PDA Reviews

Almost after a year Palm launched the m505 PDA, which was the first handheld device to be having a color display, it released the new m515. This model has been launched to replace the flawed m505, realizing the fact that it is better late than never. This handheld has retained the display that everybody were looking forward with its predecessor, has added in more memory and maintains the original sleek design and surprisingly retains the old price too. So that is all about the new Palm m515 PDA, which has turned out to be the delight for the Palm lovers.

Same sleek design with a better and brighter display:

Design wise the m515 looks a lot like the Palm V with similar buttons and quite a comparable layout, but this one weighs a little heavier at 4.9ounces. Though some of the latest Palm OS based devices have got scroll wheels and built in keyboards, palm has decided to keep things simple in m515 Handheld. The device itself looks like a classic and with its metallic finish, it turns out to be one of the slickest PDA in the market. M515 has got a 2″ 16 bit active matrix LCD display of resolution 160 x 160 pixels and supports 65,000 colors. The display has been made brighter and they can be adjusted to display at low, high and no brightness levels with just a tap with the stylus. It has got stunning reflective qualities that allows you to view the display in a variety of lighting conditions, even in bright sunlight, however, the display itself is bright enough.

Stylus:

The Palm m515 Handheld PDA ships with a metal or plastic alloy stylus that fits into a silo on the right side of the device, and a side-swivel hard leather flip cover that fits into a silo on the left side of the device. Unfortunately, unlike the Palm V series, the silos are not the same size so the device cannot be reversed for left-handed users.

Palm m515 Accessories:

Coming to the accessories, the Palm m515 comes with a detachable leather flip cover that is the reminiscent of the Palm V’s. The package also includes a power adaptor, USB docking cradle for recharging the device and to make connectivity with your system.

All accessories that worked with the m505 and m500 are compatible with the m515. And hence, no re-accessorizing is required if you are upgrading between m500 models

Basic features of m515:

As in the case of most of the other PDA devices in the market, PalmOne m515 has also chosen to run on the 33MHz DragonBall VZ processor at its core. This model also comes with Palm 4.1 OS that supports USB connectivity and in addition to this the operating system has got a lot of enhancements such as vibration alerts, flash alerts and even the ability to write graffiti and use the virtual keyboard simultaneously.

Memory:

As in the case of its predecessor, the m515 has 4MB of flash ROM for the sake of upgrade the OS if required, in future. There is a small slot in the rear of the PDA in order to add a postage stamp sized memory card. The memory cards supported are MMC and SD. The bottom part of the 515 has got a Palm Universal Connector that allows you to connect some of the add-on accessories like modems, cameras, and GPS receivers too. And hence, the only major difference between the m515 and its predecessor the m505, is the addition of an 8MB RAM, which makes 16MB in total for you to store data and third party applications. This is not the first PDA to have 16MB RAM , Sony and Handspring have already done it. Nevertheless, having twice the memory is more than welcome.

Software included in m515:

Talking about the software, the m515 has got all the signature applications such as the contacts book, calendar and notes. Palm has added a few more applications as bonus. They include Palm connectivity software which connects the handheld to your mobile for accessing the net. The MGI PhotoSuite Mobile Edition allows you to play the photos and video clips in your mobile and directly from memory cards. This software supports formats such as .JPG, .TIF, .GIF, .PNG, .BMP, .MOV, .AVI and .WMV. The DataViz Documents To Go Professional Edition for viewing Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. Includes a desktop application which is used to transfer files to the handheld. Files are automatically updated with each synchronization. The Palm Reader helps to read the ebooks on your Palm handheld and the device itself includes two ebooks called “The Empty Chair” and “STSCE4 Interphase” in English. AvantGo Mobile Internet Service which allows the users access web content wirelessly or via desktop synchronization. Palm has also included the PowerOne Personal Calculator which is an improved version of Palm OS original calculator.

Playback performance:

Though the m515 can playback videos, it does not have the capability to play sound and so, you will end up watching silent movies. The photo playback is decent. Palm had included a shooting game, its version of Serious Sam, which ran impressively without a hitch. The high resolution graphics is not as good as the ones found in some of the other latest PDAs.

Battery:

The Palm m515 comes with a Lithium Polymer rechargeable battery. We had mentioned the display of the m515 is bright enough but this comes at the cost of it battery life. The battery life is quite low. On using the device normally, for about 40 minutes per day, with the display on its brightest setting, the device will require a recharge on the end of the fourth day.

