Revision 20 - 2009-06-09 at 22:43:00

PDA phone comparison

2009-May

Current situation / requirements

i-mate PDA2k

• excellent screen size for GPS navigation: 56x74mm
• Windows Mobile - the platform with the most GPS navigation software options, and most varied software
• acceptable visibility in daylight
• hardware buttons to switch between audio player and GPS navigation apps while driving
• touch screen: resistive (i.e. you can use any object). Capacitive technology means you must use your fingers. No more operating the PDA on the ski slopes unless you take a glove off.
• - physical keyboard proved extremely rarely used and it only added bulk

Search and Comparison resources

• phonescoop.com search for PDA phones with World Roaming, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Camera (640 x 480) or more, and Video Capture.
  NOTE: At the time of this writing, phonescoop.com did not include the HTC Touch HD in its database at all. Beware of missed results.
• equivalent GSM arena search, which did find the HTC Touch HD. Note that restricting display size to 3.0"+ from 2.8"+ removes 16 phones from the results. For GPS navigation, however, a screen that covers the height of the phone is more important than wasted space at the top or bottom.
  NOTE: As of 2009-05-05, gsmarena.com did not have in its database the HTC 8125 (HTC Wizard) (launched in 2005, discontinued), nor the Samsung Instinct, announced on 2008-Apr-01. Beware of missed results.
• phonearena.com search
• pdadb.net: Top Windows Mobile smartphones - Big WVGA Comparison (February 25, 2009)

Acer F900

• Russian review
• + 480x800 display, 49.91 x 83.18mm
• 63.5 x 117.5 x 12.85, 150g
• 533MHz, 128MiB RAM, 256MiB ROM
• - not officially available yet, only 2 froogle vendors
• - GPS: SiRF starIII, geotagging, QuickGPS; no A-GPS (?)
• 3.15MP camera with flash
  • - 320x240 video recording
• FM radio
• microSDHC up to 32GB
• mini-USB
• + GSM850, GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900, UMTS850, UMTS1900, UMTS2100, CSD, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA
• + Windows Mobile 6.1

Acer Tempo M900

• - slide-out keyboard, bulky

Android

• no on-screen keyboard (must slide and use the physical keyboard): http://www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=14533 http://gizmodo.com/5062977/t+mobile-g1-google-android-phone-review http://www.googleandblog.com/g1-google-phone-vs-iphone/3567/

Asus P550

• - outdated

Asus P565

• - camera has no flash
• + 800MHz CPU

Asus P835

• - WARNING: touch screen tends to die
• - 115 x 59 x 13.8 mm, 148g
• + 480x800, resistive
• 528MHz CPU, a step back from the P565, makes the home screen slow
• 4GB storage, 288MB RAM, 256MB ROM, microSD up to 16GB (or 32GB)
• GPS most likely Qualcomm gpeOne
• no FM radio
• 5MP camera with flash, photo-confirmed, also by manufacturer's photos despite pdadb
  • - crap QVGA video recording at 24fps, capped by the CPU used
  • - camera reportedly bad
• has stylus
• - no headphone jack, need adapter from the miniUSB connector
• + miniUSB
• + GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, EDGE / GPRS, UMTS / HSDPA 2100; Bluetooth A2DP, WiFi access point (!)
• solid metal build
• - "coming soon in 2009 Q2" but already on [froogle](Asus P835), albeit from dubious resellers (another one
• available in Malaysia and Hong Kong
• firmware and other official downloads
• ASUS P835 VIP forum
• XDA developers ROM thread
• comparison with Diamond 2

GIGA-BYTE GSmart MW700

• - screen too small

Gigabyte g-Smart s1200

• + 480x800 display, resistive
• 3.15MP camera with flash
• - only 128MB RAM, 256MB ROM
• 105.5 x 52 x 11.4 mm
• - HSDPA 900 / 2100 won't allow 3G in the US
• only 1 froogle vendor, $1000

HP iPAQ 600

• - screen too small

HTC Max 4G

• apparently for Russia only
• - no camera flash

HTC Touch HD

• + http://www.mobile-review.com/pda/review/htc-touch-hd-en.shtml
  • - poor sunlight legibility
  • - glossy but comes with a matte cover
• + 800x480, 83x50mm screen
• 115 mm x 62.8 mm x 12 mm
• 320MB storage, 288MB RAM, 512MB ROM
• + 5MP camera
  • - 352x288 (CIF) video @ 30fps
  • - no flash
  • + focus wherever you point on the screen
• + ExtUSB connector backward-compatible with mini-USB
• - careful about 3G data in the US. Check UMTS frequencies vs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UMTS_networks#America
• patches: http://pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=news&id=6560

HTC Touch Diamond

• http://www.mobile-review.com/pda/review/htc-touch-diamond-full-part1-en.shtml
• - fingerprint magnet, no memory card slot; only Verizon version includes card slot - this means you can't run GPS programs locked to a SIM card.

