The 81-day experiment

Case STudy: Cingular 8525--now AT&T 8525

In this case study, Sean from Chicago shares his experience with the AT&T 8525 (If you would like to contribute your case study, please e-mail [email protected] with Case Study in the subject line). Here is what Sean has to say about the AT&T 8525:

----- Case Study -----

I wanted to let you know I had to get my boss up and running with the 8525 on the ATT network. I have to say that I was really pleased with the phone.

Our company is currently a Verizon customer and we are pretty much standardized on the 6700 with a few 820's (a sweet little flip phone if you don't mind missing a keyboard) and are waiting for the 6700's replacement running Windows Mobile 6)

So I had recently ordered a 8525 and the treo 750 for the company President's ATT phone. He goes international a lot (unlike most of us) and needed a non-cdma phone.

I have to say the 8525 is a big improvement. There's more memory and I just seems a little snappier then the 6700. Slightly newer build of windows mobile 5 and the phone even feels a little better. Huge bonus is the wheel.

(idea stolen from the crack-berry for sure) Missing one button I liked with the 6700 but not really missed.

Phone seems pretty fast on the internet with in a 3g environment.

Loaded our default apps:

Microsoft Voice command. (needed newer version; 1.5 will not work on newer os build) PDAnet (the best way to get your laptop on the net with the phone) TomTom Navigator 6. (tomtom nav 6 is not really compatable with phone however. Also will not be compatible with WM6 either. Nav6 could not communicate with phones tcip stack so traffic updates did not work.

I've read a lot about users complaining there wm phone needs to be soft-reset. I've found the source of this issue is two things. Memory and applications.

All applications are not created equal. Tomtom navigator 6 can cause some WM phones to seem to go crazy for some reason for example.

Other applications seem to make the phone freeze up for periods of time and not seem responsive. Be carefull what 3rd party apps you put on the phone.

You just might need to reset it to clear up the phone. Plus don't just install everything back on a phone all at once. Install apps one at a time.

Patience is required to setup a replacement phone.

Memory, if you use IE a lot and surf graphic pages your phone will get slower. The more apps and memory you absorb with email and web pages will cause the phone to do tricky things. I have 3 IMAP email accounts plus hotmail setup on the phone with attachments stored on the external memory.

If you keep to many days worth of email the headers alone can take up all the memory. So delete your cache and keep as few days of email as you can on the phone.

In closing, the 8525 seems to be a great device with a nice pullout keyboard.

Runs better then all the other WM5 phones I've tried. Have not needed to soft-reset the phone once. Blue-Tooth and the new Microsoft Voice Command works great. (now your outlook appointments are announced in your ear rather then everyone hearing them)

Can't wait to see some WM6 phones like this one hit the streets. (Verizon needs it bad) while ATT not as much with this phone being available. This phone is considerably better then the 8125 that it replaced.

Sean~

Case Studies: Treo 755p from Sprint, Nokia N95 used with Cingular, and HTC MTeoR also used with Cingular!

In these case studies, Antoine who has recently reviewed several smartphones, shares his experience with the Treo 755p from Sprint, the Nokia N95 used with Cingular, and the HTC MTeoR also used with Cingular (If you would like to contribute your case study, please e-mail it in the same format as shown below to [email protected] with Case Study in the subject line).

Here is what Antoine reported about these devices starting with the Treo 755p

Manufacturer/Brand? Palm
Model? Treo 755p
Carrier? Sprint
Desktop Operating System? Windows XP

How do you rank the device and the related services in the following areas (rankings are 1 to 5, where 5 is the best)

Overall satisfaction? 3
Features? 4
Usability? 5
Compatibility with your desktop? 5
Technical support? not needed

Would you recommend this device to others who have similar needs to yours?

Yes (depending on price).

Your industry, size of your company, and role within your company?

Web development (5); writer (5)

What specific things do you like about the device and related services?

Device design and feel, user interface, battery life.

Which devices have you used in the past? Please list them starting with the most recent device and then going backward and answer the following questions about each of these devices:

Device Manufacturer/Model/Carrier? Treo 680 Unlocked but used with Cingular, Nokia N95 Unlocked but used with Cingular, HTC MTeor Unlocked but used with Cingular , Treo 650 Cingular; Treo 600 Cingular

How long did you use the device? 2 weeks

Why did you switch? Haven't switched yet ;)

Here is what Antoine reported about the Nokia N95

Manufacturer/Brand? Nokia
Model? N95
Carrier? Unlocked but used with Cingular
Desktop Operating System? Windows XP

How do you rank the device and the related services in the following areas (rankings are 1 to 5, where 5 is the best)

Overall satisfaction? 4
Features? 5
Usability? 4
Compatibility with your desktop? 5
Technical support? not needed

Would you recommend this device to others who have similar needs to yours?

