The world in the palm of your hand
The language of technology has a habit of rendering itself obsolete. Take “smartphone” for example. Just a few years ago, the term denoted a multi-function wireless device that combined most of the functions of a mobile phone and those of a PDA personal digital assistant. Now, by this definition, almost every phone is a smartphone. Nevertheless, there is a class of “converged” mobile device that tries a bit harder to replace all those other electronic gizmos in your jacket pocket.
These high-end portable powerhouses include machines such as the Rim Blackberry 6710, Treo 600 and Sony Ericsson P900. Over the past 18 months, these devices have begun to take a larger slice of the corporate mobile market, eating into sales of standalone PDAs. Now a range of new machines is about to hit the market that aim to build on lessons learnt with first generation devices, simplify use and improve on the user experience. So I decided
to have a look at some of
them.
Among them are machines from Rim, Nokia, PalmOne, Hewlett-Packard, AudioVox, Motorola, Sierra Wireless and Sony Ericsson. All are designed to operate as standard mobile phones as well as wireless e-mail and data devices. That means that with one pocket-sized device, you can take calls, send and receive all your corporate and personal e-mail, and store information, including phone numbers, contacts, addresses, calendar data and to-do lists.
Typically, they are built around an operating system that, as with a portable PC or desktop, largely determines their character. The main operating systems are the Palm operating system that was originally developed for Palm handheld PCs, several versions of Microsoft Windows Pocket PC and Smartphone operating systems, and the Symbian Series 60 operating system, which powers most Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Other machines such as Rim's Blackberry devices run on a proprietary operating system.
All have their advantages and drawbacks. I have always liked Palm-based machines because of their simplicity. But Windows-based handhelds have improved significantly and the Symbian operating system, as well as being the most elegant and powerful, is renowned for its frugal use of memory and battery power.
All converged devices enable users to undertake business tasks for example, reading Microsoft Word documents or Excel spreadsheets and PDF files and synchronising the device with a Microsoft Exchange or Lotus Notes corporate e-mail system. Moreover, powerful processors enable most of these devices to double as games machines, cameras and digital music players.
But, with the growth of wireless messaging including SMS and e-mail most converged devices now manage to incorporate a miniature keyboard into their design. For example, the Symbian-powered Sony Ericsson P910 (
www.sonyericsson.com), which was launched in Europe over the past few months and is due in the US this quarter, now boasts a drop-down keyboard underneath the regular keypad. Like its predecessor, the P910 is a solid GSM/GPRS handset that doubles as a wireless e-mail, SMS and web-browsing device. The Rim Blackberry 7100 stands out because of its ingenious 20-key SureType keypad that doubles as a full miniature keyboard.
Sierra Wireless, the Canadian wireless PC card maker, also seems to have listened to users who complained that many of the first generation converged devices were difficult or uncomfortable to operate as a wireless phone.
The Sierra Wireless Voq Professional Phone A11 is one of the most innovative and distinctive-looking devices. A defined “waist” around its middle makes the Voq particularly easy to hold and operate as a standard phone. Moreover, voice quality is good, as is the speaker-independent voice recognition, though I found the battery life pretty mediocre.
The Voq (
www.voq.com) can be used on GSM/GPRS networks throughout Europe and North America and is powered by the latest version of the Windows Smartphone 2003 operating system, which gives the machine a familiar feel and makes it easy to synchronise with desktop e-mail and Windows files.
It also comes with a software package called VoqMail that integrates with corporate e-mail systems and enables corporate and personal e-mail to be “pushed” to the device from IMAP4 mail accounts.
The 2.2 inch screen is bright and clear but, unlike many other smartphone devices, is not touch sensitive. Like most other devices aimed at the security conscious corporate market, the Voq also lacks a built-in digital camera.
However, what really distinguishes the Voq, which runs the latest version of the Windows Smartphone operating system, is a keypad that flips open to reveal a relatively large two-part keyboard. Despite its ungainly appearance when open, the keyboard is quite firm and the keys, while small, are well spaced. But I found the hinge in the middle of the keyboard made two-thumb typing much more difficult than on my trusty Blackberry.
