Orange SPV M3100

...appealed to me an the orange SPV range as always been one of my favourite range of products.the introduction of the orange spv m3100 is by far one of the best phone/pda combos i have had the pleasure to own,not only does it perform well it looks absolutely fantastic and is sure to turn a few heads.I will attempt to give a personal review that will help to guide you in making an informed decision on whether you think this is the product for you.
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***Connectivity *** 3G, EDGE and GPRS HSDPA ready: compliant with future network upgrades to allow for 1.8Mbps downloads,WiFi 802.11b,Quad band (GSM),tri band (3G),IrDA, USB 1.1 and Bluetooth® 2.0

***Features*** Windows Mobile 5.0,Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint,Pocket Outlook, calendar, contacts, messaging, tasks and voice notes,Internet Explorer Mobile,ActiveSync,Windows Media Player 10,QVGA 320x240 pixel touch ... more

******* Introduction ********

I am what you would call a bit of a gadget freak from satnav to pdas and mini wireless cameras,gadgets have always appealed to me an the orange SPV range as always been one of my favourite range of products.the introduction of the orange spv m3100 is by far one of the best phone/pda combos i have had the pleasure to own,not only does it perform well it looks absolutely fantastic and is sure to turn a few heads.I will attempt to give a personal review that will help to guide you in making an informed decision on whether you think this is the product for you.

********Technical Specifications*******

***Connectivity *** 3G, EDGE and GPRS HSDPA ready: compliant with future network upgrades to allow for 1.8Mbps downloads,WiFi 802.11b,Quad band (GSM),tri band (3G),IrDA, USB 1.1 and Bluetooth® 2.0

***Features*** Windows Mobile 5.0,Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint,Pocket Outlook, calendar, contacts, messaging, tasks and voice notes,Internet Explorer Mobile,ActiveSync,Windows Media Player 10,QVGA 320x240 pixel touch screen, 2.3 mega pixel and camera
Browsing Supports JAVA applications
128MB SRAM,Video Calling,Video player, recorder and streaming,sliding keyboard and jog wheel,Loud speaker for hands free,Voice dial and command

now the technicial stuff is out of the way lets get an insight into the benefits of these features.

***Benefits***

Windows mobile 5.0- this is the most usuable and stable version of windows for mobile devices yet i have just purchased windows vista(review to follow)and mobile 5.0 integrates perfectly allowing for fast seamless integration between PC and SPV,with the latest version of windows media player and various office packages already built into the operating system you instantly have access to all the features of a mobile office and have the ability to listen and watch streaming media with high quality output without having to buy extra third party software.The navigation through the operating system is very user friendly and has a familiar interface to earlier versions of windows mobile but with a new and refreshing look,this latest version of windows mobile will appeal to both existing and new users and will not take long to master along with a suite of impressive programmes all need are catered for from high-end business users to the man in the street

9 out of 10

Mobile active sync(or mobile device centre as its known in windows vista)-This is the software that allows you to integrate and synchronise your mobile device with your pc and laptop.It allows you to transfer audio,video and install programmes as well as keep your contacts and appointments up to date.In a similar fashion to the operating system the interface is easy to navigate and will only take a short time to master.It is also extremley easy to setup and once installed will work automatically when your device is connected either via usb cable or bluetooth.

9 out of 10

Connectivity-the spv is a 3G handset which gives it the ability to make and recieve video calls and streaming media like mobile TV and video,it also allows for faster internet browsing and is compliant with EDGE and GPRS HSDPA which future proofs the device for use for several years to come.At the moment you are limited for 3G use by having to be in a 3G area you can tell by the handy display on the welcome screen when you are able to recieve 3G signals,The ease of use and high quality of video calling on the handset makes this a very usuable feature and with a hot key on the front of the device for activating video calling make it a very easy to use feature,the quality of video and sound is by far the best i have seen on any 3G hanset to date.Internet browsing is both fast and easy to use infact you sometimes forget you are using a mobile device and will have to watch those data charges if you have not got a package with your contract.Overall an impressive 3G package and very usuable features that work well.

