Mobiles Review

Produced by HTC. Functionally identical to i-mate PDA2k, O2 XDA IIs, T-Mobile MDA III and Orange SPV M2000.

The Qtek 9090 offers fast access to email and the internet via GPRS, and built in 802.11b Wi-Fi. The Qtek 9090 also has a built in full QWERTY keyboard which is conveniently hidden behind the devices??™ slide up screen. The Windows Mobile?„? Second Edition software helps to deliver outstanding battery life, and enables screen rotation on the device so it can be used in landscape mode for convenient browsing.

The connection quality is good. The sound is pure, the voice is well heard, the volume is sufficient. The same impression was after talking using bluetooth-headset. The vibrating alert is average, do not rely on it, otherwise you can miss a call (for example, if the smartphone is in the pocket of the coat). It is possible to set several modes: ring, increasing ring, vibrate then ring, vibrate and ring, vibrate. The volume of the speaker is enough not to miss the call in noisy conditions or outdoors.

Compared to the second generation of Pocket PC smartphones, developers of HTC Blue Angel added Wi-Fi adapter, increased functionality of Bluetooth. The wireless part of the smartphone is outstanding. QWERT keypad is well realized. The ergonomics of joystick was improved, application key were added (the smartphone could be used for playing arcade games). There are many extra useful applications in the device. Qtec has rather long battery life. ???Yellow??? screen and average signal of Wi-Fi are little shortcomings of thie smartphone.

Key features
Microsoft Windows Mobile Pocket PC Phone Edition
Supports many thousands of Pocket PC applications available
400 MHz high performance processor
128 MB RAM
Pocket Internet Explorer
VGA camera for taking pictures and video
Large 64k colour TFT touch screen
Bluetooth and Infrared wireless technology
GPRS for high speed data transfer
Wireless LAN support (802.11b compliant)
MMC / SDIO compatible for memory expansion and IO device support
Java support
Polyphonic tones
Seamless synchronisation of contacts, calendar, to-do items, and notes with Outlook
Voice recorder (with dedicated button) and Integrated handsfree speaker

The new flagship device in the Qtek range is the mighty 9000. The Qtek 9000 is a 3G device designed to work on the latest high speed UMTS networks. Cutting edge 3G technology combined with a 520 MHz processor, full QWERTY keyboard and WiFi means that the 9000 is build for performance! The display measures a full 480 x 640 pixel (VGA) and it is able to swivel and close back up on itself to allow for either two handed typing or PDA touch screen use.

The new Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system is standard as are the Pocket versions of all your favourite MS applications such as Office, Outlook and MSN Messenger. High speed connectivity coupled with dual cameras allow for Video Telephony while dual speakers, SD expandable memory and Windows Media Player make for a fantastic mobile multimedia experience! Complete business workstation and multimedia centre combined in this, the latest heavy hitter from Qtek, the9000!

The device can be folded out to give access to the keyboard, or folded back for touchscreen-only use. A 1.3 megapixel camera is included, which can take both still pictures and video clips.
180?° rotating screen and full QWERTY keyboard!

Qtek 9000 Specifications:
Platform
Data-centric wireless PDA with full voice capability and clamshell form factor with 180-degree pivot screen.
Microsoft Windows Mobile Pocket PC Phone Edition (5.0)

Dimensions
Dimension (Typical): 81mm x 127.7mm x 25mm
Weight (Typical): 285g with battery

Processor/Chipset
QCT Platinum + Intel Bulverde 520MHz

Memory
Flash ROM: 128 MB
RAM: 64 MB SDRAM

LCD Module
3.6??? 640?—480 transflective TFT-LCD with back-light LEDs
65K-color
Sensitive Touch Screen
Support portrait/landscape (touch screen input) and landscape (QWERTY keyboard input) modes
Dual Mode GSM/WCDMA Function

Dual Mode GSM/WCDMA Function
Internal antenna
Dual-Mode UMTS/GSM
Tri-Band GSM/GPRS (900/1800/1900) + WCDMA (UMTS) (2100MHz)
USIM
3V of UICC
USIM Application Toolkit
SIM Application Toolkit Release 99
Over the air programming

Keyboard/Button/Switch
Built-in 62 keys QWERTY Keyboard (including two soft keys, one start button, one OK button, one end call key, one end call key, and 56 alphanumeric and symbol keys)

Notification
Notification by Sound, Vibration, and Message on the display

Audio
Dual Receivers
Dual speakers for Hands-Free supported

Camera
Main Image Sensor: 1.3 Mega Pixels CMOS
Second Image Sensor: CIF CMOS
Flash/Video Light

Interface
3V USIM card
One mini-USB connector
SDIO/MMC card slot
3.5 ?? stereo earphone/microphone jack
2 External antenna connectors (WCDMA and GSM/GPRS)

Power
Removable rechargeable Lithium Polymer battery (Typical capacity: 1620mAh)
Standby time
GSM: 220~260 hours
WCDMA 190~250 hours
Talk time (Screen off):
GSM: 5~8 hours
WCDMA: 2~4 hours

