Review of the Forerunner 205

By Joseph Aaron

If you are a professional athlete, you will always certainly benefit from the Garmin Forerunner GPS 201 watch. It has a striking array of functions to offer. It contains a GPS sensor, an electronic map, session change and reversal capabilities, calorie tracker, lap info and information, performance archives, auto stopwatch with auto-lap and auto pause features, lap timer, pace alert, distance alert, free Training Center software, a bendy wristwatch strap, and an A/C desktop charging unit with a serial port.

The GPS 201 is the best choice for a professional as well as a more casual athlete. It mainly works to help you manage the rate and tracking facets of a workout. This device provides quite a number of advantages, but its major flaw is that it does not work predictably. This is the only reason you would not consider it excellent. Its dimensions of 3.3 ? 1.7 ? 0.7 make it appear more bulky than a normal fitness watch; in fact it is lighter than it looks, as it weighs only 2.8 ounces. The watch is safe for use in water and hence it may be worn by swimmers or by sports participants in rainy or wet weather conditions.

The GPS 201 can store a lap record history of up to 5000 laps and offers many more features that you should tinker with to match up with your own demands and personal requirements. One of the most important features the watch provides is the Training Center Software. This is the perfect feature for you to use to save your performance statistics and can also help you see ways in which they have varied along your path, particularly if you have worked out at different elevations. The Virtual Partner component helps you set goals that you want to reach. You simply have to compare your actual workout session with that of your virtual partner.

The GPS function of this 201 model is put down by many users because the signal can be fickle at times. In addition to that, they also tend to find fault with the irregularities in components such as altitude and pace readings. This model does not have a heart rate monitor. Currently, when most of the computer interfaces can work with a USB, this model falls to the back of the pack with a serial port facility.

The wristband of the Forerunner 201 GPS Fitness Watch is stretchy, enabling you to wear the watch by wearing it on your wrist or your bicep as you choose. Its LCD display screen is a joy to view in well-lit conditions as well as in the shadows. The rechargeable lithium alloy battery can remain charged for 14 hours before losing power. It appears to be just fine for runners, but may not be quite adequate for bicycling, etc.

Overall, the Garmin Forerunner GPS 201 is a watch with a lot of benefits. The training Center software and the Virtual partner features warrant special mention. Ultimately, its patchy GPS signaling is its only flaw.

About the Author:

Visit Joseph's website for reviews, ratings and great deals on the Garmin Forerunner 201 Fitness Watch.

How do GPS Systems Works?

By Tony Bueler

Global Positioning Systems (known as GPS) like the Nuvi 350 are in thousands of cars, even as a standard feature. They have become quite portable and convenient to use and handheld models are more and more prevalent. But how do these little wonders work?

Well, first of all GPS stands for 'Global Position System' - 'Global' meaning worldwide and 'Positioning' meaning where on the globe your position is. The way it actually figures out where on the globe you are is pretty fascinating.

Working off of twenty-four satellites in orbit around Earth, the Nuvi 350 GPS will triangulate your position through transmissions from these satellites to your personal device. To get the accurace of your position, the satellites and the GPS need a very accurate time - atomic clocks at the United States Naval Observatory are what gives the clocks their precise time as the Observatory uploads this information to all of the satellites in the GPS satellite network.

The receiver in the Nuvi 350 knows the location of each satellite as this information is constantly being monitored by the GPS. When the signals from the satellites are received by the GPS, it will use 'triangulation' to determine your precise location. Where the signals intersect from each satellite is where you are. Armed with this information, the Nuvi 350 will give your position with an accuracy of 10 to 20 meters. At any given time, four of the satellites can be seen by a GPS as they are rotating around the earth.

The Nuvi 350 has a database of maps in its internal memory and because it always knows where its at, it can give you helpful travel tips and information, It can tell you how far you've traveled, how long you were on the road, how fast you've been traveling and your average speed. Oh yeah - and nearby stores, restaurants, banks and, a whole lot more.

