MPx220 Video From MoDaCo

[Mike Temporale]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://smartphone.modaco.com/viewtopic.php?p=411447#411447' target='_blank'>http://smartphone.modaco.com/viewtopic.php?p=411447#411447</a><br /><br /></div>Paul from MoDaCo has a nice 11 MB video of the MPx220. I guess this video means that the phone is real. Now we just need Motorola to announce it and for it to become available for purchase! If you watch closely you will notice the phone says "QUAD" just behind the hinge. This should help put to rest the question over Tri or Quad band. The video also clearly shows that the phone does not have a SD slot. It is miniSD. I don't understand why Motorola did this. :? Anyway, check out the video if you are interested in the MPx220.

[possmann]

mini-SD SUCK! :pukeface:

[Jason Dunn]

I'm not happy about the minSD card, but I guess it's just one card that I'll buy and leave it in the phone. It hurts the multiple-device scenarios though, unless you carry the adaptor with you (unlikely).

Still, it looks like a sweet phone! :D

[Ben]

I still think this phone looks like the one I will buy, but I am curious about the mini-SD.

At the same time, I'm curious why people so passionately hate the mini-SD. I dislike them simply because they are just one more format to keep track of, and I already have toys that use compact flash (PDA) and sony stick (digital camera). Even so, if the mpx220 adequately elimates the need for a pda and high quality digital camera for all but the rarest special circumstances, I am willing to use whatever media card they say I have to use.

Is the reason for the passionate hatred of mini-SD the fact that they are harder to find in stores, slower to transfer data, unable to do the I/O-WiFi and such, or some other reason? Do they cost more than comparable regular SD cards? I really don' know much about the differences between SD and mini-SD.

[possmann]

imagine buying a computer that has a 3.25 inch disk, but your laptop at work has a 3.5 inch disk and your friend uses a 2.5 inch disk on his device...

It is easy to swap informaiton around if we focus on using one card format - or at least two card formats. It is not that I am upset about the mini-SD - it is the fact that my camera and PDA both use an SD and not any cameras or PDAs (to my knowledge) use or are boasting the future use of this new format.

SD cards are now just getting started to hit the Digi Camera area big time (well except for Fuji going their won way :roll: and then there is sony - always marching to their own drum...) so before the card can really take hold in the marketplace we are fragmenting things by introducing a new format that apparently only a couple of phones have now.

Does that make sense?

[Ben]

possmann,

That totally makes sense. I understand the concerns about an already-overly fragmented market. At the same time, if it is smaller, faster, the same price, and comes with an adapter to work with regular SD, I don't see that much of a problem. However, I just did an internet search to try to find out the max capacity and cost of a mini-SD, since I had been planning on buying the mpx220 as soon as available, and I cannot find a place that sells them! Even sandisk.com does not offer mini-SD. I did see one on ebay, but the price was absurd. I really am concerned if the format is used so rarely that there is not a true competative market to keep retail prices reasonable . . .

[Mike Temporale]

I think the current max on miniSD is 256.

I agree with possman. Technically I don't think there is anything wrong with the format. However, I just don't see the demand for it.

[Ben]

I'd be curious to know where I can buy a mini-SD. If anyone out there knows of a few websites that sell them, let me know.

I also agree that it would be incredibly convenient to transfer information without adapters. I have an ultra-slim usb drive that it smaller than most media cards, was $20, and can plug right in to my notebook computers and desktops: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=704788
:idea: I have always thought it would be nice if cameras, phones, and other pdas would accept this thing. It wouldn't be hard to design them to hold the entire USB drive within the case of the phone, for example.

[Jason Dunn]

I'd be curious to know where I can buy a mini-SD. If anyone out there knows of a few websites that sell them, let me know.

miniSD cards aren't out yet because there are no devices shipping that support them - you can be quite sure that by the time the MPx220 hits the market, Sandisk and others will have miniSD cards for sale. It's all a matter of timing - you don't put a product on the market until the market demands it.

