LG Shows Windows Mobile Phone Edition With Retractable Keyboard
The market for pdaPhones keeps getting more and more interesting, at least in terms of what we are shown. It would be nice if we got to buy a lot more of the ones that we see in reference design. LG has shown another device based on Windows Mobile 2003 Phone Edition.
This one is based on the now popular XScale 400 Mhz processor which is a given for any new device today. It deviates from the crowd pretty quickly from there, however. First, it has a whopping 192MB or RAM, more than enough for anyone coming from a 32MB or 64MB device. I'm still quite happy with a 256MB SD card add-on, and I have mapping data and a load of MP3s on there.
The other thing that this device has which will be a new milestone is a 1.1Megapixel camera. To date, all the pdaPhones have a very low resolution 0.3Megapixel camera. With this on, you might actually get some pictures you'd want to keep. Now, there goes that memory!
All of those things are nice, but the real head-turner here is the slide out numeric keypad. Its hard to tell from the pictures how big this device is. If it is standard Pocket PC size, then this keyboard should have been QWERTY, bcause it makes for a huge numeric keypad and a huge waste of space. If it is small, then the keypad may be fine. We'll have to wait until someone can report that has hands on experience with it.
It's really great to see the manufacturers pushing the norm on pdaPhones. Innovation is alive and well in this market, long lost in many of the other tech sectors.
You can check out a photo gallery of the SC8000 HERE.
It is suppose to be some what smaller than the average PPC, hence the numeric keypad. I read on one of the PDA sites that it has a 2.2 inch screen instead of 3.5 which is fairly standard. Also read that it is CDMA since thats the standard in Korea. It would be nice to see this in the US market. Might actually convice me to upgrade from my 7135.
Originally posted by mmaceluch Looked at the photos to the link. SD card 1" long and by looking at photo of side view, calculated about 4".
Pretty small puppy, but wow 1 MB photo capable and Windows Mobile 2003 Phone Edition.
Sounds like I just messed up with i700 just got.
You were probably ok with the i700. Debatably the best PPC phone out there right now. And theres no way to know if this new PPC phone edition unit will even be offered in the U.S. and even if it does eventually get here it will probably be awhile.
It is refreshing seeing some new ideas for the form factor though.
I think this keypad is worthless!! Why would I use it when I can use the virtual one?
Anyway, I know some people will love this thing but think it could have been way better if it was a full QUERTY keypad.
My17cents.
Virtual keypads aren't good for those who like to *touch* dial ... when the i300 came out ... I got one and it prompted our company to buy a few more ... but the biggest complaint we got was folks couldn't dial and drive (don't go there ... I just buy the phones) ...
I have no preference for any keyboards ... but I know some do.
Well, you are definitely going to need both of your hands to dial this phone, because you will have to eject the keypad by am guessing pressing a button, then you will need to hold it with one hand and dial with the other because when the keypad is out the PDA is way to long to be balanced when dialing a #, for that reason alone designers should be shot!!!
Give me a break, they should have thought of that!
Or maybe am just confused as always!
But I stand by what I say this keypad is absolutely %100 useless.
Concerned too by the ability that a small dial peice that pops out. Eventually something is bound to fail.
Though the asia market in phones is a disposable market. I think it was from TechTV where they had an expose on phone technology in Asia and Europe. Meaning whats new is "in" and you simply buy the next "hot" item. Different mindset, marketing and purchasing trends. So a life span of 1 year or 2 is "rediculous" there. Equates to who cares about MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) in that market.
That doesn't work too well here though. I can't afford shelling $600 every 4-6 months. This puppy has to last a year or at most 2.
Brings a new meaning to a Midninght call where you say "sorry... I just fat fingered your number".
Mark
Last edited by mmaceluch : 12-23-2003 at 03:37 PM.
Re: LG Shows Windows Mobile Phone Edition With Retractable Keyboard
Quote:
Originally posted by Converginator It's really great to see the manufacturers pushing the norm on pdaPhones. Innovation is alive and well in this market, long lost in many of the other tech sectors.
Is there a chance that this phone would ever be sold by Verizon. They seem to be the last one to introduce innovative phones. Probably a silly question for which I apologize.
It would be nice if the phone comes with a 640 x 320 VGA resolution, As far as I know, NEC's E805 has a VGA screen but without GPRS connection. I read that HP is planning to launch the 6000 series with built in GPRS, WIFI, but only with 64 ram and 320x 240 resolution.
The strongest PDA phone I discovered so far is the Power PDA in the following web-site http://www.bsquare.com/products/powe...mo_080803.html
At the Geneva Telecome fare a few mounths ago, I saw a device which I think was this one. I seem to remember it was about the same size, maybe a little smaller, than a p900. Those Japanize and Coreen phones where a Generation ahead...
I had tested this device back in October when it was on display for demoing on a trade show. This device does not have 192MB of 'RAM', per se. It's got a standard 64MB memory allocated in the device, and the rest is flash ROM, out of which about 80MB can be used like a SD storage card. On the other hand, my Samsung M400 (it's the Korean version of i700, but with a TV tuner and stuff) has about 140MB of that sort of space.
The screen size for SC8000 is 2.8". You can balance the device and dial with the keypad by one hand, but it's somewhat tricky. The demo devices were somewhat flaky in regards to the keypad mechanism, and hopefully they'll have fixed that problem by March, when it's slated to be on sale here.
You have the Mits M400 by samsung? I was looking for that device and started a new thread on it a little while ago. Can it be converted to english and will it work with any US carriers? The SC8000 appears to be an awesome phone but I heard that it uses Pocket PC 2003 with phone software? I do hope it comes to the US, or atleast can be used with one of our carriers. I have been surfing the net for as much info as I can find on this PdaPhone.
Well, yes I do. I've been posting M400-related threads at the i700 forums here. Now, unless there's a way to overhaul the OS completely, I don't see how you can convert this device to use English version of the PPC2002PE. However, it's highly likely that you can use it in the U.S., since it supports roaming service in U.S. and so it'll probably work with local carriers there.
Meanwhile, the SC8000 uses a generic PPC2003 with LG's own phone software.
If you have the m400, and you are speaking in english, how did you get the m400 converted to english? Or do you know Korean? I appreciate any advice and input. Thanks...
I was wondering if anyone has heard any reliable news about the release of the LG SC8000 in the US? I heard from an unknown person on a Korean website that Sprint or Verizon will receive this phone in the Fall or Winter of this year??? Can anyone confirm or deny this?
SC8000 is coming out in less than two weeks over here, if my sources are correct... which means the debut at the end of March. As for U.S. release, not a clue.
The market for pdaPhones keeps getting more and more interesting, at least in terms of what we are shown. It would be nice if we got to buy a lot more of the ones that we see in reference design. LG has shown another device based on Windows Mobile 2003 Phone Edition. 
I don't mind using either, as both are my primary languages. So... no, my M400 wasn't converted to English.
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