| |
| |
![]() |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
The phone market seems to have cut itself out into two distinct types - the hip and fun versus the seriously smart, with the latter fitted out to keep the executive always in touch with work. The good news is the latest slew of smart phones are also seriously stylish.
Phones from Samsung have long been in the realm of the small and slim, but that is not to say that its range is lightweight.
There is a number of phones in the Samsung family which leave competitors trailing with 3.5G HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) onboard for super fast downloads.
Packing this feature is the Samsung i600 which bills itself as the slimmest and smartest-looking phone, which also functions close to a smart-phone.
The business phone, as Samsung has dubbed the i600, comes with a QWERTY keyboard on the front panel and Windows OS on the inside.
Some may find the QWERTY keys too small for comfortable typing but it is easy to get used to.
Those who are looking to do more, such as jotting down a quick Word document or fast number crunching on Excel will find that the Windows mobile onboard will not be able to carry out those functions. All you can do is to read your documents, link up to your MSN Messenger and synch with Outlook to not only read your email which can be pushed to the phone, but also check on appointments.
The i600 makes it easy for a person to keep up to date since downloads are fast and you can read things easily on the large, clear screen (2.3 inch TFT Screen). The screen also does justice to the videos and photos that can be taken with the 1.3 Megapixel camera.
Since there's also a camera on the front, plus WiFi and data transmission speeds at 1.8 Mbps it shouldn't be a problem to make video calls or send a quick video back home.
To choose the various menu options, users simply navigate with the strategically placed thumb-wheel as well as hot keys.
This is an easy-to-use and easy-to-get-used-to phone, with an added attraction of being the slimmest (11.8mm) and most lightweight(105 grams) by far.
Coming in as a close rival in looks and feel is the C730 from Dopod. It comes with a QWERTY keyboard on the front panel and Windows OS on the inside as well, but it weighs in at a hefty 120grams.
The Dopod is also 'heavier' in terms of what you can do with it, such as opening and editing a Word, Excel or PowerPoint attachment.
Running on the latest Windows Mobile 6, the C730 supports Microsoft Direct Push and by July 2007 BlackBerry Connect as well, with downloads that won't lag with 3.5G HSDPA available.
The phone also comes with a central dial and hot keys to navigate through the menu, as well as touch sensitive keys on one side to launch quickly into the messaging menu. There are similar touch sensitive keys that act as volume control and as a quick 'return' button when a number of menus have been opened.
The idea is good, but you must really have the right touch to get the keys to respond to you (either that or the phone I tested out wasn't sensitive to my touch!).
The phone comes with a 2 Megapixel camera for photos and videos which can be played back clearly on the fairly large screen, using Windows Media Player.
In the hands of a Treo user, the Samsung i600 and the Dopod C730 will feel very close in design and functions, yet still far apart since each is also different in its own way.
Will it persuade a Treo user to switch? I doubt it.
However, it is easy to fall in love the form and feel of either the Samsung and Dopod if you've been using another phone with simpler features or in a different shape, such as candy bar or flip phone.
Perhaps it was the realisation that some people just want a phone to look like a phone but have all the perks of a smart phone, that led Dopod to release the C500.
Just like the C730 which went on the market around the same time, the C500 runs on Windows Mobile 6 along with all the other features such as WiFi, 3.5G download speeds, voice command and the list goes on.
Users will want to take full advantage of the Microsoft office software that allows documents to be read and edited on this device once the key board slides out.
The slide is smooth and the phone sits firmly on the desk when the keyboard is extended.
Looking very attractive, the silver keyboard offers back lighting for easy typing when in less than well-lit areas. However, typing itself is not as easy or smooth since the keys a touch too flat and need a firm push on each key that throws touch typing out of the window.
Another less than endearing feature is the SIM card slot which sits in a rather odd and angled position under the front of the phone. Be warned here that with the key board extended, popping open the the SIM card slot and slipping in a card will require quick reflexes as the phone can easily slip from your hands because of the odd placing of the slot.
Both the Dopod C730 and C500 come with predictive T9 text which takes some getting used to. Some people simply hate it. Yes, it does seem to be like that annoying person who loves to finish your sentences for you but once you allow the system to run a little it gets frighteningly smart and second-guesses quite accurately the word that you'll type next.
Those who won't be converted will be glad to know that the predictive text can be turned off, at least on the C500.
Overall, this is a lovely looking phone that looks simple but reveals itself to be a very intelligent and useful device.
It's nice to be able to speak into a device that looks like a 'normal' phone and just when you want to work, the device transforms itself.
Having a phone pad surrounded by hot keys on either side and a navigation pad in the centre, means you can cruise through the extensive menu very easily and have the option to send messages using the phone pad or the full keyboard.
Yes, this phone offers versatility. But you must accept the trade-off, which is its weight (140grams) and size (18.6mm thick).
The 'claim to fame', if it can be described as such, for the C730 and C500 is the fact that they are the last phones to be rolled out by Dopod.
So if you are a collector or just a Dopod fan, you know what to head out and get.
|
