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Thread: Windows Smartphones? Anyone have the C500 or SP3i?

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    Gold Member Marcos's Avatar
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    Windows Smartphones? Anyone have the C500 or SP3i?



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    I have a Nokia 6230 at the moment, contract ends in 4-5months, so im starting to look at what i could upgrade to. Not really much out there that i like, I usually go for really special phones. I caught a review for the SP3i in a magazine and apparently its nto much bigger than my 6230 which is great since i dont want to take a step back and go bigger.

    Anyone have either of these phones and care to post a mini-review?

    I hear they are identical inside, its just the casing that has been changed (for the better) on the SP3i.

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    the sp3i will be out on tmobile soon, if you want to get a new contract.

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    Junior Senior Member Aaron's Avatar
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    Don't own one, but I know of a few people who do.

    Now, I'm a little biased against them but...

    The C500 (SP3) was a decent phone when it came out because it was the first small and cheap Windows Smartphone and it used Windows Smartphone 2003, which was a BIG step up from the 2002 edition (which crashed a lot).

    However, the C500 has been on the market for around 6 months now (as long as your current 6230). People have started to notice that the build quality is poor (dust getting behind the screen, paint flaking off the keys, keys getting stuck, etc) and it's missing quite a few features compared to the latest phones.

    I haven't had a play with the SP3i, but I've heard that it's just a slight revision of the SP3. Still no megapixel camera, still no 3G support, still no in-built GPRS counter, still no hot-swappable memory, etc.

    If you want to do some more research for yourself then MoDaCo and MS Mobile News are good starting points.

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    get an XDA2 Its £180 on O2 Contract, i got mine for £160 upgrade and its an awesome phone..

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    Gold Member Marcos's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mt50
    the sp3i will be out on tmobile soon, if you want to get a new contract.
    I am never ever going on t-mobile

    Quote Originally Posted by Bunjiweb
    get an XDA2 Its £180 on O2 Contract, i got mine for £160 upgrade and its an awesome phone..

    Ben
    I want a phone with advanced features, not a PDA with phone features , i've been using a 6230 so i dont want to go back to a bigger, more delicate phone. Although it probably is awesome, i wont need that much power.

    Quote Originally Posted by Aaron
    Don't own one, but I know of a few people who do.

    Now, I'm a little biased against them but...

    The C500 (SP3) was a decent phone when it came out because it was the first small and cheap Windows Smartphone and it used Windows Smartphone 2003, which was a BIG step up from the 2002 edition (which crashed a lot).

    However, the C500 has been on the market for around 6 months now (as long as your current 6230). People have started to notice that the build quality is poor (dust getting behind the screen, paint flaking off the keys, keys getting stuck, etc) and it's missing quite a few features compared to the latest phones.

    I haven't had a play with the SP3i, but I've heard that it's just a slight revision of the SP3. Still no megapixel camera, still no 3G support, still no in-built GPRS counter, still no hot-swappable memory, etc.

    If you want to do some more research for yourself then MoDaCo and MS Mobile News are good starting points.
    Hmm, good thing too since i didnt want to be given a good reason to go for the C50 over the SP3i .

    I would like as good a camera as i could get but i dont think the lack of other features will bother me. I'll check out those links.

    I didnt know there was an SP3, i've only ever heard of the SP3i
    Last edited by Marcos; 28-01-2005 at 09:46 AM.

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    Junior Senior Member Aaron's Avatar
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    I didnt know there was an SP3, i've only ever heard of the SP3i
    These phones are made by a Tawainese company called HTC, and then rebadged by various companies (like many laptops are). Another company called "imate" sells the Orange SPV C500 as the SP3. They're identical phones in ever other way though.

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    Administrator Moby-Dick's Avatar
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    I like my c500 , but you are right about paint flaking off. I suppose I've had mine for about 4 months and the centre of the joystick has worn.

    my Virtualisation Blog http://jfvi.co.uk Virtualisation Podcast http://vsoup.net

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    Oh no!I've re-dorkalated! Jiff Lemon's Avatar
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    Just to counter some of your points.....

    Quote Originally Posted by Aaron
    Now, I'm a little biased against them but....


    Quote Originally Posted by Aaron
    The C500 (SP3) was a decent phone when it came out because it was the first small and cheap Windows Smartphone and it used Windows Smartphone 2003, which was a BIG step up from the 2002 edition (which crashed a lot).
    Owned a 2002 smartphone (MPX200) and never had any problems with it. More reliable than my old nokia was. Have upgraded now to the C500, and that's also rock solid in terms of reliablilty.

    Quote Originally Posted by Aaron
    However, the C500 has been on the market for around 6 months now (as long as your current 6230). People have started to notice that the build quality is poor (dust getting behind the screen, paint flaking off the keys, keys getting stuck, etc) and it's missing quite a few features compared to the latest phones.
    Not had any issues with mine at the moment - Looking at Moby's it would appear that yes, it's losing paint from the most used spot on the phone.
    Missing quite a few features? there's a claim that can be leveled at just about ANY phone on the market. There is NO such thing as a perfect phone; Its a case of looking at a phone and deciding what features you need, then seeing how many tick boxes you can fill.

    Quote Originally Posted by Aaron
    If you want to do some more research for yourself then MoDaCo and MS Mobile News are good starting points.
    Yup, VERY good links - well worth checking out

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    I agree on the crappy paint count, I have about half of what Moby has missing on mine after one month. It's a good phone though.

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    Gold Member Marcos's Avatar
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    So when you talk about the SP3, you mean the SP3i? Are there 2 different phones?

    Wonder what the price will be like in 5months

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    Cable Guy Jonny M's Avatar
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    SP3 is the non-Orange version of the C500

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    Gold Member Marcos's Avatar
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    In the magazine i have, and this website:

    http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=I-MATE_SP3I

    It is referred to as SP3i, my question is, is there a phone by the model SP3 or did you guys forget to add the 'i' on the end?

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    Cable Guy Jonny M's Avatar
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    The SP3 is what Orange call the SPV C500
    http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=SMARTPHONE_3

    The SP3i is a different model
    http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=I-MATE_SP3I

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    Gold Member Marcos's Avatar
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    Well thats confusing , means i'll have to re-read the posts

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    Junior Senior Member Aaron's Avatar
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    All these phones are made by a Tawainese company called HTC. They are then rebadged by various companies. In terms of smartphones there are:

    HTC Typhoon aka Orange SPV 500, imate SP3, QTek 8010, Audiovox 5600, etc
    HTC Feeler aka imate SP3i, T-Mobile SDA, etc

    They're virtually identical in terms of features. The only real difference is that the HTC Feeler has a "proper" directional pad.

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