i-mate Smartflip

Is your PDA-phone your partner in life? If its too bulky and complicated, you just sometimes want to break up with it, right? The new i-mate Smartflip is the answer to your dilemma.

This ultra sleek, clamshell smart phone is packed with a wide range of features which include Bluetooth connectivity, Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 Office compatibility, and quad-band functions. The i-mate Smartflip also features a high quality 1.3- mega pixel camera and a music player with dedicated controls for ease of use.

Comparing this compact i-mate Smartflip to other phones in the market, one would say that this phone is definitely unique because it went against the bandwagon of the typical candy bar smartphone. This one's a "flip" phone or should we say a "clamshell" phone with dual screen. Weighing 99 grams with dimensions 98.5mm x 51.4mm x 15.8mm, this mobile phone handset supports Quad-band GSM signals. The external 128 x 128 LCD screen supports 65K colors. Though small in size, approximately 1.2 inches, this screen surely is very useful for displaying information. Simple features that you just can't live without, such as battery status, Caller-ID information, call logs, and Mp3 player track information and clock can all be found bundled with this mobile phone handset. The internal 2.2 inch TFT LCD screen on the other hand exudes a vibrant 240x320 display.

The keypad is backlit in order to provide its users with ease of use in the dark. Buttons are also strategically placed all over the phone for a smooth metallic black finish. Designated Music Player controls are on the front, volume and voice tag keys are on the left, and camera controls are on the right. A microphone and loudspeaker are also present. One need not flip open the phone all the time for simple tasks.

With its 195MHz processor and 64MB internal memory, the i-mate Smartflip has a built-in microSD slot for memory expansion, which is located underneath the sim card. Data transfer is through its proprietary 12-pin USB connector which is unique for this device. Connectivity options are limited to GPRS and Bluetooth - no 3G, Wi-Fi and Infrared, so this would be a big dismay to Wi-Fi and video streaming users out there.

Budding photographers will also be disappointed with the built in 1.3 megapixel camera of this mobile phone handset. This is because it has no flash functions. Taking pictures is limited in well-lit areas, But taking portraits is made easy - thanks to the external screen. It offers several features such as white balance setting adjustment, sepia, grayscale, 2 and 10 second self-timer together with 2x digital zoom functions.

Music lovers on the other hand can rejoice because of the dedicated three-track buttons on the front panel of this mobile phone which are for the music player that can play MP3,WMA,WAV,AMR and AAC formats for easy navigation, so users need not open the phone to look at tracks. The MicroSD card can also be loaded with music so you can listen to your favorite songs.

Like any other Smartphones, the i-mate Smartflip would not be complete without its Microsoft Mobile 5.0 functionality. Professionals will still get their dose of office applications such as Outlook, PDF, ClearVue's Document, Worksheet applications and Presentations together with Calendar, Internet Explorer, Contacts, Pocket MSN, Games, Calculator, Windows Media Player and ActiveSync.

Synchronizing with your PC is also made easy through te USB. However, users should be cautious since the i-mate Smartphone uses a 12-pin connector. One would actually have a hard time searching for a functional replacement if it's lost or damaged.

Pros

• User-friendly navigation buttons and keys
• Compact and lightweight
• No need for a stylus to navigate menu functions
• Dual vivid LCD screen displays
• Bundled with all the useful stuff you actually need from a functional smartphone

Cons

• Small LCD display which provides users with difficulties in viewing long emails or spreadsheets
• Lacks WiFi, infrared, and 3G
• Poor video or image quality due to small LCD display size
• No camera flash

Overall

If you need a mobile phone handset which can easily switch from play to work, the i-mate Smartflip mobile phone handset is a good choice. Compact, sleek, stylish and with all smartphone features, this phone will not disappoint you.