Chi Mei's Microsoft Smartphone Confirmed

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.infoworld.com/article/03/07/31/HNchimeiphone_1.html' target='_blank'>http://www.infoworld.com/article/03/07/31/HNchimeiphone_1.html</a><br /><br /></div>"Rumors regarding the development of a smart phone based on software from Microsoft by Taiwan's Chi Mei Communication Systems have been confirmed with the device's regulatory approval by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC published details of the telephone on its Web site Wednesday after the handset received clearance from the FCC to be used in the U.S. Regulatory approval from the FCC is required for all cellular telephones before they can be used in the U.S. and this is usually one of the final stages a product goes through before commercial launch. <br /><br />The Chi Mei smart phone approved, which has the development code name "Beethoven," uses a clamshell design and runs the Windows Powered Smartphone operating system, according to the documents. The same operating system is used in Mitac International's Mio 8380 and High Tech Computer's Qtek 7070. Samsung Electronics has also shown a prototype handset running the software."<br /><br />Nothing new to the readers of Smartphone enthusiast sites, but it's nice to see the mainstream media confirm what we all knew. :wink: Smartphone.info has some <a href="http://www.smartphone2002.info/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=192&mode=&order=0&thold=0">photos of the phone</a> from the FCC PDF file, as does <a href="http://www.ppcw.net/?itemid=1434">PPCW.net</a>. It's a pity the phone doesn't have Bluetooth or a camera built in though - both seem to be features that early adopters demand in their phones. Hey, that could make a good survey!

[brntcrsp]

Anyone have the FCC link? If the manual is posted I'd like to take a peak.

[Robert Levy]

Anyone have the FCC link? If the manual is posted I'd like to take a peak.

https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/oet/forms/reports/Search_Form.hts?mode=Edit&form=Exhibits&application_id=641395&fcc_id=QDJ-0303BEN01

We acquired a draft copy of the manual last week and it was the basis for our story that got all of this hype started: http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/index.php?topic_id=3876.

[brntcrsp]

Thanks, Robert.

Very cool little device. If the jog dial integrates with other applications (IE, Reader) it could be very snazzy.

[Robert Levy]

Thanks, Robert.

Very cool little device. If the jog dial integrates with other applications (IE, Reader) it could be very snazzy.

That would be very cool, but doesn't seem likely... from our first post on this device (info extracted from a draft of the manual): "When the phone is flipped open, the jog dial is used to control the volume of the earpiece, speaker and headset, record voice notes and processes voice tags"

[brntcrsp]

I read that too, but those seem to be very specific to a give application, i.e. the voice control would likely only be used durning a call, and I would guess the voice recording would be activated by pressing the the dial first. Any idea how hard it is to write system hooks for the Smartphone OS? It might be an interesting experiment to hook into the jog dial and increase it's functionality. Of course this is all just academic at this point until the phone is released somewhere.

[Robert Levy]

The voice stuff would work across the entire OS - the jog dial just replaces the record button that's on the top left of the SPV/Tanager.

[brntcrsp]

that's a pity - I guess I would be more informed if I actually owned a Smartphone. :)