording voices or sending voice messages, Stereo earphone jack to which you can connect your headphones or earphones. You can also connect it to external speakers if necessary but not to a home theatre system or a 5.1 channel audio system since there are no drivers installed in the device. Hence, it is a good thing that there are sufficient numbers of connectivity options on the Jornada 728.

Battery:

The Jornada 720 comes with a normal Lithium ion battery, which has a battery life for a period of 14 hours, as quoted by HP. This battery is only rechargeable but not replaceable. Hence, HP has provided another coin cell battery, which is a 3V battery and is known as CR2032 coin cell battery, for the sake of battery backup during emergency cases. But, if the lithium ion battery gets damaged, then there no replacement for that and it means that the whole device must be replaced and a new one must be bought.

Warranty:

The HP Jornada 728 comes with a warranty for parts and labor for a period of one year from the original date of purchase.

Verdict:

The HP Jornada 728 is one of the first generation PDAs that were released into the market quite a few years ago. First up, the size of the device is not comfortable to hold or keep in your pocket since it is too big for doing them both. Then, there are minimal features including the very old operating system that may cause compatibility troubles regarding some of the applications. But the performance aspects and the connectivity options on the Jornada 728 are the satisfactory ones. The battery is also a problem since it is irreplaceable. The cost of the device is obviously very low since it is an old model. But, all the readers are advised to go for another better option, just in case they are still in dilemma after reading this review. There are many wonderful PDAs in the market today, and from HP itself. So, you can choose another good PDA for pretty much the same cost.

Check Latest PDA Reviews, other HP PDA Models in this website.

HP Jornada 728 Handheld PC – Technical Specification Table

Design:

Bewitching indeed:
The Blackberry 7250 looks a lot better than its counterparts. It has got a unique class and beauty when it comes to the design that makes you feel the PDA as an asset rather than a burden. It is also a great masterpiece for you to show off to your friends and colleagues. To be more technically specific, the Blackberry 7250 measures (L x W x D) 4.5 x 2.9 x 0.9 inches and weighs just about 4.9 ounces. This obviously means that it is quite sleek and also is very comfortable to hold in your palm and so, you will be able to easily type with your other hand. Even if you are a thumb typist, the PDA is so comfy to hold in both hands. Detailing more on the physical structure of the PDA, it is big, flat, and rectangular in shape with beautifully curved edges and smooth glossy finish. If there was one thing in this PDA that is different from its precursors, it would be the keypad. The QWERTY keypad has the keys drifted towards the sides, giving the device a curvy appearance.  Overall, it is a good effort put in by RIM, in producing a very alluring design.

Display:
The 2.6″ full color display of resolution 240 x 160 pixels, will provide you a lot of space for things like reading and typing emails, playing a few games, watching photos and viewing videos. Since this is not an entertainment oriented PDA, this resolution is pretty good enough for almost all the functions and operations. The landscape type of display means that you have a comfortable view of the web pages while you are browsing, just like on your desktop computer. Nothing flashier regarding display is required, like you will see on some other modern PDAs, and hence, this is certainly good enough.

QWERTY Keyboard:
The RIM Blackberrys are the few of those PDAs which feature the QWERTY type keyboards. Obviously, there is no other choice but to provide a complete keyboard since the PDAs are mainly meant to replace the computers on a small scale. At present, there are two kinds of providing this facility; while one is the Blackberry, the completer QWERTY keyboard that the other one providing is a full touch screen enabled device so that the keyboard can be seen on the screen and letters can be typed by simple touches. But since there is no option of touch screen here in this case, there is no other, go but to provide a QWERTY keyboard. Although this may make the device a little larger, more often than not, people tend to prefer to this over the touch screen type.

Features:

Since the Blackberry PDAs are considered to be very innovative in nature, you will find that they contain many features and options that are new and unique. The RIM Blackberry 7250 Smartphone is certainly not an exception to this. There are no exaggerations here, and all the features that are seen are present in order to make life easy for the businessmen. This PDA is also one of those which is more inclined towards professionalism rather than towards entertainment.

Wireless Email:
The most powerful of all in the arsenal of the Blackberry 7250, is its capability to send ultrafast emails even when you are on the move. The special messaging or mailing service that is provided, gives you the option to send and receive mails and messages wherever you are and whichever time of the day it is. Just at the push of a button, you will be directed towards the mail centre and there you can type and send them instantaneously or you can also save them as draft files for later use. Since the device will always be connected to the internet, you can receive mails at all times. With email integrations facility, this wireless email function works with various servers like the Blackberry Enterprise Server for Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino, and Novell GroupWise. The integration can be done by using a new device email account or by using an already existing email account.

