HTC P3300 Artemis (Initial Thoughts)

[mikealder]

HTC P3300 ARTEMIS

A few people have expressed an interest in this device, so here are my initial thoughts after only eight hours of owning the unit.

What’s in the box:

The Device
USB PC Cable
Car charger adapter/ cable (with a smart Blue power on HTC logo)
UK Mains charger
Windscreen Mount – decent quality including tilt/ swivel
Earphones (these double as an FM aerial)
Battery (pre-charged to 100%)
Leather case (Belt mounted - don’t like this bit)
Spare Stylus – this is a small point, but its inclusion always impresses me
Instruction Book (I might even read this later)
Quick Start guide
Various software disks
512MB TransFlash card
External GPS aerial

The “Quick Start Guide” states you only get a car charger, windscreen mount and 512MB TransFlash card with the “Premium” version. So for the extra £85 you get quite a bit more than just the TomTom Navigator 6 DVD.
I am impressed with the quality of the charger device (coiled lead variety), the windscreen mount is excellent in use although you can’t remove the stylus once it’s in the holder. In use the mount is sturdy and vibration free, it also has a decent locking device to secure the unit in the required position (landscape or portrait modes are supported).
There is no mention in either manual of the external GPS Active Antenna, whether this is only supplied with the “Premium” package I simply don’t know – I have found its not required in my vehicle though, the inbuilt SiRF-III device performs very well.

First off I fitted the supplied 512MB TransFlash memory card, phone SIM card, battery and finally replaced the cover.
Power up and the first surprise was not having to go through the screen align on initial start up, so I just set owner details etc.

At this point the available memory was listed as:

Programs 25.64MB
Storage 25.87MB

I would have preferred more memory to start with, so installing applications will be to the card in most cases. Having said that, TomTom Navigator 6 is preinstalled. In addition there are a number of other programs pre-loaded Quick GPS, Pocket MSN, Voice speed dial and Zip. Supplied on CD are two other applications SPB GPRS monitor (vital to watch the mobile internet costs dependent upon your tariff) and the excellent Sprite Back-up software, even with WM2005’s persistent storage a decent back-up package can make all the difference when things go wrong.

Connect to the PC via Active Sync and install some applications, first the award winning Screen Shot CE (thanks Lutz) followed by Memory Map, a local area map was then transferred from the PC to the TransFlash card in the Artemis.

While connected to the PC I also ran the Quick GPS program on the Artemis, this updates the GPS ephemeris data to speed up position fix. Run up Memory Map and configure the GPS – easy, the GPS was found on COM 4 actually listed as running at Baud speed 9600.

Outside the GPS took 25 seconds to acquire a 3D position fix, things are looking good, I will take this figure as the first cold fix (although it was assisted by the Quick GPS system which is onboard) – if its there to make life easy why not use it?

In use quite light to carry around the innovative track wheel is great for navigation around the menus and for moving the map around in the vertical plane, it just takes a bit to get used to it. My one reservation (prior to purchase) was the processor speed. It uses a TI-OMAP clocking at 201MHz, not the fastest when looking at just the MHz value, but in use so far it copes admirably with what I have thrown at it (not much in eight hours though).

Form factor and size, the device is very similar to my Imate pda-n (physically it is slightly smaller). The screen at 2,8” is identical in size the quality is impressive, very easy to read, I don’t like the garish green Today screen though, this will have to be altered – more messing around, but this is down to individual taste.

The biggest limiting factor I can see so far is the size of the TransFlash card (pun intended), also swapping the card for another one is not easy due to where it is located, and so I have a 2GB TransFlash on order. Once the new card is fitted I will explore more of the devices capability. As an aside to this, actually loading mapping data or anything else for that matter to the onboard card is faster via Active Sync than using a card reader. Let me quantify that last line, by the time you have taken the Artemis to bits to remove the tiny card, put it in a reader, transferred the data then re-built the Artemis the Active Sync (for all I hate it) will have the job done in around the same time.

A nice power saving touch is when using the FM Radio, turn the device off with the power switch and it knocks the backlight and screen off. The music continues through the earphones, if a call is received the ringing tone replaces the music and a simple press of the earphones volume control mounted button answers the call. The device remains within your pocket throughout, termination of the call is via the same button on the earphones and the radio resumes playing.

Absent from the unit is IrDA, although these days it is too slow to be of much use, I certainly won’t miss it. Interestingly the “Receive All Beams” icon is still present in the Settings/ Connections menu. This is used to select whether you want to receive Bluetooth Beams from other devices.

For now the GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, FM radio and phone will keep me busy, overall I am happy with the device, one note is the absence of UMTS or 3G for high speed internet access, I can live without this as previous encounters with it have resulted it very quickly depleted batteries – standard GPRS for me from now on then.

For me the big attraction to this device is the single package within a compact PDA style unit. This avoids carrying multiple devices, no longer do I need the Bluetooth GPS and cables/ charger, SD WiFi card, separate Radio (or CF Radio card that I used to use with my ipaq).

