Approaching New Year. Normally in this period the market handheld reeling from an abundance of new models and technical solutions. All manufacturers vying try to offer something original, that the user thought it would be desirable for himself as a gift. However, this year is no different abundance of the previous one. Nevertheless, the developers have put some interesting new products under the Christmas tree. One of them, of course, E-Ten M600 - continued line of compact communicators from the Taiwanese company E-Ten. About her today and will be discussed.
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Specifications: - Operating System: Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 Phone Edition
- Processor: Samsung S3C 2440 c clock frequency of 400 MHz
- Memory: 64 MB RAM (49 MB user available) and 128 MB Flash ROM (88 MB user available)
- Screen: 2.8 "(72 mm) transflective TFT, 240x320, 65536 colors
- Memory Expansion: SD / MMC
- Wireless: IrDA, Bluetooth 1.2, Wi-Fi (802.11b), GSM 850/900/1800/1900, GPRS Class 10
- Battery: removable Li-Ion Battery 1440 mAh
- Audio: microphone, speaker, 2.5-mm stereo headphone jack
- Camera: Built-in digital camera, 1.3 MP
- Dimensions and weight: 112 x 61 x 22 mm and 170 g.
Compare Ad E-Ten M600 can, firstly, the predecessor E-Ten M500, and, secondly, with hits and novelties of the season in the class of compact communicators, - Qtek s100/s110, Palm Treo 650 and Qtek 9100, using the function " Compare devices "in the" Catalogue of the CPC on HPCru.
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| Qtek s110, E-Ten M500, Qtek 9100, Palm Treo 650 and E-Ten M600 |
Set
Supplied E-Ten M600 inherited from M500. However, let us refresh your memory of its contents: the cradle, charger, USB-cable for synchronization and charging, a stereo headset, pouch, user manual and software on CD.
In the "attached" E-Ten M600 is the same cradle-saucer with the office for charging the battery backup, which can be purchased separately.
The design of the stylus also remained unchanged. Feather - sliding, metal, pretty convenient.
Complete Case M600 is designed exclusively for transportation. Accessory is made of a durable material with leather inserts, equipped with a belt clip for horizontal mount on a belt and a strap that can detach.
Appearance
Strictly speaking, M600 - not exactly a new model. Housing Communicator is exactly the same as the previous model, E-Ten M500.The only exception is the color - all silver linings have been replaced with black, more fashionable this season. For a detailed description of the appearance and controls the communicator recommend a look here or restrict viewing the photo below, and we will talk about the changes.
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The fact that the new OS, which supports the M600, there were the so-called soft keys, similar to the telephone. They can be used not only to run applications such as Contacts, Phone, Mail, etc., but also to manipulate the programs inside almost without using the stylus (unless, of course, will not have to type the text). Soft keys are located in the lower corners of the screen, like an ordinary mobile phone. Some of the phones on the WM 5.0 (for example, Qtek 9100 or Qtek 9000) even have their hardware doubles. However, in the case of the M600 features soft keys may be assigned to the two hard buttons, which by default is responsible for calling a list of frequently dialed phone numbers and utility M-desk. Implementation of support for soft keys, as mentioned earlier, another step in the rapprochement between the two versions of OS Windows Mobile - Phone Edition and Smartphone OS.
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The rest of the model is completely copied his "big sister". Looking ahead we say that by and large different from the novelty M500 - two. And all of them - under the hood. This, above all, the new Windows Mobile 5.0 and the emergence of another embedded wireless module - Wi-Fi.
Processor and memory
Processor Communicator is still the same - Samsung S3C 2440 processor with a clock frequency of 400 MHz. In principle, the mobile device - the solution is quite balanced, so clear solution engineers to change nothing. The situation changed somewhat with the memory. In Windows Mobile 5.0, as has been repeatedly stated, the memory is distributed differently than in previous systems. RAM now plays the same role as in the desktop PC that is used to launch applications, but user data is stored in Flash-ROM. The solution has both positive and negative sides. Plus the fact that user data is now not lost even when the battery is low. Less - speed flash memory is still less than that of SDRAM, and, quite noticeably.
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Thus, for applications is available 49 MB of memory from 64 MB to store programs and user data - 88 MB of 128 MB. Of course, that compared with previous models E-Ten has no built-in flash drive, since it is now not necessary. Those who need more memory, it is proposed to use expansion card SD / MMS. By the way, against the backdrop of new products supporting cards of this format is a plus apparatus. The fact that many manufacturers are now moving to smaller cards - for example, miniSD, which by virtue of its novelty is not so common and cheap as good old SD / MMC. In addition, owners of devices with the latest available maps of larger volume, say, SD to 2GB and 4GB, while in the miniSD format, is now offering a maximum of 1GB.