9 out of 10

Wi-Fi- this was the main reason i decided to upgrade my existing package as i have a wireless network both at work and at home which allows me to check both my email and browse the internet on a wireless network.It was easy to connect with both my work and home network and was able to maintain the connection at well over 150 metres even outside and away from both work and home.One point to note is that continual use of the Wi-Fi feature is a big drain on battery power and you may need to charge the handset if you are a heavy user.

9 out of 10

Memory options-the SPV uses the micro sd format which is not as common as the standard sd card so you will probably need to buy these to utilise the extra memory capacity.These can be obtained freely from reputable dealers both online and on the highstreet price wise they are similar in price to the standard Sd format and you can but a 1GB card for about 10 pounds not including postage>the only downside to this is that it will render any exisiting media you have useless and the really small format can make losing the cards very easy but this is the price we pay for future innovation.

8 out of 10

Sliding keyboard-This is a newer feature to the SPV range and gives you access to a qwerty keyboard that turns the handset into a mini laptop.The keyboard is very easy to use and the keys are well spaced apart to even the largest of fingers to easily use,the keys feels solid and comfortable to use and will appeal to consumers who write documents or use the messaging facilities alot.The keys are backlit with a soothing blue light making for ease of use in lowlight conditions and even total darkness.this is one of the main feature that makes this handset one of the best in it class and is well designed for ease of use.

10 out of 10

Voice calls and messaging-The quality of voice calls is excellent and i have not had any problems obtaining a signal in any areas that i have been,the built in speakerfone is excellent and virtually eliminates having to use a bluetooth setup unless you need more privacy.As with most SPV's bluetooth is easy to use and i have not had any problems pairing with other bluetooth devices.Messaging is so simple and very fast when using the built in qwerty keyboard and with the choice of SMS,MMS ans email you have all the options you will ever need.with the ability to synchronise contacts and expandable memory you will have no problems storing and accessing all your contacts.all in all a very impressive setup.

9 out of 10

Voice activation-once again an impressive feature that works well and is very easy to setup,it does take a little time to train the handset to get used to your voice but once you have set it up operating it is very easy and i have had no problems in using this feature to access my contacts.Best of all this software is already supplied with the SPV so you get all this at no extra cost which is excellent.

9 out of 10

Touch screen-As with all previous versions of the SPV the scrren is very vibrant and clear and does an excellent job of displaying a wide array of colours and images,the touch screen sensitivy is excellent and is very robust.I would however reccommend using a screen protector to help prevent damage to this sensitive piece of equipment.These are widely available online for between 3- 10 pounds and are a worthwile investment.

10 out of 10

Handset Buttons-The buttons on the handset are well positioned with several hot keys that allow you direct access to internet explorer,messaging and voice and video calling on the front panel.Down the right side are buttons to access stand by and the comms manager which controls functions like GPRS,Wi-Fi and bluetooth.On the left side is a scroll wheel (this is a new edition to the SPV range) which is excellent at making the unit even more accessible and is so easy to use.

10 out of 10

Handset Apperance-Like most pda/phone hybrids the SPV is manufactured by a company called HTC but unlike other brands this is by far the most impressive looking unit with a black satin finish and lovely curved edges that make it fit comfortably in your hand,the buttons are well laid out for ease of operation and the sliding action of the keyboard is smooth yet firm enough to give years of trouble free use.

10 out of 10

Battery-Battery is a lithium ion polymer and will give excellent usage in day to day use,regular use of WiFi is a big drain on battery power so will leave u needing to charge the unit more often but in normal conditions battery life is very impressive.The unit is very easy to charge from both adapter and usb and takes about an hour to get a full charge.Once agin the battery does add some weight to the handset but is a small price to pay for so many excellent features.

8 out of 10

Bundled accessories-2xStylus,AC adaptor,mini USB power plug
Mini USB/USB synchronisation cable,Carry case
Lithium ion polymer battery 1300mAh andStereo wired headset with microphone.

Summary-This is a fantastic device that will offer excellent easy to use features from a powerful and well designed unit.It feels fantastic to use and looks just as good.With lots of features for future use this will probably be a market leader for a good length of time to come.The only disadvantage is the unit is a bit on the heavy side but you soon forget about this when you see all the feature packed into this product.Overall one of the best pda/phone devices on the market at the moment.

overall 9 out or 10.  

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