Mobile Review: May 31, 2011

This is also a smartphone, that is, "umnofon" ... All my works are not buggy, just needs a bit of skill and patience to configure the device ...

From the Forum Qtek 8310, who became a hero of our review, perhaps the most complete to date reflects the name The essence of a class of devices to which it belongs. This smartphone is equipped with all possible wireless means, including support vysoskorostnogo EDGE and Wi-Fi, as well as the latest version of OS Windows Mobile 5.0 for Smartphone. In other words, if you are looking for a more advanced replacement of your mobile phone, no longer cope with your requests, it is in the form of a compact mobile handset and would not mind to try the device on the basis of mobile Windows, on the Qtek 8310 is worth paying attention.

Instead of Preface

Truly objective opinion about any device can be composed only in the course of its prolonged use. However, the realities of our lives are such that an expert who conducts testing, usually this is no time. The harsh reality requires to work as quickly as possible, since you need to give the material promptly. Not surprisingly, the first reviews are often caught no end devices, and their prototypes, which usually are not very stable. Usually there is one, maybe two weeks, so regardless of the level of experts, such a test may contain inaccuracies or omissions. The only way for such a short time to add objectivity to the analysis - is, first, to test only the final plant the device, and, secondly, to collect statistics on reviews of a large number of users. For this example, you can refer to a forum and see the difficulties that a real user of the device. To comply with these conditions need to overwhelming number of users, and this, in turn, requires time. Therefore, the review of the new Qtek 8310 smartphone, the first samples of which appeared in Moscow a few months ago, we decided to publish now. The result was to obtain data about some nuances of the unit, as well as the most noticeable failures, which users can expect (more on this - towards the end of the article). Immersion in forum topics Qtek 8310 also brought a lot of amazing and very accurate remarks. I took it upon myself to use it as an epigraph to several chapters in this review.

Cmartfon Qtek 8310: the compact communication

On the classification of

It's no secret that the manufacturer of Qtek 8310 is a Taiwanese company HTC (High Tech Computer). HTC's products can be divided into three categories. The first category includes smartphones (Windows Mobile Smartphone), second - communicator (Windows Mobile Phone Edition), and the third - Pocket PC (WM Pocket PC). HTC is engaged in the development and production of so-called software and hardware platform, and then sells it to various companies, mostly local mobile operators. And see the light of similar products as the twin brothers from Qtek, i-mate, T-Mobile, Orange, O2, Vodafone, AudioVox, and Dpod. By the way, our hero Qtek 8310 is made based on the platform HTC Tornado, and more precisely its variety HTC Riemma. It belongs to the most recent, fifth-generation smartphones. The table below shows the classification of devices (smartphones and communicators), issued by HTC, for generations, platforms and brands, under which they are sold. This information will help you navigate in mnogoobraztsii company's products, name of the platform, as well as their relevance.

As for handheld computers, to find any, made in HTC, very easy - just look at the PDA HP, Palm, Dell and Fujitsu-Siemens.Surprisingly sounds, but most of them released in the past two years, handheld computers - this is again a work of modest Taiwanese company. However, closer to the case. Let's look at the characteristics of the Qtek 8310.

Specifications:
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 (5.1.70)
Processor: TI OMAP850, 195 MHz
Memory: 64 MB RAM (45,05 MB available), 64 MB Flash ROM (17.94 MB available)
Screen: 2.2 "(56 mm) transflective TFT, 320x240, 65536 colors
Expandable memory: miniSD
Wireless interfaces: IrDA, Bluetooth 2.0, Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11b), GSM 850/900/1800/1900, GPRS Class B/10, EDGE class 10
Camera: 1.3 megapixel CMOS
Keyboards: hardware, 12-key
Battery: major removable Li-Ion, 1150 mAh, Ni-MH rezevnoy
Audio: microphone, speaker, 2.5-mm stereo headphone jack
Dimensions and weight: 108 x 46 x 18 mm and 106, the

Compare Ad Qtek 8310 can, for example, the ideological predecessors - Qtek 8020 (third-generation smartphones from HTC) and Qtek 8200 (fourth generation). Against the background of new stands more recent versions of OS, built-in Wi-Fi and supports EDGE. The rest - is the most advanced smartphone to date on the basis of WM for Smartphone 5.0, the competition which could reach as compact WM communicators (Qtek s110, ETen M600, Qtek 9100), and devices with similar dimensions based on other operating systems (Symbian, or Palm ).

Qtek 8310 and Qtek 8020

Completion

complete user manual in Russian (the book of 145 pages)
Quick Reference Guide (condensed to 18 pages version - for the lazy)
USB cable
Adapter
Headset
CD with software (ActiveSync 4.0.0)
CD with additional software (ClearVue)

Unfortunately, no cover in the sales package there. Although some sources mentioned that the standard on Qtek 8310 and his twin brother, i-Mate SP5 assumes that mantle. Perhaps, as in the famous joke about a letter to Santa Claus, "gone cap in the mail:)

Ease of use

In the design Qtek 8310 can be specifically not to stop, because, starting with their first smartphones, developers of the HTC are committed to the same form factor - candybar with a 12-key phone keypad, located directly below the display. From model to model only slightly changed the size, shape (slightly narrower at the top or bottom, a smooth contour on one side and clearer on the other) and a combination of materials (all plastic or plastic with metal inserts).

If we compare the Qtek one of the predecessors of Qtek 8020, Qtek 8310 is slightly larger and slightly thicker, but you should take the device in the palm of your hand, as the difference in size instantly erased. In his hand smartphone is very comfortable and virtually no different from an ordinary mobile phone. Keys, in contrast to the controls a little more than its predecessor and provided very apparent contrasting white inscriptions in Russian and English. Here are just a button, "Receive" and "End" could be made more prominent, because the touch is very easy to miss the mark (especially in the car) and accidentally cause a list of contacts or SMS application. For myself, I just solved the problem - switched to using a headset.

Qtek 8310 and Qtek 8020

Both wired and wireless headsets have a special key to accept the call, so no need to fumble the buttons on the phone.

The main governing body Qtek 8310 - a five-way joystick. A very successful design - easy to move in all directions, and to provide better "grip" with his hand has even the rubber pad, so that the finger did not slip off. In addition, the smartphone is equipped with a standard volume control buttons and two additional buttons at the ends to invoke the program management of the camera and the connection manager.

Top as usual housed on / off button and the device IR port.

At the bottom of the Qtek located miniUSB connector for sync with PC and charge the device, 2.5 mm jack for connecting a headset and microphone.

At the rear of the Qtek placed a digital camera and the battery compartment, inside which there is not only a slot for the SIM-card, but also an expansion slot miniSD. So to insert or remove the memory card without turning off the device, unfortunately, is impossible.

In octalnom, in terms of ergonomic device is uniquely successful. Unlike its predecessor, the new Qtek 8310 a little over the keyboard, so typing SMS messages or telephone numbers was much more convenient. Even the joystick, which at first seemed small, a couple of days of work did not cause any complaints.

Display

Qtek 8310 equipped with a screen resolution of 320 x 240 pixels with a diagonal of 2.2 ". Standard PDA QVGA resolution is supported smartphones HTC, starting with the fourth generation, that is, Qtek 8200. This aspect ratio and resolution - nesomnennnoe advantage of this model, as it enhances the quality of work apparatus, for example, in terms of Internet surfing.True, we can not say that viewing web pages with it - very convenient, but it is the best available on today's decision in a class of smart phones running WM for Smartphone. The device as specified in the documentation, is equipped with a light sensor. The first assumption is that the Qtek 8310, as well as on the latest gadgets from Hewlett-Packard, made adjustable display brightness according to ambient light. Three times, "Hurrah!" However, when trying to activate the "light sensor" on the menu, nothing changes. Imagine my disappointment when it became clear that this function does not work, and not only on this device, but also to its other counterparts. We must admit that this model can adjust backlight (even manually) is highly relevant. The display has a decent brightness and darkness at work more than 20-30 minutes, his eyes visibly tired. It is a pity that the developers of the HTC has not bother to cnabdit Qtek 8310 with this option. In fact, everything is working as an ordinary mobile phone: in the beginning of the brightness for a few seconds drops to a lower level, and then the screen turns off completely.

Iron

... I always appreciated the functionality of the technology and equipment, then with it - everything is OK. The heart of the smartphone - the budget TI OMAP850 processor clocked at 195 MHz. The specified clock parts - 200 MHz, but the device is indicated slightly less than 195 MHz. I'm inclined to believe the gland, so stop by 195 MHz, moreover, that the difference in the 5 MHz hardly registered with the naked eye. By itself, the processor is far off the lead in terms of performance, but with modest needs, helps to extend battery life - the main indicator for the mobile device.

The amount of flash memory and the same - to 64 MB, while available to the user to backup the domain of flash memory costavlyaet about 18 MB. Of course, for the backup system, such amount is too small, but for the storage of PIM data is quite sufficient. Memory can be expanded through miniSD card format with a maximum available now 1 GB. Unfortunately, this standard is not as common as SD / MMC, miniSD card and therefore will cost a bit more expensive, and the maximum available amount for them is less than that for SD, which can be purchased at the 2 and 4 GB. An important component of iron every smartphone - communication part. Qtek 8310 is equipped with virtually all communication modules: it's a quadband GSM, and GPRS, and newfangled EDGE, and unchanging Bluetooth, and even Wi-Fi. About their work - just below.

Phone

Telephone control functions part Qtek 8310 implemented standard operating system tools. Moreover, almost all sold as well as on the usual mobile phone with all the usual applications (such as "Call" and "message"). In this case, the enabled application allows a large number of operations with a contact directly from the menu without switching to other programs (sending SMS to this subscriber, display complete information about the subscriber, send an email to the subscriber).

Annex "Calls" displays a list of all calls including incoming, outgoing and missed calls.

Optionally, you can set a filter to display only one type of calls, for example, only outgoing.In the settings there are several sections: "Normal", "No sound", "Collection," "Outdoors," "Automatic", "Headset", "Car" and "Speaker Phone".

Of greatest interest is the automatic mode, which is independently switched between "Normal" and "Assembly", according to the schedule of meetings listed in the calendar. There is a Qtek and the ability to divert calls.

In addition, Qtek 8310 is capable of holding a call, that is to take two simultaneous calls. But, unfortunately, unable to organize a conference on 3-4 persons. As for the reception and any other telephone device capabilities, we can say that the Qtek 8310 copes with its responsibilities. Quality of reception - at the proper level. Interestingly, the network after the device finds two times faster than its predecessor, Qtek 8020. Audibility, which is provided by our hero, is also at altitude - both through the headset, and directly. Despite the fact that the ringer volume is not as high as we would like, if it acts as a mp3-ringtones, vibrating alert, the power will not allow you to miss an incoming call or SMS. However, note that, nevertheless, calls for still better to pick up initially loud songs, because in a crowded place and they can be skipped.

Digital Camera

Digital camera for communicators, smartphones and even mobile phones are gradually discharge of fun toys transformed into a useful tool. You can make a picture for your address book or send an MMS with any image. For example, recently, I had to explain how to get to a hard-to-office. It turned out, it's easier to draw a diagram on paper, photograph it built into a mobile phone camera and send it as an MMS. A friend of mine managed to send holiday messages with your friends photos, causing jealousy alluring views of the sea and sunny beaches:)

Built-in 1.3 megapixel camera Qtek 8310 allows you to get quite decent shots (compared to its predecessor, the resolution increased from 640x480 to 1280x1024 pixels) under good lighting conditions outdoors and indoors. But even before the quality of domestic picture 10x15 cm far. The typical size of photos with the highest possible resolution - from 60 to 300 KB. In general, not so much.

In these greenhouses are growing new stars of tennis ...

No passage

Only a pass

... Plus the electrification of the whole country ...

Electrification-2: with 2x digital zoom at shooting

Black boomer, black boomer ...

Heavenly abundance

Miracle of the Japanese automobile industry

Russian-Korean child

The shooting in night mode

In general, the built-in smart camera too far to the quality of an ordinary digital camera with the same resolution. All the matter in a small amount of plastic lens and quite noisy CMOS matrix. But then it can not be helped, size and quality optics of the matrix are determined by the form factor and cost.In terms of settings, still nothing has changed (among them: the white balance, effects, gamma, brightness, saturation, color) and the ability to record video format MP4, H.263, or Motion-JPEG AVI.

Tests

Performance

Here are the results of tests made using The Core Pocket Media Player (the higher the test, the higher the performance of the device). Test is a simple video playing at peak performance. At the end of given quality level as a percentage. Acceptable level is 100%. If the index is less then the play - poor quality (in the table highlighted in red). Actual results of optimal video quality, according to his own observations, is 110%. To verify the files are used with different flows and different resolutions. I tried to watch videos up to 640x480 pixels. Lovers of mobile video will have to convert files to MP4 or conventional XviD.

So, if we compare with the Qtek 8310 Qtek 8020, the performance gain is insignificant, less than 10%. Real device is approximately the same rate as 8020. Sometimes markedly braking when running applications, with some programs, such as navigation menu, run a little faster. In general, the optimization is visible under the new operating system. In general, work with a smartphone can be no critical "brake" in the testing process was not observed. From the results VideoTest shows that the smartphone can be used as a player. However, in my opinion diagonal 2.2 "is still too small for watching videos, so that the device will have to keep close to her eyes.

Runtime phone mode

Recall that the Qtek 8310 is equipped with battery capacity of 1150 mAh. These results indicate an increase in battery life by 20-25% compared with predshestvenikom, though battery capacity at most 10%. Thus, the claimed battery life - five hours of talk time and ten days of standby time. When using the device only as a phone (SMS, phone calls, address book) smartphone lasted from 8-00 am to 12-00 days of the third day, that is little more than two days. The total time for talk for 2 hours and 26 minutes, sent and received 21 SMS messages. Sufficiently good result at such an intense phone boot.

Battery life in handheld mode

To determine the runtime will use the now standard for HPCru testing methodology. Battery life is measured in typical operating conditions (reading, video, audio). For the purity of the experiment was extracted from the device SIM card. With continuous playback of MP3 (320 Kbps) with a miniSD card (display off) battery last for 17 hours. When reading e-books with autoscroll battery capacity sufficient for 15 hours. When viewing the video results are somewhat more modest - almost 7 hours.

Runtime mixed mode

If you use your smartphone in Mixed Mode (30 minutes of calls per day, 10 SMS, 2 hours reading e-books, access the address book with phone dialing, 20-30 minutes GPRS), then by the end of the day (from 8-00 am to 23-00 pm) capacity of the battery stops at around 20%. Finally, the charge is consumed by noon the next day. But in reality, this does not mean that you have to every night without fail to put the device on recharge. Members who work during the day at the computer, can always feed the device via USB cable - just connect your smartphone to the USB port of desktop or notebook computer. 3-4 hours of work it properly charged, and it will not have to put on a "night-feeding." In a more intensive use (Bluetooth Headset, MP3, video, Wi-Fi) smartphone capacity for the whole day may not be enough. So what will inevitably have to connect it to an electrical outlet or a PC.

Communication capabilities

Managing communication part Qtek 8310 by using the application Communication Manager.

GPRS / EDGE

On the part of the GPRS / EDGE as our guinea showcased the very decent results. Speed data transmission via GPRS networks Megaphone averaged 20-50 Kbps. With EDGE, which also supports the Qtek 8310, the rate is slightly higher. We recall that the technology of EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution) - the evolutionary development of GPRS, which allows the theory to provide wireless data at speeds up to 473.6 Kbps. This technology is more convenient and that does not require changing the connection settings GPRS. The smartphone will automatically switch to EDGE channel, if any. However, the display is not visible and to understand whether you're in EDGE only by the speed of loading pages and files. There are, however, non-standard method of displaying the work EDGE. The smartphone can be configured so that if EDGE is displayed not the letter G, and the letter E. To do this in the registry to change the parameter «EnableDifferGprsEdgeIcon» in the key «HKLM \ Drivers \ BuiltIn \ RIL» 0 to 1. In Service Support "Megaphone" and could not figure out on what exactly the streets running EDGE. Rather, information on the streets there, but here on some of the street podderzhivaeyutsya standard, but on what is not, not yet very clear. Therefore, experiments had to put the building of Moscow State University, where EDGE is certainly working. Realistically achievable average data transfer speed with this technology is 100-130 kbps, with peak values up to 200 Kbps. Recall that the EDGE network operates three leading operators (Beeline, MTS and Megafon) for several months.

Bluetooth

Version of Bluetooth, installed in a smartphone - 1.2. Use built-in operating system drivers, which, of course, lose more common Widcomm drivers and in terms of convenience and in terms of stability. However, the basic Bluetooth capabilities they provide.

Headset - with a wireless headset with voice dialing.
Transmission facilities - transfer contacts, calendar entries (unfortunately you can not pass the problem and voice notes).
File Transfer
Support for COM port emulation
Dial-UP - Internet access via Bluetooth (in this case, the smartphone will act as a wireless modem).

The main application of integrated Bluetooth on Qtek 8310 for me personally - it's synchronized with your laptop via the new ActiveSync (minus one cable in my bag:). I must say that in this respect, the quality of communication between devices is very good. Failures, of course, occur but rarely. This is very commendable, considering that during synchronization I usually work with large volumes of files. As far as interaction with a wireless headset, then there is also fine. Sound quality and connection - decent. Within two weeks of testing bugs in this duet I recorded.

