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Orange SPV C500 Smartphone


Orange SPV C500 Smartphone

Postby Chris Edwards » Dec 2, 2004 @ 7:57pm

Touted as “the worlds smallest Smartphone”, Orange’s latest addition is much welcome to the Smartphone industry. It’s truly the first Microsoft Smartphone that targets enthusiasts while remaining an exceedingly attractive option for business and consumer users.

<review>
<author>Chris Edwards</author>
<promoimage>main.jpg</promoimage>
<keyword>spvc500</keyword>
<type>2</type>
<title>Orange SPV C500 Smartphone</title>
<developer>Orange UK</developer>
<website>http://www.orange.co.uk/</website>
<purchaselink></purchaselink>
<date>December 2nd, 2004</date>
<rating>9</rating>
<description>Touted as “the worlds smallest Smartphone”, Orange’s latest addition is much welcome to the Smartphone industry. It’s truly the first Microsoft Smartphone that targets enthusiasts while remaining an exceedingly attractive option for business and consumer users.</description>

<section name="Background">

<content>I’ve had the privilege of using the Orange SPV C500 as my primary phone for the past few months. The C500 replaced my previous E200 Smartphone which I <a href="/reviews/spve200/" target="_blank">reviewed last year</a>.</content>

<content>Despite the impressive features, the E200 still lacked in its ability to perform as a phone. While it was a significant improvement over the original SPV, it still had some trouble with basic phone functions. A successor to the Orange E200, the C500 brings Microsoft’s Smartphone brand to a whole new level.</content>

<content>Finally we have a phone with the advanced characteristics we’ve come to expect from the SPV line and that is more than capable of functioning as a phone</content>

<content>Touted as “the worlds smallest Smartphone”, Orange’s latest addition is much welcome to the Smartphone industry. It’s truly the first Microsoft Smartphone that targets enthusiasts while remaining an exceedingly attractive option for business and consumer users. </content>

<content>
*Note: This review could also apply to the Audiovox SMT 5600 from AT&T Wireless in the United States. There are some minor differences between the devices, but they are essentially the same. The GSM radio on the Audiovox is tri-band (850, 1800, 1900 MHz) and therefore is not considered a world phone. The GSM radio on the Orange C500 is tri-band (900, 1800, 1900 MHz) and therefore will not work on the expanded 850 MHz GSM networks in North America. However, the Orange C500 is still considered a world phone since 1900 MHz networks are still common in North America.
</content>

<content align="center"><gimg P9090050.jpg></content>

</section>

<section name="Usability">
<content>The C500 comes with the fastest processor (200 MHz) of an SPV phone yet. Combined with the more refined Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition, this yields a much friendlier user experience. Menus are appropriately responsive, and having multiple programs running doesn’t affect speed too much.
</content>

<content>The new intuitive navigation menu is a refreshing change from the old cluttered home screen. It provides direct access to Messages, Contacts, Missed Calls, etc. from pop out menus on the left side of the screen. The integrated camera offers a one-step method for changing the background picture of the home screen.</content>

<content align="center">
<img ss037.png><img ss038.png><img ss039.png>
</content>

<content>There are a few fixes in Internet Explorer (IE) from the previous version (such as the preceding http:// that remains even if you clear the address bar to enter a new URL). Navigation with IE is improved—it will no longer reload the page unnecessarily when browsing your favourites or returning to the page you were previously viewing. There are still a few features that I’d like to see in IE. The ability to download files is one. I wanted to download a small video file from our website but the extension wasn’t supported. While I’m on this topic, I may as well mention that there is still no GPRS counter on the phone. While unlimited GPRS data is getting cheaper, it’s still not down into the impulse purchase range. I’m on a fixed transfer data plan, and remaining under the transfer limit is a major concern of mine as overages can be quite expensive.</content>

<content>Text input is marginally better than its predecessor. Orange has managed to fix some of the problems with the T9 that it had with previous models. Words would often be forgotten from the T9 dictionary, and there wasn’t a clear way to see alternative words from a menu. The C500 fixes these two problems and offers an easier way to switch between modes; there is a popup menu that is displayed if you hold down the * button.</content>

<content align="center">
<img ss100.png><img ss102.png><img ss007.png>
</content>

<content>As we learned with previous SPV models, all these features are of no benefit if the battery is dead. Missing the daily phone charging routine used to mean no phone for the day. Now it’s possible to go up to 4-5 days without a charge. I can get between 2 to 3 days of charge with heavy music playback.</content>
</section>

<section name="Build Quality" newpage="1">
<content><gimg P1010063.jpg left>I’ve been extremely impressed with the build quality of the C500. In-hand the phone is comfortable, and the keys are soft to touch. The paint finish on the phone’s body has not worn at all. There has been some wear on the end button (as shown left), but it’s hardly noticeable.</content>

