T-Mobile MDA vs. T-Mobile SDA

You know it's a good day when the FedEx guy shows up and drops off an SDA and an MDA, both of which are due out here in the States from T-Mobile real, real soon. Click on for some hands-on pics of each.

[phi @ Jan 23rd 2006 1:50PM]

how about some size comparisons to other phones you might have laying around

[tadrosone @ Jan 23rd 2006 1:53PM]

who makes what?

[dapperdan @ Jan 23rd 2006 1:53PM]

Good day for you maybe! How do I get on THAT FedEx list? :-)

[Harold @ Jan 23rd 2006 1:54PM]

I have the small phone one. Its the i-mate sp5m. Its so awesome up to 1gb sd stick n ll.

[Jag @ Jan 23rd 2006 1:55PM]

How fast is the EDGE?

[Astav Sacheti @ Jan 23rd 2006 2:01PM]

also how about some details about each model?
like battery life, gsm frequencies, how much memory does the supplied sd card have?

[mike @ Jan 23rd 2006 2:08PM]

wheres the cingular 8125!!!! ahhhhhhhhhh

[Jamie @ Jan 23rd 2006 2:09PM]

Initial comments? Interested to hear how the T-Mobile EDGE performance compares to Cingular.

[Eric @ Jan 23rd 2006 2:17PM]

HTC makes the phones. I would like to see a price comparison agianst other phones aswell. Maybe let us know when we can pre order it since you said we could on the 19th but I cant find anywhere to do it.

[Bob @ Jan 23rd 2006 2:20PM]

Those things look sweet. Kinda looks like the state of the art scheduler/mini-PC my boss had.

[Mike Wisler @ Jan 23rd 2006 2:20PM]

Can you give the full specs of the one with the keyboard? or is that fully posted somewhere? Does it have PUSH email like a BB or Sidekick?

[jimmcq @ Jan 23rd 2006 2:25PM]

How's the WiFi? Can it be used with any access point or only T-Mobile HotSpots? Does it support WEP?

[Brad @ Jan 23rd 2006 2:25PM]

I had the Qtek 9100 (same as the MDA) for a few months now and just didn't like the form factor. Adding the keyboard makes it very bulky, and the keyboard implementation (key layout) is not very intuitive.

So I got rid of mine last week and now have the new Dopod 818 Pro - same size as the popular i-mate JAM but it adds 802.11g, BT 2.0, an extremely high-quality 2MP digicam, WM5.0 and the cool black finish. Very happy with this one. I'd advise anyone interested in the MDA to look at one in person before pulling the trigger.

[TJ @ Jan 23rd 2006 2:27PM]

The EDGE is class 10.

[jb @ Jan 23rd 2006 2:27PM]

tmobile has a pre-reg sign up page here http://www.t-mobile.com/promos/online/preregmdasda/?WT.mc_n=PreRegPromo_PRCol&WT.mc_t=ExternalMedia

[Bryant @ Jan 23rd 2006 2:30PM]

How comfortable is the MDA for use as a phone?

Thanks.

[martin @ Jan 23rd 2006 2:33PM]

I think they're both from HTC. I forget which models though.

[Edward Rothman @ Jan 23rd 2006 2:35PM]

Official launch dates
SDA 2/13/2006 (in stores)
MDA 2/20/2006 (in stores by end of Q1 available online)

[chris @ Jan 23rd 2006 2:36PM]

I'm using the HTC Wizard (Qtek 9100) - same as the MDA on T-Mobile here in the US, and I regularly clock around 180 to 190kbps.

[Damo @ Jan 23rd 2006 2:49PM]

Please, oh please tell me you can get rid of that "pink t-mobile" theme!

[Jeff @ Jan 23rd 2006 2:49PM]

HTC Wizard = PDA; HTC Tornado = smartphone

[Where in the world is the 8125 @ Jan 23rd 2006 2:51PM]

I agree thats great for T-mobile folks but WHERE IS the 8125?

[Dan (thoughtfix) @ Jan 23rd 2006 2:56PM]

Pleasepleasepleaseplease let me review the SDA for you! I'll send it back! I promise! (Just as soon as MY SDA shows up.)

[Timmay @ Jan 23rd 2006 2:58PM]

S1ck... i cannot wait til my contract is up!

Any comments on WM5 smartphone OS vs PDA?

Timmay

[Blaze @ Jan 23rd 2006 3:04PM]

If i get the SDA and sign up for t-mobile's t-zone, will i get EDGE speed?

[TJ @ Jan 23rd 2006 3:05PM]

Whats the prices?

[Mark @ Jan 23rd 2006 3:10PM]

Is this a photo caption contest? My entry: "Dumb and Dumber."

[sean @ Jan 23rd 2006 3:13PM]

i beta tested the MDA HTC Wizard for TMobile last month, and it's a neat little machine.. i hope they took our suggestions on cleaning up the many bugs that existed in our beta machines..

the camera takes crappy shots, and the processor is REALLY slow. i couldn't even run skype on it..

despite all of that, it is a good precursor to what we will see in the next few years.. personally, i'd wait for something better to come out..

[doyouflip @ Jan 23rd 2006 3:21PM]

Like some others here, I have a different version of the MDA (the Qtek 9100 to be exact). I know you guys have had the Wizard and I'd like to know if you noticed whether T-Mobile changed anything in the software or hardware between the Wizard and MDA.

[marc @ Jan 23rd 2006 3:23PM]

very pretty, but what i really want to know is whether it's worth waiting for SOMEBODY in the states to pick up the HTC Universal or to pick this puppy up ASAP

[Xenos @ Jan 23rd 2006 3:24PM]

May we have a photo with the stylus please?

Also, when do we get a review?

