Now with push e-mail, the Windows Mobile 5.0- and Wi-Fi-packing 8125 smartphone has been making waves since its release earlier this year. How does it stack up to the latest 3G business handsets?
Review summary of the Cingular 8125:
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 With its roomy, slide-out keypad, full suite of mobile Office apps, push e-mail capabilities and built-in Wi-Fi, Cingular's 8125 makes for a formidable smartphone, even compared to the latest EV-DO-enabled competitors. However, the tricky Windows Mobile 5.0 menu system requires a precise, steady hand with the stylus, and the phone's lack of 3G data access puts it a step behind such business-phone powerhouses as the 700p and 700w Palm Treos. Release: February 2006. Price: $100.
Pros: Excellent messaging features, including push e-mail; built-in Wi-Fi; strong document management and editing; nice PIM options; easy-to-use thumbboard
Cons: EDGE data access only; intricate menus can be tough to access with a stylus
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Full Cingular 8125 Review:
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Messaging - Excellent
The 8125 comes with an impressive arsenal of messaging options, not the least of which is its new push e-mail capabilities for corporate Exchange users (courtesy of Cingular's June rollout of Microsoft's Messaging and Security Feature Pack for the 8125 and its little brother, the 2125). You can also sync your messages with ActiveSync or download Cingular's Xpress Mail client to your PC, which redirects your messages and PIM info to the handheld -- nice.
Keying in messages was a breeze thanks to the 8125's roomy, slide-out thumbboard, with boasts a full set of wide, slightly domed keys. That said, navigating the galaxy of Windows Mobile 5.0 menus with the stylus can be a bit tricky.
Productivity - Very good
You get a full suite of mobile Office apps with the 8125, including Excel Mobile, PowerPoint Mobile, Word Mobile, and the on-the-go version of Outlook. Each did a fine job of displaying our Office apps, and editing options abound (except for PowerPoint Mobile, which only lets you view slideshows). We noticed a few quirks when it came to formatting: we lost an image or two, and some curly quotes came across garbled on the 8125's PDF viewer; otherwise, mobile Office users will have plenty to work with. Just bear in mind that all those options can be a little tough to access if you're navigating a crowded sidewalk or sitting in a bumpy train.
Multimedia - Good
Web browsing on the 8125 was a step above the norm thanks to the mobile version of Internet Explorer, which features both wide-page and full-screen modes. Mobile IE had no trouble with the XHTML Google home page, and it pulled down the lengthy New York Times page with relative ease (although it stumbled a bit while formatting the columns). Surfing was relatively speedy on the phone's EDGE connection, although it sped up considerably once we connected to our office Wi-Fi network. Meanwhile, music and video buffs can enjoy the sights and sounds of the mobile Windows Media Player, which lets you sync with your desktop music collection and playlists.
Scheduling - Very good
The mobile version of Outlook on the 8125 gives you a sleek view of your schedule, with color-coded appointments in the day and week views as well as agenda, month and even year views. Exchange, ActiveSync and Xpress users can get their calendar info synched over the air or from a desktop via the included USB cable. Again, there is a dizzying (and intricate) array of options and settings available, some of which can be tough to find with the stylus or when using the 8125 one-handed.
Calling - Very good
Calling quality was good -- if not crystal-clear -- on the 8125, with some noticeable (but expected) sound degradation over our Bluetooth headset. Conference calling is available, as is a speakerphone and limited voice-calling capabilities (you can assign voice tags to contacts, but there's no true voice recognition). Contact management is excellent thanks to the mobile version of Outlook, and typing in new contacts was a pleasure thanks to the generous thumbboard. We got nearly four hours of talk time and 2.5 days of standby time from the 8125 -- not bad for a smartphone.
Related phones: Cingular business phones
Price and availability
The Cingular 8125 will start selling for $100 to $350 ((AT&T)) in February 2006.
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