Warranty:

Palm supports the Palm m515 with one year limited warranty for parts and labor.

Verdict:

Plam has done a great job with the m515, it has made it everything its predecessor failed to be. The super compact design, highly improvised design and the expansion slot has all given some happy success to the PDA. Yet, it lacks a clear competitive advantage over Sony’s high end CLIEs. Many current Palm owners may be wondering if the m515 is worth upgrading to from their current device. It is a minor upgrade, but if you are carrying around a Palm V still and want a new PDA, the Palm m515 would be a significant and worthwhile upgrade.

Check other Handheld PDA Reviews in this website.

Technical Specification Details of Palm m515 PDA

Manufacturer	Palm
Model Name	Palm m515 handheld
Dimensions (W x D x H)	3.1 in x 0.5 in x 4.5 in
Weight	4.9 oz
Display type	TFT active matrix
Display type	LCD display
Color support	16-bit (64K colors)
Max resolution	160 x 160 pixels
OS provided	Palm OS 4.1
Compatible Operating System	Apple MacOS 9.x, Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows 95/98, Apple MacOS 8.6 or later, Microsoft Windows 2000 / NT4.0, Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
Processor	Motorola 33 MHzMC68VZ328
Installed RAM	16MB DRAM
Installed ROM	4MB Flash
Input device type	Stylus, Touch-screen
Wireless connectivity	IrDA
Software included	Mail, Clock, AvantGo, Expense, Memo Pad, Note Pad, Date Book, Calculator, To Do List, Palm Reader, Address Book, MultiMail SE, Pocket Mirror 3.0, powerOne Calculator, Chapura Pocket Mirror, Palm Desktop Software, DataViz Documents To Go, MGI PhotoSuite Mobile Edition, Palm Mobile Connectivity Software
Connectivity	IrDA , 1Female4 pin USB Type A
Expansion slot	1 SD Memory Card
Battery installed	1 Lithium polymer Handheld battery
Warranty	One year

The Samsung Eternity SGH-A867 is a complete touch screen SmartPhone that landed in the shelves of AT and T. Similar to its cousins the Instinct, Behold and Delve, the Eternity also features a very vibrant touch screen, a very attractive design and a load of multimedia features. But, as you expect, there must be something special about this SmartPhone, and yes it does stand apart from the crowd by offering the AT&T Mobile TV feature. As a result, Samsung Eternity SGH-A867 has turned out to be an unbeatable multimedia device. But then, considering this as a PDA, those corporate guys who are looking for strong data features will be very disappointed.

Attractive design:

All the smartphones of the Samsung family have the same design veins. Samsung Eternity, as in the case of all the other touch phones, has the hallmark features. It has a candy bar from factor with an extremely slim profile, having dimension as, (H x W x D) inches 4.3″ x 2.2″ x 0.5″ and weighs just 3.88 ounces. Though it weights a bit lighter than its counterparts, it still retains a sturdy feel in your hands. Eternity is having a black colour theme which is simple and at the same time, very attractive. The glossy texture that surrounds the display and the shiny metal spines are particularly very attractive. The only regret that we have with the design is that, we would have preferred a metal cover for the battery, rather than the plastic one that has been provided.

Touch sensitive display:

The Samsung Eternity has a large 3.2″ touch sensitive display. This display has a resolution of 400×240 pixels and has support for 262,000 colours. All the images and graphics that are displayed are very sharp and the text is legible. The brightness, font type and the backlighting time can be changed as per your wish. The size of the display is apt for browsing, watching videos or even for typing in the virtual keyboard. The only three physical buttons that are available sit just beneath the display. They are the talk, end and the back buttons.

The user-friendly interface:

The touch interface of the SGH-A867 phone is very responsive and easy to use, but in case you find any difficulties with it, then you could always change the calibration. Most likely, you will not be finding any issues with selecting the menus or scrolling through the long menus. The intensity of the vibrating feedback which is extremely helpful could also be adjusted. The TouchWiz interface of Samsung is truly unique and accessible. Having joined hands with AT&T, it has added some of its own widgets which includes a shortcut to the mobile TV application. A secondary shortcut bar can be seen towards the bottom of the display which gives you one touch access to the phone dialer, contacts list, and the main menu too. The main menu can be set to be displayed either as a set of icons or in a format of list, the choice is yours, said that, both the types are intuitive and have easy access to a wide range of features. You will be finding large alphanumeric characters in the phone dialer application. Activating the loudspeaker when on a call is just as easy that it can be done in one touch.