The days of trying to figure out how to refold your road map are gone with the advent of the GPS. Travelers, soldiers, scouts, adventurers have much to benefit from owning a GPS. Hunters and hikers can use these devices, letting the old compass remain in their pockets. Sailors used to rely on the stars to navigate the waters and now the GPS can be put on that task. And your neighbors are using these every day to conveniently navigate around local traffic situations.

Now that's pretty impressive!

About the Author:

Before you purchase anything, be sure to check our review of the Nuvi 350 GPS

Amber Alert Gps Because Millions of Children are Lost Everyday

By Sonja Schuyler

A parent's greatest fear is losing their child. Now there is a way to help calm that fear. Amber Alert Gps has created a product using the latest in GPS and cellular technology. The heart of the company, which is run by parents for parents, revolves around the President's initiative to protect children and give parents peace of mind.

The Amber Alert Gps is the leader in the US child location technology industry. Rated 4 out of 5 as the Editor's Choice by gsmagazine.com in their new "The Ultimate GPS Child Tracking Buyers's Guide and recently reviewed in MSNBC.com's article "A Good Find: GPS to locate the kids".

Here is how it works. A parent's phone call to a GPS unit, located on their child, will return a text within seconds to their cell phone containing the longitude and latitude coordinates of their child's whereabouts, along with a map pinpointing the location of their child.

This innovative technology also provides maps on your Mobile Phone. When you call your GPS to request a location, you will receive a map URL right back on your mobile phone. This will work if you have an Internet Data plan on your mobile phone or a Smart phone.

You will be able to define a Safe Zone area in your neighborhood, school district or any where you choose and receive an alert when your GPS is carried outside that location. You receive a SOS Button. You can teach your child to press the GPS SOS button when they need help and you will immediately receive an alert with their location.

You will receive a Speed Alert so you will get notification when your GPS surpasses a specific speed and know immediately when your child is in a car. This is great for speeding teenagers!

The Amber Alert GPS units are about the look and size of a pager. It will fit in any pocket, backpack, purse, or jacket. The second generation of units will be launched February of 2009 and can be pre-ordered now. This next generation will include a new wristband model and a new belt unit to make it even easier to place the GPS unit on your child. See our website for images of the current and future units.

You may use this device in many other scenarios, such as pet tracking, vehicle tracking, special needs children and seniors, luggage tracking, and more. Only your imagination limits the uses of this amazing and efficient new technology.

About the Author:

Children Are Lost Everyday! Click Here To Learn About New GPS Child Location Device. No competitor has anything close to the sophistication of its technology and simplicity. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

Track the Trail: GPS Tracking

By Herbert Reich

Almost all mobile phones now have access to a GPS system. However, many people do not activate the service. There should be a word of caution here. GPS locating systems are really for your own good and protection. Suppose you were on a hiking trip, you did have your cell phone with you, but the GPS system had never been activated; all of a sudden, you have an accident, and you need someone's help. If you had have activated your GPS system, all you would have to do is call 911, tell them what happened and they could track your location through your GPS signal.

Once a GPS tracking system has been activated, you can type in your location and the location that you want to go, and the system will give you a trajectory of how far it is, and which is the best way to go. When there is more than one person in your hiking party, each person should have a mobile phone with an activated GPS tracking signal, just in case one of the party members accidentally gets lost. They can call for help or they can track the rest of the members of their own party, and vice versa.

They are a very big help in helping you keep track of the children, no matter what age they are. You can even have a GPS system installed on your favorite pet's collar. Or you can have a GPS system installed in your children's shoes, or on their clothing. So no matter where they wonder off to you can always find them.

Many of the most idyllic places in the world can only be reached by hiking. Even going on horseback can sometimes come to an end as the terrain becomes too rough to continue on horseback. Although most hiking is very easy and nature trails have been posted for almost all of the parks around the world. Even the safest hiking trail can turn in to a disaster in no time at all. Bad weather could suddenly appear, or the sun could become hot enough that you may get severe sunburn. Or you could accidentally walk upon a wild animal, and instead of it running away, it charges toward you.

