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

That HTC Touch Pro2 coming from Canadian carrier Telus that I posted about last week? It seems the press information I received forgot to mention one important little fact: that this phone was going to be among the first Touch Pro2's to feature a 3.5mm headphone jack, something that HTC had pledged to make more common in upcoming phones. That was quick!

"Available later this month, the HTC Touch Pro2 smartphone will help TELUS clients stay in touch easily with a large sliding 3.6" touchscreen and full QWERTY keypad. The enhanced Windows Mobile 6.1 professional platform will enable users to sync their email, contacts and calendar with Microsoft ActiveSync, plus access applications such as YouTube on TELUS' 3G network and almost anywhere they travel around the world with TELUS international roaming."

The above quote is from a Telus press release, which seems to be impossible to find online, but here are some other quotes from it:

• Network support: 3G EVDO Rev A, HSPA, Quad-band EDGE to stay productive and entertained on-the-go while travelling abroad or across Canada
• Optional microSD memory expandable to 16 GB to store documents, music, videos and photos
• 3.6" 65k WVGA (800x 480) touchscreen
• 3.2 MP camera/video with auto focus to take and share pictures with family and friends
• Easy access to You Tube, Digital Photo Frame and weather
• TELUS Navigator, TELUS Visual Voice Mail, TELUS mobile TV and more

The interesting thing here is that this is a CDMA phone with EVDO Rev A but also quad-band GSM - so when you're in North America you can rock the better speed and range of CDMA, and when you travel you'll roam onto the GSM network. That's a big deal for anyone that has a CDMA phone and is used to leaving it behind when they travel internationally. No word on exact pricing.

"We still like what we get in the Treo Pro, but at the same time can't help but look forward to the Pre. We're not quite sure where it fits in Sprint's lineup, given that HTC offers two devices that not only offer more features, but are better designed. Still, the Pro has a good design and will probably find its way into more than a few business suits."

Phone Arena has published a review of Sprint's Palm Treo Pro, which swaps GSM for CDMA. A few niggles aside, impressions are positive; however, with so many new, exciting, and more powerful devices on the horizon, this may be one device to avoid.

"China Techfaith Wireless Communication Technology Limited ("TechFaith") (NASDAQ: CNTF), an original developed product provider centered on the research and development of mobile telephone solutions, announced today the shipment of its Windows Mobile based touch screen PC CDMA device to Mexico. The PC CDMA mobile device is the first of its type to enter the Mexican market. This new device has a 2.8" touch screen, 3G technology, Windows Mobile 6.0 operating system, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, photo camera, music player and Office Mobile applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) that allow users to receive, edit and send their files. In addition, the PC CDMA device also supports high-speed Internet connection."

If the folks at TechFaith are hoping to take a sizable bite out of the Windows Mobile market, they'll have to do better than this. 64MB RAM, 128MB ROM, and a QVGA display are hardly killer features. Neither is the 22-month old Windows Mobile 6.0.

Despite PC Pro's slamming, the HTC Touch Diamond continues to move forward. First, there's good news for our US readers: the FCC has given the CDMA version two thumbs up, so now it's just a matter of the carriers announcing when and where you'll be able to hand over the dollar bills. In other news, those of you who already have the device may be interested in more juice, because, you know, that 900mAh battery included in the box isn't exactly anything to write home about. Our affiliate hardware store (Expansys) has a 1340mAh version (cover included) available for pre-order, so if you value uptime over girth, be sure to take a look.

"MetroPCS may not have the largest wireless footprint in the States, but they did take a jab at the larger two CDMA carriers by announcing their intention to take on any Verizon and Sprint customers ready to jump ship -- as well as any "compatible" devices they may want to bring along with them. Sprint already supposedly does this (although we've still yet to hear of it actually really happening), but the specifics of MetroPCS's MetroFlash seem equally unclear. It doesn't sound like they'll reprogram just any CDMA device that walks through their doors, though, just the ones they've had a chance to test on their network. Definitely kills the buzz (and the number of devices that can be ported), but a little open is still kind of better than totally closed, right?"

One of the things that have always annoyed be of CDMA devices and carriers is the almost non-existence of openness between them. With my GSM/HSDPA handset I can pop in a SIM card from almost any other GSM network and be up and running with a snap of my fingers. This is something that is almost impossible to do on CDMA networks… heck even switching your current device on the same CDMA network is a hassle. While I give MetroPCS a pat on the back by trying to stand apart from the crowd is it really enough? What benefit is there to being open when the whole process of enabling the handset on the network is so ridiculously cumbersome?

"Sprint's not going out of its way to make a big fuss about it, but its long-standing Voice Command service will soon be no more. The service, which allowed Sprint-Nextel phones to dial two buttons and then give voice commands to place calls, will be discontinued on July 1st, 2008, meaning that all your server-based contacts will soon be inaccessible. Aside from removing the VC fee from your monthly bill, Sprint's advising users to download and print their contact lists, and better still, it's encouraging users to rely on handset-based voice-activated dialing (or pick up a new phone if their current one can't pass muster). So long, Voice Command -- we can't imagine too many folks actually missing you."



I'm not sure if any of our Sprint readers take advantage of their carrier based Voice Command service, but if you do it would be a good time to back up all of your contacts now! It turns out Sprint is pulling the plug on this service on July 1st, 2008 and whatever you do not backup will be sent to the vast CDMA heaven up above. To be honest, I'm surprised they didn't pull the plug on this service a few years back when it started becoming more popular to use the VC services on the handset instead of via the network. Better late than never, huh?

"Telstra Country Wide Director, Gary Goldsworthy, today confirmed that the old CDMA mobile network would shut down across the country at midnight tonight, closing a significant chapter in the history of telecommunications in Australia. "At midnight tonight Telstra will commence the carefully planned closure of the redundant CDMA mobile network. Today really is the last chance for remaining CDMA customers to move across to a new mobile network, such as the Telstra Next G™ network, and remain connected" Mr Goldsworthy said. "CDMA technology has served Australia well over the years but has now been superseded by more advanced third generation mobile technology such as the Telstra Next G™ network, which carries about 7.5 times the data carried on the CDMA network at its peak."



CDMA coverage in Australia will be axed at midnight, starting from the east coast and progressing toward the west coast in accordance with local time zones. Telstra has been at it for two years, urging CDMA customers via letter, phone, and SMS to make the switch over to Next G. But this has been much to the discontent of a handful of rural customers, primarily due to concerns that the UMTS/HSDPA network suffers from poorer coverage in remote areas of the country. Like it or not, however - the clock is ticking. Any Australian readers here happy/unhappy about this?