New SPV announced & hardware update to existing SPV

[Guest gears0001]

Paul - I think we'd better stop saying how nice the Tanager is.. :) Else we'll get duffed up in a dark alley (now there's a word I haven't used for a while... "duffed"... )

;)

[Guest bobroberts]

Am I not right in thinking then, that these are internally identical phones(apart from the screen). If so, then surely it would be easy for arrange to let current spv users choose a setup for business (spv) or a setup for consumer (tanager). This might just be different ROMs.

I do feel a bit gutted as i've had my phone for about 20 days and I can't return it (not least of all cos I've just given everybody my new number!)

That said, there really isn't any reason why these should actually be different phones. I won't really mind if there are a few better ergonomic things, i could live with that but if this means the end of development for the SPV i'd feel pretty ripped off.

grrr...

[Guest ClintEastman]

The SPV - focussed at business customers, application developers and early adopters

Why do application developers and early adopters get the business phone? They might as well say, The SPV - focussed at everyone stupid enough to buy one before we bring out the REAL SPV.

Come to think of it are they taking the piss?The SPV is aimed at application developers?

Dump the cert!

[Guest Emad]

? Is the screener higher resolution? More than 65k colours? Or is it that either type of TFT I can't remember the name of? I don't mind the little fiddly keypad or joystick myself - think I'll be perfectly happy with an update..

I would imagine that the application locked smartphone would be there for the consumers too - after all, consumers would just want to buy nice, certified products from orange, right? I think they should pop the normal SPV down to radio-only certification though, as this would make most sense..

[Guest spacemonkey]

OK. a couple of small points.

A this SPVx is not at market yet, they are saying april, so expect it in july maybe... no need to "take your phone back yet".

Also, there is no way in hell that microsoft is going to be producing different versions of Smartphone 2002 for these 2 devices. The ROM updates may be packaged seperately to include Orange's tweaks to target the phone at different markets, but given the quality of those tweaks we've seen so far (T9 on DK update, Orange message count plugin, etc) this won't make a hill of beans difference.

People like florin will undoubtedly be stripping it down to the M$ only release and providing clean ROMs to bold users (pretty much what he's doing now I think). As we see more Smartphone 2002 devices entering the market I'd think the availability of vanilla M$ code alongside the OEM tweaked code will increase.

Anyway, just my call. So yes, the hardware is a little nicer, as in better screen and keypad. But the specs and software will be basically identical. And remember by the time it's actually available you'll probably only be 5 months off getting a new phone anyway.

[Guest ClintEastman]

Nicely put monkey man. :wink:

[Guest Gorskar]

Yes, very true. I like the look fo the tanager controls, but yes, by the time its available it wont be all that long before my 12 months are up and I can upgrade to it, or maybe something better (samsung looked to be working on a sweet looking smartphone2002 phone)

Maybe some useful accesories will make the SPV more usable.

(can but hope I guess)

[Guest neilg]

I still cant wait for the Jabra Bluetooth base......I bet it wont work with my exsisting Jabra BT headset though as no doubt the SPV will need a new profile so I will have to get my headset updated! - a bit off topic but BT is mentioned in the original press release!

[Guest Thurstan]

I'm gonna stay with the SPV anyway. Weird, but i just love it!

[Guest h00pyfr00d]

The 'other' type of screen is called a TransReflective screen as oppose to the 'reflective' screen that the SPV has. Maybe the Tanger has one of these?

If you ever get to see any iPAQs, you could really tell the difference. The older 3800 models had the reflective and the when the 3900 came out it had the transreflective. The picture is a lot sharper and it's so much easier to see in natural day light.

Also, afaik, all Bluetooth works on the same protocols so one bluetooth headset is as good as another. I've had Motorolla headsets working on SE T68i's and likewise had the Ericsson HBH-10 headset working on a Nokia 6310i.

[Guest Big Ron - No Longer a Mem]

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/story/0,,t269-s2130640,00.html

3GSM: The network operator is to launch the 'SPVx', aimed at consumers and gamers, next month

Orange is to launch a second mobile phone handset based on Microsoft's Windows Powered Smartphone software in April in an effort to appeal to consumers and gamers.

In October the company announced the first Windows-powered smartphone, the SPV, manufactured by Taiwan's High Tech Computer (HTC); the handset hit the market in November, ahead of the Christmas shopping season.

The new handset, code-named "SPVx", will have a similar design and features, but will include some tweaks aimed at consumers: a joystick-type controller for gaming and menu navigation; accessories such as gaming memory modules; a larger keypad; an improved screen; and a new menu layout that emphasises Internet, gaming, music and messaging services.

Orange will also include a camera link cable allowing users more flexibility with the handset's clip-on camera, and may also sell a third-party cradle that turns the device into a gaming console.

Orange announced the SPVx at the 3GSM World Congress wireless trade show in Cannes, France, on Tuesday. (For more 3GSM news, see the Mobile Technology news section.)

