Dopod P800W

Dopod International plans to launch a GPS PDA phone known as the P800W. Not only does this phone have high tech computer capability, but it has a trackball and track wheels to aid with map browsing and web surfing. Other impressive features of the Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE connected phone include push email, a 2 Megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.0, all under Windows Mobile 5.0. The device also has a fully functional QWERTY keyboard with a 2.80 touch screen.

Design

The entire phone body is encased in smooth feeling silver grey plastic, Dopod refers to it as "Iron Grey" and with a size of only 108 x 58 x 16.8mm, this is a small and sleek smart phone, reminiscent of the more high fashion designs of phone houses such as Nokia or Motorola. Keeping with the Frankenstein motif, the P800W's stylus feels like it's come straight from the mad doctor's surgery; it's the sharpest PDA stylus we've ever used, and a danger to eyeballs everywhere.

Features

The P800W runs on a Texas Instruments OMAP 850 processor with 64MB of RAM and 128MB of ROM. User data can be stored internally or via a microSD card, although irritatingly, the card slot lives underneath the battery, so it's fiddly and difficult to change cards on the fly. The P800W's embedded digital camera has a 2 megapixel sensor and a number of photographic modes in common with most other camera-enabled Windows Mobile devices, or in other words, it can play some pretty camera tricks, but you're still not going to become Lord Lichfield with it. The GPS chipset within the P800W is the de rigueur SiRFstar III. On the phone side, the P800W is a quadband GSM handset (850/900/1800/1900MHz) with nary a 3G capability in sight. On the wireless data front, it supports Bluetooth v2.0 and 802.11b/g Wi-Fi.

Performance

The P800W comes with a meaty 1,200mAh battery that Dopod rates for up to five hours of talktime and up to 200 hours of standby time. Given that the P800W's usage patterns can vary widely, depending on how much you're using the wireless and GPS functions, we weren't expecting wonderful results from the phone, and were pleased to find Dopod's figures mostly accurate; on a light usage week we'd manage the full seven days in-between recharges, while heavy Wi-Fi and GPS use dropped those figures rather alarmingly.

On the Windows Mobile front, the P800W felt a little sluggish in operation, we got very, very used to looking at the scrolling colour wheel while waiting for applications to load. That's a purely relative factor; if you're new to the smartphone market you probably wouldn't notice it, but compared to snappier smartphone models, with perhaps the exception of the even more sluggish Treo 680, the P800W feels a touch turgid in operation.

We've perhaps become spoilt by all of the recent GPS units we've looked at that have upped the ante as far as GPS triangulation is concerned. We were pretty disappointed therefore in the P800W's synchronization capabilities; despite using the same SiRFstar III chipset as its competitors, we never once managed to clock in with a GPS signal that was useful in under three minutes, and sometimes as long as ten minutes had to pass. This also essentially cripples the GPS-photo capability, as aside from popping out of the car and taking a photo then and there, you've got to have a lot of patience to take GPS co-ordinate embedded pictures.

Ultimately, while the Frankenstein approach of appropriating design and feature elements from other phones gives the Dopod a lot of appeal in the pure functionality stakes, and its slim form factor does make it a player in the style race, the overall poor performance make the P800W a less than enticing prospect.

Specification Of Dopod P800W

Datasheet Views:
5759 views since upload of datasheet (October 28, 2006)

Release Date:
December, 2006

Predecessor Model:
Dopod 830 / 818 Pro

Dimensions:
58 x 108 x 16.8 millimetres

Mass:
127 grams (battery included)

Software Environment
Operating System:
Windows Mobile 5.0 for Pocket PC Phone Edition AKU 3.0.0

Microprocessor
CPU:
32bit Texas Instruments OMAP 850

CPU Clock:
201 MHz

Memory, Storage capacity
ROM capacity:
128 MB (accessible: 51.16MB)

RAM capacity:
64 MB (accessible: 42.55MB)

