02-15-2003, 09:15 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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infoSync Reviews the Sony Ericsson P800
"Originally slated for a launch in the fall of 2002, Sony Ericsson's P800 has been of the most anticipated connected handhelds for a long, long time. Not only is the P800 the first palm-sized Symbian OS device, it's also the first to sport a touch-screen, tri-band GSM, use the UIQ platform, and simply come from a company which isn't Nokia. Sure, its introduction has been delayed a couple of times - but as you're about to find out, good things come to those who wait."
To me, this device is the biggest competition to Pocket PC Phone Edition devices, as opposed to Palm-based smartphones. infoSync gives it a fairly thorough review, and while I can easily say that I'd rather take the Pocket PC OS any day, there are certain aspects to this Symbian-based device I'd love to see elsewhere, including the option of a physical keypad and integrated Bluetooth.
However, there's one easy reason why I'd probably never end up getting this device: Memory Stick Duo. :evil: Not even a "classic" Memory Stick slot. I think the largest Duo sticks available on the market are 64MB, and they're not easy to get - or cheap. One major flaw in what looks to be an otherwise decent device.
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02-15-2003, 09:38 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 725
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Little lesson I learned from my Kyocera 6035 about "flip down" number pads. DON'T USE THEM!
Be it the joint getting old, or dust getting in between there, or even change slipping between the pad it just doesn't work.
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02-15-2003, 09:43 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,386
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by ThomasC22
Little lesson I learned from my Kyocera 6035 about "flip down" number pads. DON'T USE THEM!
Be it the joint getting old, or dust getting in between there, or even change slipping between the pad it just doesn't work.
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I try to get devices myself that have minimal moving parts b/c of the tendencies you describe...
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02-15-2003, 09:44 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 399
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by ThomasC22
Little lesson I learned from my Kyocera 6035 about "flip down" number pads. DON'T USE THEM!
Be it the joint getting old, or dust getting in between there, or even change slipping between the pad it just doesn't work.
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It says that you can remove the flip and use the touch screen
anyway....just a bit more memory......oh well........and what idiot decided to make this a "duo" device....ughhhhhh
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02-15-2003, 09:45 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 93
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Nevermind!
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02-15-2003, 09:53 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by ThomasC22
Little lesson I learned from my Kyocera 6035 about "flip down" number pads. DON'T USE THEM!
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Interesting. My ancient Qualcomm pdQ had a flip, and I never had a problem with it, even when I dropped it. Of course, it was a 10.4oz monster...
--janak
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02-15-2003, 10:08 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 384
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Interesting device
I think it will do OK.
I have to agree with the author, the PocketPC interface is better. I dare say I'd recommend a Handspring Treo before one of these.
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02-15-2003, 10:43 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 90
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Quote:
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However, there's one easy reason why I'd probably never end up getting this device: Memory Stick Duo. Not even a "classic" memory stick slot. I think the largest theoretical Duo sticks available on the market are 64MB, and I don't think anyone's even got their hands on them yet. One major flaw in what looks to be an otherwise decent device.
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I've been absolutly shouting this as loud as I can to anyone who will listen! I really cannot understand Sony's obsession with Memory Stick when every other manufactuer on the market (I think without exception?) is sticking to the well establised formats namely SD/MMC and CF/Smartmedia before that.
It's IMHO the biggest problem mobile devices have today - putting an Audio or Video player on a device these days is no big deal, you either have a dedicated chip to do all the decoding or if the device has a fast enough processor anyway you add a relatively small bit of software - however putting enough memory on the device to make that media player actually useful is not quite so cheap and simple. I really though that this wouldn't really be such a big problem any more with a 256mb SD (or even 512mb) costing what it does!
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02-15-2003, 10:55 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,386
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by ben
I've been absolutly shouting this as loud as I can to anyone who will listen! I really cannot understand Sony's obsession with Memory Stick when every other manufactuer on the market (I think without exception?) is sticking to the well establised formats namely SD/MMC and CF/Smartmedia before that.
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Well, I don't know how much longer we'll see either MMC or Smartmedia sticking around (certainly SM's days are numbered)... but your argument certainly applies for SD and CF.
That's Sony for ya! We've certainly had our rounds complaining about their MemStick passion.
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02-15-2003, 11:01 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 51
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The P800 is significant b/c its the 1st major Symbian offering from a company other than Nokia. I think it will sell well in Europe and to a limited extant in the states and elsewhere.
One thing that I find odd though is the double game Sony seems to be playing here. They seem intent on keeping afloat their disasterous partnership w/Ericsson while losing millions and only garnering 6% of the market while totally disavowing any notion of a PalmOS Sony Smartphone. The P800 running PalmOS would have been a much more attrative IMHO, yet Sony is determined to oblige its partnership with Ericsson? I dunno how long Sony can stick with Symbian when it must know a PalmOS smartphone from it would be a success? Also, I am not fully sold on the foretold dominance of Symbian in the mobile market. Even Motorola, a Symbian licensee, acknowledged it would base its future smartphones on Linux, not Symbian. Why should Sony be beholden to Nokia when they already are a licensee of another platform in which they have invested millions into (Palmsource)? This is a critical weakness in the PalmOS camp that one of their major licensees has abdicated an entire emergig segment. But I digress....
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