Connection - Convenience - Comfortable It seems as if Windows Mobile has always been a part of my life. I can’t imagine not having it and it is harder for me to believe that I would even consider using something else. I love my iPAQs because they have made my life more organized and for the most part simpler. Of course when I got my hands on my first Pocket PC that had a phone combined with it, I thought that life could never get better.
While attending the MVP Summit at Microsoft this past fall, I was amazed at the number of Microsoft folks using smartphones. I was expecting to see folks using the latest and greatest Pocket PC phones but rather, the use of a Smartphone appeared to be the device of choice. Why was that I wondered?
I had to ask myself what I wanted in a device and what I really needed a device to do. Was there a better solution for me out there or at least one that will enhance what I like and need to do at a significantly higher level? Initial considerations left me saying that I liked what I had and the way I was doing my work so I just put it off to the side. Of course I always would look at news items on Smartphone’s but none seemed to have any attraction to me until I saw that Cingular was introducing their Cingular 2125 Smartphone in the U.S. What initially intrigued me was that the Cingular 2125 was the first Smartphone-class handset in the U.S. to feature the new Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system.
Clearly this device was affordable, offered converged high-speed access to the “net” and was built by HTC. That was enough for me to look closely at the release and post it on Mobility Today. This device had the appearance that it was going to provide us with outstanding connectivity, the ability to increase productivity, and of course the mobile advantage of Windows Mobile 5.0. It had Bluetooth support, quad-band international roaming and what really intrigued me was the ability to use the EDGE network.
So I decided to reach out to Cingular and see if they would let me try this device and if I liked it, write a review. So since you are now reading a review, you can surmise that I liked it and yes, I liked it a lot! Is it perfect? Absolutely not! There are a few things I don’t like about the device and a few things I don’t like about the Smartphone software but none of these things would prevent me from buying this device because it is so good! This is my first experience with a Smartphone using Windows Mobile and I must say I was pretty impressed…actually, I was really impressed with the capabilities of the device. You don’t get Word, Excel or PowerPoint but then again, why would you want them on a device like this? You could get third party applications if it was that important for you to edit and create documents but I think that almost defeats the purpose of a Smartphone.
Initial Observation
Opening the package, there were a slew of items that came with the phone. A getting started CD (with a very easy setup and install of all that is needed) along with a few extras to install after you are up and running. As I emptied the box I found a quick Start guide, an AC charging cable, a USB to mini USB sync cable, a dual earbud earphone, battery, a nice belt-clip case and of course, the 2125. The size (4.25 in X 1.8 in X.68 in) of the phone is pretty impressive as you hold it for the first time and its size has continued to impress me over the past two weeks that I have been using it. I was also impressed with the “balance” as you held the device…its weight appeared to be evenly distributed so it was easy to manipulate in your hand…I liked that. A basic 12 key design for input, 4 keys (talk, home, back, end call) surrounding a toggle joystick button and two soft keys for commands displayed on the screen.
Cingular made use of as much real estate as possible with the device giving you a screen that is about as big as it can be given the dimensions of the device. I was pleased that it did not have a large border around it. Above the screen are LED indicators, an infrared port, a power button and at the very top is a slit for the speaker (which is surprisingly good). The bottom of the device has the jack for the earphone and the mini-USB sync connector. On the left side we find a button that will start the COMM Manager program and if it is pressed and held, it starts voice note recording. Just below there is the volume up/down switch. If the down volume is pressed and held, it initiates the Voice Tag function. On the right side, we find the camera button that will launch the camera when pressed and will also take a picture when pressed (the joystick will also take the pictures when pressed).
The back of the device sports a 1.3 mega pixel camera (with a self portrait mirror next to it) and a slide off cover for the battery. The cover slides off easily with a little pressure revealing the location for the battery, SIM card and memory card.
Preparation
I liked the means of installing the SIM card. A very slick holder allows for easy insertion and extraction of the card. The memory card holder was different from what I have seen or used but it too allowed for easy insertion and extraction of a card. I wish they had the memory card accessible from the outside of the device to make exchanging memory cards easier.
Inserting the SIM, a memory card and then overlaying the battery, I slid the cover back on and was now ready to fire up this baby. Turning it over and pressing the power button I waited for it to power up but nothing happened. It took a couple of attempts but then as I looked at the button and realized how it was made, I adjusted my “press” to have a little downward pressure and the device powered up. 
As soon as it did power on, a Cingular screen appeared and with in a few seconds there was a Windows Mobile screen. A few minutes of an automatic configuration and the opening screen appeared with several icons at the top, a basic screen with “Get Express Mail”, an indication of what profile I was using and that I had no text messages. But what absolutely blew me away was that there was a signal! I always have to get in my car and drive a short distance to the top of a hill to get a signal when I am at home….ALWAYS! But not this time! I had a signal and it was just not a single bar but rather two or three bars as a rule with an occasional one bar as I walked around my house. This is just not believable because I NEVER get a signal here….needless to say, I was very happy!
