John,
re: Review (from Italy): Motorola T260 GPRS "WorldPhone" with Motorola links.
<< Re: Parthus. In all honesty, I was not familiar with Parthus prior to the referenced GPRS quotes. >>
Makes 2 of us. That doesn't make them uncredible however
<< I think the question is what does MOT think about GPRS >>
Well, they sure have been in the forefront of GPRS. The single thing that lends credibility to GPRS at the moment is their partner BT Cellnet's perseverance (and theirs).
<< If you recall, MOT set a low upper limit on the transmission rates (and thus power use) of their new GPRS phones and then ordered one of their US technical managers not to discuss the reasons for this action. Clearly they see some problem, but have clammed up rather than discuss it. >>
I recall the first part only.
Right now they have the Sonera egg to clean off their face, but those things happen in wireless evolution.
These guys (Review below) sure do translate funny, and this review isn't too enlightening, even with the translation.
They refer to 2 time slots, but I'm think this is 2+1 not 1+1. I think it is 2 (Downlink Receive) + 1 (Uplink Transmit).
Evidently this is the model that Sonera attempted to roll out in December.
I have been a little confused about the nomenclature.
BT Cellnet has been using the p7389i (which was to be commercialized as the P7389i). I guess the T260 is the somewhat evolved p7389i and P7389i and T260 are used more or less interchangeably.
Motoral link for the Timeport: P7389i / T260 is here:
motorola.com
Spec sheet here:
motorola.com
Asian version here:
motorola.com
Also: the Accompli 009 GPRS WID is here:
motorola.com
Availability for the Accompli 009 is shown as Europe 1Q 2001, North America and Asia 2Q 2001.
Other than the slow transmission speeds on a network that obviously is not ready for prime time their is no mention of the problems we know are associated with GPRS mobiles as they exist today in this review:
>> Review: Motorola T260
GSMBOX
Massimiliano Bucciol
January 29, 2001
Here, finally, the Motorola T260, what can be considered the founder, at least as regards the marketing of this type of devices in our Country, of a new generation of cellular telephones that in the next six months, and however within 2001, are destined to replace the "simple" dual band currently in commerce. We are speaking of the telephones GPRS (General Packer Radio Service), technology that allows a bigger data transfer and a different type of billing for the same: not anymore at time but depending on the quantity of downloaded data. Blue and Omnitel are already operational under this front, already offering the possibility to use this new technology, although the data transfer rate is still distant from the one possible through the GPRS.
The purchase wrapping of Blue that is the only one that has commercialized it, is rich, at least if compared with the wrappings to which we have been accustomed to: besides the terminal and the battery, with trip battery-recharger, we can also find the headphone, 1 CD ROM containing the computer software True Sync and one containing the computer software to make the telephone with modem work both via cable (RS232, provided in the wrapping) and via IrDA door. To tell the truth this terminal doesn't differentiate a lot from the previous series Timeport - keeping the peculiar characteristics of it (for instance, the fact to be able to operate, besides on the two European bands of 900 and 1800 MHz, also on the American one of 1900 MHz) with the exclusion, obviously, of the addition of the GPRS - resulting, for this reason, paradoxically out of date and a little bit demodé. Belonging to the new series Timeport, it introduces itself in an elegant livery of a glazed silver colour (as it happens for the T250), even if weight, dimensions and form are the same as the ones of such a series of the American manufacturer.
In the specific "the measures" of this tested device are 130 x 47 x 24 mm. for 108 grams of weight. The antenna is of a fixed type and the display, of Optimax type (like in the whole recent Motorola production), is from 96 x 32 pixels, backlighted with the "old" leds of green colour - and not of blue, as it happens for the T250 - and from the adjustable contrast to the end user's liking. In stand by it is displayed: up on the left the level of the field (the usual stylized bridge having from 1 to 5 nicks); jumping on the right the level of position of the battery (the stylized battery from 3 to 1 nicks, but the state of the battery can also be displayed from the menu and in a more precise way); name of the carrier in the centre; the timetable, just under the name of the carrier, always in the centre; in case of qualification of the card to the GPRS, it will appear, in the inferior part, on the right the GPRS inscription and on the right the timetable. Up on the left, looking frontally at the device, the led multi-functions that, in case of correct operativity of the telephone, flashes of green colour, in case of incoming call it flashes alternatively of red and green, if the field is absent it flashes of red. The battery in endowment, made of lithium from 500 mAhs, it guarantees a stand by of 140 hours and a conversation time of 4 hours. As it regards our test, the duration of the same has been of 3 abundant working days, including various phone calls, SMS, navigations of the menu and test of the WAP and traditional navigation: it is undoubtedly a satisfactory result.