Hard Disk capacity:
Not supported

Display
Display Type:
color transflective TFT , 65536 scales

Display Resolution:
240 x 320

Display Diagonal:
2.8 "

Sound
Microphone:
mono

Speaker:
mono

Audio Output:
Proprietary jack

Cellular Phone
Cellular Networks:
GSM850, GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900, UMTS850

Cellular Data Standards:
CSD, GPRS, EDGE

Call Alert:
40 -chord melody

Vibrating Alert:
Supported

Control Peripherals
Positioning Device:
Touchscreen & TrackBall

Keyboard:
Not supported

Directional Pad:
Not supported

Jog / Scroll Wheel:
Rotary full area roller

Interfaces
Expansion Slots:
SDIO, microSD, TransFlash

Serial:
RS-232 , 115200bit/s

USB:
USB 1.1 client, 12Mbit/s , USB Series Mini-B (mini-USB) connector

Bluetooth:
Bluetooth 2.0

Wireless LAN:
802.11b, 802.11g

Multimedia Telecommunication
Analog TV:
Not supported

Analog Radio:
FM radio reciever

Satellite Navigation
Built-in GPS:
SiRF Star III , 20 channels

TMC:
Supported

Built-in Digital Camera
Main Camera:
CMOS sensor, 1.9MP

Built-in Flash:
Not supported

Power Supply
Battery:
Lithium-ion polymer , removable

Battery Capacity:
1250 mAh

Samsung SCH-W579

Is it a CDMA Phone? Is it a GSM Phone? Hey It’s Both! We are talking about the new and very chic Samsung SCH-W579. This one is already creating buzz as it lets the insatiable user experience the best of both worlds and prevents the headache of carrying two different devices.Though supporting both networks is nothing new, however the handset also has some great multimedia features and scores points in the eye-candy department.
The Samsung SCH-W579 has already been approved by the FCC, so be ready to experience its goodness soon. On the specs front apart from both GSM and CDMA networking, we also come across features like ; TFT, 240x320 pixels, 262K colors display, a 2megapixel CMOS Camera, a MP3 Player and support to 72-tones polyphony. We especially dig the cool digital clock on the outer body and its ability to support Office documents and TV-out. No word on pricing or availability.

Design

The SCH-W579 appeared by bringing the color was different to the other Samsung cellular phone. A clamshell cell phone looks like a pocket camera. The appointment external screen that in such a way, made it be similar a view finder in pocket camera. Plus, the Samsung SCH-W579 form that the box and layered the dark grey color made the SCH-W579 really was similar pocket camera. Aside from its dual function, the measurement of this Samsung cellular phone is classes as big. Rather was full in the grasp and was not so comfortable when being pocketed. Fortunately, the SCH-W579 weight was not too heavy for the measurement of a cellular phone that had the measurement (rather) big.

The Screen

The big body brought the blessing to the screen measurement that also became super wide. The measurement of its profile was 55 x 40 mm with the resolution 240 x 320 pixels. It could accommodate eight text lines with the font measurement 12pt, the kind Time Roman. The matter of the sharpness was guaranteed with the use of the screen of TFT 256K colors kind.

Big Softy Keypad

One soft touch has been enough to operate its keypad button. The button measurement that was big (13 x 7 mm) as well as soft when being pressured makes the keypad operation very comfortable. There was one button that especially functioned as switch button between two modes available. Its location between softkey and the navigation button was marked with C/G symbol (that symbolized CDMA and GSM).

Extra Multi Function Button

On the right of the cellular phone body, there was a button that its form likes the volume organizer in radio equipment (scroll key). One of it functions indeed to adjust the volume. But this button also functioned as the organizer of music player, shutter button for camera. And if being pressured by four times to function as SOS message button.

Fun User Interface

In this series Samsung also began flirtatious with user interface look that difference. One of its choices was appearance the aim number (dialing font) with inkpen that used classic font and full color. It increased with background theme that was attractive. The menu look will also be like this, never again only an iconic menu, but was combined with 3D iconic.