There are several items that should be taken with you as you head off on that long planned hiking trip to the mountains. The first item would be to take along at least two canteens full of water. The second item would be to carry a first aid kit with you. Third is to always take along enough food for at least two hours longer than you plan to stay. A flash light and extra batteries, and just in case you do not smoke, some matches in case you need to light a fire. Also include at least a small knife. Take along a camera and some extra film to capture those special moments and show them to your friends. Enjoy your time hiking, but one thing that every hiker should always do is to "leave the area better than you found it" always clean up the area so that others can see the beauty that you saw. And always remember to use your GPS system. There are so many advantage of having a GPS tracking system that it is astonishing that not everyone uses it.

About the Author:

If you are in the market for a powerful GPS tracking system, make sure you buy from a reputable GPS tracking manufacturer.

Crazy Cabbies: GPS Tracking

By Herbert Reich

Taxis, though long neglected or taken for granted, act as vehicles for hire, and transport people between locations of their choice for a fee. Unlike buses and trains, the passenger determines the pick up and drop off points, not the driver. There are four major kinds of taxicab, though they may not be called by these names, depending on location.

Hail a hackney carriage and get to where you need to be. Private hire vehicles are also available, and may be called minicabs. Private hire taxis are available only by pre-booking - you can't hire them on the street. Jitneys, or taxibuses, are a type of bus/taxicab hybrid that operate on preset routes like a bus. Limousines are also a kind of taxi, but are usually only available by pre-booking.

The customs and standards pertaining to taxi vary from country to country, and sometimes from city to city. The first hackney carriages started operating in the early seventeenth century in London and Paris. The first service we can document was started by a man called Nicolas Sauvage in Paris, and dates from 1640s. His vehicles were called fiacres, since the major vehicle depot in the city was near a shrine to St. Fiacre. In French, this term is still used to describe horse drawn carriages for hire. The Hackney Carriage Act was passed in London in 1635 and was the first legislated control on vehicles for hire in English. Eventually hansom cabs replaced older vehicles due to being faster and safer.

Taximeter set the taxi world on fire. This device, originally mechanical but now often electronic, calculates the fare in the cab. The first modern taxicab equipped with a meter was the Daimler Victoria, built in 1897. Gas powered taxicabs started operating in Paris in 1899, in 1903 in London, and in 1907 in New York. During the twentieth century, taxicabs became more and more common, partially due to the integration of two way radios into them in the 1940s. This worked more efficiently than the previous callbox method. In the 1980s, computer aided dispatching came into being, and was a significant innovation.

Though cabbies are expected to have a strong knowledge places, more and more taxicab companies are beginning to use GPS tracking in their vehicles. This augments the traditional printed map included in most taxicabs. Poorer countries generally still rely on the driver's memory and the map, since GPS is not always available. Despite the availability of this technology, some areas that have the option of using GPS tracking do not make use of it. London's black cab taxis, for instance, still rely on strict training of their drivers instead. Minicabs, on the other hand, are making use of this technology much more frequently.

About the Author:

If you are interested in getting your hands on a GPS tracking system or device, be sure you by from a respected GPS manufacturer.

Nokia E65

The good:

• Stylish design with great build quality
• Support for 3G, Wi-Fi and quadband
• Long-life battery

The bad:

• No second camera for voice calls
• No stereo headset
• No FM radio

The bottomline:

Easily one of the best looking handsets on the market with a good assortment of features including Wi-Fi, quadband support and Quickoffice, but the E65 is better suited to those after business chic rather than business geek.

It's rare these days for a mobile phone to impress us straight out of the box, but Nokia's latest addition to its E-series range proves that you can combine a fully functional business phone in a compact and attractive chassis. The E65 looks good and feels great, and is packed with enough features to lure both mobile professionals as well as the fashion conscious.

