http://www.osnews.com/story/13768/Review_The_O2_XDA_Atom Exploring the Future of Computing en-us Copyright 2001-2009, David Adams adam+nospam@osnews.com Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT http://www.osnews.com/images/osnews.gif http://www.osnews.com http://osnews.com/thread?98389 http://osnews.com/thread?98389 Windows Mobile based phones are simply not very good phones. They are okay as PDAs.

Why are Windows Mobile based phones bad?
1. battery life - very short, less than a day, some only for 6 hours or so
2. ease of use - phone is a PITA to access, dial, etc
3. form factor - bulky as a phone
4. stability - Windows Mobile is not stable and has to be reset frequently
5. poor screens - extremely hard to see outdoors

My experience comes from developing and testing on multiple variations of the pda (cell and non-cell based) and smartphones. These things have lots of issues, and that's before our applications are being tested! Wed, 22 Feb 2006 22:58:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Kyle) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98392 http://osnews.com/thread?98392 >1. battery life - very short, less than a day, some only for 6 hours or so

This is not true. Windows Mobile 5 is amazing on battery life. Look some of the newer HTC models and you will see that battery life is just fine, as long as you use the right hardware parts.

>2. ease of use - phone is a PITA to access, dial, etc

I didn't have any problem with that.

>3. form factor - bulky as a phone

Not this phone. This the first Windows PDA/phone that is actually not bulky at all. It's smaller than my Linux-based Motorola one.

>4. stability - Windows Mobile is not stable and has to be reset frequently

Well, depends what you run. Windows Mobile has 20,000 apps out there, some of them are old or bad enough to bring down the OS. Same goes for PalmOS' 28,000 apps. Compare that to 500 apps of Nokia's Symbian and you will see that it will fair better with stability in that regard.

>5. poor screens - extremely hard to see outdoors

This is not true. It all depends what screens the hardware manufacturer is buying to use for their product. It has nothing to do with the fact if something is a Windows PDA or not. Wed, 22 Feb 2006 23:08:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Eugenia) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98396 http://osnews.com/thread?98396 Well I won't go into details again, as regular readers will know my dislike of these uberconverged supa dupa multimedia camera video things that also happens to make phonecalls. This device don't seem to change my opinion.Edited 2006-02-22 23:35 Wed, 22 Feb 2006 23:24:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Thom_Holwerda) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98402 http://osnews.com/thread?98402 Eugenia,

Its obvious you are always trying to defend WM.

Fact is i have a windows mobile phone (recieved it from my old employer) and its lying in the closet because it really sucks.
Battery life sucks, when i used it, it needed a reboot 3 to 4 times a day. I lost all my addresses, email, sms and settings etc. more than once.

I really tried to use it, while i am not a fan of windows, but in daily life its almost impossible to use.

Windows is like washing powder, its always improved, more sexier and more expensive but at the end of the day you will find out the stains remain. Wed, 22 Feb 2006 23:27:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (devnull) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98404 http://osnews.com/thread?98404 >Its obvious you are always trying to defend WM.

And it's obvious that you are a troll. Windows Mobile proved very stable here.

>Fact is i have a windows mobile phone

Do you have the PDA or the Smartphone edition? You see, the Smartphone edition of Windows Mobile SUCKS. My husband has one of those and I get cramps each time I have to use it.

But the PDA edition of the phone -- like this one reviewed--, is not bad at all. And that's the truth of it, you like it or not. Wed, 22 Feb 2006 23:31:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Eugenia) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98409 http://osnews.com/thread?98409 >And it's obvious that you are a troll. Windows Mobile
>proved very stable here.

A troll? because WM was stable at your place? huh?
I was not talking about stability..........

I have a Qtek 220 (out of my head) PDA/Phone.
It can, but that never worked, navigate, be a phone, a camera, an internet device etc.
It is an PDA with phone functions and it really sucks.
But i guess that is all the fault of the hardware because the software is obvoius flawlessEdited 2006-02-22 23:39 Wed, 22 Feb 2006 23:38:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (devnull) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98411 http://osnews.com/thread?98411 I can't find that Qtek model on google. Maybe it's a very old model, back in the days where Win2003 was trying to be a hybrid. But WinMob5.1 is a whole new animal. It was modified and extended to BE a phone more than a PDA.

It's like comparing Win98 to WinXP. Different animals. Wed, 22 Feb 2006 23:41:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Eugenia) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98415 http://osnews.com/thread?98415 I made a mistake, its a O2 XDA/Qtek 2020i.
Its only 1 year old and its runnig WM5 Wed, 22 Feb 2006 23:46:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (devnull) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98416 http://osnews.com/thread?98416 No it doesn't. This model runs Windows Mobile 2003SE. The older version. WM5 devices only appeared in the market 3-4 months ago. Wed, 22 Feb 2006 23:51:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Eugenia) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98418 http://osnews.com/thread?98418 YES IT DOES!

I have the device in front of my now.
My Qtek 2020i is runnig Windwos Mobile 5! Wed, 22 Feb 2006 23:57:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (devnull) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98419 http://osnews.com/thread?98419 The device is sold with Win2003SE. SEND ME a screenshot of the Today screen and I will tell you what OS it's running for sure. Wed, 22 Feb 2006 23:59:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Eugenia) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98421 http://osnews.com/thread?98421 http://www.mobile-review.com/pda/articles/wm2005-magneto-en.shtml

My Qtek really contains Windows Mobile 2005, windows 2003 really looks different according to these screens.

