Microsoft Orange SPV Phone Review 237
Ian Bell writes "HowardChui.com just posted a review on Microsoft's new Orange SPV which is the first commercially available Smartphone. The SPV stands for Sound, Pictures, Video and you can download games like Doom or listen to MP3s on the speaker or even chat to your friends using the built-in MSN Messenger. But for all that the SPV features, there is no Bluetooth support. It still looks like a killer phone and I like that it is smaller than the PocketPC phones currently on the market."
Ad campaign? (Score:5, Funny)
Your phone has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down
Re:Ad campaign? (Score:5, Funny)
This is assuming you agreed to the EULA which you agreed to by: openning the box, turning on the phone, and then clicking yes to the message that appears (if you click no, the phone becomes inopperatable). Then, after you accept the EULAs you must activate your phone with a carrier and Microsoft, failure to do this will cause your phone to be inopperatable whithin 30 days.
We, Microsoft, reserve the right to use any media for advertising or other purposes that is and/or was on any phone that was activated
Re:Ad campaign? (Score:3, Informative)
However, it's audio quality is fantastic for such a small device, it was in fact the main reason I bought it, as for WAP? Why does anyone even comment on that any more, WAP is useless anyway. The SPV has regular internet access via GPRS, and that work
Re:Ad campaign? (Score:2)
Hello !?! Microsoft incorporating Java in one of its products without a 10 year lawsuit before hand!
Over Bill's dead body!
Slow (Score:5, Interesting)
So why would anyone buy this phone at all?
Re:Slow (Score:5, Funny)
Cons: *poor RF * poor sound quality * no easy way to switch tasks * phone gets sluggish at times * terrible keypad * camera attachment could be better * could not get WAP browser working * no J2ME
I guess since the phone doesn't explode on impact or cause humans to spontaneously combust--could give it a go;)
so are other phones (Score:2)
Re:Slow (Score:3, Interesting)
This will eventually be fixed, but it will require new hardware and/or driver upgrades. It is currently the #1 SPV complaint, I believe.
Re:Ad campaign? (Score:5, Funny)
"That's NOT blue LED backlighting, you dolt..."
Well... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Well... (Score:2)
I bet he cries himself to sleep on his HUUUuuuge pillow at night.
(for the salivating Troll/Bameflait modders, do some research, it's called an inside joke).
hes looking for his 15 min of fame (Score:3, Insightful)
anybody noticed that on all reviews on his site
like he wanna be famuos or sumthin?
Re:Well... (Score:2, Interesting)
Better buttons please (Score:4, Interesting)
Add to that the fact that you're going to get face-grease all over the screen every time you talk on the phone. I don't see any reason to get one of these yet.
Re:Better buttons please (Score:1)
It should be the DRMSDRMPDRMV phone (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:It should be the DRMSDRMPDRMV phone (Score:1)
Poor Audio? What's the point then? (Score:5, Insightful)
That's a shame too because it looks like an nice phone and has some decent feature.
Apple should make one! (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Apple should make one! (Score:4, Funny)
http://www.arstechnica.com/archive/news/
Pros vs. Cons (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Pros vs. Cons (Score:4, Funny)
And besides, what is actually so hard about carrying a PDA and a phone, what did people do before computers?:
Bob: George what do you carry with you?
George: I carry a day planner, phone book, a few rolls of quarters, and a legal pad.
Bob: Why?
George: So I can keep track of my day, make phone calls and produce documents
Bob: Really, I got this new fangled smart phone that does all that plus some
Re:Pros vs. Cons (Score:2)
anyways.. i got myself a nokia 3650 yesterday.. 400 euros, still a _phone_ but with a twist(symbian apps, j2me, mmc cards for memory expanding(16mb default card comes with it), bluetooth). pretty slick compared to other phones in the price range that may come with j2me and 1mb of memory, or the 7650 that has less memory(and i don't like it's sliding pad, 3650 is also cheaper(!)).
but if
he's clueless... (Score:4, Informative)
"While it seems to lack a little bit of polish as the first commercially available Smartphone, the SPV is not a bad device. "
Erm, It isn't the first commercial smartphone. Symbian phones have been around for a while, years in fact - for example, Erccisson R380 (I think there was a version before this one?), and Nokia - the Brick - Communicator 9210 - and there was a version before this too.