Design
The E65 marks a return to the stylish design of quality handsets such as Nokia's own 8800. Measuring in at just 105mm by 49mm by 15.5mm and weighing just 115 grams, the E65 is incredibly small given its list of features. Sliding the spring-loaded front panel upwards reveals a stylish keypad with well spaced buttons that have a solid feel. Push the slider down again and it snaps shut with a reassuring click.

The E65 includes several shortcut keys on its front for one-touch conference calls, muting and opening your contacts. There's also a "My Own" button you can program to load up your favourite application. Flip the handset over and you'll find a 2-megapixel digital camera surrounded by a leather-feel plastic surface. Strangely, for a 3G capable phone, the E65 lacks a second camera on the front panel for video calling.

The large 2.2-inch, 240 x 320 pixel display packs up to 16 million colours and comes with adjustments for the contrast and brightness. A sensor located below the power button can detect ambient light levels and adjusts the brightness of the keypad accordingly to save battery life. In the box you'll find a 256MB microSD card, connectivity cable, travel charger, carrying pouch and a mono headset.

Features
The E65 comes equipped with every connectivity feature you could ever need. There's support for quadband GSM, 3G, Wi-Fi (802.11b/g with VoIP support), EDGE, USB, infrared and Bluetooth version 1.2. Nokia has stuck with the S60 Symbian operating system, and this latest version is easy to navigate and has most functions located in the menu items you'd expect them to be.

Marketed as a business phone, the E65 comes with several office-based applications such as Quickoffice's document reader or Nokia's Team Suite organiser, plus you'll always stay connected with the instant messaging feature. You can't create Word or Excel files on the go, but this would be frustrating given the limited 2.2-inch display and lack of a full QWERTY keyboard.

When the work day is over, the E65 doubles as an entertainment system thanks to the inbuilt video or audio players and 50MB of onboard storage. You can sit back and watch MP4 files or listen to MP3/AAC tracks, but unless you plan to use the inbuilt speakerphone you'll need to purchase a stereo headset. The E65 also lacks an FM tuner.

To make life easier, Nokia has loaded the E65 with several voice command options, with voice dialling and voice controls for menu short cuts, keypad lock, and profiles. The phone also comes with the usual assortment of personal info managers including a calendar, contacts, to-do list, and notepad, all of which are accessible during calls.

Performance
Nokia's latest smartphone will please most users after a basic handset with a few added features but it's not entirely up to scratch as a fully fledged business model. Call quality was good but the speakerphone was too quiet even at maximum volume, which made it difficult to carry on a conversations whilst in the car or in crowded areas.

Images from the 2-megapixel camera were not up to Nokia's usual standard, turning out slightly grainy even in the highest resolution mode. It didn't help that most camera phones in this price range are now equipped with larger pixel CCDs, and that the E65 also lacked a LED flash or self-portrait mirror. You can improve image quality slightly by playing around with the white balance and colour tones, but we wouldn't rely on using the images for printing photographs.

Battery life was good, with the BL-5F lithium unit charging up quickly and going the distance even with our heavy usage. The phone lasted close to five hours on talk and almost a week on standby, which should be more than enough for most users.

Demanding business users after a replacement for their PDAs are likely to be disappointed by the E65 as it's better suited to general consumers after a stylish and compact handset with a few extra bells and whistles.

