Audiovox PPC-6601 Pocket PC Phone now shipping from Sprint

Maybe you can't wait a few more weeks until they start shipping the Treo 650, or maybe you just dig the Pocket PC Phone OS better (it's a legitimate lifestyle preference), but either way Sprint has officially started shipping that new Audiovox PPC-6601 Pocket PC Phone. And yes, it is more or less a CDMA version of the XDA III/MDA III. It's got the same slide-out QWERTY keyboard, 128MB of memory, a 400MHz processor, Bluetooth, and an SDIO expansion card slot, with the main difference being that the PPC-6601 doesn't have the built-in 802.11b WiFi that you'll find on the XDA III. Maybe not a deal killer, but for $630 you'd sorta hope they wouldn't cut any corners, right? 

[Via Pocket PC Thoughts]

[Guttrhead @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

HEY T-MOBILE, GET OFF YOUR ASS AND TAKE A HINT FROM SPRINT!

[Vince Veneziani @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Yeah T-Mobile. But Im laughing @ the specs because it's better than my home PC was in 2000...I MEAN, I WAS PLAYING HALF-LIFE WITH LIKE 25FPS MAN! IT ROCKED.

[Man @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

They choose Bluetooth over 802.11b to lower the price, they really need help in marketing if they are going to continue to compete.

[dcpmark @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

I don't think so. The CDMA version has EV-DO, but the GSM version has WiFi. I think the carriers (Sprint, Verizon) wanted no WiFi so people will pay for EV-DO.

[Chris Green @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Stick a SDIO wifi card in. It's not rocket science.

[Peter Rojas @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

No, not rocket science, but it is annoying if you want to use your PPC-6601 along with a 1GB SD memory card, esp. since the GSM version has 802.11b built-in.

[Greg @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Does the GSM version support EDGE? That seems to be an exclusive feature of the T650 at this point.

[MS Mobiles @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

We have 21st century, so conclusion is clear: don't buy PDA phone without Wi-Fi : whether it is Audiovox PPC-6601 or Treo 650...

[matt @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

what would you recomend? for a pda phone with wifi?
oh, and is this bluetooth crippled? a la the sprint treo 650?
i'm thinking about this phone or the 650, what should i get? or other suggestions? i'm looking at sprint.

[Ian Argent @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Since the main reason to get a device like this (to me, anyway) is it's "always-available" net connection, and given the relatively low cost per month of unlimited data on sprint's network, I'm not sweating lack of wifi. The phone is EVDO capable, and Sprint should be rolling that out this year.

[Ed Stern @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

But wht's the speed of EVDO? I want to see what Cingular actually does. I mean the rumors are they will be doing blue and WIFI, what a great combo.. but imagine if it was WIFI, Blue and EDGE... oh man Ok I'm drooling. AS for the diff between the ^50 and this,s well one thing is this is PPC not Palm while I've never been a Gates fan, you have to admit you can do more application wise with your desktop with a PPC than the Palm.

[Art @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

I'm in college right now and I can't afford to pay for phone services and wireless services. So what I'm really looking for is a device that can be used as a phone, a pda, and an mp3 player...is this the best device out there? If it is, which company provides the best bluetooth technology (without dropped calls)...Sprint, Verizon, AT&T/Cingular, or T-mobile?

[streaky @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

What does it mean sprint cirppled Bluetooth?

[Tanner @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Crippled bluetooth means that they disabled DUN (Dial up networking). DIsabling DUN disallows the user doing something we DREAM of like the following:

making a P2P bluetooth connection between the phone and your lappy (or other device)
dialing up your ISP
establishing an internet connection
&
SHARING THAT CONNECTION to other bluetooth devices.

it's all about the benjamins...obviously.

[ray burnett @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

I have found these comments very helpful. Still trying to figure out Wi Fi. I realize EVDO on Verizons XV6600 is high speed but how do Wifi providers get paid? And does this Audiovox aka UTStarcom device support me saying "Liz" and having liz get a call from me? TIA

[natalie m @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

I really did my research on this stuff! Cingulars internet conection maximizes at 133kbps and sprint lingers around that speed as well with their edge. I found that verizon's EV-DO speeds AVERAGE 400-700 kbps and maximize at 2.0 Mbps. They are awesome devices to combine everything. phone, pda, browsing the internet, AND mp3's! The xv6600 from Verizon actually is the fastest pda phone on the wireless market right now. I just got their broadband aircard which maximizes at 2.4Mbps on their EV-DO through a wireless WAN card. awesome!!! its the best thing since sliced bread, lol. i always opt for the passenger seat now that i can go online in the car!! hahaha I'm in love, what else can i say... and do your research on phones. the least dropped calls, you can call in more places in the u.s. than any other cell phone company, fewest people leave them, etc. etc. etc. verizon must be doin somethin right, they just won me over :)