With Symbian you get a rock solid phone and software, far more than MS can possibly provide. Symbian phones have far better security and their OS isn't bloated, as opposite to MS its in pathetic (toy) OSes.
Re:he's clueless... or not (Score:5, Informative)
Smartphone (with a capital S) is Microsoft's brandname for... smartphones (duh!). They've copyrighted the name, so that's what Howard means when he writes "first commercially available Smartphone".
I've played with the phone myself, and the OS isn't bloated compared to the Symbian phones (they're about the same). In fact, my Nokia 3650, which uses Symbian, crashes every now and then. I'm not saying the MS one doesn't crash, but don't think because it's made by someone other than Microsoft that it's automagically better.
Microsoft stealing from the commons (Score:3, Insightful)
You make a good point, but taking Names (TM) that already has a meaning and copyright it is stealing from the commons.
They steal the meaning that this name already have. There is nothng wrong with picking a name that helps you in the beginning you just need to undertand that what helps you now will hurt y
Re:Microsoft stealing from the commons (Score:2)
Yes, only M$ would be so evil to trademark common nouns. Well, I have to go connect to the Oracle(tm) server using my Apple(tm). I'll be using the web interface so I'll probably be using Safari(tm)
Missed the point (Score:2)
The name Apple has no connection to a computer so there is no meaning theft. Safari a little less clear cut, since it piggy backs on Explorer.
It is not only MS that does this, Example Netscape Navigator. Navigator is a perfectly discriptive name, and you understand pretty much exactly what it does from the name alone.
Navigator however is a good english word and should not be trademark protected. Put a Name in front like Netscape then it is ok, just as
Re:he's clueless... or not (Score:3, Insightful)
What idiot modded this as a troll. As an ex Psion Revo+ owner, I have to say that the EPOC OS (now known as Symbian) is the most stable, polished
Security (Score:2)
Sure.
"Symbian phones have far better security and their OS isn't bloated, as opposite to MS its in pathetic (toy) OSes."
Sorry to disappoint you, but that's wrong. Windows Smartphone Edition is potentially a lot more secure than Symbian. Symbian got almost no security built in. It's just that everything is written correctly (and it can run Java). Windows SE, being a scaled down version of their main OS, has a lot
Re:Security (Score:2, Insightful)
I'm quite positively sure that
Re:he's clueless... (Score:2)
Might be nit picking, but there is a world of difference.
Anyone else (Score:5, Funny)
That's just a little freaky in my books.
Re:Anyone else (Score:5, Insightful)
First Microsoft went for the OS market
Next came the browser wars
This was followed by the battle of the servers and PDAs.
Soon afterward came the battle for the gaming console.
Now, I believe smart watches and smart cellphones.
I'm havin trouble thinkin' of anything in my life Microsoft hasn't tried to take over. (All of which they've lost so far. I use Linux, Mozilla, No Server or PDA, Nintendo 64, Casio Watch and Motorola Cellphone)
I don't cherish the thought of having one all-seeing, all-knowing presence touching every part of my daily life.
Course maybe privacy is a wee-bit old fashioned.
Re:Anyone else (Score:2)
Keep in mind that you are a minority. Most people use MS Windows, and most use MSIE, and any market penetration beyond that makes it worse. The more markets they capture, the more your bastion of freedom looks like a prison cell. It's not good enough to say "They haven't affected me" when they're all around you. More needs to be done. Of course, I use MSWin and MSIE, but I'm not bu
Re:Anyone else (Score:2)
That'll teach him! Kill people, and your code will be GPL'd! Take _THAT_!
Re:Anyone else (Score:2)
I'm surprised... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I'm surprised... (Score:2, Informative)
Actually, somebody has. No mod chip required either.
