O2 Xda Argon

[xfloat=LEFT]http://www.4winmobile.com/reviewer/irblinx/argon/argon-hero3b.jpg[/xfloat]O2 Xda Argon

Many thanks to O2 UK who have once again allowed 4WinMobile to get an advance look at their latest device, the Xda Argon. Those of you that have been Windows Mobile users for a while will certainly recognise the stylings of the Argon as it is very similar to O2 UK's earlier device, the Xda II. A quick look at the hardware specs, however, reveals a thoroughly modern heart beating under the retro looks.

Manufacturer: HTC Vendor: O2 UK Product: Xda Argon Colour: Silver Cost: From free on selected tariffs Manufacturer Web Site: HTC Vendor Product Web Site: O2 Xda Argon

O2 Have managed to sign an exclusive deal with HTC to bring their Panda device to the market as the Xda Argon. The Argon is aimed fairly and squarely at the corporate market and O2, having had great success in this area with both the Xda II and the Xda IIi, have obviously decided that what familiarity actually breeds is solid sales. Read on to find out if we agree! Click on any of the images to see a larger version

First Impressions

On opening the box for the first time I was half expecting Marty McFly and the Doc to bundle me into a Delorean and fire up the Flux Capacitor. A couple of years ago there were typically two sizes of device on offer; the full sized ones such as the Xda II and the smaller ones such as the Xda Compact. However, in recent times the vast majority of devices released have gravitated towards the Compact size range with smaller screen area. So much so that it is now very unusual to see a Windows Mobile - Phone Edition (sorry, "Professional") device in the larger format. The Xda Argon bucks that trend in a bid to give corporate customers a perfect replacement for their aging Xda IIi devices. So the Argon is deliberately retro in the design of the case but much like the Doc's train in Back to the Future 3; they have managed to fit some mightily impressive sounding hardware in an old fashioned case. The packaging that was provided to us is, as far as we are aware, identical to the retail packaging with the exception that we weren't given any outer sleeve (no doubt still at the design stage), any documentation or the software CD. This again is a throwback to the old style of O2 Xda packaging with none of the cleverness shown in recent boxes. In the box there are the following; the Argon (obviously) battery a headset (plugs into mini USB port) the charger USB-Mini USB sync cable a simple if rather nice looking (see the detail stitching) carry case No handbook or CD were in the box we received but I assume they will be present in the released version.

Specifications

WM5 Professional AKU 3.3 Dimensions 129.7 x 69.8 x 18.8mm Weight 200g 2 Megapixel camera 3.5 inch touch screen (QVGA) Talk Time Up to 4 hrs Expansion Slots: MMC, SD, SDIO

Bluetooth: Bluetooth 2.0 Wireless LAN: 802.11b, 802.11g Standby Time Up to 200 hrs Tri Band Memory = ROM: 256, MB RAM: 128 MB CPU = 32bit Samsung SC32442 (400 MHz)

Software

I was expecting to see some evidence of the intended market in the included software (a meter reading app perhaps ) but aside from the interesting looking Bluetooth Explorer there doesn't seem to be anything of that ilk. A couple of the inclusions (Audio Manager and MP3 Trimmer, both HTC apps) seem decidedly out of place in such a determinedly corporate device. There isn't a great deal more "out of the ordinary" software on the Argon other than an extended task manager app; however the inclusion of Sprite Backup is very welcome. Also present and correct is that old O2 staple, GPRS Monitor. In addition to those the other apps on the device are mainly today plug-ins. All the usual suspects are there: profiles, meters, Calendar, shortcuts, running apps and Last Call. One fairly major problem I did find with the supplied build (AKU 3.3) was that any changes to the today screen options (either standard WM5 or through the O2 Custom Today Plug-ins) didn't take effect until after a soft reset.

Does the Argon Have a Market?

Again I was left wondering as to the intended market for this device; your average Road Warrior would be expecting something a lot more compact than the Argon nowadays with devices such as the HTC Hermes variants and the O2 Xda Orbit becoming the norm. Another possible market is for field services applications such as meter readers, delivery drivers etc; again I'm not convinced that the Argon fits the bill in this area. Whilst I admit that the focus is most definately on utility in this arena I would suspect that the Argon isn't rugged enough and I personally would prefer to opt for serious rugged handsets such as those from Symbol. However, after a bit of investigation (and talking to other members of the 4WM staff) the consensus seems to be that there are a lot of companies still using a large number of Xda IIi devices that are surely reaching the end of their useful life. After all, no-one knows how many Xda IIi are out there better than O2 and the one definite advantage that the Argon has over a totally rugged device is price. So is there a market for enterprises looking to replace aging Xda II & IIi devices? Undoubtedly the answer is yes but there I also have a problem. Whilst the Argon does accept full sized SD cards, that is just about where the compatibility ends. The power/sync adapter is now an industry standard mini USB so the Argon won't fit in Xda II/IIi cradles or car kits and not even Pieman's tin-snips could persaude an Xda II VGA backpack to slot into place Yes you get all the push mail lovliness of WM5, a faster processor and more memory but is that enough to offset the cost to a business of upgrading. Maybe it's time to double check what condition those Xda IIi devices are in and get hold of a decent WM2003 compatible push email add on for your exchange server? Possibly our emergency services might be best suited to take advangtage of the Argon, the big screen, unfussy functionality and meaty performance would probably be well suited to this sort of application.

Benchmarks

Spb Benchmark Indices Many thanks to SPB software for allowing 4WM to use their excellent Benchmark software for this review. All three devices were tested specifically for this review following a hard reset.

Comparisons

From Left: HTC TyTN : e-Ten Glofiish M700 : O2 Xda Mini S : O2 Xda Argon : O2 Xda Exec

Pros and Cons

Pros Great Memory Size (at Last!!) Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0, AKU3.3 Non proprietary Mini USB sync/charge Big Screen Full sized SD slot (you do remember where you put your old ones don't you?)

Cons Old Fashioned Looks Unwieldy size Not compatible with Xda II or Xda IIi accessories No 3G No built in GPS Seemingly poor signal reception

Conclusion: Consumer

O2 have firmly placed this device in the business market; they don't expect the gadget loving consumer to want an Argon and I personally think that they'd be correct in that expectation. The consumer market is crowded with all sorts of fantastic devices today and more are sure to follow. Despite the excellent performance the Argon does look something of a dinosaur by comparison. The only plus point in the Argon's favour for a general consumer is the very nice memory size but I honestly can't see that overcoming the many negatives. So this device should stay firmly in the market that O2 are aiming it at.

Conclusion: Business

4WinMobile rating:- 75%

My overriding feelings about the Argon are of disappointment; it just feels like a real missed opportunity. Add 3G, WM6, VGA and built in GPS to the equation and we would be talking a completely different reaction. As it is I'm struggling to see why you would upgrade from an Xda IIi unless the orignal device is faulty to the point of being beyond repair. However, if your requirements are for a large screen, decent processor and good amount of memory then the Argon certainly fits the bill. From this point of view O2 should definitely be applauded for listening to their customers; it just remains to be seen if those customers feel the need to upgrade now that the Argon is available. The Argon will no doubt be a willing work-horse in a number of specialised roles but I just wish that HTC had added a bit more X factor to the Panda.