Database Users

Questions about the XDA2 from a novice

I'm about to buy one of these, but I've had trouble finding info about it. Everywhere just has the same basic list, so here's my questions:
1. Does it come with it's own cable/cradle, or other means of connectivity?
2. Does it come with a memory card? How big? And how much internal memory?
3. I am currently using a SonyEricsson P800, and the MP3 player is one of my favourite features. Can I play MP3s just as easily on this? And is it straight forward enough transferring them to the device?
4. Does it have MMS? If so, how functional is it? The P800's was excelent, allowing multiple pages, variable time per page, sound, multiple pictures, etc etc. But before that I had a Nokia 7650 which was limited to one picture with text, and no sound.
5. Flight mode?
6. Does bluetooth allow transfer of files to and from Symbian devices like the P800 and the Nokia 7650, 6600, etc?
7. Are any JAVA applications supported, or just the native Pocket PC format?
8. Anything else cool you wanna tell me?
9. Where can I find the full spec for this device? On here or another site?
Thanks in advance. I hope at least some of my questions can be answered

My answers..
1. Cradle, Ir and BT is included.
2. Mine comes with a dummy card, but try looking around for special offers. If i were you, I get a 256mb card. Why? When you do backing up, you are sure to use the Storage card memory to put it in. A 128MB SDcard is just not enough.
Internal RAM Size is 128Mbs, considered big for todays PDA standards.
3. MP3s? Simple to do it. But Infact, I dun download MP3s now to the XDAII cause the size is big. What i do is compress it to WMA (half the size) and still get good quality music. Just use your Desktop Windows Media Player to do it and even download it to the PDA from there.
4. MMS? Yes...but i'm not using MMS so can't really comment.
5. Flight mode? Yes. Just click on the Signal icon and select flight mode.
6. I really dunno. I use BT only for the Headset functions.
7. Depends on the ROM type. Mine does support Javas after downloading a software. But why Java? Pocket PC application and games are much more better...trust me.
8. Cool?..Yes, but wait for the XDAIII or even the new HP63XX?
Think that way.
If you still insist on the XDAII, I can say the screen, speed, memory and design is superb. The phone reception is comparable to any Nokia set.
9. You can try http://www.my-xda.com/ or look around in googles
I'm sure other members will help out.

Cheers Just remembered another one:
10. Does it come with a hand strap?

Nope, but it comes with a waist strap.
I think the XDA II is one of the fastest in it's class. 400mhz and the screen quality is great in comparison with other Pocket PC Phone. I was able to watch my 2 hour length movie just like I would with my iPaq.
It has fast bus, everything is much faster than my previous pocket pc. The great thing about this is that, which I just found out, if the OS crash, you can still use the phone function. Someone here said it's like 2 device, phone and pda.

Greetings fellow Nottinghamian!
Ex P800 and P900 user here, some points.
1. No, it doesn't come with a lanyard (hand strap) and I can't see anywhere to attach one. Looking back this would have been a good idea as I worry about the metal finish of the XDA2 slipping through my hands
2. It's slightly bigger than a P900, but the funtionality makes up for it. 400Mhz of raw power in your hand. Emulators, Games, flawless MP3/video playback and of course on the wonderful big screen.
3. The Px00 was a phone first, and a PDA second. The XDA2 is a PDA first, phone second. The phone side of the XDA2 is pretty good, especially when combined with a BT headset, but may lack features that you're used to, like T9 input.
4. SD memory is far cheaper and more available than Memory Stick DUO. Be sure to buy a fast SD card though, some people have reported problems with Sandisk cards. My cheapo Viking Interworks one from eBuyer works a treat!
5. Get a sync and charge cable or a second charger - the features on the XDA2 take their toll on the battery, but if you charge it nightly you'll be fine. I keep my cradle and charger at work and my sync & charge cable at home.
6. The camera on the XDA2 is still a VGA (640x480) camera like the Px00 but the CCD is far better and produces much nicer pictures. The camera also does a good job of taking video. There's no limit to video lengths either, unlike the stock P800.
7. There are several features in the pipeline for the XDA2. Windows Mobile 2003SE is a possible upgrade, featuring things like landscape mode and Blackberry support. Also, you can add a WiFi card to the XDA2 to access wireless hotspots (try the Broadway Cinema on Broad Street!).
I think that's it for now, but I'll post again if I remember anything.

Eeeeeehhhh!
What a coincidence. 2 P800-come-XDA2 users in the same city :lol:
Bit of an arse about the hand strap thing. I use mine ALL the time on my P800. You can't be too careful. Are you sure there's nowhere to attach one? Not even under the battery cover?

Ex-P800 user.
I used my P800 for 13 months before upgrading to an XDA2. Within hours of getting my XDA I felt like I'd just thrown my money away ever getting a P800 in the first place.
The XDA is FAR superior. The video and music capabilities as excellent.
As for T9 dialling, I have purchased PhonePlus II. It is superb and makes up for the only real weak part of the XDA 2 which was the phone functionality.
I also dropped my P800 a lot, 'cos I never used the shoulder strap. I haven't dropped my XDA2 yet but I'm sure the leather case will provide excellent protection. (Mine's insured anyway so I'll get a new one if I break it.)
Hope this helps...

