What have us Smartphone users got to look forward to?

[Guest moonshot]

My question is still................what have us Windows Smartphone users got to look forward to?

About three years ago Orange convinced us that if we found a Windows PDA phone to be bulky then we needed a Windows smartphone and they had the answer.....................the c500 weighing in at less than 100grams. Then along came the c550 and the c600 (ok about 5 grams more than the c500).

Having convinced us to buy into a small light candybar smartphone, they are now telling us that we should now have a full qwerty key pad with our smartphone. The Orange E600 at 119grams, oh and it must be taken out as a business phone. Or if we wait until April/May we can have the Orange E650, with the must have qwerty key pad at only 140 grams (only 10grams less than the M700).

The only NEW lightweight smartphone is the o2 Graphite. Already outdated by only having windows mobile 5 and again a business only mobile.

The E650 is a sort of 'boys toy' mobile. It looks like a must have mobile, until you have it, then you wonder why you wanted it.

OK, I know that there is talk of 'Wings', a lighter version of Vox (E650), sometime in the summer, but that does not help us now and if they can make Wings with a fully Qwerty key pad and a weight of 110grams then we should be able to have a normal smartphone at around 90 grams.

It would be good to see a few Windows mobile sites somehow making a bigger issue of this before us smartphone owners desert to symbian.

To answer my own question it looks like the Nokia E65. Unless someone can tell when the next Windows 6 lightweight smartphone is going to be available. ;)

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

The E650 is a sort of 'boys toy' mobile. It looks like a must have mobile, until you have it, then you wonder why you wanted it.

Er why? I really want a Vox, and I know why I want it.

OK, I know that there is talk of 'Wings', a lighter version of Vox (E650), sometime in the summer.

The 'HTC Wings' is a 3G Vox.

To answer my own question it looks like the Nokia E65.

E65? I know which of these two i'd rather have. In fact, I have a G500 arriving tomorrow (and a Vox for that matter!)

P

[Guest moonshot]

A ton of bricks and a ton of feathers weigh the same. The Vox at 140 grams is the weight of a pocket pc. Vox may look small but it's the weight that counts, not size.

If you could only have one, would it be the Vox 140 grams or M700 150 grams?

Or should I say the Vox (full Keypad) or the Toshiba G500 slider, my money is on the G500 getting the better review, even though I read a mini review saying that is was rather 'chunky'.

I'd love to have a G500 (if it is lite)..............what network is it on? The E65 is available now in some shops and April through Orange and o2.

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Vox or M700? Vox for me i'd imagine.

G500 isn't on any network yet.

There's nothing about the E65 that appeals to me.

I don't care particularly about a device weighing 150g.

P

[Guest The Doctor]

There's nothing about the E65 that appeals to me.

There's nothing about Nokia's in general that appeal to me

I've gone right off Nokia's since my SPV C500.

Windows Mobile > Symbian

To me Symbian is a HATEFUL clunky OS with no real development prospects. Coupled with the fact if you try to run more than 3 apps at the same time the thing falls over.

I know its personal choice, but to me Windows Mobile is a far better platform to work on.

Phil

[Guest moonshot]

G500 isn't on any network yet.

Thats my point...................

There's nothing about the E65 that appeals to me.

At least it in the shops and it is a smartphone.

I don't care particularly about a device weighing 150g.

Maybe you don't care, but many of us do.

I know its personal choice, but to me Windows Mobile is a far better platform to work on.

Phil

Windows mobile is very clinical, symbian is more fun to use. Windows has the advantage in that it sync's better with Outlook. Windows Mobile may be the better platform but it does not have the smartphones to back it up.

Its about time someone defined what a smartphone is. Adding a qwerty keypad, to me turns the mobile into a Windows Pc device, regardless of what system it is running. The clue is in the name Smartphone.

Orange, for example does not even sell windows mobile phones in it's shops anymore. (unless it is a business centre shop).

I am not the only c600 owner who's had their phone for well over 12 months. I am now out of contract and on a very poor tariff. The choice I was given is to keep with what I've got or upgrade my handset and go on to a better plan. Up grade to WHAT?

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Adding a qwerty keypad, to me turns the mobile into a Windows Pc device, regardless of what system it is running. The clue is in the name Smartphone.

