Qtek 8500 aka HTC Star Trek Review and Comparison Photos on the::unwired

[Kris Kumar]

"Lightweight and ultra slim, the recently announced Qtek 8500 (aka HTC Star Trek or as it is called now "STRTrk") offers a comprehensive range of entertainment and office functions and incorporates a high quality camera that allow you to take full advantage of any free time. This stylish, but hard working mobile places you firmly in control with high speed Internet surfing and data downloads linked through the latest connectivity technologies like quad-band GSM, EDGE and Bluetooth."

http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Kris-may06-qtek8500.jpg

Arne Hess over at the::unwired has got his hands on the Qtek 8500 which will be launched by i-mate as the SmartFlip and is also known as the HTC Star Trek. He has posted the part one of the review with tons of photographs and another post with the photographs comparing it with the benchmark slim-phone the RAZR, and the two Windows Mobile flip-phones the MPx220 and the MPx200. :drool: Check them out over here:

REVIEW: Qtek 8500 Windows Mobile Smartphone aka HTC Star Trek - Part I (http://www.theunwired.net/?itemid=3043)
COMPARISON: How does the Qtek 8500 compares to other Clamshell phones (http://www.theunwired.net/?itemid=3045)

[Jason Dunn]

Impressive stuff - I find that I don't use WiFi on my SP5m right now much at all anyway, so that wouldn't stop me from getting this phone. That flat USB connector really ticks me off though, as does the microSD. miniSD still feels very new to me - I only have a 512mb miniSD so far, and with microSD cards topping out at 1GB, that's not much music (for us 256kbps MP3 types). Still, neither of this things are stopping me from lusting after this phone. :lol:

[egads]

I want one, but I've not seen/read anywhere that I will be able to purchase one of these in the USA anytime soon...

It may be a good thing that I can't buy one now, maybe a better flip phone will come out in the mean time! I have great hopes of Microsoft or Dell comming out with a killer flip device...

[Arne Hess]

I want one, but I've not seen/read anywhere that I will be able to purchase one of these in the USA anytime soon...
HTC said and confirmed during the CTIA earlier this year, that it plans to bring the Star Trek to the U.S. as well: http://www.theunwired.net/?itemid=2983
It may be a good thing that I can't buy one now, maybe a better flip phone will come out in the mean time! I have great hopes of Microsoft or Dell comming out with a killer flip device...
Sure, you can always wait for something better but in this case I wouldn't bet on Microsoft. And Dell hasn't has any mobile phone experience yet. All the Dell stuff were rumors so far and never got proved.

[Jerry Raia]

I could live with the microSD card, I could live with the strange RAZR keypad, but do we really need the goofy music buttons? And why does there have to be a PINK one? Arrrrrgh!

[{ISV-K}SVX]

That is one SEXY device!

[Arne Hess]

I could live with the microSD card, I could live with the strange RAZR keypad, but do we really need the goofy music buttons? And why does there have to be a PINK one? Arrrrrgh!
Does these buttons bothers you that much? Found it pretty hand last weekend when I was in the park, enjoying the sun and listened my music.
Regarding the pink - don't forget the Qtek 8500 is launched in three colors: black, silver and pink; not to mention that the pink RAZR was a best seller. So indeed, there is a real market for pink phones, even if it isn't my choice neither. :wink:

[mzh]

You know, I think the music buttons on the exterior make a ton of sense.

If you choose to use the device in lieu of an iPod Nano, HTC has made it easier with the inclusion of the exterior buttons and the use of the exterior display to provide basic music information.

The biggest downsides, I think, are the lack of standard audio jack and the relatively small (at current) storage size.

The biggest unknowns:
Battery life: how much will it suffer?
Sound quality: is the audio quality acceptable?

Now before anyone gets all crazy about the iPod comment, I'm not saying that the Star Trek can out and out replace an iPod. I've had an iPod since you could use them with Windows. I like my iPod (3G) for long trips (airplane flights, long distance car rides, et cetera).. but I can see using this device while running or working out.

I'm really looking forward to this telephone. I'm hoping Cingular will carry their own version - it'll finally replace my aging, beat up MPx220.

Ron.

[Jerry Raia]

The music buttons make me nuts! I am on a personal crusade to keep Smartphones from becoming anything remotely resembling a music player! 8)
...and another thing, PINK phones should be illegal to sell or own!

Ok I feel better now.

[mzh]

D'oh!

I forgot to say: thanks Mr. Hess for the info!

Ron.