Organizer:
This organizer is a special way of arranging the icons on your device. It has got different styles of organizing the menu options and also other shortcut keys to different functions in the device. Like on many other PDAs today, the Blackberry 7250 also has a grid type view of the menu and submenu icons. You can also change this by changing the settings. You also can decide what icons should feature in the main menu, as the shortcuts and so on. Customization is at its best when you are allowed to choose. Hence, your PDA will always be organized.

Web Browser:
In order to browse the internet through your device, of course, you need a browser. The RIM Blackberry 7250 PDA Smartphone has got a browser that is very easy to use and to get used to. Easy functions and shortcuts to different websites through bookmarks, are some of the special features of this browser. Another advantage of this browser is that, it is easy to download stuff and save them to the memory, which can be synced to the computer later.

Phone and SMS:
Though it may look funny, it is a fact that many mid range PDAs have no option for you to call or to send messages to other mobile phone. Most of the PDAs are designed to work as mini computers and hence you do not often see phone and SMS options on these. But in the recent past, it has occurred into the minds of the designers that having this option will certainly attract the users and will boost the sales. The Blackberry 7250 has a very good phone system in it, with good quality speakers so that you can enjoy good quality hearing experience. Just like on a conventional mobile phone, you can dial any number and talk. In addition to the email option that it has, the Blackberry 7250 has the option for you to send SMS to any mobile in the world. Hence, this option will prove to be one of those that will make this Blackberry a very popular PDA in the market.

GPS: Nothing is Foreign No More
GPS is a very useful application nowadays as the world is becoming smaller day by day due to technology. Particularly, if you have to travel to new places frequently, then GPS is a blessing. It shows you the map of the area which you are in, and it shows different important places in your vicinity and also the routes to them through the internet. Details regarding such places, if available, are also displayed as a part of GPS so that nothing will be new to you in a foreign place. Have the GPS with you and you will feel every place as your hometown.

Wireless Network:
With the Blackberry 7250, you can always stay connected to the internet and interact with the world. The RIM wireless modem with tethered modem compatibility, which is built inside the device and the 800/1900 MHz CDMA2000® 1X networks and Ev-DO networks that are provided, you can connect to the internet very easily and stay connected for a long time. This facility is very utile to the business professionals who keep on moving from place to place and to those who need to contact many people at a time for long durations. For this, you do not need any wireless modem or a wireless PC card.

Security:
With the availability of corporate data access, there is always a risk of losing your private and confidential data. To avoid this, you need very good security and also options like password setting, so that your data will stay safe and secret. There is a password setting system as usual and you can set your own passwords to both the keypad and also to the files that you want to be safe. When integrated to the Blackberry Enterprise Server FIPS140-2, you can get the support in order to encrypt the files into different other forms like AES or triple DES. This means that your personal data will be encrypted into some secret codes and then they will be saved so that there will be no potential data loss from your device. All this means you can always be safe and secure.

USB Compatible:
The USB function is so important in the digital world, that there is no electronic device today without USB compatibility. It makes synchronization very easy and this will enable you to exchange data between you PDA and your computer. Particularly in the case of the Blackberry 7250, this is a useful option since as we have seen earlier, there is no option to increase or upgrade the internal memory of the device. Therefore, this might help you in saving the data in your mobile to your computer and hence by time to time clearance of the internal memory of your device, you can always have sufficient memory for various purposes.

Performance:

We have now seen all the features of the Blackberry 7250. With so many useful features in the basket, you must certainly expect its performance to be top notch. All the features that we have discussed above boost up the performance of the device. The phone function is also pretty useful, and by the way, it is no normal phone. You experience landline voice clarity and signal quality with the Blackberry 7250. The internet connectivity is very good and the signals are solid. This means that you have continuous connection to the internet, which is always desirable.

Battery:

The Blackberry 7250 has got a very good battery, which is very much needed by a business professional. You normally get 3 hours of talk time and more than 8 days of standby battery backup with the renovated battery technology that is possessed by this PDA. The battery, unlike those of many other PDAs, is removable as well, so you can buy a spare battery and keep it for emergency purposes. You can also buy a travel charger so that it will be useful when you are on the move.

Warranty:

There is a limited parts and labor warranty for a period of one year from the original date of purchase. The rest of the details can be found inside the warranty leaflet at the time of purchase.

Verdict:

As we have seen, the Blackberry 7250 is one of the prime products of RIM, and is also well received in the business world. With a cute and sleek design, the device looks so professional even though it is a little bigger than normal. With lots of features, more than what you normally see on a regular PDA, along with good performance aspects, the Blackberry 7250 is a very good all rounder that does all the jobs required by you. Even though it is more professionally oriented, it provides some options for your entertainment as well. The price is also very reasonable for the amount of utility that it provides. However, this PDA is only one of many that Blackberry has released over the years. There are also other devices, which look even more stylish and at the same time, provide more options for entertainment. Hence, you can also have a look at them here, so that you get a PDA that suits you the best.

