After tracing all the leaks and rumors about the release date of the Eten X800, and after the FCC approved it in mid 2007, I ordered mine end of November 2007 and just got a second one this January. Oh dear, did I make the right decision?

The device has amazing specifications, a topnotch design, grip and screen. However the cons are away too much than the pros and I thought of sharing them for all of Pocket PC Dubai readers before you step in and buy one...
 

Here is what you will find in the orange box:

• Glofiish X800.
• 2 Styli.
• USB sync cable.
• AC adapter.
• The silly Headset.
• Good quality leather case.
• Getting started CD, simply rubbish.
• Quick start guide.
• 1530 mAh Standard battery.
• Screen protector.

 

Full specifications:

• Operating System Windows Mobile ® 6 Professional

• Processor - Samsung SC3 2442 500 MHz Processor

• Memory - 256 MB Flash ROM, 64 MB SDRAM

• Display - 2.8", 640 x 480 (VGA), 65,536 colors, TFT-LCD

• Dimensions - (LxWxH) 113.5 x 60.5 x 15.8 mm

• Weight - 147 g (with battery)

• Communications

- UMTS / HSDPA (2100 / 1900 / 850 MHz)

- Quad-Band GSM: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz

- GPRS class 10 / EDGE class 10

- Bluetooth® v2.0 class 2 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate),

- Wi-Fi IEEE802.11b/g Certificated

• GPS - Embedded SiRF Star III chipset, TMC function supported*,

- SiRF Instant Fix (Ephemeris Extension) (*subject to change by region)

• Camera

- Built-in 2.0 mega pixels Auto-Focus CMOS camera

- 0.3 mega pixels Fixed-Focus CMOS camera for conference call usage

• Expansibility - MicroSD card slot

• Interface/Audio

- Built-in microphone and speaker,

- External stereo headset jack,

- Hands-free mode supported

• Interface/Data

- USB Sync,

- Headset jack

• Ergonomic Design

- Touch screen for stylus or fingertip,

-Navigation button, power button,

- 2 quick application buttons,

- Send/end button,

- Record button, volume control,

-Left soft-key,

- Right soft-key

 

• Battery

Lithium Polymer rechargeable with 1,530 mAh capacity

Talk time*: 5~7 hours,

Standby*: 120~150 hours,

Pocket PC usage*: 10~15 hours,

GPS usage*: 2.5~5 hours

* depend on usage the above figures may vary depending on RF conditions, environment conditions and actual usage

• Software (pre-loaded)

Windows Mobile® 6 Professional,

Microsoft® Office Outlook® Mobile (Calendar, Contacts,

Tasks and Inbox),

Picture, Notes,

Microsoft® Office Word Mobile,

Microsoft® Office Excel®

Mobile,

Internet Explorer Mobile,

ActiveSync,

Calculator,

Game (Solitaire, Bubble Breaker), Voice Recorder,

Microsoft® Office PowerPoint® Mobile,

MSN® Messenger,

Microsoft® Transcriber,

Windows Media® Player 10,

Direct Push Technology,

Microsoft Reader (subject to change by region)

• ETEN Exclusive

Applications

(*subject to change by region)

- Phone Tools: Phone Application,

- Phone Setting, SIM Toolkit,

- Speed Dial,

- Call Filter, Wireless

- Modem, Wireless Manager,

- Dialer Skin, Add Ringtone,

- CSD Type, Voice Commander,

- Connection Wizard,

- SMS Sender,

- SIM Manager,

- Video Telephony

• Multimedia Tools:

- Image Wizard (free download available at www.glofiish.com),

- Image Maker (free download available at www.glofiish.com),

- Multimedia Manager,

- Camera,

- Camcorder,

- FM Tuner

• MMS Tool:

- MMS Message

• Utilities:

- Battery Meter,

- Zoom SMS, Bluetooth Manager,

- M-Desk, Backup Utility,

- Application Recovery,

- Wireless Manager,

- Easy Keyboard,

- Namecard Manager,

- Birthday Reminder (free download available at www.glofiish.com)

 

After reading the specifications, I fell in love with this device and decided to have one. It is hard to resist such specifications; moreover I made the mistake of not considering other PDAs that will be launched soon. I have also notice how fast it was selling over the world. Expansys UK sold around 100 units in less than 4 days. However keep in mind in UK; you literally don’t pay for the device if you go on a 1-2 year contract. Expansys US didn’t do a great job neither in its pricing or provide it to the buyers. Other sites were selling the Eten X800 weeks before it became available to their US consumers. So what’s the buzz all about? Why those units were on such a great demand? And why they were sold out that fast? I thought of highlighting some of the reasons with our beloved Pocket PC Dubai readers.

