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i-mate adds splash of color, WM6 to SPL
It looks like i-mate's SLVR-like Smartphone, the TechFaith-sourced SPL, has gone to finishing school and learned a few new tricks in the process. First up, the phone will now be offered in red, blue and pink -- all welcome additions to the slightly less-exciting gloss black launched back at CTIA last fall -- but that's only half the story. The other (arguably more interesting) half is that we're seeing shots of the phones bearing Windows Mobile 6 Standard, and while no announcement is being made at 3GSM regarding available of the re-upped OS on this particular device, we reckon it's a good sign for the future. Internally, the new colors look exactly the same as the original model -- meaning that 3G, EDGE, and GSM 850 are all no-shows -- but really, who doesn't want a bright red candybar rocking Bluetooth, a 2 megapixel cam, 128MB of Flash, 64MB of RAM, and the platform formerly known as Crossbow? Hit up the gallery for more shots of the full SPL prism! i-mate's SPL in color
i-mate SPL Windows Mobile handset reviewed
We first caught sight of i-mate's SLVR-esque SPL handset a few months ago, but the good folks at MobileBurn have now managed to actually get their hands on one of 'em, coming away fairly impressed with the familiar-looking handset. The phone itself is a Windows Mobile number, with 128MB ROM, 64MB RAM, a miniSD slot, Bluetooth, a 2.2-inch LCD, and a 2 megapixel camera. That camera looks to be one of the handset's biggest failings, according to MobileBurn, who found it to perform well below average without so much as an auto-focus option. Also taking it down a few notches is the lack of WiFi and 3G data capability, as well as a somewhat slow to respond interface. That said, they still found enough to like to give the SPL a "highly recommended" rating, with the phone's comparatively low price being one of the biggest factors working in its favor.
The i-mate ZAQ
Remember the legendary Zack Morris Phone (aka, the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X)? Ok, steel yourselves, we're re-christening it from here on out: the i-mate JAQ is now to be referred to as the ZAQ because it's the largest, ugliest, most plasticy Windows Mobile phone we've ever used. Seriously, straight up like that. We know it's not i-mate's fault -- they didn't design Inventec's reject of a QWERTY phone -- but we really think they should do the real Zack proud and stick with HTC. Morris called us earlier tonight on his 8000X to tell us he doesn't appreciate what's going on, and he's considering going to Belding with all this hullabaloo.P.S. -Click on for more shots of the JAQ and SPL, as that's why we were writing this in the first place.
i-mate rolls out JAQ and SPL models
It's official: i-mate isn't just a HTC rebrand shop anymore. Their new JAQ and SPL models have just been announced for reals, and neither relies on their ol' standby partner to provide the goods. The JAQ hails from Inventec, packing Pocket PC Phone Edition into a fairly clever looking (or different looking, if nothing else) QWERTY chassis with 128MB of ROM, 64MB of RAM, miniSD expansion, Bluetooth, and a 2.8-inch display. The SPL, on the other hand, bears a striking resemblance to a device we first saw outta TechFaith. The slim candybar Smartphone rocks stats similar to its JAQ sibling with the same 128MB ROM / 64MB RAM, miniSD, and Bluetooth, but with a more Smartphone-appropriate 2.2-inch LCD. i-mate is positioning both of these devices as mid-range, suggesting that they might be looking at non-HTC handsets to bring Windows Mobile on the cheap while their HTCs will stay positioned at the top. [Warning: PDF link]
