Windows Phone Thoughts: Loox Like a Winner - A Review of the Loox 720 Pocket PC

Product Category: Pocket PC
Manufacturer: Fujitsu Siemens
Where to Buy: Clove Technology
Price: £339 ($620 USD at current exchange rate)
Specifications: 4.8" x 2.8" x .6", 6.0 oz., 3.6" VGA screen, Intel PXA270 520 mhz CPU, 128 MB RAM, 64 MB ROM, 802.11b, Bluetooth 1.2, 1640 mAH battery.

Pros:

• Screen is extremely sharp and bright;
  
• Very compact for a full-featured unit;
  
• Very speedy;
  
• Lots of RAM;
  
• Dual card slots;
  
• WiFi and Bluetooth;
  
• High quality construction and materials.

Cons:

• Flimsy battery door;
  
• Mediocre camera;
  
• Limited availability of accessories.

The hardware side of Pocket PCs has been pretty quiet over the past year or so, and new models being introduced had very similar features in a given price range. But the hardware has gotten exciting again with the recent release of several new models from various manufacturers that feature screens with VGA resolution. Compared to the heavily promoted models from HP and Dell, the Loox 720 from Fujitsu Siemens is pretty much flying under the radar. Much of that is due to the fact that it’s not being marketed in the US or Canada. However, the 720 is widely available all over Europe in several languages, including German, French and Spanish, and it can be purchased from several vendors in the UK if you’re interested in an English language version.

My take is that the Loox 720 may be the best Pocket PC that you’ve never heard of. Read on for the full story!