Sounds good
I'm still going to look into attaching a wrist strap though. Coulda kept the one off my faulty digital camera, since the dumb ***** at argos never checked the box contents before she refunded me. I coulda kept the camera an' all :lol:

Have a look at the xda2 skin case here http://www.pdamods.com/proddetail.asp?prod=XDA2SCCS
I know it doesnt show it in the photos, but I think it has a tab for a wrist strap

Just ordered my XDA2!!!
I'll let you know how I get on

Me = Universal to Wizard convert

I am so amazingly happy since I made the switch from Universal to Wizard.
The Universal, whilst clearly higher spec, more powerful, more impressive screen etc - was an unusable bit of kit. I battled and battled and battled - I wanted this 'superior' equipment to serve me well. I upgraded and tested various ROMs, tried every minor registry tweak and software trick known to man. Despite everyone in the Universal forum saying it *was* possible to get a solid, fast, reliable setup - I battled hard but never got close. It was still impossible to do the important little things like make or receive calls reliably, perhaps with one hand.
The Wizard is a proper phone - you can hold it between your ear and shoulder whilst stirring pasta with one hand and sipping vodka in the other.
The Wizard has proper buttons, ones that get used. The Universal had a multitude of useless buttons on the side that got pressed by accident thereby hanging Windows so that when you wanted to actually do something you may as well reset. The Universal had stereo speakers for God's sake. STEREO SPEAKERS? Does anyone else see the stupidity of such a thing? The whole point of stereo is that one channel feeds sound to one ear and the other channel to the other ear. What's more, the Wizard's handsfree speaker is clearer and brighter than the Universal's stereo speakers.
On the Wizard, I can make phone calls with one hand. I can pick up calls straight away, with one hand - I press the button and I'm talking immediately. With the Universal, not so. It's a long process involving three steps, invariably failing in most cases resulting in my having to call the other person back. Useless.
Sure, the Universal has a 520MHz processor. And when it's all optimised you really can feel the speed. But frankly that processor power is wasted on the most basic and major functions: the screen flip when answering a call. With the Wizard, sometimes screen flip lags, but thankfully I don't need to wait for the screen to flip just to answer the call!
That little Wizard collapsing stylus is a gem.
Here's what I use my Wizard for. I'm sure we are all used to this amount of functionality from one device - I've had most of it for years. But finally I have something close to the perfect all-in-one, and I'm happy!
Phone
Text messages
Voice command and phone in the car
Alarm clock (using the app Chronos) - how brilliant
Notebook
Calendar
Email on the move
Satellite navigation - tells me to slow down for speed cameras and talks to me when I get lost in London!
Portable music player (gigabyte mini SD card for MP3s)
Camera
Checking the news with RSS reader
Checking the next few days' weather in London from Today screen
I've even experimented with streaming video from my desktop over wireless. Works a treat, can watch a whole episode of The OC.
Yes, I can get rid of my old sat nav unit, my old pda, my old phone, my ipod, my alarm clock. It's everything in one tiny but beautifully usable package. (Actually, not entirely true, see below.)
There is ONE thing I am disappointed with. I had really hoped to eliminate the need for buying myself a new ipod. I am happy with a gigabyte of music - it seems fine to copy music as and when I need it. However I connected up my lovely Shure sound isolating headphones and the quality of the sound wasn't what I had hoped for. So sad about this - good sound would have completed the perfect package. There's just too much noise on the output, and the sound is horribly mid-range distorted. Gutted.
Anyway, I had to get this all out of my system - overall I am a very happy Universal to Wizard convert.
Thanks for listening
Mat

I can confirm all that. I ditched my Universal a week ago and bought a Wizard: Its LIGHTYEARS better in ease of use., speed, etc.
DO NOT BY UNIVERSAL. IT SUCKS BADLY !!!

completely agree. if i wanted a proper tiny computer i would buy a toshiba libretto. not the flawed, heavy and unstable universal.

Sounds right - the thing to remeber is that threse units are no laptops.... they are PDAs with phones ( not phones with PDAs if you see what I mean ).
Having swapped form a Jornada 540 I probably wont see the difrence your talking about but as a I can access most of the major features - Sat Nav / Phone / PIM I'm happy - its a portable viewer and ideal for when I am not in my own car.
Re the Ipod - doubt you'll beat that in this case - thats an Audio device - this is one that can do audio if you see what I mean.
Glad you like the change.
Terran

