Using Web sites designed to check the speed of home broadband connections we got speeds of around 1.2Mbps regularly. That's not the maximum possible, but it is still very impressive. In places where HSDPA is not yet available, the MDA Vario II will drop down through the sequence to 3G then GPRS.
T-Mobile takes advantage of this 'mobile broadband' service by having a dedicated button above the screen that drops you right into its Web'n'walk homepage. From there you can search the Web using a Google search bar or, for simplicity and speed, just choose one of the many links T-Mobile has pre-configured for you.
There are a couple of pleasant surprises with the built-in 2-megapixel camera. When you switch it on using a button mounted on the bottom-right edge of the casing, the screen turns into a viewfinder in the usual way. Around the screen are icons, which when tapped give you easy access to settings and options. There is a macro mode and this is similarly easy to switch in and out of -- by flicking a switch on the lens itself which sits on the back of the casing.
If we have a grumble about the camera it is that the lens is not protected in any way -- it is not even recessed. This means you'll be advised to carry the MDA Vario II in the provided case to help avoid scratches.
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are both here and it is nice to see infrared built in, too. Just like any other Pocket PC, the MDA Vario II supports mobile email and it's easy to set up your standard POP email account. Business users might like the Microsoft Direct Push support which means the MDA Vario II can synchronise with a work-based network running Exchange Server 2003. There is also support for another synchronisation service, BlackBerry Connect. Business user or not, the ClearVue PDF reader software that is added to the standard Windows Mobile software might prove useful.
Performance
It is without a doubt the fast HSDPA that steals the show. Having super-fast Internet access at your fingertips is fantastic, however there is a price to pay in battery life.
T-Mobile suggests you can get four and a half hours of talk out of the MDA Vario II. Play around with mobile Internet access too much, though, and you'll find this figure rather less. Similarly, if you are a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth fan you'll deplete the battery in under four hours. On balance, if you are going to use the MDA Vario II to its full advantage, we'd suggest budgeting for a daily charge.
Edited by Mary Lojkine
Additional editing by Kate Macefield
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User reviews7
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Bill Best 1 July 2007
Good: Top end smart phone has all the features required
Bad: Wirless Modem is a disaster
Comment: Its a good top end smart phone. One small gripe is the manual talks about functions not present on the phone (like GPRS monitor) and it's impossible to disable active synch which is really annoying. However my big gripe is that the wireless modem function is impossible to enable. The manual says disable active synch and IRa first but the device lets you do neither! Its a shame T-Mobile can't write a manual that aligns wiht the device they brand and sell directly. Other than the wireless modem it's a good phone but as this is a critical requirement for me I'm feeling rather fed up!!!
Taruna Taruna 19 February 2007
Good: Performance and design
Bad: Bottom keypad
Comment: It's a wondeful PDA... a combination of powerful and beautiful.
Ceri Beynon 24 January 2007
Good: Keyboard, HSDPA, connectivity, ergonomic, well built, very stable, not too big
Bad: Struggling to think... battery life
Comment: Without doubt the best handheld device I've owned.
Keyboard is superb for texting and emailing, being a Windows device it's very flexible, connectivity is second to none, easy to set up multiple email accounts, and the introduction of the jog-wheel is a surprising master stroke.
But it's the HSDPA that really makes a difference. In an area with a good 3G signal I regularly get speeds over 1Mbps. In fact I just did a speed test and hit 1.4Mbps. For a mobile device that is spectacular. The end result is Internet browsing is an absolute joy, and I'll confess that's what I really got this device for. I'm not disappointed.
Also, I've had the device for over 2 months now and it hasn't crashed yet. That is pretty stable.
The only "negative" is you'll be charging every evening if you use the device a lot during the day, but that's not really a major hardship.
Nothing is perfect, which is why I gave a 9, but with this device I never feel isolated wherever I am, and it's a very useful tool to carry around. I can do whatever I want wherever I am, and that makes a big difference to me.
Superb.
See all 7 user reviews