Check Latest PDA Reviews, Nokia Smartphone Reviews, Specs in this website.

RIM Blackberry 7250 PDA – Technical Specification Table

Design:

Reluctant to make design changes:
As the design of the Tungsten E2 was very well appreciated by everyone, Palm has not changed it much and stuck to the same design as far as possible. The same compact and sleek form factor makes it look very decent and quite professional. Its curvaceous body is very pleasing to look at. You feel that you are having a plaything rather than a PDA device. Going deeper into the details, the measurements of the Tungsten E2 which are, (H x W x D) 114 x 79 x 15 mm. It also weighs only 133 grams. Thus it is incredibly light in weight. This fact makes you quite happy. Doesn’t it?

You will find the scroll buttons and the jockey right at the bottom centre, as usual. The buttons that hold the main functions surround the scroll button. There are four standard customizable buttons in all, and they are used as shortcuts to various programs and applications on the device. The display screen occupies quite a large portion of the device. Although all these are very common to all PDAs and mobile phones, the way they look on the Tungsten E2 makes it a very special PDA.

Display:
Right at the top of the requirements list sits the Display of the PDA. The Tungsten E2 now has an improved display system. The 3.7 inch TFT LCD screen is one of the bigger screens you will see on the PDAs. The screen is specially designed to be pretty bright at all times. With a screen resolution of 320 x 320 pixels along with the high colour pattern that comprises about 65,536 colours, instead of the usual 320 x 240 pixels and 64,000, you are always assured of very good display from the Tungsten E2. The special feature of this screen is that it makes everything more fine tuned and hence the pictures on the Tungsten E2 are more vivid, candid and also more natural. This means that you can easily read the screen contents in direct sunlight as well. Hence, you have got one of the better display mechanisms in your hand.

Features:

Lots of features are coming up. When you browse through the Tungsten E2, you will find very good applications, options and features with various functions. Some of them are related to professional works and are official in terms of utility. The others are very funny and entertaining so that you can relax for some time. Here is a detail picture of all the software and other various features in the Tungsten E2.

Processor:
The processor is the backbone of a PDA device. Any device’s potential can be estimated by the quality of the processor it has in it. As usual with the PDAs from Palm, the processor that is used here is the 200MHz Intel XScale processor, produced by Intel. This is one of the fastest processors that you will see featuring in the PDAs. Although there were a few problems in the past regarding the performance of these processors, Palm has made sure that nothing of that sort happens this time around by making subtle changes. Hence you will be comfortable using the device, not being bothered about the little problems that stop your device all of a sudden.

Operating System:
Almost all of the PDAs and mobile phones from Palm feature an operating system that is designed by Palm itself. The Tungsten E2 comes with the Palm OS Garnet version 5.4.7. This is the latest OS from Palm and is also more user friendly than any other OS of Palm. Although most of the PDAs are coming with Microsoft Windows as their Operating System, Palm still stuck to its own OS. But there is nothing inferior when it comes to the Garnet OS and it has all the features and flexibility in it to make it easy for the users to get used to it quickly.

Protective Lid:
The Tungsten E2 surprisingly came out with a protective flip over cover in order to protect the screen. This cover is made of plastic. As we all are aware of the LCD screens and their delicate nature, we always wanted either a tougher screen or a protection for the delicate one. You obviously do not get a tough screen since all of them are made of liquid crystals. So, Palm has opted to go with the outer protection using a plastic lid. This lid is also special because you can remove it if not needed. If you are travelling or if you feel like protecting it, then you can always put on the lid. Hence, this is one of those features that will make the users happy.

Non-Volatile File System:
The Tungsten E2 comes with this special feature, the Non-Volatile File System, whose function is clearly known from its name. This special software makes sure that all your important files and documents are not lost under any circumstances, unless you delete them. Even if your device is damaged or switched off due to low battery power, this software securely saves all the documents automatically so that you can open them the next time you switch the device on. It means that your files will be non- volatile as they do not change or get deleted easily. This feature is just like the hibernate mode that you will see on the laptop computers. Thus your files are always safe with the Tungsten E2.