Battery

• Talk time
• 6

• Standby time
• 264

Camera

• Camera resolution
• 2-megapixel

Connectivity

• Networks
• GSM 850, GSM 900, GSM 1800, GSM 1900

• Wireless technology
• Bluetooth, Infrared

• Data services
• EDGE, GPRS, WLAN

• USB connectivity
• Yes

Display

• Main display: Screen resolution
• 240 x 320 pixels

• Main display: Number of colours
• 16 million

Functionality

• Operating system
• Symbian

General

• Form factor
• Slider

• Phone type
• Quadband

• Dimensions (W x D x H)
• 105 x 49 x 15.5 mm

• Weight
• 115 g

Memory

• Internal memory
• 50 MB

• Memory card included
• 256MB microSD card

• Expansion slot
• microSD

Physical features

• Available colours
• Mocha, Red

• Included accessories
• Carrying pouch, Mono headset

HTC TyTN 2 review

Introduction

When it comes to eagerly anticipated handset releasses, they don't come much bigger than this. For me personally, the HTC Kaiser is the culmination of many years of Pocket PC development by HTC. Over the past few years HTC has been pushing the envelope of Pocket PC designs and features. The introduction of 2.8" screens, integrated GPS, QWERTY sliding keyboards, 3G, HSDPA, Dual Cameras... all innovations by HTC over the years, many of which we've come to take to granted.

Up until now, compromise has been the order of the day. Want GPS? Then you can't have QWERTY. Want a compact form factor? Then you can't have a QWERTY either, unless you give up 3G. There have been some great devices (HTC Trinity, HTC Herald)... but the device we all really want hasn't quite existed.

Enter the HTC Kaiser.

You can imagine the design brief for the HTC engineers. "Let's take the HTC Herald / Atlas slim QWERTY form factor, and stuff in as much as we can. Let's not leave anything out. Let's include a fast (new generation) processor, tons of ROM and RAM, 3G, HSDPA, HSUPA, GPS, thumbwheel, lots of hardware buttons, a 3 Megapixel camera to set new benchmarks in the Windows Mobile world, a sprung QWERTY keyboard and - what the heck - let's dream up a cool new party piece too."

So well have they executed their brief? I'm lucky enough to have a HTC Kaiser handset sitting with me right now, and i'm going to take you through it and give you my verdict. Enjoy

One final point before we get started - HTC have NOT finalised the ROM for this device. Anything software related in this review is subject to change, and it's not inconceivable there could be very minor hardware variations in operator versions (as we say with the Hermes HERM100 / 200 / 300). Primarily though, this is what you'll be buying in the shops around August time!

In the box

My Kaiser arrived in the typical 'HTC pre-production unit' white box. The box contained the standard fare...

- HTC Kaiser handset
- Mains charger
- USB sync cable
- ExtUSB headset

I understand that for the HTC unit at least, this (with the addition of a soft case) is what is expected to be in the retail package, together with the normal documentation and software bundle of course.

Hardware - overview

Holding the Kaiser in your hand, you'll notice that it feels weighty, and yet is compact in size. Indeed, my unit tips the scales at around 190g - no lightweight, but for me at least - acceptable.

The claimed specs...

- Windows Mobile 6 Professional
- Qualcomm MSM7200 Chipset @ 400MHz
- 256MB ROM
- 128MB RAM
- 2.8" QVGA screen
- GPRS + EDGE + UMTS + HSDPA + HSUPA
- WiFi
- Bluetooth 2.0 EDR
- USB 2.0
- 3 Megapixel primary camera
- VGA secondary camera
- 1350mAh battery
- Thumbwheel
- ExtUSB
- microSD expansion
- Spring assisted QWERTY keyboard with tilt

As you can see, you're not left wanting for much. The only real omissions are a VGA screen, which is starting to appear on some of it's competitors and a radio (for both FM stations and TMC traffic information). IR is of course missing, but this is in line with recent HTC devices and their stated plans to discontinue IR support.

Hardware - around the device

Let me walk you around the device, starting with the front face.

Most of the front is dominated by the dark grey 'brushed aluminium' effect, which is framed by shiny black plastic previously seen on 'Trinity' devices such as the HTC P3600 and the SPV M700. At the top left sits the forward facing video camera (VGA resolution), next to the speaker which itself has a notification LED on each side. The top right of the device will be home to the branding, at least on the HTC units. Below the speaker sits the 2.8" screen, which is bevelled into the device slightly in order to provide it with a degree of protection. This also denotes that the Kaiser will not be a 'Touch' equipped device, as such devices have a flush screen covered with reinforced plastic. Next we come to the front hardware buttons and directional pad which, as regular readers will know, are SO important to me! Thankfully, everything is top drawer here. An excellent directional pad is flanked by soft keys, dedicated PIE and mail keys, red and green call keys and the all important Start / OK buttons. So far, top marks.

