 The Velocity Mobile 111 is the new company's first QWERTY phone, and it will also feature the updated Windows Mobile interface found on its touchscreen cousin, the Velocity Mobile 103. And in the same way, we're more interested in the hardware specs on the 111 than we are in the interface tweaks. This isn't to say Velocity Mobile's interface design isn't a success, it just isn't going far enough to make the Windows Mobile experience more simple, at least not yet. Company reps tell us their interface will improve over time, but until then, the 111 might still be a worthwhile device. We like the trackball / touchscreen combo (listening, RIM?), and Velocity Mobile has borrowed a trick from HTC's Touch, extending the touch sensitivity just a bit off screen so those tiny menu buttons at the bottom are easier to hit. We wish the screen was better than QVGA resolution, but otherwise, with 3G HSDPA networking, Wi-Fi and GPS navigation, the Velocity Mobile 111 is no slouch. Pricing and sales channels have yet to be announced, but the company says it won't be more than 12 weeks until the phone is available. Release: November 2008.
Pros: Trackball, QWERTY and touchscreen all on one device, a nice combination. Feature-rich.
Cons: Average resolution screen for cutting-edge phone. Interface will go deeper with time, they tell us.
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Slight |
MODERATE |
Palpable |
Extreme |
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