Smartphone Coming to America [Archive]

Andy Sjostrom

12-11-2002, 09:11 AM

<a href="http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,107781,tk,dn120902X,00.asp">http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,107781,tk,dn120902X,00.asp</a><br /><br />The U.S. Federal Communications Commission recently approved Compal's Smartphone according to <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,107781,tk,dn120902X,00.asp">this IDG article</a>. Tri-band GSM/GPRS, mini USB, SD slot and IrDA. Its 4.2 ounces is the same as the new HP 1910 Pocket PC, which means it is light weight. We don't know yet when it will be available, though. More details in the article!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/compal_01.jpg" />

Jne

12-11-2002, 09:51 AM

And here the link to FCC.gov records (https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/oet/forms/reports/Search_Form.hts?mode=Edit&form=Exhibits&application_id=652262&fcc_id=QQX-AR11) 8)

ricksfiona

12-11-2002, 11:03 AM

No bluetooth. End of story.

rapidnet_rick

12-11-2002, 03:36 PM

No Bluetooth?!?!?!

What is it with these companies?!?!!? They can never seem to get it right. For me buying a phone always seem to be a compromise!

EXAMPLE...

I currently have the Sony-Ericsson T68i

Pretty nice phone, has it all!!!(Infrared, bluetooth, GPRS, Color,Great Phonebook, etc.)....well, except for

Decent ringtones! IT sounds like a cheap musical greeting card!!

Why not at least polyophonic ringtones??

Now, with this smartphone they give us infrared, but not bluetooth....

Oh well, maybe one day...

MooseMaster

12-11-2002, 06:09 PM

JonnoB

12-11-2002, 06:11 PM

There could be a Bluetooth solution with an SDIO card.

kennyg

12-11-2002, 06:22 PM

Microsoft Smartphome uses AVI and MIDI ringtones.

nirav28

12-11-2002, 06:57 PM

There could be a Bluetooth solution with an SDIO card.

Yeah, But it does support SDIO? Most manufacturers of PPCs usually leave one thing out and thats usually SDIO. Only a handful of PPC on the market right now support SDIO.

I myself simply cannot believe that a phone that is so sophiticated by most standards currently in the U.S wireless market would not have bluetooth support. Its plain dumb. I would pay the extra money for Bluetooth. The only phone that currently being sold in the U.S that has bluetooth is the Erricson T68 from T-Mobile. I'm still wondering why SprintPCS has yet to introduce a bluetooth supported phone.

Its a no-brainer that TMobile or AT&T will be selling these phones considering they're GSM.

ThomasC22

12-11-2002, 07:05 PM

Yeah, But it does support SDIO? Most manufacturers of PPCs usually leave one thing out and thats usually SDIO. Only a handful of PPC on the market right now support SDIO.

But to the best of my knowledge all Smartphones, to date, support SDIO (I know, I know, there's only one but I count the Sendo even if it's gone).

As for built in Bluetooth, there's a simple answer, US manufacturers obviously aren't requesting this feature. It really isn't in their best interest to draw people away from their proprietary WAP interface (I'm sure they're hoping PIE on Smartphone2k2 will be too dificult to use).

I'm just happy that there MIGHT be a smartphone 2k2 in the US and that I MIGHT be able to put a bluetooth sd card on it. That's how desperate I've become :(

Janak Parekh

12-11-2002, 07:27 PM

I'm just happy that there MIGHT be a smartphone 2k2 in the US and that I MIGHT be able to put a bluetooth sd card on it. That's how desperate I've become :(
Agreed. I just hope that it's a workable solution, e.g., I don't have this weird protrusion from my pocket which happens to be the SDIO Bluetooth card sticking out the side of the device.

