Windows Phone Thoughts - Daily News, Views, Rants and Raves

"There is little question that Windows Mobile has been primarily geared for the enterprise market. While many - including me - have faulted Microsoft for forgetting the consumer market (or seeming so at time), few if any can question their ability to take the Windows Mobile platform and develop it into a world class mobile operating system for enterprise users. The platform simply does everything: Email, Word editing, Excel editing, PowerPoint viewing, OneNote synchronization, some have printing and PDF applications included (mostly HTC devices)... the list goes on. Which which phone is really the best when it comes to business needs?"

The "which is best" is a always a personal question - my needs in a business phone might not match up to your needs - but Clinton Fitch does his best to compare four phones on the market from the perspective of a frequent business traveller. He looks at the HTC S740 Windows Standard Phone, HTC Touch Pro Windows Professional Phone, HTC Advantage X7510 Windows Professional Phone, and the MWg Zinc II Windows Professional Phone. Check out his article and tell me if you agree with his assessment of these devices - for me, having a small and light email triage tool is the most important thing, so the Touch Pro and the Advantage wouldn't even be on my list to start (I'm using a Blackjack II right now). For some, data entry and document managemnt are more critical, so bigger phones with a better keyboard carry the day. What device do you carry, and why?

Product Category: 3G touch PDA Phone with embedded keyboard

Manufacturer: HP

Where to Buy: Expansys [affiliate]

Price: $484 USD

System Requirements: Runs Windows Mobile 6.1

Specifications: Marvell PXA270 Processor running at 416 Mhz, 128 MB of RAM and 256 MB of ROM. Quad-band GSM/GPRS and tri-band UMTS/HSDPA, able to get 3G/H anywhere it's available. 3.0 megapixel camera, USB 2.0, BT 2.0 with EDR. 1940 mAh battery, 802.11b/g. Weight is 154g (5.4oz) with battery.

Pros:

• Solidly built, very reliable, lightweight and easily pocketable;
• Keyboard feel/design works well to prevent keying errors -- very solid tactile response;
• GPS sensitivity and stability is excellent;
• Battery life is very good.

Cons:

• Accessories package is a bit light -- should have included a cover/case and a second stylus;
• The position of the USB sync port and its rubber cover are a pain to work around.

Summary: I've owned numerous HP iPAQs over the years -- from the venerable 1950 through the Jornada series to the Messengers. While HP is not always the first with the latest and greatest features on their PDAs, I've always been impressed by the quality and reliability of their products. The hardware is very durable and stands up to the rigors of daily office and personal use, and the software provided clearly has the corporate user in mind. The HP iPAQ 910c Business Manager is no exception. This is a solidly built unit that will serve the business/corporate user very well. It doesn't come with a sexy, gesture-based interface, but it does everything it claims to do well, and consistently. Read more...