Overwhelmingly, yes.

What specific things do you like about the device and related services?

Excellent camera (5 megapixels); very nice web browser; small size for all the features

What things don't you like or that can be improved and related services?

Better battery life; more usable/functional user interface

How long did you use the device? 1 month

Why did you switch? Haven't switched yet ;)

Here is what Antoine reported about the HTC MTeoR

Manufacturer/Brand? HTC
Model? MTeoR
Carrier? Unlocked but used with Cingular
Desktop Operating System? Windows XP

How do you rank the device and the related services in the following areas (rankings are 1 to 5, where 5 is the best)

Overall satisfaction? 3
Features? 4
Usability? 4
Compatibility with your desktop? 4
Technical support? not needed

Would you recommend this device to others who have similar needs to yours?

No.

What specific things do you like about the device and related services?

Excellent device weight; great screen; good camera; Today Screen

What things don't you like or that can be improved and related services?

user interface; handling of text and email messages

How long did you use the device? 1 month

Why did you switch? Haven't switched yet ;)

Thanks Antoine!

Google Phone? more speculations! The latest from AlwaysOn

There seem to be a lot of speculation about what is going on with the Google phone and how it will look like, and here is the latest that was published by Simeon Simeonov on AlwaysOn:

- Blackberry-like, slick device

- C++ core w/ OS bootstrap (some version of Linux?)

- Optimized Java running on the C++ core (similar to what Andy did at Danger)

- Vector-based presentation courtesy of Skia’s technology

- Many services, including VoIP

The Cingular 8525, the Treo 680, and the Treo 750 that is coming soon!

During my visit to the Cingular store earlier in the week, I was also able to experiment with the new Cingular 8525 which I described last week. It did “feel” slightly more refined than the T-Mobile MDA including the addition of two new keys on the front of the device—the home key and the ok key. These sound like minor improvements, but if you have used a Windows Mobile device that does have these keys (such as the T-Mobile MDA), you would know that it can be “disorienting” not to have these designated shortcuts to get to the home screen, the menus, or accept a selection.

How about the Treo 680

At that time (Tuesday November 28) the Treo 680 was not in stock yet. Even though it was already released on November 24^th, it seems that it didn’t reach the Cingular stores. However, I got a call from the Cingular store today (Dec 1^st) indicating that they have the Treo 680 in stock now.

For those who are curious about the Treo 680 from Cingular and haven’t researched it yet, it is the newer Treo that Cingular is offering (this means it supports the GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks, and is pretty much the successor of the Treo 650). The Treo 680 offers many refinements and enhancements including a more stylish look.

The Treo 680 also comes unlocked and in additional colors. When you buy the unlocked device, you can use it with any GSM/GPRS/EDGE network provider worldwide. Here are the details from Palm.

And what is happening with the Treo 750w

The Treo 750w is still not available yet and the word seems to be that it might still become available in December. The Treo 750w is a Winows Mobile device, and unlike the Treo 680, the Treo 750w will be a 3G phone with data transmission speed ranging from 400-700 kbps.

Some hands-on time with the Samsung BlackJack at the Cingular store

I did make it to the Cingular store today, and as I started to type on the Samsung BlacJack, I remembered Bill’s comment regarding the BlackJack keyboard. I found myself making more typing errors than usual, and when using the 5-way navigation key, I was accidentally hitting the center key too often (it seems to be too pronounced compared to the side and up/down keys).

I also noticed that the device has a trackwheel (or thumbwheel as the Motorola Q calls it) and Escape button on the side. This reminded me of the Motorola Q which I used earlier in the experiment (picture on the left) . It seems that the BlackJack has a lot of similarities to the Q --the size of the device, the shape of the keys, and the trackwheel/thumbwheel, and Escape button. However, my experience with the Motorola Q keyboard, and especially the Motorola Q 5-way navigation key were far more positive.

So what is up with the Samsung BlackJack?

When I researched the BlackJack earlier, I was quite impressed by the fact that it is the first device that brings high-speed and international support together into a slim device that has a QWERTY keyboard. It seemed to an ideal business-and-social device for business travelers who do a lot of typing and need international support. On paper the device looked great. The in-person hands-on experience was not as satisfying. However, usability is a subjective matter. So if you’re considering the BlackJack, get some hands-on time with it and find out for yourself.