Wi-Fi:
Wi-Fi has become one of the vital features of any electronic device nowadays. It is now featured on electronic gadgets ranging from iPods to Televisions. The Palm Tungsten E2 is also not an exception to this. This feature was not available on the previous PDA from Palm, the Tungsten E. Hence this is certainly an add-on. To utilise the Wi-Fi option, you need to buy the Wi-Fi card that is specially designed for the Tungsten E2 by SyChip. The encryption of this Wi-Fi card is also restricted to WEP. Hence there is no WPA or WPA2 in the Tungsten E2. This may be a bit inconvenient to some of the users but that is the way it is.

Memory Card:
As the Tungsten E2 is claimed to be a very good music player along with being a good PDA, it will need some internal or external memory to support its functions. The internal memory given is too little for anything. A 30 MB of internal memory is provided. As this will be enough for all the contacts and other documents in the device, you will need to buy an external memory card separately from the stores. But at the same time, you cannot buy every memory card in the market as there are a few software limitations when it comes to the memory card compatibility. The Tungsten E2 supports only SD memory cards and that too those that have a capacity below 1 GB. This may be one of the few drawbacks of the E2. Memory Cards with higher capacities will not be compatible. Therefore, you need to buy multiple cards of 1 GB capacity, if at all you want good memory for your device.

Bluetooth:
Bluetooth has been a revelation of late and has changed the outlook of communication. It also, like the Wi-Fi, appears on just about any electronic device in the world. This feature allows wireless communication and data exchange from your device to any other device that has Bluetooth feature. Hence you can exchange data between devices with this feature. The Tungsten E2 also did not pose any problems while using this application and it was pretty quick in searching for devices too. This also easily syncs with other devices. But if the synchronisztion is between two Tungsten mobiles, then the connection is a bit faster and the files are also sent quicker.

The Athena Connector:
The Athena Connector, also known as the multi connector, is a very special feature of the Tungsten mobiles, especially the E2. It is a universal connector that is specially designed to get your Tungsten E2 connected to various accessories and cradles. This connector consists of a mini USB cable that can be used for syncing. You can also connect your PDA to your computer for charging and also for transfer of files such as music, pictures, videos and documents. With the help of this feature, you can also save your files in your computer and hence clear the memory off your mobile. With this multi connector, you can also read cards and others and so this feature is multi purposeful.

Documents to Go:
The Documents to Go is a software package that has in it all the required applications that will make you a very good official. Just like the Microsoft Office tools package that you will find on the mobiles and PDAs that come with the Microsoft Windows as their operating system, you will see the Documents to Go application in the Palm OS. This is also a very good software package. It has all the applications like the word documentation, spreadsheets and also the presentation documents. Thus you will always be at work wherever you are and always be on top of others when it comes to work. All the applications are satisfactorily good and are also easy to get used to.

Kinoma Player:
The Kinoma Player is a media player that plays different digital media. This one is a very special player that was designed by those who have already designed the QuickTime player for Apple. This player also featured on other PDAs like the Windows Mobile and the mobiles from Symbian. There is a lot to tell you about this player. This was the first ever mobile media browser. The built-in Kinoma Guide that you will find inside this player allows you to search, browse and stream music and videos on the web for almost half a terabyte of media. You can readily listen to your favourite music on the web through this one. This player also plays audio, video and picture files directly from different network websites such as YouTube, Flickr, Audible and Live 365. Hence you have a lot of options that entertain you whenever you want.

Miscellaneous:
The miscellaneous features include the stylus that can be used for easy scrolling; the Desktop Email sync feature helps you a lot for easy typing, sending and receiving the mails; the web browsing feature is also fine and the browser is also quite easy to get along with. The Palm Photo software is specially designed to make your pictures look even greater. The mp3 playback and video playback features are only additions to the innumerable features that are already there. You can also view PDF files with a special application in the Palm OS. But this requires a conversion step for you to access the files in the PDF format. There is a special feature called the VersaMail. With this, you can read mails and also compose and draft the mails that you want to send. When you go back to your computer, you can then sync your device and then send them through the internet. You can also avail the Wi-Fi feature in this case.

Hence, all these features that are discussed above not only look stylish and modish, but they are also very professional and always keep you on the top of your work. It is quite natural that you are bewildered at this moment by looking at the various features and applications, but this does not restrict the performance of the Tungsten E2, not even the slightest part of it.

Performance:

The Tungsten E2 has a very good number of features in it to suffice all the needs of business professional. Along with being so official, it is also pretty entertaining and you will be satisfied with its performance too. At first there has been a doubt regarding its performance because there are a lot of options, features and applications. But Palm has not compromised with the aspect of performance. The Tungsten E2 has passed all the tests, which were conducted by the experts and has easily done it. Since all the points regarding the performance of the Tungsten E2 have been covered under the features section, all that can be said here is you will never regret buying the Tungsten E2.