Buttons and Controls:

The left side of the Samsung Eternity SGH-A867 Touch Screen phone has a volume rocker and a headphone jack which doubles as a charger port. The headset that is included uses a proprietary connection. The right side has a camera shutter and a menu shortcut button. The shortcut menu that appears as a result of pressing this button includes shortcuts for phone dialer, main menu, the music player, the web browser and the messaging menu too. The top of the phone has a dedicated screen locking control as in the case of Apple iPhone. The camera lens sits in the rear of the phone, but unfortunately, Eternity neither has a flash nor a self-portrait mirror.

The virtual QWERTY keyboard:

The virtual QWERTY keyboard that Samsung Eternity SGH-A867 has on offer is similar to that of the other touch sensitive phones of Samsung, offering separate keyboards for alphabets and numbers or symbols. But Eternity has managed to pull up another advantage by adding another keyboard for the Emoticons. Another thing that we loved about the virtual keyboard is that, they have dedicated punctuation keys that are extremely handy. All the keyboards take full advantage of the display, thus allocating you only a small amount of space for typing your messages. Dedicated shift and spacebar keys are available in the keypad. It is extremely easy to deactivate the predictive text and switch to the French and Spanish menus. Accelerometer of the Eternity allows you swap between the standard alphanumeric keypad and the graffiti applications by just rotating the device. On the whole, the complete interface is entirely user friendly.

Personalize your Samsung Eternity:

Samsung Eternity SGH-A867 PDA Phone can be personalized with a variety of background colours, wallpapers, alert tones and greeting messages. Additional ringtones can be downloaded from AT&T’s Media Mall service. The Eternity offers demo versions of four games, Monopoly, Ms. Pac-Man, World Series of Poker, and Block Breaker. The full version of these games and some additional titles too can be bought from AT&T.

Phone book entries on Eternity SGH-A867:

You can make about 1000 entries in Samsung Eternity SGH-A867’s phone book. Under each entry, you can have multiple phone numbers, two addresses, company name and job title, nick name, birthday, email IDs, URLs and notes too. Remember, the SIM card stores and additional 250 entries. The callers can be assigned to group, photos and given one of the eleven 72-chord polyphonic ringtones. Do not panic, you can use your one set of MP3 tracks and audio files as ringtones.

Features:

Samsung Eternity SGH-A867 has full Bluetooth with stereo profile. The absence of Wi-Fi and voice dialing left us wondering why? They stand out to be the most glaring omissions in the PDA smartphone. Coming to the part of email, though AT&T’s Mobile e-mail service offers access to a variety of POP3 services, it is a Web-based application that does not sync automatically. In addition to this, the IMAP4 is also largely unavailable. This makes the email service, not that ideal for the business users. The basic PC syncing for images, MP3 files and other date files are offered by Eternity. But, it cannot sync with Outlook e-mail, calendars, and contacts. Additional investment in third party syncing software is required if you need exchange of the contacts for sure.

Miscellaneous features:

The other miscellaneous features include text and multimedia messaging, calculator, calendar, notepad, task list, alarm clock world clock, timer, stopwatch, currency and unit converter, speakerphone and vibrating alerts. The voice recorder and USB mass storage facilities are the most useful ones among the lot.

The browser:

As in the case of Behold and Instinct, the Eternity also possesses a full HTML browser and also carries on the same disability to support flash or animation. Most of the pages are displayed well. It has got very intuitive onscreen controls, but we liked the iPhone’s multi-touch interface better which allows you to use a magnifying button to zoom the contents in the display. Scrolling through the lengthy web pages and selecting URLs from crowded pages could be unpleasant.

The 3G connection was just good, but not excellent. While using the web browser, some of the pages took longer to load and very sluggish when scrolling. Streaming video take long time too. But once they are loaded, they run well. They never freeze or drop connection.

Camera:

Samsung Eternity SGH-A867 multimedia smartphone has a three mega pixel camera, that has a lot of features in common with Behold’s 5-megapixel shooter. It takes images in four resolutions varying from 2,048×1,536 down to a 400×240 wide resolution that uses the full expanse of the Eternity’s display. There are a range of other editing options too, which includes four quality setting, a self timer, exposure metering, an auto focus and six scene settings that include night, action, landscape etc, white balance, onscreen gridlines and brightness. The other options include four color effects, and three shutter sounds along with a silent option. You can also select from either of the three shooting mode that include continuous, panorama and mosaic. You can have loads of fun with the sixteen fun frames available and also with the smile shot mode that promises you to detect when the person to be captured is smiling. The absence of flash is a big minus, having a three mega pixel camera. Overall, the menus are simple and easy to use.

