Customer Reviews

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I was an early adopter of this phone. It was almost unuseable at first because it froze up all the time. After upgrading the operating system on the phone with a download from T-mobile, all of these problems went away. Most of the bad reviews I have noticed are from early adopters who hadn't discovered that their software was defective and could be fixed.

That's sad because the phone is excellent. It can do far more than any Palm/OS PDA or phone I have owned. And because it integrates so seamlessly with Outlook, I always have a complete set of information on my contacts everywhere I go. Because there is so much software and hardware out there for this platform, the phone has limitless potential. You can plug a GPS device with maps into the phone. I added a briliantly written star chart that is updated in realtime. And don't worry about where to store all the software and data: you can slide in up to 1GB of memory in the form of a tiny memory card.

The phone has virtually infinite battery life. In practice, it never runs out. I've gone away to another city for the weekend without bringing a charger and without concern.

The phone has provided me with excellent reception from Chicago to Patong Beach in Thailand. Sadly, the reception is poor in many parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, although Silicon Valley and San Francisco are quite acceptable.

The antenna on the phone is one of the least obtrusive. Since it is curved and thick, it doesn't get as readily caught and damaged as those that protrude from other phones.

I have noticed in my experience and in the reviews, people either love or hate this Phone/PDA. Wading through the reviews and then purchasing this phone myself, I have noticed some trends.

You will love this phone if you: 1) have good GSM phone service; don't mind a rather clunky device for the sake of features; 3) you actually want/need a Pocket PC i.e. either you are a "techie" or you have specific portable software needs; 4) you don't mind chasing down fixes and/or software to make it work the way you want. A great example of this is the doctor's review. The doctor loves the thing because it has portable PC functionality with a phone to boot. In my case, I love having PDA software, Quicken, email, and I am excited about programming software for it.

You will hate it if you : 1) have bad GSM phone service; 2) really want a PDA phone NOT a Pocket PC; 3) can't do without a sleek, intuitive design; 4) aren't a geek.

In the end, this sounds like the classic Mac verses PC debate. If you want the ability to tweak and run any kind of software or add a 1 GB smart card or GPS, then buy the Pocket PC Phone. You will love it. If you can't imagine why in the world anyone would ever need a gigabyte of memory in their phone, buy something else. You probably want something more robust and user friendly and not with so many dizzying features. Maybe the T-Mobile Sidekick is for you.

Don't get me wrong, it is fairly easy to use. It's a matter of degree and what you like.

For the record, I haven't had much trouble with dropped calls. It's pretty much like other T-Mobile phones. It is a PC and thus fragile. I recommend the handset insurance right away.

The PocketPC Phone is an excellent combination of PDA and Phone. I have used the Treo and this one is way better. Although GSM coverage is not as good as CDMA in USA. Where I live i.e in Boston area the coverage is excellent. My next step is to buy a GPS for it. Also guys please buy atleast 256 MB sd card as you will need it. Another thing you might want to get is a better browser than the IE that comes with it. I use thunderhawk from bitstream.com and it makes such a difference when you are surfing the web.

Pros

. Everything

Cons

. Little bulky (But then again, this is sooo much better than the competetion)

I have used this system exactly for one year.This has been a miracle for me as a Health care Professional. Telephone with a speaker, SMS(Text messaging), Schedules with reminders, Contacts, even internet on the tip of my finger right on the front lines!
Not that wasn't enough with addition of an external card I have loaded the device with multiple medical books from skyscape.com and free calculator, and last but not least epocrates with latest on meds and lastest on journals and medical events weekly from MDCONSULT.com on the RAM which has been a heaven. I just can't believe it still its like a dream coming true...
downsides with every new system is expected but only a smart man knows how to resolve problems rather than expecting to be provided with a "perfect system":
#1 battery at max is 1.5 days (no problem I have put chargers in the car too).
#2 slow internet (I don't use that much internet only for emergency and I remember during my vacation I was able to purchase two items by this device from e-bay!)
#3 e-mails at max you will get 2 lines of your e-mails (and if you put don't foward on your ISP side you will get only the headers ) why? because only in Europe they have overcome this problem not USA yet (a simple translation to english of what I was told finally by the third level tech.)However on SMS you could send a page at a time with 300-500 SMS a month for couple of dollars a month that is unbelievable.
#4 device kept falling from its lose connection from my belt in going in and out from the car(no problem I purchased a great holder from Marware.com now it doesn't move)
So again it is depended on what you are doing and expecting, for me this device has saved lives!

