Kyocera QCP-6035

Originally made by Qualcomm, this is the successor to the pioneering but unsuccessful pdQ Smartphone. Like its predecessor, the QCP-6035 combines the features of a Palm OS handheld with the convenience of a mobile phone. The new Smartphone includes Palm OS 3.5, 8MB of RAM, a smallish screen (similar to that of the Palm m100 series) and a jog dial for easier navigation. The screen has an area which peeks out when the dial pad is flipped up, but acts as a full-featured organizer when flipped down. To allow complete functionality, there is a headset jack.

Unfortunately, I do not own one, as it costs $500 plus the normal mobile phone access charges. As far as phones go, it is still relatively large; while narrow enough to use with one hand, the large display and Graffiti writing area make the form factor substantially larger than such hip phones as the Nokia 8260.

Reviews have generally been good, and this appears to be a good idea for anyone who only wants to carry around one device. The phone also works as a modem to use Web Clipping applications as if you had a Palm VII. Like any mobile phone, it works on a wide range of frequencies, and supports SMS and other PCS features.

I just bought one, from Verizon. It's price has come down a good deal, down to $250USD, but even lower if you get a service plan (mail-in rebate).

You remember that a company called Qualcomm made a palm/phone combination. A few years ago they went bankrupt, and their great idea of a PDA mixed with phone was sold to Kyocera, a Japanese company. What's nice about the newer models is that they upgraded the PalmOS to take advantage of the marriage, and fixed some physical issues with the 1.0 release of the phone.

Let me first elaborate on the design. It is a rather wide flip-phone. It's got a numeric keypad that flips open to reveal a full palm screen. There's an extendable antenna, and a nice jog dial on the side to scroll down large pages. It comes with a docking cradle/charger. There is a nice manual showing all the features, as well as a Palm Desktop CD (Windows only?)

First off, it's a black and white screen. Eh, no big deal, except that its competitor, the Handspring Treo has a color screen. The Treo also has about 3 good calls in it before it needs a recharge, I hear, while the Smartphone so far is great. Plus, the Smartphone is way cheaper.

The phone works as a phone when the flip is closed. Only the top half of the Palm screen is used, the time is displayed, and you can use the jog dial to navigate your address book, take a voice memo, or check e-mail, send an SMS text, etc. When you open it, the full screen comes into use, and the palm can run. Interetingly enough, you can run the palm, with the phone part set to On or Off. That's nice, as you can therefore use the Palm apps on a plane, unless the stewardess on board accuses you of lying/sabotage and confiscates it.

It's digital, can run palm apps, including Palm Clipping apps that connect to the 'Net. There's WAP support, though the WAP browser is really bad. It feels slow, and clumsy interface IMO.

A nice feature is that it can plug into a laptop and become a wireless fax/modem, both with a serial cable or IR port. You can download a Palm remote control app, meaning you can change the channel with your phone.

There is no bluetooth support yet, but the salesman told me that in a few months there will be an add-on to the phone's cradle port allowing it. Meanwhile, you have a headset jack, a speakerphone that lets you hear the conversation (but makes you yell to be heard on the other end), IR, and the wireless web.

The Wireless Web differs from carrier to carrier, but with Verizon I was able to send e-mails without dialing up (using a digital network) and use the pager service (for Verizon's network at least).

Kyocera's site is over at www.Kyocera-wireless.com Check it out to see the newest Smartphones, the latest model as of Summer 2002 is the QCP-6035. 8MB of RAM