Dopod 838Pro (2006)

Bad – I used this phone for 7 months and had to throw it in. it was continually bugging out and seizing up and battery life is appalling. I required a new battery after 4 months, which cost $100 as the old one only lasted one hour on stand by from full charge. Very poor attribute. Great if it sits on your desk and remains connected to laptop tp charge, but defeats protability purpose altogether..... Convenient, useful, easy to use if familiar with Windows (who isn't) Windows! It is large and cumbersome and as a PDA is briliant, however lacks user friendly phone software. Can make simple single handed tasks on an average handset a two handed and Stylus affair. Scroll button is good, but doesn't resolve most of these issues.

Good – A true mobile pocket PC communication device. i use it for email, HSGPRS, GPS sat navigation (with addition of a BT GPS receiver) and of course 2G and 3G phone calls - not to mention MP3 palyer, calander sync with outlook etc etc etc etc. The slide out keyboard has a wonderful solid feel to it. It is well spaced out and the keys are 'nice and tactile'. It makes typing emails or SMSs a breeze HOWEVER it does require two hands. (if you try typing an email or sms with one hand you will almost certainly drop your (expensive) PDA). Windows Mobile 5 takes a while to boot up but once it's running the PDA's 400 processor does a pretty good job. NOTE - a program to shut down applications is a MUST - otherwise they won't shut down until you turn the phone off and before you know it you've got in excess of a 20 apps running and no wonder the PDA is taking forever to load programmes. The phone is big, relatively bulky compared to a flip/slide/candybar phone - however - not so big compared to some other PDA other there. the PDA is quite weighty, which makes it a cumbersome appendage for a slimmer suit wearing professional - you'll find you hold it in your hand wherever you go rather than in your pocket. one more thing - the 'thumb' scroll wheel is on the wrong side! It seems to be positioned (Cf blackberry) on left hand side (which would suit left handers) - surely products are made for right handed people?