Asus Readying P535 Pocket PC Phone with GPS

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.gpsandco.com/articles/newsitem.php?id=4592' target='_blank'>http://www.gpsandco.com/articles/ne...tem.php?id=4592</a><br /><br /></div><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20060922-asusp535.jpg" /><br /><br />It was only recently that Asus introduced the <a href="http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=8&l2=0&l3=0&model=1172&modelmenu=1">P525 Pocket PC Phone Edition</a>, and now the company has a new model up its sleeve, the P535. This device, which incidentally resembles the <a href="http://www.gigabytecm.com/eng/egbc_productdetail2.aspx?ProductID=31&tabIndex=0&GroupID=4&Num=">Gigabyte g-Smart i128</a> in form factor, has a great set of specs: Intel XScale 520MHz CPU, 64MB RAM, 256MB ROM, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, GPS (SiRFstar III), a miniSD slot, a 2.0-megapixel camera, and a 2.8" QVGA TFT-LCD, but alas, only tri-band GSM/GPRS connectivity. Still interested? Check out the article at <a href="http://www.gpsandco.com/articles/newsitem.php?id=4592">GPSAndCo</a>. If you need a translated version (original article is in French), click <a href="http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=fr_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gpsandco.com%2Farticles%2Fnewsitem.php%3Fid%3D4592">here</a>.

[Don Tolson]

I just wish we could get units like this without the phone portion. Unfortunately, here in Canada were at the mercy of our cellular providers to decide which units they will support.

[ctmagnus]

I've never asked Rogers if I could run any given phone I want on their network. They haven't complained yet. And places like HowardForums (www.howardforums.com) indicate that there are individuals that really put unsupported devices through their paces on any given GSM network.

[Darius Wey]

I just wish we could get units like this without the phone portion. Unfortunately, here in Canada were at the mercy of our cellular providers to decide which units they will support.

I think it's going to stay that way for many years to come. Apart from HP, manufacturers simply aren't interested in creating standalone PDAs anymore. Convergence is the theme of the future.

[Don Tolson]

I've never asked Rogers if I could run any given phone I want on their network. They haven't complained yet. And places like HowardForums (www.howardforums.com) indicate that there are individuals that really put unsupported devices through their paces on any given GSM network.

So, what about the SIM card? Do you just transfer the old one into the new phone?

[ctmagnus]

So, what about the SIM card? Do you just transfer the old one into the new phone?

If the new phone is unlocked (or locked to the provider that the sim is for), yup. ;)

[Mark Larson]

A 2.8" screen is really small. I'd be happy with a nice bright 3.5" or better screen for GPS use.

2.8" screens are great for their small size and are practically standard in the PDA Phone world, but IMHO, they are too small for most purposes.

Bring on the ultra-thin bezels to accomodate 3.5" screens in smaller devices!

[Darius Wey]

A 2.8" screen is really small. I'd be happy with a nice bright 3.5" or better screen for GPS use.

2.8" screens are great for their small size and are practically standard in the PDA Phone world, but IMHO, they are too small for most purposes.

Bring on the ultra-thin bezels to accomodate 3.5" screens in smaller devices!

In that case, why not settle for a standalone PDA (i.e., one without phone functionality) with GPS (either integrated or separate)? I really can't see many manufacturers releasing a phone + GPS combo with a 3.5" screen, because hardly anyone likes a brick anymore. I'd suggest getting either a Dell Axim X51/X51v and a separate Bluetooth GPS module, or the upcoming HP iPAQ rx5000 series which has GPS built-in (note that this is only being released in the Asia-Pacific region, so if you're elsewhere, you'll have to import one).

[beq]

So, what about the SIM card? Do you just transfer the old one into the new phone?
What's the deal with 64K SIM cards? Seems Cingular is now handing out 64K instead of the old 32K SIM cards, supposedly in preparation for widespread 3G UMTS/HSDPA. Not sure what the situation is with T-Mobile or other GSM operators.

I got a 64K card with my new Cingular line, but it doesn't work in my i-mate JAM (haven't tried the PDA2k). Are a lot of older phones and PDA phones incompatible?