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Speed of cars was estimated using the Benchmark SPB Benchmark. Unfortunately, the new memory organization has a strong influence on the overall index performance. Performance file system because of the use of flash memory is now worth a test is not quite adequate (as expected). This, in turn, affects the performance index of the device as a whole. Therefore it makes sense to compare only selected indicators of the test.
Thus, by the processor device almost as good as competitors. Differences - a few percent.
But for speed graphics E-Ten M600 ahead of all rivals, including his "little brother".
Performance file system, as expected, dropped sharply. Nothing unexpected here is not - has to pay for reliability rate. Testing the graphics produced by the player Beta Player 0.095. As usual, we used three test video: "mobile" video medium and high quality as well as a full "desktop" video.
Numerical results can be found in the attached file. Of all the tests, you can make a pretty simple conclusion. Performance of the new communicator remained almost the same as the previous model (except, of course, the memory subsystem).
Screen
M600 is equipped with the same screen as that of the previous model - a transflective 2.8-inch (72 mm). The matrix is characterized by high brightness and excellent color reproduction, viewing angles - beautiful, the colors are not inverted, even if you look parallel to the screen.
Illumination has 10 levels of brightness, which is enough to adjust under any lighting. Minimum backlight level a tall, but you can get used to it. Still not possible to specify backlight level separately for battery and AC power. Also unchanged were automatic adjustment: "Autoadjust by battery's cap" - change the backlighting depending on battery level, and "Autoadjust backlight by idle time" - a smooth decrease in light as the omission of the CCP.
Battery
E-Ten M600 comes with a lithium-ion battery 1440 mAh. For the communicator, but still equipped with Wi-Fi module, the capacity is not very big. Let's see how the CPC will hold a single battery charge.
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Testing time work was carried out with a full charge before the warning "Main battery low" in four different modes: - Stress test. GSM-module, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled, the brightness and volume - the maximum, the communicator lost in a series of "hard" video. Hours - 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Normal operation. An attempt to simulate some "average" conditions. GSM-Module has been enabled, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi - are off. Speaker volume was set at half the maximum brightness - in the first division of the minimum. Device is lost in a cycle of regular video. Hours - 5 hours 10 min.
- Reading e-books. GSM-module, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned off, the light - in the first division of the minimum, the reading program was carried Haali Reader mode avtoskrolla. Hours - 8 hours 30 min.
- Play audio. GSM-module, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and the screen - are off. Play was performed on a set of headphones attached. Used the program GS Player, files with a bitrate of 192-256 KBps played with the memory card. Hours - 9 hours 10 min.
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Thus, E-Ten M600 time work ahead of all his rivals. The only exception is the communicator HP iPAQ h6340, but this device belongs to another class and is not a direct competitor of E-Ten. As for battery life test as a phone, then there can be recommended to put it on charge every evening after returning home. Only in this way you can be sure that the device is discharged the next day at the crucial moment. An alternative way out involves buying an additional battery.
Sound
Good news - in the E-Ten, finally, remember that the user has the right and left ear. In the previous model, the headset is equipped with two identical (either right, or left) speaker. Now the dynamics are different. True, some of them are right and which is left will have to guess - they have not been signed.The headset is still equipped with a passive volume control and answer button, which can be reprogrammed. Audio path to a new device as a whole, has changed for the better - disappeared annoying background noise. In addition, positive changes include the introduction of separate recording level adjustment for voice recording, phone calls and conversations with Bluetooth-headset. Unfortunately, the bass level is still quite weak, which is not very pleasant to those who are going to use a communicator and as a MP3-player. Unfortunately, this is not very helpful recorder. Quality of the recording - not very high. Inside the average noise caller's voice better record at a distance of 1,5 m.
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Wireless interfaces
Fills all the communication modules M600 Annex Wireless Manager. C it, you can call and set up the GSM-module, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Or disable all of these interfaces at once.
Phone
In the E-Ten M600 mounted quad-band (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) GSM-module. Data transfer may be a protocol GPRS Class 10 (3 slots to accept, 2 to transfer). All telephone functions are performed by built-in application Windows Mobile Phone.
It supports all the standard features of GSM-networks: the ban, call waiting, call forwarding, caller ID, voice mail, the index of the network and broadcast messages.
Receiving / sending SMS messages in the standard application of the operating system - Messaging.
To create an MMS is a special supplement - MMS Composer.
For quick access to subscribers using the utility Frequency Dialing.
It is also possible to organize a "black" and "white" lists of subscribers using the utility Call Filter.
In general, the functionality of the phone software have not changed in comparison with the previous model, so that the discussion here, in general, there is nothing.