HTC Touch Diamond2

• + 480x800
• - "the screen is glossy and makes for a nice mirror, but this comes in annoying if you need to use the device in intense light – it´s almost impossible to read whatever pops up on the display, because it gets way too gray"
• + card slot
• + Windows Mobile 6.1
• - UMTS / HSDPA 900/2100 won't work for 3G in the US, confirmed
• - no standard headphone jack
• - 5MP camera has no flash
  • - video recording: VGA or lower, but fixed @ 15fps due to idiot patent restrictions. Get the 30fps version
  • + "subjectively, the camera on the Diamond2 fares even a notch above the one on the LG KM900 Arena"
• - fingerprint nightmare: "It takes so little for the handset to get all greasy and miserably looking"
• + "awesome in-call quality", 2009-05-05
• - "call quality was mediocre" with AT&T in San Francisco, 2009-05-22
• + excellent audio quality
• + 107.9 x 53.1 x 13.7 mm , 117.5g
• 288 MB RAM, 512 MB ROM, 300 MB storage
• + standard mini-USB
• + WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP, FM radio, 3G, quad-band GSM
• + A-GPS: Qualcomm gpsOne chipset, which comes along with the Qualcomm 7200A platform
• + "When connected to a computer, the Diamond2 prompts you to select among ActiveSync, Mass Storage or Modem modes"
• + excellent XviD video but skips on DivX. Convert beforehand.

HTC's Iolite

• - no North American version: http://www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=14772
• - 3.2 megapixel camera
• + 103g, 102 mm x 53.5 mm x 14.5 mm

HTC Magic

• - Android OS

HTC Mogul

• locked to Sprint

LG GC900 Viewty Smart

• - available in 2009-May
• - NOT a smartphone. Runs some proprietary OS, not Windows Mobile.
• - proprietary USB
• 108.9 x 56.1 x 12.4 mm, 102 g
• 3" 16M-color capacitive touchscreen TFT of WVGA resolution (480 x 800 pixels)
• 1.5GB flash storage, microSD card slot (up to 16GB)
• + camera: 8 megapixel autofocus
  • + LED flash, manual focus, geo-tagging, image stabilization
  • + Video recording: 720x480@30fps, VGA@30fps, QVGA time-lapse and slow-mo video recording

LG GD900 Crystal

• - not yet available
• - useless transparent number dialing pad slides out

LG GM730

• - 240x400, 3" display
• 109.8 x 56.5 x 11.9 mm
• + apparently the only LG phone so far running Windows Mobile
• + 5MP camera with video; no mentions anywhere about camera flash
• microSD up to 16GB
• micro-USB

LG KC910 Renoir

• - closed platform OS

LG KC910i Renoir

• - like the non-"i" version, doesn't run Windows Mobile

LG KM 900 Arena

• - apparently a featurephone, NOT a smartphone; no smartphone capabilities
• - gratuitous Call records limitation: only 40 dialed, 40 received, 40 missed calls
• - proprietary USB cable
• - 3G only works for Europe and Asia
• + video capture resolution is 720x480 pixels at 30 frames per second
• + good sound quality during talk

Mitac MIO Explora K70

• - only 128MB RAM
• + 240x400 display

Motorola Evoke QA4

• too narrow, too thick

Motorola MOTOSURF A3100

• - screen too small

Nokia N97

• - physical keyboard
• - Symbian

Panasonic P905i

• runs Linux Mobile
• 106 x 49 x 18.5 mm, 137g
• slashdot story

Pharos Traveler 137

• - Viewable Display-Size: 1.96 " x 3.27 " (49.91 x 83.18 millimeters)

Samsung Galaxy I7500

• Android OS
• AMOLED screen
• camera: 5MP, LED flash

Samsung i740

• - no WiFi

Samsung i8510 Innov8

• Symbian
• 106.5 x 53.9 x 17.2 mm, 136g
• 240 x 320 pixels
• 330MHz
• + camera: QVGA (320x240), 120fps; VGA (640x480), 30fps; dual LED flash
• + FM radio, A-GPS, Bluetooth 2.0

Samsung i8910 Omnia HD

• + OLED screen, super feature-packed
• - Symbian OS, and no Windows Mobile versions
• - Unfortunately, you can hardly see any details on the screen if you take the phone outdoors in bright sunlight, especially if you happen to forget to wipe the fingerprint-smudged surface clean. - would suck for GPS driving
• - video test of Omnia HD vs. iPhone in sunlight
• + can do 3G in the US

Samsung i900 Omnia (WiTu in Russia)

• + Windows Mobile
• + better camera than the HTC HD, with flash, which can work as torch
• - 240x400 display
• 112 x 56.9 x 12.5 mm, 122g
• + FM radio, 3-band UMTS, 8G or 16G internal memory - specs
• - "It is almost impossible to use it in direct sunlight, which is a big drawback", BUT "The i900 Omnia performed admirably as an in-car navigation unit. While its display is not legible enough in bright sunlight, we had no problem with it on the dashboard."; "very difficult to read under direct sunlight"
• - proprietary USB connector
• external stylus

Samsung Impression

• - QWERTY keyboard
• - proprietary USB port
• too narrow and too thick

Samsung Pixon

• no WiFi
• proprietary USB connector
• 240x400
• + "brightness sensor, which when activated makes the display usable in sunny days"

Sony Ericsson Aino

Sony Ericssson C905

• - screen too small

Sony Ericsson Satio (former "Idou")

• - available in Q4 2009
• Symbian OS
• - no headphone jack
• lanyard stylus
• + 112 x 55 x 13.3 mm, 126 grams

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1

• - built-in keyboard

Toshiba TG01

• "available in 2009 Q2" but already on froogle
• + Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro
• + 1GHz CPU, 256 MB RAM, 512 MB ROM, microSD slot up to 16GB
• + 129 x 70 x 9.9 mm, 129g
• + 480 x 800, TFT resistive, zoom bar
• 3.15MP camera, most likely no flash
• + great battery life (review)
• glossy
• microUSB
• too big?
• no reviews?

Thanks!

Buy me a coffee to sponsor more cool posts like this!

 Privacy policy