This was the superiority of the Samsung SCH-W579 cellular phone. It could be active in two networks at the same time. During the new cellular phone restart will have the SIM card choice whatever that will become the main card (CDMA or GSM). When being active, in the screen will appear signal indicator from the two networks (C for CDMA and G for GSM).

When did voice call, we could choose to use the available network. After writing the aim number or aim number from phonebook, in the screen will emerge the choice of the network. To choose it used button chose (C/G) and after that pressed call button. Even so if want to send the text message.

The greatness again, the Samsung SCH-W579 cellular phone could accept the incoming call from two numbers in this network simultaneously. In the screen emerged the number that called to respectively the network. We could choose what number that will be accepted more previously. If accepting the call entered in GSM, automatic the call in CDMA would be reject and like that was the reverse.
So, grateful to Qualcomm that developed integrated single chip that became the SCH-W579 cellular phone brain so as to be able to operate dual mode.

Although not be classes as a smartphone, the SCH-W579 cellular phone was supplied a stylus pen that was hung in hanger that its location on the top of the cellular phone body. So what for this stylus pen? Firstly, to explore the menu and undertook available feature because of its screen has adopted touchscreen. Secondly, it’s to write the text message. The W579 was supplied by the introductory capacity to handwriting. The censor sensitivity to know handwriting (with stylus the pen) was moderate well.

For those has been used to write the text message with pressed keypad possibly the use of stylus pen even made slower in wrote text. Because, the response appearance in the screen had the break time a little.
Few other notes, the stylus pen that was hung in the folder hinge, in fact moderate annoying during us activate the camera. The stylus pen shadow was printed in the lens so as we must be somewhat busy evacuated it first.

The 2-megapixel Camera

As the multimedia cellular phone, it seems incomplete when being not supplied by the camera function. Moreover Samsung that was famous with its expertise in the imaging matter. The SCH-W579 cellular phone was supplied a 2-megapixel camera that could be made function to take a picture and the video recorder. However the use of its camera was rather troublesome. Before take a picture, we must arrange first the position of the aim. Because just as the lens was turned, view finder appearance in the screen sometimes was turned over and over.

The Voice Call

There was no the problem in signal reception although the two networks were activated simultaneously. The quality of the voice during did or received voice call basically was good enough. However, indeed there was a difference when received from the CDMA or GSM network. This was related to the network quality of the relevant operator. The rest, this was a cellular phone that could become the solution for them who needed the service of two operators from two networks at the same time.

The Battery

The SCH-W579 used lithium polymer battery. This battery kind usually support for endurance spoke and standby time that was long. However for this cellular phone, was not yet it was known how big its capacity. From the test, after being used for various functions, from the condition battery that full, only the reduction happened a little of the indicator battery in the screen. Might be its battery indeed had good endurance.

The Music Player

This feature was present as feature that made the W579 increasingly attractive. It could be used to play of MP3 and AAC file format. The sound quality personally was enough to be good to be heard ears. The presence of the additional memory of the microSD type made us could keep tens MP3 songs to be heard from time to time.

Specification:

Weight
132.8 g

Dimension
94.5×54x21.15 mm

Network
CDMA (800/1900 MHz), GSM (900/1800/1900 MHz)

Screen display
TFT 256K colors, 240×320 pixels

External screen
TFT 64K colors, 96×80 pixels

Audio
MP3/AAC/AMR

Video
176×144 pixels, MPEG/MP4

Photo
Flash light, Auto-focus, 10x zoom, Photo Editor

Internal memory
20MB

External memory
MicroSD, maximal 1GB

Connectivity
Bluetooth, GPRS/EDGE, USB cable

Other features
Touch screen, Handwriting Recognition, SOS message, Namecard

Recognation, Voice Memo, Melody Composer.