I'm finding this a very interesting topic.
I've just switched from aHP iPaq hx4705 to a Universal and so far I have been very pleased. however the choice between the Universal and the Wizard was a difficult one for me as I wanted a connected PocketPC / Windows Mobile device as opposed to a phone with a PPC in it.
My iPaq has clearly paid for itself in 15 months and time was right for an upgrade to WM5 and full connectivity. However my decision between these two devices was clouded I had a small chance to play with the Wizard in Dixon's one day when there was no Universal to play with.
And I liked it. Small, responsive, good lucks, surprising good keyboard (I wasn't sure what to expect to be honest) - all in all very good.
However I need to run a couple of power apps - PI and Planmaker - and I wasn't sure how it would cope.
I then had a try on a Universal in a O2 shop and I liked that. Everything looked good especially the screen (smaller than my iPaq but possibly even better quality) and the general speed.
So I got to the point to go for one of these. Initial cost wasn't a big deal as I was getting it on a contract with only about £50 difference between the two. And at this price £50 isn't enough to worry about.
I've currently got a Universal and am typing this out on it now. I'm loving it but that doesn't mean that the Wizard wouldn't also suit me as well. I have another 11 days before I lose the chance to take this back and swap it and I would really like to know from those of you using the Wizard how it copes with things like Planmaker due to the processor and the smaller screen size.
What a difficult choice though?! Two great devices to choose between.

I have an xda exec and xda mini s or wizard (two separate contracts). Both brill bits of kit. I use the exec for planmaker and textmaker and the xda mini just as a bit of fun. I like gadgets. You can't fault either device. I use both equally but for different purposes. I also used to have ipaq's for years but i wanted thephone functionality. The exec makes a wonderful mini laptop and the wizard a super ppc. If you shop around you can get bothdevices on contracts which added together give you a great deal in minutes+texts etc. yet give you the devices at a bargain price.
best wishes
Patricia

I agree. There really are some amazing devices out there at the moment and I am really pleased to be using one of them.
At the moment I can't see me getting rid of the Universal for a Wizard but that is because I have a clear idea of what I am after in this device. The Universal I know already after a few days is meeting my full needs.
Maybe if things go well I can buy a Wizard sometime late in 2006 when I guess they will drop in price! Just don't tell the wife!

dnt regret my purchase of a wizard. hope it stands the test of time and I'm using it for a long time. I think the trick to enjoying it is to remember in reality its your phone, everything else is a bonus.

i like to have 2 or 3 devices on the go and find if u shop around u can get really good deals recooping losses later by selling the devices on.the wizard is being offered for a small price on contract and like all similar devices will hold its value so why wait.i enjoy using the exec and wizardand find both equal as regards performance and functionality.planmaker, textmaker and tom tom work great on the exec whereas i use the wizard more for the phone side.
my other half uses tom tom but finds everything else a waste of time.i always have to explain that when we broke down in france this year in the motorhome my devices came to the rescue. tom tom for navigation and the predecessor to the xda mini a magician a great way to communicate to the rescue service and to find the nearest garage for repairs etc.
best wishes
patricia

Wizard v Universal
The wizard really is a great piece of kit but the BIG disadvantage for me is the missing 3G radio.
We have been crying out for this type of pocket pc ever since 3G was launched and I must say the breach has been filled admirably.
Obviously size is important and having owned both (and still do) I would agree that that the universal platform is not the most stable and the last thing you want to do is take a call on the Universal whilst in public
I have managed to incorporate all the settings taken from a symbian platform handset ie Nokia 6680 and managed to use the device successfully even browsing with the '3' homepage. The security of the '3' was the most difficult to crack and I can now download the various downloads offered by the cheapest network.
I also have subscribed to the £45 package which gives you 512mb of bundled data which allows me to visit other sites now the 'garden wall' has been demolished once and for all. This really is where the universal comes into its own.
One thing I will agree with is the size prevents use as a normal handset so I use a bluetooth headset with the appopriate hacks from the wi-ki developers page.
I cant help thinking that the Universal would be a far slimmer device if they hadn't incorporated the keyboard which I find absolutely useless due to my prolonged use of the graffiti facility(far quicker to write anyway).
I look forward to a new alternative to the Universal which may do away with the keypad once and for all. This should make the device a more suitable size instead of the similarities with the old handhelds ie HP 720 and the like which I'm sure many of us remember.
I think this is crucial given that devices like the Sony Ericsson P990i are just about to be launched with 3g capability and many people will see this as a more pocketable phone/pda. Not in the same league I agree as a windows mobile 5 device but still blessed with a good email client and now of course wi-fi.
Just my personal experience but I felt necessary to post in order to even things up a little bit.

Re: Wizard v Universal
jonboy8841 said:
The wizard really is a great piece of kit but the BIG disadvantage for me is the missing 3G radio.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
2 things... is it '3' that no longer have a walleed garden ? Im just curious...
Re 3G ( and I know this is Off topic ) - is it me or is there no actual use for 3G for joe public ? Yes I can understand business use and to a certian point show off to your mates video calling but until its on all networks and all phones ( inc fixed ) in all contries its best feature wont be used... again another reason to go for the Wizard rather than Universal.
Terran
PS Before any one says 'but you can watch TV' DVB-H will kick that in to touch soon

3G makes a BIG difference if you actually go websurfing... (which is actually the only reason I find it interesting, I really don't care about video calling, actually I really hope it wont become standard for a long time)
I don't have a universal, but I'm guessing the bigger screen (and more importantly resolution), along with the 3G, makes it perfectly suitable to websurfing.

