| Sipping an Espresso and reading the newspaper I | | | | Explorer, ActiveSync, File Manager, Tasks, Voice |
| waved at my friend Greg, a male real estate agent, | | | | Recorder, MSN Messenger, Favorites, Calculator, |
| chatting away on his cell phone. I thought about what a | | | | and Games. But, there are big differences with the |
| multi-tasking society we've become, how I hardly ever | | | | Windows Smartphone, which make it a lot easier to |
| sit just doing one thing anymore and neither do most | | | | use as a model device. With your Pocket PC phone |
| of my friends. We can talk, schedule business and | | | | and some smartphones you have a touchscreen or a |
| social activities, and eat and drink all at the same time. | | | | joystick. These Windows Mobile-based units (Samsung |
| We're more efficient for it and now have more leisure | | | | SCH-1600 and the Motorola MPX200) are designed |
| time than we used to. | | | | for one-handed use. This is a big, big plus. Everything |
| I watched Greg pressing buttons on his cell and got | | | | you need you can access by pushing buttons. There |
| curious. It looked like one of the new smart phones I'd | | | | are no pesky pop-ups, pulldowns or overlapping |
| heard about. Greg has always been one of the first in | | | | windows." |
| my circle of friends to get something we all aspire to | | | | "So are you juggling with your fingers a lot when use |
| own. He purchased a home first, a laptop computer, an | | | | the the phone?" |
| at home gym, a mountain bike, and a timeshare in | | | | Greg laughed. "No. I hate to disappoint you, but I'm not |
| Hawaii. | | | | some clown. It's easy to use. Most of the features I |
| Pulling up a chair Greg got this Cheshire grin on his | | | | just access with my thumb." |
| face as he ordered a double espresso and flashed his | | | | "What's the screen like?" |
| cell phone proudly. I couldn't help but exclaiming, "This is | | | | "It has the usual Speed Dial, Call History, and but the |
| the tiniest Windows ever!" To which he chided me, | | | | menu is customizable. You can custom select nine |
| "Bob, you made it sound miniature like the phone has | | | | items by either scrolling down, pressing enter, or |
| no power." | | | | punching in the number. The Motorola MPx200 display |
| "Ah contraire. I mean it is the Microsoft Window smart | | | | is 2.2 inches diagonal with 176 x 220 pixel resolution. |
| phone, right?" | | | | The footprint is 3.4 x 1.8 inches and is an inch thick and |
| "You betcha! So you're as excited as I am. This is | | | | weighs 4.2 ounces." |
| great. You just have to get one. There are only two | | | | "How about readability and functionality for entering |
| models available in the U.S. There's Samsung | | | | appointments and things?" |
| SCH-1600 and the Motorola MPx200. I have the | | | | "My Motorola MPx200 comes with all the standard |
| Motorola model." | | | | phone features: speakerphone, profiles, |
| "Greg, is it better than using my Nokia cell phone with | | | | conference calls, ring tones, including an incredible |
| its' graphical user interfaces, applications, utilities, games, | | | | integration with the Contacts database. I love |
| internet access and PC connectivity?" | | | | how the Windows Mobile-based smartphone |
| "Absolutely!" While flashing his cell phone at me Greg | | | | integrates with Outlook. It works the same way it |
| said, "The Windows Mobile-based smart-phone | | | | does with a Pocket PC. Lots of times I use it for |
| contains the Microsoft-class user interface, like you | | | | emailing project details to clients. With the Inbox I set up |
| use on the computer. It has all the great functionality | | | | direct access to my POP3 but you can also |
| inherent in Windows. Heck, I'm getting ahead myself. I | | | | have set it for access to an IMAP4 mail account, or |
| want to explain why this is the greatest thing ever and | | | | use AT&T's Office Online for an extra fee. |
| you have to have one Bob." | | | | "Greg are there any features which surprised you?" |
| "Oh, Greg. If I listened to you every time you said that | | | | "Yes, the mere existence of a Windows Smart cell |
| I'd be broke." | | | | phone still comes as a big surprise. But in answer to |
| "Bob, this is different. This cell phone will help your | | | | your question, I'd have to say the audio, it comes in |
| business and your floundering social life." | | | | stereo. The Windows Media Player 8 supports MP3, |
| "Thanks a lot, Greg." | | | | Microsoft's Windows audio and video formats, |
| "Well it's true. You do need to get out more than just | | | | WMA and WMV. The SD Card is big enough so I can |
| to the coffee shop." | | | | listen to music for hours." |
| "Ok, point taken. Is the phone like my Pocket PC?" | | | | "Is the Motorola a GSM phone?" |
| "Bob, it's similar on the hardware side. It has 32MB of | | | | "Yes. It also uses GPRS and has a SIM |
| RAM divided into storage and program space. An SD | | | | Manager,which is a big plus for traveling overseas." |
| Card slot can be used for additional data story. | | | | "Wow, Greg this all sounds great. So, why aren't you |
| "Ok. Mr. Technie, you're starting to sound like me. Now | | | | using the phone now?" |
| let's talk about features. You said, it's similar to my | | | | "Bob I do need to sociliaze speaking of which, I need to |
| Pocket PC, how so?" | | | | call my date." |
| "Some of the features you'll recognize like the | | | | Same old Greg. |
| program list, Inbox, Contacts, Calendar, Internet | | | | |