September 2, 2007

After having had three months to play with my new toy, I am finding it has become a heavily relied-upon and invaluable tool.

So what is this new toy? My HTC TyTN/Hermes/8525 PDA phone/Pocket PC (quite possibly the picture to the right gave it away). I could include all of the technical aspects and full specifications here but, since there are numerous websites/reviews that have already done so, I’d rather discuss the user functionality of the 8525.

The 8525 is more than just a global quad-band GSM phone. It’s a mini laptop with a large 2.8″ touchscreen and slide-out lighted, QWERTY keyboard that has, among other things - bluetooth and wifi capabilities. And, multimedia with an mp3 player and a 2mp macro switchable camera/video recorder.

The 8525 comes pre-installed with either Windows Mobile 5 or 6, depending on when you purchased it. It boasts 128MB storage (internal and expanded ROM) and 64MB RAM. Not bad, although once you start installing applications, both the storage and RAM quickly get eaten up, so be sure to make use of the external microSD storage capabilities (currently supports up to approximately 4-gigabytes). Keep only the core applications necessary to run the 8525 on the internal storage, and everything else on the external.

Battery life averages about 30 hours, depending on the amount of use. Certain applications will drain resources faster than others, so it pays to do your research before you settle on them.

Base applications include: Windows Mobile Office with Outlook (and push mail capability), Windows Media Player, Internet Explorer, and the default Calendar and Contacts. Third-party applications are plentiful depending on the the intended usage.

Interestingly enough, everything the highly touted iPhone can do, the 8525 can do as well - if not better; and then it surpasses the iPhone in functionality. Programmers and developers have been able to replicate features of the iPhone for use on other platforms, WinMobile included. Given a choice between the two, I gladly opted for the 8525. In the same time the iPhone user can check their text messages and voice mails, I can also send and receive emails, generate spreadsheets or text documents. Wow! An office away from the office.

For the adventurous, there are a number of operating systems that can be installed. One of the first things I did was to upgrade to an optimized Win Mobile 6 OS (ROM). (A plethora of links for these can be found with a quick Google search.) Then I searched for, and found the types of programs that were specific to my wants and needs.

Some of my “must-have” add-on programs/applications include (click on images for larger views):

The HTC Home Plugin - a multi-tabbed desktop that integrates date/time and alarms, speed dialing, weather, quick launch, music player, and sound profiles (see diagrams left and right taken from my device). With everything available at a touch of the finger, it simplifies the phone’s use.

Another “must-have” would be the Threaded SMS application (as used with the Treo), which acts like an instant messenger and retains all “conversations” with individuals. If you’re a heavy texter, this is one really addictive program you will wonder why you never had before and won’t want to be without.

Other programs include Resco Explorer - an enhanced file explorer/manager that, on top of the standard file explorer features, offers network mapping, encryption, registry editing, and file compression.

Internet Explorer Plus (PIE) is an enhancement to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, with a host of features including, tabbed browsing, full-screen viewing, screen drag (finger dragging), imaging saving, and an enhanced toolbar.

CorePlayer Mobile is a multimedia application that uses less resources than the default Windows Media player, and affords a greater viewing experience for the user. Although it easily handles both audio and video, I use it only for video, and use another program, HTC Audio Manager, for all music.

While AT&T is planning on introducing the next-generation 8925 (HTC Tilt) in the very short-term, this Gadget Queen plans on keeping this one for a while longer. Check it out for yourself. The 8525 is offered through Cingular; however, each of the other carriers offers the same device under a different name: Verizon - the Mogul (6800), and T-Mobile, the Wing.

Happy phoning. Please remember the don’t’s of cell phones and driving - never text and drive, and always use a headset. Most states mandate both of these now. It just makes sense! Don’t be a meanderthal.

Cheers

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