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