Wait for the next generation due out in March 2004 offered by T-Mobile. If you want something to lump your email addresses, phone numbers and snail addresses into one device that you will carry most of time, then this may be the phone for you. I have used this phone for almost a year now. I would still recommend it if you were simply want an integrated device that can dial out.

Yes, it is bulky and a bit heavy for a phone but not a PDA - but I still manage it to put it in my back jean pocket (without the case). It is not SDIO compatible and not a bluetooth ready device. It is limited with 32 MB internal memory. The headset is proprietary but you can easily purchase 3rd party headphone. The hand recognition input method is not too bad but like Palm, it has its own limitation.

Service is same as Cingular in my area. And all cellular companies are pretty much the same to me nowadays. Don't expect way too much of their technical support until you get to at least second level tech support. It is true that you should figure out your own internal email network compatibility before you purchase this device. However, with a third level of tech support I was able to get it working (sort of).

Internet service is slow for GPRS network. So forget it. Wait for a better connection offered at cheaper price.

Was originally a Palm user, switched to an iPaq Pocket PC 2 years ago (for the screen quality -- I'm usually anti-MicroSoft), and just got this PDA/Phone combo a month ago (made by HTC, the same company that makes the iPaq Pocket PC). PDA functions work as expected (for a long time iPaq user). The integration of phone and PDA address book works well (although not perfect). Download the latest OS patch -- it does help.

As for coverage (T-Mobile), it's decent in most urban and interstate areas, marginal to non-existent everywhere else. I just had to have this phone (I'm a gadget freak) and the only alternative carrier was AT&T, who has ZERO coverage in NY state where most of my family lives, so T-Mobile it was, spotty coverage or no.

By the way, you can use any .WAV file as a ring tone. Here's a tip to minimize disruptions from receiving calls in a meeting -- use the PDA voice recorder to record yourself clearing your throat or coughing, then set that as your ring tone. Might even get some laughs.

One other note -- the old Pocket Streets (street map program) which came free with your first iPaq can be installed on this phone -- no need to buy the new 2002 Pocket Streets

I purchased the T-Mobile PocketPC Phone Edition as a necessary replacement for both a failing cell phone and an outdated palm-pilot. At first, I was just going to purchase a new phone, but since I was not entering into a new cell-phone contract (just replacing the phone itself), the prices of cell phones nowadays didn't seem very much worth their limited functionality. So I decided to try out this PocketPC Phone Edition.

Let's just say that I am wonderfully surprised by the utility of this little unit. It does everything that I could desire, truly! It syncs effortlessly with other devices (my computer via IR, although you can use a USB connection; other devices by BlueTooth), making file transfer a breeze. I can view and edit documents in various common formats: Word, Excel, text/rich-text, PDF, Microsoft Reader, etc. The media capabilities allow me to store pictures, which display quite nicely on the large (~2x3") high-res screen; and I can play music and video, too -- although that is limited practically by the 32Mb internal storage (an expansion card is available). The PocketPC Phone Edition has a built-in IE web browser that functions via a GPRS connection. I have not paid for this service (appx $20/mo.), but I use the web browser often with download web pages, such as via AvantGo for news and views. Having your morning e-mail downloaded to the unit is wonderful, and makes my morning commute more productive. I greatly enjoy using the SMS message function on the phone, which allows me to text message other cell phones -- it's easier to use writing w/ a stylus than punching keys on a cell phone -- and there is an integrated In Box that stores and categorizes text messages, e-mails, sent items, etc. The Microsoft Windows CE operating system feels familiar, intuitive and functional.

I will add here that the one feature that to me makes this all worthwhile is that it syncs perfectly with Microsoft Outlook, using its addressbook. No more entering numbers into my phone! I just view the addressbook entry (which shows name, address, home/work/cell phone, e-mail, etc.). Tap on e-mail, and I can write that person an e-mail. I can send an instant text message to that person's mobile phone. Tap on a phone number, and it dials.

