smartphone decision help

[Guest starfarer]

Hi, This is my first post 8) . Currently i'm using Sagem myx-6 and want to upgrade to smartphone Motorola MPX200/Mitac MIo8390 but need your guys guidance on following:

1)I want to view normal website. Is it possible eg like this site?

2)Since GPRS is slow and expensive i want to download whole site->save to SD card->view on smartphone. Is it possible?

3)View Excel, word,TXT,HTML/HTM and PDF files.

4)Encode to supported format and view video files from memory card?

5)Can myself simply upgrade to future OS like normal desktop computers from winme to winxp?

6)Can download Games/Applications/media player?

7)Can receive the MMS with video and view?send?

Since i haven't seen personally any smartphone at work i've basically a zero knowledge here. I think all smartphone can play mp3 files, video files, view photos(build in camera-no need) and support Java. Also they have speakers for handsfree, minimum Infrared (bluetooth not necessary)and expansion slot for SD/MMC card. If the answer for 1-6 is YES then i'm buying one smartphone! :P

[Guest Disco Stu]

Welcome to the site mate, you've come to the right place ! :P

Your questions :

1. Yes, though this site and a number of others have Smartphone / PDA versions with less graphics to cut down on GPRS costs & download times.

2. This is possible I believe though not done it myself. I think you'll need a third party application to do it. I'll see if I can find a link.

3. There are definately third party apps for this. I use Repligo which is excellent. Sadly we still can't edit though.

4. Again, yes. You have Windows Media Player but there are others that support different formats etc. Plenty of info up here.

5. We do get upgrades to the ROMs. We started with Smartphone 2002 OS and now have Windows Mobile 2003. There have been interim upgrades to both and forthcoming devices will have WM2003SE. Ya get me ?!

6. Yes, a good selection of all.

7. Yes, but limitations on size of video file and cross-operator sending in some cases.

Just one other thing, I don't think any of the main phones support Java, though possibly the Mitac does. If this important check first.

To sum up then, go for it, you'll be well impressed. We'll look forward to hearing from you again.

[Guest gravity]

Hi, I think you should wait for the MPx220 to be released, it should meet all your requirements and have the latest/fastest hardware. No point in buying a year old phone.

[Guest starfarer]

Thanks Disco Stu. Viewing the normal website offline which is saved on SD card is a priority for me (soccer and horse betting odds and reviews) but still i think a way to go for Motorola MPX200 which is cheap and a value considering it's price here(HongKong Dollars $2000) and a lot of support from other PPLs. Hi gravity thanxs for your advice on MPX220 but i think it'll be expensive and i'm not impressed by it's spec. I don't have a use for Bluetooth and a build in camera and if i can upgrade to MS2003 on MPX200 myself and it runs ok on MPX200 ,is there any more reason to wait and spend more for MPX220? What i want is a good battery life, view HTML,EXcel,Word, Notepad and PDF files and a good (respectable MP3 Player) with normal 3.5mm jack headphone, Infrared connection.I want to be impress and others to be impressed. Now the question is WHICH? MPX200,MITAC MIO 8390,OTHERS?????

[Guest gravity]

I just feel that 2003 on MPx200 is not a good idea. You cannot install big programs because you have less memory. The 220 has more RAM and is much more capable of handling 2003. I don't think you will find any phone that sports a 3.5 mmm headphone jack, the mobile standard is 2.5

Again, the MPx200 is a nearly perfect phone, but you'll be happier 12 months on when everyone with a MPx200 will be pissed off because their phone can't run the latest applications at a descent speed.

[Guest Dr Who]

Having shoehorned Win98 onto an old 486 powered PC I had ( :shock: ) I can testify that it ran at what I can only describe as a DESCENT speed :P

Sorry. I am doing filing today.

[Guest starfarer]

Now you made me rethink about MPX200. Will have a look again at MPX220. BTW i can't see any on shops around here.

[Guest Disco Stu]

Offline browsing discussion here :

http://smartphone.modaco.com/viewtopic.php?t=87188

MPx220 still not released AFAIK but coming within a month ?

[Guest starfarer]

Thanks :P . Now that i've decided to go for smartphone the simple question is

1)which-MPX200,wait for MPX220/MPX100,MITAC MIO8390 or any other?2)What to look for with the minimum hardware specifications like processor speed,RAM and any other important spec that are good for minimum of 1.5 years.

3)Windows Mobile 2002 or 2003?Does it matter since we can upgrade anytime?

4)At current regardless of the upcoming models WHICH IS THE BEST ALL ROUND SMARTPHONE?

5)Remember for me Bluetooth and Build in camera is not important. A must have is a SDCard slot since i got 256MB.Form factor,size,weight too are unimportant.A good and big screen would be on top list together with the best PPL's support here a must(you guys seems better to know the equipment than the manufacturers themselves).

[Guest starfarer]

Also i was looking through mitac forum and found that mio8390 can play Divx movies in very high bitrate and it have good processor. Now i'm leaning towards mio8390 and any other reason i shouldn't be?

[Guest svk]

I would wait. I have an MPx200 and I went from loving it to hating it. I installed a 512MB SD card. Loaded it up with the apps that I thought were useful and somewhere along the way the thing got really slow and annoying. I think that maybe the novelty wore off and i was faced with the reality that this device is just not there yet.

[Guest starfarer]

Thank you. Now i think i've to wait too. Sagem Myx-6 may see 2005 :P