Bluetooth
But over the Bluetooth-driver worked, and the work was not in vain. First, the CCP started a utility Connection Wizard, which allows novice users to quickly configure any necessary service.
Secondly, all the necessary services are configured in a single interface, and runs stably and smoothly, unlike the previous model.
In general, stability and convenience of Bluetooth-stack substantially improved.
Wi-Fi
Connection via Wi-Fi provides the standard tools of the new OS. In the E-Ten M600 module is installed with support for 802.11b. To control the connection utility is used WLAN Utility, which provides only the minimum information. For convenient access points will need to install software from third-party manufacturers, in which the benefit is no shortage.
Infrared
About Infrared manufacturer still does not give any information. Apparently, this is the standard for today FiR.
Kamera
Built-in camera is the same as the previous model. Sensor Resolution - 1.3 megapixels. Cnimki made it is still suitable except for contacts or a small personal photo collections on your mobile device. For those who are not familiar with the camera E-Ten M500, list its features.
Preferences photo: - format images: BMP or JPG
- image size: 1280x960, 640x480, 320x240, 176x144
- White Balance: Auto, room lamp DS, sun, shade, cloudy, or night
- Special Effects: Negative, grainy, retro, mirror
- imposition of a framework for MMS
- Shooting Modes: Normal, timer, series, portrait mode
- turn on / off the backlight
- enable / disable the display of dates.
Video Settings: - Video Format: MP4 or 3GP
- compression level: high, medium, low
- frame size: 320x240, 176x144 and 128x96
- white balance, special effects: the same as in photo mode.
Sample photos - below.
Software
In the E-Ten M600 is running the latest version of OS Microsoft - Windows Mobile 5.0 Phone Edition.
List of built-in applications, it has not changed: - Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, PowerPoint Mobile
- Pocket Internet Explorer
- Messaging
- Phone
- Voice Recorder
- Windows Media Player 10
- File Explorer
- Pictures
- Calculator
- Solitaire, Jawbreaker
- Terminal Services Client, Pocket MSN, Download agent.
A selection of additional software preinstalled - is traditionally rich for E-Ten. However, since the release of M500 is not replenished nothing new. So, among corporate software model: - Manager to launch applications - QuickLink.
- Alternative shell for launching programs and quick access to system settings - M-Desk. The default is caused by a button with an icon Home.
- A program for voice control communicator - Voice Commander.
- Two graphics editor - to work with images (Image Maker) to edit and MMS (Image Wizard)
- Utility Scenarios for a quick brightness, volume and vibration alert mode.
- Utility to use device as a GPRS-modem for your laptop or PC - Modem Link.
And closes the list of additional software small plugin that shows battery life on the screen Today.
Russification
On the day of publication of this article was released a new version of localization MacCentre Pocket RussKey 2003 2.6, which provides support for devices running Windows Mobile 5.0. For E-Ten M600 is currently available in lite-version of localization, that is a variant of the program with full support of the Russian language on the OS level, but without translation interface. Acquainted with the possibilities of localization, as well as download the new version is available from the page MacCentre Pocket RussKey 2003 to HPCru.
Reliability
We investigated a sample M600 and for obvious reasons did not have reliable data on the reliability of the device and possible problems with its use. However, some conclusions can be drawn from the statistics, which accumulated over the years with previous models. According to data provided by Customer Service "MakTsentr, the number of service instances consistently decreased. If the early models of PDA E-Ten P600/601/603 (2002-2003 years) the number of problem instances of up to 20%, in the case, following the model P300/P300BT (2003-2004 years) decreased to 7-8% which was also unsatisfactory result. M500, which appeared earlier this year, already shown much better results - 2-3% of cases requiring service during the warranty period. There is reason to believe that the new M600 communicator behaves no worse than M500, since the main kostruktivnye solutions were the same, but positive changes are obvious.
Price
To acquire E-Ten M600 may be in the stores' computer in the palm for $ 649.
Conclusions
So, we passed tuning E-Ten M500. The developers managed to eliminate one of the main disadvantages of this device - unstable Bluetooth module, and a little to improve the quality of sound section. Serious is the difference from its predecessor two - the presence of Wi-Fi and a new operating system with non-volatile memory and more convenient administration. So those who currently attended to the acquisition device, it is worth paying attention to cvezheispechenny E-Ten. Model M600 can be recommended to users who pick up any wireless device on a "compact - excellent opportunity - a reasonable price" does not need the built-in keyboard. Competitors on these factors in E-Ten M600 until slightly.
Cons: - poor quality of the sound section
Pros: - new operating system Windows Mobile 5.0
- two built-in wireless interfaces - Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- Excellent selection of additional software
The authors, translation:
Eugene Bundina
