infoSync World Reviews the XDA II

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.infosyncworld.com/reviews/n/4405.html' target='_blank'>http://www.infosyncworld.com/reviews/n/4405.html</a><br /><br /></div>"O2's successor to the much-acclaimed XDA has finally arrived: Jørgen Sundgot gets up and close with the jack-of-all-trades that is the XDA II. At the time of its launch in 2001, the original O2 XDA received massive attention from the media as the very first Pocket PC Phone Edition device to hit shelves, offering unparallelled functionality in one single piece of equipment. Two years after, the WAN handheld marketplace is teeming with competition, and the XDA II must go head-to-head with several worthy competitors - and it does indeed have a few tricks up its sleeve."

[surur]

Considering it is currently in all areas (accept the VGA screen of the Toshiba) the most advanced PPC available, it got a surprisingly low score of 6.6 out of 10.

Of course a number of problems have come up since it has been released, but its still the best thing around since sliced bread :)

Surur

[Vincent M Ferrari]

They did appear oddly underwhelmed... And 6.6 is not a terribly good review...

Of course, they only rated the Axim X5 a seven, and as far as I'm concerned it's the best PDA I've ever owned...

Different strokes for different folks...

[MaximumPDA]

I won’t be giving it a super high rating either when our review is done, however a little higher than they did. I still want to run it for a few more weeks to get a better feel for it.

To start, HTC had had two years to innovate, and all they have done is evolve with the rest of the crowd. To get a good rating in a review I think you really need to be innovative not just evolutionary. What I mean by that is why put a 1/3 mega pixel camera in the device when 1.3 MP cameras have been out for over a year? Poor implementation of the Bluetooth stack, no consumer IR, poor signal reception (again) just a few off the top of my head.

Sure it’s faster, more memory, WM 2003, and all the other things you would EXPECT from a new device, but nothing innovative. Don’t get me wrong, you would have to pry it from my cold dead hands to take it away, but I’m a tech geek and I live for this stuff. Its just time we set the bar higher instead of rolling over for any new device. IMO.

I do give it props for having the possibility of an expansion pack and removing the antenna nub. More time will tell how it fares at that price point. What is HP going to release?


--Bill

[adamz]

To start, HTC had had two years to innovate, and all they have done is evolve with the rest of the crowd. To get a good rating in a review I think you really need to be innovative not just evolutionary. What I mean by that is why put a 1/3 mega pixel camera in the device when 1.3 MP cameras have been out for over a year? Poor implementation of the Bluetooth stack, no consumer IR, poor signal reception (again) just a few off the top of my head.


There should be a ROM update available soon that will fix the Bluetooth GPS problem. I hear the MS Bluetooth stack is actually alot more flexible than the Widcomm one which doesn't support the Headset or Handsfree profiles.

My signal reception has been excellent. Just as good, if not better than any other GSM phone I have.

I don't think you need much more than a VGA camera in a PDA at this time, though the CMOS imaging quality could be better. I'd rather see the sensitivity improve than the resolution.

The biggest problem is the fact that Windows Mobile can only run 32 processes at the same time. The next ROM update will address this problem by having less processes running by default.

As for nothing innovative... how many other PDA's include phone functionality and Bluetooth? If this were an evolutionary product, it would be the same as everything else, just more memory or whatever. The XDA II represents a step in a new direction which will make all lesser PDAs extinct. :)

[MaximumPDA]

Adamz, I understand what your saying but we already had a phone edition device with the XDA I, the XDA II is basically another high end standard PDA (current specs) with phone edition, which is cool in its own right and that’s all I use now.

The Widcom stack should be capable of both profiles. The MS stack is as well its just not implemented for some reason. At http://bluetooth.i-networx.de/ there is a tool to turn on the serial profile. It should have come all ready to go in my point.

Signal strength may appear fine in areas with many towers, however in rural areas it seems about the same at the XDA I. I live in a rural area of Seattle/Puget Sound and as I type this I only have 1 and a half bars of signal and my Nokia 3650 if fully pegged. The XDA II has the same reception as my XDA I.

I’m going to stick with original argument on the camera, 1.3 MP for PDA has been out for awhile and if your going to bother putting a camera in the “next gen” device why bother with 1/3 MP why not rock the boat and buck the trend with a 2.0 MP like Sony? I would like to not have to drag my digital camera around for taking photos at events and just use my XDA II.

My point is I am not surprised at the low rating Jørgen Sundgot gave the unit, while I would have given it a 7 or 8 out of ten based on their rating scale. Keep in mind he has access to a lot of other platforms he’s judging based on those other standards.

I do recommend the XDA II for a convergent device it really is convenient not having to a phone and PDA.


--Bill

[Ilkka]

XDA II is my seventh ppc (iPAQ 3600, Casio, Toshiba E740, iPAQ 3780, iPAQ 5400, iPAQ 2200 and now XDA II for two weeks). My latest phone was T68i. So, now I don't use (need) the phone anymore, which is a BIG relief.

The most important features for me are: 1. Voice capability (I think it has as good signal strenght as T68i, good sound quality, speakerphone, separate phone and volume controls, vibrate options and support for bluetooth headsets e.g., HBH 65. XDA keeps the bluetooth link even during suspend mode) 2. Calendar and contacts 3. Allways on (gprs)access to the Internet 4. email and SMS and 5. finally option for custom sw/powerful enough hw (400 Mhz, 128 MB, SD slot and optional backpack with vga output, CF slot and 300 mAh battery)

So, I'm more in agreement e.g., with the UK Magazine's reviewer (PDA Essentials, issue 18) when he says "this is a very well specified device, thoughtfully put together", total (verrdict) 90%

There a some minor issues, but it doesn't seem to suffer from alarms and notifications failing and I have not had any hard resets.