[Pete @ Jan 23rd 2006 3:30PM]

Will the wifi on these work for any wifi signal(ie - starbucks or something to that extent) or will it just work with t-mobile hotspot wifi locations?

[Matt Packwood @ Jan 23rd 2006 3:33PM]

How fast in the processor on the MDA? I would like to run Skype but it is not a deal breaker for me.

[Mac @ Jan 23rd 2006 3:34PM]

Second on the review request. Also, what's the resolution on the screens? In fact, it would be great if you guys could do a comparison chart of the two phones, so we could pick the better phone/deal.

Thanks in advance.

[miip @ Jan 23rd 2006 3:36PM]

Specs SDA II -> http://t-mobile.de/shop/handy/1,4855,2963-_4330-0-1-1,00.html
Specs MDA Vario -> http://t-mobile.de/shop/handy/1,4855,2963-_4554-0-1-1,00.html

[Dr Doom @ Jan 23rd 2006 3:45PM]

They're working on a new version of skype for it I believe. The processor sounds slow at 200Mhz but as i'm sure Peter will vouch for it is not slow in operation. It is in fact duel-cored so it's better for multitasking etc (theoretically at least). I've had the O2 version for over a month now and am absolutely loving it. Best thing about it - the keyboard. Just like having a baby pc in my hands :-)

[Dave @ Jan 23rd 2006 3:59PM]

Review from a smartphone site:

http://www.coolsmartphone.com/article479.html

[chuck @ Jan 23rd 2006 3:59PM]

Recently I purchased HTC Tornado (Qtek 8310 a.k.a. i-Mate Sp5). It�s got a nice form-factor but the software available for Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone edition sucks big time. It actually reminds me of the times of Windows 3.1 � it�s so buggy and the design is so crappy. Palm OS is soooo much better! If only Treo was a normal phone, not this crap with 1000 buttons�

[TZK @ Jan 23rd 2006 4:32PM]

The MDA was quite buggy when I had it for the eval months ago. Hopefully they fixed the things people would be bitching about the most.

The WiFI worked on my home system and work. Camera app has a lot of benefits, though, some icons are invisable when you first look.

WM5 needs to be cleaned up a bit. CSKII is still my favorite PDA, even though its highly underpowered.

[Richard @ Jan 23rd 2006 4:48PM]

I have had my i-mate K-Jam for about a month now running on the Cingular network. I bought mine on ebay and I really like the unit. I had a treo 650 before this and it was noticably faster at times but this does not lock-up like the treo 650 and the browser is faster than that on the treo. I was able to log into my brothers pc in his office through the browser using "log me in" and control his PC from my phone while at lunch. It was pretty cool. The phone has some bugs, they are supposed to come out with a new update in the end of January but overall it is a great phone. I paid around $650 for mine, I just could not wait any longer for Cingular to come out with the 8125. My wife has the hp hw6125 which uses windows mobile 3.0 and her phone is deffinately faster but I really wanted the wi-fi and the GPS in her phone was not a top priority for me. If anyone has more questions I will gladly post whatever I can.

[Rattleler @ Jan 23rd 2006 4:56PM]

Sigh... when will we statesiders get the UNIVERSAL!!!! 320 x 240 res is ass. I want that VGA monster.

[Lucas @ Jan 23rd 2006 5:06PM]

What is the processor speed? Can you please test with Skype? If Skype works, I'm buying!!!

[Mashtim @ Jan 23rd 2006 5:07PM]

Did T-Mobile include the Push Email update? Also, have you tried using it with an automobile bluetooth setup? If so, how does it work? Does it transfer phonebook info?

[Richard @ Jan 23rd 2006 5:59PM]

One thing I forgot to add was that my K-Jam, aka MDA came with Skype preloaded on it. I did not try it so I can not say if it would work or not, or if it is just a normal bundle with WM5. For those who want more info go to http://www.imate.com/ or try http://www.imateforum.com/ under the forums link go to the K-Jam forum for related questions. Most of the questions raised so far here have been answered in this fourm.

[Mat Walker @ Jan 23rd 2006 6:02PM]

I've had the MDA (or Mini XDA as its known in the UK) for a month. As a previous commenter said in that this thing runs slooooow, real slow. If you flip the keypad out a few times it really confuses it and it crashes the phone. You can also crash the phone by doing near enough anything else as its that slow and buggy. I've taken to pulling the battery out rather than wait for this thing to sort itself out sometimes. The phone part is a bitch to use with a clunky interface and confusing menu's.

In short its a not very good phone and a pretty average PDA. Though I'm not sure whether to lay the blame for all this with the phone or Windows Mobile 5.0 I suspect it lies somewhere in between the both.

In answer to the previous commenter regarding battery life. I can can get a couple of days average use out of it quite easily providing I don't use the WiFi or any of the apps.

[Kiran @ Jan 23rd 2006 6:21PM]

Brad, thanks for the Dopod tip. Looks nice but doesn't seem to have QWERTY. Any idea where to order it from?

How about the HTC? Anyone know where to order that from?

And when IS the 8125 coming out?

[Tim Marman @ Jan 23rd 2006 7:15PM]

How does the size of the SDA compare to the SMT5600? Can you get some pics of them side-by-side?

[Eric @ Jan 23rd 2006 9:47PM]

Oh 8125, Oh 8125 wherefore art thou 8125?

[1Up @ Jan 23rd 2006 10:24PM]

This is a little off topic but...
Im using an HTC Wizard right now (same as T-Mobiles MDA) so im looking at the signup page and it says the phone has built in AOL instant messaging. At the moment there is no official Aim program for Windows Mobile 5. I need it. Makes me miss the Sidekick....

[TJ @ Jan 23rd 2006 10:29PM]

The 8125 looks UGLY!