Why?

Maybe it's a bit simplistic, but if you can make calls on it, to me, it's a phone!

P

[Guest Confucious]

I can see where he's comping from Paul. Most people want a phone size phone - the C600 was an excelent example of this (as is the O2 Graphite which is the natural upgrade I would have thought) - They want the added features without the added size. Anything bigger and it is no longer a 'phone' in most peoples eyes.

People laugh at me (more than usual :D ) when I use my Universal as a phone ;) - I love itbut most people want a SMALL phone.

Just my 2 d's worth

[Guest Jakob]

I totally agree with You moonshot.

To me - the present HTC Smartphone Portfolio sucks (in comparison to the C500).

I´d really like HTC to step up and build us a proper smartphone (again).

A phone does not have a QWERTY-keyboard - period. If it has a keyboard its a PDA-phone/Windows PCdevice

A PDA might have phone-functionality - then its a PDA-phone.

The Vox is not a smartphone - its a PDA-phone.

A phone has to be small (jeans-pocket-size/C500) and have a reasonable standbytime (not Mteor 1½ days w/o BT).

If I want a brick aka Nokia aka Vox I´d buy one. But what I want, is a smartphone.

/jakob

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Orange C600: 46mm x 108mm x 18mm, 105g

HTC S710 'Vox': 50mm x 102mm x 18mm, 140g

Hardly a brick is it? ;)

P

[Guest Jakob]

It´s a 1/3 heavier - and that´s brick-like in comparison.

Theres is absolutly NO reason to put a QWERTY keyboard in a smartphone - we´ve got plenty of PDA-phone/PC-devices containing keyboards.

If HTC dumped the keyboard, it would probably be possible to make the Vox2 = 46x102x14mm and 100grams..

(about 25% smaller than C500)

That would be interesting.

/Jakob

Orange C600: 46mm x 108mm x 18mm, 105g

HTC S710 'Vox': 50mm x 102mm x 18mm, 140g

Hardly a brick is it? ;)

P

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

I want a QWERTY keyboard in my Smartphone ;)

Horses for courses and all that :D

P

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

The perfect device for me has a T9 option and the QWERTY option...

P

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Oh, the Vox has a bigger 2.4" screen too ;)

P

[Guest Jakob]

Sounds like the perfect device for you is a PDA-phone something ;-)

or

HTC has to step up and produce a proper smartphone for the rest of us.

(and a Vox for Paul ;) )

/J

The perfect device for me has a T9 option and the QWERTY option...

P

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

The Hermes is a perfect device for me... expect the size and the fact i'd love a T9 keypad for normal use, hence my interest in the Vox.

P

[Guest moonshot]

Phones with qwerty keypads are find.................for those who want them. I don't think we are saying do away with them. All we are saying is where is the new none qwerty Windows Mobile 6 Smartphones and what are our options if we have had our candybar c600 style mobile for a year or more and want to upgrade?

How loyal are we supposed to be to Windows?

[Guest Monolithix (MVP)]

I can see where you're coming from too moonshot, i feel the same in some respects. Loved my Wizard when it was my primary device (and my Magician for that matter), for PPC's they're both tiny but as a "day to day" phone, if you like, they are clunky when compared to the current offerings from Sony Ericsson or Samsung. Windows Mobile rocks as an operating system but device manufacturers are years behind in design (more or less).

moonshot: i have to say since hearing theres a WM6 upgrade in the works for the SPL, its starting to look like a very appealing device (love the new colours too...;)). Have you considered this device at all?

[Guest genaldar]

If you think 150 grams is heavy maybe you should work out ;). Seriously though, how heavy is your wallet? Or the change in your pocket? Your keys?

I remember when my sister told me she wanted a smartphone because she wanted to stop carrying a phone and a pda. She saved a couple of ounces by doing so, but she still lugged around her purse. And I'm sure whatever space she saved by eliminating a device she filled with something at least equally heavy. And of course she complained about how long it took to input appointments and new contacts. But now that she's used to it she loves her phone (mpx220, she likes the form factor and doesn't want to spend the money on a smartflip).

Edited March 17, 2007 by genaldar