[Janak Parekh]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/0...ng_hdd_handset/

"Samsung has shown what it claims is the world's first mobile phone that incorporates a hard drive. The SPH-V5400, unveiled today in Japan, includes 1.5GB of hard disk storage. That's barely more than you can get from a SD or CompactFlash card, but it's a start, presaging the day when handsets are as much iPods as phones...The Samsung handset also features an FM radio, 64-voice polyphonic ringtone support, a 240 x 320 display and TV output - again, preparing the way for the day when mobiles incorporate Microsoft Portable Media Center-style functionality."

Engadget linked to a few pics of the unit:



I believe it's slated to be a Korea-only release, so we won't be seeing it here anytime soon, but it raises some interesting questions. We've been having an interesting little discussion on the boards as to whether hard drives should be integrated in Pocket PCs, and Samsung has just pushed the integration bar, although it's slated to cost $800. 8O I'm not convinced this is currently a good idea as opposed to, say, a 1GB flash solution, but let's take a poll of your opinions.

[Janak Parekh]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/0...ng_hdd_handset/

"Samsung has shown what it claims is the world's first mobile phone that incorporates a hard drive. The SPH-V5400, unveiled today in Japan, includes 1.5GB of hard disk storage. That's barely more than you can get from a SD or CompactFlash card, but it's a start, presaging the day when handsets are as much iPods as phones...The Samsung handset also features an FM radio, 64-voice polyphonic ringtone support, a 240 x 320 display and TV output - again, preparing the way for the day when mobiles incorporate Microsoft Portable Media Center-style functionality."

Engadget linked to a few pics of the unit:



I believe it's slated to be a Korea-only release, so we won't be seeing it here anytime soon, but it raises some interesting questions. We've been having an interesting little discussion on the boards as to whether hard drives should be integrated in Pocket PCs, and Samsung has just pushed the integration bar, although it's slated to cost $800. 8O I'm not convinced this is currently a good idea as opposed to, say, a 1GB flash solution, but let's take a poll of your opinions.

[ghostppc]

$800!!?!???!?! 8O I think I'll be using a couple paper cups and a string!

[Jonathon Watkins]

Hmm, a HD in a PPC I can see, but a phone? I know they are after the iPOD music market, but still........

[welovejesus]

Flash memory is much more stable. My Dell Axim X5 Basic has experienced many drops that a device with a HD would not sustain. Flash memory is probably not as power hungry either.
My primary choice for the Pocket PC has to due with portability, speed (turning the device off and on frequently), durability , and longevity (battery life). The latter of the two only avaible in a Pocket PC device.

[Jonathan1]

I'll never purchase a phone or Pocket PC that has a HD in it. I don't want it. I don't need it. I don't trust it. And frankly I'll take better battery life over a spinning disk any day. :|

[Ryan Joseph]

I have to admit...that phone is so shiny!

That really is a slick looking display on the front.

And I'm not going to comment on hard drives in devices. I'll wait until we see some performance specs before passing judgement.

[Dave Conger]

Recently I have seen so many people with harddrive related problems (mostly in the laptops) that I would hate to have a moving hard drive in my phone.

Plus 1.5 GB? Unless I am using my phone for music, I don't know what the heck else I would put on it.

[jimski]

Had to answer maybe. The HD would have to somehow be user servicable, maybe like the way SIM cards are installed/removed. I would have no interest in send out my PPC when (not if) my hard drive failed. Also, if I am going to dump 2-5 (10 8O ) GB of data onto a hard drive, I am going to need a fast way to do that, like maybe firewire.

I am not worried about losing the data from a failed HD as most likely it would all be copied from a location on a laptop or desktop which would be backed up regularly.

[ctmagnus]

<drop>

<head crash>

Or that would be my experience. ymmv.

[surur]

This is just an example of the vortex that is the cellphone. They are sucking up every other mobile electronic gadget and intergrating them.

This is obviously a go at the Ipod market, and when the HDD reached 5GB will be a worthy competitor. I believe it has USB already, and as Jimski said, your media data is usually not important, as its just copies from another hard drive.

Any objections to this device has already been addressed by the Ipod mini, and I would not expect it to have more failures and problems than that device. Its pricey now, but its for early adopters.

HDD in pocketpc's have a role, as long as they are confined to media storage, not data or programs, which should go into flash. That way it will only suck your battery when you intend to, when listening to music or watching a movie.

1.5G is too small, but Im sure the next generation will have 5 G. This phone just serves to show what is possible, and in a very small package.

Obviously the engineers in Korea thinks they have overcome the biggest objections to a HDD in a mobile device that needs to rugged, always available and small. Maybe they should talk to HP?

Surur