[Rocco Augusto]

I could live with the microSD card, I could live with the strange RAZR keypad, but do we really need the goofy music buttons?

this is amusing because im the complete opposite. im totally loving the music buttons because i spend a lot of time listening to music on my walk to a from work (about 4 miles total a day). on the other hand i CAN NOT stand the fact that i have to buy another memory card.... i know what youre thinking, i dont HAVE to buy another one and you know what? you're wrong, i do have to buy one because i must have this device.... until the next one comes out :)

I am on a personal crusade to keep Smartphones from becoming anything remotely resembling a music player! 8)
...and another thing, PINK phones should be illegal to sell or own!

Ok I feel better now.

haha im on a personal crusade to make smartphones personal multimedia devices :lol: ... but mostly just to annoy Jerry ;)

on the other hand i think the pink phone is an awesome idea. i look at it this way. if youre a male and you have a job and youre above the age of 25 chances are you dont have all the fancy gadgets you want because your wife/girlfriend wont let you buy them. HTC just pretty much said "hey, guess what? youre totally getting a new phone buddy... just show her this, she'll make you get her one too."

EDIT: hahaha, i dunno if arne did this on purpose but this is the greatest thing i have ever seen!

http://www.theunwired.net/media/column/qtek_8500/comparison/8500_200_220_front.jpg

A PINKISH MPX220!
that is literaly the embodiment of everything i have ever known jerry to have ill feelings towards ;)

[Jerry Raia]

... but mostly just to annoy Jerry ;)

IT'S WORKING! :twisted:

A PINKISH MPX220!
that is literaly the embodiment of everything i have ever known jerry to have ill feelings towards ;)

No where left to go after that, a pinkish MPx220 and thats how Moto would have made it too, pinkish. :lol:

[Kris Kumar]

D'oh!

I forgot to say: thanks Mr. Hess for the info!


D'oh!

I forgot to say thanks to Arne for the info, too. :oops:

:)

[Mike Temporale]

A PINKISH MPX220!
that is literaly the embodiment of everything i have ever known jerry to have ill feelings towards ;)

Well, the picture is a little pink, but it is actually pretty close to the true colour of that device. It wasn't black. It's a dark brown colour that doesn't photograph well.

[Mike Temporale]

Sorry, I haven't had a chance to read the article; I was wondering if there is any mention of the different keypads? Why do some have the 3 round circles and others don't?

[sheltem]

I personally don't mind the microsd at all. I have a 512mb minisd card and when I get this phone, I can just ebay my old card. An extra $10-20 bucks spent on moving to another format isn't a deal breaker to me. With regards to the audio jack, most music phones still have this goofy 2.5mm jack. Whether its USB or 2.5 mm, your going to need a dongle regardless, to let you use a decent set of headphones. I think it's a great idea to get rid of the 2.5mm jack. Honestly, if your going to get a phone of this caliber and price range, why wouldn't you have a bluetooth headset as well? It's not like these bluetooth headsets cost hundreds of dollars.

*Also I don't see audio quality being any different from other HTC headsets.

[Kris Kumar]

What about the battery? Doesn't 750mAh sound less compared to the now standard 1000mAh+ on Windows Mobile handsets.

[Arne Hess]

Sorry, I haven't had a chance to read the article; I was wondering if there is any mention of the different keypads? Why do some have the 3 round circles and others don't?
The 3 circles keypad is the initial design which was later changed to the more "traditional" layout. All commercial versions of the Star Trek will use the later standard layout, not the circled (which I don't like anyway so I'm glad HTC changed that).

[Mike Temporale]

The 3 circles keypad is the initial design which was later changed to the more "traditional" layout. All commercial versions of the Star Trek will use the later standard layout, not the circled (which I don't like anyway so I'm glad HTC changed that).

Woo Hoo! That's what I was hoping to hear. Thanks Arne. You've always got the info. ;)

[mzh]

Not to resurrect this topic, but does anyone have any (insider) information about who in the U. S. might carry this telephone?

My MPx220 is beginning to suffer from the years of abuse and the battery is starting to go.. I'd hate to buy a new battery for a phone I will be replacing in the short term.

Thanks in advance.
Ron.

..duh. I meant to ask which U. S. carrier would be carrying the telephone.. I realize it is for sale via third party but I figure since I'm up for a new contract anyway, I could take the discounted price.

[Kris Kumar]

Not to resurrect this topic, but does anyone have any (insider) information about who in the U. S. might carry this telephone?

I would say Cingular, Cingular, Cingular! Don't know for sure. Just guessing.

[mzh]

I sure hope so.

I'm a business customer with them so I sometimes get a decent deal.

Thanks for the good thoughts.
Ron.

[Mark Larson]

If they were serious about the music player thing, they would include a remote that doubles as a mic and has a 3.5mm jack, like the Walkman phones. Look for a series of hack jobs with huge connectors because the aftermarket can't do it right and people want to use proper earphones with their music players.