[Ben]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I did find one place that carries miniSD, and the max capacity is 256 and prices are not totally outrageous (US$75): http://www.computers4sure.com/product.asp?productid=1904564&affid=933

At the same time, I notice some places sell what they call a mini secure digital card, but is actually just a regular SD card! http://www.provantage.com/buy-7EPME00Y-256mb-mobile-mini-secure-digital-sd-card-ep-memory-epsd-256-shopping.htm

Finally, I do have one other question about that video on MoDaCo (Sorry for asking so many questions, but I really am excited about that phone):
The video footage is the first time I have actually seen any MS smartphone in action. :?: Is that faster or slower than other MS smartphones on the market, particularly the mpx200? It seemed kind of slow (compared to my Pocket PCs), but maybe it was actually quite fast for a smartphone . . .

[Jason Dunn]

Finally, I do have one other question about that video on MoDaCo (Sorry for asking so many questions, but I really am excited about that phone): The video footage is the first time I have actually seen any MS smartphone in action. :?: Is that faster or slower than other MS smartphones on the market, particularly the mpx200? It seemed kind of slow (compared to my Pocket PCs), but maybe it was actually quite fast for a smartphone . . .

Smartphones definitely tend to be slower than Pocket PCs - they have to be in order to achieve better battery life. The MPx220 seemed about average for boot time (remember it's loading from Flash ROM and it's truly OFF, unlike a Pocket PC which is just in standby mode), and in use, the MPx220 seemed about average in terms of screen response and programs starting up. This is all just speculation based on the video though - if I ever get my hands on one I'll be able to say for sure. ;-)

[cmorris]

I did find one place that carries miniSD, and the max capacity is 256 and prices are not totally outrageous (US$75): http://www.computers4sure.com/product.asp?productid=1904564&affid=933

Cool. That price is reasonable enough for me to consider an upgrade. Of course "Stock: 0" but as Jason says hopefully that will be fixed by the time we have shipping devices.

Regarding the performance, it looks about the same compared to the MPx200. Definitely not as fast as the iPAQ 1945 I used to own but then I have lower expectations since its a phone. :)

Overall it looks like it may just convince me to upgrade from the MPx200, particularly since those on ATTWS in the US will get better coverage due to the addition of the 850MHz band. Inclusion of SD over miniSD would have made it a slam dunk though!

[maximus]

Sweet phone indeed. Now I have to play with 3 types of memory cards.

Just out of curiosity. The size of the miniSD is not that different from regular SD. What caused motorola to choose miniSD ? I dont know about you guys, but I personally wouldn't mind getting a slightly bigger mpx220, as long as it has the regular SD slot.

[tsahnocub]

Anyone else notice in the About menu, the OS installed on the phone was Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition?

[refnulf]

Yeah, I wanted to post about that video here but I thought it wouldn't be right. LOL

So I just watched that video and kept quiet, knowing that the fabulous people here would post for me. HAHA

Anywayz, the phone is great. But if it comes out before the mpx, I'll probably get it. If not, then it's the mpx for me. Great looking phone, the guys at modaco said that it's pretty fast. Especially the game that loaded. Definitely faster than the mxp200.

I guess no one really knows when the phones are coming out. We still don't know if it's going to be quad or not (they're messin with us) and we have no idea which specific operating system they'll be using (again, messin with us) and damn why don't they just officially say something about the phone...

[gears]

I've added some WMV versions of this movie onto http://www.coolsmartphone.com :)

[possmann]

So does anyone know if you can upgrade a mpx200 to the 2003 OS?

I'm actually thinking about doing that becuase of the whole miniSD issue - sigh...

[Ben]

Possmann,

From what I've read, there is no way to do it without having someone flash the ROM directly on to the phone, which no one is willing to do anymore. You can win one that is set up that way, but they are saying that the 2003 OS on an Mpx200 is extremely valuable because there are only a few phones this way in existence and no more will ever be done . . .

See the link below:
http://www.mpx200.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1501&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

[possmann]

:?

