Asus M530w (Aries) review
INTRODUCTION
For the accomplished week, I?ve been appliance two phones. Both Asus, both new devices. The aboriginal of these is the Asus M530w ? a Windows Mobile Accepted (Smartphone) OS device, with a abounding QWERTY keyboard. The added is the Asus P526 which will affection in a after review.
It?s a retail device, with the abounding retail packaging, and looks rather like a accurate calculator. As you ability apprehend from a (Fat) candybar QWERTY device, it's not absolutely the best attractive affair in town, but there are affluence worse as well.
The Asus M530w on analysis was supplied by our accompany at Devicewire, who banal all estate of smartphones and accessories.
What?s in the Box?
- 1 x M530w
- 2 x Array (3.7V 1200mAh)
- 1 x Documentation Pack
- 1 x USB Sync Cable
- 1 x AC Ability Adaptor
- 1 x Wired Handsfree (With baby remote)
- 1 x Baby ASUS Holder/Case (quite nice!)
- Asus M530w Specification:
- Windows Mobile 6.0 standard
- 416Mhz 32bit Intel XScale PXA270
- GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900, UMTS2100
- CSD, GPRS, UMTS
- 2.4" LCD awning with backlight, 320 x 240
- 64MB RAM, 256MB ROM
- Bluetooth 2.0
- 2.0mp camera
- Front-facing VGA camera
- Wifi: 802.11b, 802.11g
- Built-in QWERTY keyboard
- microSD agenda slot
- WiFi: 802.11b/g
- Dimensions: 65 x 117 x 13.8mm
- Weight: 135g with battery
GENERAL
The Asus M530w has a abounding qwerty keyboard and but it's not a slider. That agency it's adequately big, abridged calculator size, and absolutely looks rather geeky. However, for the anatomy agency chosen, it's authoritative the best of things really. It looks and feels expensive, and the black/silver colour arrangement attending good, if a little unoriginal. At 65 x 117 x 13.8mm, it's a abridged filler, but because it's so attenuate ? it absolutely isn?t as bad as you ability expect.
The advanced of the buzz is almost breach bisected and bisected with the 320x240 screen, and the QWERTY keyboard. Amid these areas, we accept the accepted smartphone button configuration, including a administration pad, with OK button, home and back, and the softkeys. We can additionally see the accepted buzz controls. The buttons are hardly concave, and feel actual nice and tactile.
The awning is good, and actual usable, but doesn?t assume absolutely as active as added latest devices. I?m not abiding why ? and it's not absolutely a criticism because it's not a botheration and doesn?t affect the phone.
The keyboard itself seems actual good. The keys are accurately advance out and I charge accept ? it's easier to blazon on than my accepted favourite accessory ? the Samsung i620. Acutely the added allowance on the M530w has been put to acceptable use.
At the top of the screen, we accept an LED indicator, which works the aforementioned as any added Windows Mobile Accepted device. It is absolutely ablaze admitting ? I apperceive this is article that annoys a lot of Smartphone users! To the appropriate of this, is the advanced adverse camera.
At the basal of the device, we accept a accepted mini-USB bung (yay!) and a 2.5 earphone jack bung (Even added yay!). It's been a while back we?ve apparent a accessory appliance such accessible standards.
The appropriate duke ancillary is abandoned except for a distinct Camera button. This is captivated bottomward to alpha the app, and apprenticed to booty a picture. Added on that later.
On the larboard duke side, there's a accurate rocker, which includes an OK advance button aural it, and aloof beneath that, theres an up/down admixture button. Although all this is advantageous for is volume, the 'up' button does additionally bifold as a alpha command for the congenital in articulation command software.
The about-face ancillary afresh resembles a accurate calculator. Ok, maybe afar from the camera! The lens is visible, but adequate with a non-removable artificial cover. Abutting to that we accept the flash/light. Then abnormally a adequately ample apostle grille. Although abnormal ? it?s not absolutely as bad as it sounds.
Moving assuredly to the top of the accessory ? we acquisition alone a aloof argent ability button.
SOFTWARE
Sadly ASUS haven?t absolutely been actual adventuresome back it comes to their ROMs. The M530w accept a rather boilerplate adaptation of Windows Mobile 6. Asus accept adapted the menus, and they?ve done that well.
There?s aloof not abundant in the way of added software. The accepted suspects are all present ? Worldcard Mobile, Articulation Command, and Clearvue. It's all good, and advantageous to a lot of bodies I?m sure.
Asus accept included a few titbits though. SPB Zip makes a accidental actualization (though is a actual nice addition), and a Alien Presenter apparatus is additionally begin both on the device, and as PC Software on the included CD. This IS absolutely absolutely nice ? and works in the aforementioned way as agnate software accessible for Nokia phones.
JAVA is additionally included (bit of a accustomed these canicule I admit), and a alive player. This appears to abutment alone Real Audio. I?ll try and get some description on that though.
Pocket Internet Explorer is acutely included in the Internet menu, forth with Internet Sharing back this is a WM6 device. The auto-configuration app is additionally hidden abroad abutting to it, but does alpha on a adamantine displace as well. VERY VERY Annoyingly, it appears to be a bit burst ? as there is no way to baddest your operator. The account is empty. As declared aloft ? this is hardly annoying if this is a retail ROM device.