Battery:

The Tungsten E2 contains a lithium ion battery of 1050 mAh. This is new and reinforced battery and hence you get a very good battery backup and also slightly more than the normal battery lives of the other PDAs in the market. Particularly when you compare this one to the battery life of the Tungsten E, this fact is significantly evident. Hence you can enjoy for a longer period of time with your PDA.

Warranty:

This is one of the surprising points regarding the Tungsten E2. The Palm Inc. offers parts and labor warranty for a period of just 90 days. There have been a lot of complaints regarding this from the customers and users of the Tungsten E2. A mere 90 day warranty is obviously not enough, but Palm supports this by stating that if the PDA is good for the first 90 days, then it will remain good further, well, this may not be true for all the cases.

Verdict:

You have made a good decision if you have already selected the Tungsten E2. If you have not decided yet, then think over it because you do not normally get such a good PDA for such a reasonable price. Not only the price, but the PDA itself is very good indeed. The design part of it is very commendable. It is one of the sleekest PDAs from Palm. In addition to the fact that they are pretty useful for professionals, the features that are discussed above are very good in number. The device also did not report any problems during testing and also there were almost no complaints from the users. The battery life is pretty good, considering all the multitasking options that a PDA has to run at a time. The only thing is that this PDA looks stunning if it comes with the Windows operating system. Their combination looks perfect; but nevertheless, the Palm OS is good enough. Everything else is fine and it will be good PDA for people from all walks of life.

Palm Tungsten E2 – Technical Specification Table

Design:

The form factor and make:
The HP iPAQ 110 Classic Handheld PDA is a based on a design that HP bought from HTC in 2002 and used them in several iPAQ form factors. The 110 is the 4th device to have the same form factor. However, HP has not updated the design and the phone reminds you of how things were like in 1999.  At 2.7 x 0.5 x 4.6 inches, it is thin and light weight and weighs a measly 3.68 ounces, amongst the lightest in the market. As far as the design is concerned, it is too simple and HP could have tried much better than this.
The plastic face is textured to convey the impression of brushed metal. The back side is made of black plastic and tends to retain a lot of fingerprints and smudges. The casing is quite sturdy and the battery cover latches securely and the SD Card mechanism feels strong. There is a SD Card slot on the left and a power and audio note button on the right. The top has some space for the stylus and a 3.5mm Standard port for headphones. The Stylus is a rugged metal barrel and is not of the telescopic design that most other models have.  It also houses the LED indicator and a light sensor. There is neither a camera lens nor slide out phone controls.

Keypad:
Coming to the details of the Keypad, the buttons on the keypad feel lighter and flimsy. The Directional pad is large and easy to use and the buttons are good for average use. If you are into Action gaming, the buttons might be unacceptable. The layout of the buttons is rather odd- the Start and the OK/Close buttons are the innermost pair unlike other devices where they are the outermost.  It lacks dedicated soft keys for one handed use, but you can re-task your Calendar and Messaging buttons for the purpose. The iPAQ allows press and hold choices on its three re-mappable buttons. So, you can launch about 4 programs from the buttons with soft keys or launch 6 applications without soft keys.

Display:
The iPAQ has a larger screen than most phones in the market. The 3.5″ inches screen is simply marvelous. The only downside is perhaps that the resolution is available in QVGA only. However, it seems less sharp than a 2.8″ screen and has polarization issues as well. The latter makes the screen glow and is very evident in landscape mode and gets annoying when you watch videos with dark scenes. The Auto Sensor adjusts brightness automatically and the built in screen lock function allows you to tap the app on the screen to lock it and another tap to unlock it. The phone’s display is as good as one expects out of a QVGA.  The resolution is not lively and a high screen protector would help with the polarization problems.

Features:

Connectivity:
Connectivity is top class in the iPAQ 110 Pocket PC PDA.  It has with Bluetooth 2.0/EDR, along 802.11b/g Wi-Fi. It is more connected than the last generation level PDAs. It also comes with HP’s wireless connection manager from where you can manage both WiFi and Bluetooth connections. The WiFI range on the phone is amazing, not only was it able to detect all Wi-FI routers in the area, but also was able to connect with the home network as well. Web pages loaded fast and data transfer was easy. There is a complaint though, the iPAQ claims to have connected to the network sometimes, when it actually was not.  Can get annoying sometimes!
Bluetooth on the iPAQ is good. HP uses the Widcomm stack unlike others which use the pathetic Microsoft Bluetooth stack for Windows Mobile. It allows you to discover services on another Bluetooth enabled device, access the internet or a LAN using a PC. Even in a radio crowded area, the connection between the iPAQ tested and another phone was solid.  There was no hitch in the connection while loading pages over Wi-Fi wile using Bluetooth headphones- a chronic problem on several devices. However, when blue tooth is activated, Wi-Fi’s performance took a hit.