Universal is a great gadget, but it is not a usable phone. The way I see it it can be used as a small notebook, provided you don't expect too much. VGA and UMTS are great for browsing and mail. Also connected with BT mouse it can be used for Word or Excel (TextMaker and PlanMaker) and even Project. The issue is only that lack of USB Host and no Video out mean it can't be used as full laptop. So it comes down to personal preference and at least for Phone and PDA I'm going with Wizard for small notebook we'll see...

Finraziel said:
3G makes a BIG difference if you actually go websurfing... (which is actually the only reason I find it interesting, I really don't care about video calling, actually I really hope it wont become standard for a long time)
I don't have a universal, but I'm guessing the bigger screen (and more importantly resolution), along with the 3G, makes it perfectly suitable to websurfing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wizzard supports EDGE, it is more than enough to do web-sirfing..

It's really interesting to see how different members use their devices-I didn't realise when i first purchased the exec that i needed a different sim card and tariff to use 3g. I think 3g is also more expensive and as other members have commented limited by network coverage and most people still having basic handsets. None of my contacts use 3g-in fact they find my interest in these amazing gadgets bemusing, eccentric...This doesn't bother me but thankgoodness there are othersout there who share my interest.

I really didn't think that the difference between 3g and a good gprs was much. i played with both in the o2 shop and couldn't think of a reason to buy the universal, although it does have a few advantages.
FYI I have a vodaphone 3g motorola 770 as my main phone (cost £90 payg) and I successfully linked the wizard to it via bluetooth and surfed at 3g speed. So I have the option if needed.

One other advantage to 3G is that in a few months you will be able to dial into video servers that will have news, television, etc going over the circuit switched network, so you'll have much more reliable and responsive service, if you're willing to use your video minutes on it.

With the new ROM, i'm glad i didn't give up my universal. It is now worlds faster WITHOUT any tweaking, and even more with tweaking.
I also had the Universal or WIzard dilema and only one factor mattered to me : SCREEN REAL ESTATE!
Guess who won

Me = Wizard ---> Universal
Agree Jorgee.
The universal with the latest O2 rom is working super. With the next rom update, with radio version 1.09 and push email it will be even better.
I had a wizard for a few months and had to get rid of it.
Firstly note that I do not use either as a phone. i have a small cell phone for voice calls. I use these devices as my pocket pc with data only tariffs (a key advantage of o2 above all the other providers).
In this context the Wizard is really not a player:
1. Terribly slow cpu and os
2. Screen too small
3. No VGA.
4. Too slow to run skype well
5. Too thick (universal is thinner) - difficult to fit in backpack with papers.
6. Horrible stylus
7. Minisd card. All my deivces use SD. Its another std too far.
8. Non-std headphone socket
9. No 3g. GPRS web browsing is a joke.
Sry guys, but as a PDA there is no contest!

Prophet/JAMin versus Atom

Hi,
Did a search and couldn't find exactly the question I have so here goes. I'm looking to buy a phone/PDA unit and am currently stuck between the Prophet/JAMin and the Atom.
Main uses will be standard PDA stuff, however I do a lot of 4WDing and will be installing Oziexplorer mapping software (for offroad use) and perhaps TomTom or Destinator for city/urban use.
I am leaning more towards the JAMin for its fullsize SD card slot (I have a few cards already available), however I am concerned about the speed of the unit when running mapping given its 200Mhz chip compared to the Atoms 416Mhz one.
Anyone out there able to shed some light on this and allay or confirm my concerns? Other than the chip speed and slot size, I don't really see much difference between the specs for the two that would impact me - I can live with either Bluetooth 1.2 oe 2.0 and tri-band will suit as much as quad-band, although the one thing I haven't seen on the spec sheets is that the Atom will playback music files in AAC format whereas the JAMin will. Can anyone confirm this?

Hi!
I don't know much about the Atom, but as a recent switcher from JAM to Qtek S200 I would advise you to made a carefull move.
S200 Omap processor is slow, not by Mhz itself, but a poor performer, specially doing Bluetooth-GPS navigation.
I know it depends on ROM and radio versions, but mine is definitely lagging behind any other machine I had before, HTC machines I mean.
I'd rather stick with Intel processors and even WM 2003 if you are not fully commited to something that only WM5 provides... and I see nothing really.
Too early and poorly implemented the last HTC changes......