See: http://xmob.co.uk/ll.php/9
Uhh... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Uhh... (Score:3, Funny)
This reminds me of a movie. (Score:1)
Semi offtopic - BlueTooth (Score:5, Interesting)
Why the hell is it taking PDA/Cell Phone/MP3 Player/Keyboard/Mouse manufacturers so DAMN long to get bluetooth implemented as a standard across the board for syncing devices, which is what it's particulary good at - close distance, high bandwidth traffic. It's beginning to really piss me off since it has the implications to be so useful.
I urge for the day i can use my iPod as a clicker device to go to the next slide in a presentation, or when i can set my iPod next to my laptop and automatically sync it. I urge for the day i can walk into a room with a bluetooth keychain and have my pre-programmed computer automatically turn the lights on and start playing music ala Minority report. We *HAVE* the technology to do all this, why the hell are hardware manufacturers kicking their damn heals so much?
ok i'm done ranting
</RANT>
Re:Semi offtopic - BlueTooth (Score:4, Funny)
You keep using that phrase, I do not think it means what you think it means.
Re:Semi offtopic - BlueTooth (Score:2)
Riiiggghhttt. So you want an iPod with it's own perpetual power so you never have to plug it in.
Hey, firewire is just on small cable... What's the problem?
Re:Semi offtopic - BlueTooth (Score:2)
Power drain would not be so excessive that it would require "perpetual power" to be useful. Less than 40mA for short periods is no big deal. IMHO.
There seems to be alot of mis-information out there about Bluetooth. It's not just for short range wireless and it's not high power draining. FYI, there are 3 classes of devices related to 3 ranges:
Class 1= 100 meters
Class 2= 10
Re:Semi offtopic - BlueTooth (Score:2)
You miss the point. The Firewire connection to the iPod is also how it recharges. What's the point of a wireless iPod? You still have to plug it in for power.
Re:Semi offtopic - BlueTooth (Score:2)
I bet you're not urging for the kind of battery drain that would go hand in hand with your iPod's wireless sync capability. Or the length of time the sync would take if you were moving a reasonable number of songs onto it.
And if you want a presentation clicker and a proximity sensor today, get a Mac and one of the phones supported by Sal [mac.com]
Re:Semi offtopic - BlueTooth (Score:2)
I've run a Zaurus with an internet connected Bluetooth module for over 6 hours of continuous network access. Twice that with the frontlight turned off( not very practical ). I'm lucky to get 2 hours with a WiFi connection.
LoB
Think about the big picture (Score:2)
Oh wait, you'll be consuming INFINITELY more power, because the iPod charges via Firewire! You've replaced a charging scheme with a
Re:Think about the big picture (Score:2)
I do agree that in some cases, a wired cradle is still needed and a good thing. Wouldn't it be cool though if the iPod had a Bluetooth interface such that when you jumped in your car to head to school, your car stereo started playing what was xmitting from your iPod. You get home and your home stereo does the same. Even when it's on the Firewire cradle(?) charging.
Freeing yourself from wires does have an advantage IN SOME CASES. Point taken rega
Re:Semi offtopic - BlueTooth (Score:4, Informative)
I'd disagree, the solution's already there with very popular off-the-shelf hardware. All you need is:
Why no Bluetooth support? (Score:2, Interesting)
It seems strange to me that there is no Bluetooth support... especially since it's from Microsoft. If they intigrate Bluetooth, they could definitely do a lot of cool things between it and a computer (or several devices for that matter). Maybe it's because Bluetooth isn't widely accepted yet but without the devices, how is it goint to become widely accepted?
Re:Why no Bluetooth support? (Score:1)
You'll be doing yourself a favour - also it can still manage Word, excel for all you windows freaks.
Re:Why no Bluetooth support? (Score:3, Interesting)
Even though Bluetooth is pretty low power it's not a technology Microsoft wants. IMHO.
LoB
Is it just me or... (Score:5, Insightful)
If I'm going to buy a phone, make sure it makes phone calls!
Not the first commercially available Smartphone (Score:2, Insightful)
Obscure UI? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Obscure UI? (Score:5, Interesting)
Most Ericsson phones will let you dial 911 or 112 (or whaterver it is in Europe) at any time - even during the PIN unlock stage, before you've entered a correct PIN.
