The last several years have seen an explosion of mobile phones, more and more of which are able to access features and apps via wireless broadband.  Most of the attention has been on the big players with their “smartphones,” such as Apple’s iPhone, RIM’s BlackBerry and the many Google Android-based devices from various hardware makers.  However, there is another whole group of phones known as “feature phones” or “quick messaging phones” that, while they may not command the horsepower or notoriety of the big boys, are nonetheless loaded with features.  One such device is the Pantech Laser, a super-slim, touchscreen mobile phone with slide-out QWERTY keyboard available through AT&T.  Let’s have a look!

NOTE: All images in this review are clickably enlargeable for your viewing pleasure.

Background

To set the stage here, my perspective is shaped by currently being a very happy iPhone 3GS user.  I am also a former BlackBerry Curve user and was happy with that device as well prior to getting the iPhone 3GS.  However, though I doubt I’ll ever go back to a BlackBerry-style device (I like my full touchscreen a lot), never say never.  I also reviewed the Pantech Link from AT&T, which is currently serving quite nicely as the “spare” phone in our household.  I will make references to the iPhone 3GS and the Link throughout this review as a frame of comparison.  Also, my 10-year-old daughter, who has been the most frequent user of the Link, checked out the Laser and helped give me another perspective on it.

Inside the Box

As with the Link, the Laser’s box is small and compact, with little wasted space.  Box contents:

• Pantech Laser mobile phone
• AC wall charging adapter “brick”
• Micro-USB cable
• Quick-start guide
• Tutorial CDROM

Hardware Specs

• Display – 3.1 inch resistive touchscreen, 480 x 800 pixel, 262K AMOLED
• Input – touchscreen with predictive text, slide-out full QWERTY keyboard with backlit keys
• Weight – 4.06 ounces
• Dimensions – 4.45 x 2.28 x 0.39 inches
• Color – Blue
• Battery – removable Lithium Ion; up to 1000 mAH; up to 5 hrs talk , up to 14 days standby time
• Operating Frequency – GSM/GPRS/EDGE = 850/900/1800/1900 MHz; 3G = UMTS/HSDPA 850/1900 MHz
• Memory – Internal = 150 MB; Expandable = up to 32 GB via microSD card
• Camera – 3 megapixel (2048 x 1536) still, MPEG4 video, 8x zoom
• Worldphone capable – 190+ countries for phone, 130+ for data
• Bluetooth 2.0, USB port, speakerphone
• Ringtones: polyphonic, MIDI, MP3

Software and Apps

• Mobile email – through Yahoo! Mail, AOL Mail, Hotmail, AT&T Mail, Gmail
• Messaging – text; IM through AOL®, Windows Live, Yahoo Messenger; video share
• Address Book – 1000 contacts
• Mobile Browser
• AT&T Mobile Music Player – supporting MP3, MIDI, iMelody, WAV, QCP, M4A, AAC, 3GP audio formats, streaming radio, music subscription services, MusicID and playlist creation
• Multitasking – voice and data simultaneously
• AT&T Navigator – with turn-by-turn directions
• AT&T Social Net
• Ypmobile
• AT&T Social Net
• Voice memo recording
• PC suite for PC to phone file sync
• Drawing Commander – access apps with the trace of a finger

The Hardware

First Impressions

The Laser is touted by Pantech as the “thinnest sliding full keyboard device ever offered by AT&T,” and at less than 1cm thin, it seems to live up to this billing.  It is very thin and I almost didn’t believe it had a slide-out QWERTY keyboard until I actually tried it for myself for the first time.

Front/Face

The Laser’s face has a simple, understated look.  First, the shape.  The Laser’s footprint is rectangular with flat sides, slightly rounded along the top and bottom, and with rounded edges and corners.  Shape and size feel good in the hand.  Framing the face is a very deep blue (so deep you’ll only be able to distinguish that it’s blue and not black while in the right light), glossy metallic bezel.   Three dedicated keys (hang-up, escape and answer) line the bottom of the face.

