Functions of Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)

When I ask someone who has not used a PDA before; “Why are you not using a PDA?” or “Will you use a PDA?”, some of the most common replies I get are…

A1: “My RM300 phone already has appointment and task built in. So I don’t need a powerful device to do it.”

A2: “I don’t have so many contacts/email to store.”

A3: “I don’t need to set appointments as I am not in sales/marketing line.”

A4: “Expensive!”

A5: “Don’t know how to use.”

Generally, when people think of PDA, they think of only appointments, task and contacts. PDA has evolve so much since the day I started using it. I do not blame them for thinking that way as PDA was mainly used for that purpose 5 to 6 years ago. Palm was so popular back then people generally refer PDA as Palm. How things have changed. I hope to bridge the knowledge gap with the simple slideshow I created below.

Buying a PDA is very much like buying a computer. It is all about what you install into it that makes it worth while.

Recent years, prices of PDA has also come down to a very reasonable range. Did you know that you can get a PDA phone with Bluetooth, WiFi, 2MP camera, GPS with Touch Screen for under RM1,000?

Hint: HTC P3300

Anyway, back to the functions of PDA… Did you know that

• you can search through ANY words among your thousands of SMS?
• you can sort your SMS like a chat window? Making it easier to reply and read your SMS instead of just Inbox/Outbox.
• you can schedule a SMS to be sent tomorrow, next week, next month and even a year later? Never forget a birthday wish!
• you can watch youtube movies clips anytime, anywhere?
• you can do PUSH EMAIL on Windows Exchange Server? Arguably faster than Blackberry?
• you can WIRELESSLY SYNCHRONIZE all your contacts using FREE Google Sync?
• you can view all your friend’s current location with the latest Google Map/Latitude?
• you can have all your Yahoo messanger, MSN, GTalk, AOL, Skype all launched in one application?
• you can filter out unwanted calls/sms?
• 90% of our customers are actually new users?

Leave your comments and share with me what do you use your PDA for besides the usual appointment and task?

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Review: HTC TV Output ACT100 Cable

Windows Mobile Expert did a pretty good review of the TV out cable for certain range of HTC model.

———-

I have the Sprint Touch Pro, and one of the unique features that I have been dying to play with since I got it was the TV cable feature. With such a small screen on my phone being shown on a big screen like a TV, I wasn’t expecting much. I was pleasantly surprised to be surprised by what I found once I got my hands on the HTC TV Out ACT100 Cable.

Want to see what I found? Then take a look inside at the full review of the joys a simple cable can bring to you…

Read the full story here

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News: Windows Mobile 6.5 to have SMS Sync

Windows Exchange Server 2010 will bring a lot of new features to Windows Mobile for those that use the service. Some of the reported new features are

• conversation for email
• message preview
• device-end rule creation (currently only server side)
• SMS sync!

Imagine all your SMS intact when you switch devices. Something which I will absolutely love. Ofcourse, the only problem is that, I don’t run Windows Exchange Server Perhaps Google can offer something similar for free?

Below is a screen shot of the SMS sync option on an Xperia running Windows Mobile 6.5

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Updated: Fresh Gear HTC PDA Flyers – 2009 July Version

Fresh Gear HTC Flyer - July 2009

Our HTC PDA Flyer for July 2009 is out. Click on it to enlarge / download.

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Upcoming: HTC Hero Android Phone

It’s official! HTC Hero is officially launched at London today. It is HTC’s third Android based phone and I am certainly impressed with the new all improved “HTC Touch FLO” for android. They now call it the HTC Sense ™.

Specification:

• Qualcomm 528 MHz processor
• 3.2-inch 230×480 touch-screen TFT-LCD display
• ROM: 512 MB      RAM: 288 MB
• 5MP Camera with Auto-focus
• GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi
• 3.5mm headphone jack
• Trackball with Enter function

They even have a Facebook Page created for the HTC Hero.

Stay tuned for more hands-on review of the HTC Hero!

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News: HTC pledges allegiance to Windows Mobile

Despite being the world’s first mobile phone maker to launch an Android-based handset, HTC still favours Microsoft’s Windows Mobile.

Frédéric Tassy, Grand Fromage of HTC France and Benelux, was recently asked whether he thought 2009 will be Android’s year. And although he thinks that, yes, this will be the year Android really takes off, the executive nonetheless stressed HTC’s close ties with Windows Mobile.

“We will always have more flagship products on Windows Mobile,” Tassy told French-language website Mobinaute. “Our best selling smartphone in Europe is also the HTC Touch HD [which uses] Windows Mobile.”

He also claimed many other handset makers will announce Android handsets – but fail to deliver their offerings on time.

“I think there will be a lot of bluffing, with products that are likely to be delayed,” he alleged.

Tassy claimed it was “hard to say” how many Android smartphones HTC will have launched by the end of this year. However, pictures were recently leaked online of a device widely thought to be the firm’s third Android-based device. ®

Sourced from: Register Hardware

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News: HTC Snap is out now!

