After years of development Microsoft formally announced the introduction of the Windows Mobile Smartphone in late spring of 2002. As of early August, 2004, more than 10 different models were available worldwide, with more on the way. Even the Wall Street Journal predicts that Smartphones are the future of mobile communications!
This article focuses on the features that help differentiate one device from another and lists the pros and cons of each.
Pros (common to all Smartphones)
Cons (common to all Smartphones)
The Smartphone user...
Orange SPV (a.k.a. Dopod 515)
The very first Windows Mobile Smartphone released, the Orange SPV supports GSM/GPRS networks. It uses a 132 MHz TI OMAP processor and has a color, reflective TFT screen. It’s manufactured for Orange by HTC of Taiwan. The SPV is available through Orange in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, and Switzerland. For more information, visit the Orange Web site (http://shop.orange.co.uk/shop/show/handsets/all/all/all).
This device is also distributed in China as the Dopod 515 (http://www.dopod.com).
Pros
Cons
Orange SPV e100 (a.k.a. Qtek 7070, i-mate Smartphone)
This successor to the SPV also supports GSM/GPRS networks. It has a somewhat larger keypad and a small joystick which is far easier to use than the SPV’s navigation pad. The display of the SPV e100 is the same size as that of its predecessor—measuring 2.2 inches diagonally—and offers the same 176 x 220 pixel resolution with a palette of 65,536 colors. But the e100’s LCD uses “transflective” rather than “reflective” screen technology, which is an improvement. Like the SPV, the SPV e100 is manufactured for Orange by HTC. For more information, visit the Orange Web site (http://shop.orange.co.uk/shop/show/handsets/all/all/all).
This device is also distributed in Asia and Europe as the Qtek 7070 (http://www.qtek.nu); and in Africa, the Middle East, and Australia as the i-mate Smartphone (http://www.imate.com).
Pros
Cons
Orange SPV e200 (a.k.a. Qtek 8080, i-mate Smartphone 2, Dopod 535)
The third Windows Mobile Smartphone manufactured by HTC also supports GSM/GPRS networks. It is the first to use the Windows Mobile for Smartphone 2003 operating system. It includes a built-in camera and built-in Bluetooth capability. The size is the same as that of the e100. The e200 also uses the transflective display technology. For more information, visit the Orange Web site (http://shop.orange.co.uk/shop/show/handsets/all/all/all).
This device is also distributed in Asia and Europe as the Qtek 8080 (http://www.qtek.nu); in Africa, the Middle East, and Australia as the i-mate Smartphone 2 (http://www.imate.com); and in China as the Dopod 535 (http://www.dopod.com).
Pros
Cons
Orange SPV c500 (a.k.a. Qtek 8010)
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