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FIRST LOOKS CONSUMER ELECTRONICS BUYING GUIDE Windows Mobile Devices 320-by-240 VGA screen T-MOBILE SDA A total fireball of a smartphone, the T-Mobile SDA syncs with Outlook, plays music, and surfs the Web over Wi-Fi. The chubby candy-bar phone has plenty of buttons, giving you great power once you get the hang of it. Though the phone isn’t very loud, it gets excellent reception, and the talk time is outstanding. Microsoft’s Windows Mobile 5.0 plus T-Mobile’s allyou-can-eat Wi-Fi/EDGE data plan make the SDA a great way to carry around your calendar, play music synced from Windows Media Player, and find that Mexican restaurant using the built-in Web browser. I wish it had more memory for add-in programs, but no phone is perfect. $299.99 list go.pcmag.com/sda llllm MORE ON THE WEB Check out all our Windows Mobile Device reviews at go.pcmag.com/wmd WINDOWS MOBILE IS WINNING the mobile OS wars. Once a clunky also-ran, Microsoft’s operating system now appears on devices for every major wireless carrier. Flexibility and power put Windows Mobile in the lead. The OS comes on a wide range of devices, from candy-bar phones to laptop-style mini-PCs. It supports the fastest mobile processors and wireless connections. You’ll also find that Windows Mobile devices are on the cutting edge of mobile video and gaming. Windows Mobile devices sync with Windows XP PCs, letting you carry your Outlook contacts, calendars, e-mail, and Windows Media Player music and video wherever you go. They also surf the Web with Pocket Internet Explorer, play games, read Microsoft Office documents, and run hundreds of other applications. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for <strong>Support</strong> Dedicated music buttons Pick Your Favorite Flavor Windows Mobile comes in three flavors—and two versions. Traditional PDAs like the Dell Axim X51v are the most powerful of the bunch, but obviously, they don’t make phone calls. Right now, only traditional PDAs offer features like 640-by-480 VGA screens, graphics acceleration, 624-MHz processors, and fingerprint scanners. That makes them ideal for gaming, multimedia, remote-desktop access, or other demanding business applications. Smartphones such as the T-Mobile SDA look like regular phones, and they don’t have touch screens. They’re best for people who will be receiving information on the go. You can surf the Web, read e-mail, or 40 PC MAGAZINE MAY 9, 2006
ANALYST’S VIEW BY SASCHA SEGAN listen to MP3s on your smartphone, but editing documents or writing e-mail is only for the very patient. Pocket PC phones such as the Sprint PPC-6700 balance power and phone capabilities. All have touch screens, and many have full keyboards. But they’re a bit clunkier than smartphones. You’ll also have to choose between the newer Windows Mobile 5.0 and the older 2003 OS. Windows Mobile 5.0 devices use persistent memory, so your data doesn’t disappear if the battery dies, and they’re better at reading Microsoft Office documents and Web browsing. Also, they hold out the promise of true push e-mail from corporate Outlook 2003 SP2 servers with a future upgrade. But Mobile 5.0 devices feel a little slower than devices running the older OS. Still, we think you should buy Mobile 5.0 devices whenever possible. Once you’ve picked your flavor and version, scope out the features you need. If you plan to talk a lot on a Pocket PC phone, you’ll probably want Bluetooth. If you’re into e-mail, try out your device’s keyboard first. A few Pocket PCs, such as the HP iPAQ hw6515, even come with built-in GPS, useful for road warriors. High-speed cellular networking, such as EV-DO, will cost a lot monthly but will give you the best browsing experience. To save on monthly fees, you can find a Wi-Fi device and restrict yourself to hot spots. Processor speed matters only if you’re going to try to watch full-screen video or run voice-over-Internet applications like Skype. In such cases, look for a device with a 416-MHz or faster processor. Once you’ve settled on a Windows Mobile device, stop by an online store such as Handango or Pocket- Gear to see the wide range of software available. Whether you’re an office drone, a gamer, or a multimedia maven, you’ll be amazed at what you can hold in your hand.