- Pertti

[adamz]

Adamz, I understand what your saying but we already had a phone edition device with the XDA I, the XDA II is basically another high end standard PDA (current specs) with phone edition, which is cool in its own right and that’s all I use now.


No other high-end standard PDA supports making and recieving phone calls through a Bluetooth Headset. THAT is innovative.


The Widcom stack should be capable of both profiles. The MS stack is as well its just not implemented for some reason. At http://bluetooth.i-networx.de/ there is a tool to turn on the serial profile. It should have come all ready to go in my point.


Of course it should have, but I'm sure Microsoft and HTC must stick to a schedule. There is a serial profile in the MS bluetooth stack, it just doesn't create a COM port. Towa's application allows you to create a COM port for serial communications as will the latest ROM update.


Signal strength may appear fine in areas with many towers, however in rural areas it seems about the same at the XDA I. I live in a rural area of Seattle/Puget Sound and as I type this I only have 1 and a half bars of signal and my Nokia 3650 if fully pegged. The XDA II has the same reception as my XDA I.

My XDA 2, Compaq GSM/GPRS expansion pack, Ericsson r520, and Nokia 3390 are all showing full strength. Even when travelling to low reception areas, the XDA 2 seems to lose it's signal at the same areas where the other phones do. So I'm seeing no evidence of poor RF, but whatever.


I’m going to stick with original argument on the camera, 1.3 MP for PDA has been out for awhile and if your going to bother putting a camera in the “next gen” device why bother with 1/3 MP why not rock the boat and buck the trend with a 2.0 MP like Sony? I would like to not have to drag my digital camera around for taking photos at events and just use my XDA II.


14 Megapixel cameras have been out for a while too. I imagine the larger resolution would increase the cost significantly as well as decrease the battery life. And who cares about the resolution if the CMOS sensor fills everything with noise and returns inaccurate color?

I don't care much for the integrated camera anyway. The XDA II would still be the best PDA around if it had no camera at all. What makes it rock the boat is the capability to use a Bluetooth headset for the voice communications. Not holding it up to you face and allowing you to use/see the screen while talking... that's what makes this special.

[MaximumPDA]

I am not saying it is a bad device, it’s a great device. In fact I have no plans to go back to my XDA I or my iPAQ 2215/Nokia 3650. It’s just not revolutionary and has some flaws thus doesn’t deserve a 10 out of 10 or even a 9 out of 10. There 6.6 out of 10 seemed a bit low but appropriate for the every day consumer/prosumer.

BTW, you I don’t think you can make calls from the Bluetooth headset, if you have figured out how to do this please share with the rest of us. I know some people are working on a way to achieve this but I wasn’t aware it was completed yet. So far I have only been able to accept calls and end calls.

After charging my Jabra BT200 in its cradle the XDA II seems to loose the bond even though it shows up still. It’s just another minor inconvenience that makes it challenging for the average consumer. I haven’t tried Towa’s app yet so there may be hope that the problem will go away.

Its true 12 MP cameras are out but those are not for your everyday consumer. My point still holds true that for a $700 to $800 PDA/Phone it would be nice to ditch my Kodak DC5000 digital camera and just use the one device. The Sony CLIE NZ90 has a 2.0MP camera, however no phone…yet. I would be very happy with only a 1.3MP.

Again, I am not knocking the XDA II just illustrating why it would only get a 6 or 7 out of 10, it’s just not a perfect device. I will say that the backpack option is a great step forward and I hope it’s a s cool as I think it will be.

[yslee]

BT on a phone is hardly innovative anymore. PPC Phone it might be, but it's still a phone. I'd call it evolutionary.

Now, if it had a some kinda slide out keyboard, was made a bit less tall, equally thin, and sold cheaper, I'd say that's innovative!

[Thinkingmandavid]

Also consider the fact that gsm frequencies are not as covered in the U.S. than TDMA and CDMA. I am not here to start a signal technology war, but GSM is not as established in the U.S. as it is over seas. So yes, depending on where you are located will determine the strength of the signal you are recieving. All the GSM carriers in the U.S-Cingular, T-Mobile, and AT&T, will tell you that 90% of the population in the U.S. is covered, being major cities. How far away from a major city will it work is based upon your experience.

[Jonathanw]

Rubbish.. Absolute Rubbish. This review is so pathetically skewed one wonders what XDA compettitor paid for him to do it. I have an XDA-II using T-Mobile, and I can tell you that it Kicks ASS. Its not cheaply made, it doesn't loose signal, that battery life is amazing (Who honestly gives a crap if you have to put it in the charger WHILE YOU SLEEP!)

The lunacy about the camera is pure drivel. Who the hell needs a 5 megapixel camera on a PHONE!!!!! if you put a 5mp camera on the Xda, the whiners would say.... It doesn't have a good enough lense.. etc etc.. If you want a camera, buy a camera.. but then don't complain that it doesn't have a phone in it!....

Display size, PERFECT.. anything more would be like holding a brick up to your head... anything smaller would be too hard to see.

Blue Tooth, Perfect... Buy a jabra bt250.. place calls, receive calls. voice command, and use the pda all at the same time..

Voice interface.. Cool... works perfectly.

performance. Kicks palms ass.

Own this one for 10 mins, and you will be saying ipaq who?.. toshiba who?, palm who? Sony Who? etc...

It took all of about 3 mins to get it on the net... settings were stupid simple. imported my sim card contacts into outlook in about 3 seconds..

Someone finally made the PDA that we have all been asking for for about 7 years now...

Nothing is perfect, but it deserves WAY more than a 6.6.

Innovation vs evolution? what a crock. If you count the XDA-II out for being evloutionary instead of innovative, you better count EVERYTHING else out for FAILING To EVOLVE.

My comments to the author: "Innovate This... A** Hole"