Jamin is better in so many ways
1. Atom screen my self-identify as transflective but it is not. Prophet (Jamin) screen is HQ TFT transflective. As result the Atom is almost "blind" outdoors. This is a serious drawback, specifically for SatNav
2. Atom has a 416 MHz CPU but it's integration leaves a lot for improvement. Prophet may be relatively slow 195 MHz (nothing realy disturbing but for demanding games and/or number crunching), but so is Atom, the latter for bad engineering.. Besides, comparing TI OMAP and Intel Bulverde only by numbers is wrong to start with...
3. Prophet on latest AKU2 ROM (all Jamin/Qtek/Dopod) is stable enough, Atom on latest ROM still gives headache, freezes, etc.
4. Prophet Quality of build materials is years better than Atom's.
I had both, had to choose one, finally chosen the Prophet sold the Atom (for what it's worth..)

my opinion about prophet
First of all I must say that I do not have an atom and I did not have a chance to use it.
So far I had XDA, XDA II, XDA IIi, HP ipaq 4150, and a number of GSM phones including Motorola V600 and Nokia 6230i.
I was never happy with PPC phones. There was always a PPC feature that was missing like Wi-Fi or widdcom stack.
Then came XDA IIi. Ever since I saw it on expansys, I waited it like a lover Oh my god, what a disapointment it was. As a PPC it was perfect, simply perfect; but as a phone it was horrible. There was echo on the conversations and camera was the worst I have seen with a 1.3 MP sensor. If you look at i-mate site it is still written under the "known issues" topic that "there is a slight echo reported by users which will be solved soon" :-D
And I gave up using PPC phones. I bought an ipaq h4150 and Nokia 6230i, both which I find the best.
Then after a year, just for curiosity, I bought a prophet.
I changed the ROM to the latest Dopod. I loaded a number of applications and tried to test it. At the very beginning it was very very slow. The starting was taking 2:15 minutes after soft reset and for Resco explorer 5.20 it was taking 13 to 19 seconds to open windows folder (Where all the files wer choosen to be viewed, ie "hide ... files" choice was unchecked). I have loaded and removed a lot of applications; most likely the registry was full of weird keys.
After a week, I hard reset the device and reloaded the applications. Now I am using a number of applications like spb diary, imageer, weather, pocket plus, time, gprs monitor, omega one calculator, Adope 2.0, Agile messenger, Resco explorer and Keyboard, Megasoft2000 Pocket Clock, Lygea 12C; TCPMP and some more and relativeley light applications. It takes 1:35 minutes from soft reset to open and 4 -5 seconds to view windows folder.
I do not use any overclocking or registry tweak to run the device faster.
I find the ppc very acceptable. The phone is very stable. No hang ups or freezing. The camera is very acceptable, not same, but very close to nokia 6230i or Sony K750 camera.
If you plan to have a ppc phone and if you do not want to wait for future products, I reccomend the device.
But I must warn you about one thing: You will see a number of people that are suffering from loosing the GSM signal after they lost it once. This should be very annoying. I don' t have any of the problems that people write here and there. But for some reason there are people that have serious problems like this.
Before finishing, let me take your attention to ipaq 4150. It is, in my opinion, the best PPC that has been designed. The lightest and fastest of all PPCs that has 400 MHz processor and built in Wi-Fi and BT. It also has a very sharp screen and built in widdcom stack. It is also very cheap in ebay. It may be a solution to processor power demanding applications.
These are all I can write.
Cheers.

What about the MIO A701. It has a built in GPS receiver. 8)
You can pre-order at Expansys: http://www.expansys.com.au/product.asp?code=134278

No transflecting TFT
Had an A701 for a while. Having a transmissive TFT LCD (versus Transflective) is a serious handicap for any daylight/outdoor navigation, while this is one of device's main reasons of being.
In principle, I would suggest to avoid transmissive LCD for any use model involving outdoor activity, inclusive of Dailight driving. This technology is older than Transflective (actually was replaced by the latter) and comes back now as a measure of lowering production cost .
To those unfamilliar with the terms, the transflective LCD self reflects any front lighting (including Sun's), while at same time being backlit. This is "enjoying both worlds" and allows near optimal viewing all-arround (indoors/outdoors). Of course it is also expensive. On the opposite side there's Transmissive LCD that usually involves back lighting (exclusively) via a transparent LCD panel. Direct front light practically kills any decent chance to view the screen which becomes (in various levels) a mirror...
There were some discussions on this forum, where some claimed that a certain provider in Europe offers "dimmer" and narrower angle-of-view Prophets, different than generic iMate/Qtek. A quick search here will show screenshots which are pretty clear.
I haven't materially seen this provider's Prophet, but a look on a Mio A701 screen outdoors can easily be self explaining (BTW so is Atom and a whole new line of new devices with "retro" cheeper screens.

Go prophet! Mine loads slowly, 2:25 due to WA2 and WAD, but afterwards is quite snapy. 3 secs for opening win folder! No regrets whatsoever...

OK, my mind is now made up.
After some comments here, and a review of the JAMin against the Atom on another forum (in particular using Oziexplorer which is one thing I specifically want), I am buying the JAMin. Seems much better and faster in many respects, and cheaper, and I can use my full size SD cards.....
Now I just need to find the best deal.

Eten M700 - a better Tytn (with GPS)?