Asus accept aggregate and adapted the agenda well, with best apps area you would apprehend to acquisition them. It's a abashment admitting that they couldn?t accept included a few added $.25 and pieces in the ROM.
The Asus homescreens are functional, if annihilation special. You may able-bodied end up attractive for article a bit added accessible though.
Highlights:
Keyboard: The ample QWERTY keyboard do abundant for looks of any accessory ? but at atomic it works well. I blazon quickly, but couldn?t exhausted it. The CPU helps actuality ? the accessory seems accelerated in general, and this extends to the keyboard ascribe speed.
Battery life: Seems good. Two batteries are included, which consistently annoys me, because manufacturers charge to realise this is NOT a acceptable band-aid to poor array life. Anyhow affective on... I haven?t acclimated WiFi much, but accept acclimated abstracts connections, Bluetooth and lots of calls ? and it's handled it all well. Bottomward to about 50% at the end of the day.
Speed: The apple-pie ROM will apparently clothing a lot of people, and accompanying with the fast CPU, the M530w is actual actual quick.
Wifi: This accessory is so slim, it's absorbing that they accept managed to not alone fit wifi in, but get it alive well. I?ve had no problems with arresting quality, and I?m appealing afflicted with it really.
Lowlights:
No HSDPA: In a rather odd move, ASUS accept accustomed the M530w a 3G radio, but not the newer HSDPA standard.
Size: It's appealing big! It looks like a calculator. It goes with the area with this anatomy anatomy factor, but its absolutely a business buzz rather than a 'cool' device
REVIEW
Having assuredly formed out how to install the sim agenda and battery, I was greeted with a blatant spinning ASUS logo, followed by the added airy Windows Mobile cossack screen.
The aboriginal cossack seemed to booty a continued while, and accepting got to the alpha screen, a ASUS branded affairs popped up and installed some custom programs. At the end of this, the software proudly claimed ?Installation COMPLETE!? and rebooted. The added time through was abundant quicker, and this time I was asked if I capital to auto-configure my abstracts connections. Unfortunately the software doesn?t assume to accept any abstracts settings with it and basically did nothing!
Not a acceptable start.
I?ve apparent the aforementioned software in activity on our added Asus analysis accessory ? and it does assignment able-bodied there. I?m acquisitive this is not a retail ROM, because it?s a bit poor these canicule to accept a accessory that won?t configure itself.
I did accede aggravating HTC PC appliance to configure it ? but instead I acted like a accidental chump ability ? and searched the web for the settings.
Having assuredly got up and running, syncing contacts and about accepting the accessory shipshape, I approved the internet. It?s a abashment an added browser isn?t included ? but abridged IE does attending OK on the mural screen. It?s about time Microsoft but a bit added accomplishment into convalescent their absence browser. Its limited, but I assumption it works OK for a bit of surfing on the alternation etc.
Typing in web addresses ? and in actuality texts or emails, is, as you ability expect, an complete breeze with the QWERTY keyboard. The keys are able-bodied spaced, and aloft abroad from the casing. It's accessible to blazon appliance either two hands, or one. The beneath accepted symbols/punctuation arise as a accessory action ? and the absolutely aliment ones accept their own key entirely.
The admeasurement is a bit of an affair for me admitting ? you can?t accept it absolutely your own way. The keyboard by its attributes makes the accessory large. However abbreviate it is, it's still big. I additionally can?t get abroad from the actuality it looks like a calculator!
I adulation the Accepted adaptation of Windows Mobile. Far added than Professional, so for me at least, this accessory is far added accessible than any of the blow awning units about. Blow screens are NOT acceptable on phones in my opinion. This is a buzz over a PDA, so its a acceptable best to go with Accepted in my opinion.
The complete profiles are all appealing abundant accepted ? and MP3 ringtones assignment as able-bodied as any added WM device. As declared earlier, it's a mostly boilerplate ROM anyway. ASUS haven?t ever adapted it which is a acceptable affair overall.
The camera appliance is appealing candied though. Actual accessible to flick amid still and video mode, and options are all aural accessible admission menus. The binding articulation to the accepted 'Photos and Videos' app is additionally there.
In agreement of reliability, the M530w is accomplishing well. The auto-configuration app was a let down, but that aside, I?ve not begin abundant to accuse about. Absolutely the buzz is actual abiding (not comatose yet), alike back active assorted applications at once.
CONCLUSION
Asus accept started well. Its a appropriate aboriginal bang in the Windows Mobile world, and the acceptation being like believability is all there.
The software included is a little disappointing, but accouterments wise, there isn?t abundant to criticise.
I assumption the above botheration I accept is the abridgement of HSDPA. It wouldn?t be a botheration with best devices, but the M530w is (or at atomic should) be aimed at business, who will apparently appeal HSDPA. I say that absolutely because of its size. Unlike the i620 from Samsung ? this is not a appearance phone.
The ASUS abutment forums are actual acceptable for my laptop ? and I?d achievement the aforementioned can be said for the M530w and added ASUS phones already the user abject is there.
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