A mini-Camcorder too:

Eternity SGH-A867 has a camcorder option too. It shoots clips with sound in two resolution that includes 320×240 and 176×144. The options that you have with the camcorder are fewer when compared to that of those you have with the still camera, yet, it has a decent collection of them. The clips that you shoot that are particularly meant for the multimedia messages are capped for just 1 minute. But if you want to shoot for a longer time, then you can choose the standard mode.

Image quality:

The quality of the images shot in Eternity are pretty good. The colours are bright and vibrant. But the absence of flash played a major role in degrading the quality of photos. Though you provide with adequate illumination, it does not help much. The quality of the videos were good too. They are better than the quality of videos shot using any other camera mobile phone. The images and video clips can be easily copied to your system using multimedia message or the Bluetooth or using the provided USB cable.

Memory:

Samsung Eternity SGH-A867 has an internal memory of 200MB, which can be expanded using a microSD card.

Navigator:

Assisted GPS  and AT&T navigator service offer the Eternity turn by turn directions. The Where and Yellow pages mobile applications can also be used. Some of the other applications that are included in eternity include WikiMobile, My-Cast Weather, and Mobile Banking. A tumbling device is also available that lets you roll a pair of virtual device right on your display.

AT&T mobile TV service:

Coming to the seller feature, the AT&T mobile TV service, which is a live TV service that uses Qualcomm’s MediaFLO technology. It brings more than 150 simulcast and time-shifted programs from content providers such as ESPN, CBS, ESPN, Fox, Comedy Central, NBC and MTV. The quality of the broadcasts were nothing less than flattering.

Other services:

Since Samsung Eternity is a 3G UMTS handset, it has the support for AT&T’s Cellular Video service and AT&T Mobile Music. While the former offers lots for streaming video content, the latter brings wireless song downloads through a variety of partners. Though the interface of both the applications have minimalist deigns, they have support for a wide range of file formats. The other interesting features that these applications have on offer are, album art, play lists, shuffle and repeat modes, XM Radio Mobile,  MusicVJ, a Pandora, a Billboard Mobile channel, Music ID application, music videos, and a community section with access to fan sites and downloads.

Call quality:

The quality of the calls are good. The voices of the callers sound natural. Since the volume levels are a little low, you will have to increase it when in noisy places. Slight GSM buzz could be noticed but it was minimal though. The quality of calls using Bluetooth headset are good too. The automated calling system could understand you  quickly, but only if you are in a quite room. Same is the case while having a conversation using the speakerphone. While listening to music, usage of a headset will provide you with the best experience.

Battery life:

For a feature phone, the Samsung Eternity SGH-A867 3G Mobile Phone has a surprisingly high capacity 1300 mAh Lithium Ion battery that is user replaceable. Battery life for a 3G phone with a large display and plenty of multimedia apps is quite good. Samsung Eternity SGH-A867 gives 5 hours of talk time and 10.42 days of standby time.

Warranty:

Samsung offers Eternity SGH-A867 one year warranty.

Verdict:

Samsung Eternity SGH-A867 TouchScreen SmartPhone has a lovely deign and interface. The diplay is large, bright and clear. You can get access to voice mail, email, photos, and other features at the touch of a button. The Samsung Eternity succeeds as a multimedia device, but without Wi-Fi and full e-mail support, it stops well short of being a business-friendly device. And hence, if you are a multimedia freak, Eternity is the one for you. But if you are a corporate, choose Blackberry pearl.

Samsung Eternity SGH-A867 – Technical Specifications, Features

Manufacturer	Samsung
Model Name	Samsung Eternity SGH-A867
Form factor	Candy bar
Service provider	AT&T
Dimensions (H x W x D)	4.3″ x 2.2″ x 0.5″
Weight	3.9 oz
Display	3.2″ touch sensitive display
Display resolution	240 x 400 pixels
Color support	262000 Colors
Supported Digital Audio Standards	AAC , MP3 , WMA
Memory	200MB
Platform / OS	Proprietary
Processor	Qualcomm MSM6290
GPS / Location	Type: A-GPS supports LBS (AT&T Navigator)
Languages Supported	English, Spanish, French
Polyphonic Ringtones	Chords: 72
Ringer Profiles	4
Messaging Services	MMS , Wireless Village 1.1 , AOL Instant Messenger Service (AIM)
Mobile Email	Yes
Phone features	GPRS EDGE Internet Browser JAVA applications Alarm Clock Calendar Reminder Calculator
Camera	3 mega pixel
Predictive Text Entry	Volume on left / multi-task, camera on right / hold on top
Battery	Lithium ion
Warranty	One year

