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i-mate Ultimate 6150
Rating:
Features
Love it or loath it; Windows
Mobile 6 is pre-loaded on all of i-mate's latest devices.
Putting aside its boring aesthetic there's no doubting the
practicality of the WM6 platform, which features a decent
suite of business apps; including an editable version of
mobile Office -- Word, Excel and PowerPoint -- Internet
Explorer and Enterprise for syncing your MS Outlook e-mail and
contacts with those from the office. In addition, there is a
plethora of WM compatible software to download online to
expand the functionality of your PDA.
For the uninitiated, using WM6 is a very similar experience
to using any other Windows operating systems. The upside to
this is that you're probably familiar with where to find most
settings and options starting by selecting the "Start" menu
key. The downside is most of these options live in menus three
or four selections from the standby screen. So while you might
be used to changing a setting with a single click or two using
a Nokia or Sony Ericsson, you will have to drill deep into the
menu structure using WM6 to perform a similar task, and this
can get tedious.
One feature that could definitely sell a bunch of Ultimate
series handsets is the TV-Out port located inconspicuously on
the right of the phone. We tested the TV-Out on a computer
monitor here in our office and the results were very good. At
XGA (1024x768) TV-Out resolution, the possibility of running a
PowerPoint presentation off the handset and displaying it for
an audience via a projector or TV is very appealing for those
who want to leave their laptop at the office.
In regards to connectivity, the Ultimate series definitely
has all the bases covered. The phones are tri-band UTMS/HSDPA
capable as well as being world-roaming quad-band GSM. During
our tests we saw excellent Internet data speeds and generally
browsing was a breeze. To compliment mobile data access the
6150 also connects to Wi-Fi networks supporting 802.11b/g/e/i
protocols. Also, as is standard these days, the Ultimate
series can make Bluetooth connections for file transfers,
Internet sharing or for connecting to a compatible hands-free
phone headset.
Performance
The longevity of the
battery between charges was well below par during our tests.
During very light testing we saw approximately three days of
charge, but any greater use -- particularly of connectivity
features like Wi-Fi or HSDPA -- and we found ourselves
charging the 6150 at the end of each day. On the upside the
battery level monitor is far more accurate that the common
four-bar level display so you can follow the disappointingly
fast depletion of battery level and be on standby with the
charger.
While the battery life is lacklustre, we were impressed
generally with the phone's operation. The i-mate Ultimate
smartphones run on a 520MHz processor with 128MB RAM and is
complimented with NVIDIA graphics acceleration. What this
amounts to is speedy processing of menus and applications --
we found there were only a few apps which require more than a
moment to register onscreen. This may sound like standard fare
for a mobile phone, but from our repeated experience of laggy
Windows Mobile devices, the Ultimate 6150 exceeded our modest
expectations.
In our opinion, touchscreens are still a contentious
feature. Many touchscreens make using the devices more
difficult and require far more patience and concentration than
the use of traditional hard inputs. This said, the touchscreen
on the Ultimate 6150 is better than we've seen recently. We
found it to be reasonably accurate and responsive,
particularly when using the stylus, and even though typing
with it feels like collecting baked beans with a toothpick, we
managed to get faster as our tests continued, and relied on
the backspace button less and less. Of course, this is as much
to the credit of our exceptional hand-eye coordination as it
is to the 6150's useability.
Overall
The truth is it took a little
while to get used to using the Ultimate 6150. Being forced to
type with the touchscreen was a drag before we mastered it,
and WM6, while practical, is just a drag. The saving grace for
the Ultimate 6150 was the processing power. If every menu
selection had lagged while we drilled down layer by layer we
would have thrown the handset in the bin, or better still, out
a window. The 6150 might be a big handset by current standards
and the battery life verges on dismal, but it packs a punch
and definitely out-performs the other WM6 devices we are
reviewing at this time, in processing and graphics
rendering.
Either the 6150 or the 8150 would make a good handset for
business users who want a Windows Mobile phone to compliment
their current business practices. But be warned: you'll need
deep pockets, not just to pay the RRP of AU$1,099, but deep,
wide pockets to lug around the hefty handset.
Want more? Check out our review on the Noka E90
Communicator |
