T-Mobile MDA vs. T-Mobile SDA
By Peter Rojas 
posted January 23rd 2006 1:44PM
posted January 23rd 2006 1:44PM
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.
Review from a smartphone site:
http://www.coolsmartphone.com/article479.html
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…
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.
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.
Sigh... when will we statesiders get the UNIVERSAL!!!! 320 x 240 res is ass. I want that VGA monster.
What is the processor speed? Can you please test with Skype? If Skype works, I'm buying!!!
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?
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.
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.
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?
How does the size of the SDA compare to the SMT5600? Can you get some pics of them side-by-side?
Oh 8125, Oh 8125 wherefore art thou 8125?
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....
The 8125 looks UGLY!
Why are people asking about Skype for these things like it is a make or break feature? It's already a phone and will already be able to call anyone else who has a phone regardless of whether EDGE or wi-fi is available?
Depending on price I think the SDA might really be a killer product for people who are going to use it for 90% phone and 10% other activities (SMS, web, email, camera, calendar, contacts). I like the idea of being able to get on the web via the free wi-fi that is available in many places for an occasional check of my Gmail account without having to pay for monthly high speed cell data service that I don't require on my personal phone. If Windows Mobile 5.0 and ActiveSync work correctly and are easy to use it will also benefit from people's comfort with using the familiar Msft interface. My prediction is that the SDA will be a strong seller for T-Mobile with people who have a Blackberry for their business phone and want a full featured personal phone and for people who want to dip their toes in the waters of smartphones but aren't ready to have a PDA phone or pay for monthly data service on their cell plan.
Yeah, I too would like to know more info about T-mobile's claim to have AOL Instant Messenger and Yahoo Messenger already installed on their MDA. That is basically the only primary reason why I haven't gone ahead and purchased a Qtek 9100 or K-Jam from ebay. I don't want to go through the trouble of getting these programs installed if they will already be there on T-mobile's MDA.
Why have Skype? Because the majority of people you call are not in the US and International calling rates are expensive......
I know this is not "most people" but those who are in this area appreciate Skype's functionality and service.
Why have Skype? Because the majority of people you call are not in the US and International calling rates are expensive......
I know this is not "most people" but those who are in this area appreciate Skype's functionality and service.
Can someone that actually has the T-MO version of this phone once and for all say if the phone is slow.
I got to test drive the Verizon version of the phone and it did not seem that slow to me when opening/closing the keyboard.
I was very surprised to see how small the phone is. The pictures don't do it justice. They really packed a lot into a small form-factor.
Skype is make or break because I don't want to pay high rates to my international friends and family. I want to be-able to hop on wifi where ever I am in the world and call people
I work for a Cingular agent and went to training on 2125 and 8125 last week, presented by a rep of HTC. 2125 is in select stores/markets now(not in OKC yet). Told that the 8125 will be available end of Feb. Hands on with the 8125 and 2125 was great. Trading my SMT5600 and getting a 8125.
I bought the Qtek 9100 this week. I think the phone dialer looks a little user-friendlier (bigger keypad on-screen buttons) on T-Mobile's version.
I like the Qtek so far. I'm a hardcore Sidekick user, so still getting used to this. A few more steps for things than the SK.
But I definitely like it better than the Treo.
T-Mobile MDA Vario aka (Dopod 838, i-mate K-jam, Cingular 8125, HTC WIZARD, O2 Xda Mini S, Orange SPV M3000, Qtek 9100...etc)
Seems to be the best thing available right now in the U.S.
I am mostly looking at the T-Mobile MDA Vario vs. Cingular 8125
the Voice/ Data plans are my major concern...
It will be great if anyone can provide Price of T-Mobile vs. Cingular on the Data service along with the speed of the EDGE on both... i hear T-Mobile is rolling out their UMTS network fully in place by 2007... closest thing to 3G...
and if T-Mobile do in fact have that...
I will get the MDA Vario for now... and get rid of it a year later to replace it with the HTC Universal or Dopod 900... although it's bluky for a cellphone but the processor double the speed of the MDA Vario... and it comes with 3G... it can also run WiFi simultaneously... unlike MDA which you have to manually switch between WiFi or EDGE...
For those of you who wants more spec. on the MDA Vario or the Dopod 900 aka (i-mate JASJAR, Qtek 9000, HTC Universal...etc)... here are the specs.
i-mate K-Jam
http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=127413
i-mate JASJAR
http://www.expansys.com/bundle.asp?code=119353
In New York City... i know a place that could order the i-mate K-Jam aka MDA Vario on this website... ship it over here and activate it with T-Mobile since the i-mate K-Jam has all T-Mobile sittings... it is the European version of the MDA Vario... it fact you might be able to do it yourself...
but i would rather wait... just incase they have change some software settings and programs on the MDA...
out of all of the new pda,s coming out why in the heck does t-mobile sell the most ugly ones.either the sell to little kid,s-pink razer or there selling the older users this ugly junk.
I'm expecting my two MDA's next week (was selected for the MDA field test too). I'm a bit excited being the first Pocket PC phones in almost a year from T-Mobile.
Does anyone know if these devices will the the AKU 2.0 that has the new Push Email and Stereo Bluetooth Profile? I'm hoping that's what's taken them so long to get these devices out there. I'd be a little hesitant to buy it without that on there, mobile operators in the US are usually pretty bad about releasing ROM upgrades.
Is the latest T-Mobile MDA compatible with the GPS based Delorme Street Atlas USA 2006 & or MS Street Atlas 2005?
Do any of these phones come with GPS?
EDGE is up to 240kps where GPRS is up to 56kps
Are there any Reviews of this phone out yet?
Edge is about three times as fast, as the current gprs that t-mobile offers, right around 100 kbps (think early DSL). 3G is slated to be out by the end of 2006, early 2007. One giggle...Starbucks are already "wired up" with T-Mobiles HotSpot services, along with many airports, Borders Books, etc. Go to link to learn more about what T-mobile offers for wireless locations and services.
The MDA has ICQ, AIM, MSN, and Yahoo IM built-in. No GPS