The new device is aimed at broadening the SPV's appeal to a wider audience, Orange said. The first model, of which more than 40,000 units have been sold, appeals mainly to business users and technophiles who want mobile email and PC synchronisation, the company said. The new model will be packaged with a clear focus on mainstream consumers. "Orange customers now have a clear choice with regards to the SPV they wish to use -- be it for business or pleasure," said Richard Brennan, an executive vice president at Orange, in a statement.

The more business-oriented SPV will be sold at retail with accesssories such as a plug-in soft keyboard, a car kit and a Bluetooth headset.

The France Telecom unit said it has ambitious plans for its SPV smartphones. It is planning more additions to the line, including a smaller clamshell device, a built-in camera and integrated Bluetooth wireless. On Tuesday, Orange announced a software update for the original SPV that improves battery life and adds two multimedia applications.

Microsoft is rallying its allies against the major mobile phone manufacturers, such as Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung and Siemens, who are all either selling or planning smartphones based on Symbian's software.

On Monday, Microsoft said that T-Mobile would become the second European customer for its Windows Powered Smartphone technology, and would also purchase handsets from HTC. Microsoft also said that more Asian manufacturers were signing up to build Windows smartphones.

[Guest neilg]

regarding the bluetooth thing, AFAIK all the current headsets support the specification bluetooth headset profile, but unfortunatly the SPV doesnt have this profile as it does not inherantly support bluetooth so it means that you have to plug in an adapter with a BT TxRx to talk to the headset which also has to mimic a standard headset which also means the software in the BT earpiece has to be adapted! ALso I know that there are little variences, for example to get round Nokia's proprietry way of implementing bluetooth many 3rd party manufacturers have a normal mode and a 'Nokia' mode!......If only life were simple!!

[Guest benny]

If only life were simple!!

And on the seventh day, the Lord did create the RFCs, and he saw that they were good. The Lord gaveth the RFCs to mankind, but mankind rejected the holy RFCs, choosing instead to follow the unenlightened path of the Corporation.

The Lord did then laugh openly as mankind fought with a million different, non compatible standards, before sending the penguin god of Linux to thwart those who had disregarded His RFCs...

:wink:

B

[Guest neilg]

:) ;) :lol:

[Guest BAMN]

when is this thing due out?

[Guest Big Ron - No Longer a Mem]

"When is this thing due out? "

" Orange is to launch a second mobile phone handset based on Microsoft's Windows Powered Smartphone software IN APRIL in an effort to appeal to consumers and gamers. " (I quote my own post...)

[Guest Hax]

The 'other' type of screen is called a TransReflective screen as oppose to the 'reflective' screen that the SPV has. Maybe the Tanger has one of these?

Think that the SPV actually has a transmissive screen - i.e. strong backlight shines through the image and carries on to our eyes.

Can also get reflective screens which rely on "ambient" light to hit the screen and relect back into our eyes.

Finally, you can get transflective screens which are a sort of hybrid of the above.

You can tell if something has a transmissive screens by looking at how well you can see the image once the backlight has gone off. Transflective and reflective screens work particularly well in bright sunlight as the brighter the ambient light, the brighter the image.

So, using a transmissive display (and if there's any sense gone into the design, a light sensor (exact term escapes me at the mo)) could provide potenttially phenomenal battery life, with the backlight being varied according to the ambient light conditions.

Hope this helps - please feel free to correct if any errors here,

Hax

[Guest kevlar]

I haven't seen this mentioned yet, but surely this spvx is longer than the spv to allow for the larger keypad?. People tell me my phone is big now!

Kevlar

[Guest Firaas]

I suppose this gives a phone with similar specs to revert to when you've made 5 warranty claims on Care :)

[Guest sebset]

is also in talks with a number of companies with regards to launching a detachable cradle that transforms the phone into a gaming console.

That means it will be possible to connect the SPVx to the TV???

[Guest Big Ron - No Longer a Mem]

I suppose this gives a phone with similar specs to revert to when you've made 5 warranty claims on Care :)

Gasp.... someone reads my posts! FAME!!!

[Guest yatpeak]

So does this mean that all us early-adopters/beta-testers/tech-support/advertisers/developers get left in the cold?

Surly we deserve to be given a choice?

IMHO most SPV owners are hobbyists, thus most of us would want a SPVx.

What happens now?

We do get the hardware updates...

Wyatt

[Guest sebset]

They talk about the new SPVx at CNN:

http://money.cnn.com/2003/02/18/technology....reut/index.htm

[Guest Ed]

Kiss My Face You Mother!!!!

STOP GETTING PARTRIDGE WRONG.

[Guest ClintEastman]

STOP GETTING PARTRIDGE WRONG.

:) ;) :lol: :D :lol: :lol:

God, his son died on the cross for our sins...

FYI

I have 4 arms and 6 legs.

And another thing, I’m actually Alan Partridge, he’s real!

He's a thing called a man…

You must have heard of them, they are the ones with the plums.

AND USE DUTCH CAPS BOY!!!!!

Just to shut you up… :wink: