Sony Ericsson P910a
It’s a cell phone! No, it’s a PDA! Wait, it’s the Sony Ericsson P910a! As gadgets go, it’s almost impossible to resist Sony
Ericsson’s latest deluxe gadget -- and this is coming from a confirmed gadget skeptic. But the Symbian-based P910a has won
my affections, with features such as a removable, flip-out 33-key QWERTY keyboard, integration with IBM Lotus Notes and Microsoft
Exchange, and as much as 1GB of removable storage. The P910a requires an 850/1,800/1,900MHz GSM network and supports GPRS.
As one would expect from a top-of-the-line cell phone/PDA/gadget, there are more ways to synchronize the data on the P910a
with a notebook than most people have notebooks. Bluetooth, cable, and infrared connections are all options. A jog dial and
stylus -- which can be used in closed and flipped-open modes, respectively -- makes navigating menus simple. Handwriting recognition
software is also built-in.
One catch -- and this is true of most mobile devices -- is that the enclosed application suite is strictly Windows-only. Although
it’s possible to perform
many of the same functions with the built-in utilities of Mac OS X, the experience is terribly generic and, if one uses Macintosh
collaboration clients such as Entourage or Notes, it’s completely pointless.
Price: $749; Sony Ericsson
-- P.J. Connolly
T-Mobile Sidekick II (Danger hiptop2)
If the RIM BlackBerry is the sturdy, functional BMW of handheld data devices, the Sidekick is that category’s McLaren F1,
a sleek supercar of a PDA that brings the Web, POP3 or IMAP e-mail (but not Domino), IM, and even an optional SSH/Telnet console
client down to (largish) pocket size.
The unit’s most distinctive exterior feature, a bright, sharp LCD display, swings aside at the flick of your thumb to expose
a decent-quality chiclet keyboard. And let’s not forget, it’s a capable mobile phone, with basic security, scheduling, memo,
and to-do list features thrown in for good measure. The Sidekick can’t sync with your PC, but your phonebook, e-mail, to-do
list, and notepad are all mirrored to a private T-Mobile Web page, so you can import and export your address book or perform
data entry using your PC’s keyboard.
Four function buttons take position in each corner of the Sidekick’s face, and an eight-position directional pad and scroll
wheel flank the screen. If you don’t need to manually enter text or a phone number on the keyboard, the face’s controls enable
you to use most functions of the phone while the screen remains in its recessed position.
A great data device, however, does not a good phone make. Shaped like a portly deck of cards, the Sidekick isn’t well-suited
to being held up to your face. If you don’t want cheek grease on the screen, a headset or an ear bud is a must. And its built-in
camera -- complete with flash -- leaves a lot to be desired.
Price: $299; T-Mobile, Danger
-- Andrew Brandt
Andrew Brandt is a senior associate editor at PC World.
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