—SS RECENTLY REVIEWED HP iPAQ rx1950 $299.00 list Samsung i730 $599.99 list i-mate JAM $639.00 direct Sprint PPC-6600 $629.99 list Siemens SX66 $549.99 list Audiovox XV-6600 Sprint PCS PPC-6601 HP iPAQ hx2750 $549.99 list $629.99 list $549.00 list OTHER OPTIONS BEST FOR SPRINT Sprint PPC-6700 This is the best Windows Mobile PDA/phone we’ve seen for Sprint, with a nearly ideal balance of size and power, and good EV-DO/ Wi-Fi integration. $479 list go.pcmag.com/ppc6700 JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, PALM OS ruled the mobile landscape. Handspring, Qualcomm, and Samsung all brought out compelling smartphones with the easy-to-use Palm- Source software. But in 2006, it’s increasingly becoming a Windows Mobile world. Windows gadgets from Dell, HP, HTC, and even Palm flood wireless carriers’ stores. The formidable Palm- Source has been reduced to one smartphone, the Treo 650, and a handful of PDAs. In the fourth quarter of 2005, Microsoft licensees shipped 2.1 million Windows Mobile PDAs, almost llllm double the number of Palm OS PDAs shipped that quarter, according to Gartner Dataquest. In-Stat principal analyst Bill Hughes sees Windows smartphone BEST FOR VERIZON Palm Treo 700w The first Windows sales jumping to 6.7 million in 2006, with RIM and Treo isn’t a huge Palm at about 3.7 million each. step forward, but How did Microsoft jump from worst to first? The it offers zippy EVcompany embraced the latest technologies faster than DO speeds and good reception. anyone else. Looking for a handheld with hardware $619.99 direct graphics acceleration? Check out Windows Mobile. go.pcmag.com/700w lllmm How about EV-DO high-speed networking? Windows Mobile again. How about EV-DO and Wi-Fi? Yup, BEST FOR CINGULAR Windows Mobile. Cingular 2125 Microsoft also listened to its licensees, and signed A truly pocket-sized up new partners. PalmSource’s Cobalt OS was supposed to be the next generation of the Palm OS. But it phone for syncing with Microsoft Outlook or Exchange servers, it and nobody picked it up. wasn’t designed to accord with the needs of licensees, also has a terrific Microsoft played up its strengths. Exchange Activebattery life. Sync leverages corporate IT departments’ existing investments, and Microsoft has provided a clear road $299.99 list go.pcmag. com/2125 map toward Microsoft-based push e-mail. That takes llllm some of the wind out of RIM’s sales. lllhm llllm llllm lllhm llllm llllm llllm llllm A good business PDA for PIM and integrating into corporate networks. The most powerful cellular device available; just recharge it daily. This little Pocket PC phone offers a lot of performance for its size. The most powerful Sprint handheld doesn’t offer a high-speed network. This powerful PDA/phone has a wide range of networking options. Surf at near-broadband speeds in 16 cities with this PDA/phone. This smartphone works very well for what it's meant to do, but at a price. A fast, handsome business PDA with The company also waited for technology to be on its side. Microsoft’s OSs are not terribly efficient. That was a drawback when PDAs ran on slow processors with little memory. Now that handhelds can pack 624- MHz processors and 128MB of RAM, the efficiency advantages held by Linux, Symbian, and PalmSource have begun to evaporate. And finally, Microsoft delivered. PalmSource might be more of a contender if it actually had a new product. Instead, after the Cobalt debacle of 2004, the company practically went into hiding, coming out only to announce that its new ALP platform might appear on devices sometime in 2007. That will leave Microsoft crossing the finish line while PalmSource is still tying its running shoes. For 2006, at least, Windows Mobile is the OS to watch. Sascha Segan is PC Magazine’s Lead Analyst for cell top-of-the-line performance. phones and handheld devices. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for <strong>Support</strong> MAY 9, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 41
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