Sides

As mentioned above, the Laser is quite thin, especially for a having a full-keyboard slider.  Around the outer perimeter is an iPhone 4-esque matte silver band, textured with a checked pattern to provide some gripability.  Along the upper right side is a volume rocker key and along the upper left side is a device lock key.

Top

Along the top is a pop-out cover for the charge/headphone jack port.  Though I like the idea of built-in port protection, I’m not a big fan of these pop-off covers, because they are typically time-consuming to use, can be difficult to open and close, and they eventually break off and get lost anyway.  However, this is a micro-USB connection, which I think is more versatile than some type of proprietary connector (which the Pantech Link has).

Back

The back is a matte, slightly metallic blue with a textured pattern.  The camera, situated in an oval-shaped silver bezel, is located in the upper left corner of the back.  The speakerphone grille is located in the lower left of the back.

The battery was easy to access, just get a fingernail in the small groove and give a small push.  To access the microSD card and SIM card, the battery itself must be removed.  Not much of an issue with the SIM, since you probably won’t need to remove it much.  However, having to remove the battery before popping out the microSD might be an issue, depending on how often you access it.

Touchscreen

The touchscreen’s display is quite nice, with the colors and resolution being visually appealing.  The touchscreen’s performance, however, leaves a bit to be desired.  I am accustomed to the iPhone’s capacitive touchscreen interface, which, after having sampled multiple devices, I have to say I still feel is best.  The Laser’s resistive touchscreen often requires some finessing to get it to do what you want.  Multiple pokes, hesitations and mis-selections were fairly common, as well as inadvertently launching an app while page-swiping.  A bit frustrating.  This in fact was one of the things that my daughter noticed and commented on right away.

However, I was pleasantly surprised to find the Laser equipped with touch feedback vibration, I feature wish I had on my iPhone.  If I get sick of it, I can turn it off, but for now I kinda dig it.

Keyboard

The Laser’s keyboard is full QWERTY with four rows of keys.  The layout and spacing are fine, at least for my hands, but the keys, which are a soft rather than hard plastic, have a bit too much compliance for my linking.  I had to press on them harder than I’d have liked in order to get them to register.

Battery Life

The Laser’s battery has a decent life.  At full charge, it had no problems going several days in a combination of standby and active use.  I suspect that were I to utilize the data connection heavily, the battery life would decline sharply.

Camera

The Laser’s camera performance, while not quite up to par with many of the higher-end smartpones, is nonetheless not bad.  As shown below, it can produce still images up to 3 megapixel (2048 x 1536) and videos in MPEG4 format.

As is typical with phone cameras, no flash means interior images will usually only turn out when the subject is well-lit.  See the sample pic above of my desk at work.  Keep in mind that my work area has the prototypically harsh industrial overhead fluorescent lighting found in most corporate cubicle farms, which actually made it turn out quite well, though with some graininess.

On the other hand, exterior images turn out quite decent, as seen above.  One item of note here: the camera hesitates quite a bit when snapping a pic.  If you’re trying to snap something quickly, forget it.  Daisy, one of our pugs in the photo above, had been patiently staring at me for a photo, but in the time between me hitting the button and the camera actually snapping the pic, she’d turned her head to check out a “Squirrel!” (Doug the Dog reference for you Up fans out there).

Voice and Data Performance

Voice performance is on par with other AT&T phones—not terrible, but not outstanding.  Data performance was so-so, even on the 3G network.  It appeared slower than the iPhone 3GS.  Not sure if this was a function of the speed of the device, or the actual data connection.  The Laser’s data connection performance is acceptable.  Although it is capable of utilizing AT&T’s 3G data network, I found its performance on 3G to be a bit choppy.  It occasionally hesitated when launching web-based apps and frequently hung for several seconds when refreshing the screen on a web page.

Software

The Laser’s OS layout appears borrowed from style elements of iOS, but a bit more from Android with its swipe-left/right page feel and some limited capabilities of adding widgets and favorites.  The Laser has a suite of factory-provided software and has the capability of downloading additional apps via the mobile web.  Here is where I got really irriated with this phone.  For nearly every on-board app that I launched, the Laser would go out to the web, then come back with a message telling me that I would need to pay to use the app.  This was in addition to the data rate I was already paying.  I don’t really know if this is an AT&T thing, or a non-smartphone thing, but it seemed very “bait-and-switch”-ish, or at the least, very “nickel-and-dime”-ish.  If the phone already has an app installed (or appears installed), why then make the owner pay to use it?  That said, between the pre-installed apps and what is available through the AT&T AppCenter, you can find Laser-compatible versions of most, if not all, of today’s more popular apps.  Facebook, Twitter, a mobile mail client and web browser, and so forth are on-board, with more available in the AppCenter.

Final Thoughts

OK, so maybe you’re not into all the smartphone hoopla.  But maybe you are really into texting, and occasional mobile web use.  And yeah, you wouldn’t mind having some of the hardware and software features on those shmancy smartphones.  If this even kinda describes you, then have a look at the Pantech Laser.  No, it’s not a smartphone, but I’m not sure it’s actually trying to be one.  Its hardware (super thinness, form factor and slider keyboard) are all very nice and its software and performance are fair to good.  It’s a pretty decent step in the smartphone direction from its cousin, the Pantech Link.

Filed in categories: Reviews, Wireless

Tagged: Mobile Phone, Pantech, slide

Pantech Laser Mobile Phone Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 9, 2011 at 12:30 pm.

A multitude of messaging mobile phones were launched in 2009, and the trend appears to be continuing in 2010.  The recently-release Pantech Link offered through AT&T is one such device (see Press Release here).  It is a new handset with nice hardware for a great price.  Let’s dig in.

NOTE: Click any image below to enlarge

Background

In the interest of full disclosure and to establish a baseline, my perspective is shaped by currently being a very happy iPhone 3GS user.  I am also a former BlackBerry Curve user and was happy with that device as well prior to getting the iPhone 3GS.  The iPhone 3GS is used for size comparison purposes in the images below.

Inside the Box

The box itself is relatively small and compact, which is nice for both eco-friendliness and if you are inclined to save it for storage.

Box contents:

• Pantech Link mobile phone
• AC wall charging adapter
• User Guide
• Quick Start Guide

Hardware Specs

• Display – 2.4-in, 262k color TFT LCD display, 320×240 resolution, 5 lines for text in basic
• Input – Two soft keys and four-way scroll and selection “OK” keys
• Weight – 91 g (3.2 oz) w/ standard battery
• Dimensions – 4.5″ x 2.4″ x 0.39″
• Memory – Internal 80 Mb, expandable to 32 Gb with microSD (not included)
• Battery Type – Standard Lithium-Ion (Li-ion), 920 mAh capacity, Minimum Standby Time 10 days (250 hrs), Minimum Talk Time 3 hrs
• Operating Frequency – GPRS/EDGE Quad-Band, UMTS/HSDPA Dual-Band; GSM

Software and Apps

A basic list of on board software and apps is below, but for a more comprehensive list, check the Link info on the Pantech and AT&T sites.

• Mobile Email – through Gmail, Yahoo! and others
• Messaging – Instant messaging including text/picture/video
• Address Book with 1,000 contacts – syncs with online AT&T Address Book
• Mobile Web browser
• Mobile Share through AT&T Online Locker
• AT&T Navigator – GPS
• AT&T Social Net
• AT&T Mobile Music player plus downloads via Napster and eMusic
• Multitasking voice and data
• Bluetooth support
• AppCenter – download apps through AT&T
• YPMobile – yellow pages
• Tools: alarm clock, calendar, notepad, voice memo, calculator, tasks, stopwatch, unit converter and more

The Hardware

The hardware of the Link is actually quite impressive.  As can be seen from the images, it is a BlackBerry-style “QWERTY bar” design with a physical keyboard.  To me, it resembles the Nokia E71 series or possibly the Samsung Jack.  What struck me immediately was how thin and lightweight the Link is, yet with a fairly solid heft that prevents it from feeling “cheap”.

Front/Face

The face of the Link has a rather sophisticated black color scheme, with dark metallic accents and white and blue on the keys.  It has the metallic bezel made popular by the iPhone, this one in a darkened metal finish.  The display is quite nice, with good color and resolution.  The input array consists of a six dedicated keys, a rocker disk with center button and the full QWERTY keyboard.  When the rocker disk is used, a ring around it glows blue–a nice touch.  All have a nice feel and provide a soft click for tactile feedback.  The keys are all hard, not soft, similar to the BlackBerry Curve, but a bit more compact together, yet not unusable.

Sides

As can be seen from the images, the thickness of the Link is actually quite impressive.  It is every bit as thin as the iPhone 3GS, quite a bit thicker than most of the current BlackBerry devices.  Along the perimeter of the Link and at the very bottom of the keyboard runs a band of very dark (almost black) blue metallic.  Light has to hit it just right in order to notice it.  Very subdued.

Along the right side near the top  is a pop-out cover for the charge/headphone jack port.  Though I like the idea of built-in port protection, I’m not a big fan of these pop-off covers, because they are time-consuming and can be difficult to open and close, and they invariably break off anyway.  I am also not a fan of non-USB connectors on these device, and also not having a standard mini-3.5mm jack is a big negative to me. Lower down along the right side is camera shutter button.  Along the left side near the top is the volume rocker, and slightly below that is another pop-off cover that is begging to be broken off, this one to protect the microSD slot.  Finally, the upper left corner has a through hole so that a lanyard, charm, etc can be attached.

Rear/Back

The back of the device is plastic in an all-flat-black color scheme, with the vast majority of it covered by a tiny diamond pattern.  Also, there is a rounded edge around the perimeter of the back.  Both the diamond pattern and the rounded edge have a slightly rubberized feel to them, with the rounded edge feeling slightly more so, presumably to give some texture for gripping.  Roughly the bottom half of the back is a removable panel to access the battery and the SIM card, and I had no difficulty with removing/replacing battery, SIM or the access panel itself (see image below).  The camera lens is mounted in the top center of the back (see image below).  The lens itself is surrounded by a small blue ring in keeping with the Link’s color scheme, just above it is a tiny concave mirror for self-portraits, a feature I wish was present on my iPhone 3GS.  Just to the right of the camera is the speakerphone grille, consisting of a hex-shaped pattern of holes.

Camera

The 1.3MP camera takes pictures that are acceptable for a quick shot here and there, but not much more than that.  There are actually several settings that the user can configure, which is unexpected, but they don’t seem to help the overall picture quality much.  The settings consist of: Integrated 1.3 M CMOS Camera, Resolution up to 1280×1024 (1,310,720 pixels), Mpeg4 Video recording/playing up to 15f/s (QVGA size), 5 or 10 second self-timer function, Photo album and video album; Customizable Resolution, Brightness, White Balance, Color Effects, Quality, Self-Timer.

Battery

Battery life seems quite good for this phone.  I charged it for about 7 hours out of the box, and it has held a charge under regular (but not constant) use for over four days and is still going.  I suspect that this is mainly because the screen is relatively small and doesn’t require as much power.

Voice and Data Performance

I pulled the SIM card out of my iPhone 3GS and placed it into the Link, so that I could test out the Link on the AT&T network.  The voice network was performance was comparable to that of my iPhone 3GS, with a similar amount of difficulty in connecting and dropped calls, so this this may be the AT&T network itself.  However, the actual call quality was slightly less clear than the iPhone.

Data Connection Performance

The data connection on this device is through AT&T’s 3G network, reverting to Edge when 3G is not available.  I found that the Link seems to pick up and hold the 3G connection with virtually the same frequency and solidity as my iPhone 3GS.  However, the speed of the 3G connection seems a bit slower than my iPhone 3GS.  I am unsure if this is due to the processing speed of the data connection itself, or because the overall speed of the operating system is contributing.  It resulted in anything from an annoying split-second delay in launching an app  a several-second wait to upload/download data from the network.

Software

The operating system of this phone is a step up from a standard mobile phone, but does not have the capabilities of a true smartphone OS such as webOS, iPhone,  Android or even BlackBerry.  I found it to be relatively comparable to the BlackBerry OS in navigation and  appearance, but not in capability.  The AT&T AppCenter was a bit cumbersome to navigate.  Having said all this, I found the selection of on board apps and utilities to be quite impressive in a phone of this price range.

Final Thoughts

In the category of mid-level smartphones, the Pantech Link is an overachiever in its hardware, with its styling and feel, and is average in most everything else.  I was pleasantly surprised with the on board app selection in a phone of this type, but the speed of the OS and data connection and AT&T’s nickel-and-diming on data-based features tend to bring it down.  Overall however, I would characterize this phone as great buy for the AT&T’s currently offered price of $9.99 with a new 2-year contract.

Filed in categories: Reviews, Wireless

Tagged: Mobile Phone, Pantech

Pantech Link Mobile Phone Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 23, 2010 at 2:44 pm.

The latest smartphone to show up on my doorstep is the Pantech Matrix Pro (C820). It’s been a year since I reviewed the Pantech Duo (C810), which I enjoyed despite some faults. Today Judie of Gear Diary and I are going to give you our impressions of the latest model of this phone in a dual review. My comments are in blue italics, Judie’s are in Black.

Julie and I have been using the AT&T Pantech Matrix Pro for a while, and it is time to share our experiences with this Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard Edition smartphone. This review will be appearing on Gear Diary and The Gadgeteer; before reading further, you might want to start with my First Impressions of the AT&T Pantech Matrix Pro.

The Pantech Matrix Pro is a chunky little brick measuring 4.17″ tall x 2.0″ wide x 0.85″ thick and 5.34 ounces, but I have to say that it is so nicely curved and solidly built that I never felt its size to be a problem.

Me neither. The size is almost perfect for me. I can easily hold it in my hand (I don’t do belt clips…) while I walk around at my day job. If I don’t want to carry it, it isn’t difficult to stow it in my jeans pocket. It is a bit thick, but it has two keyboards – so I can overlook that.

Technical Specifications

Operating system: Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard
Internal Memory: 256MB
Expandable Memory: Supports up to 32GB microSD™ card
Display: 2.4″ 260K TFT (240×320 pixels)
Camera: 2.0 megapixels with digital 4x zoom
Connectivity: GPRS/EDGE quad-band, UMTS/HSDPA tri-band (850/1900/2100MHz), Bluetooth 2.0 and EDR, USB 2.0 HS
Audio: MP3, AAC, AAC+, WMA, RealAudio®
Video: MPEG-4, H.263, H.264, RealMedia, Windows Media,® 15 fps QCIF, MobiTV, Cellular Video, Video Sharing
Battery: Rechargeable Li-Ion: 1320 mAh; Talk time: Up to 6 hours; Standby time: Up to 12 days

I’ll admit that when I first got it, I was prepared to be underwhelmed. Unlike Julie, I thought that the original Pantech Duo was gimmicky, underpowered, ugly, and cheap…and I didn’t expect this one be much different. How’s that for bias going into a review?

Awwww, I liked it! It wasn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination and I had issues with it, but I really liked the form factor. I just went back and re-read my closing paragraph and in there, I said I hoped Pantech would come out with a better version. My wish was granted. But is it better?

Julie can tell you that I dragged my feet even opening the box. When I finally did open it, I felt a twinge of guilt for how prejudiced I had been. Don’t get me wrong: the Matrix Pro is far from perfect, and for various reasons it is not what I would necessarily label a “Pro” device, but it turned out to be a very good smartphone which should appeal to heavy texters and those who appreciate the wide variety of programs available on the Windows Mobile Standard platform, but who don’t necessarily want to pay an arm and leg for the experience.

Right, the “Pro” descriptor for this phone is definitely a bit of a mis-nomer. It’s missing some key features in order to earn that designation.

As I mentioned in my first impressions post, the Matrix Pro has an attractive form factor; its buttons and other controls are nicely laid out and with the exception of the fake scroll wheel, everything works exactly as expected. Perhaps my greatest complaint about the Pro’s appearance is the use of all that awful shiny plastic. I am trying to remember who it was that told me that shiny surfaces are considered “posh” on mobile phones in Asia, but honestly? I hate them. If I thought I was compulsive about rubbing the HTC S740‘s shiny face, I can tell you that the Matrix Pro made me totally OCD. Not only is its face shiny, so are its sides and back. “Fingerprint magnet” does not even begin to describe this thing – it is a fingerprint and face grease wasteland. I realize this isn’t a big deal to everyone, but it annoys the heck out of me.

I agree with you there. Heck, on occasion, I’ve even used it as a mirror to check my hair! That said, after the initial shiny shock, I have really not noticed it being any more fingerprinty than my iPhone. Polishing it on my jeans has become an absentminded habit.

Other than my obvious negative fixation with the device’s shininess, I have very few real complaints. I expected to think it was too fat, but it isn’t. The Matrix Pro fits very nicely in my hand, and the weight is appropriate , in fact I think that the weight makes the device feel more expensive than it really is. The rounded shape is caressable – and it begs to be held.

I think it has a good balance and is comfortable to hold and use. It doesn’t feel cheap or fragile and does not exhibit any creaking or cracking when squeezed.

I really like the way that Pantech tried to keep the shape of the device streamlined by putting covers over the microSD slot and the sync/charge port…but oh man. More on the sync/charge port cover in a moment.

Hehehe… I hate covers over sync ports too. Grrrrrr…

I know that among hardcore mobility people, the non-standard and proprietary sync/charge cable is going to cause some rolled eyes. “Not another cable to carry…revolt!”

Yeah, I feel the same way, but I also look at it like this: the average consumer who buys LGs, Nokias and certain other phones (smartphones as well as dumb) is used to having to carry a separate charging cable when they travel – assuming they even do that much of it. For them, this will be par for the course; I bet they won’t even give it a second thought.

We aren’t average though, so we can complain about it I hate the cable. Why didn’t Pantech use a mini or micro USB cable instead? Why oh why do designers pick proprietary connectors over more popular (probably even cheaper) choices?

I mentioned before that I didn’t like the sync/charge port cover of doom, and in the end I did wind up ripping it off.

It does not bother me at all that the port is now exposed – instead I have immediate and easy access to a slot that I need to plug into at least every couple of days.

Port cover of doom? Ha! It’s not THAT bad Ok, it annoys me too. But, the proprietary cable annoys me more. I’ll gladly not complain about the port cover if we could have a micro USB connector behind it.

Agreed!

The 2 megapixel camera takes fairly decent pictures, but yeah, I am still hitting the Voice Recorder button when I have the Matrix Pro turned on its side.

Me too! What a lousy decision to place those buttons directly across from one another. Also the shutter button isn’t the easiest to press all the way down. It makes taking a picture a little difficult at times. And then there’s the even more annoying fact that you can’t see a #$@% thing on the display when you’re outdoors – even on an overcast day.

The camera actually doesn’t do that bad of a job. Even the macro shots are readable. Of course I wish there was a built in flash. You can click on the thumbnails to see the full-size images.

The 1320 mAh battery has proven to be quite robust during my testing. I could easily get through a day of regular use without needing a charge – even with several calls, heavy email pulling, light GPS usage and a bit of surfing. When on standby without much activity, the phone could last for several days without losing much juice. Perhaps the lack of WiFi (as in, one less battery draining radio to leave on and suck the life out of the device) contributed to my good results, but since I don’t usually use WiFi all that much anyway, who is to say?

I also had very good results with battery life while using this phone. I typically need to charge it every 3rd day when I’m only making calls and texting. Throw in some browsing, picture taking and game playing, and I’ll charge it every other day.

Is the Matrix Pro perfect? Of course not. It comes loaded with AT&T bloatware (Cellular Video, AT&T Music, MEdia Net, MEdia Mall [no, those aren't typos], AT&T GPS, AT&T Navigator, Shop Music, etc.), and while you can obviously add WM programs to the phone, for some it is as locked down as Fort Knox. For instance, if you don’t want AT&T’s preloaded programs, you can’t delete them. But even worse: Twitter addicts will have to update though the web – the excellent WM application PocketTwit can’t be installed without hacking. Another program I couldn’t install was Google Mobile Apps, though I was able to easily install Google Maps…go figure. Google Mobile Apps and PockeTwit both return an error stating that the applications can’t be installed because they “lack sufficient system permissions.” Gah! FAIL.

I ran into the same issues Google Mobile Apps although I was able to install GMail and mobile Sync. I really like Google’s mobile sync now that I’m doing the cloud thing. No more worries about 3rd party sync apps for my Mac. Yay!

On the other hand, the Matrix Pro is an excellent and largely rock solid device for anyone who likes Windows Mobile Standard, who doesn’t need a touchscreen, who doesn’t mind the proprietary sync/charge cable, and who doesn’t expect to see a 3.5mm headset jack on their phone.

And who doesn’t mind not having WiFi. Although if you think about it, people probably use WiFi mostly for browsing the web on their mobile device. I don’t know about all of you, but I’m not going to want to do very much browsing on a tiny display like the one on the Matrix Pro. So I suppose the lack of WiFi isn’t a deal breaker (for me).

The QWERTY keyboard on the Matrix Pro is very easy to thumb info onto; heavy texters will definitely appreciate it. As a matter of fact, I showed the phone to Sarah and was immediately informed she wanted one. Bear in mind that my 19 year old is a rabid texter (as I have mentioned numerous times), and she has been “making do” ever since killing her Treo 500v (also a WM Standard device) with a Nokia dumbphone that I got from AT&T when I added a line. That’ll teach her.

The dual keyboard is what attracted me to the Pantech Duo and now the Matrix Pro. The top of the phone slides to the right with a very satisfying kerchunk sound (yes, that’s a technical term). The sliding mechanism is spring assisted and is very easy to use.

I found the keyboard to be very comfortable to type on once I got used to the slightly odd layout, with the spacebar situated between the V and B keys. I do a fair amount of texting during the day, and this is the first phone in awhile that I enjoy texting on.

I do not like the keypad though. Not that I use it very often, but I have never been a fan of the Razr style flat keyboard.

I have enjoyed using this phone quite a bit. I think I’m more sold on the form factor and sliding dual keyboard design first and foremost though. Once I get past those features, I find myself wishing it had a better display (one that would allow me to view it outdoors) and a camera with higher resolution and a flash. I will say what said at the end of my Duo review… that I hope Pantech comes out with an even better version in the future. Hey, they listened last time

It would be really easy for me to rag on the Matrix Pro for not being more of a “power user” phone, but if I keep myself from falling into “phone snob” mode, I can admit that it doesn’t have to be. This is a good device – both in specifications and in price – for anyone who wants a smartphone operating system combined with a form factor made for heavy texters.

The Pantech Matrix Pro is available from AT&T.

Filed in categories: Windows Mobile related

Tagged: AT&T, GSM, Pantech, Windows Mobile

AT&T Pantech Matrix Pro (C820) Smartphone Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 27, 2009 at 4:12 pm.

A new version of the Pantech Duo has been announced by AT&T and Pantech Wireless. I really liked the Duo when I reviewed it last year. The form factor was perfect for me. This new version is called the Matrix Pro and runs Windows Mobile 6.1. It’s also a dual slider. I can’t wait to get my hands on one, so keep your fingers crossed for a review soon. More pix and a copy of the press release after the jump.

THE PANTECH MATRIX GOES PRO AT AT&T

The Matrix Pro Debuts as the Powerful Next Evolution of the Dual Slider

DALLAS, Feb. 18, 2009 — AT&T* and Pantech Wireless, Inc. today introduced the Pantech Matrix Pro^TM, available exclusively from AT&T on Feb. 24. The next generation in Pantech’s line of successful dual-sliding, double-keyboard mobile phones, the Matrix Pro includes a host of updated features including a compact new premium design with a larger and more brilliant LCD screen, a chat-style view of text messages, tri-band 3G for the best global coverage possible, an upgraded camera, more memory, a faster processor and AT&T Video Share^SM calling. Customers can learn more by visiting www.att.com/matrixpro.

Beneath the dual-sliding keyboards and refined steel-blue exterior, the Matrix Pro connects Windows Mobile 6.1 to the nation’s fastest 3G network to provide a full range of entertainment and business features. Additionally, with AT&T’s wireless network, you can listen to a conference call on a headset while sending and receiving e-mail attachments, picture messages or Web pages at the same time¹. The compact and elegant design of the Matrix Pro fits snugly in your hand for optimum comfort when typing e-mails with the QWERTY keyboard or dialing phone calls with the numeric pad.

“The Matrix Pro is a fantastic-looking device and a significant evolution in this dual-sliding family of phones,” said Michael Woodward, vice president-Smart Devices for AT&T Mobility. “We’ve seen the Matrix become a hit with consumers, and the Matrix Pro will appeal to anyone who wants a powerful smartphone with a great design.”

Patrick Beattie, vice president, Sales and Marketing at Pantech Wireless, Inc., said: “By offering users an exciting alternative to smartphones with traditional QWERTY keyboard constructions, the Matrix Pro emphasizes efficiency without sacrificing style or functionality. With a large and vibrant LCD screen, two full keyboards, enhanced multimedia functionality, and the ability to edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents, the Matrix Pro appeals to both business users and trend-conscious consumers.”

Customers in 3G coverage can also use AT&T Video Share to send live video during a phone call to a user with a compatible phone. With aGPS support for location-based services such as AT&T Navigator, the Matrix Pro can help you find your way with turn-by-turn directions. AT&T Navigator is available for a free 30-day trial².

A messaging and multimedia powerhouse, the Matrix Pro has smartphone-class memory and processing power to go beyond simple text messaging and voice and allows customers to run the thousands of applications available to Windows Mobile users. It supports threaded chat-style text messaging, corporate and personal e-mail and also provides access to a host of AT&T services such as MobiTV, Napster Mobile, eMusic Mobile, AT&T Mobile Banking and CV on-demand video.

The Matrix Pro operates on the fastest 3G network at home and the best global coverage outside the U.S. — even in Japan and South Korea — because the Matrix Pro supports all three 3G frequencies used worldwide. AT&T customers can use their mobile phones to make calls in more than 200 countries, access data in more than 160 and even use 3G data in more than 65. AT&T offers 3G service in nearly 350 U.S. major metropolitan areas and many other smaller cities and towns across the U.S.

Pricing and Availability

The Matrix Pro will be available Feb. 24 in a steel-blue metallic finish at AT&T company-owned stores and online at www.wireless.att.com for $179.99 after a two-year service agreement and a $50 mail-in rebate³.

For the complete array of AT&T offerings, visit www.att.com.

¹ Standard data charges apply, depending on your plan.

² Users must cancel free trial of AT&T Navigator within 30 days or be automatically subscribed at a cost of $9.99 per month for unlimited routes. You can cancel from the “My Accounts” portal on your handset or call AT&T customer care. Standard data charges apply, depending on your plan.

³ For the Pantech Matrix Pro pay $229.99, and after mail-in rebate, receive $50 AT&T promotion card. A two-year service agreement is also required. AT&T promotion card valid wherever major credit cards are accepted and for 120 days after issue date. May be used to pay wireless bill. Not redeemable for cash and cannot be used for cash withdrawal at ATMs or at automated gas pumps.

Filed in categories: Uncategorized

Tagged: Pantech, Slider, Spotlight Gadgets

Spotlight Gadget – Pantech Matrix Pro originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 18, 2009 at 4:48 pm.