Smartphones

GIZMO GALLERY

size does not hamper the use of this feature-packed smart phone.

A phone that boasts of 3.5G High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), a 2-megapixel camera, SRS WOW HD surround sound for the MP3 and FM radio functions add a smidgen of entertainment to this business phone.

Although HSDPA might not be a money-spinning option for Indian telecom players, traveling executives could benefit in mature telecom economies for instance, the US and UK.

Certainly no newcomer to the PDA phone world, iMate too, creates ripples with its Jaq3 pocket PC phone. Jaq3 is a touchscreen-enabled and front keyboard based device that is a no frills messaging and email device.

Good but some hiccups Both run the popular Windows Mobile 5 operating system, so mobile versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player 10 find a place.

Built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and the GPRS/EDGE wireless functionalities make the Xda Atom Life and iMate Jaq3 adroit email devices. The O2 Xda Atom Life is undeniably well-designed for a PDA just as the Jaq3 scores brownie points for its simple interface and a full QWERTY keypad control.

O2's media support is let down by a 2.5 mm headphone jack instead of the standard 3.5 mm. This means users will need an adapter before they can use their own set of headphones with the Atom Life.

The SRS WOW HD surround sound experience is better than most phones in the category, though the speakers on the front of the unit did not sound too bad. The 2.7-inch LCD touchscreen is practical, with a 320x240 resolution.

The Atom Life's speed is indisputably above average for a PDA. The processor delivered a minimal slowdown on normally taxing functions such as running multiple applications. Atom Life's battery could do with a boost as the present support extends up to 4 hours.

The Jaq3 is almost the same in terms of hardware as the original Jaq, except for the inclusion of Wi-Fi, a 2-megapixel camera, a smaller screen, and a lower capacity battery.

Its form factor could have been cut down a bit. The device performed great when using a headset, but otherwise, the sound quality during calls was a disappointment. For a barebones business phone, the battery delivers 5.5 hours of usage.

In sum Priced at a hefty Rs 45,900, the Atom Life will need an aggressive marketing team to sell it while iMate has tagged Jaq3 at Rs 25,500, which could get it some attention.

Atom Life is presumably suitable for users who upgrade from a barebones PDA while Jaq3 could work as an entry point for smartphone converts.