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Review of HTC's X7510 Advantage Smartphone
An anonymous reader writes "DigitalBurn.com has posted a review of HTC's new X7510 Advantage smartphone. It is technically a smartphone, but looks more like a small laptop since it has a 5" VGA touchscreen display. Other features include tri-band HDSPA 3G data, a 3 megapixel auto-focus camera, a magnetically attached QWERTY keyboard, and a full-blown Opera 9 web browser. It can even be hooked up to a TV or external monitor/projector."
I can bet this thing will almost certainly flop when it comes to market. Heck, even the US rebate check isn't enough to cover the cost of one of these!
By Michael Oryl â May 21, 2008
The HTC X7510 Advantage is a hard device to label. Technically it is a smartphone, because it runs the Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional OS and has the ability to make voice calls. But the fact that calls can only be made with the built-in speakerphone or a headset hint at the fact that it was not designed primarily as a voice device. Its size drives the point home even further, since it weighs as much as 3 normal sized smartphones at 375g (13.2oz). Thatâ(TM)s a lot of hardware, no question.
So what is the Advantage? It is a media and data-centric device that also happens to make calls. Think of it as one part smartphone, one part laptop, and a dash of media player voodoo for good measure. Its 134mm x 98mm x 20.5mm (5.3â x 3.9â x .8â) size without the keyboard means it is pocketable, but only barely. Compared to a laptop computer, though, the Advantage will run for hours without a charge (300 hours of standby, 5-6 hours of talk time) and can be easily toted around. And it can make that emergency phone call if you need it to.
The X7510â(TM)s large 5â VGA resolution touchscreen display is great for web browsing or video watching. The included Opera 9 browser makes the most of the huge touchscreen, allowing users to scroll with a finger or stylus and double tap to zoom in or out. It is a true laptop-like browsing experience, though perhaps a bit less zippy at times.
The zip factor depends largely on how the Advantage is getting its connectivity. On WiFi or an HDSPA 3G network (850/1900/2100MHz), it is pretty quick. HSDPA can provide 1000Kbps data downloads, while WiFi can double that as long as the X7510â(TM)s 624MHz processor and generous 128MB of RAM arenâ(TM)t juggling too many other tasks. If there is no high speed data available, youâ(TM)ll be stuck with quad-band GSM/EDGE support and sub-100Kbps download speeds. That might not be awe inspiring, but it will keep you in touch with the world. it is worth mentioning that the Opera 9 browser appears to ignore the WiFi connection if the WiFi system was enabled after Opera was already running, which is unlike how the Pocket IE and other apps behave.
Of course there is more to a device like the Advantage than just downloading web pages. Sometimes you need to give back a little. To that end, Advantage users can create and edit Word, Excel, and OneNote documents, and view PowerPoint presentations. To get the most of such abilities, though, you need more than the Windows Mobile on-screen QWERTY keyboard. Thatâ(TM)s where the X7510â(TM)s 104g (3.7oz) detachable keyboard comes in. It connects to the main body of the Advantage through a few brass contacts, and the keyboard is held in place with a pretty strong magnet. I am always surprised at how easy it is to get the keyboard into position - it just wants to go to the right place on its own.
Compared to the earlier Advantages, the keyboard that comes with the X7510 is quite different. For starters, the keys are molded into the top membrane of the keyboard (think Atari 400 for those of you old enough to remember back that far). There are ridges that separate each key, and a soft click and accompanying vibration greet each key press. It seems that the sound itself is somehow causing the haptic vibration, and as such there is no way to get the reassuring vibration feedback when the keyboard sound is muted. The click might be annoying to others when in a quiet room, but when there is any kind of ambient noise around at all, nobody will be the wiser.
Like all Windows Mobile smartphones, the X7510 Advantage supports over the air synchronization of email, contacts, tasks, and calendar appointments when linked up to a Microsoft Exchange server. I use a hosted Exchange account for email, and I love having push email delivered to the Advantage. It supports other push email systems when loaded with the appropriate software, and can also
Not quite a mirror, but you can read about it on Engadget
Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm
This product is way too big to be marketed as a smart phone. The concept behind the whole PDA/smartphone market is portability. Anything that cannot fit in my pocket does not fall into the portable category.....
FOXTROT UNIFORM CHARLIE KILO
It's a laptop with a "phone" feature.
The price is always right if someone else is paying.
... master of none. Sure it's a nice gadget, but let's see, too big for a phone, won't fit in a pocket, and too small to be really practical as a "sublaptop", I don't see anyone working for hours on that keyboard. Fringe market, even in a professional settings. Only useful for showing off, I guess.
