My Smartphone Epiphany

Steve · 12-01-2003, 09:12 AM

For the past three years, I've been a two-piece guy. That is, I've been using two devices, a data-enabled cell phone coupled with a PDA, to get my email and maintain my calendar. But that all changed about a month ago when I decided to try out the Motorola MPx200 Smartphone running Windows Mobile. The Motorola MPx200 Smartphone has convinced me that a convergent device, one that is more cell phone than PDA, can keep me connected and informed.

Let's begin with the physical advantages of a one piece solution. Obviously, going with a single device sheds a lot of bulk. For a while I used a Bluetooth-enabled Sony Ericsson T68i cell phone coupled with my latest PDA to get my email. While that's an excellent solution, I can't imagine myself going back to it. Life is so much simpler, and lighter, with one device.

One of the things I like the most about the Motorola MPx200 is that it's an excellent phone. It's easy to send and receive calls, and calls are exceptionally clear. There's even a speakerphone on the front.

Another thing I like is that it's a flip-style phone. It was annoying having to enter some cryptic key combination on my Nokia 3650 to lock the keys each time I slipped it into my pocket, or risk calling someone inadvertently. With the MPx200, you just flip it closed and stash it.

Flip phones also tend to be more ergonomic than candy-bar style phones. They're longer when opened, and slightly angled too. This brings the earpiece close to the ear and the mouthpiece close to the mouth, and makes the phone more contoured to the shape of the face.

But the true joy of a one-piece solution is simplicity. You don't have to create a connection with another device, whether it be with infrared, a cable, or Bluetooth, to do something as commonplace as get your email. Once you run through the Setup Wizard (which I was impressed with how easy it was to do) you simply select the Inbox icon, click on Menu, and select Send/Receive E-mail.

Sure, it's got all of the fancy Smartphone extras, like expandability through its Secure Digital slot and the ability to play stereo music using Windows Media Player and browse the Internet using Internet Explorer. But those are just the icing on the cake for me. If it weren't a solid phone that's makes it easy to call people and get messages, then all of the extras would be for naught.

Is there room for improvement? Absolutely. Email access could be one-click rather than three clicks. And the tiny information window on the front of the MPx200 that displays the date and time could be higher contrast, it's barely readable in most lighting conditions. But overall it's an excellent device.

So, there you have it. I'm a changed man. While you may see me on occasion with a Palm Tungsten T3 or an HP iPAQ h4130 Pocket PC, you're far more likely to see me with just one device, a smartphone.

Mike Cane · 12-01-2003, 10:10 AM

Why isn't this "My Treo 600 Epiphany"? Did you try that?

imported_silverfinish · 12-01-2003, 10:28 AM

Why the sudden change of heart? I have to wonder if Microsoft has paid you to become a closet spokesman for the MPx200. Seriously, I rely on this site and would like to know that I can count on unbiased reviews. What about word processing? What about a large screen? What about VGA? Are you going to give this up for a small form-factor?

danny_w · 12-01-2003, 10:34 AM

I guess I'm wierd, but I have never wanted to read email on either a phone or a pda. I use my phone for phone functions, and my pda for pda functions. I would not use the capability of linking a phone and pda. And since most (if not all) smartphones are GSM or some other technology that won't work well in my area, I also could not use a smartphone. I did try a Nokia 3650 but didn't like it, and the GSM technology wouldn't work if I went out of town, so the phone became worthless.

So as long as I'm stuck with TDMA (and I don't see that changing anytime soon) I will have no use for a smartphone. Maybe sometime in the (distant) future this will change, but not now.

ipaqgeek · 12-01-2003, 10:50 AM

I'm sure I'll eventually convert to the converged device - but not when I'm so restricted - especially when it comes to viewing a webpage, or seeing a reasonable chunk of a spreadsheet. It just seems an awful waste to have (and to pay for) the "always connected" ability and yet not be able to navigate a website without extreme difficulty.

But if you don't need to have large amounts of data simultaneously visible on your handheld then I can see how a smartphone would be a viable solution.

JediLow · 12-01-2003, 10:51 AM

Wow... this "New" Brighthand really does seem to be different...

JK27 · 12-01-2003, 11:02 AM

Email access combined with a nice flip phone just doesn't do it for me. I already have a nice color screen flip phone, so I've already "seen the light" in regards to flip phones vs. candy bar phones. However, this review doesn't directly address my true concerns about the SmartPhones ... tiny screen, no stylus input, scheduling (Outlook) interface and synchronization, etc. When a SmartPhone is truly as "smart" (and as useful) as my PDA, and doesn't compromise the functions I have on my PPC, then I'll think about converting. Until then, I'm a two piece guy ...

Steve · 12-01-2003, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by silverfinish
Why the sudden change of heart? I have to wonder if Microsoft has paid you to become a closet spokesman for the MPx200. Seriously, I rely on this site and would like to know that I can count on unbiased reviews. What about word processing? What about a large screen? What about VGA? Are you going to give this up for a small form-factor?

Excellent questions. First, let me start off by stating that this was an editorial, not a review. It was just my personal opinion of the device for MY use only.

As Ed Hardy has told me on numerous occasions, I'm become less of an everyday PDA user over the past year or so. I don't do word processing or spread sheets on a handheld (except to read them on occasion when emailed to me) and I do not watch movies on a handheld. I tend to use a small, lightweight laptop for most things and need a mobile device for (1) voice calls, (2) email access (mostly reading emails and responding to important ones by phone), and (3) calendar.

Ed. meanwhile, is a big PDA user, so the two-piece solution is perfect for him. That's why I gave him my Sony Ericsson T68i.

So, as Microsoft's Derek Brown and PalmSource's Michael Mace have said, there are different devices for different folks. Smartphone works for me.

Steve · 12-01-2003, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mike Cane
Why isn't this "My Treo 600 Epiphany"? Did you try that?

No, I didn't. Ed will probably be reviewing a Treo 600 in the near future though.

Steve · 12-01-2003, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jk27
However, this review doesn't directly address my true concerns about the SmartPhones ... tiny screen, no stylus input, scheduling (Outlook) interface and synchronization, etc.

Again, this wasn't a review of the Motorola MPx200, but I'm working on a complete review that should answer most of your questions.