Some people may comment that T-Mobile's service lags behind other companies. In the past, I would have agreed. But, over the past few years, I believe it is on par with a lot of other companies, at least in Houston, Dallas and New York City, where I have lived, and major metropolitan areas, where I have travelled. This phone has great amplification of signal. The sound quality is good, too, and speakerphone is helpful when you are trying to talk on a noisy street.

Overall, this phone has proved jam-packed with features that I use and enjoy. I am pleased with this purchase.

I switched over to T-Mobil and in the process I got a Pocket PC Phone Edition. As a phone it is very clear and it can be used as a speaker phone. It doesn't have any keys just a few buttons. I puts up a picture of a keyboard with large keys and you just touch them with your finger to dial a number. It can also receive and send email because it contains Outlook and many other Microsoft applications like Word and Excel. It is basically a PDA and a phone at the same time.

I can highlight a name in the contacts list and either email or phone by clicking with the stylus. You can enter text by taping a keyboard which looks like a real keyboard, or by writing or printing and it will convert it to type.

My wife got one too and she uses AOL 2.0 for Pocket PC on it. The best part is that it synchronizes your contacts list to your PC so you don't have to reenter email address and phone numbers.

T-Mobil offers unlimited GPRS for $20 dollars a month which means you can use the internet or email as much as you want without worrying about minutes.

The only negative is that I can't use the phone as a modem to access the email and internet from my PC while on the road. I had this feature with my Siemens SX45. I am hoping that the upcoming Microsoft Pocket PC 2003 upgrade will solve this. The direct access to Email the internet from the phone is good but if your PC is available it is much easier with the full screen and keyboard.

..and I'm hooked. First of all, you should realize that if you're going to own a phone like this, you get a PDA which also doubles as a phone. It's first and foremost a PDA. So, if you just have to have the tiniest device possible, don't want to spend hardly any money on the device, and don't want to spend any time learning how to use it, then this phone is NOT for you.

But, if you're like me, this PDA phone (XDA) is perfect! Besides serving as a phone, I also use this device extensively to read offline web pages (using AvantGo - free), to read ebooks (using the free µBook from www.gowerpoint.com and Microsoft Reader), play games (free and otherwise), and I even use a portable Targus Universal Wireless keyboard (Model # PA870U) to type up notes & journal entries using Microsoft Word which then synchronizes back to my computer. You will probably also like WisBar Advance from www.lakeridgesoftware.com which does a number of other useful things for you (like program control, skins, etc.)

Besides the portable keyboard, I also recommend that owners of this phone immediately obtain a hard case like the OX-0313 at www.styluscentral.com. My phone has survived a few drops, but it has some small dents from dropping it before I had the case. Since I got the case, it has sustained no more damage, despite a few more drops. A friend of mine used to carry his phone (same model) without any case and it met its end after only one drop on concrete.

One last thing you'll want to buy with this phone is an extra SD memory card. That actually is essential, as the internal memory of the PDA itself will fill up quite quickly once you start loading µBook, games, ebooks, etc. I use a 64 MB card and have mostly filled that up. I would recommend starting with a 128 MB card. That may seem too big at first, but you'll quickly use up the space.

You should know that I have NOT used the phone with the T-Mobile internet service so I can't vouch for the quality of that service. As far as standard phone functions go, the phone has done OK. Like many phones, you won't be able to use it in buildings and some locations, depending on antenna, etc. but it has been decent where I live (Minneapolis, MN area).

In short, this has been a great phone for me. I have almost completely stopped lugging around a laptop since I got this phone as it does everything for me that I used the laptop for. Obviously, this won't do everything a regular computer does, but it does everything I need, and more. If you already use a computer daily and would like to carry some of that functionality around with you without lugging around a laptop, this phone is probably ideal for you.

Anyone with questions or comments can email me at VincePlatt AT yahoo.com.
-Vince

This is a great combination phone/PDA. Many small features that make it that much easier such as in your contacts on Microsoft outlook you can tap their phone number to call rather than dialing. The stylus hid in the antenna is perfect as well, it stays in no problem, the case that comes with it is great as well. Has the option of getting a digital camera and lots more memory if needed.
The practical side of it is blaringly obvious though. It is very light, but it is not in sync with the cell phone fashions of today either. It is not a phone you necessarily want on your side for a date or to hit the club.
For what it is meant for, the size and weight are great. I have had zero problems with it and am thoroughly pleased. Just remember its purpose and you will be as well.