Lenovo's ET960: Where's the Connection?

PaulJManoogian · 03-07-2005, 04:06 PM

The Lenovo ET960 is the latest product from the mid-range market and is the first attempt at the Windows Mobile product line from the company. The device sports connectivity through GPRS, IrDA, and Bluetooth. It also includes a nice 128mb of built-in memory, and a slot for memory cards. A convergent utility included is the 1.3 megapixel swivel camera.

Sounds great, right? Wrong. It would be a fantastic device if it didn't cost $1100! To add insult to injury, the device doesn't support WiFi; a technology that is basically a "given" in most all new mobile devices being released this year.

If the price were half as much, I might even own one. Then again, without WiFi, I don't see the point.

Via: [ Gizmodo ]

Bob Russell · 03-07-2005, 10:53 PM

I love to see the news on these smart phones. But they really seem to be aimed more at the phone user that wouldn't mind some PDA-like features. They seem not so great (yet) for the PDA user that wants a phone capability. Until they can add phone features without taking away PDA features, it's a tough sell for me and many PDA fans. Please designers -- no bulk, no tiny screens with wimpy resolution, no retro specs, no phone company gimmicks or expensive data plans, etc etc.

I want just one item in my pocket as much as the next guy, but for now my best solution is to keep a phone in my coat or my car. My PDA has rights to my pants pocket because it earned it!

PaulJManoogian · 03-09-2005, 10:01 AM

BobR,
You have it exactly right. I am so tired of convergence without the quality of a superior single-purpose device. Why would I want a 1.3Mp camera attachted to a $1100 device when I can purchase a 5Mp camera for $300-$600? Why would I want a tiny screen for my PDA, or a bulky phone? Surely there's an answer. Which, hopefully, doesn't include - as you so eloquently put it - "phone comany gimmicks."

If the cost of technology goes down with wider acceptance, why is it that cellular phone plans, DSL, and Cable keep going up?!

-Paul

Colin Dunstan · 03-09-2005, 02:50 PM

$1100 for a smartphone? What are these people thinking??

cbarnett · 03-10-2005, 02:41 AM

It amazes me. Don't these guys do any market research? _Any_ research? They must spend a bucketload designing and implementing a product like this, and of couse it's more than likely to fail for the reasons already mentioned (cost and other missing "essential" features like wifi)..... sigh....

Craig.

PaulJManoogian · 03-15-2005, 11:08 AM

Do you think they read these forums? They should. Aren't we the people that would purchase this stuff? It's not like they can't just get some corporate C "x" O to talk about it and make it sound good, but the people who making the strategic technology and architecture decisions are the people who make this happen on a wide scale through a company, AND at a personal level.

It would be nice to see a response from them.

03-07-2005, 04:06 PM	#1
PaulJManoogian Member Posts: 21 Karma: 25 Join Date: Jan 2005 Device: Dell Axim x30	Lenovo's ET960: Where's the Connection? The Lenovo ET960 is the latest product from the mid-range market and is the first attempt at the Windows Mobile product line from the company. The device sports connectivity through GPRS, IrDA, and Bluetooth. It also includes a nice 128mb of built-in memory, and a slot for memory cards. A convergent utility included is the 1.3 megapixel swivel camera. Sounds great, right? Wrong. It would be a fantastic device if it didn't cost $1100! To add insult to injury, the device doesn't support WiFi; a technology that is basically a "given" in most all new mobile devices being released this year. If the price were half as much, I might even own one. Then again, without WiFi, I don't see the point. Via: [ Gizmodo ]

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03-07-2005, 10:53 PM	#2
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	I love to see the news on these smart phones. But they really seem to be aimed more at the phone user that wouldn't mind some PDA-like features. They seem not so great (yet) for the PDA user that wants a phone capability. Until they can add phone features without taking away PDA features, it's a tough sell for me and many PDA fans. Please designers -- no bulk, no tiny screens with wimpy resolution, no retro specs, no phone company gimmicks or expensive data plans, etc etc. I want just one item in my pocket as much as the next guy, but for now my best solution is to keep a phone in my coat or my car. My PDA has rights to my pants pocket because it earned it!

03-09-2005, 10:01 AM	#3
PaulJManoogian Member Posts: 21 Karma: 25 Join Date: Jan 2005 Device: Dell Axim x30	BobR, You have it exactly right. I am so tired of convergence without the quality of a superior single-purpose device. Why would I want a 1.3Mp camera attachted to a $1100 device when I can purchase a 5Mp camera for $300-$600? Why would I want a tiny screen for my PDA, or a bulky phone? Surely there's an answer. Which, hopefully, doesn't include - as you so eloquently put it - "phone comany gimmicks." If the cost of technology goes down with wider acceptance, why is it that cellular phone plans, DSL, and Cable keep going up?! -Paul

03-09-2005, 02:50 PM	#4
Colin Dunstan Is papyrophobic! Posts: 1,926 Karma: 1009999 Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: USA Device: Dell Axim	$1100 for a smartphone? What are these people thinking??

03-10-2005, 02:41 AM	#5
cbarnett MR prodigal son Posts: 1,085 Karma: 1083739 Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura H2O	It amazes me. Don't these guys do any market research? _Any_ research? They must spend a bucketload designing and implementing a product like this, and of couse it's more than likely to fail for the reasons already mentioned (cost and other missing "essential" features like wifi)..... sigh.... Craig.

03-15-2005, 11:08 AM	#6
PaulJManoogian Member Posts: 21 Karma: 25 Join Date: Jan 2005 Device: Dell Axim x30	Do you think they read these forums? They should. Aren't we the people that would purchase this stuff? It's not like they can't just get some corporate C "x" O to talk about it and make it sound good, but the people who making the strategic technology and architecture decisions are the people who make this happen on a wide scale through a company, AND at a personal level. It would be nice to see a response from them.

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