Just like a typical Microsoft product - like their fileservers that come with builtin 3DPinball, Wordpad and Solitaire - but don't actually do a decent job of serving files.
Re:Obscure UI? (Score:2)
Sounds rather urban-legendesque. I suspect that maybe the real reason why the number is changing is because 112 is the standard number throughout the EU, and that keylocked phones have nothing to do with it.
Re:Obscure UI? (Score:2)
useless junk (Score:2, Insightful)
I guess they'll make a portable all-in-one X-BOX, DVD Player, cell phone, laptop with Windows XPee, tape recorder, CD burner, microwave, refrigerator, dishwasher, ass-wiper and "port-a-potty" device next.
This is completely useless and shows no innovation or creativity. I guess they're trying to take bloated software to the next level: bloated hardware.
Big deal. (Score:5, Interesting)
Why is it, therefore, that we don't see a combination smartphone/pda/wallet? An average wallet is large enough to put a decent-sized LCD screen and a keypad in (after all, many wallets are quite similar in design to a clamshell-type 'phone).
This would be a kick-ass device because it'd have a big screen *and* reduce the amount of space everything takes up in my pockets. Surely it's the obvious thing to do?
Hang on - given it's obvious, I'll just off and patent it...
Re:Big deal. (Score:2)
Sat On? (Score:2)
It seems like a pretty good idea to me, although wallets do take a lot of abuse... but fitting the contents of an older Palm V in one should be easy by now. I'm just not sure where it would work to mount ports. Also, I'm not sure how nice it would be to hold a wallet to use as a PDA - I'll bet that wouldn't feel good for long.
Re:Big deal. (Score:5, Insightful)
Because identity theft is enough of a problem already, without some pickpocket being able to get your wallet, keys, and phone with one deft move.
~Philly
Yup (Score:2)
First one, huh? (Score:3, Funny)
All this time, I must have been imagining commercially available smartphones like the Handspring Treo [handspring.com] and the Kyocera Smartphone. [kyocera.com]
Re:First one, huh? (Score:2, Insightful)
if the phone sucks (Score:3, Insightful)
Button size, signal receiver, lack of RF, lack of BT (keeps size and price a bit smaller), those were choices made by Orange. No J2E is Microsoft. Although I am not sure why no J2E is bad, but that might just be me.
Re:if the phone sucks (Score:5, Informative)
First Orange is a network operator, not a cell phone manufacturer. Second, the phone is made by HTC and resold in a few countries by different operators. Orange had no say in the design. Now it seems that they neuteured the phone by preventing the user from installing unsigned software while not working with developers to provide them with a easy way to sign their apps.
Re:if the phone sucks (Score:2)
Re:if the phone sucks (Score:2)
Orange belongs to France Telecom and HTC stands for High Tech Computer Corp, a Taiwanese company. No relation what so ever.
Re:if the phone sucks (Score:2)
The SPV suffers from 2 major software flaws that are outside MS control - IPSM (Intel Persistent Storage Manager) flash filesystem, which eliminates the need for a backup battery but introduces enormous performance problems, and a dodgy radio stack that is less than 100% reliable.
The SPV also suffers from several hardwa
first available "Smartphone" (Score:3, Informative)
Smartphones have been around for several years, based on Symbian and PalmOS. And the term has been around for a number of years as well. Microsoft should really not be able to take out trademarks on generic terms like "Windows" and "Smartphone".
Orange? (Score:5, Funny)
Call Me Crazy But... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Call Me Crazy But... (Score:2)
Many people carry around a phone and a PDA, and maybe some other stuff like MP3 players. The point is to put all this functionality into one box so your pockets/belt aren't stuffed with gadgets. It's more like a PDA with a built in phone than a phone with a built in PDA. If you don't see the need for this, it's because this kind of product is not developed for people like you - stick to a regular cell phone. That being sa
Re:Call Me Crazy But... (Score:3, Insightful)
I have had a cellphone now since 1996 or so, starting with a Siemens S4 and I am currently the Siemens ME45 and I can count the number of calls that have terminated due to bad reception or network failures on a single hand. I really do not understand how you can view cellphone connection stability as an issue?