Price: RM1,599

Specifications

• Qualcomm® MSM 7225™, 528 MHz
• Windows Mobile® 6.1 Standard
• ROM: 256 MB   RAM:192MB
• 116.5 X 61.5 X 12.0 mm (120g)
• 2.4-inch TFT-LCD with LED back light and QVGA resolution
• GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi
• 2.0MP Camera without focus
• 1,500 mAH Battery
• Talk time: 510 minutes (GSM)
• Standby: 380 hours (GSM)

Stay tuned to our follow-up in-depth review of the device.

If you have more enquiries, please contact anyone of us.

Plaza Low Yat (Grd Floor)

• Kelvin @ 012-3332303
• Ji Hou @ 016-6379332

Digital Mall, Section 14 PJ (Grd Floor)

• Kenny @ 012-2527718
• Khuen Fatt @ 016-9975211

IOI Mall, Puchong (2nd Floor)

• Allan Mah @ 016-2738693
• Keith Sim @ 017-2934990

Digital Mall, USJ 19 Subang Jaya (Grd Floor)

• Nicolas @ 017-3362472

Or simply email us at sales@freshgear.com.my

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Review: HTC Touch Pro 2 (T7373)

Available Date: Early June 2009

Launch Price: RM3,199

Fresh Gear rating: 9/10

Specifications:

• Qualcomm® MSM7200A™, 528 MHz
• ROM: 512 MB & RAM: 288 MB
• 3.6-inch TFT-LCD touch-sensitive screen with 480 X 800 WVGA resolution
• HSDPA, Quad-band
• GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi
• 3.2MP Camera with Auto Focus
• Battery Capacity: 1500 mAh
• Talk Time: 510 minutes
• Standby Time: 500 hours
• Special Feature: G-Sensor, Straight Talk

Unboxing the HTC Touch Pro 2

HTC Touch Pro 2 - Box

HTC Touch Pro 2 - Contents

Inside the box comes with the following accessories.

• USB Cable
• Travel Adapter
• Extra Stylus
• Leather Pouch
• Wired Headset
• Application CD + Installation CD
• Screen Protector
• Manuals + Startup Guide

First Impression

HTC Touch Pro 2

This unit is NOT small. Dimension wise, it is longer, thicker and heavier than a HTC Touch HD.

Touch HD Dimension: 115 mm x 62.8 mm x 12 mm (147g)

Touch Pro 2 Dimension: 116 mm X 59.2 mm X 16.65 mm (178.5g)

The front of the unit is a marriage between HTC Touch HD and HTC Touch Diamond 2. It has inherited the large screen, thin-bezel-with-screen-almost-to-the-side from the Touch HD and the “Zoom Bar” from the Touch Diamond 2. Both are stunning features I hope to continue seeing in the future of HTC devices.

You need to have big hands!

HTC Touch Pro 2 - Buttons

There are only 4 buttons on the front of HTC Touch Pro 2. Call, Programs, Back and Hang-up/Home. What is missing is a navigational pad/D-Pad. Not a very big loss considering the HTC Touch Flo is so easy to use and also touch screen is just a finger away. Only group of customers neglected are gamers. Then again, I don’t think HTC is targeting this group anyway with this device.

HTC Touch Pro 2 - Camera & Mute Button

HTC Touch Pro 2 is positioned as a business phone. Hence, there are features built-in to this PDA which will only appeal to the like minded ones. Its called the “Straight Talk” technology. When you are in a call, just flip the phone over and place it on a desk. It will automatically switch to “Speaker phone” mode and allows everyone in the room to participate in the discussion. There is also a “Mute” button just below the 3.2MP Auto-focus camera lens. It uses 2 built-in microphone for better sound quality and voice capturing.

HTC Touch Pro Keypad

One of the key improvement of HTC Touch Pro 2 (Over the previous model; HTC Touch Pro) is the keyboard. It is made out of “rubbery” texture and therefore have excellent grip when you type with your fingers and for people with long finger nails. The keys are larger so lesser chance of typing on the wrong key.

HTC Touch Pro 2 - Slideout Keyboard

HTC Touch Pro 2 with Screen Tilted

Another feature of the HTC Touch Pro 2 is the angled/tilt screen. Once tilted, you can placed it on the table and watch movies, do video conferencing, or just plain picture slideshow! Some say the tilting allows them to better view and type and do really find it correctly angled for comfortable typing.

HTC Touch Pro 2 Side view

This is not something new as tilting screen was also introduced by HTC (first in the world) few years back with its HTC Tytn II.

HTC Touch Pro 2 - Back

Some mechanical parts exposed with its screen tilted.

HTC Touch Pro 2 - Back Cover Off

Taking the back cover apart will reveal the slot for the huge 1,500 mAh battery and SIM Card Slot.

The stylus too is no longer magnetic.

Using the HTC Touch Pro 2

Starting with HTC Touch Diamond 2, HTC has totally re-vamped their HTC TouchFlo 3D. So much improvement have been put into this new User Interface (UI) that it now takes significant effort to just get into the “Programs” section of the “old” Windows Mobile. HTC had replaced the “Start” button with their very own Program Short-Cuts!

