After the commotion that arose from the launch of the new iPhone (and the corresponding scare when seeing its rates in Spain) many telephone fans are debating whether to tie themselves up for 24 months with our beloved telephone in exchange for the “best design” or wait a while for May the arrival of iphone-hackers make its price drop like the stock market in times of crisis.
But browsing the Internet a little, I almost by chance came across a device unknown to me until then called “omnia”, which arouses my curiosity… could there be a phone that overshadows the iPhone itself?
If I had to answer right now I would say yes, and although even I (telephone’s archenemy since ancient times) have been tempted by Steve Jobs’ toy, I have just discovered that there is life beyond the iPhone and I will venture to say that since its release, a particular Olympics have begun between mobile phone manufacturers in a fierce fight to develop a device (let’s call it x-phone) at the level of such a famous rival.
Throughout this article I will present you the latest x-phones that have seen the light and I will analyze them as far as possible, who will take the gold medal in the obstacle course?
In lane 1 the HTC Diamond competes, a safe bet by HTC (known for the good quality of its PDAs) in which an interface similar to that of the iPhone called TouchFLO3D stands out, developed to run on the support of its operating system: Windows Mobile 6.1.
Its main assets are 3G connectivity through HSDPA (which allows connections at a speed of up to 7.2 Mbps), WiFi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.0 technology (something essential today in a mobile device), integrated GPS, a 2.8-inch touch screen (not multi-touch), a 3.2 megapixel camera, 4GB of internal memory and a 900mAh battery.
These last two features are the weak points of the HTC, since other devices have more memory and better autonomy.
On the second street, Sony Ericsson’s first attempt to get on the bandwagon of the technological future makes its appearance with the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1, and we could say that it remains a declaration of intentions. I say this not because it cannot compete with the rest of the adversaries, but because the lack of a “touch” interface gives the sensation of being in front of a PDA instead of a phone or even a hybrid.
This model is characterized by being the only one that does not sacrifice the keyboard, incorporating one of the slide type, which despite what it may seem, is detrimental to the design. It also has a 3-inch screen, 3G connectivity through HSPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, a 3.2 megapixel camera, integrated GPS and an expandable internal memory using microSD cards, all supported by Windows Mobile 6.1.
These are the first two models candidates to overthrow the fashionable telephone, destined to compete in a market full of originals and imitations, where even the smallest factor that may seem insignificant can mean the difference between success and failure. In the next installment I will introduce you to the rest of the competitors in this race to make the Mac empire tremble.