Wi-Fi

What a user can expect the first cmartfona equipped with Wi-Fi? Firstly, the high-speed internet access in the areas of the Wi-Fi, so you can easily use the resources of a network (download the files - not only books but also music) or, for example, listen to network radio. The speed of opening pages, and data transmission with GPRS, of course, do not compare, close to a local 10 Mbit / s network. Wi-Fi settings on Qtek 8310 - a very simple and special skills and experience required. No problems with connecting to various access points I have not personally encountered. It is commendable that supports WEP security and WPA.

As for the use of Wi-Fi in a smartphone on the most actual and desired purpose, ie for Internet telephony (for example, using Skype), it currently is, unfortunately, is impossible. Accessible version of Skype for WM 5.0 does not support until Windows Mobile 5.0 for Smartphone, despite the fact that theoretically ought to work. Recall that Microsoft has set the course for the convergence of mobile versions of Windows for PDAs, smartphones and communicators. However, despite the promises made to smart pipes do not always want to run applications written for, say, PDAs. The reasons for that - weight, for example, the difference in the types of displays on smartphones and PDAs.At last, as you know, touch screens are installed and more software is sharpened by them. However, some masters can still through artful manipulation install Skype and make it work. If my experiences in this regard will be successful, we will supplement this overview description of the work of the VoIP-applications on Qtek 8310.

Software

The classic joke about Microsoft: up to version 3.0 Microsoft products work "a little worse than we would like." In this review, I will not dwell on the features of the operating system is WM5 and applications built into it. Interested parties can find a dozen detailed reviews and descriptions of how our site and the web.

Internet Explorer
Tasks (Tasks)
Windows Media Player 10
Calendar (Calendar)
Inbox (Messages)
Contacts (Contact)
ActiveSync
Call History (Calls)
Settings (Options)
Jawbreaker, Solitaire
Voice Notes (Voice memo)
Pictures & Videos (Images and Video)
Camera
Communication Manager (working with communication modules)
File Manager
MIDlet Manager
Pocket MSN
SIM Menu
Task Manager
Video Recorder
Speed Dial
Calculator
Modem Link
Clear Storage
MMS

By the way, for browsing screen smartphone is still too small, despite the fact that this is one of the largest displays available today for devices of this class. Really comfortable on this screen will only read the news in text view or download files (WM5 for these purposes is specifically designed Download Agent).

Another bad point is that virtually all software that was written under the previous generation of smartphones, is working with a smaller resolution than 320x240 pixels and can therefore, for the new smartphone is not suitable. However, recently the situation has improved in this regard. At least I managed to make a gentleman's suite, which is enough for the first time. View the video. BetaPlayer 0.5 - well-proven software for playback of video and audio (built-in support mpeg4 video (XviD, DivX), mp3 (libmad), vorbis (Tremor).

The Core Pocket Media Player 0.71 (msp) - the same media player BetaPlayer, only the official version, with a new name (supports DivX, XviD, MPEG4, MPEG1 and M-JPEG).

Reading books. AlReader Light - a program for reading books. Recognizes the format popular fb2 and has autoscroll feature.

Listening.For these purposes, you can use as a standard means in the form of Windows Media Player 10 as well as alternative Pocket Music. The latter supports playback of music files, MP3, WMA and OGG Vorbis. View the documents. At komplektonom CD comes desired programm ClearVue, designed for viewing documents in various formats - presentations, Word, Excel, PDF and viewing images. Unlike other products that do not require the viewer ClearVue converters and filters. Documents are accepted as is. Version on the disk, which is nice, full. Well, that's all. Otherwise, it is hoped that by the parties to the developers will add to the list of software specifically for WM 5 for Smartphone. In the meantime, again, the operating system WM5 only theoretically allows you to run applications on smartphones, designed for PDAs running WM, but in practice it is not so. Firstly, there may be problems with the touchscreen (it simply does not have a smartphone), and the hardware buttons do not quite match up with those on a handheld computer. Secondly, the vast majority of programs simply not compatible with the editorial OS for smart handsets, so that when installed must observe the following sad message:

For example, a very popular program Haali Reader, or scheduling Pocket Informant (and many other worthy programs) to install and failed. A pity ...

Mobile Review

Cmartfon Qtek 8310: the compact communication