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Peekie mini-reviews... the Orange SPV F600


Guest Thumper Net

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Introduction

The first time I saw the SPV F600 was at the MoDaCo Summer Event, when it was on display with all of the other upcoming SPV phones.

The device under the Orange branding exclusive to orange Netherlands, and sadly will not be available sadly to other Orange territories.

Originally planned for release in August in Holland, the SPV F600 shipments have been delayed along with all the other SPVs both old and new... but now it is finally here... better late than never!

If you like clamshell devices then this phone may appeal to you.

The phone - which has the Motorola RAZR feel is made by HTC (codenamed StrTrk) - is available under the QTek and i-mate branding as well as from Orange.

The phone itself is very thin but is quite wide compared to other clamshell phones. The size of the phone is 98.5mm (l) x 51.4mm (w) x 15.8 (16.3-13.6) mm (t) and it weighs in at 99g with the battery.

It comes with the now standard lcd 2.2” QVGA (240 x 320) internal screen and a 1.2” 128 x 128 external screen.

Upon starting up the phone you will see 2 Orange logos, one on the main screen (which is the normal orange boot up screen) and one on the outer screen which is an simple Orange logo.

You are then greeted by the now familiar Orange home screen, which some people love it and some people hate. You can turn this off if you wish :rolleyes:

Software wise the spv f600 comes with...

  • Internet Explorer
  • Tasks
  • Windows Media
  • Calendar
  • Messaging
  • Contacts
  • ActiveSync
  • Call History
  • Settings
  • Games -> Bubble Breaker
  • Games -> Solitaire
  • Voice Notes
  • Pictures & Videos
  • Accessories -> Calculator
  • Accessories -> Download Agent
  • Accessories ->Task manager
  • Accessories -> Wireless modem
  • Internet Sharing
  • Camera
  • File Explorer
  • Java
  • Pocket MSN
  • SIM Manager
  • Speed Dial

A new version of the file manager called 'File Explorer' seems to be included, however it is quite poor - it works OK to simply browse your phone but is useless if you want to make a shortcut to a file for example, as that option is missing.

One nice feature on the phone is the Camera - not in quality as it sadly is it is a a 1.3 megapixel sensor - but the fact that there is an option to take a photo when the phone is closed. Upon doing so, the outer screen becomes the 'viewfiner'. Of course it is only a 128 x 128 image, but it works quite well.

When the phone is open in normal mode you get a small Orange logo displayed on the outer screen which changes to the clock when closed.

Playing MP3s is very easy on this phone with the dedicated media buttons on the front of the device. The external screen displays the song name, artist name and time counter. The sound from the phone is somewhat tinny, with music playback displaying too much treble and not enough bass.

There does not seem to be an application lock on the phone but there is a SIM lock (which can be removed by imei-check of course!) :)

So what do you get in the box.

In the box you'll find the phone, a mains charger, a miniUSB cable, a usb adapter, a 256MB microSD card, a headset, the manuals and the usual ActiveSync / Outlook software cd. No carry case is included ;)

Below are some photos of the SPV F600 alongside some other smartphones including the MPX200 - here you can see the difference in size compared to the most popular Smartphone clamshell to date.

Conclusions

The phone seems to work well after you get used to the flat keypad, which can be troublesome if you try to play games as the dpad is also flat and not easy to use in that situation.

The battery life seems to be good - after 24 hours use with a few phone calls and playing MP3s there remains 72%, compared to 60% remaining on a SPV C600 undergoing the same usage.

The one thing that is missing from the phone is WIFI, which on PDA phones is needed, but is less important on Smartphones. While less important for surfing the internet due to the small screen on the device, WiFi is useful for updating applications such as Fizz Traveller and the Resco applications. Should you want to stream music, then this device may also not be for you, due to the lack of WiFi or 3G.

Overall the phone is better than I expected and seems to hold the signal slightly better than the C600, which for me personally is a plus as O normally have to stand outdoors to make a phone call. :(

The SPV F600 is free with a 2 year contract for 25 Euros per month and can be bought also without a contract.

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Guest willieturnip

wow...thats all i can say...

oh, and i hate it...i have never liked windows mobile flip phoes though....clamshells are supposed to look good, and thats it...

but WM clamshells dont..they realllly dont :)

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  • 1 month later...
Guest moonshot
Introduction

The one thing that is missing from the phone is WIFI,

As a matter of interest does any Orange mobile have Wi Fi. I read that they disable wi fi from all their phones.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 5 months later...
Guest Mysterious Stranger
I'd personally like to replace my company C600 with this.

Why won't Orange UK do it? :)

Dunno but expansys have some 'b' stock for around £100 + vat which is a bargain.

M.S

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