Bored of those "my Tytn has this defect, my Tytn does not do this" threads, lets start a new subject: A better Tytn? Eten M700
In the Internet you can come across the info on a new communicator – E-Ten M700. The announcement is expected in November. And now we have some preliminary info.
The M700 is said to inherit from E-Ten Glofiish X500 the support of GPS and Wi-Fi. The model will be the first in the lineup to have a sliding QWERTY-keyboard.
The communicator is expected to support 3G networks and carry 256 MB of flash ROM onboard. Some sources name smaller memory size – 128 MB.
Source: Mobilnaut.cz
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is fake ...

No wheel? No OK/Win buttons? No 3G? No front camera? And what's with the vertical D-pad?
Obviously (Assuming it's not a fake) this is a mock up, and specs aren't final, but the only plus I can see for it is GPS, which I'm not bothered about on a non-VGA device anyway. And if you do like the idea of GPS, bluetooth ones are cheap.
Not to say that it doesn't look to be decent, and more device competition is always good for all of us, but unless the (wildly varying) rumoured specs are wrong, it's certainly no all-round Tytn beater.

gogol said:
It is fake ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. It looks fake. Keyboard is open, but devce is still in portrait not landscape! But keys asume landscape mode. Mabe this is a shot of a clay model

Possibly not a fake but not real either. Maybe an earliy mock-up and certaibly not anything nearing release.
Notice the keyboard (not just orientation) but that set of blue lines. They are graphically added - the keys are truncated by the lines and not evenly either, you can barely see the top of the F and yet there's lots of space under the R.
In any case this would be an older generation non-3g device with no video calling.
Actually quite like the styling - more lively than HTCs austere offering.
Mike

Seriously - how can anyone not tell the difference between a drawing and a photo when it's as obvious as that? The number of places I've seen this image this week and instead of debate about the device itself, just a load of "OMG ITS FAKE!!!" comments. No, it's not "fake", it's an illustration. I've seen monsters in Quake 2 that I've thought are more real-looking.
Grrr.
Of course it doesn't help when the person posting it (not the case here) claims that it's a photo!

mr_Ray said:
Seriously - how can anyone not tell the difference between a drawing and a photo when it's as obvious as that? The number of places I've seen this image this week and instead of debate about the device itself, just a load of "OMG ITS FAKE!!!" comments. No, it's not "fake", it's an illustration. I've seen monsters in Quake 2 that I've thought are more real-looking.
Grrr.
Of course it doesn't help when the person posting it (not the case here) claims that it's a photo!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Quite right! Trouble is it's not easy to debate seriously when there is no reliable source of info on specs for possible device. Like debating the shape of a melting jelly.
Mike

M700, its reality guys!!
Hi
This is a new release to Eten range.
E-TEN M700 Specification
Operating System Windows Mobile™ 5.0 software for Pocket PCs
Processor Samsung SC3 2442 400 MHz Processor
Memory 128 MB Flash ROM, 64 MB SDRAM
Display 2.8", 240 x 320, 65,536 colors TFT-LCD
Dimensions(LxWxH) 117.5 x 59 x 19.8 mm
Weight 165g (with battery)
Communications
GSM/EDGE Quad-band: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
GPRS/EGPRS Class B, Multi-slot Class 10
Bluetooth® v2.0 class 2 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)
WiFi® IEEE802.11b/g Certificated
Camera Built-in 2.0 mega pixels CMOS camera, up to 1600 x 1200 resolution
Expansibility MicroSD card slot
Interface/Audio Built-in microphone and speaker, external stereo headset jack
Interface/Data Mini USB Sync, headset jack,
Ergonomic Design
Touch screen for stylus or fingertip, navigation button, power button, 4 quick application buttons,
send/end button, record button, volume control,
Slide out Qwerty Keyboard with 39 keys
Battery
Lithium Polymer rechargeable with 1,530 mAh capacity
Talk time* : 5~7 hours
Standby* : 150~200 hours,
Pocket PC usage* : 10~15 hours
GPS usage* : 5~7 hours
* depend on usage
Software(pre-loaded*)
Windows Mobile™ 5.0 software for Pocket PCs, Microsoft® Office Outlook® Mobile (Calendar,
Contacts, Tasks and Inbox), Picture, Notes, Microsoft® Office Word Mobile, Microsoft® Office
Excel® Mobile, Internet Explorer Mobile, ActiveSync, Calculator, Game (Solitaire, Bubble
Breaker), Voice Recorder, Microsoft® Office PowerPoint® Mobile, MSN® Messenger,
Microsoft® Transcriber, Windows Media® Player 10, Microsoft Reader* (* depends on region)
E-TEN Exclusive
Applications
Phone Tools: Phone Application*, Phone Setting, SIM Toolkit, Speed Dial, Call Filter, Wireless
Modem, Dialer Skin, Add Ringtone, CSD Type, Voice Commander*, Connection Wizard, SMS
Sender, SIM Manager, Skype Receiver Switch (*subject to change by region)
Multimedia Tools: Image Wizard, Image Maker, Multimedia Manager, Camera, Camcorder, FM
Tuner
MMS Message
Utilities: Quick Link, Battery Meter, Zoom SMS, Bluetooth Manager, M-Desk, Scenario, Backup
Utility, Application Recovery, Wireless Manager, Easy Keyboard
GPS Tools: Satellite Data Update, Location SMS, GPS Viewer
Packing List
E-TEN M700, stylus, Mini USB sync cable , AC adapter, headset, leather case, Companion CD,
quick start guide, standard battery.
Accessories
(Optional)
Battery pack, car charger, portable keyboard, Bluetooth® GPS kit, Bluetooth® Headset.
basically its a X500 Glofiish with a QWERTY keyboard.
I think thta it is a different design and i personal welcome change, the current form factor is so common and considering looks it doesnt look as bad as the WIZA 100 aka Cingular 8125.
regards
reo