Windows Mobile Office 6.1:
The iPAQ 110 runs the standard package of Windows Mobile 6 which translates to the latest version of Mobile Word, Excel & PowerPoint 6.1.The phone is far from being classic as it is one of the very few phones in the market with 6.1and is compatible with Office 2007 so you can open docx, xlsx and pptx file formats on the Pocket PC. Apart from the basic application package, a PDF viewer (ClearVue) and a HP photo application and a few other apps are present. Windows Live is another feature on the phone. The Windows Update manual can be switched to either automatic or manual modes.  However, HP has not included Microsoft Outlook keeping in tune with its policy. There are third party options such as syncing to Mozilla via Birdiesync.

Syncing:
Since the iPAQ runs MW 6.1, one needs to use the latest version of Active Sync- ActiveSync Version 4.5 on your Windows. Active Sync 4.5 allows simultaneous WI-FI and ActiveSync connections making syncing easier than ever before.

Software:
The software bundled on the HP iPAQ 110 is similar to the fare offered on WM5.0 PocketPCs. Windows Mobile 6.0 adds several improvements – better ways to share events, calendars, etc., full HTML display with images and display advanced formatting. However it is still inferior to the desktop version. There is the Internet Explorer Mobile, Windows Live Messenger Client and Windows Media Player 10 Mobile offered. WMP 10 Mobile supports WMA, WAV and PlaysForSure files. The sound through the integrated speakers is average. Through the stereo headphones, there is an improvement in sound quality. The best sound performance with the HP iPAQ 110 is with the Plantronics Pulsar 590a Bluetooth wireless stereo headphones- it allowed great channel separation and full volume. The other applications provided are ClearVue PDF Viewer and Microsoft’s Picture and Video viewer. It also comes with 2 basic games: Bubble breaker and Solitaire. Third party applications run really smooth on the 110.

Gaming:
The great screen and the fast processor make gaming an absolute pleasure on the phone. The rectangular D pad on the phone is great. Audio through the speaker is decent and several Pocket PC games run very smooth. If you are a hard-core gamer, this iPAQ 110 Pocket PC would not disappoint you.

Expansion:
Most Devices do not have a SDHC slot like the 110 does, giving it an advantage in the microSD age. SDHC cards allow you to store data up to 32GB, giving it more solid storage than any but the most advanced multimedia devices.  16GB card can store up to 4000 songs or 20-100 feature length movies. The iPAQ 110 has a total of 64Mb, with about 20 Mb free after boot. It has a 256MB flash memory with 196Mb available for usage. The RAM is on the shorter side, however actually is good by Pocket PC standards.  The SD card supports SDIO, though the most popular SDIO is Wi-FI and is already built in.

Accessories:
The HP iPAQ 110 Classic Handheld PDA is provided with a 120mAH Lithium Ion rechargeable battery, an AC Adapter with power cord, a Mini USB Sync/Charge cable, a slip case and a HP iPAQ companion CD.

Performance:

What is inside?
The iPAQ 110 is the first device to have the new XScale PXA310 processor, built by Marvell. The PxA310 and the PxA320 are based on Intel’s chips. The new PXA320 runs at a clock speed of 624 MHz as high as the older PXA270 line. However, Marvell claims that the 310 is capable of delivering 50-100% more performance than the PXA270.

VGA resolution:
When tested for VGA resolution, its average speed was a whopping 264% making it the best in the Windows Mobile Segment (beating competitors like the Advantage).

Speed:
File operations on the Hewlett Packard  iPAQ 110 are fast and so are the graphical operations because of the lower resolution. The only major selling points of the new processor are the lower power consumption and integrated video functionality. A 624Mhz needed 530mW for playing video, much higher than the PXA320 which needed only 320mW. What difference will 200mW make? Averaging this over a few hours, the battery life of the PXA320 processor based phone will be 20 percent higher than the PXA310. The iPAQ 110 lacks an applet for controlling CPU clock speed; however it seems to do a good job on its own.

Media functionality:
Coming to the details of the integrated video functionality, the PXA310 was able to play MPEG-4 parts such as H.264.  It was as good as the Axim’s X51v’s hardware acceleration. Code compatibility was good as well, DivX and Xvid files worked perfectly. In layman terms, the iPAQ 110 has a tremendous multimedia performance. It can handle high quality desktop videos with out a synch. The new processor makes it a power intensive device; however that still does not extend battery life.

