Qool Labs to Release New GDA Oh! Smartphone... But What The Heck Is It?

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://us.gizmodo.com/gadgets/cellphones/qda-oh-lands-on-feet-132708.php' target='_blank'>http://us.gizmodo.com/gadgets/cellp...feet-132708.php</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Another first to be announced, literally with an exclamation point, is Singapore-based Qool Labs new GDA Oh!, being touted as the first 'Palm-Powered Smartphone powered by the Garnet 5.4 OS with 1.3MP!' That’s a mouthful! Anyhow, it runs on Windows Mobile 2003 2nd Edition OS and Freescale iMX@1 266MHz processor! Also comes with 1.3 megapixel camera, MSN Messenger, MS Excel, web access and my fave, six party conference calling! No prices yet, but set to sell in Q4! Oh!"</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/ekkie_QDA_oh.jpg" /><br /><br />Say what? Okay, either the fine folks at Gizmodo are on drugs or I'm just plain dumb... well, maybe the two events aren't exactly mutually exclusive. :| It's supposedly a Palm-Powered Smartphone with the Garnet 5.4 OS, but based on Windows Mobile 2003 SE? Is this a multi-boot device? Are there going to be two different models (one for Palm OS and one for Windows Mobile OS)? Can anyone shed more light on this one?

[Sven Johannsen]

Just like every software developer uses code names for their big releases while still in developement like Magneto, Longhorn, etc, Garnet 5.4 was Palm's code name for WM2003SE ;)

[freitasm]

The press release says that Qool Labs are known for developing Palm based smartphones. Then they go on to say this is their first Windows Mobile device.

That's all. Someone got the "," and "." wrong when reading.

[Chris Spera]

This also looks like an ETEN M500 clone, so I'm not surprised tht this is a WM device.

[Darius Wey]

Say what? Okay, either the fine folks at Gizmodo are on drugs or I'm just plain dumb... well, maybe the two events aren't exactly mutually exclusive. :| It's supposedly a Palm-Powered Smartphone with the Garnet 5.4 OS, but based on Windows Mobile 2003 SE? Is this a multi-boot device? Are there going to be two different models (one for Palm OS and one for Windows Mobile OS)? Can anyone shed more light on this one?

Yes, Mauricio is right. Qool Labs are known for their Palm OS devices, though they decided to bite the bullet just this once and produce a Windows Mobile device. It's different to their past Palm OS-based offerings hardware-wise and software-wise.

A good example of a device which supports multiple operating systems out-of-the-box (still single boot, not multi-boot) is the Oswin Technology Zircon A108 (http://www.oswintech.com/Detail.asp?PID=46) - right now, it's running Windows CE .NET, though Windows Mobile and Palm OS are coming for it. Of course, you'll need the appropriate license for each operating system.

[d-roC]

I "have" a QDA-700 which is one of their PalmOS phones and can say that if they are looking to do WM, it wont be very great compared to the more flashy devices we see from Dell and others, but it will be basic, quite functional, and wont crash. PLus, their build quality seems to be quite nice.

I look forward to seeing what they will do in the PalmOS and WM space; it aint like the hardware is much different any more ya know.