With Windows Mobile version 7 still lurking behind the shadows of Microsoft’s development offices, Acer has been busy making more mobile devices for the Window Mobile Professional 6.5. Seriously, we need version 7, no amount of version 6.5.1 or .2 or even .3 is not going to make a difference, the public is waiting and the delays are just making everyone more impatient. With that said, Acer designed some pretty interesting devices; let us just hope that they are all upgradeable to version 7 when it actually comes out.
The beTouch series is a set of three mobile devices. The beTouch E100 and beTouch E101 are 3G and 2G versions of what is practically the same mobile phone. The beTouch E200 on the other hand is the 3G version of the E100 series but only with a better camera and a nice slide out keypad. This is an advantage for the E200 since the beTouch line uses resistive touch screen technology instead of capacitive touch screen technology. Having a physical keypad takes away some of the reliance on needing to use a stylus all the time. The neoTouch is the fourth device for Acer in their Windows Mobile line, it acts as the high end smart phone in the set.
More Praise for the Slide Out Keypad
What makes a keypad so special that it deserves notable mention? There actually plenty of reasons. The first is mainly because having to rely on a stylus all the time is a real downer. Especially when you are on the go and you cannot afford to use both hands. The keypad itself looks stylish and contributes to the overall design of the device. Instead of having to be integrated into the look of the mobile phone, it seems more like the keypad actually belongs there. Another interesting thing to not is that the keypad itself has been designed to be easy to use. Each key gives a resounding click when pressed allowing you to get sufficient feedback nut not unnecessary noise. The metal finished grooves not only accentuate the black matte buttons, but they also give your fingers a guide to follow. Overall, the keypad is a sensible choice for the E200.
Technical Specifications
The Acer beTouch E200 has a 3 inch resistive touch screen capable of displaying 240 x 400 pixels of resolution. The input methods are touch screen and through the keypad and shortcut buttons on the face of the mobile phone. It runs Windows Mobile Professional 6.5 giving users access to Windows Mobile applications such as Outlook, Office, Media Player, Internet Explorer, Messenger and more. The Qualcomm MSM 7225 528 Mhz processor works nicely for this device giving it a smooth performance (though expect some noticeable loading times). The internal memory has 256MB of RAM and 512MB of ROM.
Network bands supported by the E200 are both 2G and 3G networks; internet connectivity options include 3G HSDPA, GPRS and EDGE. The device also has an A-GPS feature and we are looking forward to seeing what navigation applications will be present. The phone can play back most common video and music file formats, but music lovers will be disappointed to know that there is no 3.5mm audio jack. It does support Bluetooth allowing you to use your Bluetooth headset. Hopefully, a mini USB adapter will be enough to use your favorite head phones. The lack of an SD card slot also increases usage of the mini USB port.
External Features
Aside from the keypad, the backing of the E200 is also very impressive. It has a rubber finish allowing it to stick nicely on surfaces and still feel good to the touch. The screen is a fingerprint magnet, so you will be thankful for the stylus. Lastly, the 1140 mAh battery is pretty light making the phone easy to carry around.
Acer beTouch E200 Links:
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