Tomorrow, I will continue with some observations and news about the Cingular 8525, the Treo 680, and the Treo 750.

“Which smartphone would be best for me” asked Stephanie

Stephanie: “Based on your experiment, can you provide an overall analysis of the rating for each device? I’m considering purchasing a smartphone within the next couple of months and would like your thoughts on the best model out there. Note: I do have Cingular phone service, so I’d need a smartphone that is compatible with Cingular service. Also, I very much want to use the Windows mobile operating system, so that I can sync my calendar, contacts, and appointments with my computer at work. I don’t need any fluff (MP3, camera, other special applications) – I just need the nuts and bolts. Thank you!”

Recommendations to Stepanie:

  a) If you are planning on sticking to Cingular, and your main interest is the calendar, contacts, and appointments, I would say the Cingular 3125 or BlackJack would do the job well. They use Windows Mobile and they are small phones that you can easily carry with you everywhere.

b) The Cingular 3125 doesn't have a QWERTY keyboard (it is a flip-phone). The BlackJack does have a full QWERTY keyboard. But from your description, it doesn't seem that you are going to be doing lots of typing, so this may not be an issue for you.

c) Both of these smartphones offer full multi-media capabilities that you don’t need. But these are not in the way, and you can just ignore them (one day though, when you unexpectedly need to capture the moment, and the camera may come in handy, and then one thing leads to another and you find yourself watching TV on the little screen, who knows!).

  d) If you are not in a hurry to make a selection (you said a couple of months), there is another device that you might want to consider when it becomes available. That is the BlackBerry Pearl from Cingular (no official date has been announced but rumor has it that it is coming soon). Currently it is only available from T-Mobile. It is not a Windows Mobile device, but it is fully compatible with Windows, and can sync extremely well with Outlook.

e) Finally, in terms of ranking the devices, this is what I will be doing over the next few weeks, so stay tuned and please visit the 81-day-experiment blog often to see more details (http://81dayexperiment.typepad.com/)

f) By the way, we also offer a PDF that provides a methodology for comparing devices if you are interested in more details. You can order it online at https://www.people-onthego.com/Online_Trn_OD_Handheld_TestDrive.html This will also be updated in the next few weeks to cover all the devices I used in the 81-day-experiment.

Good luck!

And the Cingular 8525 Pocket PC, yet another high-speed device from Cingular

Do you remember the T-Mobile MDA which I used for 9 days earlier in the 81-day-experiment? Well, the Cingular 8525 Pocket PC is its first cousin (picture on the left). Both come from the same manufacturer and both look similar and offer the sliding keyboard. The main difference is the addition of HSPDA/UMTS support by Cingular which means an average data transfer between 400 and 700 Kbps and uploads of around 384 Kbps.

However, the HSPDA/UMTS network is not yet widely available in the U.S. (see yesterday’s note about availability). When unavailable, the speed would drop down to the EDGE speed (2 to 3 times modem speed). Still not bad for simple browsing and e-mail, but maybe not ideal for Web TV or music applications.

By the way, the Cingular 8525 (and the T-Mobile MDA) are “Pocket PC” devices, which means in addition to the Windows Mobile features we saw with the Motorola Q, the Cingular 3125, and the T-Mobile Dash, they offer additional capabilities such as full editing of Microsoft Office documents.

The only smartphone that give users wireless 3G capabilities in the US and abroad

In this press release by Cingular, Kent Mathy, president of Cingular Wireless’ B2B organization, makes the advantage of the UMTS/HSDPA devices very clear.

So what does this mean to you? It means that if you are an international traveler, or a Cingular customer who has been envious of these Verizon and Sprint colleagues who are proud of their EV-DO devices, you now have a compelling solution within reach. The Cingular 8525 and the Sumsung BlackJack are at your disposal. T-Mobile has not yet released its high-speed devices, so for now, Cingular will enjoy this advantage.

But how about usability?

My belief is still that the single more important factor behind selecting and using a mobile device, and continuing to use it day in and day out, is the usability factor. This means the user interface, the navigation, the feel of the keyboard or keypad, how well it integrates with the desktop, as well as the form factor, among others. Speed is one factor but speed alone won’t do it. I was not impressed with the T-Mobile MDA usability, but I will see how the Cingular 8515 ranks on usability when I experiment with it, hopefully soon.

Your comments on usability?

Taking about usability, your comments on usability are most valuable for other users who are looking for new smartphones. Even though usability can be subjective, sharing your experience can help educate other users what to look for and what to pay attention to. To show you an example, below is a comment posted yesterday by Bill Pena about the keyboards and the typing experience he had with the new Samsung BlackJack by Cingular, and the BlackBerry Pearl, as he ventured into some hands-on experience with these devices.

