PDA+Phone / SmartPhone / Phone+PDA Functions

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jpwise

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Topic # 6668 14-Feb-2006 10:19

Pop quiz, not specific to Vodafone/Telecom.

What's peoples experiences/suggestion on Advanced Phone / PDA units.
My personal phone is a SonyEricsson T68i (Vodafone), but it's getting a bit long in the tooth and I'm starting to need to organise things a bit better. The T68i does have an 'OK' calander system in it, but last time I looked at the Sync software it was pretty rudimentary (admittedly several years ago).

What do people know of in the way of a unit with decent diary/calander functions that still has a similar form factor. Preferably not a full size PDA which is a bit bulky for putting in my pocket with the other phones I carry (currently 3 - long story).

A PocketPC based unit would also be of interest as the sync is all MS based and will at least be well updated over time (Activesync). Plus being able to throw a few games and other apps on there could be handy. But the form factor is a major consideration.

Battery life would also be a factor, but if I get into a regular plugging in to sync/etc I can charge it up in the process.

Anyone got suggestions for devices that might fit the bill?

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BDFL - Memuneh
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Reply # 28380 14-Feb-2006 10:40

Of all the current Pocket PC in the market I like the Apache better because of data speed (hard to beat CDMA EVDO these days). The i-mate K-Jam on Vodafone is nice, but it only connects via GPRS, since we don't have EDGE networks here.

The i-mate Jasjar is nice, great screen, but you will need a Bluetooth headset to use it as a phone - simply too large to hold it to your face while speaking.

There are some new models coming out this year, but if you need things now, those are the options available here...

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antoniosk

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Reply # 28381 14-Feb-2006 10:45

Yep - I prefer the Wizard over the Apache because it's GSM, and has some nicer tech than the Apache, but it's much of a muchness.

Both devices are made by the same outfit but marketed by different companies.

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jpwise

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Reply # 28384 14-Feb-2006 11:02

Not sure what happened there but my reply went awol..

Anyway, just been skimming the voda site. i-Mate SP5 looks interesting, and it's only slightly larger than my existing T68i.
i-Mate SP5 - 107.54mm x 46.2mm x 17.5mm
T68i - ~ 100mm x ~44mm x ~19mm.

Anyone played with one? Might have to drop by one of the retail stores and have a bit of a play.

Yeah, I've seen the Apache, not quite what I've got in mind. I'm more looking for Phone First, PDA second, or something along the line of Phone + PDA functions. Apache looks more PDA + Phone functions.

What's the Wizard?

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jpwise

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Reply # 28385 14-Feb-2006 11:03

Dont' worry, just looked it up. QTEC 9100 / i-Mate K-Jam / HTC Wizard.

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freitasm

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Reply # 28387 14-Feb-2006 11:22

Check our i-mate SP5 review...

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freitasm

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Reply # 28388 14-Feb-2006 11:24

And links to K-Jam reviews from our Smart Devices database...

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jpwise

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Reply # 28389 14-Feb-2006 11:35

freitasm: Check our i-mate SP5 review...

Thanks for that. Interesting reading. I'm assuming the screen isn't actually a touch screen, its all done via the keypad? no onscreen keyboard, etc.etc.

Also doe you remember if it charges via the usb cable aswell, or do you also need to plug the power in to charge?

Thx.
Jp.

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Jama

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Reply # 28390 14-Feb-2006 11:38

I think the best phone>PDA is a Treo 650 CDMA. I like the form factor and you have Exchange sync. Not a big fan of the HTC devices myself.

Now you wouldn't be considering GPRS would you JPWise?

jpwise

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Reply # 28391 14-Feb-2006 11:40

LOL. I'm not specifically looking GPRS, but if I can find something that does what I want in GPRS it save me changing my personal numbers etc. My personal one is a Vodafone number I've had for the last 7 odd years. The work ones are Telecom. ; p

I'll have a look at the Treo650 aswell, I seem to remember reading somewhere they'd finally gone PPC aswell, rather than Palm. Will look into it now.

Besides, I don't really use my personal phone for data. That's what the works ones are for. ;p

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SNicolle

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Reply # 28393 14-Feb-2006 11:48

symbian series 60 devices like the 6680 and n70 and 6630 (3g examples) would be capable of doing what you want, they are phones first but have application capability, sp5 did come to mind when first reading your request, i find the nokia pc suite unnecessarily large and overbearing though
if budget is an issue series 60 is avaliable on cheaper non 3g handsets

freitasm

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Reply # 28395 14-Feb-2006 11:49

jpwise:
freitasm: Check our i-mate SP5 review...

Thanks for that. Interesting reading. I'm assuming the screen isn't actually a touch screen, its all done via the keypad? no onscreen keyboard, etc.etc.

Also doe you remember if it charges via the usb cable aswell, or do you also need to plug the power in to charge?

Thx.
Jp.

It will charge from the USB. And it's a Smartphone, so there is no touchscreen - this is the main User Interface difference between Windows Mobile Pocket PC and Windows Mobile Smartphone...

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jpwise

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Reply # 28396 14-Feb-2006 11:49

Doh. The Treo 650 is Palm. Oh, well.

PS: Don't know why I'm not a palm fan, just for some reason never really favored it.

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freitasm

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Reply # 28397 14-Feb-2006 11:49

jpwise:
freitasm: Check our i-mate SP5 review...

Thanks for that. Interesting reading. I'm assuming the screen isn't actually a touch screen, its all done via the keypad? no onscreen keyboard, etc.etc.

Also doe you remember if it charges via the usb cable aswell, or do you also need to plug the power in to charge?

Thx.
Jp.

It will charge from the USB. And it's a Smartphone, so there is no touchscreen - this is the main User Interface difference between Windows Mobile Pocket PC and Windows Mobile Smartphone...

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jpwise

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Reply # 28398 14-Feb-2006 11:55

SNicolle: symbian series 60 devices like the 6680 and n70 and 6630 (3g examples) would be capable of doing what you want, they are phones first but have application capability, sp5 did come to mind when first reading your request, i find the nokia pc suite unnecessarily large and overbearing though
if budget is an issue series 60 is avaliable on cheaper non 3g handsets

Yeah. SP5 is looking promising so far. Being able to play MP3's would be a nice bonus, particularly if I throw a good sized miniSD card in there. Also the WiFi would be a bonus. I don't generally do data, and for my personal uses the GPRS costings aren't favorable, but I might look into the WiFi options and see what Citylink etc charge for CafeNet.

The lack of touchscreen could be annoying, but not insurmountable. Particularly as I envisage entering most of the calander data on the PC and and then syncing it into the unit, with maybe the occasional in the field entry. Perhaps one of these years I might remember someones birthday.

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SNicolle

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Reply # 28400 14-Feb-2006 12:05

s60 is non touchscreen as well
its a pity the n70 and 6680 use dv rs-mmc cards because nokia has done away with it an dits newer phones are using mini-sd which can hold much more and are more readily available.
text entry is relatively simple with t9 (on nearly every phone with different manufacturer variants) but a qwerty is the money if you are writing more that 200-300 characters.

The P series from Sony Ericsson has touchscreen, sync functions and the like but it isnt cheap although the 910 might be on clearance soon as around midyear the p990 is coming with 3g and wifi.

does the sp5 have wifi? the kjam apache and jasjar do, none of the nokias at the market do

s60 phones can play mp3s

what sort of things do you use your calendar for because we may be shooting a little high

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