MobileTechReview Reviews the Sprint PPC-6700

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.mobiletechreview.com/Sprint-PPC-6700.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.mobiletechreview.com/Spr...nt-PPC-6700.htm</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Good things come in innovative shapes and sizes— witness the PPC-6700 Windows Mobile Pocket PC Phone from Sprint. We've seen slider keyboards before, but this is the first that slides from the side rather than bottom of the phone, making it perfect for landscape use. Not only that, the keyboard is excellent, better than the chicklet keys found on other QWERTY keyboard smartphones and in fact better than the GSM version of this phone."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/ekkie_PPC6700_open.jpg" /><br /><br />This has some nice specifications going for it: WiFi, Bluetooth, EVDO, 128MB ROM, 1.3 megapixel camera, WM5. However, on the downside, it's sporting a QVGA screen, a mini-SD slot (instead of a standard SD slot), and it appears that the 416 MHz processor feels a little pokey. Nonetheless, if you're a Sprint customer looking for the latest PPC offerings, you'll want to hop on over and read the review that Lisa Glade has put together.

[Jason Lee]

I don't really like the flat keys but i do kinda like where the softkeys are on the keyboard better than the k-jam.

[PdaAddict]

Looks like my Treo 650 will have to stay for a while. This unit seems to be thicker than Treo and the screen seems to be very dim similarly to the one I had on my I mate Jam and Siemens SX66 before. Also, that antenna definitely kills it for me not to mention that its CDMA.

[whydidnt]

I don't really like the flat keys but i do kinda like where the softkeys are on the keyboard better than the k-jam.

The keys look a lot like those on my JasJar - just smaller. If so, they are domed, not flat and should be pretty easy to use. I prefer them to the chicklet style found on the K-Jam myself.

I think I am having Gadget envy regarding this phone. I recently acquired the Samsung i730 to go with the JasJar, but it's keyboard is really to cramped for me to reliably used for any sort of serious typing. Otherwise I really like the Samsung and the EVDO speeds. I'm sure I'd love the 6700's dl speeds as well, though. :D

It's probably a good thing this isn't our in retail stores yet. I probably would have to go in to play with one, and knowing my lack of control, would probably walk out with one, while being a little lighter in the pocket. :wink:

[whydidnt]

Looks like my Treo 650 will have to stay for a while. This unit seems to be thicker than Treo and the screen seems to be very dim similarly to the one I had on my I mate Jam and Siemens SX66 before. Also, that antenna definitely kills it for me not to mention that its CDMA.

Umm, doesn't the Treo 650 also have an antenna sticking out the top? :wink: I can't comment on the brightness of the screen, but I know the 650 screens are very nice.

If it's just CDMA that kills it for you, then the K-Jam is in the wild now- very similar and has Quad Band GSM w/EDGE. However, it's running a slower processor. Early reports regarding response time seem pretty positive, though.

[DaleReeck]

I don't really like the flat keys but i do kinda like where the softkeys are on the keyboard better than the k-jam.

The keys look a lot like those on my JasJar - just smaller. If so, they are domed, not flat and should be pretty easy to use. I prefer them to the chicklet style found on the K-Jam myself.

I think I am having Gadget envy regarding this phone. I recently acquired the Samsung i730 to go with the JasJar, but it's keyboard is really to cramped for me to reliably used for any sort of serious typing. Otherwise I really like the Samsung and the EVDO speeds. I'm sure I'd love the 6700's dl speeds as well, though. :D

It's probably a good thing this isn't our in retail stores yet. I probably would have to go in to play with one, and knowing my lack of control, would probably walk out with one, while being a little lighter in the pocket. :wink:

I have the I730/JasJar combo too :) I think I like the I730's horizontal keyboard better than the vertical one on the 6700. I never felt comfortable using the onscreen dialer and the I730 has a more natural dialing feel when using the hard keys. In one hand, you can slide down the keyboard with your thumb and start dialing on the I730 with the hard keys. The vertical keyboard may be better for data entry, but for dialing, the I730's horizonal keyboard works way better IMO.

[whydidnt]

I have the I730/JasJar combo too :) I think I like the I730's horizontal keyboard better than the vertical one on the 6700. I never felt comfortable using the onscreen dialer and the I730 has a more natural dialing feel when using the hard keys. In one hand, you can slide down the keyboard with your thumb and start dialing on the I730 with the hard keys. The vertical keyboard may be better for data entry, but for dialing, the I730's horizonal keyboard works way better IMO.

I agree with you on this. I typically dial just as you indicate, though I often hit the contacts button and use that application to dial contacts from there.

[Darius Wey]

It seems like a nice device, but that antenna looks a little large. You could poke someone's eye out with that thing. :|

[threedaysdwn]

I have this device. The screen is plenty bright and looks much nicer (albeit smaller) than my PPC-6600 did.

I've noticed a bit of sluggishness when rotating the screen or powering on/off (talking 2-3 second delays at most, not huge). But I think they're caused by Spb PocketPlus which isn't yet optimized for WM5.



Oh, and the WM5 OS rocks.

[IpaqMan2]

This is killing me.. I have a wod of cash in my wallet and was planning on picking up the Dell Axim or HP 4700 today or tomorrow. But as things just happen to be I also really need a new cell phone and can go with a new provider as well. The idea of buying a Pocket PC phone is fairly new to me since I decided to wait a few years for them to mature more, but 6700 seems to do it for me. I really like the design, the keyboard is just what I am looking for and I can live with Sprint specially since I am able to get a pretty good discount on my bill from my company with it's corperate discount. The only thing the 6700 really lacks that I so badly wanted in a new PPC was VGA and the screen size. No local store has the 6700 on display so I can't play with it first. But I have played with the i730 and believe the screen is about the same size.. and have decided that it's screen is bareable.

So in the next 48 hours I will either have a 6700 or some other standalone PDA.