Guest Paul [MVP] Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 Things are hotting up in the Smartphone world, and it looks like Orange is about to get some competition in it's home markets... PC Advisor is reporting here that the SDA is (unsurprisingly) being released in the UK! T-Mobile begins offering Microsoft smart phone by Scarlet Pruitt, IDG News Service Company says its "SDA" is the cheapest T-Mobile will begin selling a smart phone in Europe running Microsoft's Windows Mobile software for less than €99 (£68) when purchased with a service contract. Dubbed a Smart Digital Assistant (SDA), the tri-band phone starts selling in Germany in early October, with plans to roll it out in other European countries where T-Mobile operates such as the UK, the Netherlands, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Austria. The phone will probably be launched in the USA as well, although that decision has not yet been finalised, Azrak said. This is the first time T-Mobile has launched a smart phone running Microsoft software and it comes as the software company is looking to establish itself more firmly in the mobile market. Partnerships with large European operators are seen as particularly important, given the popularity of the Symbian mobile operating system in the region. Motorola and Orange also offer Windows-based smart phones in Europe, but the SDA is the most affordable, according to T-Mobile. "At below €100, this is one of the most affordable phones with the properties of a smart phone and a Pocket PC," a spokesperson said. The SDA includes a built-in camera and Bluetooth, weighs 100g and boasts a 65,000-color screen. The battery lasts for 240 minutes of talk time, or 200 hours on standby, and the phone supports a memory card. The Windows Mobile software offers users calendar, Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint functions, has a PDF (Portable Document Format) reader and syncs with Outlook e-mail. So... what are Orange going to do to keep us all as customers? :) P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gorskar Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 If they offer me a free mpx220 I'll stay otherwise sinari - nice knowing you the last 4 years Orange :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Porro Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 Does the SDA have the same specs as the C500? Or how does it compare to it? Im probably after one of these if its as good, don't like the lack of a joystick on the C500 :cry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest steverae Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 Are their any pics of this phone yet. My contract is up in november so could be very tempted to move over to t-mobile, the signal reception has got to be better than orange where i live..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest steverae Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 Here are some highlights about T-Mobile SDA - the first Microsoft Smartphone to be branded and to be sold by T-Mobile: The phone will be sold at T-Mobile Germany without subscription for just 269.95 Euro - it will make it the cheapest Microsoft Smartphone ever! It's too early to say however whether such phone will be SIM-locked or not. The model of the phone is HTC Feeler that is branded by T-Mobile as "T-Mobile SDA" - similarly like MDA = Mobile Digital Assistant, here we have SDA = Smartphone Digital Assistat This phone is supposed to be available (according to the leaflet) already in the middle of September 2004! Regarding specifications it is exactly the same model as Orange SPV C500 - it has built-in VGA camera and built-in Bluetooth and fast processor, however it has another external construction - for example joystick usable for gaming instead of that awkard scroll-pad as in Orange SPV C500 Credit: Stephan Schmidt from Smartphone Web. For high resolution photos of the information leaflet about this smarphtone visit his website by clicking here. http://www.smartphone-web.com/modules.php?...order=0&thold=0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest beersoft Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 if T-Mobiles customer service didn't blow goats and they could get the bills to your door before they cut you off i would be tempted to switch back, but if they can do it on a dirt cheap tariff for free i'll pick one up. im not 'that' bitter about them, but they couldn't work out how to make gprs work on my nokia6310 so $deity help us later Owen "loved the 'cut you off on your billing day because you don't pay by direct debit' features of tmobile" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AvWijk Posted September 11, 2004 Report Share Posted September 11, 2004 When the T-mobile SDA comes out and you'll buy it without contract for € 270, wil it be simlock free?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lsmodaco Posted September 16, 2004 Report Share Posted September 16, 2004 I spoke with T-Mobile on this a number of times, and each time they informed me that there is not a market for this type of phone in the UK so they will not be bringing it in. They also advised that I shouldn't get it from the US or EU countries as they can not ganruntee it will work with T-Mobile UK service. I will be making the switch to Orange, come EOC (end of Contract) in October. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pagemakers Posted September 17, 2004 Report Share Posted September 17, 2004 I'm off if Orange don't get their GPRS connecting issues sorted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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