I have also looked at two other new smart devices: the AudioVox PPC 6600, which will be available from Sprint in the US market next week, and the new Treo 650 from PalmOne.
Like the Voq, Audiovox has developed a clever way to incorporate a keyboard into the Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 powered PPC 6600. In use the large screen slides up to reveal a miniature keypad which, like the Blackberry 6710, incorporates predictive software that uses a built-in dictionary to predict and correct text as it is entered.
At 7.35 ounces, the PPC 6600 is not the lightest smartphone around, and with a suggested retail price of $630, it is not the cheapest either. But it does include nice features such as Bluetooth wireless networking, an SD (secure digital) expansion slot and a host of bundled software.
PalmOne (
www.palmone.com) had a lot to live up to with the Treo 650 the successor to the very popular Treo 600 which, along with Blackberry machines, helped popularise the concept of the converged wireless device in the US. And the Treo 650, launched last week, mostly delivers.
Wisely, PalmOne has not made changes for changes' sake. At first glance, it looks identical to the Treo 500. But there are quite a few subtle improvements, including a removable battery with up to five hours' talktime and more than two weeks in standby mode, Bluetooth connectivity, a better screen and an improved SD card slot. Like the AudioVox, it will be sold with or without a built-in camera.
The keyboard gets a slight facelift including backlighting and somewhat more comfortable keys all of which adds to the overall appeal of this machine and should ensure that it continues to give Rim a run for its money.
掌上世界更精彩
科技的语言有一种习惯，那就是让它自己迅速过时。就拿“智能手机”（Smartphone）来说吧。就在几年前，这个词儿指的还是一种集手机和PDA掌上电脑大多数功能于一身的多功能无线设备，可现在，单单从定义上来看，几乎每台电话都是“智能手机”。不过，确实有一类“复合型”移动设备，试图取代你上衣口袋其它所有的电子小发明。
这些高端的便携式强势产品中，有Rim公司的黑莓（Blackberry）6710、Treo 600和索尼-爱立信（Sony Ericsson）P900等型号。在过去的一年半时间里，这些产品分走了纯PDA产品的销售额，在商用移动设备市场中的份额开始扩大。现在，一系列新产品将在以第一代产品为前车之鉴的市场上发起冲击，它们的使用更简单，用户的体验也有所改善。因此，我决定看看其中的部分产品。