Samsung i600 Ultra Messaging HSDPA Windows Mobile Smartphone

It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks and for Samsung to introduce an innovative navigation user interface on the Ultra Messaging i600, which runs on a "has-been" Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone edition, we think it deserves a round of applause. That's on top of a wealth of connectivity features the i600 is equipped with, including HSDPA, 3G and Wi-Fi on a matte-black body that's irresistibly good looking. But the i600 is not alone in vying for a share of the pie in the smart phones with QWERTY keyboard arena. Find out how it stacks up against the competition.

Design

Picking up the Ultra Messaging i600 from its packaging morphs us into business executives in an instant, even when we aren't dressed like one. The matte-black i600 is sexy beyond doubt and, in some ways, remind us of a bar of Hershey's dark chocolate--irresistible and good enough to eat. In hand, this Samsung is a comfortable size and its slim profile of 11.8mm (the upcoming Motorola Q q9 measures 11.8m, too) gives the illusion that it is thinner than it really is. Even with the 1,200mAh Lithium-ion battery, the i600 stills weighs a feather-light 108g. It could just be us, but we're particularly fond of the soft-type plastic on the back of the handheld.

Two features are traded off for a more compact form factor: A smaller 2.3-inch screen compared with the larger 2.8-inch LCD on the Nokia E61 and a less spacious QWERTY keyboard. The individual keys resembling black tic tac mints organized fashionably, provide tactile feedback and are adequately backlit in dim environments. You'll know it when your thumb hovers over one. A nice touch are the numeric keys which are colored in grey so we could tell them apart from the rest of the letters in black. The immediate button to the right of each number works as a pair with the numeric key, so hitting on either gets us the same digit.

Navigating the phone's menu requires the use of the four-way directional toggle which is slightly elevated from the Call/End and soft-touch keys, as well as a center OK button. Despite various user reviews online regarding a flushed directional control which resulted in hitting the End key when we wanted to click right, we didn't encounter that on our test unit. So it's really up to you to check it out. Alternatively, there's a thumbwheel and a Back button on the right spine for a more BlackBerry-like experience.

The i600 uses a proprietary port for charging and synchronizing the handheld. The same port also connects the bundled stereo earphones, so that effectively makes obsolete both our mini-USB adapter and 2.5mm/3.5mm headset at the same time. Talk about a double-whammy. Fortunately, we could still pair our Sony Ericsson HBH-DS970 stereo Bluetooth earphones for music playback on this Samsung.

A microSD expansion slot sits above the thumbwheel on the right edge of the i600 with support of up to 2GB. There are also two cameras: One on the front for video calls and a 1.3-megapixel shooter on the back flanked by a reflecting mirror and onboard speakers. More on the camera features later.

Features

At the time of writing, three Samsung HSDPA-enabled phones (SGH-Z560PerformanceWe tested the triband Samsung Ultra Messaging i600 and found the call quality decent. Surprisingly, audio output excelled beyond our expectations with the built-in speakerphone and our buddies weren't able to actually tell that we were on one. A pity, really, that the speaker is on the rear of the handset, which has the potential to muffle the sound when the phone is on its back. We loaded a 320 x 180-pixel video file at 24bits (116MB) for our tests. Video playback, too, was relatively pleasing, though we did encounter slight pixilation and occasional dropped frames during fast-moving action. Our only gripe was with the 2.3-inch LCD which was a tad too reflective for our liking and washed out slightly in harsh sunlight at default brightness. , Ultra Edition 13.8 and Ultra Messaging i600) were available in Singapore, with the i600 the Korean's first smart phone to tout high-speed data transfer faster than 3G. In short, faster data speeds would enhance the Web browsing experience, music streaming and reduce download times via the theoretical 1.8Mbps speed. Connectivity features on the triband (900/1,800/1,900MHz) i600 are aplenty. Besides leveraging on HSDPA and 3G networks, the handheld is also Wi-Fi-enabled (802.11b/g)--sorely missed on the earlier i320n--and can connect wirelessly to a PC via Bluetooth 2.0 (with support for A2DP). The i600 is missing an infrared port, though.

