After the launch of the Dopod 838 Pro in Asia earlier this year, the handheld company has finally brought the model to the Australian market. Touted as the first Windows Mobile PDA-phone with HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) and 3G, the new QWERTY-enabled handheld sports many enhancements over its 838 predecessor (not available in Australia) including a high-resolution 2-megapixel CMOS sensor and faster 400MHz Samsung processor. It is expected to be available on retail shelves by the end of September, but local pricing details are currently unavailable.
Strengths
The Dopod 838 Pro runs Windows Mobile 5.0, which means you can access and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents, browse the Web using Internet Explorer, and even play music and video on the mini Windows Media Player. Windows Mobile 5.0 also gives you the ability to use MSN Messenger and Hotmail, check your personal e-mail via Direct Push Technology and Exchange 2003 SP2, and even access your calendar, contacts, tasks and inbox over the air. The 838 Pro is all about communication, and features HSDPA, quadband GSM support, 3G (UMTS), EDGE, infrared, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, so you won't be lacking in ways to keep in touch.
Although the 838 Pro bears some resemblance to the 838, it is powered by a 400MHz Samsung stacked CPU with 128MB ROM and 64MB SDRAM. This is a significant improvement on the 838, which only has a TI OMAP 850 195MHz processor. This makes accessing applications faster and means that unlike some previous Dopod models, this device can handle Skype without any problem.
Navigating through the phone is made easier and faster by the 838 Pro's scroll wheel on the left side of the handset. There's also a cleverly hidden QWERTY keypad that slides out from underneath the 838 Pro. When in use, it automatically puts the screen into landscape mode and lights up if it's dark. The 838 Pro's screen measures 45mm wide by 60mm tall, which is large enough to view Web pages and documents without needing to squint.
The screen is good to take photos with, and fortunately the 838 Pro comes with a 2-megapixel camera that can be put in landscape and macro mode. There's also a 0.3-megapixel (VGA) camera at the front of the device so you can make video calls. We like the OK button on the left-hand side that takes you straight back to the home page, and the easy-to-access microSD card slot.
Finally, we're impressed with the battery life that lasted for the quoted 200 hours on standby and around 4 hours of talk time. This is without using the Wi-Fi adapter, however, which would decrease battery life significantly.
Weaknesses
Our main problem with Windows Mobile devices is that they are less straightforward to use than other mobile phones. If you're not used to Windows Mobile then buying this device as your first mobile phone would not be advisable. Making calls with the 838 Pro on the Windows Mobile interface can be testing at times too, as you have to use the touch screen or slide-out QWERTY keypad to dial numbers.
The 838 Pro isn't small, either. Measuring 58 by 112 by 22mm, it may have difficulty fitting into your pocket and, if you can make it fit, the 180g is likely to weigh down your suit jacket pocket or pair of jeans.
The addition of a 2-megapixel camera may also prove to be a disadvantage for business use, given that some companies don't allow camera-phones in their buildings. Another problem some people might find with the 838 Pro is that most digital cameras use SD cards and not microSD ones, so you won't be able to view your photos on the device until you've transferred them over to your computer.
Conclusion
The 838 Pro is one of Dopod's best devices to date. With its slide-out QWERTY keypad, HSDPA capabilities and a plethora of other connectivity options, it is definitely a Windows Mobile device to be reckoned with. It's rather chunky though, and we'd like to see smaller Wi-Fi-enabled devices in the future.
Max
07/04/2008, 02:33 PM
rating
9/10
Overall a great phone. With so many great features like wifi adapter, fast cpu, bluetooth 2.0, it easily handles all tasks you can imagine to be done with a mobile phone. But after all, you have to upgrade it to WM 6.0 first, which is faster and more reliable. A official version of wm6 has been released by dopod months ago.
Pros: - Wide choice of applications on WM6 platform.
- Great battery life in its level
- 2m pixels camera with led light
- qwerty keyboard.
Cons: - bulky
- no build-in gps
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eby
01/04/2008, 02:35 AM
rating
10/10
Probably the best PDA smartphone around. Would take a lot of effort to beat.
Pros: Where do i start from? Loaded with lots of helpful applications, internet, outlook email etc. Easy to use, and the PDA capabilities are the best i have seen yet.
Cons: Chunky, no in-built GPS.
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shihanzdk
11/02/2008, 01:09 PM
rating
4/10
Had it for over a year and found it to be pretty robust. Once needed repair though (ROM Update failed midway) and it took over a MONTH and a HALF to get repaired - WOEFUL aftersales with lies no end and no alternate repairers to go to.
Windows interface is great with no end of software available, and even though there is no radio you can pick it up of the net and listen live via IP - if you have internet package hooked up.
Screen is hard to see in sunlight and running too many applications at once can cause it to bog down like a slow computer.
The camera is very average and does not compare to my mates Nokia.
Battery life is poor but you can charge the thing using a standard mini USB cable to yours (or anyone elses) computer if need be.
Accidently dropped it and the scroll wheel broke - not game to take it in for repair for fear of huge cost and up to 2 month delay in repair.
Keyboard has always worked well and really speeds up the typing of txt messages etc.
WiFi works reasonably well but only reasonably.