1. Amazing VGA screen, this gives many applications a new dimension and makes working with the PDA and using Internet Explorer simply a pleasure. As the screen is the main interface between the user and the device. Rotate the screen and work in both High Resolution mode and full screen, and you can see many web pages exactly like you see them on your ordinary desktop. Especially bank web sites.
2. A remarkable built in SiRF III GPS with instant fix. The thing works so great with 5 out of 5 bars even when I am inside my home. I haven’t seen anything like this before! Moreover it comes with Satellite Data Update program, which simply need to be updated once every week to reduce the time required locking on the satellites.
3. Great loud sound and hands free speaker with great GSM reception bars.
4. Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR (enhanced data rate) which transfers data at a surprising speed.
5. Focus mechanism for the back camera’s lens.

 

So far everything seems to be so nice and neat. However I am sure all of those who bought the device will agree on all the downsides that I have noticed on both my new PDAs. You know the passion that you have when you buy a new PDA; it simply lasted for 3 days, and after that! Welcome to the real world.

 

1. Boot time, is away too long. My old 800MHz desktop PC starts quicker than my PDA. I have removed so many pre-installed applications and you wouldn’t believe it. I just measured the time, 120 seconds and that’s 2 full minutes.
2. The processor simply sucks. There is no way this processor will perform 500 operations in 1 second. I still favor my old 416MHz Intel i-mate JAM processor. I guess my love to Intel desktop and PDA processors is simply not a myth anymore!
3. The memory is simply a massive chaos. It is supposed to have a 256MB of ROM and 64MB of RAM, and guess what; the device comes with a gazillion pre-installed applications, and by gazillion I mean 25 applications. Moreover they are stored and installed in the ROM, so even after you uninstall all of them, they still reside in the ROM. The device will open with 170 MB of ROM and 46MB of RAM. After I have uninstalled all applications, I managed to get around 22MB of free RAM only and almost the full 166MB of ROM (don’t ask me where the 4 MB of ROM went!). Another main drawback is that Eten provided the ROM upgrade from their site embedded with all those applications. I think it will be a nice gesture if they have had provided the operating system ROM alone and give the users the option to install the applications from their site rather than controlling what applications I want to use.
4. Consumes power like a hungry horse. A 4 time higher resolution screen means more power is required. Moreover the Wi-Fi is another hungry horse and the GSM and GPS still consume some power, but nothing like the Screen and the Wi-Fi. I don’t talk too much over the phone, but I need to charge the unit every night. That’s one of the first thing I noticed when I switched from the JAM to the X800.
5. Video conference quality is way from perfect. I tested several 3G video conference calls with the same exact devices on the same network in the same country (Roger’s AT&T Vision plan, which provides 3G coverage in most of the Greater Toronto Area GTA region). But it wasn’t that bad, the video screen was too small and that’s because the display is a VGA screen. On the other hand, it is something so nice to have voice and video during a phone call. Quality is acceptable, and I will give it a 7 out of 10.
6. The headset is simply pain, luckily in the ear. After searching, reading, buying and returning many headsets, I found out that regular 2.5mm four pin headsets do not work on PDAs. They will fit normally, but regular cell phones, CD or MP3 players use different type of connections, despite they all use the exact similar four head, 2.5mm pin. Some sites recommend buying an adaptor to allow the PDA to accept such normal headset, like those at Pocket PC Techs; however after a lot of efforts, I managed to put my hand on the most comfortable headset that works with the unit and most PDAs with no adaptors at an excellent price. And here I am talking about the Treo Ear-Bud 3239WW which you can get for about $25 from www.buy.com Canada. It is so great and comfortable that you sometimes forget that you are using it. So if you are looking for a wired headset, this is the best value for money headset you will ever get. Great for your music and phone calls as well.

