ASUS Launches the P525 Pocket PC Phone Edition

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.asus.com/news_show.aspx?id=3316' target='_blank'>http://www.asus.com/news_show.aspx?id=3316</a><br /><br /></div><i>"ASUSTeK Computer Inc. today introduced the P525 quad-band PDA phone, which incorporated Push E-mail, Wi-Fi support and built-in numeric keypad to deliver a complete mobile business solution. Users can now stay connected no matter where they are. "Business Anywhere" is the design concept behind the P525. As enterprises continue to globalize, business professionals should no longer be confined by their office desks or even wireless hotspots."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20060531-AsusP525.jpg" /><br /><br />Asus' P525 Pocket PC Phone Edition has just been officially released. The quad-band GSM/GPRS device features an Intel XScale 416MHz processor, 64MB RAM, 128MB ROM, a 2.8" 240 x 320 (QVGA) display, a 2.0-megapixel camera with auto-focus and flash, 802.11b Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, SIR, USB 1.1, a miniSD slot, and Windows Mobile 5.0. The P525 also includes the Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP) for Microsoft's push e-mail solution, a text-to-speech engine, a 5-way joystick, and a numeric keypad.<br /><br />Great looking device, in my opinion. If it supported 3G, I'd imagine a lot of you would be all over it.

[Menneisyys]

If it supported 3G, I'd imagine a lot of you would be all over it.

No 3G? No go for me.

Frankly, I can't understand why HTC/Asustek don't come up with 3G AND GPRS/EDGE devices. I'd need both of them; still, no current Pocket PC PE device support them. Don't make me go for a new Nokia N-series device because, however much their hardware rocks and is considerably better than most PPC PE devices, I dislike Symbian :)

[Phillip Dyson]

2.8 in screen and a keypad...

This must be a pretty big phone.

[x51vuser]

another simplistic design, no vga, battery to be charged
three times a day, lousy surfing over gprs ... yawn

[joker]

miniSD slotwhat the crap

[ventivent]

Very interesting device, with decent specs. Too bad Asus didn't attempt to integrate the new Blackberry 5-key across QWERTY keypad. (I know some people love it, some people hate it.) As for me, placed an order for a Motorola Q this morning.

[Brutalba]

I wonder when I will be able to purschase this device. Mid July I'm going to Singapore, hopefully I can find P525 there.

[Darius Wey]

miniSD slotwhat the crap

I used to loathe miniSD as much as you, but with falling prices and manufacturers bundling miniSD to SD adapters with almost all cards sold, it's really not that bad. In fact, on the topic of price, in some stores here in Australia, miniSD is even cheaper than SD. 8O

[huangzhinong]

Those devices were designed mainly for Asian market (China mostly), so no EDGE or 3G support at all. I only wish it had GPS receiver.

[szamot]

WOW this should be a great device for all the people who like the same old boring design and spec sheet scenerio. Asus seems to be another sheep in the heard following everyone else with the the same old, same old.

[PdaAddict]

Boring...

[isajoo]

in the desktop computer world you would have to upgrade your computer every 6-i months to get the fastest performing pc. but here in ppc world i could actually get away with upgrading every 3-4 years since manufacturers are not really changing the specs at all. 64 megs of ram, come on, how much can 128 megs of ram cost? $10-$15. xscale 416mhz processor, like 5 years ago had that. qvga 6 year old technology. what is wrong with manufacturers...do they not like our money anymore?

[Darius Wey]

xscale 416mhz processor, like 5 years ago had that. qvga 6 year old technology. what is wrong with manufacturers...do they not like our money anymore?

I'm pretty sure by the end of the year, if not, the start of next year, we'll start to see some Monahans-equipped PDAs with the newest generation of GoForce or Imageon GPUs. That seems to be the direction the hardware manufacturers are heading toward.

[Nurhisham Hussein]

I wonder when I will be able to purschase this device. Mid July I'm going to Singapore, hopefully I can find P525 there.

Should be available in Singapore by then - the retailers here are already reporting stock is on its way.

[Typhoon]

Does this have a touch screen??

[Typhoon]

Oh wait...I just read it. It is! Anyone know the price?

[Nurhisham Hussein]

I can't confirm this but from another site:

the retail price'll be not more than € 600 (US$ 765, RM 2770, S$ 1220)

That's unlocked of course.

[Typhoon]

$800 is a lot of money...anyone got an idea on when and how much the price will drop? ...because this is what i have always wanted in a PDA/phone combo...

[Darius Wey]

$800 is a lot of money...anyone got an idea on when and how much the price will drop? ...because this is what i have always wanted in a PDA/phone combo...

Give it a few months in the market, when a lot of people choose not to buy it because it's overpriced. Maybe Asus will drop the price then. :)

[Typhoon]

lol oh ok. By then I can buy it...

[Darius Wey]

lol oh ok. By then I can buy it...

Of course, by then, a newer and better device might be out. It's a no-win situation. ;)

[Typhoon]

Oh that's right...