Pros: Windows based for heaps of applications
Internet capable -
PDA and Phone in one -
Letter recogniser if hand writing on the screen
Can sync with your outlook express
Cons: REPAIR OPTIONS - For Melbourne users simply google it - look at PHONETEC (a repairer of HTC products) and my repair experience of nearly 2 month turnaround - with exactly same problem experienced by others.
Screen in sunlight cant be seen
button positioning on both sides makes u push more than one button by mistake.
Needs GPS (I currently use a standalone blootooth GPS) for navagation program
Battery life
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Meganz
09/02/2008, 03:07 PM
rating
2/10
I do not like this phone at all, I am on my way down to Optus to tell them that they can go put this phone where the sun doesn't shine. Had this phone in for repairs in November, took nearly 5 weeks to get back, I really heavily on my phone for my business.
Pros: The keyboard.
Cons: 1) Rarely can use buttons at base to answer or hang up.
2) Battery doesn't hold a charge for long, no phone calls made yesterday as left on charge all day, battery flat this morning, and unable to be used.
3) Will hang up on me in middle of call with client, not happy.
4) Hit the answer button, when it decides to work, and it will hang up instead.
5) Can't hook up to wirless internet unless on top of it, and at other times will hook up when I don't want it to.
6) Screen freezes.
7) If you get a notification message, you can't do anything as screen locks up, and you have to reset`phone.
I am sure there are more, but that is my whinge over.
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johnnycade
18/01/2008, 11:29 PM
rating
2/10
This phone is just an i-Mate JasJam with a different name. And as with the i-mate it has terrible terrible issues. The screen freezes, jams and turns itself off, it often wont answer calls and the keypad will often go unresponsive. If you are looking for a great way to flush a thousand dollars or more down the toilet... this is the way to do it
Pros: qwerty keyboard
Cons: everything but the keyboard
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obiwan
05/01/2008, 11:35 PM
rating
9/10
awsome pda fone. Had it for 6 mths and cant fault it apart from its size and weight. The slide out keyboard is great and so easy to use. Has so many features I havent even used. I have since changed 2 an nokia n81, only because it was 2 big and heavy 4 my pocket, apart from that its truly an awsome fone.
Pros: Great pda fone. Heaps of great business features. Slide out keypad is the best. Nice big screen. well built.
Cons: Big and heavy, feels like a brick in ur pocket.
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pdafanatical
04/01/2008, 07:25 PM
rating
9/10
Got my Dopod 838Pro for $675 from www.pressdigital.com.au - Awesome little phone with Windows Mobile 6 preloaded. Works really well and seems good on Telstra.
I reckon all the issues people are having will be related to
1. Having the oldest Windows Mobile 5 ROM installed (it had issues with lock-ups).
2. Having no idea about a phone that is really a small computer (with Windows!). A soft reset each morning as preventative maintenance (you don't lose anything!) and you'll never have a single issue! ... Heck - It IS Windows we're talking about!
Pros: Seems like a good Windows Mobile 6 build - Runs fine - and it's stable now - unlike the really early ROM versions ! Even runs my car nav software perfectly. Works with my Bluetooth Parrot car kit perfectly.
Cons: Little bigger than some of the tiny PDA phones.
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grungysquash
28/11/2007, 11:28 AM
rating
8/10
This phone I actually hated with a passion when I first used it, poor battery life, constant freezing and always problems with bluetooth along with missed calls - really had nothing positive to say.
The I did some research and discovered if I flashed this to WM6 it was getting far better reviews. So downloaded a few roms and flashed this to WM6 and all I can say is bliss.
As another comment in here reflected WM5 is like win98 - pure unreliable crud, where nothing works like it should and a reset is needed almost every day.
Now I can't recall the last time I reset the phone, all features run well - bluetooth seems to connect better, and because I updated the phone's wireless system to 1.43 it seems to get more battery life and no more dropped calls.
So really the problem for this phone is more the operating system than the actual phone. My recommendation is to flash this phone a.s.a.p to WM6
Pros: Everything "now" seems to work
Cons: WM5 - absolute crap - all the problems in the earlier posts reflex the problems inherent in this OS
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kivvy
25/11/2007, 01:09 PM
rating
2/10
This is the same phone as the imate JasJam. It freezes, hangs up when pressing the 'answer' button, screen doesn't update when scrolling through lists, calendar moves appointments.
Pros: QWERTY and large display
Cons: see comments. Unreliable.
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First time Dopod
18/11/2007, 01:52 PM
rating
9/10
I was looking to move off Blackberry so initially swapped for a Motorola Q9H based on advice from the phone shop. It was truly awful, so I took it back and swapped for a Dopod 838.
I have to say the phone is fantastic. At home it connects to my wireless network so I can download emails etc without running up large data bills from my carrier.
It has a network wizard where you select the Aust carrier then it pre-configures the phone, so it was easy to set up.
It has everything you could ever want from a smartphone.
Pros: There are so many features...too many to go into detail.
I have since bought a second 838 for my partner and she loves it too.
Cons: Using the stylus or the qwerty keyboard to make calls is a bit of a pain - maybe I just need to get used to it though.
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