SMARTPHONE TO THE MAXIMUM POWER!
The term smartphone is composed by the words smart and phone. It is a telephone that has the functions of a computer and offers possibility of telephony communication (the classical voice calls) and data (internet, e-mail and others). The use of these devices is very like a PC, with menu, windows and programs that dialogues with the user by the keyboard of the phone and the soft keys (that command the programs installed in the smartphone.)
Together with Pocket PC (literally PC in miniature) smartphone constitute the more versatile tool to communicate in mobility.
As all the computers, smartphone have an operating system that coordinates the installed programs and allows to modify working settings. A few names: Symbian, Windows Mobile, Palm Cobalt, Linux. My preference for potentiality of development and ergonomics goes to the system Windows Mobile for Smartphone, in the version 2003. Additional information at the web site: http://www.microsoft.com/italy/windowsmobile/products/smartphone/default.mspx

 

 

SMARTPHONE QTEK 8080

As experimenter of mobile telephony I have been using since many months a product of taiwanese HTC, the Qtek 8080.

Simplified base characteristics are the following:

- Operating system: Microsoft Windows Mobile Smartphone 2003
- Processor: TI OMAP 710
- Memory ROM Flash: 64 MB (updatable ROM )
- Memory SDRAM: 32 MB
- Display: 176 x 220 pixel TFT 64000 colours backlighted Transreflective
- Radio: GSM/GPRS tri band 900-1800-1900
- Integrated camera: 640x480 0,3 Mpixel
- Interfaces: Bluetooth, Infrared, USB (with docking base of connection for the phone)
- Slot for additional memory cards: Secure Digital, MMC
- Battery: Lithium Ion 1000 mA/h (lasts about 90 hours in Standby, about 3 hours in conversation)
- Stereo audio with stereophonic microphone earpiece

This object from little more than 100 grams has really remarkable potentialities. It contains many standard Windows programs as Internet Explorer, Media Player (that reproduces also audio mp3), Messenger.

Other installed programs are specific for mobile use as the audio recorder, the telecamera and the camera. Through the software ActiveSync is possible communicate with any PC, install and uninstall programs, move files, synchronize the e-mail and the diary of Outlook, manage the appointments in a and intuitive way.

In the figure on the right, the "desktop" in Windows Mobile style: we can see the icons of the programs, the datary, information on appointments and received messages and in the bottom, the menu-items.


INSTALL ACTIVESYNC AND .NET FRAMEWORK
To use at the best the communication between smartphone and computer (PC or notebook) is necessary to install two sotware components in the computer that dialogues with the smartphone: ActiveSync and the .Net framework of Microsoft.

ActiveSync
ActiveSync is fundamental to manage the smartphone from PC. In addition to data synchronization, this software allows the conversion of the files in a format suitable for the mobile device. Once connected, the smartphone is recognized in Computer Resources and can be browsed as any archive peripheral.
ActiveSync last version in Italian is available to the link:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/downloads/as-eula_it37.mspx


Framework .NET
The .NET framework is a system component that makes possible execution and creation of advanced programs for mobile devices. The potentialities of the framework .net do not limit to the mobile telephony but they constitute a platform of versatile development for many development areas. Additional information to the links:
http://www.microsoft.com/italy/msdn/prodotti/netframework/evaluation/panoramica.mspx (in Italian )
http://www.microsoft.com/net/ (in English )
The  .NET framework in Italian is available to the following link:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=it & FamilyID=262d25e3-f589-4842-8157-034d1e7cf3a3

 

UPDATE THE ROM
I suggest you to update the operator ROM (the company that sells the Qtek 8080) to the version 1.9.14.1. The basic version is the 1.7.10.2 how you can verify by pressing Start > Settings > About. Running the screen to the voice ROM update versions: Operator: is sown the version of installed ROM.
The update solves numerous problems related to the excessive power consumption, to the audio quality, to the Bluetooth working, to the legibility of the shown characters. It makes more stable and fast the operation of the device. And allows sending videomessages...

 

ATTENTION! Updating the ROM is a potentially risky operation  that goes executed if one has familiarity with ActiveSync and update procedures of the electronic apparatuses. A mistaken updating or a wrong version of ROM update, can make the smartphone unusable.

On my Qtek I did not notice technical inconveniences, apart a problem of "language". Is no more possible to have menus in Italian language, but only in North European languages. This limitation does not prejudice the localization of the format date/time/currency and does not affect the system T9 in Italian, for the quick composition of the messages. In the image to right is visible the window of the updating program.

Update procedure described:

  1. Assure you to have installed ActiveSync 3.7 in the PC and have set up the relation smartphone-PC correctly.
  2. Connect the smartphone to the PC with the cradle. Wait the completion of the synchronization.
  3. Download  the updating ROM file
    Qtek has discontinued ROM update. I can't support software distribution.
  4. Unpack the file in a folder and double-click on the file RUUv2.60Inst1.9.14.1_Brightpoint_Ship_for1.7.10.2.exe.
  5. Follow the indications. Wait the completion of installation.
  6. Disconnect the Qtek 8080 from the cradle, turn it off and on.
  7. Verify the updating pressing Start > Settings > About how shown above.

 

updated ROM is visible in About screen.

MMS VIDEOMESSAGES
A characteristic the fans of video will like is the possibility of sending MMS with attached videos, in addition to the traditional photographs. Unfortunately is posible to send only 3gp videos and not .avi files taken with the smarthone. A possible solution is the software Multimedia Converter, of Nokia, that, installed on a PC, allows the conversion of video format from avi to 3gp.
 

MULTIMEDIA CONVERTER
The conversion utility created by Nokia supports several input formats (mpeg, audio mp3, ISO mp4, ecc.) and it is very simple to use. With few clicks you can obtain a 3gp file ready to be transferred in the smartphone, and sent via MMS.
To use the converter is necessary to register to Nokia web site and require a apssword to activate the product.
 

VIDEOS TO RECOMPRESS
After installation the program is ready to use but, unfortunately, is not able to convert the .avi videos of the Qtek 8080 because of an incompatibility of the codec. Is necessary recompressing the video before giving it to the Multimedia Converter.

Among my favourite conversion softwares, I like much STOIK Video Converter, an excellent freeware software that allows the recompression of video and audio in a great variety of formats. To use it installation is not necessary.
On Tucows is possible download Video Converter at the following link:
http://www.tucows.com/preview/340342.html

The program must be unpacked in a folder and started with a double click on VideoPak.exe. Select the input file (our smartphone avi), the name of the output file and leave all the default parameters. Click on the Start button and in few second the video is ready.
 

FINALLY THE 3GP
Now start the Nokia Multimedia Converter (Start > All programs > Nokia Developer Tools) and select the video with File > Open. A click on Convert button to begin the conversion and, finally File > Save to memorize the 3gp video.
 

CONVERSION PARAMETERS
Is better don't change too the parameters to avoid producing not standard display 3gp videos. The interventions I suggest are:
- Video: you can select the sub-QCIF (more little and compact)
- Max file size (select the box): can be set up to 100 Kb to respect the imposed limit of some GSM operators.
- Start time [sec]: you can choose the start point of the converted video
 
The 3gp format uses a MPEG 4 H263 video codec and an AMR audio codec (AAC is also supported), two coding systems thinked for mobile telephony and GSM networks. Technical additional information in an article of next publication. Videos of 3gp type can be seen with the smartphone Media Player.
The cost for each review is 100 EURO, including VAT, product test, research and deepenings (possible creation of user manuals), graphics and photographic production, italian translation. Please ask for multimedia and conference delivering.