These aren't likely official announcements, but Gigabyte has a pair of new GSmart handsets making the rounds in Ukraine news outlets. The two smartphones, which run Android OS and Windows Mobile respectively, are the Gigabyte GSmart G1305 Codfish and the Gigabyte GSmart S1205 Cougar.
The Codfish comes with Android 1.6 at the helm and measures 116 x 56.8 x 12.4 mm. Handset details include a 3.2-inch touchscreen display with HVGA resolution, a 600MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 processor, 256MB of RAM, quad band GSM/tri-band HSDPA, WiFi and aGPS. As with all phones running the open source OS, it will come with Google's suite of apps pre-installed. On paper, this sounds like it can stand up to most Android devices currently out.
The lower-end Cougar, on the other, will get Windows Mobile 6.5, paired with a 416MHz processor and 128MB of RAM. Not much details are known, although features include dual SIM card support, a 3.2-inch touchscreen display, quad-band GSM connectivity, WiFi and aGPS.
From the pictures, both the Gigabyte GSmart G1305 Codfish and the Gigabyte GSmart S1205 Cougar don't look half bad, especially considering that the company will likely price these near the bottom of the smartphone ranges. No confirmed release dates nor pricing details, though.
[via Unwired View]
Still want a Windows Mobile handset for your next smartphone? Have it your way. If you're looking for the best the platform has to offer, there's really only one unanimous choice: the HTC HD2.
Physically, it's a heck of a looker and is arguably HTC's most beautiful release. While build and construction feels solid, it's a tad big (67 x 121 x 11 mm). You can fit it into a pocket, but probably not when you're wearing your skinny jeans. It's tough to complain, though, when you glance upon the gorgeous 4.3 inch capacitive touchscreen with 800 x 480 resolution.
Despite the generous screen size, the device didn't turn out as huge as I expected. Credit to the company's design wizards here. Not only is the screen bright and detail-rich, the extra size actually makes using Windows Mobile easy (especially the parts HTC didn't cover up).
As a phone, it manages excellent calls - clear sound, no interruptions and natural voices. Speakerphone performed similarly, although there was noticeable tinniness at the upper ranges. Battery life didn't disappoint either. Despite the huge display, it lasts for a good two days of regular use before requiring a recharge.
Now, HTC has become the most popular Windows Mobile handset maker for one reason - they craft amazing UIs for the platform. The same holds true for the HD2, especially the social network-friendly homescreen, although they did leave out some parts (such as Activesync and the email viewer). Props should be given for the onscreen keyboard (easily one of the best I've ever used) and the multi-touch implementation (across many apps).
On the features end, the phone doesn't let expectations down either. It's got the Windows Mobile staples, from heavy messaging capabilities to useful PIM tools to a bevy of preinstalled apps. Software runs fast on the HD2, by the way. Sure, Android will probably be faster on this kind of hardware - but this isn't bad at all.
With both 3G and Wi-Fi available, getting online is a pleasant experience here. It comes with Opera Mobile as the default browser and looks amazing on the bumped-up display size. You might want to switch between Opera and IE, though, as the latter supports some amount of Flash.
Media playback, by the way, is excellent, whether you're watching a video from a microSD card, using the built-in YouTube app or listening to music. It's a very capable entertainment phone. The 5.0 megapixel is decent, but nothing special. Other features include aGPS, stereo Bluetooth and, of course, support for the Windows Mobile Marketplace.
Overall, there's not a single Windows Mobile phone that can claim they're better than the HTC HD2. Not by a mile. We know not everyone loves the Androids and iPhones of the world, so there's a huge market out there for this handset. The Euro version is priced between $700 to $800 unlocked (costs may vary depending on where you purchase), which is admittedly expensive. If you want the champion of Windows Mobile phones, though, there's nowhere else to turn to.
HTC HD2 Is The Undisputed Champion Of Windows Mobile Smartphonesunratednoel2010-01-28 10:36:13
Phone ReviewsHTC HD2 Is The Undisputed Champion Of Windows Mobile Smartphones
The Windows Mobile Marketplace is debuting along with phones that come preinstalled with Windows Mobile 6.5. Those using the older 6.1 OS, however, will have to wait until December to get the official versions for their handsets. Officially, that is.
Guys over at the XDA-Developers forums, who are well-known for turning out numerous Windows Mobile hacks, have ripped the Marketplace installer directly from OS 6.5. Even better, they've posted it online as a downloadable cab file (link below), which you can simply pick up, load and run on your phone. Once it's installed, just log on to your Windows Live ID and begin using as if you're on the new operating system.
Two versions are currently available, with the second one getting additional tweaks that allow it to install in an SD card (a feature that Microsoft disables by default). Early tests from users appear positive, with the hacked installers working for the majority of those who tried it (yep, it didn't install for a few folks' phones).
Expect the app suite in the Windows Mobile Marketplace to grow huge within the next few months. Despite being derided endlessly on tech blogs, the platform does have a huge install base, with plenty of business users hungry for professional software. There are also plenty of available apps (including many free ones) now.
