O2 XDA Mini S review

Average user rating

8.1

excellent

Average user rating from 15 users

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O2 XDA Mini S user reviews

June 13, 2006

Posted by: Piers Bell

"Surprisingly compact, handheld... everything"

What I like:

Instant, out-of-the-box functionality; Wi-Fi; intuitive, powerful operating system; wealth of features; hi-performance after O2 'software' removal

What I don't like:

apparent slight lack of built-in memory (dependance on new SD-mini cards),

Review:

The O2 XDA Mini S is in short brilliant. Its new operating system is its core feature, which blows Palm away. The keyboard is extremely useful and makes text-messaging, MSN, email and data-entry actually viable on a handheld.

The downsides can be easily rectified without significant extra cost: the slight lack of processing grunt can be offset by software utilities and the immediate removal of O2's 'active interface'. The lack of memory means that a new model of SD card must be bought for serious file storage. Although the processor is only 195MHz OMAP it outruns an Intel X-Scale of the same calibre and no program I have installed has bugged out due to lack of CPU power. Plus it uses less battery than an Intel.

The device is powerful and eager to be user-friendly. It is packed with features that are easy to exploit and unlike a lot of these devices it more-or-less takes care of itself.

Negative comments regarding its telephone-call quality prove to be untrue. This could be due to updated software since the product's initial review. Provided the phone speaker volume is set to maximum it sounds great. It should also be noted by those living in remote areas that the signal pickup is better than any mobile phone I have owned in the last 5 years.