What was even more surprising was there was an E showing….very cool…the EDGE network was here and working. I made a few calls and was quite happy with the ability to use a phone here in my house. I wondered how fast the “net” would be so I went to the home screen, pressed on the joystick to move to the internet explorer icon, clicked and a small list of favorites appeared. I tried Media Net…BAM, it was up! Fast, very fast! I spent the next 30 minutes browsing the news, sports and weather on the phone continually being impressed with the service…Cingular….you have made me VERY happy!!
Initial Navigation
Navigation has been pretty simple and very intuitive…what else would you expect, it’s Microsoft Windows. Even though this was my first time using a Microsoft powered Smartphone, the basic Windows principles were there so it had to be easy to navigate. Well, I was about to see how easy it would be because the time was wrong and I wanted to change it. I pressed home, the Start soft key and there was a SETTINGS folder. Time adjustment had to be there so I clicked on the folder. I was given 10 options of which the fifth was for the clock. It was a simple adjustment and I now had the correct time and date.
I wanted to get back to “surfing the net” but I decided that I needed to enter a few favorites to make site navigation simpler. It’s easy to enter text but just not what I am used to, so I figured I’d enter my favorites just to get it out of the way. So I navigated to the internet explorer icon, pressed the Favorites soft key, clicked menu and then added a favorite. After I entered the first NAME and URL, I wondered if I could pair my VKB (Virtual Keyboard) to the device to make text entry easier.
From the home screen, I pressed START, SETTINGS, Connections then Bluetooth. Turning Bluetooth ON, I started a search for new devices and it quickly found my laptop and my VKB. I was able to pair, connect and enter the text I needed quickly. I then decided to try my ThinkOutside BT keyboard which easily paired and again I entered a few more items.
I was glad to see that if needed, I could use these devices in the event I had enough text to enter to warrant setting up either keyboard. There were some issues on re-connection with the VKB but I was able to delete the old pairing and re-pair in less than a minute. I didn’t find that to be an issue if in fact I needed to use the keyboard for extensive text entry.
The CD
After spending a serious amount of time on the web, I decided to sync the device with my PC. Inserting the CD, a slick smooth interface started with a wizard to guide me through the initial setup. It installed active sync 4.1 easily and within minutes, I was synching my device with my calendar, contacts and a few other items I like to have on devices. There was a warning label on the quick start guide indicating that there were know issues with active sync but I had none. It was a smooth install, an easy sync and has continued to be flawless everyday for the past two weeks. After syncing, there was an option to add more programs, add music and pictures and learn a little more about the device. 
Setting up email was quick and easy. At first I was a little unsure of how to do it (I could have read the directions…there is no challenge in doing that) but it was very easy to figure out. I like the auto configuration that attempts to download necessary e-mail server settings so that you do not need to enter them manually. It works on most of my accounts but I always have to do it manually for one. I must say that when I started to setup my email, I went back to using my BT keyboard…it was easier and of course, it was just the fun of trying it again. It is a simple process to send an e-mail or text message. On the HOME SCREEN, click START, MESSAGING, select an e-mail account to use and click NEW. Enter the e-mail address, title and the message then click SEND. It’s simple and text entry is surprisingly easy although a long message is tedious. I’m glad the BT keyboards work for long text entry.
I set up my accounts to receive mail automatically every thirty minutes. It has been flawless in operation for the time that I have using it. There is a nice tone that sounds when I have mail and I have found that checking my mail and then downloading what I want to read to be easy.
Calendar, Contacts, Tasks and Voice Notes
After synching for the first time, my calendar and contacts were all there and were easily accessible. I found it very easy to add or edit contacts and/or appointments and as easy to enter new tasks to be completed. Notes were a bit different because these notes are voice notes. I was impressed with the quality of the microphone and the volume level of playback.
Music, Pictures, Camera stills and Video
I don’t think it makes any difference what device you are using; we all want at least a few songs to listen to and using this device was no difference for me. I had to download at least one album so I could play some favorite tunes if I wanted. I certainly was not listening to Home Theatre sound but it was more than acceptable. Actually it was quite good from the external speaker…surprisingly so given the size. Using the earbuds gave a much better sound and if I were going to listen to music for a long period of time, I am sure that would be my preference.
Today it is snowing, a perfect day to write a review and a not so perfect day to take pictures but I decided to take a shot standing at my garage door looking out at the front yard. The quality of the picture was excellent given the dark dreary weather we were having. With this type of a camera, outside pictures on sunny days actually come out fairly decent. For an important shot when you don’t have your camera, this has worked fairly well. The video capabilities are OK, in case of an emergency it certainly would capture the moment. I did like the Pictures & Videos program that was included. It allowed you to view pictures and play video clips on your phone, and even view the pictures as a slide show. I was pleased that there was some ability to edit pictures. Of course you can email the pictures and set them as a background on the device which is a nice feature.
