Hands-on with ASUS touchscreen M536 QWERTY

Here you go QWERTY fans, ASUS' M536. This touch-screen follow-up to the M530W runs Windows Mobile 6.1 under that 2.43-inch, 320 x 320 display. Inside you'll find 802.11b/g WiFi, 256MB of flash, and GPS. While it sports 3.6Mbps HSDPA on the 2100/1900/850 bands, it's unfortunately limited to GSM/EDGE/GPRS riding the 900/1800/1900 frequencies. As such, we'll bet this one is heading straight to Europe, Statesiders. Our hands-on was brief due to that fingerprint scanner. Still, we'd bet that this business minded handset will come sporting ASUS' own sultry WinMo overlay whenever it does launch.

Gallery: Hands-on with ASUS touchscreen M536 QWERTY

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[Chris @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:26AM]

Looks good wish my Treo had that screen resolution!

[JAmerican @ Mar 3rd 2008 5:42PM]

oh you mean Windows Mobile Treo.

I was about to say Palm asked for that resolution since the Palm OS ones have that resolution.

[Zach @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:42AM]

This is supposed to be 320x320 and hit the sprint network sometime in the next few months.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/24/more-palm-800w-specs-leak-out-no-change-in-ugliness/

Hopefully, with the iPhone here we'll begin to see higher resolution smartphones. I'm hoping that when Android hits at the end of the year we'll start seeing VGA resolution phones (640x480). That's about as high res as I want a 2.8-3.5 inch display to get.

[DrMatatan @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:34AM]

damn thats oogly

[iknowbetta @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:36AM]

completly crap.. is it too hard designing something without bulky edges in a slim formfactor?

[Ty @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:38AM]

What a disgusting looking thing.

AND it has Windoze Mobile on it?

I feel physically sick.

*goes to stroke iPhone*

[Raheem @ Mar 3rd 2008 10:28AM]

Why must you be the way you are?

I have an iPhone but there's no way I'm going to say it's *better* than a Win-Mo Phone - they do different things. I miss my XDA Mini S from time to time.

Sure our iPhones look nicer to us, but if that's the only reason you buy a phone, you can't start comparing to something like this which adopts function over style.

[Lein @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:13AM]

That thing wouldn't look bad if it wasn't for the display just seeming... small. Sure it's nice being 320x320 and all, but there is just way too much bezel going around there.

And what the heck with the arrow keys? Wouldn't it be better just to omit them at that point?

[Zach @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:19AM]

***Are there any android phones at CeBIT?***

That's what I'm really interested in. I want to see those android phones. Hopefully, we'll get a some before the end of the year. If they were the VGA variety I'd be even more stocked.

[bob cobb @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:34AM]

That screen is awful. With phones like that and the treo you need to fill out the enter bezel with the screen because of the limited space

[Smiley @ Mar 3rd 2008 9:08AM]

The navigation pad is utterly silly.
The screen is too small.
The Samsung i780 is out.

[Jeff @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:47AM]

aliased text feels so 1990 to me. :\

(and the handset, capable as it may be, is altogether pretty yawn-inspiring design wise)

pass.

[Gavin @ Mar 3rd 2008 6:30PM]

ugh, i don't get it. why do companies insist on designing phones with giant bezels around the screens? either custom order lcd displays or just design the phone better, it's hideous.