Business and lifestyle mobile needs...

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freitasm

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#169 18-Apr-2003 10:18

Hi there!

Geekzone will be running a series of reviews on mobile products available here: we've already started with the Sony Ericsson P800, the Dynalink GPRS USB modem, the Vodafone Mobile Connect PCMCIA Card, the Sharp GX10 (Vodafone live!), and soon Palm Tungsten W and other options.

Do you see yourself as using the mobile as a business tool (P800, Dynalink USB GPRS Modem, QTEK Pocket PC Phone Edition, Palm Tungsten W) or a lifestyle expression (Sharp GX-10 live!)?

What are you looking for on a mobile tool? Integration, performance, PDA functions, messaging, voice centric device?

Let's have some discussion on this, because it'll drive my next reviews! You don't have to use a specific network. It's about How we connect! It doesn't matter if you use GSM, GPRS, CDMA, TDMA, or what else...

PS. I'd love to add some Telecom New Zealand products here, but so far I've been unsuccessful getting any contact from them, so good on you Vodafone!

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alasta

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#200 22-Apr-2003 09:57

I use my phone mainly for arranging to meet people at the pub, so I would place myself well and truly in the in the lifestyle camp. My business usage extends no further than an occassional call from work during the weekend to query something I have done during the week.

Having said that, I depend heavily on bluetooth as I use it to get internet access on my iBook (I live in a rented property and I move around a lot, so a landline is impractical) as well as transferring photos from the iBook, and sharing stuff with users of other bluetooth enabled handsets.

I therefore find it surprising and disappointing that hot new handsets such as the Sharp GX10 and the Sony Ericsson T300 lack bluetooth. From what I understand, the cost of manufacturing a bluetooth transceiver is very low and it seems criminal not to install this feature on even middle-of-the-road handsets.

Am I really the only non-business user who benefits from bluetooth?

taniwha

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#2351 3-Dec-2003 21:53

currently i use my phone only as a modem (gprs) and sometimes for sms.
generally my phone stays in my bag and i access it over bluetooth from my PDA.

I guess it might be nice to have one device, ie a smart phone, but i wouldn't wnat any more bulk, and it would have to support a full size keyboard.
I use my PDA like most people use a laptop -> email, web, ssh, icq, divx. but i like having it ready in my pocket.

are smartphones capable of such things yet?

Vicx

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#2879 20-Jan-2004 10:44

what defines a 'smartphone' ?

taniwha

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#2885 20-Jan-2004 12:18

a smart phone, to me, is somethign that makes a good attempt to be both phone and PDA.
it usually runs palmOs, pocket PC, and maybe some symbian model can be called dumb smart phones.
most have grafiti input, like a PDA.
and most have qwerty keyboards as standard, or as an add on.

they run applications, like music and video players, word processing, email client, ebook readers.
as well as being a cellphone.

that's my definition, FWIW

freitasm

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#2887 20-Jan-2004 12:20

I see three categories of mobile phones:

Mobile phones: voice centric devices, with some limited processing capability. For instance you have a limited phonebook and calendar. I place the Sharp GX-10 in this category.

Converged devices: data centric devices, with high processing capabilities. In general these devices have touchscreen input. Think of a PDA with a mobile phone module. These include the Handspring Treo in their first versions, and the Windows Mobile Pocket PC (for instance the Audiovox PPC 5050, soon to be launched here by Telecom NZ.)

Smartphones: voice centric devices, with high processing capabilities. These have keypads like mobile phones, but run an OS that allows a greater variety of programs to be added, like the Nokia 3650 or the Windows Mobile Smartphones like the Orange SPV. Some have both the touchscreen and keypad (you can detach), like the Sony Ericsson P900 and Treo 600.

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Vicx

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#2888 20-Jan-2004 12:24

interesting, would u consider nokia 6230 to be a smartphone? it can do most of that, but its only a series 40

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taniwha

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#2891 20-Jan-2004 12:30

can you do word processing on that nokia 6230?

freitasm

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#2892 20-Jan-2004 12:30

Hmmm... Hard to say. These have Java midlets (like the Sharp GX-10), but it's not like they offer a lot of options. I'd say phones with Palm OS, Windows Mobile, Symbian Series 60, Symbian UIQ and RIM technologies are smartphones.

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taniwha

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#2894 20-Jan-2004 12:32

I have a 3650 (aka the fugly fone).
it's only borderline smartphone.
yeah, you can add symbian apps, but it doesn't quite replace a PDA.
mostly because is lacks a touch screen

taniwha

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#2896 20-Jan-2004 12:35

I haven't seen much more than hype over java midlets.
yes, they have the potential o be useful apps, but only games are being developed.
it's very well suited to games, as most "useful" apps need better hardware/Os access than java lets me have.

there doesn't seem to be a market for non-game midlets, and thus there just aren't many.

i don't think midlet support is enough to push a phone into the smartphone category.