Device-to-Device Connectivity
Infrared IrDA FIR
Bluetooth
WiFi 802.11b (manufacture option)
IEEE 802.11b compliant
USB 1.1
SDIO/MMC

Accessories
Standard
AC adapter
USB Sync. Cable
Stereo wired headset - stereo earpiece, mono microphone, Volume Control, and pick up/drop calls
Standard Battery
User Manual, Quick Start Guide & Software CD
Pouch
Stylus
Option
Car adapter
Battery charger
High Quality Carrying Case

Pocket PC Phone Edition Applications
Microsoft Pocket Outlook: Inbox, Contacts, Calendar,
Tasks
Microsoft Windows Media Player
Microsoft Pictures
Microsoft MSN Messenger
Microsoft Pocket Internet Explorer
Pocket Office
Microsoft ActiveSync
Games
Calculator
Voice Notes
Photo Contact ID

Value Added Applications
Ring tone
SW polyphonic MIDI ring tones
SMF/ SP MIDI
MP3, AAC, ring tone
DirectShow Filter for WMP
Camera / Camcorder
Video Telephony
ZIP
Smart Dialing
Pictures Enhancement
T9 Phone Pad
Wireless Modem
Wireless data manager (UMTS/GSM/GPRS, Bluetooth, 802.11b)
MMS with video clip support
DRM: OMA 1.0 engine (by operator)
Java virtual machine (J2ME, CLDC 1.1, MIDP 2.0, JTWI)
PDF Viewer

Let me name some of its features: a smartphone equipped with the latest version of Windows Mobile OS, Wi-Fi and EDGE support, fine display with a resolution of 240 ?— 320 pixels, size and weight comparable to the ones of standard mobile phones. This is all Qtek 8310 - one of the best smartphones on the current market. What’s more, it hits the market at an attractive price.

Key features
small dimensions and low weight
Wi-Fi
brilliant display
smooth synchronization
fast phonebook
good email client and internet browser
good price

Main disadvantages
no 3G
delayed reactions in some cases
memory card under the battery
no calls recording
relatively limited memory space
few visible innovations in the new OS version
low-quality camera application

Let me start this review in a way similar to the one I used in the review of the communicator Qtek 9100 several weeks ago. Today I am holding another device manufactured by the Taiwanese HTC - a company, whose products can be found under various names all over the world. Qtek 8310 is its main product as the manufacturer uses it as its own brand. The same device, yet with different outlook and under different name and brand, is being sold by many other companies too - i-mate SP5 and O2 XDA Orion to name a few. Among professionals this device is known as HTC Tornado, which is basically a manufacturing code indication.

Qtek 8310 is a smartphone or, in other words, a device based on a mobile phone, which features OS and the functions of a pocket computer. Qtek 8310 works with Windows Mobile version 5.0.

The device is meant exclusively for work. There is no objective reason to buy Qtek 8310 or similar types of smartphones, unless you need to organize your time or you have hundreds of contacts, or you have to have constant access to the internet. However, if you are interested in at least one of the latter options, then take Qtek 8310 into serious consideration.

Due to its functional equipment Qtek 8310 has climbed up to the very top of our chart, which uses a special comparative method and is organized from the best to the worse. Qtek 8310 has outrun more than 200 mobile phones. In this respect, it was a true surprise to find out that Qtek 8310 has hit the market at a price close to 400 euro.

Descent outlook
Qtek 8310 is a classic phone in terms of construction. Even though it is “smart”, its dimensions are comparable to those of common mobile phones. Due to its size (108 ?— 46 ?— 18 mm) and weight (106 g) the phone can be defined as “small and medium-heavy phone”. In fact, up to this moment there has never been such a small and light smartphone on the mobile market.

Design
The design of the phone is descent; it lacks any trace of extravagancy. I would even dare label it as boring. The front dark panel is divided into two parts - the display on one hand, and the keypad on the other. The whole upper part of the front cover is black. Lighter margins are the only elements that liven up the overall outlook of the device. Both the display and the black area above it are quite glossy, in result of which every single fingerprint becomes immediately visible. The keypad is matt.

The device seems more interesting when looked at abeam or from the back. The edges on the back are rounded and thus allow for a very comfortable handhold. Although all covers are plastic, the back ones have a soft bronze metal outlook and are really pleasant to touch. To make the rear side of the device look less monotonous, the manufacturer has decorated it with a black panel, where the camera lens is located.
The phone has brilliant construction: it is solid and none of its parts give out creaky sounds. Even if some keys sounded creaky at the beginning, they worked in with the time.

One of the best displays ever
It is appreciable that mobile phones’ manufacturers have started to equip their top-class models with displays of QVGA resolution, i.e. 240 ?— 320 pixels. This high resolution has long been used in pocket computers only. Nowadays, it is implemented onto a much smaller surface, which results into the picture being extremely fine.