 

On the other hand, the device has several applications and normal functions which are worth mentioning:

The FM tuner is a quite good add-on. However, you need the headset so that you can listen to the radio to be used as an antenna. On the other hand, the FM tuner shows three tabs, Europe, Japan, and USA. Now in order to get your channels, you have to scan all three regions. I don’t know why I can’t find all my channels on the USA tab? Funny application, but you will get the FM channels. I haven’t tested the TMC function because it is not supported by TomTom here in Canada, however, I have tested that with the Eten X500 and it works seamlessly great in the UK.

The broadband 3G internet is so cool. The provider, location and PDA are the most dominant factors of the speed. But I have to say, browsing is not like that of broadband. It is just the beginning to have true Internet on the move. Another bad thing is that it will take a lot of memory so you have to delete the temporary Internet files every now and then as the memory will go as low as 3MB of free memory. Device will become very slow.

The pre-installed applications look cute, but most of them are unnecessary in my opinion. The only required applications are those related to video calls, camera and satellite data update. All others are simply skin, colors and scenarios which I hope they never exist.

The buttons are quite nice, although you have two soft keys in the front, but it’s hard to program them. One of them is linked to the speed dial application, which is another application that I wish to remove, unfortunately even if I install it, I cannot link or re-program this button, unless I purchase a program for managing the soft keys. The device has its 8 buttons in a small area, sometimes I feel it is a little bit crowded; especially the soft-keys and the two buttons under them (navigate + home). The other yes/no buttons are easy to use because they are at the edge of the area, and the Start and OK buttons are also easy to use, because they have a raised dent which makes locating and pressing the buttons easy.

In order to have a reasonable picture while making a video call, the device needs to be away from the face for about half a meter (around 2 feet). Use of a headset is highly recommended in such a call, unless you don’t mind using the speaker. The location of the MicroSD at the bottom and the mini USB is quite acceptable, no complains. The soft reset button and the 2.5mm headset jacket are located on the side of the PDA which makes it convenient to hook up your headset, especially when most of the time, the PDA is in a horizontal mode in the leather case. Moreover the headset comes in a 90 degree pin so that it would be easer to use while on the fly.

The rare camera which is its main one is quite normal for a 2MB lens. You will have the option to keep the flash on for use as torchlight or while recording video clips. As I mentioned earlier, the lens has an auto focus mechanism which is a main plus. Moreover, the camera button has a halfway click to allow the camera lens to focus, and then a full press for taking the picture, just like any other digital cameras.

TomTom 5 and 6 does not work smoothly with such a high resolution screen. I never tired TomTom on other VGA screens. If you operate TomTom in the portrait mode, the screen and the motion is quite smooth, however if you flip it to the landscape, TomTom screens will start to skip like a scanner from left to right. In the beginning I thought it is because of my new regular (low transfer speed) Sandisk Micro SD card. However I went on and bought an Ultra II MicroSD card and it had the same problem. Images shows like one slide after the other in the landscape mode. I will be contacting TomTom, hopefully they will have an update or fix for this VGA screen. Beside of that, I can’t explain why my old i-mate JAM operates TomTom very smoothly. The device had a smaller RAM, lower screen resolution and slower processor with the same type of memory card. It must be VGA screen compatibility.

Another useful accessory is the windshield mount. Great fix and two pivots which eliminates vibrating while driving. Not like the ones that has a lead / alloy flexible rod. However the only disadvantage is that you have to keep buying those accessories for each new PDA. Therefore, I would rather keep my Universal HP mount which is still my first choice.

I hope I have managed to cover the most important issues about the over-rated Eten X800. All in all, I would not give this PDA a rating more than 3.5 out of 5 and I would definitely will be searching for other VGA PDAs and keep even a closer eye on new upcoming PDAs, but stay away from Samsung processors for sure.

 

• Eten X800
• ROM WWE
• Major: 040
• Minor: 0402
• Firmware: R3BEC31ACL_V1.01CA
• Driver Version: 0704, 2510