I have had this phone for about 6 months now. So far I've been fairly happy with it. I haven't noticed any major flaws with it.
Feature wise it contains pretty much everything you could want in a handheld device. The biggest feature for me is the built in GPS receiver. I've tested this out with Tomtom Navigator. It works just the same as a standalone Tomtom except the screen is a little on the small size in comparison. Reception could be better. It can take a while sometimes to get a lock on and does lose reception in some areas such as woodland. Its not usually a problem though.
One thing I will really praise O2 for is offering a free upgrade to Windows Mobile 6. Usually mobile operators don't bother with operating system upgrades and your left having to buy a new phone if you want to be up to date. It's a shame that other operators don't offer this.
For music playback you have to rely on the cheap headphones provided. They also act as a receiver for FM radio so this feature is useless without them. As the headphones don't use a standard connector they could be difficult to replace. I haven't looked deeply into this.
Disappointed that it doesn't include a case. Not exactly a high cost item to include.
Memory on the phone is a little limited but you can upgrade by adding up to a 2GB micro sd memory card. The location to install this is rather inconvenient but you hopefully won't need to get to it all that often.
Battery life is acceptable and is dependent on how you use it. I can go several days before charging up if I don't use the phone much. It can run down as quickly as a few hours if your using it heavily for tasks such as Internet browsing or music playback. The GPS function will also suck battery so I'd recommend getting a car charger if your using it for this.
The phone is fairly lightweight and small enough that it doesn't feel bulky or make you look ridiculous while making a call. I haven't personally run into any issues with speed.
I do find the touch screen a little fiddly with having to get out and use the stylus every time I want to make a call. The iPhone has really highlighted how it should be done. You will find that you won't have much choice but to use the stylus as this phone lacks a hardware keyboard.
I've found O2 to be a little on the expensive side and not as good value for money in comparison to T-Mobile's Web'n'Walk packages. GPRS is expensive in comparison to their unlimited usage package. If this matters to you then take a look at the MDA Compact III. The Orbit does contain Wi-fi which the MDA Compact III doesn't. If your Internet usage is mainly at home or from Wi-fi hotspots then the lack of cheap GPRS may not matter to you.
If your looking for a fully featured PDA phone and don't need a hardware keyboard then I would definitely recommend this.
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Advantages: Good looks, huge screen, software, range of features Disadvantages: Apps not easy enough to find, battery life not great when running WiFi or Bluetooth
MikeB_86 09.06.2009 ·
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