Media Player
For such a tiny device, it sure bangs a lot punch for what you have…surprisingly so! I was pleased with the ability to play music, and I was even happier to be able to watch a video. Given size restrictions of memory cards and the fact that it is not totally convenient in changing cards, I don’t think I would watch many movies but I would and did watch TV. I like Orb, use it all the time and it worked incredibly well on this device. Dislikes
I have two complaints which in the scope of the entire phone, it certainly is not much. First is the power button. I found it difficult to use initially but was able to see how it worked so clearly I could use it. However, it is awkward to use and I would hope that a better design would be coming in future iterations.
Secondly, I have found that the device will turn on with slight pressure while in its case. Although I do “lock” the device so it can’t inadvertently make a call, I find it annoying to see it on when I have not purposely turned it on.
What do I want with a SmartPhone?
After using this device for the past several weeks, I really looked closely at what I wanted to be able to do. Of course everyone has their own special needs but what is important to me is to be able to:
1. To store and easily retrieve contact names, addresses and phone numbers
2. Send and receive emails
3. Maintain my calendar
4. Surf the web
5. Have a couple of games, some music and maybe even a video
6. Write and record Notes
I was able to do everything I wanted except for writing important notes. I wish there was the ability to write and read notes (and not use clearvue) so I could keep important information like bank data, passwords etc. I guess that this is where third party software plays an important role to round out the needs of individual users.
I don’t expect to do what I can with a Pocket PC but this Smartphone comes very close. I think Cingular did a great job in choosing the device they did. The reception is remarkable and its ability to handle the tasks I need done has been flawless. For those that like and need a device to handle their daily needs that might match mine, this device is an absolute winner. Yup, it is absolutely true....Cingular is raising the bar!
Conclusion
There are a lot of features with this device, some I am still discovering as I continue to use it. I like the Home Screen and the Start Menu. It has a familiar look and feel and gives me at a glance what I am looking for. I found quite by accident a Quick List that appears when you quickly press and release the Power button. It gives you the ability to perform a variety of tasks such as turning off the device, Flight Mode, Key Lock, Device Lock, and Profile settings. I am continually impressed with the connection and the quality of the calls. When making calls, I like using a BT headset but if by chance I don’t have it on, the speaker phone is my choice and it is terrific! There is a Voice Tag feature which woks well but I have 160+ contacts so I just trained those that I call everyday. Active Sync has been flawless as has been my daily access to the internet. I have been pleased with email and am happy that I can use my Bluetooth keyboards to enter text if my replies are long. One feature I have not used but expect to before I have to return the device is the Modem Link. The theory is that I will be able to use the phone as an external modem. I will try this if time allows on my laptop.
I use MSN all the time so having Pocket MSN Messenger has been one aspect that I have enjoyed. The ability to send and receive instant messages with those I can see online has been a nifty feature to have and use. It is not that this is a new feature but rather a feature I can now use continually because of the phones ability to have and maintain a connection in the area that I live. Again I have to say thanks to Cingular for having a device that has a great radio!
Lastly the Battery Performance has been extraordinary. I have been a heavy user of the net, email and media features and have always had sufficient battery power. I will say that when I have the ability to charge I do but have often only plugged the device to AC power in the evening. There was one day that I forgot to charge the device and I easily made it through the next day. Clearly, setting the power management functions can have a dramatic effect on battery life and conservation of power.
Cost:
$199.99
Two-year agreement and new activation required.
Pros:
Small
Lightweight
Comfortable design
Excellent radio
Cons:
Power on/off button
Device turns on inadvertently with slight pressure on buttons
No ability to take written notes
Rating:
4.8 out of 5
You can visit Cingular here to find out more about the Cingular 2125 Smartphone.
Features:
Microsoft® Windows Mobile(TM) 5.0 Smartphone Edition
Windows Media®Player 10 for playing music and video
Bluetooth® connectivity for connecting wireless accessories
1.3 megapixel camera and video recorder
GPRS/EDGE High-Speed Data Access
850/900/1800/1900 MHz - Quad-band for international compatibility
Large 2.2" TFT color display
64 MB SDRAM/64 MB Flash ROM
Mobile versions of Microsoft Office programs
TI OMAP 850 200MHz processor
Pocket MSN® (Hotmail®/MSN Messenger)
Multimedia messaging - send text, pictures and sound
Downloadable polyphonic/full-audio ringtones, graphics and games
Stereo audio jack for listening to music
Specifications:
Weight: 3.74 ounces
Dimensions: 4.57 x 1.81 x 0.69 inches
Warranty: 1 yr on the phone and accessories
850/900/1800/1900 MHz - Quad-band for international compatibility
Memory: 64 MB SDRAM, 64 MB Flash ROM
Processor: TI OMAP 850 200MHz
Talk Time: Up to 4 Hrs
Standby Time: Up to 6 Days
All talk, data and standby times are approximate and depend on network configuration
Included Accessories:
Battery
Home charger
USB Cable
CD with Microsoft ActiveSync(TM) desktop application
Leather Carrying Case
Stereo Headset
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