<content>Don’t let the phone’s size fool you—it’s solid as a rock. I accidentally dropped it off the bleachers at a local University basketball game from 15 feet onto hardwood floor. I was expecting the worst: a broken screen. Not only is the screen fine, but there’s hardly even a scratch anywhere on the phone! This could possibly be an isolated case of luck, but it appears the build quality has definitely improved over previous models.</content>

<content>Voice quality is noticeably clearer than the E200. There no longer the buzz that plagued the E200’s in-call clarity.</content>
</section>

<section name="Entertainment">
<content>As a University student, music is an essential part of my life. Whether it’s the 15 minute bike to school or just wandering around the campus, I’ve almost always got music playing.</content>

<content>Combined with Windows Media Player 10 (WMP 10) for Windows XP and a decent sized mini-SD card (I bought a 256mb card), this phone makes for a good replacement MP3 player. A simple right click in WMP allows the music to be added to a “Sync List”; this keeps track of music that you want to be transferred to the device when it is connected to the computer.</content>

<content>Tighter integration with ActiveSync would be nice since it’s still necessary to initiate the music to sync with the phone. A schedule based system with the integrated playlists in WMP would be ideal. I want to have random music from my media library “Favourites” or “Fresh Tracks” playlists automatically synced with my device on a regular schedule. </content>

<content>Windows Media Player 9 Mobile is included with the phone and has basic video/audio playback capabilities. If you want an equalizer or if your audio/video is encoded in formats other than those supported, then check out <a href="http://betaplayer.corecodec.org/" target="_blank">BetaPlayer for Smartphone</a>. It’s a great alternative to Windows Media Player 9 Mobile.</content>

<content>Windows Media Player 10 Mobile supports an auto sync process, similar to the one I mentioned above. There have also been significant improvements to integration with pay-services such as Napster (<a href="http://www.playsforsure.com/AdvancedSearchResults.aspx?searchtype=BrowseStores&cat=StoreTypePanel" target="_blank">see a full list of supported stores</a>). For more information on Windows Mobile Player 10 Mobile you may <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/windowsmobile/" target="_blank">visit its website</a>.</content>

<content>Windows Media Player 10 Mobile is available on the Audiovox SMT 5600 from AT&T Wireless in the United States. There has been no mention of an upgrade path for Orange C500 users. I believe this is a huge selling point for users, and I would love to see Orange offer an upgrade to Windows Media Player 10 Mobile.</content>

<content>Ideally it’d be nice if the phone came with a headset more suited for music playback. A headset with a “next track” button would definitely strengthen this phones position as a multimedia device. Since the phone has the 2.5mm headphone jack found on most mobile phones, it would be nice if there was an adapter included for using regular headphones. While these two requests can’t be expected from a phone, they would be a most welcome addition.</content>

<content>Gamers looking for a phone will have mixed feelings with this device. There is a button issue that is too commonly found on devices these days. While the joystick is pressed, other buttons on the phone will be unresponsive. This could be a precautionary method to prevent the number keys from being pressed while navigating and selecting menu options. In any case, this problem makes it difficult to play games requiring more than one action at once. Regular cell phone games will not be affected, and other games could get around this by using the number keypad as directional buttons. More information about this issue can be found in this <a href="http://www.modaco.com/viewtopic.php?t=113971">MoDaCo thread</a>.</content>

<content><img ss055.png right>While the buttons may be an issue to some, others might find comfort in the inclusion of a Java Virtual Machine (intent ® Java™ MIDlet Manager by Tao Group Ltd). Java opens up a whole slew of games that would otherwise be unplayable on the phone.</content>

<content>Both gamers and multimedia users would enjoy the bright, crisp, oversized screen exhibited by the C500. The screen also works quite well for watching movies. I managed to get a few of my DVDs encoded for playback on the phone, and it’s a great way to kill some time during travel.</content>
<content align="center"><gimg P9080039.jpg></content>
</section>

<section name="Business" newpage="1">
<content>As Co-Founder of PocketMatrix, I’ve relied on the C500 to keep me in touch with my work. Over the course of this review, I had access to an Exchange server where I kept all of my email. Gone are the days of only using the phone’s email functions as a reference to old emails. Combined with Exchange, this phone is a killer business device. Server synchronization can be set up to synchronize whenever new items arrive, giving access to new email as it arrives. With Exchange, I was able to keep my Contacts, Inbox, and Calendar synchronized among my Desktop, Tablet PC, Smartphone and Pocket PC.</content>

<content>While Outlook 2003 for the desktop comes with robust task management capabilities, the Smartphone is definitely lacking in this area. New tasks can be created on the phone, but they cannot be assigned to categories or even assigned a due date. Exchange synchronization is also not available for tasks. So, regular ActiveSync would need to be used to keep the tasks current among multiple devices.</content>

<content>With the inclusion of a cradle in previous models in the SPV line, I was expecting to receive one this time around as well. I wasn’t so lucky. The move to a widely accepted connector (mini-USB) for synchronization is appreciated. I have hardly ever used the power adapter that came with the phone as the phone can be charged via the mini-USB cable. However, I would still love to see a cradle. It’s so much more convenient to simply plop the phone down in a cradle and have it begin synchronization.</content>
</section>