By now, you must already be familiar of this Pocket PC as it has turned out to be a super hit. While most of the devices aim to converge the functionalities of phone, Wi-Fi and GPS, all into one device, HP has released a traditional PDA, the HP iPAQ 114 Pocket PC. By traditional PDA, it means that the device has omitted the phone, camera and the GPS features. This PDA has proved to be a great performer within budget.

Though, being a traditional PDA, HP has omitted some of the basic feature, it has included a good large display, dual Wi-Fi and a very fast processor. The following review will give you a detailed review on the HP iPAQ 114 PDA.

Professional finish:

The grayish silver finish of the device gives it a very professional look. But when you have a closer look at it, you will realize that the initial build quality of the former HP iPAQs is missing. Though its dimensions are a little big, being (H x W x D)11.67 x 6.89 x 1.36 cm, the device is light weighing just under 115grams. The rear of the device has rubberized coating to get that extra bit of durability.

Large display:

HP iPAQ 114 Classic Handheld sports a 3.5″ transflective display which means that you can use the device in bright outdoor conditions and alongside its auto sensor, which adjusts the backlight according to the available light levels. The auto sensor is a nice way to save battery life whilst still getting a relative bright screen.  We also really liked the controls, which are simple and responsive, and the HP customizations on the Today screen which display battery life, memory usage and a brightness control are handy too.

You have to use the built-in virtual keyboard to type. This will prove to be a major drag, especially if you have been used to a physical keypad or slide-out keyboard, so we recommend you get hold of a Bluetooth external Keyboard if you are doing some serious typing.

Slip case:

The iPAQ 114 Classic Handheld PDA comes with a slip case, which means you can drop it into a bag and be fairly confident that the screen will not get scratched. Given that some may find it too large to carry in a pocket, this could prove quite a comfort.

Buttons and controls:

The base of the device has buttons that are very responsive and also include the typical shortcuts that are necessary to open your calendar and the start menu. Coming to the sides of the PDA, there is not much to expect. There is a SD card slot in the left and a power ON/OFF button, a Dictaphone recorder button and reset switch to the right. The base of the device has a mini USB port which could be used to charge your device. On the top edge, you will be finding the “most-wanted” 3.5mm headphone socket for your pair of standard headphones. But, it is a real pity that HP does not include a pair of headphones in the package.

Limited features:

As we had mentioned earlier, this PDA does not support the phone and camera elements. HP iPAQ 114 has support for dual Wi-Fi. Having this support, you could always link up to the nearest hotspot or routers. But then, the only snag involved here is that, if you do not find any hotspots nearby, then the device has to be linked up via a Bluetooth compatible device in order to attain remote internet access. The Bluetooth connect manager that comes with the device is very handy, but the list of compatible devices in option are very less and so, you have to choose the nearest match to your mobile and just hope that it works. The 802.11b/g connection from the Wi-Fi gets a faster access to browse the web and the 2.0 version of Bluetooth helps other Bluetooth accessed applications or devices.

OS and processor:

HP iPAQ 114 PDA Pocket PC is based on the Windows Mobile 6 Classic operating system. With the help of this OS, you get to access word, excel and powerpoint. Unlike HTC and E-Ten, who get completely out of their way to customize the interface and the applications, HP have provided only a little more than the standard suite of software which includes the Bluetooth utility, and just a few shortcut buttons that you can find in the home screen. Though you can always select from a lot of software available for free, HP could have done a better job for the price tag.

With a 624Mhz CPU, the HP is a quick performer. It has a total of 64MB Ram out of which 31MB is free and a 256MB ROM with 196Mb free storage. Having this kind of configuration, even if you have around ten applications opened at once, the device still works fine. Even while heavy program like games and videos are opened all at once, the mobile does not get staggered.

Unclear fonts:

The low resolution in the display has made the display icons and the text, not clear and crisp. The page layout too would have benefited from a higher VGA resolution to take advantage of the larger screen, but this option is only available on the more expensive HP iPAQ 214 Classic PDA.