Unlike touchscreen PDAs, the i600 runs on the Smartphone edition of Windows Mobile 5.0, powered by a 220MHz TI OMAP 1710 processor, so you don't get the full-fledged editing capabilities of Office Mobile. Memory-wise, there's 128MB ROM and 64MB RAM.

The preinstalled Piscel Viewer allows us to read only Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF files and various image formats. The i600 also supports MS Direct Push Technology so you'd be able to have ready access to your email, calendar, contacts and tasks on Outlook. Synchronization with our PC was also a breeze except there wasn't an option to sync Notes on Outlook with the smart phone.

Multimedia-wise, the i600 supports formats such as MP3, AAC, AAC+, WMA and WAV for music, and MPEG-4, WMV, H.263 and H.264 for videos. There's also an RSS feed reader (a rather basic one) and podcast application for you to catch up on the latest news or gossip.

Performance

We tested the triband Samsung Ultra Messaging i600 and found the call quality decent. Surprisingly, audio output excelled beyond our expectations with the built-in speakerphone and our buddies weren't able to actually tell that we were on one. A pity, really, that the speaker is on the rear of the handset, which has the potential to muffle the sound when the phone is on its back. We loaded a 320 x 180-pixel video file at 24bits (116MB) for our tests. Video playback, too, was relatively pleasing, though we did encounter slight pixilation and occasional dropped frames during fast-moving action. Our only gripe was with the 2.3-inch LCD which was a tad too reflective for our liking and washed out slightly in harsh sunlight at default brightness.

As far as data transfer rate was concerned, the theoretical 1.8Mbps speed sounds great but a lot of it depends on the network and your location. We took the i600 for an afternoon walk around the Central Business District (CBD) of Singapore along Shenton Way to find out if the speed was as claimed. Verdict? Well, we didn't need a bib to catch our drool. While surfing CNET Asia's Web page, the network alternates between 3 and 3.5G speeds and we weren't able to get a consistent HSDPA network to gauge download rates.

Camera performance was sub-par, which wasn't surprising. It took approximately 2.5 seconds for the shooter to load, and though there's autofocus, this doesn't work like the ones on dedicated digital cameras where you can half-press the shutter to prefocus. Again, we're nitpicking. Overall, image quality was Web-standard, but without a LED flash night shots weren't stellar.

When we were running multiple applications, it was noticeable that the processing speed took a beating. The i600 has 48.6MB of memory in total, of which 26MB is available to run your programs. Opened applications remained open although holding down the Home key brought up the task manager where you can close the programs. Onboard storage capacity is limited to 40MB to install additional programs such as Instant Messenger.

The i600 is rated for 4 hours of talktime and up to 190 hours (eight days) of standby. In our tests, we managed to get 2.5 days on regular usage, making calls, sending messages and occasional connections to Wi-Fi and 3G networks, without having to reach for the charger. Our test unit arrived with a second battery which will also be included in the commercial retail sets. The only problem we foresee is that because there's no standalone charger for the Lithium-ion cell, it won't be possible to charge one battery while using another concurrently.

Specification Of Samsung Ultra Messaging i600

Phone
Phone type :
Triband

Networks :
GSM 900, GSM 1800, GSM 1900

Connectivity options :
3G, GPRS, HSDPA, Bluetooth, USB, WLAN

Physical design
Form factor :
Candy bar

Dimensions (W x D x H) :
113 x 59 x 11.8 mm

Weight w/battery :
105 g

Primary display type :
TFT

Secondary display resolution :
x pixels

Input method(s) :
QWERTY

Interchangeable covers :
No

Available colours :
Black

General
LCD display size :
2.3-inch

Color LCD :
Yes

Performance
Operating system :
Microsoft Smartphone OS

Max. talktime (in hours) :
4 hours

Max. standby time (in hours) :
190 hours

Internal memory :
64 MB

Expansion slot(s) :
TransFlash / microSD

Other Features
MMS :
Yes

Multimedia
Built-in digital camera :
Yes

Warranty
Base warranty :
1 year