Review: Gigabyte GSmart MS802 Communicator with GPS, a powerful 520 MHz processor and an attractive price

Do you want a communicator with Windows Mobile and do not have enough money to competitive „shiny“ models? If so, then you can take a smartphone from Gigabyte GSmart MS802. Its price is set to compete with ordinary cell phones middle class. Goes a communicator of the "old school", with resistive display and a number of hardware buttons.

Device Description

Communicator Gigabyte GSmart MS802 is made of plastic, metallic gray color, then you need not worry that it would adhering fingerprints. Its dimensions are 59.8 x 117 x 14.8 millimeters, weighs 130 grams more tolerable. As I wrote in the introduction, not the communicator of "bright mirror", the display does not occupy the entire front, but share the place with the control buttons.

Buttons below the display

There are six buttons below the display, out of which the center is used for confirmation, surrounds four-way (substitute the arrow keys, or the movement of left, right, up, down), others are common (in response to press). All buttons are luxuriously large, users with larger fingers will not have the slightest problem with the controls. In the dark, illuminated buttons are just around the center surrounded by a light blue circle, that is activated when pressing any key below the display.

Buttons in the first row next to joypad are used for receiving and hanging the call. One of the buttons in the bottom row to get to the Start menu, and the other has the same function as the closing (or confirmation) icon in the upper right corner of the forms and dialogs. Due to hardware buttons you do not have so often reach for the touch pen.

Display

Display unit communicator nevyniká any high resolution, it is a classical resistive QVGA display with a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels. Scripture will not be so smooth, as in most modern communicators with a high resolution, on the other hand, you have a problem with compatibility of older applications, virtually all were made that distinction. The same applies to games where you will appreciate the hardware buttons. The display is not flush with the body of the device, but it is embedded, on the one hand makes it difficult to control with your finger on the other hand, it prevents some of his scratches. Control your finger on the diagonal of 2.8 inches (71 millimeters) just not very comfortable, icons and other controls are too small. With the stylus (stylus), but you have no problem, you can find it tucked in the bottom right of the device on the back side. In case of loss is still packing a spare.

Display will show 16-bit color depth, ie 65.536 colors. As we previously mentioned in reviews, it is not a restriction of the display hardware, but Windows Mobile, one can not simply more. Backlight can be adjusted in five steps, the device has sensors, which would regulate the backlight automatically. At the highest level of backlight display literally shine, I had the readability of its no big deal, or outside in daylight.

Left and right side of the communicator

On the left side of the communicator Gigabyte GSmart MS802 is a slot for microSD (HC) card, which allows you to extend the internal storage memory (Flash ROM), which has 256 MB (of which is user accessible 120 MB). Memory to run applications (RAM) is a total of 128 MB, with just an overview of the many programs running simultaneously.

Above the slot for a memory card is a special „half-turn“ button which you can move up and down in applications is the same as pressing cursor keys, respectively upwards and downwards. Most appreciate it in your web browser, it can be very easily scroll. Pressing this button Cradle is confirmed. It's equivalent to the "Jog Dial" on Sony to patent, with the difference that "JogDial" is a five-way (can not respond to the movements of the sides). The last element on the right side of the camera shutter. Gently pressing shutter-release focalize, another press shots picture.

On the right side is only 3.5 mm jack port for connecting headphones.

Top, bottom and back side

On the upper side is very important to a small button by pressing the switch long communicator and off, briefly pressing him we put in standby mode, which is still on income, but the display off. In this standby mode and automatically switches, delay can be defined in the settings. Outside there are still two status LEDs.

Bottom side is reserved only microUSB connector, through which Charging device and connect to a computer. Load you can either USB cable or the supplied charger, microUSB to extension. Charging through the charger is much faster than via USB cable.

On the back is removable battery cover and SIM card, the loud speaker and camera lens. Reasonably photography is possible only at day or artificial light, there is no flash or high light-emitting diodes.