I wish there was some easier way cause I betcha many 200 users would pay for this upgrade capabilty. Why ditch a perfectly good phone? I thought the idea was going to be much like a pocketpc - where you could upgrade/update the OS with patches, newer releases etc...

sigh

[Ben]

I agree with you, possmann. It's interesting to me that carriers and manufacturers inconvenience their own customers so much, forcing contracts, lock-outs, outdated roms, and other challenges in the name of subsidizing the phones, when some of us would gladly pay whatever it costs to finally get exactly what we want for a change. All I ever wanted was an Mpx220 with the mini-usb port, the regular SD slot, blackberry email technology, and a decent directional control that handled diagonals. I would pay literally thousands of dollars for such a phone, if it included a tiny (or folding) qwerty keyboard that could be connected or left home as necessary. And the amazing thing is that the technology exists! It is possible to make my perfect phone and no one has!

Maybe they will work those features in to the Mpx225 that exists in my dreams. Until then, I have to be satisfied with either the mpx200 with outdated OS or the not-yet-officially-announced mpx220 with a few crazy steps in the wrong direction.
:evil:

[Mike Temporale]

:?

I wish there was some easier way cause I betcha many 200 users would pay for this upgrade capabilty. Why ditch a perfectly good phone? I thought the idea was going to be much like a pocketpc - where you could upgrade/update the OS with patches, newer releases etc...

sigh

I agree. I am surprised at the lack of upgrades being offered by carriers and/or manufacturers. However, if you look at the Pocket PC world, the only WM2K3 SE upgrade available is Toshiba (if I recall). Since the Pocket PC camp is older and a little more mature, I would expect an update from them before we see one. It may still happen, however it doesn't look promising.

[cmorris]

:?

I wish there was some easier way cause I betcha many 200 users would pay for this upgrade capabilty. Why ditch a perfectly good phone? I thought the idea was going to be much like a pocketpc - where you could upgrade/update the OS with patches, newer releases etc...

sigh

You're definitely not the only one who feels that way. :P

My expectation has been set for the future not to expect OS upgrades for phones. It seems like the added layer of the mobile operator (not the most efficient organizations around) in addition to MS and the hardware maker makes it too difficult from a cost/support standpoint. In the PPC world of course there is just MS and the hardware maker.

In better news, MGN is reporting that there are now 512MB miniSD cards available. :D

[possmann]

good points - but remember that you can upgrade PPCPE devices... T-Mo and their PPC is a good example...

I would expect that HP will have their 03 update path out in the near future...

[cmorris]

good points - but remember that you can upgrade PPCPE devices... T-Mo and their PPC is a good example...


Good point! :lol:

I suppose I'm letting my experience with Motorola & AT&T Wireless color my judgement. Last I heard Verizon and Samsung were working on an upgrade for the i600 (not sure if it is available yet).

[DubWireless]

just read an update on the coolsmartphone article (http://www.coolsmartphone.com/index.php?option=news&task=viewarticle&sid=831) saying that the QUAD on the handset could relate to 'Electrostatic Loudspeaker' technology rather than meaning quad-band :?:

although still hope it is quad-band as Moto already have a couple of quad-band handsets available here so at least the technology is available to them...

.

[Mike Temporale]

WHAT?! That sucks. Well, I'm sure it's a good thing, but I was really hoping we finally had an answer on the Tri-Quad thing.

For those that are not aware, the press release on these phones says Tri-band, while the presentation Motorola did at MDC in San Francisco said Quad.

[edupin]

Finally, I do have one other question about that video on MoDaCo (Sorry for asking so many questions, but I really am excited about that phone):
The video footage is the first time I have actually seen any MS smartphone in action. :?: Is that faster or slower than other MS smartphones on the market, particularly the mpx200? It seemed kind of slow (compared to my Pocket PCs), but maybe it was actually quite fast for a smartphone . . .

If it can help, I own a Orange SPVE200 (WM2003) and it is much faster than what we can see on the mpx220 video, which is very desappointing in terms of speed in menu selecting.
I think the video shows a beta version and the final one will be much faster.