A third altogether possible option is that there is a significant union between both of the above sets.
How in the name of blue fuck does a handheld device with a fold-open screen and a full keyboard, no native 'traditional' phone mode even remotely represent someone trying to copy the (All Hail The Apparently Omnipotent) iPhone?
I'd rather have a Sony Ericsson Xperia X1
http://www.phonemag.com/xperia-x1-vs-iphone-spend-now-or-save-02943.php
Looks about the same size as an iPhone but it has a foldout qwerty keyboard and HSDPA. It has Wifi too. Oh and unlike the iPhone it has microSDHC slot which allows for cards upto 32GB, though only 8GB cards currently exist. Still 8GB is a lot of music or media files. And they only cost about US$50. I can use WinamPAQ on the X1.
The display is much higher resolution than an iPhone too, 800*480 instead of 320*480.
Safari works ok on my iPod touch, so I think Opera on an X1 would be quite usable. And with a flat rate HSDPA Sim I could use it anywhere, not just in places that have Wifi. Skype works on Windows Mobile too, so I can use it as a VOIP phone. It has a camera and a light too, both key features. And I can use it as an bluetooth HSDPA modem with a laptop. All in a package smaller than the iPod touch.
echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
Reminds me of this old joke. Probably first heard it 14 years ago (when I was 14ish)
Bill Gates, Andy Grove, & Jerry sanders (CEOs of Microsoft, Intel & AMD) were in a high-powered business meeting. During the serious, tense discussions, a beeping noise was suddenly emitted from where Bill was sitting.
Bill said : "Oh! that's my emergency beeper. Gentlemen, excuse me, I really need to take this call.: So Bill lifted his wrist-watch to his ear and began talking into the end of his tie. Having completed the call, he noticed the others were staring at him. So Bill explained : "Oh, this is my new emergency communication system. I have an earpiece built into my watch and a microphone sewn into the end of my tie. That way, I can take a call anywhere." The others nodded, and the meeting continued.
5 min later, the discussion was again interrupted when this time round, from Andy started a beeping sound. "Oh that's my emergency beeper" he said. "Excuse me gentlemen, this must be an important call." Andy tapped his earlobe and began talking into thin air. When he completed the call, he noticed the others staring at him and thus explained, "I also have an emergency communication system. But my earpiece is actually implanted in my earlobe, and the microphone is embedded in this fake tooth, isn't that neat?"
The others nodded and the meeting continue.jerry was however feeling that how technically unadvanced he is. Later still, the discussion was again interrupted when he emitted a thunderous fart. He looked up at the others staring at him and said, "Uhh, somebody get me a piece of paper..... I'm receiving a FAX."
Is it true that more people vote for the winner of American Idol, than vote for the president? -Ali G.
Soul is an abstract concept. It might or it might not exist so there for it could be priceless or worth nothing. Now my left nut on the other hand, well I'm kind of attached to that.
Supporting World Peace Through Nuclear Pacification
I will be up front and admit I am a fan boy. However, I have owned quite a large number of phones over the years. I tend to upgrade phones every 3 - 6 months, and I am a total geek when it comes to cool phones. After using the iPhone since launch day, it has been by far the most enjoyable experience I have ever had with a phone. I am not saying that lightly.
Yes, I have had to reboot it 3 times or so. But thats a drop in the bucket compared to other smart phones. A co-worker has a Windows Mobile phone that she has to reboot daily or it stops accepting incoming calls. I had a Treo 700p that required hard resets every 2 - 3 weeks and had Verizon replace the phone, 7 times (iirc).
HTC makes some cool stuff, but nothing interesting until Android is released.
Windows Mobile is a dying breed. The iPhone is here to stay, and I think Android is going to make a major dent when it comes along.
until (succeed) try { again(); }
The author states:
"So what is wrong with the X7510? Well, since it has the raw capability, would it really have hurt to let people use it as a regular phone in a pinch, without a headset? It seems to me that this would have been a relatively minor tweak, though I imagine it was left out so as to position the Advantage as a non-voice device first and foremost - but I think it was a mistake."
It seems the manufacturer has answered the question of "What is it?" in a way, by requiring a second piece of equipment to effectively use the phone part.
Oh, look, nice picture. ..." *click* (closes the tab)
"The HTC X7510 Advantage is a hard device to label. Technically it is a smartphone, because it runs the Windows Mobile 6.1 Profes
We suffer more in our imagination than in reality. - Seneca