CONSUMER
O2 releases new gadgets for Christmas
11-11-2003
by
Mobile operator O2 Ireland on Tuesday began the pre-Christmas hype for its two newest handsets, the XDA II and the new O2 X1.
Both of the new devices have been launched in parent company mmO2's subsidiaries in Ireland, the UK and Germany.
The X1, a mobile phone, is the second such device created especially for O2 following the release of the ill-reviewed Sharp GX1 last year. The X1, however, is likely to be met with more positive feedback thanks to a slew of new features that have been packed into the high-end mobile phone, which will sell in Ireland for EUR199 on a pre-pay plan and for EUR109 with a new contract.
Among the goodies in the GPRS, dual-band phone are its 65k colour display and a 180-degree rotating VGA camera, which O2 says offers the best resolution for any camera phone on the market. The 90mm by 46mm by 22mm phone also supports MMS (multimedia messaging), polyphonic ringtones, Java games and has all of the standard PIM functions (calculator, organiser, calendar).
Where the phone falls down, however, is in its lack of connectivity tools, including a glaring absence of any infrared ports or Bluetooth. Still, the competitive price, along with the sleek silver clamshell design, should make the phone a decent seller this Christmas.
Also launched was the company's widely-anticipated XDA II, which follows up on last year's launch of the XDA handheld computer and mobile phone, based on Microsoft's Pocket PC operating system.
Though O2 now describes the original XDA as a "success," the company acknowledged that sales were slower than expected in the initial months of its introduction. But the new version of the device could leave the shelves at a faster pace, if price was the sticking point for buyers: XDA II will sell for just EUR499 in Ireland, or about EUR150 less than the first XDA sold for when it was launched.
It seems that O2 also responded to the criticisms about the XDA: in the new version the company included a digital camera, Bluetooth and an MP3 player. The phone/PDA has also been made into a tri-band device so business travellers can use it in North America. Another important upgrade has been the inclusion of a removable battery, allowing owners to insert a spare when power is low.
Additionally, O2 doubled RAM in the new XDA to 128 MB, included a faster 400 MHz Intel Xscale processor and added an interesting picture caller identification tool that lets users "see who's calling."
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