这些产品来自Rim、诺基亚（Nokia）、奔迈（PalmOne）、惠普（Hewlett-Packard）、AudioVox、摩托罗拉（Motorola）、Sierra Wireless、索尼-爱立信等公司。它们都具备标准手机、无线电子邮件收发与数据处理设备的功能。就是说，只要有这样一台手掌大小的设备，你就可以打电话，收发公司、个人的电子邮件，存储电话号码、联系方式、地址、日历、日程安排等信息。
通常，它们就像手提或者台式电脑一样，是建立在一套操作系统基础上的，这在很大程度上决定了它们的特征。主要的操作系统有Palm公司最初为Palm手持式电脑开发的操作系统、不同版本的微软视窗掌上电脑和智能手机操作系统，以及支持诺基亚、索尼-爱立信大多数产品的Symbian公司60系列操作系统。其他像Rim公司的“黑莓”等产品使用的是自主开发的操作系统。
任何产品都有利有弊。我一直喜欢用安装Palm操作系统的产品，因为它们使用简单。不过安装视窗操作系统的产品已经有了很大的改进，至于Symbian操作系统，不仅页面美观、功能强大，而且以其占用内存空间少、用电节约而著称。
所有复合型设备都使用户的商务工作得以进行，比如阅读微软Word文件、Excel表格、PDF文件，与微软Exchange或Lotus Note的公司电子邮件系统对接。而且，功能强大的处理器还使得大多数此类产品又能变成游戏机、照相机和数码音乐播放器。
但是，随着包括短信息、电子邮件等无线通信技术的发展，大多数复合型产品现在都设法在设计中加入微型键盘。例如，以Symbian为平台的索尼-爱立信P910（见
www.sonyericsson.com），这款产品几个月以前刚在欧洲推出，并将于本季度在美国上市。它的一大亮点就是常规按键区后面的下拉式键盘。和它更早的系列产品一样，P910既是标准的GSM/GPRS制式手机，也是一台无线收发电子邮件、短信和上网的设备。Rim的黑莓7100的出色之处在于，它运用的独创性20键SureType键区，可以当作一个完整的微型键盘使用。
加拿大无线网卡制造商Sierra Wireless公司 ，似乎也吸收了一些用户的意见，他们抱怨，许多第一代复合型产品，如果当作手机，使用起来很不方便，或者不舒服。
Sierra Wireless推出的Voq Professional Phone A11型产品就是最具创新性、外观最别致的产品之一。产品中部被定义为“腰”的部分使得用户手握着这款Voq打电话很方便。而且，话音质量也很好，就像与说话者无关的语音识别设备，尽管我发现电池使用时间很一般。
Voq（见
www.voq.com）能在覆盖全欧洲和北美的GSM/GPRS网络中使用，它由最新版的微软视窗智能手机2003操作系统支持，因此，用户使用起来会有很熟悉的感觉，很容易与台式电脑的电子邮件和微软文档同步使用。
它还有一套名为VogMail的软件，与公司电子邮件系统兼容，公司和个人的电子邮件就可以通过IMAP4邮件账号“挤进”Voq产品。
2．2英寸的屏幕明亮清晰，不过，和许多其他智能手机产品不同的是，它不是触摸屏。而和大多数针对重视安全问题的企业市场的产品一样，Voq也没有内置式数码相机。
但是，真正令这款使用最新版视窗智能手机操作系统的Voq与众不同的，是一个可以翻开的键区，翻开就是一个相对较大的两面键盘。尽管翻开时样子挺难看，但是这个键盘相当结实，按键虽小，间隔正好。不过我发现键盘中间的枢纽使得两个拇指打字比我所信赖的“黑莓”困难得多。
我也看了另外两种智能产品：一种是斯普林特公司（Sprint）将于下周投放美国市场的AudioVox PPC 6600，另一种是奔迈公司新推出的Treo 650。
和Voq一样，AudioVox也想出一种聪明的方法，将键盘安装在用微软视窗Mobile2003版操作系统的PPC 6600型产品上。使用时，把大屏幕向上滑，一个微型键区就出现了，它就像黑莓 6710一样，安装了使用内置式电子辞典的联想式软件，在输入文本时具有词语联想和修改功能。
PPC 6600的重量是7.35盎司，还不是分量最轻的智能手机。它的建议零售价为630美元，也不是最便宜的。但是它具有不少有用的功能，比如蓝牙无线网络技术，一个安全数码（SD，secure digital）扩充插槽和许多捆绑在一起的软件。
奔迈公司（见
www.Palmone.com）推出的Treo 650具有很多优点，完全可以用来替代很畅销的Treo 600。Treo 600和“黑莓”曾经共同令复合型无线产品的概念在美国深入人心。而上周推出的Treo 650，大体上也做到了。
奔迈公司很明智，没有为了改变而改变。乍一看，它和Treo 500看上去几乎一模一样，但实际上它有好几个精妙的改进：其中包括一个抽取式移动电池，最多可以保证五个小时通话时间，待机时间可以超过两个星期；还可接通蓝牙功能，它的屏幕也更好，还有一个改进的安全数码卡插槽。和AudioVox一样，它既可以装内置相机，也可以不装内置相机销售。
键盘也做了一个小改进，当逆光时也可使用，并且按键也更舒服一些，所有这些都增加了这款产品的吸引力，也确保了它能和Rim公司的产品在销售市场上有得一争。