Battery Life of iPAQ 110:

The HP iPAQ 110 Classic comes with a standard rechargeable 3.7v Lithium Ion battery which is 1200mAh in capacity. The battery life on the iPAQ is really good in spite of having a lot to power- a large display, Wi-Fi, a high end CPU and even Bluetooth radios. On starting with a full battery, playing high end videos, switching on Wi-Fi and other applications, it took 4 hours for the battery to go down. That is exceptional considering most phones have difficulty in crossing the 3 hour mark. The battery should be able to last 2-3 days with moderate usage. So, in short, the iPAQ 110’s battery life tramples all competition in its league. It equals the Dell Axim’s battery life and is twice the battery life of the iPod Touch. In other words, simply an amazing battery life.

Warranty:

There is a one year warranty on parts and labor on the HP iPAQ 110 Classic and a warranty of 90 days for technical support in most regions.

Verdict:

The iPAQ is the fastest processor available on a PDA. It has a large and excellent display not found in the mobiles and smart phones of the time. It has integrated Wi-FI and Bluetooth and a software bundle that covers Office Mobile, email, music & video playback, picture and PDF viewing.  It does get overshadowed by its more advanced sibling the unreleased iPAQ 210, the 110 is not just a data repository, but is capable of tasks like Internet, Entertainment etc.  The Battery life could have been better and the built in speaker was disappointing. However, it is an easy choice for people who are looking for an affordable PDA minus the phone and who want to complement this PDA to their mobile phone.

Check HP iPAQ 111 Review in this website.

HP iPAQ 110 PDA Pocket PC – Technical Specification Table

Design:

Old-school style:
Kudos to HP, the HP iPAQ 111 Classic PDA is designed old school style. The design reminds you of a bygone era when people used to depend on PDAs and mobile phones were bulky. This is yet another phone in the HP series to have the same form factor (Note : This design was bought from HTC in early 2002 and has been used in HP models ever since).  The iPAQ 111 is about 2.7 inches wide, 0.6 inches thick and 4.6 inches tall. At 4.1oz it is a reasonably light phone and is bulkier than its predecessor the iPAQ 110 Classic.  The phone’s casing is built of Plastic, but has been textured to convey the impression of a brushed metal surface. On the left side of the body is present the SD card slot and on the right are present the power and audio note button.  Like all the other models in the 110 series, the PDA has a telescopic stylus which is hard to get used to initially.

Keypad:
The keypad is delicate and the buttons feel light and wayward. There is the start and OK buttons in the innermost of the keypad buttons. This odd design and its lack of dedicated soft keys for one handed use, make it difficult to use the keypad. But once you get used to it, the Directional keypad and the buttons are great to use.  There are dedicated buttons for Calendar and Messaging which can be re-tasked for other purposes. Since it is a PDA phone, the keypad has been designed keeping in mind the business users. Hence, if you are into hard core gaming on your phone, the 111 Classic’s keypad would not really appeal much to you as the buttons are not conveniently located for gaming.

Display:
PDAs usually have a big screen and the iPAQ 111 is no exception. At 3.5″ the screen is large and is astounding. Unlike the 110 which was available whose screen was available in QVGA resolution, the HP iPAQ 111 Classic uses a Color TFT Active Matrix. It has excellent contrasts and brightness, but when it comes to resolution, it is a disappointment. The PDA has a one of the lowest resolutions in the market at 320 x 240 pixels.  The problem with low resolutions is that reading long text would cause one’s eyes to turn sour. Aligning the touch screen would take some time. But once, you are ready, the touch screen is great to use. The screen is sensitive and responds to touch well. The phone suffers from polarization problems which gets annoying especially when you watch videos with insufficient lighting.
Overall, the resolution could have been much higher and the display could have been better than a QVGA.

Features:

Microsoft Mobile Office 6.1:
The iPAQ 111 Classic Handheld PDA has Windows Mobile 6.1 and hence the latest version of all Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel etc. are provided. Apart from all this, there is a PDF viewer and a Photo application package provided by HP. There is the Mobile Windows Media player on it, which is pretty much adequate for listening to music.  Who says all this is classic? This is advanced features on your PDA and the presence of Windows Live is another bonus. To keep updating your Windows, you can get it done automatically or manually. If you would want Microsoft Outlook, you will need to shell out separately for a third party application that would enable you to sync with your PC.

Synchronization:
There is the Active Sync 4.5 provided on the OS which allows simultaneous Wi-Fi and Active Sync connections making syncing painless.  Syncing between Outlook and the PC is pretty simple too.

Wi-Fi:
Compared to the last gen PDAs, the 111 Classic is more connected and has loads of options for you to connect : Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.  It has 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi whose range is great. Not only was it able to detect most routers, it managed to connect to the network quick as well. The browsing was fast and data transfer was easy. Like the 110, the PDA reports that it has connected to the Internet when it actually has not.

