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The official Benq-Siemens P51 'Ask Paul' thread


Guest PaulOBrien

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Guest Paul (MVP)

[teaser]As you'd expect, a fair few devices cross my desk here at the MoDaCo office. Some I am genuinely excited about and can't wait to rip open the box, and some i'm indifferent about (although i'm often pleasantly surprised).

Well, the device i'm using at the moment definitely falls into the former category. Having been seen on the show circuit for a while now - originally as the P50 - I have today in my hands a device i've been waiting a long time for... the Benq-Siemens P51!

A quick refresher on specs...

- Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC

- Intel 416MHz XScale

- 240x320 screen (no square screens here thanks!)

- QWERTY keyboard

- 1.3MP Camera with Flash

- Quad Band

- 802.11b/g WiFi

- Full size SD slot

- Integrated GPS

OK, so no 3G... but give me a full size SD slot and integrated GPS over that any day!

So what do I think of it...? I really like it! ;) It's quite big but very solidly built, the screen is great, the software build is fast and the integrated GPS has excellent sensitivity. The keyboard is very usable too... if i'm honest it's what I think a Treo SHOULD be!

Anyhow... this topic is a chance for you to ask me anything you like about the device, and i'll try and answer. I can't tell you if / when / where you'll be able to buy it at the moment... but I hope the device does make it to market!

Size comparison with Treo 750 (QWERTY) and i-mate JAQ4 (QWERTY + GPS) after the jump for News page readers...

P

05-Mar-2007_p512.jpg

[/teaser]

sizeasy.jpg

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Guest richard_d

Any scroll wheel or rocker? It looks good , although if it's a trade between GPS, wi-fi and 3G for me it would have to be GPS and 3G. I could live without Wi-Fi but not 3G.

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Guest Paul (MVP)

No wheel, you have the regular 'joystick' of course. You have a standard volume control on the left hand side.

GPRS, GPS and WiFi works for me, but then I live in a no 3G coverage area ;)

P

PS Check out the free memory... lots!

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Guest awarner (MVP)

What's the keypad like any miss hits while typing?

Looks very long in size, what's the weight feel like compared to the Wizard for example.

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Guest Paul (MVP)

It's 10g heavier than the Wizard, it feels substantial, but in a 'solidly built' kinda way if that makes any sense.

I'm getting on well with the keyboard. The symbols aren't illuminated in the dark which is a pain, other than that, no probs at all.

P

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Guest sxywill2005

Fujitsu Siemens do a model which is exactly the same but in a more "professional" graphite coulour as far as I can tell.

I am a brand whore and personally I would like a FS as to Benq. Aint Benq going into bankruptcy? A FS will be more secure on a guarantee if anything was to go wrong.

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Guest HerpezP

Fujitsu-Siemens has a similar phone, which also features 3G and a camera with 2 megapixel and autofocus - the Loox T810.

BenQ bought Siemens' mobile division in Europe and are now withdrawing from Europe and selling what's left of the Siemens division. They're still going strong in Asia (and maybe elsewhere?). I don't think you will see this released in Europe - just like all other BenQ devices won't get a release in Europe. You will most probably have to import it.

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Guest Paul (MVP)

I have the T810 too, and they're not actually very similar at all.

Yes the T810 has 3G and a 2MP camera, but the screen is smaller and the device is bigger.

P

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Guest bennish

Too late Benq, too late.

6 months ago I was ready to lay down cash for this. I got tired of waiting and got a Treo. In the words of yoda:

That is why you fail.

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Guest mikeeey

after numerous joystick fixes, cleaning, and replacements on my sda, im not sure if i trust a phone that has a joystick that looks identical. =/

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Guest Metoo

I guess this would go head to head with the HP hw6915 - the only difference being the QVGA screen and SD format?

How is the audio, phone, RF quality? Speed? Battery Life? Speaker?

I too think 3G is over-rated, unless you're a constant web-surfer or streamer. All it seems to do for me is drop calls and drastically shorten battery life, both of which I can do without (at least on the Treo and TyTn). For my primary data use (messaging), 2G is just fine, as with Push it all works in the background anyway.

Edited by Metoo
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Guest starkman

Paul,

could you please give us your feedback and impressions on the following things? I'm pretty sure a lot of people would be interested on these :

- How is the battery life?

- What about the quality of the phone module? Is the conversation with the other party loud and clear (no digital echo, "I can listen my own voice echoing...", issues etc)?

- Is the external speaker loud (the ringtones loud)?

- What do you mean, by saying that the symbols aren't illuminated in the dark? You mean only the symbols or NO key and letter at all is illuminated in the dark ?!

- There have been reports regarding problems with wi-fi and bluetooth. Any issues with those?

thank you in advance Paul.

I've been waiting so long for this device and now I'm kind of afraid to buy it because of what happened with BenQ - Siemens. I'm mostly concerned about the support and mainly whether there will be any software / firmware upgrades and patches for the PPC from BenQ.

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Guest Paul (MVP)

- Battery life seems acceptable, i've not fully benchmarked it yet.

- Radio performance seems very good.

- Yes

- The keys light up, but you can only see the main functions

- WiFi and BT seem to work in the limited testing I have been able to complete.

P

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Guest Metoo

I see eXpansys have given up trying to predict an ever-slipping delivery data (was 28 March), and have just reverted to "ordered on request". I guess that means they've cancelled their advance order for stock, either because they've given up on it ever turning up, or because they don't think they'll be able to sell any.

Shame really, as when it was announced, it was my ideal device, and the only one with all my "must haves" (QVGA, thumbboard, GPS) - which is still the case even now.

After all the delays with the P50, which flopped because it was far too late to market, it really is amazing that they've made the same mistake again. Hell, they've not even had to change the case - just add a GPS chip and bigger ROM for WM5.

Well done Benq, you've b*ll*x*d it up again! With you as partners, no wonder Siemens Mobile went to the wall...

Edited by Metoo
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Guest mudpie

Paul, have you been able to get a sense of the stability and reliability of this smartphone so far? I'm mainly concerned about possible software issues and that's why I would like to ask if you have experienced any kind of instability, freezes, restarts or other abnormal issues of this sort. I'm thinking about general operation, using the preinstalled applications, as well as Bluetooth, WiFi or other 'special' functions.

Thanks, your reply will be really appreciated!

Edited by mudpie
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Guest Monolithix (MVP)

Ah you see now its just branded Benq, rather than Benq-Siemens. Maybe Benq are going to move into mobile phones themselves afterall after the Siemens fiasco didnt work out...

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Guest mudpie

Hello again, Paul. Could you please tell me if you have any information regarding any available firmware updates - especially where to get them? Also, do you know the firmware version on the phone that was available to you?

Thanks a lot (again)!

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  • 8 months later...

Hello,

I have recently purchase Benq-Siemens P51 mobile in Zurich, Switzerland. However I face the following problems:

1) GPS module is not working - I installed a nav4all software which is compatible with P51. However I am not able to use the navigation as the internal GPS receiver is not receiving any data.

I tried with google maps. Again the same problem.

Has anybody configured P51 to work with nav4 all or google maps? If so could you please describe the config setup that needs to be done to make GPS receiver work.

2) Now and then my phone hangs (e.g: after sending SMS). I have to do a hard reset. Has anybody experienced the problem? Are there nay solutions available?

3) I have got a phone with OS in german. Is it possible to change the lahguage to English?

Thanks

Sangam

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