The Kyocera QCP 6035 Smartphone: A Definite Buy
Written: Dec 06 '01
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Pros: Internet connectivity, good data storage, compatibility with palms and thier applications
Cons: Large Screen Size, Monochromatic Screen, NO downloadable ringtones
The Bottom Line: The Kyocera QCP 6035 Smartphone is an ingenious combination of a palm and cell that provides users the power of the Internet and the functionality of a cell phone.
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| alexlane's Full Review: Kyocera QCP-6035 Smartphone |
It was midnight and I was standing at a train station wondering how I was going to get home. After calling a few disconnected taxi phone lines I knew that I was in a rut. That is when I first realized the true potential of the Kyocera QCP 6035 Smartphone. Using the phone’s Internet capabilities, I accessed AOL Instant Messenger and was able to contact some friends who were then able to pick me up. This is just one of the many times the Kyocera QCP 6035 has saved me from trouble. This invention is clearly the first step in the new direction of the cellular business. I would recommend this phone to those who travel yet wish to stay connected with the world. The Kyocera QCP 6035 Smartphone is an ingenious combination of a palm pilot and cell phone that provides the user with the power of the Internet as well as the functionality of a cell phone. Being the first of its kind makes it revolutionary, but also curses the QCP 6035 with many drawbacks.
If one looks around at almost any social gathering, he will notice a trend. Nearly everyone has a cell phone. From teens to the elderly, owning a cellular phone is almost the norm, and the more features one has the better. With hundreds of models to choose from and with each, a multitude of functions, choosing the right phone is difficult. The Kyocera Smartphone makes this choice easy. It has more features than most cellular phones on the market, and usage is not complicated like in other phones. Certain features stand out above the rest, giving the QCP 6035 its uniqueness from other models. The feature I use the most is the speakerphone option. With the touch of a button, the Smartphone converts into a speakerphone, working when the flip is both open or closed. I have used this option many times when driving or having conference calls and have found it easy to use with little distraction. Another feature, which can be combined with the speakerphone option, is voice-activated dialing. With this feature, the buttons on the keypad become a thing of the past. I have used this feature when in speakerphone mode and have found it to be very reliable. The voice recognition software within the phone does a good job of accurately recognizing the user’s voice. Lastly, the feature I most enjoy about the Kyocera QCP 6035, though it is nothing spectacular, is the ability to make preset ring tones. With the incorporation of the address book, one can assign different ringers for different address groups. Thus, when a person from a certain group calls, the QCP 6035 will ring with a different tone, giving the user some idea of whom the caller is without having to answer. This can be beneficial when one does not want to respond to girlfriends, bosses, or coworkers. Though the features described are only the tip of the iceberg compared to the rest of the features the phone has, they are certainly the most useful.
Another trend that has grown in the past 5 years is the use of PDAs. People ranging from college students to CEO’s have been known to use these devices to manage their busy schedules. Kyocera saw this trend and incorporated it into their design for the Kyocera Smartphone. Recognizing the burden many on the go businessmen have when carrying both their cell and their PDA, Kyocera made it much easier for them. The QCP 6035 is run with a Palm Operating System, making the phone similar to a Palm V. Combined with the cellular capabilities, this lets one access the Internet and use numerous web products. PC applications such as ICQ, AIM, and even email can be accessed through the Smartphone’s PDA interface. This has been one of my favorite features, since it allows one to be connected to the Internet even while traveling. Another feature that the palm side of the phone offers is data storage. This is extremely useful since whole word or excel documents can be stored on the phone, edited, and later transferred through serial or infrared connections. Up to 8 MB can be held within the Kyocera Smartphone’s memory, making this a potential predecessor to the future of miniature computing. The last palm side feature that I enjoy is the phone’s compatibility with other palm products. It would have been easy for Kyocera to create this phone and make it run off of their own operating system and be only compatible with their products, but instead they took the extra step. The Kyocera Smartphone can share data and use applications made for regular PDAs. Thus, one can go onto the Internet from their PC, and download numerous programs, games, and applications right onto the phone with no problems. Then, they can even beam these applications from the phone to a friend’s Handspring. The use of the Palm Operating System gives the QCP 6035 its power over most phones on the market. Its Internet capability and data storage blow any regular Nokia or Motorola out of the water in the competition for connectivity. But, where the QCP 6035 has power, it also has weakness.
Taking a task of combining a palm pilot and a cellular phone has its benefits as well as its disadvantages. Where Kyocera succeeded in creating a product that has numerous features that no other phone had upon its release, they parted from the current trends in phone design. One aspect of the QCP 6035 that has received complaints is the phone’s size. Though it is understandable that a large size is needed in order to have a phone that has a PDA screen, there are alternatives. One idea may be to use the Motorola Two-Way approach; and have the QCP 6035 split in half allowing for more screen area, but less phone size. The size of the outer shell around the PDA screen can also be decreased making it resemble its new competitor, the Samsung SPH-I300. Another aspect of the Smartphone that can be improved on is its monochromatic screen. Since the thrill of black and white computing died decades ago with the invention of color, the same is true for monochrome. The new Samsung SPH-I300 has incorporated a color screen on its palm enabled phone, giving its users a more lively computing experience as opposed to the dull grayscale images on the Kyocera. Lastly, the final aspect of the Kyocera Smartphone that disappoints me is the lack of ring tones. An increasing business that plays off of the cellular market is the sale of ring tones. Many phones on the market allow for the downloading of ring tones; letting users hear their favorite song when they are called. Unfortunately, the Kyocera Smartphone is not compatible with this feature. It only allows for 10 standard ring tones, clearly not enough for those who want variety in their life. 10 ringers can get boring after months of use, fortunately the 6035 has a vibrate function. While the Kyocera does have some problems to it, its usefulness outweighs the hassle. For being the first of its kind, the Kyocera Smartphone successfully reaches the task set before its creators in being a sturdy palm enabled phone.
The Kyocera Smartphone is definitely a requirement for anyone that needs to be connected to the world while on the move. Its web capabilities and awesome phone features have kept me out of numerous unpleasant situations; in my opinion, making it a reliable utility to everyday life. The phone itself has all the features of the top models out, and the compatibility of a Palm V. This gives it a strong edge over most phones on the market. Unfortunately, newer models are coming out and technology is improving, making the 6035 moving toward the obsolete bin. Since it has not reached that stage yet, and its price is dropping, now is the time to buy. I highly recommend the Kyocera Smartphone, it is the perfect combination of a palm pilot and a cellular phone.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 499
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Epinions.com ID:
alexlane
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Reviews written: 2
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