The menu of the telephone is nearly identical to the one of the "old" Motorola, also as for graphical user interface; something could be done considering the contained technology and the time spent from when the telephones with such a menu have been produced. The remarkable functions and endowments of the T260 are:
- microbrowser WAP, in version 1.1, for the navigation of Internet, also in GPRS form
- vibracall, to be warned of the incoming callings in discreet way, when the sounder could be out of place or bother
- internal modem, for the navigation of the Net, with the technology GPRS, connected to PC through the IrDA door, available on the top of the telephone or cable in endowment
- vocal memo, made active with the small key placed on the right of the strike, looking frontally at the telephone, that allows to record up to 3 minutes, divided in 5 blocks of memory
- voice command, that allows to enable locally up to 9 functions of the menu
- voice dial, same thing as it regards the vocal call of 25 numbers available in index book
- computer software iTAP, similar to the T9 of the Tegic, for the rapid composing of the SMS
- 11 sounders, the classical Motorola, and the possibility to compose the musical one and to send it, or to receive it, via SMS (unique innovation introduced)
- possibility to signal an incoming calling with sounder, vibration or vibration and then sounder, as the American manufacturer has always done in its products
- variable tone of reception of SMS (the choice is however limited to the sounders of the telephone )
- selection of the band on which to operate: 900/1800 MHZ OR 1900 MHZ;
The GPRS navigation - both WAP with the only cellular phone and traditional with a connected PC - in Internet deserves a brief reflection since its form is the true novelty of this terminal.
Excellent is the possibility to stay always connected, having the line free so as to receive possible phone calls and the system of billing not anymore at time but at quantity of data "taken" from the Net, as we have seen.
As of today, however, the speed of the same is clearly inferior to the one abstractly possible of 160 Kb/secs. (using 8 timeslots from 20 Kb/secs. each). As far as the T260 is concerned, it doesn't use for instance anything but 2 timeslots, reaching the maximum speed, theoretical, of 40 Kb/secs. Theoretical since both Omnitel (to tell the truth still in phase of test and therefore rather slow) and Blue (which offers the possibility to exploit just one timeslot - equal to 20 Kb/secs. - and only in the areas directly covered, still few, in effects) don't succeed in allowing an enough data transfer rate to make us regret the old system yet. Within the summer, it is hoped, the things will change and the GPRS will be an already more desirable and useful thing.
The price of the Motorola T260 is of about 400 Euro. A little bit expensive if we think that the only additional endowment that it offers in comparison to the other Timeport, quite cheaper, is the GPRS. The addressees of the handset are those people that, in preview, want to test this new technology without giving up the possibility to own a tested telephone that can be used also in America. Certainly the decrease of the price is also easily predictable because of the imminent release of other handsets equipped with GPRS and that even introduce functions, computer software and applications which are really abreast the times.
CONSIDER ALSO
For the time being, it is impossible to compare the T260 with other devices: we should do it with terminals enabled with the GPRS and, there are not any today on our market.
Announced are the Trium Geo GPRS, the Trium Mondo and the Samsung SGH-Q100 but we don't know neither when they will be commercialized nor their purchase cost. In synthesis it is still soon for making comparisons.
VERDICT
In conclusion it is possible to claim that, although out of date in the computer software and in the other applications, the Motorola T260 is, however, the first GPRS handset that we have the occasion to try, or to purchase. Its importance is due more to the suddenness of the American colossus to commercialize a device of this type than to the real innovative contents of the same. Not that it is not a valid telephone: it has in fact what it is useful for an average-high use from any typology of end user but nothing more. The Timeport series has also been without doubt "fortunate" for the important merit to be able to work, without need to change device, also on the American frequencies, useful, therefore, for those people who often have to go in the States for job or at leisure. <<
- Eric - |
