3GScottishUser
15th September 2005, 02:21 PM
From Guardian Unlimited (15/09/2005):
For years mobile phone manufacturers have been encouraging us to swap our laptops for handheld devices. Yet the handsets they have been punting haven't quite been powerful or sophisticated enough - or have been dogged by poor keypads and weak connectivity. Only Nokia, with its excellent Communicator series, has got close.
There is, however, a buzz around a new handset that networks say could be the first mobile to enable its owners to shed a bit of baggage. The device is the Universal and it will be offered by almost all the major UK networks. T-Mobile, however, looks to have won the race to offer it first and has given us a sneak preview of its version - the MDA Pro.
Due at the end of the month, the Pro is a high-end smartphone that features cut-down versions of Microsoft applications such as Word, Excel and Outlook. It will cost up to £400, depending on the contract - but what is exciting both the networks and buyers are its three key selling points.
First, it boasts a flexible design incorporating a large Qwerty keyboard that is a world away from the mini thumbpads offered by its predecessors and the majority of its rivals. This is supported by an impressively large 3.6in VGA-quality screen that can be used like a laptop with a widescreen display or, if it is twisted round and laid flat, like many traditional PDA devices.
The Pro is also the first top-end smartphone to offer 3G connectivity, so users can take advantage of the faster download and web surfing speeds if in one of T-Mobile 3G areas, opt for Wi-Fi if in a wireless hot spot, or use the fall-back GPRS option with its slower connection speeds everywhere else.
Finally, the MDA Pro marks the debut of the latest version (5.0) of Windows Mobile. This has one massive enhancement in that it has persistent memory to prevent data loss if the battery dies, which was a weakness of earlier versions. It also has enhanced push email options and apparently includes improved synchronisation with corporate networks.
Expect it to be taken in numbers by both corporates and gadget lovers.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/gadgets/story/0,12452,1570698,00.html
For years mobile phone manufacturers have been encouraging us to swap our laptops for handheld devices. Yet the handsets they have been punting haven't quite been powerful or sophisticated enough - or have been dogged by poor keypads and weak connectivity. Only Nokia, with its excellent Communicator series, has got close.
There is, however, a buzz around a new handset that networks say could be the first mobile to enable its owners to shed a bit of baggage. The device is the Universal and it will be offered by almost all the major UK networks. T-Mobile, however, looks to have won the race to offer it first and has given us a sneak preview of its version - the MDA Pro.
Due at the end of the month, the Pro is a high-end smartphone that features cut-down versions of Microsoft applications such as Word, Excel and Outlook. It will cost up to £400, depending on the contract - but what is exciting both the networks and buyers are its three key selling points.
First, it boasts a flexible design incorporating a large Qwerty keyboard that is a world away from the mini thumbpads offered by its predecessors and the majority of its rivals. This is supported by an impressively large 3.6in VGA-quality screen that can be used like a laptop with a widescreen display or, if it is twisted round and laid flat, like many traditional PDA devices.
The Pro is also the first top-end smartphone to offer 3G connectivity, so users can take advantage of the faster download and web surfing speeds if in one of T-Mobile 3G areas, opt for Wi-Fi if in a wireless hot spot, or use the fall-back GPRS option with its slower connection speeds everywhere else.
Finally, the MDA Pro marks the debut of the latest version (5.0) of Windows Mobile. This has one massive enhancement in that it has persistent memory to prevent data loss if the battery dies, which was a weakness of earlier versions. It also has enhanced push email options and apparently includes improved synchronisation with corporate networks.
Expect it to be taken in numbers by both corporates and gadget lovers.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/gadgets/story/0,12452,1570698,00.html