Review: MPx220 vs HTC Typhoon

[Guest FKL]

I got my MPx220 last year, with the older buggy ROM (v .345). Went thru the whole Cingular XBM (Exchange By Mail) experience to get myself an UNLOCKED 1.3 ROM MPx220. And I have had my new updated phone now for over a month, and have a 256 MB miniSD card in it. And am using it with a Motorola HS 801 Bluetooth headset.

Since I took up a job last month, I was asked to get a seperate cell phone for "company use" (ie, where customers, employees etc can reach me on the road). Now I carry enough ****, and already have a PocketPC, and had heard many good things about the "Typhoon" on this and other sites (The Audiovox STM 5600, here in the US), and I wanted a small phone to carry about, I took the plunge and ordered the STM 5600 from Amazon (with "AT&T" Wireless branding and service).

It arrived about a week ago, and I have had the chance to use both and thought that it would be useful for members to understand the comparisions of the two, BOTH of which I use every day (almost every hour).

SIZE: The first thing to keep in mind is that the MPx220 is a flip-phone, and the STM 5600 is a "candy bar" (like most Nokia's) phone. When the MPx220 is closed, it is slightly smaller in length than the STM 5600 (about 3mm or so), but is 2-3mm thicker than the STM 5600. So if you like/want/need to put the phone in a pant pocket etc, then the STM 5600 "wins". The STM 5600 comes with a side clip on carrying case (which is what I am using to carry it), which requires you to take it out of the case to answer the phone. I am using a modified Motorola StarTAC case for my MPx220 (cost me $2.99), and it works great (clips to my belt, and I can answer/use the phone without taking it out of the case).

WEIGHT: They both weigh about the same, as far as I can tell, so keeping either in a jacket pocket are no problem.

DESIGN/FEATURES: This breaks down into Hardware and Software....

Software: Based on the software that is included with the phone, the STM 5600 "wins" that contest. The OEM, HTC, has included a good deal of "better" phone/call/photo management software built into the phone, with slightly better interfaces than the MPx220. And of course, the STM 5600 has Windows Media Player 10 built in, vs Windows Media 9 for the MPx220.

Hardware: Here, in MY opinion, as a "SmartPhone" the MPx220 wins out over the STM 5600. The STM 5600 does have a slightly bigger screen than the MPx220, but the STM 5600 screen has 64k colors vs 256k colors for the MPx220.

The reason that I say that I prefer the MPx220 over the STM 5600 as a "SmartPhone" is that in MY opinion & experience, its far easier to operate the MPx220 and select from all the options that are available using the Motorola "D-Pad" (or whatever its called), than to use the joystick/selector/toggle bar on the STM 5600, and the "small" selector keys on the STM 5600. The keys on the STM 5600 are smaller than on the MPx220, and are "bunched" closer together (and more towards the end of the phone) than those of the MPx220. In my opinion, the "interface" (keypad + navigation buttons) of the STM 5600 is almost "too small" for me to use as comfortably has I have been able to use my MPx220.

And in MY opinion, with the 1.3 ROM, the camera on the MPx220 is better than the camera on the STM 5600, in features (1.2 MP for the MPx220 vs 0.31 MP for the STM 5600) and in MY opinion, its easier to use the camera on the MPx220 due to the "flip" design of the MPx220 which means that I can hold the bottom half at an angle while "aiming" the top half of the MPX (which houses the camera, and the "flash").

and the last thing to consider is the CARRIER: (This is for the US, so the UK variants will need to see what their carriers policy is etc).

Default to the MPx220 is Cingular, which has "Rollover" minutes, AND who will unlock the phone (if you get a locked one) for its customers (if you need to use it overseas).

Default to the STM 5600 is "AT&T Wireless", who even though they are owned by Cingular, still are apparently governed by the same **** rules that made AT&T Wireless loose customers. "AT&T" has no rollover minutes, AND will catagorically not unlock the phone for you (they pointed me to a section in the "AT&T" service agreement, that says that the phone can/will only be used on their network. You can get the STM 5600 unlocked, but you will pay $40 for the privilage.

In summary, in MY opinion, the MPx220 wins overall over the STM 5600, but the STM 5600 is a nice phone for those who dont mind its small interface.

Anything else that I have left out, or if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask.

[Guest pietta]

windows media player for smt5600! we should bash orange in :evil: lousy network

[Guest smt5600man]

wow i completely disagee...but we have a few similairties so i guess not completely :lol: (i know it's your opinion)

the smt5600 has better build quality (no creaks)

better reception

better software versions.. (or mods or whatever)

same quality cam (mpx220 cam is junk for a 1.2) the lightening is off all the time on the mpx

better battery life..

better screen.. mpx220's 262k screen.. is by far the worst 262k screen i've every seen.. go check out a v3, gx30 and s700 if you don't believe me...

only thing is it looks kinda boring, and the mini-sd isn't hot swap and doesn't seem to be as fast as the mpx220 i had. (slightly slower)

also the joystick thing is mediocore

but if people out there are wondering about a ms smartphone then the audiovox smt 5600 is the best choice today IMO.

Edited February 8, 2005 by smt5600man