Pocket PC Thoughts: Hands-On With the Gigabyte gSmart Phone

Great Company, Great Service
When I first heard about the gSmart, I was excited because of the number of features they packed into it, and also because I've come to trust Gigabyte over the years and knew to expect a great product. I was even more delighted when an individual from Gigabyte contacted me directly from their website's feedback form, took it upon himself to go out of his way to make sure I was able to preview the gSmart firsthand.

As expected, the sample gSmart Phone didn't arrive in a retail box, but the Gigabyte rep informed me that the following would be included:

• Check-list card;
  
• gSmart Phone with telescoping stylus;
  
• 840 mAh Lithium Ion battery;
  
• Leather holster case with long and short straps;
  
• AC charger;
  
• USB data/charging cable;
  
• Wired stereo headset with built-in TV/FM antenna;
  
• 256MB mini-SD preloaded with Chinese/English dictionary;
  
• Quick-start guide;
  
• User manual;
  
• Warranty card;
  
• CD-ROM with ActiveSync 4.1, Papago Map (GPS Navigation software with additional POI for fun), Dictionary software, 3D MMI Quick Menu, and Heat-Breaker (a 3D game).

Figure 1: The wired headset has a proprietary connector and doubles as a necessary TV/FM antenna.

For the Taiwanese market, the consumer will receive two boxes as a full set - the main box with the contents listed above, plus an Accessory Pack, containing the following:

• 1300 mAh battery;
  
• Battery charger cradle;
  
• AC adapter for cradle.

As of this writing, their Dubai distributor should have the gSmart Phone available for sale as the i-teq Bond on their newly launched website, www.iteqonline.com. It will include the Accessory Pack as a standard, plus Arabic language support, additional software, and a compatible power adapter for their AC sockets.


Figure 2: Size comparison of the Atom and the gSmart - two multimedia-focused Pocket PC Phones.


Figure 3: Pull-out rubber covers protect the mini-SD slot and the ports for the mini-USB and wired headset.


Figure 4: The backside of the gSmart and its snap-in battery.

The gSmart has a black matte finish on the front and back, but a glossy finish on its sides, similar to the Atom. Of course, you'll be holding the device mostly by its sides, so fingerprints will easily show up. Overall, the device feels incredibly sturdy for one with sliding halves, and the telescoping stylus seems very snug and secure in its sheath.