Orange SPV E650 Windows Mobile Smartphone Review on TrustedReviews

[Kris Kumar]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.trustedreviews.com/mobile-phones/review/2007/04/27/Orange-SPV-E650-Windows-Mobile-Smartphone/p1' target='_blank'>http://www.trustedreviews.com/mobile-phones/review/2007/04/27/Orange-SPV-E650-Windows-Mobile-Smartphone/p1</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Orange has an uncanny knack of producing mobile units that get closer and closer to my single device ideal. I’ve been using the SPV M3100 since last September and it managed to fulfil many of my needs, being smaller than the SPV M5000, but still sporting a slide out, full qwerty keyboard. But much as I liked the M3100, I found that I still ended up carrying my old Samsung D600 much of the time, since it made a more convenient handset for actually making phone calls. But now Orange may well have cracked it with the SPV E650 and my days of carrying two phones around with me could be well and truly over. The SPV E650 is based on HTC’s S710 smartphone and once again Orange is first out of the gate with a new Windows Mobile device. This comes as no real surprise considering that Orange pioneered Windows Mobile smartphones with the original SPV, and although that particular handset was pretty awful, Orange’s commitment to the Windows Mobile platform has definitely paid off."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Kris-may2007-e650trustedreview.jpg" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/> <br /><br />Nowadays it seems like we cannot spend a single day without reading a review or watching the un-boxing of the Orange SPV E650 a.k.a. HTC S710. This awesome smartphone has made its way to some Internet stores in the States but hasn't been picked up by a carrier. Are you waiting for this device to be picked up by your carrier? Or hoping that the carrier will pick up the Vox successor, the one with 3G support?

[Hyer]

I got one and like it pretty well, but am running into some issues that seem to be HTC problems.

1. I loose connection to the mail server a couple times a day and have to force a sync to get it going again. I had the same problem with my smartflip, I was hoping that the newer phone would solve the problem. Both were unlocked devices, maybe I am missing some setting for the ATT network? I had a blackjack for a couple of weeks in between and didn't have the problem with the branded phone.

2. I think the phone could use a better processor, it is a little slow at switching to landscape and some of the other processing power functions.

3. I'm still getting used to the keyboard layout, I feel that some of the more commonly used keys (comma is the one that drives me nuts) should be primary on the key instead of shift or fn.

All that said, I do like it better than the Blackjack or flip, it does a great job of balancing phone 1st email and text second funcionality.

[jfreiman]

I currently have an un-locked Dash on Cingular and really enjoy it.
i rarely use the integrated wi-fi but use the Edge all the time.
when I upgrade again it will be for 3G - either the cavelier or the HTC 730 (Voxson w/3G).

[Pete Teoh]

I'm definitely waiting for the 3G version. Switching to EDGE would be a step back from my Blackjack. It looks like a great device with an awesome form factor. Any news on when the 3G version (S730?) will be available?

[Hyer]

Ok, ignorate guy here, what's the speed diff between 3g and Edge?

[jfreiman]

Ok, ignorate guy here, what's the speed diff between 3g and Edge?

i get about 130kbs with Edge, my friend gets 640kbs with her 3G Blackjack - both are on the Cingular network. my friend with a Dash (Edge) on T-Mobile gets about 90kbs in the same location.

[Hyer]

I had a Blackjack for a couple weeks and didn't notice anything like that kind of speed improvement. I don't think the ATT 3g is rolled out very widely. Also, I try to keep to mobile sites, so I'm not moving enough bits to notice.

[Kris Kumar]

I'm definitely waiting for the 3G version. Switching to EDGE would be a step back from my Blackjack. It looks like a great device with an awesome form factor. Any news on when the 3G version (S730?) will be available?

Wish we knew..wish we knew. :cry:

[Stinger]

Yeah, I'll definitely be holding out for the 3G version too. I love the form-factor, but I can't go back to dial-up speeds. :(

[Pete Teoh]

Yeah, I'll definitely be holding out for the 3G version too. I love the form-factor, but I can't go back to dial-up speeds. :(
Once you've had a taste of streaming video from a Slingbox @ 700+kbps it's very very hard to go back to EDGE. 8-)

[finestkind]

I am waiting for the S730.

Not so much for the 3G, but for the GPS.