Box contents:

The box contents of the HP iPAQ 114 PDA has a respectable range of goodies, but when you compare with the previous iPAQs, you do not get the USB cradle. The contents include the iPAQ 114 PDA itself, a stylus pen, protective case, USB cable, mains charger, getting started guide/CD and an additional software available via their website for free.

Warranty:

HP offers an one year warranty for iPAQ 114 classic with a pick up and return along with a ninety-day technical and software support which differs with regions.

Battery life:

The battery life is acceptable. Having a1200mAh rated battery, we actually expected , HP iPAQ 114 PDA to have a larger one as it is a traditional PDA. When the PDA is generally used with no WiFi or Bluetooth, the battery gives a standby time of about five days. On heavy usage, it lasts for about two days. The Bluetooth drinks a lot of power out of the phone and so, the lesser you use it the better it is.

Verdict:

Though HP iPAQ 114 classic PDA is a good performer, being a traditional PDA, its usage in this era will be very limited. If you are familiar with the features and still willing to go for it, we recommend it for its air of professionalism in executing those features. Finally, it is not everyone’s cup of tea.

HP iPAQ 114 Classic Handheld – Technical Specifications, Features

Manufacturer	HP
Model Name	HP iPAQ 114 classic
Dimensions (H x W x D)	11.67 x 6.89 x 1.36 cm
Weight	114.6 g
Operating System	Windows Mobile® 6 Professional
Installed Memory	256MB ROM 64MB RAM
Processor Type	Marvell PXA310 Processor
Processor Speed	624 MHz
Input Method	Stylus, navigational pad
Interface Type	Touch screen technology
Expansion Slot	SD Card slot
Display Technology	Transflective TFT QVGA
Screen Size (Diagonal)	3.5 inches
Screen Resolution	240 x 320 pixels
Color Depth	65K colors
Audio Output	Speaker 3.5 mm headphones
Built-in Camera	No
Wireless Capabilities	Integrated WLAN 802.11b/g, Bluetooth® 2.0 with EDR
Battery Type	Rechargeable Lithium-Ion 1200 mAh battery
Battery run time	Talk time: 6 hours Stand-by time: 400 hours
Power device	USB adaptor
Accessories included	Removable/rechargeable Lithium-Ion 1200 mAh battery, AC adapter with power cord, 1 mini-USB synchronization/charge cable, stylus, slip case, HP iPAQ Companion CD, documentation kit
Warranty	One year year pick-up and return service, 90 days technical support for software that may vary by region

The Nokia N810 is the latest entry to the Internet Tablet series of Nokia. Nokia N810 is a Linux based handheld, which is the successor of N800. The N810 has improved upon N800 by including some interesting functions such as, a GPS receiver, a QWERTY keyboard and a stylish slider design. But one of the most worrying fact is that some of the new additions have been made at the expense of some of the most loved features in the N800.

Extremely stylish:

Though Nokia N810 is not designed entirely for an average customer, its hardware has still managed to carry some serious mainstream appeal. As you can see, the device has an extremely hi-end looks which is achieved with its all metal body having exquisite subtle contours with a streamline design, brushed finish and sliver blue color theme, all of these making it one of the best looking PDAs in the current market.

Sleek and sturdy:

Nokia N810 internet tablet phone is slightly smaller than its predecessor, making it perfect to be fit inside any purses, pockets or bags. The sleekness of the device makes you simply praise the design engineers of Nokia. This full fledged Linux system is compact and slim with exceptional built quality, being very sturdy and durable. Now a days, we can find some of the PDA companies manufacturing devices that are slim but not durable. Nokia has proven that a sleek design can be given to the PDA without compromising the built quality.

4.13″ touch screen:

Though the overall size of the device has been reduced when compared to N800 but it weighs the same and the display size has not been reduced. Nokia N810 has 4.13 inch touch sensitive display, having a resolution of 800 x 400 pixels and displays 65K colors. We were expecting an increase with the capability to reproduce more colors, but the display is left untouched, a little disappointed. Yet, Nokia N810 internet phone is having one of the best displays. The responsiveness of the touch screen is much better than that of the Nokia N800 internet tablet. This display is a very good one to act as a portable media player and this large display would be apt for watching movies and even browsing. The resolution of the display is good enough to allow a good deal of content to be displayed on the system without compromising on the readability of the text and the quality of the images.