--bdj

JonnoB

12-11-2002, 08:05 PM

The problem I would have is that only really want to sync one device. I am tempted by a PPC PE, but still require WiFi. I want the power of my PDA (center of my life) and if I didn't have to sacrifice so much, I would get a phone edition. If the 56xx iPaq keeps the WiFi, that will be the next device I buy.

brntcrsp

12-11-2002, 08:09 PM

Until it's on the shelf at one of the big U.S. GSM providers it is essentially vapour. I now refuse to get excited about the Smartphone platform until they are shipping in the US.

marlof

12-11-2002, 08:10 PM

JonnoB: I keep hearing things about the Phone Edition and WiFi. I can't say if, how and when, but I wouldn't be surprised if a WiFi solution might become available in the end for the current models. Until that, I want a Smartphone 2002 with three band GSM, GPRS and integrated Bluetooth. I don't want to have SD antennas sticking out of my phone. If necessary, I'll use it as it will be better than nothing, but it's definitely not something that would be my preference.

JonnoB

12-11-2002, 08:23 PM

Daniel

12-11-2002, 08:38 PM

Let's face it, there aren't ANY options! It would seem that most of us are either interested ina PPCPE device or a smartphone for our next *cough*toy*cough* but we all want the latest of everything and no device does that. I won't buy another phone unless it has bluetooth and like JonnoB I want the 56xx as long as it has phone AND Wi-Fi AND BT. If it misses one then you'll end up using your only available slot for the other option, leaving no space for memory.
I am fairly disappointed with smartphones so far (ok there aren't any but you know...), I would have thought that they would all have BT in them but there are none so far. The only one that really gets my interest is the samsung one that was leeked thanks to the FCC. It was a flip smartphone, it looked pretty cool.
It's funny, I remember having a similar discussion when the 36xx iPAQs were out and we were all saying "I want it with this or that", I must be an idealist or something...

Daniel

Janak Parekh

12-11-2002, 08:48 PM

we all want the latest of everything and no device does that.
There is a big problem with this demand (that I share, mind you): there will never be such a device.

Right now, you're looking for

- WiFi
- Bluetooth
- Triband GSM/GPRS (or CDMA/1xRTT)

in the same unit.

How about:

- GSM 850
- EDGE
- UMTS
- 1xEV-DO
- GPS
- UWB (Ultra WideBand)
- 802.11a
- 802.11g

... etc. etc. etc. Note, most of these are already here (although not deployed widely) and the rest are only a few years away!

There is no end to this madness! At least, not anytime soon. The "programmable radio" idea that Jason talked about is our best hope, but I'm not sure 802.11a would work so well if implemented as a piece of software running on a DSP.

--bdj

st63z

12-11-2002, 09:12 PM

I don't understand why cellphones won't use MP3s or ATLEAST MIDI for ringtones. We can send pictures to them for caller id, wallpapers, "download" ring tones, phonebooks, calendars, to do tasks, all this stuff, but no real musical ringtones! That should have been the first addition to cellphones!

Don't forget the $1 ringtones the carriers are now selling for existing phones :roll:

Anyways, I believe other phones are now coming out in the US w/ BT support -- like the latest Nokias I've seen in stores, and additional S-Ericsson models. At home we have two T68is and a Nokia 7650 (w/ built-in cam), all tri-band GPRS, all supporting BT. Also 3 BlueSpoons, a FreeSpeak, Motorola, other BT headsets... Now I just need the iPAQ 5450 to make my life complete (my laptop already has BT+Wi-Fi) :)

Daniel

12-11-2002, 09:35 PM

There is a big problem with this demand (that I share, mind you): there will never be such a device.

I'm a bit confused, people don't normally respond to my comments... :cry: ah... what do I do again? :wink:

I would like:
- WiFi (b is fine 802.11g would replace b eventually)
- Bluetooth
- Triband GSM/GPRS or CDMA/1xRTT (or 1xEV-DO)

Dont care about (unless there's a good reason to):
- GSM 850
- EDGE
- UMTS
- GPS
- UWB (Ultra WideBand)
- 802.11a

What's so good about gsm850? EDGE is just a transitional technology isn't it? What's UMTS again? UWB won't happen any time soon. 11a is pointless when we're talking about 11g or UWB and you forgot 11i which would be better. ;) Just don't care about GPS in a PPC that much.
So I guess what I'm really saying is, on top of the usuals like a great screen and good battery life, I want a comms device with short range, medium range and long range wireless communications capabilities.

