Hi Folks,
I just thought I'd update you on one of the latest additions to the gadgetry that I own: a T-Mobile MDA Vario, which is a rebranded HTC Wizard, aka I-mate K-jam, qtec 9100, o2 mini s, and other names.
The idea of this device was to replace my XDA 2s, which as a phone or pda was an abject failure: it was too large to hulk around, and the OS
(WM2003 SE
) was more than a little bit sucky. Coupled with a keyboard/thumboard that had less feeling than a zx81 with tiny keys, it was destined to fail.
I got the Wizard in early november when my contract for the 2s was up. A brief rundown on the specs might show you why it appeals:
- Windows Mobile 5
- 64MB RAM
- 64MB Flash RAM
- OMAP 850 ARM-based processor
- Quad band GSM phone
- Slide out qwerty keyboard
- 1.2MP camera with flash
- 802.11b and Bluetooth
- Mini SD slot
(great, another format
)
Here's an image of the phone:
And here it is compared to the universal
I wanted a device to be with me all the time, something I'd always take with me no matter what. This meant "small", and definitely a bit smaller than the 2s was. This ruled out the otherwise appealing HTC Universal which is huge. I wanted full PDA functionality, good phone functionality, and a keyboard for texting/editing small volumes of text.
Out of the box, the device works well and is almost to the point that it's suitable for mass adoption by the great unwashed
(the public in general
).
Windows mobile 5 is a new departure for Microsoft: rather than have the RAM of a device split between working RAM and the object store
(file system, databases etc
), RAM is RAM and the object store is kept in flash RAM. This means that if you lose power, you don't lose data and it's a great thing for a phone to have. Of course, the Zaurus has had this architecture for some time now...
The Wizard does everything it says on the tin, battery life is good and, most importantly, if you get yourself into a situation when you flatten the batteries due to the amount of calls you have to make, you don't lose your data. The camera is acceptable but could do with being more sensitive, and the flash is simply useless. To call it a flash is an insult to the word flash - it's merely a white LED that casts a point source on what you're trying to take a picture of.
Processor-wise, it's not the most powerful of beasts but it works and is acceptably nippy in use.
The OS works with you largely now, but still assumes you're an idiot and tries to hide system functionality from you. This is annoying; there should be an option to turn off the sillier hand holding that the OS tries to give. Various hacks of course can do this for you, but I wish Microsoft would realise that a simple control panel applet would obviate the need for such hacks!
You can, of course, draw on the wealth of PPC software out there. I benchmarked TCPMP using the matrix revolutions trailer, and it managed a playback benchmark of around 140%
(meaning it had a bit to spare when playing back
). As a comparison, the sig3 manages a benchmark of over 200% despite filling with 5 times the pixel count. TCPMP has yet to be optimised for the OMAP processor, but all the same that serves to show how good the architecture of the Sig3 is...
Internet Explorer and wireless networking work brilliantly. There's no other word to describe how well it works, unfortunately. Even with the small screen, the device does a good job of rendering pages in a format suitable for low-res viewing. Coupled with the keyboard, it makes surfing a possibility.
The keyboard is good, with keys being big enough to use fairly comfortably. There's no dedicated number row - you need to press down a modifier button along with the key you want - but it works. It's also backlit which is both a blessing and a curse when using at night. The backlight times out a bit quickly, so if you're searching for a symbol that requires the modifier key, you can run out of time before you find it. Of course, the brightness of the keys and screen means your night vision can't help you either... There will be a hack to get around this timeout, for sure.
A major annoyance is with the design of the supplied case, which uses magnets to hold the lid closed. A magnet is also used to tell the device whether the keyboard is out or not, so sliding the device out of the case means that the screen flips orientation to match the keyboard, and then back again. This gives the processor a work out. Couple this with playing an MP3 ring tone, and when you pull the device out of the case when the phone rings, you can find the keys unresponsive and you're left with a phone ringing that you can't answer immediately - you need to wait for the screen to flip back. Not using the supplied case is of course an answer, but this is pretty shoddy.
In the next iteration, when the camera is better, there's a flash that works, and there's Windows Mobile 5.1 to iron out the bugs then the device will be a killer device for everyone who needs a phone. At the moment, it's definitely a geek device as you need to learn and live with its foibles and failings which, although they are slight, are still there.
If you need a PDA that goes everywhere with you, check them out. It's helped me crystallise that I have two sets of requirements for gadgets: a ubiquitous PDA, and a portable workhorse device. The Wizard gives the ubiquity, the Sigmarion gives the power.
Comments or questions welcome!
Edited by chiark 2005-12-19 4:13 AM
never saw one in the flesh but i always liked it. 