Marketplace CAB For 6.1
Marketplace CAB For 6.1 (with SD Card installation)
How To Install Windows Marketplace On Windows Mobile 6.1unratednoel2009-10-10 10:45:25
NewsHow To Install Windows Marketplace On Windows Mobile 6.1
Before their deal with Garmin was finalized earlier this year, Asus made a short-lived attempt at their own cell phone line. The last one from that futile effort was a touchscreen Windows Mobile handset that's currently available in unlocked form, called the Asus P835.
Physically, the phone's design looks a bit dated, lacking much of the sleek details that more popular smartphones are usually fitted with. Despite that, the phone feels particularly solid, with a good weight and sturdy build. It sports a large 3.5-inch display, with an 800 x 480 pixel resolution. Physical controls are decent, capped off by a trackball, which comes very handy when navigating the UI. Touch interface, unfortunately, is prone to lagging.
Asus threw in a good range of features for this phone, which makes it sort of attractive, despite the decidedly unappetizing custom home screen they outfitted the Windows Mobile base. It offers a full range of connectivity options, for instance, including tri-band HSDPA, quad-band GSM, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
It comes preinstalled with a number of useful apps, including a Wi-Fi Sharing facility that allows you to open up your phone's 3G connection to as many as 10 users at a time. The phone itself is running on 288MB of RAM, which should help prop up the operation speed a little bit. Other features include a 5-megapixel camera (average quality), a GPS tuner, a media player with a wide range of codec support and microSD expansion (with a 4GB card bundled in the box).
Voice and video calls worked well on the phone, including pretty nifty performance from the speakerphone. Typing on the onscreen keyboard is about standard for what you expect from a WinMo phone - usable, but not perfect.
Overall, Asus P835 is a decent touchscreen effort. With a very attractive price point (between $450 to $550, depending where you find it), it also seems like a bargain for the hardware capability. There's no way it's going to go up against majority the of touch-based smartphones on the market, though.
Asus P835 Review: An Average Windows Mobile Touchscreen Effortunratednoel2009-07-27 23:38:54
Phone ReviewsAsus P835 Review: An Average Windows Mobile Touchscreen Effort
The Toshiba TG01 is probably as cool as a Windows Mobile handset can get. It's got the fastest processor to ever find its way into a cell phone, a massive 4.1-inch screen and a skinny 10mm thick frame. Of course, hardware is nothing without the proper software to back it up. So how does the TG01 fare?
Windows Mobile has long been derided for its slow performance. As we wait for Microsoft to finally put a fix on their mobile platform's woes, the TG01's 1GHz Snapdragon CPU capably makes it seem much faster than usual. Surprisingly, though, it's still not fast enough to make me forget it's running WinMo in the guts - there's still some delay when you launch apps and such.
Despite all of WinMo's shortcoming, it is heavy on features and that's something you can count on. Apart from the built-in versions of Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook), there's literally a plethora of available apps in the market (if you have the resolve to find them, of course) that can take advantage of the handset's blazing-fast 1GHz of processing power.
The TG01 runs a custom UI over the Windows build, which shows a lot of promise. Most disappointing, perhaps, is the fact that it uses Windows' stock of bland, low-color icons, which look so dated it feels ridiculous. Maybe, we'll see this improve a little with the upcoming 6.5 update - the TG01 needs it.
As a phone, the TG01 manages pristine voice calls, along with average messaging conveniences. It offers pretty much every messaging feature you can imagine, but it is all offset by a decidedly unforgivable keyboard with a space bar measuring the same size as regular buttons in landscape mode (really).
Physically, it's a beautiful piece of hardware. The large resistive touchscreen is gorgeous, making even the miniature WinMo icons easily discernible and much more convenient to work with. Make sure to always carry the stylus, though, as those tiny menu items will require it.
On the features end, the TG01 comes equipped with all the usual suspects. Playing games and watching videos are both exceptional on the huge, colorful screen. For best viewing experience, though, we suggest sticking to WMV format for your clips - they handle marvelously. Music playback is similarly good, as well as streaming media.
Web surfing is aided greatly by the handset's support for both Wi-Fi and 7.2Mbps HSDPA. Page rendering is very fast with complete Flash support. This is arguably one of the best web-browsing phones around, especially with that large display panel. Browser execution, however, is another story altogether - let's just say they made some unconventional and ineffective design decisions. Other features include a rather average 3.2 megapixel camera (average quality and with VGA video to boot), Bluetooth, aGPS and memory card expansion (up to 32GB).
As exciting as a 1GHz cell phone is, the Toshiba TG01 isn't the best smartphone execution you'll witness. While it's a clear winner in some ways (fast page loads, Flash support, gorgeous display), it's also a bummer in others (weird keyboard choices, strange browser mechanics). With that kind of hardware, though, it just might get a whole lot better when the Windows Mobile update comes around.
Toshiba
Toshiba TG01 Review: Arguably The Best Phone Hardware Aroundunratednoel2009-07-17 15:33:15
Phone ReviewsToshiba TG01 Review: Arguably The Best Phone Hardware Around