Daniel

JonnoB

12-11-2002, 10:43 PM

Janak Parekh

12-11-2002, 10:57 PM

At home we have two T68is and a Nokia 7650 (w/ built-in cam), all tri-band GPRS, all supporting BT.
Actually, the 7650 is dual-band, not tri-band. Otherwise I might have one. :(

What's so good about gsm850? EDGE is just a transitional technology isn't it? What's UMTS again?
GSM 850 is important in the US - a lot of new AT&T and Cingular GSM coverage will be GSM 850 (e.g., in the 800MHz band). EDGE is transitional but a major transition - about 128-384kbps bandwidth. UMTS is GSM's CDMA implementation (wCDMA), which will give us next-gen 3G. Not that far away actually.

My point is, by the time these cell phones come out these technologies will be knocking on our door.

I would go for a totally 100% non-integrated unit that just had multiple SDIO slots (4 of em!)
Interesting idea. Unfortunately, miniaturization takes time. Especially for cellular and other radios. We don't even know how well that the SyChip 802.11b SDIO card will work. :)

--bdj

Jason Dunn

12-11-2002, 11:09 PM

I believe there are many like me... who want minimally:

BT, WiFi, GSM/GPRS... and dual slots. Right now, the problem is that ALL PPC PE devices are single slot. I would go for a totally 100% non-integrated unit that just had multiple SDIO slots (4 of em!)

I'm right there with ya! I'd actually be MORE interested in a GPRS/WiFi phone, but that might be because I haven't tried any cool Bluetooth accessories before.

Sadly, I'm 90% sure the 54xx will be GPRS/Bluetooth - no WiFi. Let's hope I'm wrong... :cry:

Daniel

12-11-2002, 11:19 PM

I would go for a totally 100% non-integrated unit that just had multiple SDIO slots (4 of em!)
I agree with that. :)

At home we have two T68is and a Nokia 7650 (w/ built-in cam), all tri-band GPRS, all supporting BT.
Actually, the 7650 is dual-band, not tri-band. Otherwise I might have one. :(
The Nokia 6650 might interest you then http://www.nokia.com/nokia/0,,3160,00.html It's GSM dual band but GSM WCDMA dual mode.

What's so good about gsm850? EDGE is just a transitional technology isn't it? What's UMTS again?
GSM 850 is important in the US - a lot of new AT&T and Cingular GSM coverage will be GSM 850 (e.g., in the 800MHz band). EDGE is transitional but a major transition - about 128-384kbps bandwidth. UMTS is GSM's CDMA implementation (wCDMA), which will give us next-gen 3G. Not that far away actually.
Ok, I was more familiar with "WCDMA" than "UMTS"...
Man you have to hate the US phone network!

My point is, by the time these cell phones come out these technologies will be knocking on our door.
Sure but the point I was trying to make was that there are types of technology that are not included at all, not that I necessarily had to have the latest version of the included technology. Of course I do want latest versions but I'm not going to wait forever! :)

Daniel

Daniel

12-11-2002, 11:20 PM

Sadly, I'm 90% sure the 54xx will be GPRS/Bluetooth - no WiFi. Let's hope I'm wrong... :cry:

Oh, what a shame. :(

Daniel

Janak Parekh

12-11-2002, 11:51 PM

The Nokia 6650 might interest you then http://www.nokia.com/nokia/0,,3160,00.html It's GSM dual band but GSM WCDMA dual mode.
No... I like the 7650's form factor (maybe not the size per se, but the general layout), and WCDMA is not currently going to help. :)

Ok, I was more familiar with "WCDMA" than "UMTS"...
Man you have to hate the US phone network!
No, not really. CDMA, and cdma2000, are wonderful technologies. But let's leave the US v. Europe debate for another day :)

Of course I do want latest versions but I'm not going to wait forever! :)
True, true. But I still claim that, forward 5 years, we'll be whining about the next CDMA standard not integrated into PPC2008's...

--bdj

JonnoB

12-12-2002, 12:27 AM

Sadly, I'm 90% sure the 54xx will be GPRS/Bluetooth - no WiFi. Let's hope I'm wrong... :cry:

90% sure - Darn! If anyone would know ahead of time, I assume you would be one of them. BT is less important for me as well, but I like the idea of at least wireless headset (Bluespoon, etc)...