reo
What is the source of your information?
Mike

the information is all valid, trust me.
i will have 1 in my hands soon, will give you guys more details about it.
reo

There's no UMTS/HSDPA... why are we even talking about this thing.

E-ten m700 foto
hi-quality e-ten m700 fotos

Actual photos? Well, that's not bad for a "fake" device. lol
Anyway, specs-wise it looks to be very similar to the Hermes. While it has GPS going for it, there's no 3G, it's bigger, worse UI, and a gimmicky looking keyboard.
Still, for anyone not bothered by those, the GPS could make it a good device for them.

HI
well it lacks 3G which actually if it did have it would set it apart form any device.
about the keyboard, well i dunno mate but to me i think this an original idea, its something more contemporary and concidering we livin in an age of advanced handheld devices there is very limited changes to the look and feel of them which is kinda wierd. this is the metamorphosis... i hope.
reo

I'm sure the keyboard is of good quality, but I find those glowing lines overpower it, and I just see them more than the keys itself, which is very distracting.
MAybe it's different in person though, I certainly hope so. It'd be a shame to ruin an otherwise good keyboard with some gimmicky glowing lines.

No 3G, in my opinion the screen is to small for the casing. There is no way that this could even possibly rival the Hermes in my opinion.

No 3G ? I will pass.

reo said:
the information is all valid, trust me.
i will have 1 in my hands soon, will give you guys more details about it.
reo
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where are you getting it?

GPS is a great thing, but keep in mind, that it doesn't make a lot of sense without corresponding application. At this time only car navigation applications are available, for which you don't need an integrated GPS receiver. An external one has even advantages in terms of placing it in your car, so it provides better reception.
There are almost no GPS-based location based services for pedestrians available and even if so, accuracy of conventional GPS is mostly too bad in urban canyons. Without A-GPS you have very little use in the city, also because your battery will run empty quickly.
And for hiking or other outdoor activities I will never take my precious TyTN along with me, but use an old-style Magellan receiver.
I would never swap 3G-capabilites for GPS!

Some pics...
http://www.eten-users.net/index.php?showtopic=5145&st=15

Is the Hermes the Holy Grail?

I've just been thinking...what is your dream device?
What would HTC (or any PPC Phone manufacturer) have to develop to get you to put your Hermes in your mobile phone collection drawer?
I'd love to know what is your perfect PPC Phone Device! Let's get the perfection specs listed here.
If Apple can get 2 gigs into a Nano why can't HTC get 2gb in a PPC phone?

FTTB: Same size as Hermes but 640X480 & built in GPS

Sleuth255 said:
FTTB: Same size as Hermes but 640X480 & built in GPS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. At first I though if Cingy released the Hermes like it was supposed to be with the front camera then that would be enough. But actually I could give a rats about the front camera. I think you are right on target.
Why is it that they can't increase the rom to a gig? Is there a technical reason why that is the case?

Sleuth255 said:
FTTB: Same size as Hermes but 640X480 & built in GPS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And with the scroll wheel moved to the other side.

mightyeric said:
And with the scroll wheel moved to the other side.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I Was Thinking That Just Today. It Would Be So Much Easier For All Of Us Who Are Right Handed.
Cheers

and more memory and longer lasting battery

Use a screen that dosen't suck as much as a lot of other TS-phones do in sunlight/outside. Something that Neonode has used for years now on the N1.
Suport regular SDHC memcards, GPS and a OS that shows some inovation (WM7 anyone)..

Zulee said:
(WM7 anyone)..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
teehee....

As a lefty I applauded the Hermes thumbwheel placement... For once the tables are turned. Don't change a thing there plz.

Hurrah for Lefties!!!! I enjoy that scroll wheel very much!