Operating System

The communicator Gigabyte GSmart MS802 find a mobile operating system Windows Mobile Professional 6.1 Is the same as we see the most current common communicators, it is assumed that the control will use the touch pen. Finger (or rather a fingernail) that it, too, but it's not it. With better support for controlling the finger comes to Windows Mobile 6.5, which we imagine in one of the next review. Do communicator Gigabyte GSmart MS802 not get it, such a manufacturer does not update, nor with the future does not count.

Only briefly introduce the concept of Windows Mobile, if someone can hear them first. The system looks like the classic Windows desktop, in the standby state shown in the display area "Today" on which form of plugins you can view information that you want, for example, data from Outlook. In addition to displaying information, you can extend the functionality of these plugins, so that area "Today" is not static. The communicator will find the manufacturer has such a plugin pre-installed, is called Smart Touch, thanks to him have facilitated basic control device fingers because it is used in large and clear icons.

Enter the "Start" is unlike Windows desktop is not left, but look for him on the top left, this is a Windows icon. After clicking on it you expand a list of several programs, others find in the Programs folder, here are arranged in the form of icons. To set all the possible search for the "Start" menu folder settings.

You can stop the running application, either through the menu (if it has), or by pressing a fight in the upper right corner. Keep in mind that the application does not terminate but physically, just move into the background. More such applications can be running the influence on the consumption of batteries or the speed of the communicator.

Software equipment

The basic equipment Windows Mobile Professional 6.1, see, inter alia, the mobile version of Office, which includes calendar, tasks, contacts, email client, Pocket Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote (a note). On the internet you get the mobile Internet Explorer, play media files in Windows Media Player, and so on. If you will miss an application, you can easily install it for Windows Mobile, there are probably tens of thousands of paid and unpaid programs and games.

Telephone Module

Communicator originated from the word "communicate", so we must not forget that he can make calls, connect them with him in GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz networks and third-generation 2100 MHz.

Communication Interface

To connect to other devices can use WiFi (802.11b / g) and Bluetooth 2.0.

Processor

The communicator beating Marvell PXA 270 processor at a frequency of 520 MHz. Not always but the high speed you need, so it is being set in the Settings application CPU Profile, which can regulate the processing power in three steps - PowerSaving mode (208 MHz), Standard mode (automatic frequency selection), Performance mode (520 MHz).

Camera, video recording

Applications for photography and video recording starts after pressing the shutter button. The communicator has a 3.2 megapixel sensor, can therefore take pictures at a maximum resolution of 2.048 x 1.536 points, photos are saved in JPG format. Video can also be recorded, but only at a resolution of 176 x 144 and 3GP format.

Camera controls are present on the display, with larger icons, you can switch everything and set fingers (who would also like to pull the stylus when shooting). For photos to add GPS coordinates of where it was taken. The quality of photos that can self-assess the sample pictures, not bad out there in the room when artificial lighting is already noticeable noise.

GPS

GPS module is already becoming an integral part of mobile phones and communicators, or Gigabyte GSmart MS802 is no exception. Integrated GPS module supports the SiRF Star III. To navigate in a car or a pedestrian, you need a navigation software, the communicator is only a basic application called GPS tracking that shows you the current speed and overall distance.

Battery

Gigabyte GSmart MS802 is powered by Li-Pol battery with a capacity of 1.300 mAh. According to the manufacturer, last up to 4 hours talk time or 150 hours on standby. Experience has shown that the average use of communicator you'll charge about once every two to three days.

Conclusion

Gigabyte GSmart MS802 we had to test for 14 days, during which time has proved to be a good assistant in daily agenda. After the hardware page is very well equipped (WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS ...), processor with a frequency of 520 MHz is no screw, the response of Windows Mobile is very fast. Its one of the few contemporary communicators, which is not made of shiny plastic and offers plenty of hardware buttons below the display. You can win a fairly low price, which corresponds to an ordinary cell phones middle class. So if you are looking for a cheap communicator with Windows Mobile, then you have to Gigabyte GSmart MS802 certainly consider.