8 replies to this topic

[PaulOBrien]

Reports of i-mate's death have been greatly exaggerated... wait, I'm sure i've started a post that way before...?

Despite their recent, er, downsizing, i-mate have a presence at MWC and are presenting a couple of devices, including the 810-F pictured here.

From the i-mate site...

Quote

Introducing the world’s most adventurous mobile, the 810-F from i-mate.

Made from the toughest materials and feature packed, it’s built to outlast and outclass.

Whether you’re rock climbing or climbing the corporate ladder, catching that next big wave or catching the next taxi, you need an every day tough phone that’s ready for anything.

Because every day life is one big adventure!

Interesting? Well, yeah... i've had a play with the device on the i-mate stand, and it actually feels pretty good. Not only that, it has some pretty unique features too, including...

• It can handle temperatures up to 60 degrees C
  
• It can handle temperatures as low as -20 degrees C
  
• It is waterproof to 1m
  
• It's throw / drop / crush proof (their words!)
  
• It comes with a LIFETIME warranty!

Also from the i-mate site...

• It’s one of the world’s toughest phones. Built for adventure in any indoor or outdoor environment.
  
• Built for life. In these tough economic times, you want a phone that will go the distance.
  
• Brains and Brawn. Based on Windows Mobile® 6.1, you can send/receive email, surf the internet, take photos, record videos, listen to music and sync all your information back to your PC.
  
• Versatility plus. Jam packed full of business ready smarts so it’s very comfortable in the city lights, but you can also take it off road.
  
• QWERTY keyboard and touch screen. Fast emailing and texting. Get the best of both worlds.
  
• Fast and fully connected. Powered by HSDPA and EDGE, it also comes with Wi-Fi and A/GPS.
  
• Outsmart security threats. i-mate Secure i-Q means you can use your PC to remotely lock/wipe/alarm your 810-F if it’s ever lost or stolen. Now that’s smart.
  
• Easy to use. You just point or press and go. Plus you get the back up of 24x7 support if you need help at any stage.
  
• Lifetime Warranty. We guarantee your 810-F for life.
  
• Take anywhere. Your 810-F can go where you go. Beach, Work, Park, Home, On a building site, up a ladder, down a creek, anywhere you like.

I'm pretty sure there's a market for a device like this... and although it's very much a generic Windows Mobile software build, that's not all bad! The good old homescreen deserves an outing once in a while...

I'm going to follow up with i-mate exactly how the lifetime guarantee works, but the site footnotes say 'Subject to warranty terms and conditions, registration on i-mate i-Q, and annual service undertaken.' The last bit worries me a little (is that an expensive service?), but i'll let you know what they have to say!

You can learn more about the device at the i-mate product page.

P

[awarner]

Now that is one device I want, would be ideal for work.
Wonder what the pricing would be?

On the downside, only a 2mp camera (not that inportant to me but more would be better)
I presume looking at the specs that the storage of 2GB is all you get as no memory slot is listed, understandable though.

[ZSX]

the::unwired have a picture of their other possibly new phone, a credit card sized QWERTY running WM Standard (not Pro). Details are scanty though.

[deadphill]

Paul (MVP), on Feb 16 2009, 21:32, said:

• It comes with a LIFETIME warranty!

I wonder if that means lifetime of the person owning the phone, or lifetime of imate.

I think that it might be imate that kicks the bucket before I do!

Cheers

Phill

[PaulOBrien]

ZSX, on Feb 17 2009, 08:39, said:

the::unwired have a picture of their other possibly new phone, a credit card sized QWERTY running WM Standard (not Pro). Details are scanty though.

Just been having a play with this, have some pics to pull off my camera when I find a SD reader!

P

[PaulOBrien]

I clarified the warranty, you need to get it 'serviced' every year (cost TBC), which effectively is them replacing the seals. Rather than being without your phone for an extended period however, they swap your handset out for a newly refurbed unit (new outer shell every year!)

P

[awarner]

Sounds like an interesting deal, obviously cost would be the main factor but in reality how many years would they expect people to keep the device?
I'm gussing five years max unless it's a company contract.

[Saif]

  
    short video of the device I found... note it appears wet...

Edited by Saif, 18 February 2009 - 09:48 AM.

[Monolithix]

From experience, if you read the terms for some of these life time warranties, it tends to be for the lifetime of the handset, not you