Which one do you like better? The HTC Program short-cut can be easily customized with Programs you frequently use and hide those un-wanted ones. Scrolling on the HTC program short cut is also very easy and responsive as compared to the standard “Program” screen by Windows.

Another significant improvement on the new HTC Touch FLO 3D is the ability to use Touch FLO in Landscape mode. This is previously not capable on the HTC Touch Pro.

HTC Touch Pro 2 Home Screen Portrait

HTC Touch Pro 2 Home Screen Landscape

Besides the obvious landscape Touch FLO 3D, there isn’t much visible difference in other departments. There is a TV Out option on the Touch Pro 2, so now you can do that presentation on TV. Can you hook it up a projector? Yes and No. The output cable is a RGB cable so if your projector ONLY supports VGA output, the answer is you cannot.

HTC Touch Pro 2 - TV Out

Comparing with HTC Touch Pro

So how does it fare up against the previous model; HTC Touch Pro?

Comparison between TP2 and TP

HTC Touch Pro is small compared to the new HTC Touch Pro 2.

HTC Touch Pro is thicker than Touch Pro 2

Both PDA side by side

But the HTC Touch Pro is thicker!

Both PDA with Keyboard wide open

Keyboard are much larger and distance between the keys are wider spaced compared to HTC Touch Pro.

More size comparison!

HTC Touch Pro 2 standing taller than HTC Touch HD and Touch Diamond 2!

	HTC Touch Pro 2	HTC Touch Pro
1	3.6” WVGA Screen	2.8” VGA Screen
2	Tilt Screen	No Tilt Screen
3	Program short-cut keys built into the keyboard	Minimum Program short-cut keys
4	No Directional Pad	Directional Pad (D-Pad)
5	Non Magnetic Stylus	Magnetic Stylus
6	3.2MP Camera without Flash	3.2MP Camera WITH flash
7	1,500mAh Battery	1,340mAh Battery
8	Noise-cancelling dual microphones and speakers	Without, but still have speakerphone
9	116mm X 59.2mm X 16.65 mm	102 mm X 51 mm X 18.05 mm
10	178.5g	165g
11	Touch FLO 3D with Landscape Support	Touch FLO 3D without Landscape Support

Screen Shot of HTC Touch Pro 2 (Click to Enlarge)

Conclusion

Pro:

• Keyboard is very responsive and easy to type on
• HTC TouchFLO 3D now supports Landscape mode
• The slider mechanism is very firm and solid
• Overall performance is quick and zippy
• Truly business phone with Straight-Talk feature and dual Mic noice canceling speaker phone.

Con:

• Back cover feels flimsy
• Size can be a problem or some people.

Interactive Demo on the HTC Touch Pro 2

Available at Fresh Gear Online Store. All major credit cards and Paypal accepted.

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Updates: HTC Touch Pro 2 Available Soon

 

Mark your calender folks! The official price of HTC Touch Pro 2 is RM3,199 and it is available at our store starting next week.

Exclusive Early Promo Deals!

Only for early bird promo, every HTC Touch Pro 2 comes with the following.

• HTC TV Out Cable
• Father’s Day Mystery Gift worth (RM399)

Quick! Purchase yours today at our ONLINE STORE (All major credit cards and Paypal accepted.)

Specification:

• Qualcomm® MSM7200A™, 528 MHz
• ROM: 512 MB & RAM: 288 MB
• 3.6-inch TFT-LCD touch-sensitive screen with 480 X 800 WVGA resolution
• HSDPA, Quad-band
• GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi
• 3.2MP Camera with Auto Focus
• Battery Capacity: 1500 mAh
• Talk Time: 510 minutes
• Standby Time: 500 hours
• Special Feature: G-Sensor, Straight Talk

Stay tuned to our follow-up in-depth review of the device.

If you have more enquiries, please contact anyone of us.

Plaza Low Yat (Grd Floor)

• Kelvin @ 012-3332303
• Ji Hou @ 016-6379332

Digital Mall, Section 14 PJ (Grd Floor)

• Kenny @ 012-2527718
• Khuen Fatt @ 016-9975211

IOI Mall, Puchong (2nd Floor)

• Allan Mah @ 016-2738693
• Keith Sim @ 017-2934990

Digital Mall, USJ 19 Subang Jaya (Grd Floor)

• Nicolas @ 017-3362472

Or simply email us at sales@freshgear.com.my

Subscribe to Fresh Gear Weblog by Email

Updated: Fresh Gear PDA Flyers – 2009 May Version

 

Fresh Gear PDA Flyers - May 2009

 Our PDA Flyer for May 2009 is out. Click on it to enlarge / download.

News: Fresh Gear Low Yat Plaza Outlet Renovation

To all valued customers,

Our outlet at Plaza Low Yat ground floor is moving to an adjacent lot (G-31). We will be taking over the previous Famous Amos retail lot and renovation is expected to take 7 days starting today (18th May 2009).

During this period, our land line number 03-21480399 will not be available. However, we are placing a temporary shelve near the renovation site to support our existing customers. So, if you need help or want to purchase something, do drop by.

You can contact anyone of us who are there.

Ji Hou – 016-6379332

Kelvin Tham – 012-3332302