"The coming year 2002 will be considered by many IT experts, the year of mobile gadgets and all sorts of hybrids. Handhelds means of obtaining and processing information will become a communication tool, "- foretold in the Christmas week in 2001 an authoritative site Yahoo.com. Actually, it happened long ago. Long ago, if we take the unit time period during which expires latest processor. One of the first such devices, which combined the capabilities of PDA high-class and the properties of the mobile phone standard, GSM, became the Siemens SX45.
Spring, CeBIT -2001
It happened in the spring ... first time, Siemens, or rather his unit IC Mobile, introduced a smartphone under the star called "Andromeda" at the CeBIT in Hanover. Then this concept model to match its name, seemed something of space: a mini-computer with a color display, almost rivals the desktop, and mobile phone, dressed in a sleek steel-colored body. Usually, a concept model only shows trends of mobile technologies, and is not for sale. "Andromeda" - and demonstrated. Alien concept model name marketers prefer talking Siemens - Siemens MultiMobile SX45. And today anyone can buy this device in many countries, including Russia.
Just Siemens MultiMobile SX45-a new milestone in the world of communications?
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What is the SX45? Above all, this handheld computer running an operating system Microsoft Pocket PC, which the developer has presented possibilities of wireless voice and data services. Until the device only supports standard cellular GSM, but in early 2002 should see his version of GPRS. GPRS - General Pocket Radio Service, operated on the principle of packet data, will provide higher speeds with the mobile Internet - how to use WAP, and HTTP browsers. By the way, those who managed to buy a novelty this year, developers will be able to send the device to upgrade to GPRS. The developers have not stinted in his praise to his offspring, and called it "a new milestone in the world of communications." Is this true - Let us examine a little later. In the meantime, the first thing that catches your eye - this is what the basis of the communicator Siemens took over the well-known and well-proven handheld Pocket PC from Casio - Cassiopeia E-125. The device can not be called a very small - body width of 26 mm - comnitelnoe pleasure. In his shirt pocket, for example, a fat man not particularly reviled. All external contrast to the standard the Pocket PC is available inch antenna on top of the device. The same characteristic of CE, three buttons on the front panel and large-button mouse, button recording side, the scroll wheel (jog dial) and infrared. In addition, the shell can find telephone switch. By the way, the phone can be turned off more and programmatically, or it will stop working automatically when the battery sits. Heart device - MIPS R4000 processor with a frequency of 150 MHz with graphic accelerator, which helps the chip to send the output to 16-bit color display. The correct processor to the MIPS architecture seems somewhat questionable, since it deprives the original device features an upgrade to Pocket PC 2002. Recall that the new OS will only work with ARM processors. SX45 is equipped with 32 MB of RAM. Furthermore, the model has some good expansion options - on her body you will find a slot for cards SD / MMC (unfortunately, only the capacity to 32 MB) and CompactFlash II type. The presence of the latter enables the use of additional memory up to 1 GB.
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Most of the front side is decorated with 16-bit color touchscreen display (65536 colors) with anti-reflective coating.SX TFT display has a resolution of a standard for such devices - 240 x 320. Screens CE PDAs experienced great evolution. Compared with the first models of HP 600 series with their effect "double-plastic", displays the new Pocket PC have the industrial strength and clear image. Connection with a desktop computer can be a cable with a USB or RS-232 or through the cradle, which is offered as an option. To transfer data to another mobile device or laptop will help you to Built-in IR port. In addition, SX45 has also built-in GSM-modem. Like a set for the communication seems to be quite sufficient. Sound you can hear from the built-in speaker, clear and loud. If this volume is not enough, you can use the stereo headphone device - everything will sound louder. Device "knows" how to play standard audio 64/96k WMA and MP3, which sounds are also very good, especially for mobile devices. True, if the music is recorded on a memory card when you play a little audible noise. Built-in voice recorder allows to record a telephone conversation between both sides of the conversation, and it can be played directly in a conversation. Voice is recorded very cleanly and clearly.
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As we have said, SX45 is running an operating system Pocket PC 3.0, rather than later, and "advanced" of its 2002 version. And sorry .. In Pocket PC 2002 has several new features designed specifically for communications. In addition, the new OS has built-in support for VPN (Virtual Private Network - Virtual Private Network) for wireless connections. Although if you wish, you can use similar solutions for Pocket PC from the "third party". Embedded software device involves standard Pocket PC applications from Microsoft (Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, Contacts, Calendar, etc) and programs designed to work with a cell phone from Siemens. To get started with applications SX45 need to put SIM-card into the slot under the battery. The device has voice dialing, and it well and accurately recognizes human speech. Siemens also equipped with a WAP-browser and several additional applications for playback of video clips. And finally, you can use a huge selection of programs from the "third" of firms. Among other things, the device still supports Java. Until now, we wrote about the Siemens SX45 as a PDA, but we must not forget that it is also a telephone. Communicator works in GSM at the frequencies 900/1800 MHz, ie designed to work in Europe and Asia. In the U.S., the device will not work. Have SX45 a few of its features. First, telephone calls can be made only through a set of Hands fries. The device has a built-in microphone and speaker, but they are not very comfortable to use when they offer the PDA to the ear. By the way, another big drawback is the lack of devices to move a database of contacts with the SIM-card in the PDA. Hardly anyone smiles manually move the prospect of hundreds of numbers% -) Some of the applications, the device includes Siemens Pocket Dialer, user feedback which is not particularly high. It is intended to govern the operations of the mobile phone. Many believe that the integration with the contacts database CCP is not entirely successful, and there were cases that the application "fell" with too many entries in the book. But let's hope that in later versions of the device, this error will be corrected. Communication with the Internet usually does not cause any problems. Enough to choose from the list of devices internal GSM modem and dial your ISP. And the connection is very stable. The device allows you to view a page as a Web, WAP and at a speed of 24k per second. Send / receive SMS text messages built into the overall email experience - they appear in the message list as one of the categories of e-mail. Therefore, with the SX to send an SMS will be as easy as normal email.Siemens SX45 is powered by the energy of lithium batteries yonyh 1550 mAh battery, capable of working for 8 hours. True, the frequent use of the phone strongly reduce this figure. So you have to frequently recharge the device. * The potential of smartphones and communicators is very high. If the pricing is correct, then these devices will soon SX45 will be used everywhere - both ordinary consumers and large corporate clients. Success as a particular device - SX45 - depends largely on the support of GPRS. If it did not provide life-cycle of the PDA may be significantly reduced, especially when you consider that most operators move from GSM to packet data. Beeline has recently connected its most advanced users of GPRS-networks. Perhaps this is just the beginning, and Russia still survive GPRS-boom. In Europe, however this did not happen: 2.5-generation network (GPRS) have not yet experienced the peak of popularity. Maybe this never happens, because most European countries along with Japan seeking to step directly into the era of mobile technology of third generation (3G), bypassing the transition phase of GPRS-(2.5G). In addition, another important factor is the price of the device. In Russia it is about 1300 U.S. dollars, far exceeding the cost of the set CPC Cassiopeia E-125 and a mobile phone. Should I buy it - the question everyone will answer for himself. Which is better - always carry with them is not very lightweight (303 gr) with not quite pocket size, but have always at hand PDA, or buy a mobile phone and PDA in the bargain, the latter to take with you everywhere optional? The answer to this question depends on the specific needs of the buyer. Given all the above, we can conclude that by itself the Siemens SX45 «a new milestone in the world of communications" is not. Rather, this expression refers to the entire "tribe" of smartphones, which has just appeared on the market. Siemens - just one of them. Perhaps not entirely successful, but we need also to start somewhere. Sources, Materials: