The Dopod D810 packs all the features a mobile warrior could wish for a full keyboard. Nonetheless, the D810 has a lot to write home about as it comes multiple connection methods to stay online.

I was able to get my hands on the more fashionable pearly white model that resembles a bar of soap. For a more fashion oriented review of the D810, you can hop over to The Gadgenista.

I believe that Dopod has been rebranded into HTC, which was really the original OEM for this line. I don’t know exactly why this happened but the new HTC brand seems to be more powerful with the fish like logo.

The Quad band D810 comes with built in WiFi and HSDPA as well as Bluetooth connectivity. There are two cameras for your standard video calls via HSDPA / 3G with the main camera sporting 2 megapixels. It is quite rare for a Windows Mobile device to come with a very decent camera as more often than not, the pictures tend to be grainy despite the marketing claims of high quality and high megapixel count. You can check out photo samples from The Gadgenista.

According to CNET, the D810 also comes with a built in GPS chip that needs to be activated through a firmware update:

A GPS chip can be found in the D810 for navigation. Originally, when the device was first announced, the GPS feature was disabled. A later firmware upgrade then activated this feature, and all that is required is the GPS software. We tested the unit using MapKing and found that navigation was good. It generally took less than 30 seconds to get a GPS lock, and from there, the D810 did well to pinpoint location and traveling speed when navigating in a moving vehicle. Do note that no software or maps are included with the device, so factor the extra cost in if that is important for you. [CNET source]

The D810 comes with 128MB of flash ROM and a miniSD expansion slot where you can store files. If you want to store music, the device reads WMA and MP3.

PROS
Feature packed with multiple connectivity options
Decent picture quality
Comes with a leather belt case

CONS
Stylus slot should have been placed on top of the device

Post from: Cellphone9

Here are some afterthoughts about the HTC Touch and the iPhone hype

• The iPhone will have to reinvent itself soon as a lot of other tech companies are saturating the market with these touch-enabled phones
• Not that Apple will be “just another player” but the competitiveness of other phone companies will shine if Apple doesn’t try to improve several other features on the iPhone. The Touch’s UI make it easy to do one hand acrobatics
• The iPhone is still a champion when it comes to making an integrated keypad work
• $600 is still the price for an innovative smartphone

Post from: Cellphone9

From the company formerly known as HTC – well actually it still is HTC, except that the name “Dopod” is there as a subsidiary company – comes the Dopod 838 Pro, a step up from the previous version which was rather bulky and expensive.

The 838 Pro has been around for some time in Asia, making its rounds through each country as it reaches the West. Some of the highlights of this device include:

What’s to love about it is the multiple connectivity options, especially now with HSDPA support. Not a lot of handhelds support 3.5G (that’s because not all networks support HSDPA) so the 838 Pro is one of the few “higher-tech” smartphones available with this mode of connectivity.

Another nifty feature is the built in Microsoft biz card scanning mechanism that inputs all pertinent business card information into your contact list by simply taking a picture of the calling card. Loads of info on business cards may take more than a minute to input. Scanning the card with your camera takes about 20 seconds on low light.

Post from: Cellphone9

Here is a sample image taken using the special macro mode of the Dopod 818 Pro. I had a a chance to play with the deivice for a few minutes and found the camera to have huge lag when it comes to focusing. This is expected with PDA cameras. What’s great though is that the 2.0MP camera is way better than the XDA Atom in terms of quality.

At 1600×1200, the sample macro image taken by the 818 is close to impressive. It may take a very steady hand to focus well though.

To activate the camera, one has to switch the lever of the camera at the back of the unit to “macro” mode instead of the regular shooting mode. User feedback from Dopod / iMate owners are most welcome.

Post from: Cellphone9