I have been given the device in june 2005 so it could be that they shipped the device with WM5? or updated the ROM Thu, 23 Feb 2006 00:04:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (devnull) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98424 http://osnews.com/thread?98424 No, there is no way you could have this QTek with WM5. And if you got that WITH WM5 last June, it means that you are running an ALPHA version of the OS. The OS was released to manufacturers in early October. Also, do you, or do you not have the softkeys at the bottom of the screen? I am asking you again to send me a screenshot or a camera shot of your Today screen and I will tell you what you run. Until you do that, please don't reply to this topic, because really, it's off topic. Our topic is the XDA Atom here.Edited 2006-02-23 00:08 Thu, 23 Feb 2006 00:06:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Eugenia) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98427 http://osnews.com/thread?98427 Fine. believe it or not . It does not matter.

On Topic.

$950 is an absurd price for a PDA/Phone esp. with this kind of screen. Why not make it with a CG Silicon screen?Edited 2006-02-23 00:16 Thu, 23 Feb 2006 00:13:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (devnull) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98433 http://osnews.com/thread?98433 >My Qtek really contains Windows Mobile 2005, windows
>2003 really looks different according to these screens.

These screens are showing WM5 mate, not Win2003SE. You are running Win2003SE, end of story. There was never a ROM upgrade made available for that Qtek model you claim you have. If you really want to make me believe otherwise, you will have to send me a *camera* picture of your Today screen and phone. If you have softkeys, then it's WM5. If not, it's Win2003SE. And if you do have WM5 and it's from last June, then you are running an engineering sample and NOT a retail phone version. Thu, 23 Feb 2006 00:37:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Eugenia) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98439 http://osnews.com/thread?98439 $950 is an absurd price for a PDA/Phone esp. with this kind of screen.

just ignore the price.
if you want such a phone, you will buy it with a 1-year subscription. I'd guess that it will cost you less than 200$ (you can get 500€ phones for 99€) Thu, 23 Feb 2006 00:53:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (smashIt) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98478 http://osnews.com/thread?98478 > "And if you got that WITH WM5 last June, it means that you are running an ALPHA version of the OS."

Or it means he's simply lying. Microsoft haters tend to make up elaborate lies in order to make MS products look bad. I've read some dandies in these threads. Thu, 23 Feb 2006 02:48:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Foo Fighter) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98481 http://osnews.com/thread?98481 That's my suspicion too. Thu, 23 Feb 2006 02:50:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Eugenia) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98513 http://osnews.com/thread?98513 Kyle, i have Sprint PPC-6700 and here is my review:

1. Battery life is awesome almost 3 days if you don't use it and almost 5 hours with wireless. Remember wireless drains the battery life like anything.

2. ease of use - i find it quite easy to use, what is your specific complain?

3. form factor - i agree here but with all the features, phone has to be bulky. My phone has 802.11 interface, infra-red, blue-tooth etc.

4. Stability - In last 6 months it froze on me only once so whats your point?

5. Poor screen - Totally disagree, PPC-6700 rocks and its screen is crystal clear.Edited 2006-02-23 05:42 Thu, 23 Feb 2006 05:38:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (CuriosityKills) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98516 http://osnews.com/thread?98516 Also note that my PPC-6700 has a full qwerty keyboard so i don't think it is bulky at all. Thu, 23 Feb 2006 05:44:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (CuriosityKills) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98517 http://osnews.com/thread?98517 Dopod 818pro

http://www.mobileplanet.com/product.asp?code=127976
http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/handhelds/0,39001703,39097160p,00.htm

Same OEM (HTC), Same picture quality, support 802.11g Thu, 23 Feb 2006 05:58:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (shinghei) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98518 http://osnews.com/thread?98518 The Atom is not made by HTC, it's made by Quanta. Thu, 23 Feb 2006 06:08:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Eugenia) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98523 http://osnews.com/thread?98523 There's a shift going on globally in the telecommunications market to support 3G which the O2 Atom smartphone doesn't but devices such as the O2 XDA Exec do. 3G offers greater connectivity both with speed and the amount of bandwidth allowed for transfering data.

Atom specs: http://gsmarena.com/o2_xda_atom-1372.php

XDA Exec specs: http://gsmarena.com/o2_xda_exec-1279.php

3G info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3GSM Thu, 23 Feb 2006 06:24:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Dark_Knight) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98552 http://osnews.com/thread?98552 I finally got hold of the a/c for the qtek and fired it
up. You where right ia windows mobile 2003 SE.

I was really convinced that it was running wm5 because i got it in 2005 and they said it comed with the latest
update.

So wm 2003 se is a pain in the ass and wm5 is much better....

Sorry for this mix up..i hope you accept! Thu, 23 Feb 2006 10:30:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (devnull) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?98554 http://osnews.com/thread?98554 Accepted. Thu, 23 Feb 2006 10:33:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Eugenia) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?99929 http://osnews.com/thread?99929 I've been madly wantin 2 get hold of O2's new atom.. But ceynet reviviews hav kinda scared me u know.. probably the new ROM update figured all those complaints of atom being slow.. And I'm a newbie to PDAs... Please can some one suggest if I should stick 2 O2 atom or would Dopod 818 be a better option? Tue, 28 Feb 2006 09:24:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (kokopingo) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?100264 http://osnews.com/thread?100264 The rating (6/10) given for the Atom is excessively severe - and the price you're being given is far too high. If you have to pay anything like that amount in US$ try mail order from Australia :-)

This is a great little device. The footprint is barely more than a Motorola V3 although of course it is thicker. I've been carrying one for a few weeks now and would not go back. Have not noticed any screen washout issues in sunlight, and I prefer the small size rather than packing in every possible feature. Wed, 01 Mar 2006 02:20:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (aeberbach) Comments