Flipping the device over to view the back, the shiny black coating remains and simplicity is the order of the day. At the top left is a plastic cover behind which lie connections for attaching external GPS or GSM antennas. Below right of this is the camera (3 Megapixels autofocus with no flash) and the speaker. The back of the device is something of a fingerprint magnet, but looks smart when clean and shiny!

The bottom of the device has a lanyard loop, the extUSB connector, a reset pin, the microphone hole, and on the top sliding section - the microSD slot with a rubber cover.

The left of the device has a voice dial / memo key, the thumbwheel and the accompanying 'OK' button.

The right of the device has the power button, a two stage camera button (focus / take shot) and the stylus silo. The stylus is of the full length (non telescopic) type. Hurrah!

The top of the device has no buttons

The whole device has a magician-esque (althought to a lesser extent) 'ribbed' plastic effect around the side, which aids holding the device with a firm grip.

When the device is opened (with the satisfying spring assisted mechanism previously seen on the HTC P4350 / T-Mobile Wing and also the HTC Vox based Smartphones), the excellent rubberised keyboard is revealed. As is standard fare now, Cap and FN indicator lights are present, which are a very useful addition, Due to the tilt mechanism, the screen slides slightly further upwards compared to other devices with spring assisted keyboards, which actually makes tapping the 'soft key' mapped hardware buttons easier. When the device is open, flipping it over reveals the SIM slot, built into the back of the screen.

We mentioned previously the Kaiser's party piece, and it is the tilting screen. After sliding the screen open, it can be tilted upwards - perfect for when you have the device sitting next to you on a desk, or if you're using the device on a table.

Software

I mentioned in the introduction to this review that the ROM has not been finalised as yet for the Kaiser, and for that reason I am not going to go into detail on the software side - I will update this section later. I will however give you an overview of significant developments on the device.

Firstly it's worth noting that even though this is a preproduction ROM which will still receive a number of revisions before launch, it is extremely fast and stable. I switch to the Kaiser from a T-Mobile Wing (200MHz OMAP) and of course it is way, way faster. Even compared to the Trinity, which has a 400MHz processor, it feels snappy.

The Kaiser runs Windows Mobile 6 Professional of course, which is fantastically well suited to the device. The QWERTY keyboard means you can make the most of the new smart filtering in Outlook Mobile, and Windows Mobile 6 is easier than ever to use without needing to touch the screen thanks to the plethora of hardware buttons on the device and sharpened up UI.

Each operator will of course be customising the software to varying degrees. The HTC branded device will be a fairly base build, featuring all the standard Windows Mobile 6 offerings plus the usual HTC customisations (additional homescreen plugins, task manager, camera application etc). The camera application is slightly improved and updated for the Kaiser. HTC have also partnered with 'Hubdog', and their content application will be included on the Kaiser out of the box. I have also had brief sight of the AT&T Kaiser prototype, which had the usual suite of additional applications such as MusicID, Video, Music etc. The only other firmly rumoured Kaiser-launching operator is T-Mobile, who will likely make only slight tweaks to the interface for their 'Web n Walk' branding.

In use

So far so good, but now the acid test... what's it like to use?

You hold the attractive yet functionally designed device in your hand, and marvel at the solid build, and the weight! After tapping the power button on the right hand side of the device, it sparks into life... and boots up quickly! It's not feature-phone quick, but you can tell there's considerable horsepower under the bonnet of this baby. It bodes well

Up comes the usual Windows Mobile 6 setup wizard, which you step through. Again, snappy. The ExtROM customisations are applied, and finally you're ready to play. So... what first?