<section name="Bluetooth">
<content>Bluetooth support for the E200 was at best disappointing. The headset had to be within only a few feet of the phone for it to work. It would not even work if the phone was in my pant pocket. Not only that, it guzzles battery life like an American SUV guzzles gas. </content>

<content>Bluetooth support on the C500 has dramatically improved. Not only are the above issues resolved, but also the phone makes it apparent when a Bluetooth headset is being used. When there is a paired Bluetooth headset in range there is a headset icon that appears on the title bar of the phone. This means that the phone will answer the call on a headset and will place outgoing calls on the headset.</content>

<content align="center"><img ss058.png><img ss059.png></content>

</section>

<section name="Other">
<content>The headset included on the C500 is very similar to previous models. The volume control is located right beside the call answer button now instead of lower on the headset cord. The in-ear portion of the headset looks identical to previous models.</content>

<content>Voice dialling is finally a reality without 3rd party software. However, if you’re using a wired headset, you’ll still need to hold down the bottom volume button on the phone to use voice dial. Hands-free dialling is a reality if you have a Bluetooth headset—surprisingly the call answer/end button can be used to initiate voice dialling.</content>

<content align="center"><img ss056.png><img ss057.png></content>

<content>If you’re like me and lock your phone whenever it’s in your pocket (to prevent phantom calls), then you’ll have to unlock the phone before attempting hands-free calling. Even the Bluetooth call begin/end button won’t work when the phone is key-locked.</content>

<content>Keep in mind that voice dialling is performed by adding voice tags to contacts on your phone. It’s not phonetic voice dialling, so you’ll have to record a voice tag for each contact. Voice tags can also be added to programs on your phone. So, you can record a tag as a shortcut to your Inbox, Contacts, or even games like the included Solitaire or Jawbreaker.</content>
</section>

<section name="Conclusion" newpage="1">
<content>With the latest C500, we finally have a Smartphone for the public. It has easy integration with Outlook, great phone functions, and a size that won’t have people asking the age-old “is that a phone, or are you just happy to see me?” when the phone is in your pocket. </content>

<content>While there are a few bugs with the C500, none of them are show-stoppers, and they won’t affect the majority of users. </content>

<content>Users wanting to move to a Smartphone will find the C500 a great place to start. The familiar Windows interface will be a breeze to navigate for any user.</content>
</section>
<gallery>
<image>P1010063.jpg</image>
<image>P1010065.jpg</image>
<image>P1010066.jpg</image>
<image>P1010068.jpg</image>
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<image>P9080002.jpg</image>
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<image>P9080048.jpg</image>
<image>P9080050.jpg</image>
<image>P9080055.jpg</image>
<image>P9080058.jpg</image>
</gallery>
<pro>Excellent form factor</pro>
<pro>Improved Bluetooth function</pro>
<pro>Improved battery life</pro>
<pro>Bright and easy to read screen</pro>
<con>Still a few bugs</con>
<con>No cradle</con>
<con>No WMP10 upgrade available yet</con>
<con>Joystick isn't that great for gaming</con>
</review>
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Last edited by Chris Edwards on Feb 8, 2005 @ 8:53pm, edited 5 times in total.
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Postby Chris Edwards » Dec 6, 2004 @ 9:05am

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Postby Noginzflauger » Dec 9, 2004 @ 5:33am

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Memory card

Postby Confucious » Dec 10, 2004 @ 11:58am

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Postby Guest » Dec 10, 2004 @ 5:53pm

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Postby Mike Wagstaff » Dec 11, 2004 @ 12:19pm

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Postby David Horn » Dec 13, 2004 @ 9:00pm

Crosswind technique: "Using your peripheral vision, react to body movements, gasps, groans, and shouts from the other side of the cockpit, and always remember that it's better to be lucky than good."
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Postby Chris Edwards » Dec 13, 2004 @ 9:40pm

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Postby Mike Wagstaff » Dec 16, 2004 @ 11:48pm

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Postby Spezy » Dec 17, 2004 @ 3:47am

Spezy
 


Postby jfran » Dec 17, 2004 @ 8:50pm

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Postby Mike Wagstaff » Dec 20, 2004 @ 10:55pm

You could give a go...
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give me names

Postby scrissti » Dec 22, 2004 @ 3:57pm

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Postby David Horn » Jan 14, 2005 @ 7:38pm

Just found out from Orange that they have no intention of releasing a ROM update with WMP10 on it. Mildly pissed off, to say the least...
Crosswind technique: "Using your peripheral vision, react to body movements, gasps, groans, and shouts from the other side of the cockpit, and always remember that it's better to be lucky than good."
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Postby Chris Edwards » Jan 14, 2005 @ 10:58pm

That's really too bad. I was really hoping they would.
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