Physical buttons and controls:

The Nokia N810 smartphone makes use of the touch screen technology, it also has an assortment of physical buttons and controls, making the device even more flexible and intuitive. Towards the left side of the display are the ambient light sensor which automatically adjusts the brightness of the display and the keyboard backlighting, a VGA web cam, a swap button that switches between open applications and an escape button. A blue LED indicator is available in the top-left edge of the PDA that notifies you when you receive messages or emails or even miss calls. This LED can also be switched off if you do not need it. When you slide the display panel towards the top, the keyboard is revealed along with a directional pad and a menu button. As these buttons seem to be quite recessed, they are a little tough to use though. Another major disadvantage is that, since the navigational pad is exposed only when the keyboard is exposed. The sliding mechanism is extremely smooth and glides all the way through effortlessly. Though the slimness of the keyboard is one of the strong points of the PDA, it becomes quite uncomfortable when held for a long period of time. The top of the device has a sliding lock key, a volume rocker which doubles as a zoom button, a power button and a very handy full screen  button. Having used the full screen button the N800, it is now indispensable, this button is particularly extremely useful when you are browsing the web to toggle between a normal display and a full screen. A dedicated stylus slot is available on the top of the PDA. The stylus is mainly used for the hand-writing recognition and to be used with some of the icons that are not finger friendly. Just below the stylus slot, is the micro USB port, port for the headphone jack, charger connector and a loud speaker. There are two loud speakers, one is in the right and the other is in the left. In the bottom part of the PDA you can find the battery release switch, miniSD slot and a microphone.

Both sides of the Nokia N810 PDA phone has a desk stand that clicks into three positions. But be careful with this kick stand as at times, it catches the edge of the expansion slot and pulls it open.

QWERTY keyboard:

Nokia N810 is the first internet tablet to feature an integrated QWERTY keyboard. The keyboard has a total of 40 backlit keys out of which most of them are double mapped and a few triple. The whole of the keyboard measures 3.75″ x 1″ inches. There is hardly any spacing between the keys and so, if you are having big thumbs, you are going to have some trouble typing stuffs and get the accuracy. Typing in this keyboard is very tricky as they are too flat and the top row is also placed too close to the bottom of the display panel. This decreases the typing speed to a considerable percentile.

OS2008 based:

Nokia N810 makes use of the internet tablet OS2008 based on Linux platform Maemo 4.0, which is an update of the OS2007 which was used in N800. The OS2008 comes pre-installed on the N810 and uses the same layout and functionality of OS2007, but then this OS is having a very attractive look and has been optimised better for the finger. The Nokia N810 Internet Tablet is equipped with a 400MHz TI OMAP 2420 processor. The task navigator column has new icons that corresponds to the same feature set that includes the wed browser, contacts and applications. The navigator column opens finger friendly cascading menus which can be personalised to suite your personal needs and preferences. The applets and the row of indicators are also carried over form OS2007.

Good interface:

Though Nokia N810 Internet Tablet Smartphone is user friendly to some extent, a totally novice user who is new to the technology will find it extremely hard to use it as it is out of the box. Though we must also keep in mind that this PDA is not an mainstream consumer device. But, once you get hold of it and get familiar with a few of its controls then Nokia N810 is a very straightforward device with a clean interface that is flexible in terms of customising with themes and other personal things.

Applications included:

The applications that are available in the phone are, web browsing, instant messaging, internet calls, email, multimedia playback, and image viewing.  If you feel that this list of programs are insufficient, then you can install your own applications and programs. The games that are loaded are good, but you also have some additional application and games. Built-in applications and utilities include a file manager, a PDF reader, a notepad, a clock, a calculator, games, maps, sketch program, RSS feed reader, Skype, Rhapsody and an X Terminal client. Unfortunately, the PIM tools such as a calendar were absent, which would go a long way for making the N810 more versatile and marketable to a broader audience.

Internet and messaging capabilities:

The Nokia N810 Internet Tablet PDA Phone is primarily designed for accessing the internet. The internet capability is achieved either with 802.11b/g wi-fi and Bluetooth DUN. While N800 is based on the Opera based browser, the N810 works based on the Mozilla-based MicroB web browser. Though the Mozilla-based MicroB web browser is not as fast as the Opera browser, it is quite robust. Since Nokia N810 has support for AJAX and Flash 9, sites like Gmail, Google Reader, YouTube, and other Web 2.0 sites are completely accessible. As far as the performance is concerned, it is just acceptable and not up to the standards of the desktop when it comes to streamlining of video. The Nokia N810 Internet Tablet still offers the best browsing experience for an ARM based mobile device. The 800 x 480 resolution is currently the best and is unmatched by any other portable gadget.