"Well, i'm an Exchange user, so the first thing I need to do is to get my GPRS connections setup etc. If you have a HTC branded device, a wizard pops up to do it for you. If you have an operator branded device, then no problem, it's all done for you already. That's easy enough, so I click the Start Menu and run Activesync. Wow, it is responsive!

I now need to enter my credentials, so it's time to get the keyboard out. Rotate the device clockwise, slide the screen upwards with that oh-so-satisfying click and the OS rotates to landscape quickly and smoothly (this action also turns the device on if it's off). A rather annoying 'keyboard open sound' is played at this point - mental note, 'must turn that off'. I quickly enter my details using the rubberised keypad that I loved so much on the HTC P4350 and T-Mobile Wing, and kick off the sync. This is the first time I notice that i'm in a 3G area, with the '3G' icon on the top bar. As the sync gets going, this switches to 'H' and the magical HSDPA kicks in. Sweet.

Time for a cup of tea while that syncs up, so I sit the device on the desk and tilt the screen up at an angle - that new Kaiser feature. Oh, this is sweet. The tilt mechanism doesn't click into place and feels 'soft' compared to the positive action of opening the keyboard, but this in turn allows you to choose any screen angle that suits you. Excellent.



The sync is now done, and it's time to have a play. I install my favourite apps - some to the internal memory, some to the storage card. With 256MB ROM and 128MB RAM, you don't need to be anywhere near as prudent with on device installs as with previous devices. Now for some fun.... I open PIE, CamerAware, my massive Exchange mailbox, my blogging client and then, just for fun, TomTom - waiting for it to fall over with a lack of memory. It doesn't! I close that, launch iGo... same deal. It starts. Now this is the way Pocket PC was always SUPPOSED to work. Ah ha - I know what'll kill it! Opening the Camera! But nope, you guessed it, it just loads right up."

Honestly, that's a fairly accurate representation of my first 20 minutes with the Kaiser. For the record, I was seriously impressed.

Since then, I've obviously used the device a lot more, and still my experiences are good. Let's look at the things people always seem to care most about. The camera is surprisingly good for a HTC device! I've posted some pics below that i've taken with the phone, a few general shots and a few closeups. For a phone camera, this will do be just fine. The battery life, although i'm reluctant to comment too much as the device is preproduction and i've been hammering the hell out of it, seems to be on par if not better than on my Trinity - i'd expect this to improve before release too. The build quality is solid, with no great amount of flex or movement in any direction. The thumbwheel IS a real thumbwheel (i.e. it goes round and round and round) The call quality and volume is excellent, probably the best call clarity i've ever heard on a Windows Mobile device! The USB connection seems to be extremely fast. I'm told it's USB 2, and I can believe it.

I know a lot of people will be very interested in the GPS functionality, but at this time, the Radio ROM that provides GPS functionality isn't complete, so operation is flakey. For that reason, i'll cover this too at a later date.

In conclusion

So there you have it. I've been waiting a long time for my dream machine to come along, and I thought the Kaiser was it. And it seems I was right. As ever, i'll reserve final judgement until I have the final device... i'm pretty comfortable saying that the Kaiser is going to blow everyone away when it hits the shelves. I wonder how the competition and even HTC themselves are going to better it (although of course they will), and take my hat of to HTC for their achievement.

It's quite simply awesome. Don't use your upgrade yet, start saving the pennies, forget the iPhone (and the Touch) and put your preorder in for THIS device. You won't be disappointed.

Paul's HTC P4550 Kaiser Pros and Cons

Pros:

- Massive specification
- Great keyboard
- Great camera
- Attractive yet functional and innovative design
- Buckets of RAM and ROM show Pocket PC in it's best ever implementation

Cons:

- Quite heavy
- Not VGA
- No FM radio or TMC

Paul O'Brien - Microsoft MVP, Mobile Devices, MoDaCo.network Founder