Kristian
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
UK - US translation (Score:2)
"Piece of piss" = good
I own one of these... (Score:4, Informative)
Been using it for the last few months and it is AWFUL !
Sure it sounds great, colour screen, plays mp3s, core PDA functionality, web browsing and email using GPRS (I signed up for 7 megs a month because I thought this would be useful).
But it is terrible !
So what's the problem ? Well it hangs. All the time. I get busy cursors when all I'm doing is navigating the menus. It hangs when I'm trying to make a call (it seems to get its knickers in a twist if an incoming call arrives whilst your starting an outgoing call.
Personally I'm really pissed off at having skipped the Ericsson (which I thought was too big) for this pile of shit. Been very happy with every Orange 'phone I've ever owned (been an Orange customer since they opened up here in the UK) but the SPV stinks. Edward
Re:I own one of these... (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:I own one of these... (Score:2)
There is a free explorer application that is actually better and faster. You need to unlock your phone from the Orange website.
Re:I own one of these... (Score:2)
I think we'll have to agree to differ on the SPV.
Ah the good old 2140 ! Now that was a solid phone :-) So good, I had two of them ;-)
This has been around for a few months now (Score:2)
What? This is news? (Score:5, Interesting)
Granted, this is because version 1 was so poor that no one brought one - less than 100k units were shipped (which considering that there are about 10m sales/yr of high end phones in the UK is terrible). And that number was _after_ they started giving them away for free with a £25/mnth contract.
Microsoft fucked up by making a bad phone - not really a surprise - and the only people who brought them were the XBox-modder wannabe-techie types who wouldn't know the different between C and Cobol.
The most amusing part is that the only reason these phones sold _at all_ was because the DRM functions (you can only run executables signed by Orange and Microsoft) were broken by hackers very quickly - in fact for the French version it only required a reboot to execute. Now thats great security!
Annoying never fixed bugs include numbers stored in a different way from Outlook/OE so that when you sync your phonebook you can't dial the numbers it downloaded, text messaging that randomly doesn't work, out-of-memory errors, and a phone so large and butt ugly it belongs in 1980.
Another stunning victory then - Nokia must be quaking in their boots.
"NEW"s for nerds (Score:2)
Let's make one thing clear (Score:2)
Microsoft the Didn't Make These! (Score:2)
Virus! (Score:3, Funny)
(Why this review now? It's an oooold phone around here...)
the actual news here (Score:2)
Re:the actual news here (Score:2)
Sendo Lawsuit [bbc.co.uk].
Must be a MS powered phone (Score:3, Funny)
Re:ridiculous phones (Score:3, Insightful)
I'll agree with you on the games/camera/web browsing though.
Re:ridiculous phones (Score:3, Informative)
FusionOne [fusionone.com] used to offer a free service to give you synch across many devices (including many mobile 'phone types).
If you want free stuff and have a Nokia, you can get software from their web site which lets you do this. Other manufacturers also have synch software these days too.
All you need is an IR-port (USB ones are sub-$20) or a data cable for your phone (which will
Re:hmmm yes, other options (Score:2)
Thats my main problem with the 7650. Then there's the shitty battery life once you start keeping the screen backlight on, for example when you use WAP, or play games. 1 hour of playing snood on the train into work and I've gone from full battery to damn, I need to recharge now.
It's heavy, it crashes about once a week (so I have to yank the battery out), the syncing software doesn't play nicely with the BlueTooth stack on my Toshiba 9100. The syncing software it
Re:hmmm yes, other options (Score:2)
Mine has never crashed, and has a slightly better battery life than the couple of SPVs we have around the office (I can get 3/4 days with a following wind). With normal use (GPRS browsing an hour a day plus a few phone calls) I can get two days. A decent phone, really. Sure, it doesn't have the battery life of the 8310 (about two weeks most of the time between charges) but that's the problem with backlit displays... wait until the new organic displays start appearing if you wa
Re:Grrh non-standard POS (Score:2)
Re:P800 0wnz0rzz (quickie rejoinder) (Score:2)
Too small to be useful, too big to be a suppository...