Hermes would be greater if....
it had...
a slimmer design,
more internal memory
and a standard headphone jack.
otherwise...
Great phone, especially with kyphers xd-live rom
that all have phun hehehe

They could release this same phone in a second edition or anything else they want to call it and add a few features.
More internal storage memory is a MUST. I cannot think of a single reason for being limited to around 45-60mb when Nokias and SonyEricssons are getting double that at the least.
Internal GPS also needs to be there. I never understood why people would want it until I finally tried it. It is not just about navigation. It gives access to location based information regarding restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, and just about any other business you may need and their phone numbers...yeah, plus directions to the location!
A NO CAMERA option and a better camera for those who choose the camera. We don't all want one on the phone since we can't take them certain places...like work. However, those that do want it should have a better camera installed. I do not just mean more megapixels. The camera needs to be sharper, faster, clearer, and more accurate for colors. I don't need 7MP on my phone, but the photos I take with it should be worth showing to people, not just big.
More security options for those of us who don't have access to the Exchange server. Many of us might have a hosted exchange service or none at all but we still want access to all of the security feature that other users enjoy.
...and keep the scroll wheel on the left! Right handed folks get everything else made for them. It is nice to have something for me!

I'll Play, I think the "Kaiser" will be close, slightly thinner Hermes with built-in GPS.
I'm OK with 320x240 as the Hermes is quite good, I have an iPaq hx4700 with a HUGE 640x480 screen with excellent outdoor readability so who wouldn't love a ultra crisp display.
I have always wondered why the heck these companies won't give us a couple of GIG extra storage. I'd also prefer mini SD so we could use a cheaper and I think more common 8GB SDHC card.
Thumb wheel. Well I've played with a friend's Blackberry and it is better on the right (for us right handers).
Can't wait to see the Kaiser, one step closer to the perfect "all-in-one"

Hmm, let me see (in order of preference)
Built in DAB digital radio
GPS
Built in FM/AM radio
A screen the same size as my Hermes but with higher resolution.
Better camera (maybe 3mp but also better quality metering and focusing)
Mini SD slot or large (6gb) int memory
3.5mm headphone socket
Better quality loudspeaker
Better layout of buttons on front of device (I have a SPV M3100)
Once the qwerty slide is out, it would be nice to be able to tilt the screen towards you.
An clip-on external wifi ariel to boost signal as standard in the box
Also just imagine the processing power and RAM of even a cheep laptop in a PPC. You could attach an auxiliary 9" screen, mini keyboard and run a version of windows far closer to the desktop OS (if not the same). I could even get some web design done on the move then without a laptop.
lol, probably got a bit carried away there, but then again when the Nokia 8210 was the mutts nuts 5-6 years ago who would of thought that the Hermes would have been possible!

time travel.

Ohhh, just though of another:
thumb-print recognition enabled screen to replace pin number

Olipro said:
time travel.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
teehee.......

Built-in printer/scanner No, seriously, a thought reader.

Form factor is ok, but it would be nice if the screen could be tilted slightly. On the hardware side, I would like to see:
USB host, standard audio jack, GPS would be nice, better design (slimmer and better looking), video out (don't care vga/cinch/...), video in, 640x480 display, ...
My main issues are with the software, before any other hardware, I would like the software to provide more features:
BT PAN, WPA2, better IMAP support, stability (sometimes my startbutton just disappears, sometimes the device just hangs, ...), printerdrivers, ...
Oh, BTW, a printer is not so far fetched: the technology is here.
Jörg

Dimensions: 58 x 110 x 18 millimetres
Mass: 160 grams (battery included)
Software Environment
Operating System: Windows Mobile 6 Professional
Microprocessor
CPU: 32bit Intel Bulvedere 520Mhz
CPU Clock: 520 MHz
Memory, Storage capacity
ROM capacity: 256 MB
RAM capacity: 64 MB
Display
Display Type: color transflective TFT , 65536 scales
Display Resolution: 640 x 480
Display Diagonal: 2.8 "
Sound
Microphone: mono
Speaker: stereo
Audio Output: std 3.5mm jack
Cellular Phone
Cellular Networks: GSM850, GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900, UMTS800, UMTS850, UMTS1900, UMTS2100
Cellular Data Standards: CSD, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA
Call Alert: 72 -chord melody
Vibrating Alert: Supported
Control Peripherals
Positioning Device: Touchscreen
Keyboard: Slide-out QWERTY-type keyboard, 41 keys
Directional Pad: 5 -way block
Jog / Scroll Wheel: Pressable 5-way rotary scroll wheel
Interfaces
Expansion Slots: SDIO, microSD, TransFlash
Serial: RS-232 , 115200bit/s
USB: USB 2.0 client, 60Mbit/s , USB Series Mini-B (mini-USB) connector
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 2.0
Wireless LAN: 802.11b, 802.11g
Multimedia Telecommunication
Analog TV: Built-in
Analog Radio: Am-Fm digital tuner built-in
Satellite Navigation
Built-in GPS: NMEA 0183
Built-in Digital Camera
Main Camera: CMOS sensor, 2.8MP
Autofocus (AF): Supported
Built-in Flash: Mobile light (LED)
Secondary Camera: CMOS sensor, 640x480 pixel
Power Supply
Battery: Lithium-ion , removable
Battery Capacity: 1700 mAh