02-28-2006, 05:00 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 349
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AXIA 308 PDA Phone: The World's Smallest Pocket PC!
"VIPN - Voice Internet Phone Network presents you the new AXIA A308 PDA Phone described as being a quad-band device offering GSM, GPRS and EDGE connectivity, the AXIA 308 also features Wifi connectivity. It is also the world�s smallest PDA Phone on the Microsoft� Windows� Mobile 5 operating system."
Now, here's a device to get excited enough to have a countdown on their website.  The Axia 308 has all the goods of a Pocket PC Phone Edition device packed into the form-factor of a Smartphone. While the look and technical specifications have changed over the past few weeks, VIPN has confirmed the following in their PDF spec sheet: quadband GSM/GPRS with EDGE, 802.11b Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 1.2, Windows Mobile 5, 1.3MP camera with flash, a full keypad, and a 2.2" 262K-color QVGA touchscreen. VIPN has integrated VoIP SIP features with this phone, which makes it even more appealing. With an impressive price tag of 799 Swiss Francs (about $604 USD), will you be watching that countdown as well? :drool:
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02-28-2006, 05:11 PM
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5000+ Posts? I Should OWN This Site!
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,067
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$600? A bit overpriced, particularly if you take the price of the HTC Wizard (which is in no means worse, technically; in addition, its 2.8" QVGA screen and lack of the numeric keypad may prove be more usable in everyday situations) into account.
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02-28-2006, 05:39 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 718
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I don't know, $600 isn't out of line for a phone of these capabilities and of this size. Plus, it's 400MHZ, not crappy 200MHZ OMAP like a lot of devices are going with.
For me, the issue is screen size. How small is "too small"? My Sprint 6700 has a 2.8 inch screen and I can't imagine going much smaller. 2.2 inches could be uncomfortable.
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02-28-2006, 05:48 PM
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5000+ Posts? I Should OWN This Site!
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,067
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by DaleReeck
I don't know, $600 isn't out of line for a phone of these capabilities and of this size. Plus, it's 400MHZ, not crappy 200MHZ OMAP like a lot of devices are going with.
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IMHO, the 200 MHz OMAP is by no means "crappy", particularly if you overclock it to 240 MHz. I was really surprised by the real performance of the CPU of my HTC Wizard, particularly with a new(er) ROM (not the dog-slow first).
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For me, the issue is screen size. How small is "too small"? My Sprint 6700 has a 2.8 inch screen and I can't imagine going much smaller. 2.2 inches could be uncomfortable.
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Yup, 2.2" is far too small in my opinion too. I even consider the 2.8" in my HTC Wizard too small sometimes.
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02-28-2006, 05:52 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 349
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Just as a supplement to the article, I mentioned that the 308 has undergone some "evolutions" over the past weeks. For instance, this blog entry showed a much different device and with different specs:
Originally had tri-band GSM (no 850MHz), no mention of EDGE, and a whopping 3MP camera (now 1.3).
When you click on the "prebooking" (read: mailing list) button on that page, it says, "Your pre-booking of AXIA_308."
However, when you click on the 308 image on the home page, it says, "Your pre-booking of AXIA_308_V2."
Are there two different versions, and are we waiting for the next generation model?
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02-28-2006, 06:15 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 190
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I was lured into Sprint by the Apache (HTC PPC 6700). I used to be with Cingular and used to have the Treo 650. I waited for ever and ever for Cingular to release the 8125. I gave up the wait last December and decided to just swallow up the $150.00 early termination fee from Cingular and go with Sprint.
Now, this phone is GSM. I've always liked the idea of GSM. I would also jump once again if a phone nicer than the PPC 6700 were released but I'm afraid this one isn't it. I mean, the dimensions make it as thick as the PPC 6700, as long as well (if you include the antenna on the 6700), but narrower than the 6700 by about 1/4 of an inch on each side. So, what would the advantage be on this phone? And, yes, it is probably the smallest Pocket PC Smartphone ever but by mear fractions of an inch.
I don't think one can go much smaller than the PPC 6700 without making the device uncomfortable to use. I see why there are PDA's with Smart phone capabilities (like the 6700) and Smartphones with limited Pocket PC capabilities (like the SMT 5600). I can't see how a company can develop one device to combine both kinds without developing something like the old Nokia Communicator, but much smaller and thinner off-course. Otherwise there would probably be too much to compromise, right? Thank God for Bluetooth Headphones.
Now, here's an idea, what if these companies placed a small keypad on a bluetooth headset? You know, with small rubber keys the size of the old calculator watches? That would be really cool. See, my biggest gripe with the PPC 6700 is how dangerous it is to dial a number while driving. The sensory feedback just isn't there - which is why I really used to like my old Treo 650. I also don't like voice dialing too much. But, if I could just dial a number right from it's small keypad then that would be very convinient. I think one would also get used to the keypad layout and just press the keys while wearing the earphone. Also, I don't think the size of the device would have to be that much bigger then the Motoroal 850s. Are there any bluetooth headsets with this kind of functionality?
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02-28-2006, 06:45 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 39
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Raphael Salgado
Just as a supplement to the article, I mentioned that the 308 has undergone some "evolutions" over the past weeks. For instance, this blog entry showed a much different device and with different specs:
Originally had tri-band GSM (no 850MHz), no mention of EDGE, and a whopping 3MP camera (now 1.3).
When you click on the "prebooking" (read: mailing list) button on that page, it says, "Your pre-booking of AXIA_308."
However, when you click on the 308 image on the home page, it says, "Your pre-booking of AXIA_308_V2."
Are there two different versions, and are we waiting for the next generation model? |
According to PocketPCItalia, this is Axia 308 and the new one is Axia 308 V2. That's kinda confusing. And I think the original Axia 308 seems to have better overall specs and more appealing design than V2.
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02-28-2006, 07:01 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,341
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I think there is a market for a phone like this, but I think for many Pocket PC users this screen is far too small. The current 2.8" screens were quite an adjustment. 2.2" is just too small for a lot of people using current converged devices. A screen that size is going to severely limit the PDA functionality. For those wanting more phone function and not as concerned about PDA function, this should be a cool device. For me, no way. I wish I could get a 3.5" screen on a converged device in a size like the 1900/4100 Ipaq.
Anyone notice the site states it is 262k colors? I didn't think Windows Mobile supported 262K...am I wrong? did this change in WM5.0?
Dave
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02-28-2006, 07:07 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 357
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113.3mm X 48.8mm X 20.8mm is alot longer and thicker than the JAMin. While the width is shorter, I'm not sure this qualifies as the smallest Pocket PC. Smallest screen, maybe?
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02-28-2006, 07:10 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,341
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Adamz
113.3mm X 48.8mm X 20.8mm is alot longer and thicker than the JAMin. While the width is shorter, I'm not sure this qualifies as the smallest Pocket PC. Smallest screen, maybe?
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With those dimensions I think the cost is far to high. It's thick. It's long, but it is narrow.....resulting in a very small screen. I realize that the narrowness and keypad make one handed phone operations very easy, but PDA functions are down the drain.
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