XDA II What are peoples thoughts

TCP/IP

Hello Everybody,

Thinking of getting an XDA II what are peoples thoughts on the device looking to recieve mail from my exchange server in work when out and about. Is there a car kit avaiable for it. Is there any cool things I can do with it. Also i was thinking about unlocking it and using it on the Vodafone network will that give me any problems. Thats all i can think off for now. If you all have any other devices you would recommand please do so.

Thanks,
TCP/IP

TCP/IP

Here is a little update what do people think about these two

I-Mate SP3



or


Anextek SP230


What does anybody think

Thanks,
TCP/IP

Ardent

I have the original XDA and I'm very happy with it. It does everything for me in one relatively small device. I can surf the web, check my emails, use it as a phone, play decent games like Age of Empires on it, it has a speakerphone, use word/excel etc, I can even use it as a universal remote to operate my TV/DVD/VCR!

The only gripe is that it's initially a bit bulky for practical use as a phone and the phone software is a bit flakey at times but you soon learn to live with it.

XDA II I believe has a faster processor, more RAM, a digital camera and bluetooth among other things. I'd highly recommend it.

TCP/IP

thanks for the reply anybody else

flywheel

have used the XDA I and XDA II, nice devices if you want the power of the Pocket PC OS and a phone built in, the XDA II (currently have the i-Mate SIM Free / Unbranded model) addressed many issues with the orginal... better screen, removable battery, SDIO slot, 128MB memory, (baisc) Bluetooth built-in to name a few of the main ones... found, the XDA II device's phone capabilities were also much improved... there is a new model due out although not just yet (announced by T-Mobile so far) adding WiFi and an integrated keypad

as to what 'cool things' you can do with it... well the current model can do anything a high end Pocket PC can (bar WiFi which you can add with a WiFi SD card) plus it has a tri-band GSM/GPRS phone built in so you don't have to connect up to a separate phone

also use the first generation i-Mate Smartphone (released by Orange as the SPV E100), the one you refer to is i-Mate's 3rd generation Smartphone (released by Orange as the SPV C500) it is a smaller device to mine, runs the more up to date 2003 Smartphone OS and integrates Bluetooth and Camera... it has a mini-SD card slot under the battery whereas the previous models used a full sized externally accessible SD slot... i'm currently waiting for the Motorola MPx220 to become available though

as you have concentrated on Windows Mobile... if e-mail is your main requirement and you have to reply often, at length or review (simple) attachments the Pocket PC Phone Edition may be best for you as the Smartphone doesn't really lend itself to lengthy compositions... if you only have to review standard emails or give short replies then the Smartphone could well be an option alright...

also keep in mind the different form factors, you have much richer input/output capabilities with the Pocket PC but then its big touch screen to take care of (not really a device to bring on a night out) and it is physically big compared to most smartphones available

BrianG

flywheel

for examples of available apps check out:
www.handango.com
www.pocketgear.com
www.smartphone.net

for Pocket PC reviews / news / support sites then check out:
www.ppcw.net
www.pocketpcthoughts.com
www.pocketpc.com

for Smartphone reviews / news / support sites then check out:
www.ppcw.net
www.smartphonethoughts.com
www.modaco.com

also if you do ever want to set it up with Vodafone check here

BrianG

TCP/IP

Thanks Brian how long will it be before i can buy an MPX220 or the new XDA III sim free

vibe666

if you don't plan on ditching your main phone (and you probably won't when you realise you look like a plonker holding an xda to your head) then go for the new 9blue) blackberry for email on the move. you can't beat it.

that said they're trialling blackberry for pocket pc, so you can have the best of both worlds soon.

i didn't really help with that post did i?

TCP/IP

Well ideally i would like some sort of a push based email on whatever device i choose, i dont want one of those crappy nokia 6xxx phones so an XDA II with push email would be great what are the chances of this

flywheel

TCP/IP wrote:

Thanks Brian how long will it be before i can buy an MPX220 or the new XDA III sim free

MPx 220 last heard it would be in October (this has been a moving target so far)

the new Pocket PC Phone Edition is manufactured by HTC and is called 'Blue Angel', O2 haven't officially announced if they will offer an XDA III, only T-Mobile have made announced their MDA III

again last i heard it is supposed to be before Q4 for the SIM free versions of the device from the likes of Qtek and i-mate... so could be some time in Q4 with a high price tag to boot... here's one of the first reviews of it

there is also the Motorola MPx Pocket PC Phone Edition which has now been pushed to 2005 for release, a dual hinged Pocket PC Phone edition that can hing in landscape or portrait mode, not a bad sized device either, if you want to wait

with the appropriate Exchange back-end and SMS Gateway you can take advantage of the 'Always Up-To-Date' facility (also discussed here) with Windows Mobile 2003 devices if you have the resources to go down that route...

Blackberry connectivity has been developed for the XDA II, P900 and Nokia 6810/6820 - had a demo last March with RIM and they had it working with all those devices but i haven't heard of the operators here implementing / providing it as yet...

as for "looking like a plonker", if you care and not looking like one is a particular requirement... it comes with a wired headset just like the Blackberry device... (or the option of a Bluetooth headset - which could also provoke a similar reaction from "some")

BrianG

flywheel

and the Nokia 9500 (Series 80) can be added to that list of devices supporting Blackberry connectivity - wonder when the operators here will begin supporting this feature in the increasing number of non-Blackberry devices becoming available...

more info: Nokia to enable BlackBerry Connect Solution on Series 80 mobile devices

flogen

I know I asked this before, but I might actually have a chance to get one this time (and the market has changed a lot since I asked last), but basically I'm looking for a phone that is mixed with a PDA, very like an XDA II.

I wouldn't be looking for a device that has everything a PDA has, but I would like to have many of the features, and one thing the XDA lacks is WiFi.
Naturally, I'd like to get one for as cheap as I could, but obviously you're not going to pick one up for that little...:D

Anyway, and companies that specialise in XDA type products that I may have missed? And is there a perticular name for this type of phone, or is it just a phone and PDA?

thanks,
flogen

flywheel

hi, this came up a bit earlier last month so merged post with previous thread on the topic hope some of it is relevant, but post back if your Qs aren't covered...

the XDA II and other versions of the device is officially known a 'Windows Mobile for Pocket PC Phone Edition' devices but would usually see it referred to as a Pocket PC Phone (Edition)

there are some new models planned an XDA IIs and XDA IIi - non-operator (unbranded / sim-free / unsubsidised) versions/models will also be available from the likes of i-mate (e.g. PDA2k and Jam) and Qtek

other vendors have / are entering the market with their own devices like HP and Eten

BrianG

flogen

thanks!
Didnt see this thread when I searched for similar topics, your extra comments certainly help out a lot too!

The XDA IIs looks nice... I wonder what kind of price you'd be looking at (and can you only get it sim free online?)

flogen

flywheel

haven't heard about O2 pricing or confirmed launch dates here for the IIs (press articles mention Nov 1st) - expansys UK are currently quoting a pre-order price for the i-mate model of around Eur 850 though... haven't seen the i-mate or Qtek brand stocked in a shop here...

BrianG