Compal Communications and RADVISION to Develop Advanced 3G Mobile Video Phone

[Kris Kumar]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.radvision.com/CorporateInformation/PressCenter/06Apr2006.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.radvision.com/CorporateInformation/PressCenter/06Apr2006.htm</a><br /><br /></div><i>"RADVISION, a leading provider of multimedia conferencing and communications platforms, announces today that Compal Communications Incorporated (CCI) has licensed RADVISION’s leading 3G-324M protocol toolkit, along with professional consulting services, for development of an advanced 3G cellular video Windows MobileTM PDA phone. The CCI 3G PDA phone includes an advanced video application that will allow subscribers to videoconference and participate in video communities and other revenue generating services. The phone is based on Microsoft® Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system and the Intel PXA270 applications processor. RADVISION developed the video application for CCI using its 3G-324M Toolkit, in collaboration with both Microsoft and Intel."</i><br /><br />Compal Communications has not tried to venture out like HTC and have its products re-branded under multiple vendors or carriers. I remember the first Smartphone I owned was a <a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3869">Compal Red-E,</a> which was marketed by Microsoft as a developer kit Smartphone. Then the Motorola MPx200 and the MPx220 were manufactured by Compal. The Red-E and the MPx220 had serious quality problems, something that Compal must improve upon if it wants its products to takeoff in the Smartphone world. This recent announcement could be for a Pocket PC Phone Edition, but let's hope they have plans to develop more Smartphones and especially quality 3G Smartphones. ;-)

[Darius Wey]

I'm pretty certain this press release is referring to the Pocket LOOX T series (http://www.fujitsu-siemens.com/products/mobile/handhelds/pocket_loox_t_series.html) that Compal is manufacturing for Fujitsu-Siemens. Both the T810 and T830 feature the Intel PXA270 CPU, 3G, and Windows Mobile 5.0, just like this press release mentions. Of course, it's hard to use such vague factors to jump to a conclusion, but at the moment, I can't think of any other device that Compal has up their sleeve.

[Kris Kumar]

So how is the Compal quality on the Pocket PC front? When it comes to Smartphones, I have mentioned that they need to work hard.

[Darius Wey]

So how is the Compal quality on the Pocket PC front? When it comes to Smartphones, I have mentioned that they need to work hard.

I don't think their Pocket PC track record is that great either, though they haven't really produced many. If I recall correctly, they worked with Motorola in the development of the MPx, which we all know turned to dust. The T800 series will be out soon, so we'll have to work off user reports to see what the quality is like. But for now, here's a thread (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=46641) that's food for thought.

[Kris Kumar]

Looking at the thread that you posted, it makes me wonder as to how much control the vendor (Moto/Fujitsu-Siemens) has in the design and development process. The MPx220 also has similar screen size issues, I mean the black border and a screeen that is smaller compared to the overall size of the unit. In fact a screen that is smaller than the comparable HTC devices like the SP3/SMT5600. :evil:

It seems like Compal is the one messing up things up for the vendors, of course the vendors are not ensuring the quality that is supposed to be going into the products being branded under their names. :evil:

[Mike Temporale]

Looking at the thread that you posted, it makes me wonder as to how much control the vendor (Moto/Fujitsu-Siemens) has in the design and development process. The MPx220 also has similar screen size issues, I mean the black border and a screeen that is smaller compared to the overall size of the unit. In fact a screen that is smaller than the comparable HTC devices like the SP3/SMT5600. :evil:

Interesting. This was the case with one of the recently announced Smartphone devices. I don't recall which device, but the comments about the screen being considerably smaller than expected. :?

Bad Compal, Bad. :(