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.