Bill Pena on the BlackJack usability

“I tried out a Blackjack at a local Cingular store yesterday, and it is quite impressive in almost every way. It's very fast, the screen is amazing, it feels very solid yet light in the hand, and the HSDPA speed is a huge boon”.

“However, the keyboard and navigation keys are just too cramped. I tried typing out a couple of sentences, and the error rate was so high for me that I had to write off the device; I found it too frustrating to type on this phone to seriously consider carrying it around for the next couple of years”

“For as much as QWERTY keyboards on smartphones are sought-after, I've found that the hybrid Suretype keyboard on the Pearl was easier for me to use than any of the other slim smartphones with full keyboards, like the Q, Blackjack, or Dash. I could knock out a paragraph almost as quickly as I could on a full-sized keyboard (which is *very* fast) and Suretype got it right 99% of the time. Much better experience than the Blackjack.”

The New Samsung BlackJack smartphone from Cingular

Cingular just released the Samsung BlackJack, yet one more thin (relatively small) Windows Mobile device. It does have the full QWERTY keyboard. It is stylish and has the multi-media capabilities we have seen recently in the 81-day-experiment with the T-Mobile Dash and the Cingular 3125, and earlier with the Motorola Q. So what is unique about it? you might ask.

The HSDAP network

What is most unique about it is the fact that it supports the HSDPA network (which stands for High-Speed Downlink Packet Access). The HSDPA network promises speeds of up to 1.8 Mbits/sec to individual handsets (currently the announced speed is in the 400 to 700 Kbps). With this speed, streaming live video and music from Cingular Video and Cingular Music becomes a reality.

The future of HSDPA and the devices that support is quite promising

Another aspect that makes HSDPA unique is that it is GSM compatible which is great news for international travelers who want to be able to use their smartphones outside the U.S. In addition, HSPDA supports s simultaneous voice and data transfers which can have several potential applications including the ability of talking and e-mailing at the same time.

How about prices and plans?

While the list price is $424.99, you can get it for as low as $199 with the 2 year contract. The data plan that offers can range from $29.99 to $54.99 which would then include unlimited data.

So should you jump on the Samsung BlackJack Cingular wagon?

The Samsung BlackJack from Cingular is definitely a strong player in the Windows Mobile category of devices. It adds the high-speed element to international support. The previous devices in this category seems to offer one or the other. The Verizon and Sprint high-speed devices (using EV-DO) such as the Treo 700p and 700w and Motorola Q don’t offer the international support. The T-Mobile devices such as the BlackBerry Pearl and T-Mobile Dash provide international support but only the EDGE speed for now.

So at least for some time, the Samsung BlackJack from Cingular will enjoy an interesting niche. Before jumping on the wagon though, put your hands on the device to check out if there is “chemistry”. That is the part that speed and international support can’t buy.

For additional information about the Samsung BlackJack from Cingular, you can also refer to this review at the Red Herring online.

The Sony VAIO® VGN-UX280P and the Sony mylo(tm) personal communicator

I was downtown near the Sony store yesterday, and couldn’t help it but check out a few of the handheld devices--even though they are not the typical pda/phone combinations.

The Sony Vaio™ Micro PC

The VAIO® VGN-UX280P Micro PC is exactly that--a Micro PC. It is small, light, and fully equipped. It runs Windows XP and it has on it pretty much everything you can imagine including all the advanced networking/connectivity features that are possible. It can even make Internet voice calls using Skype—assuming the signal where you happen to be at the moment is strong enough for that.

I was wondering if having the Sony Micro PC could eliminate the need for a smartphone and a laptop, and allow one to just have a regular cell phone when on the go. However after using it for 15 or 20 minutes, I decided to move on. Maybe I am not ready for the Micro PC yet!

The Sony mylo™ personal communicator

This is another device that caught my attention. What is unique about the Sony mylo™ (My Life Online) personal communicator is that you don’t get a voice or data plan with it, it is just a Wi-Fi device. It is intended to be used in places where Wi-Fi is available. This could be your office, your home, the local hotspots, and other Wi-Fi enabled places that you visit.

With the Sony mylo™ personal communicate, you can surf the web, use Web e-mail, use Instant Messenger, listen to music, watch videos, and even make Internet phone calls. With a full QWERTY keyboard, and a slick design, it does have some appeal if your needs can be met by Wi-Fi. Not exactly the business device for the on-the-go professional, but that doesn’t seem to be its primary market.