Over the summer, we switched to Sprint and got new phones and I played with the Palm Centro and the HTC Touch. I decided on the Touch for a number of reasons, the main one being that it was Windows Mobile (read very customizable and hackable). As used it and got more comfortable with it, I quickly realized I needed one more thing - a real keyboard. I just couldn't get used to the software keyboard, and despite promises from other Touch users that I'd soon be as good with it as with a real keyboard, it wasn't happening. So I looked for alternatives.Since I wasn't anywhere close to qualifying for an upgrade, the new Touch phones (the Touch Pro and the Touch Diamond) were out of my price range, so I was left looking for one of the older models or a steal of a price. Of course I could look at BlackBerry's, but the specialty plan I'm on with Sprint doesn't support the BB data, so those were out.
Here's the spec comparison between the two phones (not sure why the HTML is placing so much space between this and the table):
| Sprint Mogul (PPC-6800) | Sprint Touch (PPC-6900) | |
| Installed RAM | 64MB SDRAM | 128MB SDRAM |
| Installed ROM | 256MB Flash | 256MB Flash |
| Processor | QUALCOMM 400 MHz MSM7500 | Texas Instruments 201 MHz OMAP850 |
| Display type | 2.8" TFT active matrix | 2.8" TFT active matrix |
| Max Resolution | 240 x 320 | 240 x 320 |
| Data Speed | EV-DO Rev. A | EV-DO Rev. A |
| Dimensions | 2.3 in x 0.7 in x 4.3 in | 2.4 in x 0.6 in x 4 in |
So the Mogul has less RAM but a faster processor, and about everything else is the same.
To make things better, I have a friend that runs a cell phone shop who had a like-new Mogul on hand that he gave me a steal on - and I picked it up.
So, after a week of playing with it, here's my review:
The Good:
The keyboard is awesome. Look you can talk all you want about how you'll get used to using a software keyboard, blah blah blah, but I couldn't. And after 4 months of playing with it, I'd had enough.
It's also WM6.1 (like the Touch), so the learning curve from the Touch to the Mogul was nil.
It's got Wi-Fi. Yeah, it's cool. In addition, its got a switch on the side so it doesn't kill your battery if you're not using it.
It's got a scroll wheel on the side. That makes it a lot easier to scroll websites and email and such.
The Bad:
It is a little slower than my Touch, which I'm sure is because the RAM is less.
The touch screen is slightly (about 1/8") depressed from the housing, which makes it hard to get to the X in the top right corner or any of the other functions on the edge (like scrolling).
No TouchFLO (I can add it as an app from xda-developers) so no easy access to the 9 most used contacts like the Touch. I'm sure I'll be adding this soon.
It seems to be thicker, although not by much, it is.
The housing is hard plastic, not rubberized plastic, which means it's slippery (yeah, I've dropped it already once).
The GPS is slower to connect than the one in my Touch.
Overall:
I like it. The keyboard alone makes it more than worth the upgrade. Well, that and including the fact that I got taken care of by my friend.
That said, anyone that needs or is interested in a cell phone in the Salt Lake Valley, be sure to stop by the Wireless Giant store at 7200 S State St in Midvale and talk to Pieter. Tell him I sent you and he'll take care of you as well. No, I don't get anything from referring you, but I just like to make sure people that take care of me get rewarded.
Other reviews can be found here:
