Finally, a CDMA-based Windows Mobile smartphone which doesn't take a back seat to GSM versions: Michael Oryl probes the fully featured Samsung i645 at CES.
Here at CES 2005 in Las Vegas, Korean giant Samsung was showing off their new Windows Mobile 2003 SE powered i645, a clamshell handset that runs not only the latest version of Microsoft's Smartphone platform, but also offers EV-DO 3G data capabilities.
This combination means that you will be able to use the built-in Pocket Inbox mail client and Pocket Internet Explorer application at speeds that are approaching the rates many people experience with their home DSL service. Naturally there is also Microsoft's Media Player application for playing video clips and music files. While the 32 MB of built-in RAM won't be enough for a lot of video clips and music, you can augment that by inserting a SD flash memory card into the i645.
That in itself would be enough to get the attention of most people, but the i645 actually has more going for it than the just OS and high-speed 3G data. The i645 also has a built in 1.0 Megapixel camera.
Other more typical phone functions are also available: speaker phone, voice dialing, picture caller ID - the works. The dual color displays add much to the design, being both bright and clear. The overall physical package of the i645 is quite nice, the handset feels quite light in the hand and has pretty good ergonomics.
The keypad and 5-way d-pad controller all worked well. The keys had a good feel, and the device was comfortable to hold. The volume control on the left side was easily accessed, though it couldn't be used as a scroll control as I would have hoped. The right hand side houses the camera shutter button and the SDIO card slot. Unlike the photos of the i645 that we have seen floating around the web since November, the i645 that Samsung was showing had an entirely silver interior that lacked some of the pizzazz of the other design.
I did find that the TI OMAP1610 processor that powers the device seemed a bit overtaxed by everything that was going on - even when there was no active call or data connection. This could easily be chalked up to relatively early state of the device, but we'll not know for sure until the device is finally available for real. Samsung has not announced when the dual-band CDMA i645 will be available, nor have they said which US CDMA network will be offering it first.
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