Where's the Voq?

[Robert Levy]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/artman/publish/article_194.shtml' target='_blank'>http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/artman/publish/article_194.shtml</a><br /><br /></div>Remember the Voq? Back in October we spent a week hyping up the announcement of a "mystery phone" which <a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4188">turned out to be</a> the Voq from Sierra Wireless. What made this device cool was it's flip-out keyboard aimed at making text messaging, email, and IM much easier. <br /><br />I just saw an article about Sierra Wireless which mentions that they are <i>still</i> looking for a mobile operator to carry the device... and that's not a very good sign. Time is of the essence for the Voq considering that it is running the 2002 version of the operating system and lacks things like Bluetooth support. That may be fine for a phone launched *today* but if they don't get it out within the next few months, it is going to tough for this to compete with what other manufacturers are offering. That said, the <a href="http://www.voq.com">voq.com</a> website still vaugely states that the device will be available for purchase sometime in the first half of 2004. What do you think?

[mar2k]

The Voq site indicates it runs Windows Mobile 2003 OS.....

[Robert Levy]

Oooopps... I stand corrected - thanks. :oops: That gives them a bigger window for success, but I'm still concerned about whether this will ever make it to the market. It's quite odd for them to make a big deal about unveiling a device and then *still* be looking for a carrier to adopt it 2 months later. I wonder if there are problems plauging it that are keeping carriers away.

[mar2k]

That's what is so screwed up about mobile phones in North America. I thought America was supposed to be all about the free market and competition but where wireless carriers are concerned, its a joke. The wireless carriers control the market. New handset makers can't compete unless they catch on with one of the major wireless companies.

[DubWireless]

yeah definately 2003 - at CTIA they said they were running 2003 on the demo devices, although they wouldn't let you touch the prototypes :(

not sure there is so much cause for concern (just yet), operator testing traditionally takes a long time. sometimes you just have to wait for it to fit into an operators plans / strategy, or for the hardware / software to be accepted for rollout

take the recent bSquare Powered Handheld reference design which was around for a while and only recently taken up by Vodafone UK, or the Sony Ericsson P800 announced around March '02 and only shipped with operators at the end of the year

personally i'd prefer a flip out keyboard design like in the Nokia 6800 series, but that requires the screen to flip 90 degrees...

[David C]

the disign is intresting, but not really enough to make a product. Especially consider that we'll soon see portable bluetooth keyboard.

[noelfoster]

from what I can see (At least in my neck of the woods) the quality products are few and far between. I want to get something SOON, but only have one real choice, the Rogers/ AT&T Siemens SX56. The first product with 2003 that meets or exceeds that will mostlikely be in my pocket hours after launch. First come/first serve....

Walter Thompson
Edmonton, AB, Canada

[iPAQ_ace]

At the Toronto stop of the Windows Mobile User Group Tour, it was mentioned that it was undergoing carrier testing (presumably with Rogers AT&T) and should be launched in Canada sometime in 2004... whether or not this happens remains to be seen!

[David C]

Here is a thought. I wonder which is better? The VOQ keyboard or the fastap by digitwireless. Also, why hasn't any smartphone manufacture implemented fastap? It certaintly is possible to fit that keypad into a flip phone, and have bluetooth as a second keyboard option if you really need to type something long.