OT 557 and O2 XDA mini: Pphones for different people<\/p>\n
Zatni Arbi, Contributor, zatni@cbn.net.id<\/p>\n
Some people -- especially first-time users -- just want the most
\nbasic cellphone they can find. They don't need all the frills,
\nsuch as built-in MP3 player, radio, infrared and Bluetooth. All
\nthey need is a device that will let them make calls and send SMS
\nmessages. Above all, they want a cellular phone that is easy to
\nuse and will last a long time.<\/p>\n
Courtesy of Alcatel Indonesia, I had the chance to play around
\nwith their OneTouch 557 cellphone for a couple of weeks. While I
\ndid not really miss it after I returned it to them, I think it
\nwould meet the needs of people who just want a basic cellphone.<\/p>\n
Its strong points include a familiar and user-friendly design,
\na keypad with great tactile response, and good sound. Other
\nfeatures are not really earth-shaking: a 65 thousand color CSTN
\nscreen, a 300 VGA digital camera, SMS, MMS, WAP and GPRS support.<\/p>\n
The camera can take 15 pictures in succession, all in a burst
\nlasting 7.5 seconds.<\/p>\n
Being a GSM tri-band cellular phone, it is just right if you
\nhave to travel a lot, as it can be used in regions where
\noperators use either 850, 1800 or 1900 MHz frequency bands.<\/p>\n
Another design feature is the placement of the protective
\ncover of the camera lens, recessed into the cellphone and thus
\nprotecting it from finger smudges. Other makers of camera-
\nequipped cellular phones should adopt this approach.<\/p>\n
This model has not yet been released into the local market,
\nand no specific date has been set for release. The expected
\nretail price will be less than Rp 1.5 million. For such a price,
\nI would say that the screen does not really compete with those in
\nthe same price range. The screen looks dark when viewed from an
\nangle. Fortunately, viewed right straight on, the characters are
\nsharp enough.<\/p>\n
Care should be exercised when opening the back cover, as there
\nis no latch to press or push. The plastic cover is not very
\nscratch-resistant, either.<\/p>\n
If the price was set lower, then the OT 557 would be more
\nattractive to a much wider audience. Let us hope this will be the
\ncase when it is made available here.<\/p>\n
Mini means small<\/p>\n
More sophisticated users may demand the full functionality of
\na smartphone, such as a Palm or a PocketPC device, in order to
\nkeep all their personal information and jot down notes.<\/p>\n
The O2 Xda IIs, reviewed a couple of weeks ago, was launched
\nin tandem with its smaller sibling, the O2 Xda mini. However,
\napparently the latter was delayed at airport customs thus I could
\nnot test drive the demo unit until now.<\/p>\n
One thing that struck me at first sight was that the Xda mini
\nwas very well built. It features a very sleek design and good
\nergonomics. The arrangement of the buttons below the screen was
\nuncluttered. I could make calls and hang up easily using the
\nbuttons around the joystick.<\/p>\n
Unlike other gadgets, O2 did not use too many fancy flashing
\nlights to decorate the Xda mini. There was only a subtle light
\ncoming out from the earpiece. It glowed green to tell us that the
\ndevice was on, and blue when Bluetooth was active.<\/p>\n
As expected, a USB cable is included in the box that is used
\nto connect the device to the PC. Unfortunately, the battery
\ncharger also uses the same port, so we cannot connect the device
\nfor data transfer and synchronization while the battery is being
\nrecharged.<\/p>\n
The screen is of high quality. I discovered a handy feature;
\nthe screen can be changed from portrait orientation to landscape.
\nEven a lefty can easily use this device, as the screen
\norientation can be rotated further so that the joystick is on the
\nright, and the stylus can be used in the left hand.<\/p>\n
Turning the volume up and down is also easy with the two-way
\nbutton on the left, where the thumb falls. Remember, it also
\ncomes with an MP3 player.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, great as it is, this Rp 6.5 million device
\nlacks built-in support for Wi-Fi. You have to add the Wi-Fi card
\nyourself. Opening the aluminum back cover can be difficult. In my
\ntest, I found that extracting the SIM card from its cradle could
\nbe a challenge, too. Its battery, as in the Xda IIs, may require
\nmore frequent recharges.<\/p>\n
Like its bigger brother, the Xda IIs, the mini tends to be on
\nthe expensive side. But, certainly, O2 has done a great job
\ndesigning a great PocketPC-based PDA that is just as small as a
\nregular cellular phone.<\/p>",
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