Microsoft Australia and Optus Mobile partner to announce the

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.microsoftmobilitypress.com/vpr2003/word/Optus%20Windows%20Powered%20Smartphone%20media%20release%20FINAL.doc' target='_blank'>http://www.microsoftmobilitypress.com/vpr2003/word/Optus%20Windows%20Powered%20Smartphone%20media%20release%20FINAL.doc</a><br /><br /></div>"Microsoft Australia, in conjunction with Optus Mobile, today announced the Australian availability of the first Microsoft Windows® Powered Smartphone, a new mobile phone software platform that combines voice and text communication with wireless data capabilities. The Qtek 7070 Smartphone device, built on the Microsoft Windows® Powered Smartphone operating system, provides personal information management software and a familiar and consistent Windows® experience designed to make the device personal, intuitive, easy-to-use and powerful."<br /><br />This news is a little old (about one month), but I wanted to dispell the myth that the UK is the only place on the planet where you can get a Smartphone. :wink:

[niacin65]

Well we do have the Smart Amazing Phone here in the Philippines. It's been out since February 2003, so I have been told. I got mine last week, and love it. One small tradeoff, the package does not include the cradle, nor the SD card that Orange includes, but our phones are application "unlocked" out of the box. Buyers here look for phones with bootloader .98 so they can be used in other countires (can you say TirBand?), rather than locked to Smart our local provider here. We have yet been able to trade MMS content with anyone using Globe, the other main Philippines provider. This is really Nokia country here, and the #1 SMS capital of the world, as landline phones are not in the budget of most families. It takes quite a bit to get used to no "send to many" nor "send business card", and not returning to the messaged composed, after SMS sending failure. But being able to surf the internet while in a taxi or anywhere, is really great. BTW, local pricing is about p22,000 at a Smart retail store, and about p15,000 street. Not bad at a 53 to 1 US Dollar to Philippines Peso exchange rate...Most of us have been using modified aftermarket Nokia 3210 clear cases to protect our screens, as no case is available locally as of yet.

[Anthony Caruana]

Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi

I'm already an Optus customer so I might just have to try and con my company to get em one of these

[Arisme]

but I wanted to dispell the myth that the UK is the only place on the planet where you can get a Smartphone.


right, it's very easy (and can be very cheap ~ 50 € with camera) to get one in France too 8)

[freitasm]

Yes, Jason, it's not new news, but I understand the reasons...
I do the same on Geekzone sometimes.

I'm actually leaving to Melbourne this weekend, and already arranged with Optus to have a QTEK 7070 while there, to check how their services work :wink:

I'm also having a 3G phone from 3 Australia... It's going to be a geek mobile heaven week :D

Will post my impressions next week on Geekzone and let you guys know when it's up.