Telecoms

Got Smart

March 13, 2010 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - The time of the smartphone has arrived. OK, so arrived a few months back. But now, more than ever, people from all walks of life and ages, I might add, too, have gotten into the smartphone habit.

Habit? Yes, habit.

After all, that is what I like to call the “addiction” many of us have to cellphones.

Let’s see, cellphone addicts who are deep into the habit are people who keep their eyes, ears, and minds focused on what’s new out there.

I know a lot of folks like them, perhaps because I’m one of them, too.

I know that the smart cellphones have been around for a few years now. These handsets have been designed as candybar cellphones, flip cellphones and then the more traditional type — the ones that have a QWERTY keyboard.

A little more about the QWERTY smartphones. In the past, perhaps about two to three years ago, these cellphones were considered unattractive and perfect for the boring executive or entrepreneur.

I have news for you — this is old news. The new cellphone to have is the one with the QWERTY keyboard hanging out.

“Have you seen the latest Samsung B7330 or the Omnia Pro?” asked Miggy, a cellphone addict like me. “It is just what the doctor ordered for Samsung.”

Miggy was amazed at how the Korean cellphone manufacturer has kept with the pulse of cellphone users and developed cellphone after cellphone to capture the imagination of every user there is.

Miggy is right. I have been watching the Samsung cellphones closely, and each time a new one is released by Samsung it is always a little more fun than its predecessor.

The Samsung Omnia Pro or B7330 is one great gadget from Samsung.

“There are sorts of cellphone users,” said Globe’s Jesus Romero when I asked him about what kind of cellphone businessmen and entrepreneurs prefer. “There will be businessmen who prefer touch-screen cellphones and others who will go for the standard QWERTY cellphones. But what I do know is that the new sleek models of QWERTY cellphones have attracted lots of businessmen.”

Smartphone-savvy

And so it is with the Samsung B7330 Omnia Pro. The device runs on Windows Mobile 6.1.

Easy does it has been a constant cry of mine when it comes to cellphones, and the Omnia Pro is just that. For anyone who has used the Samsung B7320, the Samsung Omnia Pro is not just a higher version, it is a better version and it uses the new Windows Mobile 6.1 in a great way.

Let’s start with the design of the Omnia Pro. It comes in glossy black finish with a QWERTY keyboard upfront. The black body has golden keys and red numeric keys, which give the cellphone a unique look — I like the way the key colors have been positioned. And by adding color to the keypad, the phones get a hip touch. Cool. The size of the screen of the phone is 2.6 inches. The device offers 65,000 colors and 320 by 320-pixel resolution.

I like that the Samsung B7330 OmniaPRO is compact and thin. I find it easier to fish the phone out of my bag because it isn’t so small that it’s hard to find and yet it isn’t bulky that it gets in the way of my sense of style.

As a cellphone user, I prefer the units that are big enough to hold yet understated and classy. And the Samsung B7330 is just that.

Let’s get techie

B7330 OmniaPRO has a QVGA display of 2.63 inches, Wi-Fi support, Bluetooth connectivity, 3.2-megapixel camera, microSD card slot, and GPS receiver, to name a few.

The 3.2-megapixel camera is quite good. It takes good quality photos. Since I am one who believes that a camera is different from a cellphone, I’m happy with the Omnia Pro’s 3.2-megapixel camera.

I really like that the Omnia Pro B7330 is a more businesslike smartphone than the rest of the Omnias. I also am really in love with the keypad of this smartphone because it is made really well and respond to touch very quickly. The D-pad is large and its outer rim is nicely raised from its surroundings so it is easy to press at speed.

The shortcut keys that surround it, two soft menu keys, home key and back key are small but individually domed so they sit comfortably under the fingers. Call and End keys sit outside those other keys and are tall and again easy to find.

The B7330 also has a dedicated key on the bottom row that makes creating a new text message a snap. A must for texters on the run. In addition to this the home screen has a horizontal scroll bar, which has app shortcuts on, and a link to more shortcuts that you can configure.

Facebook, RSS reader, podcast manager, FM radio have all become standard features of Samsung cellphones and the B7330 is no exception.

How you use your cellphone is a very personal matter. There are texters, there are callers, there are those who need to check e-mail, there are social network users who always have to update their status on Facebook, Twitter or whatever other social networking site they may be. The Samsung B7330 makes the grade for any kind of cellphone user. It is great for the fun-lovers, who look to share what they are doing as it happens, and it is also a great business communication companion for the serious businessperson.

Samsung just got smarter.

At a glance

True messaging center

• Support for key business mobile push e-mail solutions (MS Exchange ActiveSync, IBM Lotus Notes Traveler).

• Support for leading IM programs (MSN Messenger, GTalk, Yahoo IM, etc.) and social networking sites, including Facebook and MySpace.

Windows Mobile 6.1

• Windows Mobile 6.1 is a business-tailored software that offers a familiar OS on the mobile — seamless compatibility from mobile to PC.

• MS Office suite applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF Files.

• Access to e-mail and PIM applications such as calendar, contacts, tasks, etc. that help keep you organized.

Powerful connectivity

• Wi-Fi keeps users connected to Internet hot spots for affordable Web surfing anywhere.

• HSDPA connects at incredibly fast speeds of 3.6Mbps for instant downloads of media content or live media streaming.