Incomplete GPS receiver:

The N810 has internal GPS receiver and maps application that allows you to browse through the maps and streets addresses and you could also find various points of interest. You could also purchase the “Wayfinder” for voice guided driving instructions as well as route planning.

Communication facilities:

The Nokia N810 Handheld PDA Phone has maintained the fact that it is a PDA device and hence cannot be used as a phone. Though it lacks a phone, it is still a powerful communication device as it has support for POP3, SMTP and IMAP4 email accounts, web-based email, you can make calls via Skype or Gizmo and also using Nokia’s own VoIP application which also has video ability. Instant messaging is possible using various third party applications such as Pidgin, Google talk or Jabber. Most of the communication facilities that were included in the N800 PDA is in here too.

During initial setup, a wizard walks you through the steps for accessing your account. There are also advanced settings so that the device automatically retrieves your messages on a regular basis, plays a sound when new messages arrive, removes messages older than a specified number of days, and so on.

A great portable media player:

If you possess the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet, then you will not have to think about investing on another portable media player at all. Since it functions as a UPnP client, connections can be made to the media servers in order to share some content. The Rhapsody internet video facility is available. It supports a number of music and video formats, including AAC, MP3, WMA, WAV, AMR, RealAudio, WMV, AVI, 3GP, MPEG-4, and others. Transferring media to the device is a snap as it is a simple matter of drag and drop. You can also import play lists or create them on the fly, and there is a shuffle function too. Finally, the Nokia N810 comes with an image viewer supporting JPEG, TIF, BMP, and other formats.

Video playback:

The video playback is very smooth and stutter free. Since Nokia has installed the Internet Tablet Video converter, it converts all the formats for Nokia N810, and hence there is virtually no codec format that is not supported by the N810. The videos do not look that colorful and vibrant as in some of the other PDAs which is because of the limitation in the number of colors supported. Except for the lack of vibrancy in the colours of the display, the overall experience is very enjoyable with the large display.

Audio quality:

The audio quality cannot be said to be as good as the ones that you can find in the MP3 players, but still it is good enough for casual listeners. The loudspeakers are not that exiting and are on the quieter side.

Package contents:

The package contents of the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet include AC adapter, a USB cable, a soft carrying case, a screen cloth, a vehicle mount, and reference material.

Battery:

The battery life of the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet is quite good. When it is used continuously with a bright display and with the wireless LAN active, the device lives up to four hours. It gives a music playback of 10 hours and browsing period of five days. The standby period specified by Nokia is 14 days.

Warranty:

Nokia offers N810 Internet Tablet one year warranty for parts and labor.

Verdict:

The Nokia N810 Internet Tablet has improved upon a lot from its predecessor N800 in terms of design, processor speed and internal storage. However, the functionality of the device remains unchanged. Though the price tag it carries is quiet high, the PDA is worth it. The N810 Internet Tablet is an incredibly versatile, capable, and impressive mobile device.

Nokia N810 Internet Tablet – Technical Specifications, Features

Manufacturer	Nokia
Model Name	Nokia N810 Internet Tablet
PDA type	Internet tablet
Dimensions (H X W X D)	2.83 x 5.04 x 0.55 inches
Weight	7.97 oz
Color	Blueish silver, black
Display	High-resolution 4.13” WVGA display
Display resolution	800 x 480 pixels
Colors supported	up to 65,000 colors
Processor	TI OMAP 2420
Processor speed	400Mhz
Memory	DDR RAM 128MB Flash 256MB
Internal memory	2GB
Storage expansion	miniSD and microSD memory cards compatible
OS provided	maemo Linux based OS2008
Software included	Chess, Clock, Backup, Drivers, PDF Viewer, File Manager
Input device type	Stylus, Keyboard, Touch-screen
Digital audio standards supported	AAC, AMR, MP2, MP3, WMA, Real Audio
Audio input type	Microphone
Audio output type	Speakers
Email protocols supported	POP3 , SMTP , IMAP4
Wireless connectivity	IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, Bluetooth 2.0 EDR
Port / Connector Type	1Hi-Speed USB, 1Headphones
Connector Provided	Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm
Expansion slot	1 x SD Memory Card
Cables included	1 x USB cable
Battery	Lithium ion
Standby time	Up to 14 days
Package contents	Nokia N810 Internet Tablet Battery Stereo Headset Travel Charger Car Holder Pouch Connectivity Cable Get started guide Safety, warranty, and other product information booklet
Warranty	One year