Verizon Releases Samsung i730 to Businesses; Mossberg Reviews It

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://ptech.wsj.com/archive/ptech-20050623.html' target='_blank'>http://ptech.wsj.com/archive/ptech-20050623.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"For Americans who want a smart cellphone with a built-in keyboard for typing email, the best choice by far has been PalmOne's Treo 650, sold by most major U.S. wireless carriers...Starting today, Verizon Wireless will introduce in the U.S. the first Microsoft-based smart phone with a built-in keyboard that is about the same shape, size and weight as the Treo. This new phone, the $599 Samsung i730, has one major capability the $399 Treo lacks -- the ability to surf the Web and to send and receive email at broadband speeds."</i><br /><br />Mossberg has a pretty decent review of the i730; unfortunately, it's <a href="http://brighthand.com/article/Verizon_Launches_Samsung_i730">only available via business channels right now, with consumer availability on July 7</a>. Good news? WiFi is there, EVDO is <i>very</i> fast, and the thumbboard is apparently "comparable" to the Treo's. Bad news includes mediocre battery life (seems to be endemic to Samsung; I had to use the extended battery in both my i600 and i700 for heavy use), only WM2003SE (so it's not one-handed), WiFi can't be used at the same time as the cellular network (power issues?) and, while not explicitly stated, it looks like it lacks the Bluetooth DUN profile.<br /><br />I'm mixed about this -- I really want a new Pocket PC Phone, especially one with EVDO -- but I think I'd like to wait and see if a WM5 upgrade comes out for this unit first, and I'd like to get some more data on the unit's battery life (was he using WiFi or EVDO heavily, etc.). And, as usual for Verizon, the unit's initial price is way too high. I have seen it at various places, though, and it's amazingly compact.

[Jerry Raia]

Nice looking device for Samsung. Looks like it comes up way short though in a few areas. Another crippled Verizon Bluetooth device!?

[kaps]

From what I understand Bluetooth is fully enabled so that headsets and in car devices work fine.

I am Very disappointed that I can't connect my laptop using the phone as a modem! :(

Mine is Already on order, :D

Karl

[Macguy59]

Looks like the Treo 650 for me. $600 WITH a 2 year contract? That's ridiculous and a deal breaker.

[Jerry Raia]

$600 WITH a 2 year contract? That's ridiculous and a deal breaker.

Yeah but you forgot the "worry free guarantee" :lol:

[bnycastro]

is a GSM version underway for this device?

[adamz]

[i] -- but I think I'd like to wait and see if a WM5 upgrade comes out for this unit first --

Haha! Don't hold your breath! Remember how long it took to get the i700 upgraded to Windows Mobile 2003SE?

[stephman]

is a GSM version underway for this device?
i750, but instead of a QWERTY keyboard, it'll have a regular cell keypad.

http://msmobiles.com/news.php/3669.html

[Janak Parekh]

Haha! Don't hold your breath! Remember how long it took to get the i700 upgraded to Windows Mobile 2003SE?
It only got WM2003, not SE, and yes, trust me, I remember. :cry:

So that's the thing. I'd buy it if I knew a WM5 upgrade was coming, even if it was next year. Choices, choices. :| I might just have to give up my EV-DO dreams and wait for a Universal.

--janak

[adamz]

Haha! Don't hold your breath! Remember how long it took to get the i700 upgraded to Windows Mobile 2003SE?
It only got WM2003, not SE, and yes, trust me, I remember. :cry:


:) That's my point. People are still waiting. When it came out, Windows Mobile 2003 had already been announced. Just like this one is coming out with WM2003SE long after WM5 has been announced.

At any rate, the i730 probably doesn't have the right ROM/RAM configuration for Windows Mobile 5.