Bluetooth:
The 111 Classic iPAQ has Bluetooth 2.0/EDR which uses the Widcomm stack. The Bluetooth enables you to discover services on other devices and allows you to access Internet using a LAN connected to a PC. Though Wi-Fi worked without a hitch when Bluetooth headphones were activated, the browsing speed fell down drastically.

Internet Browsing:
This HP iPAQ 111 Classic PDA Pocket PC device is pretty good enough for Internet browsing.  Its low resolution does not really worse things here. The Internet Explorer provided has pretty decent options that would allow you to browse Internet easily.  Did we mention that one could download other browsers as well? Opera ran best in the 111 iPAQ. The rate browsing on the device is sufficient for rare browsing. Browsing Internet through Wi-Fi is easy and the inbuilt Bluetooth would allow you to browse Internet as well.

Gaming:
A huge screen and a great processor, gaming does not get any better on the phone. There are tons of games that are available that you can play on your PDA. While most games run smooth, the problem arises because of the keypad. The rectangular D pad is good to use, but if there are other buttons you would like to play with, it gets a bit annoying and confusing .However, the PDA is good for chess, card games and even some more graphically more intense games. If you are into some serious gaming, the PDA is great. It could have been better if there were some improvements in the key design.

Software Bundle:
Aimed at the Business oriented users, the PDA offers a variety of apps similar to the fare offered by Windows 5. It has its share of improvements – more innovative ways to organize data.  Features like full HTML display with images puts it way ahead of its league. However, Mobile Windows is still inferior to its desktop companion. There are the Windows Office applications such as Word and Excel that allow you to edit/view your documents, making it perfect for users on the go. There is the Windows Live Messenger client, Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player 10 which is simply marvelous.  WMP 10 has the capability to play WMA,WAV and PlaysForSure files. There is tremendous improvement is sound quality yet the sound is still pretty average.  HP has provided software to view PDF and TXT files with the ClearVue PDF viewer to view PDF files.  The Microsoft Picture and Video viewer lets you view pictures and videos. In terms of interface, all these applications are standard.  You can install other applications on to your PDA, such as Mozilla and Opera for mobile. Third party applications seem to run smooth on this PDA.

Performance:

The HP iPAQ 111 runs on the Marvell XScale PX310 processor at a clock speed of 624MHz, faster than the PX270. Performance wise, Marvel claims that 310 is about twice more efficient than the 270. Another feature of the processor is its low power consumption. It requires much lesser energy to run on than its predecessor the PX270.

If you have long text files, reading could have a bad impact on your eyes, the low resolution just adds to the problem. The resolution of the PDA is horribly low, even by most standards. But perhaps, that explains its long battery life. Nonetheless, the resolution could have been much better.  When it comes to playing video, the PX310 was able to play MPEG4 files with ease. It had no problem with DivX and XViD files either. Performance wise, the Phone simply tramples out competition. It can handle high quality videos without a synch.

Accessories:

The package includes a 1200mAH Lithium Ion battery, a Mini USB sync cable, a slip case, an AC adapter and a HP iPAQ companion CD. So, basically pretty much a stripped down package. The battery is replaceable and the USB sync cable lets you sync your PDA to a PC. The Power Adapter provided does tend to get heated up after a while, but that is not much of a problem either.  The CD provided has some basic software that would boost up the functionality of your PDA.

Battery Life of iPAQ 111:

A standard 3.7c Lithium 1200mAh battery is provided in the device and in terms of battery life, the PDA is amazing.  It lasted a solid 3 and half hours in spite of having to power up the large screen, the processor and Wi-Fi. When power intensive applications such as videos were played, the battery lasted a solid 3 hours better than most PDAs in the market. The battery lasts about 3 days with moderate usage. That is great even by reasonable standards. Consider this with the iPod Touch which lasts half the time this PDA does.

Warranty:

There is a guaranteed warranty of one year on parts and labor of the HP 111 iPAQ Classic and apart from that the technical support is available for 90 days from the date of purchase.

Verdict:

The trend now is to have a PDA with a phone, however not many phones can claim to successfully combine the best of both. The iPAQ 111 Classic handheld is a pure PDA and is great at what PDAs do the best – Organizing data.  It’s amazing display, integrated Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and an amazing software bundle overshadow most other PDAs in the market. Of course, the PX210 processor is faster than the 111’s PX110, but that would not make much of a difference. The Battery Life and the speaker are average and if been better could have made this phone a must buy.  So, if you are looking for a PDA that complements your Phone, this is recommended.

Check other Latest PDA Reviews in our website.

HP iPAQ 111 Classic PDA – Specification Details