For now I need to find the charger adaptor for my Bluetooth laser projection keyboard, the keyboard being the single thing the device lacks for what I want – my previous three PDA based phones all had integral keyboards (some worked better than the others though). The ironic part being that straight away I am back to two devices in the pocket, a phone and a keyboard – not the objective at the outset. I didn’t realise how much you become reliant upon the inbuilt keyboard, the On Screen keyboard can be used, but it is small.

As I said at the start this is an initial thoughts after only a few hours use. Overall I am impressed with the unit, having been a user of O2 re-badged HTC PDA based phones in the past I look forwards to trying the new toy in anger over the next coming months.

A full review with pictures etc will follow when the unit has more software installed and a few more miles under foot/ car. - Mike

[Mullet]

Thanks for the heads up Mike. From what you say this could be my next device. Would appreciate an update, say in a month or so when you have lived with it a while.

Have you tried SPB Full screen keyboard as a solution? no experience so cannot comment. I tend to transcribe.
http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/fsk/?en

Good luck & I hope the device serves you well.

[MGTF]

Hi
Great initial thoughts sounds like this will be top of my Christmas wish list.. One question at the minute i use a recharging device the one that takes 4 AA batteries and you use a USB cable to charge the device i use this all the time when out trecking the moors to charge my IPAQ (and BT GPS unit if needed) I have found it will not charge my Mobile though an orange C500 the phone charges OK from a USB port on PC/Laptop but will not charge from the 4 AA battery pack. Just wondered if you have such a device and if so are able to use it.

I'll be looking out for your further comments on the device i't'll certainly cut down on the devices i need to carry around.

Cheers

[EasyD2]

Hi Mike,

Glad to hear you got the P3300 safely and are having fun with it. Its definitely a product that seems to be proving popular and we anticipate selling a lot more in the future.
_________________
www.easydevices.co.uk

Tel: 0871 7000 156
Globalsat UK Distributor

[mikealder]

[rvw]

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the really quick, real-time review, ive been busting to hear from someone who has one, with no direct link to man'fr.

Do you know when O2 will be offering it in the UK (I heard there was a bust up between them and HTC), or, even better Orange or Vodaphone as I can get one through work!!

I look foward to your further tests

Thanks again

rvw
_________________
Richard Wood
Dorset (occasionally)

To fish or not to fish, there is no question.

[mikealder]

As far as I know O2 Germany have the device listed as the O2 XDA-Orbit, but I am not too sure if there are plans for the UK market, I have been a loyal customer to O2 for quite some time.
The reasons I have gone down the OEM solution for this phone is the lack of additional software loaded (Bloatware such as "Active interface" etc). I am also about to switch network providers due primarly to the stupidly high mobile internet charges - it suits me to have the phone I want rather than what the networks offer you - Mike

[rvw]

Mike (or anyone),

I am a real no-brain with phone technology but my idea was to use the P3300 to connect to the internet while i'm away in Hotels etc. Would I be able to do this through the Wifi application? I had visions of checking & sending e-mails & reading forums etc, will this incure heavy pnone bills.

Sorry to be so thick but once I latched on to Tomtom there was no stopping me!!

rvw
_________________
Richard Wood
Dorset (occasionally)

To fish or not to fish, there is no question.

[mikealder]

Richard, You can use the WiFi for internet connection where it is available some hotels offer it free others charge for connection (but its still cheaper than paying £3/ MB) if there is no WiFi anailable then you use the GPRS, you need to shop around to get a good contract if you need internet access this way.
Some providers offer very poor connection charges (read costly), others arn't too bad when added to your line tariff - e.g. £7.50 per month for upto 2GB of traffic. Even I shouldn't exceed that!
WiFi equipped PDA based phones all offer the same feature you can use the WiFi but if its not available it will use the GPRS for the internet connection - Mike

[rvw]

Thanks Mike
That confirms what I wanted to know.
I look foward to your full review, then if ok get one on a tariff!

Thanks
Richard
_________________
Richard Wood
Dorset (occasionally)

To fish or not to fish, there is no question.

[rvw]

:D GOOD NEWS:D I think!

O2 have announced arrival of HTC P3300 (ORBIT) in November

Hope its a reasonable price on contract!!

Rvw
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Richard Wood
Dorset (occasionally)

To fish or not to fish, there is no question.

[mikealder]

There are very few details available as yet on the XDA-Orbit. I only hope O2 don't mess the device up with a buggy software ROM and also they should leave alone the full functionality of the device (It is also available via T-mobile but they have knocked out the WiFI capability). For more details on the O2 Orbit see HERE - Mike

[rvw]

Hi Mike

I tried to find this on T Mobile website but could not find it! I think they are calling it the MDA compact 111, any idea what they are charging?

However if they are stopping the WI-FI facility I will be looking elsewhere!

rvw
_________________
Richard Wood
Dorset (occasionally)

To fish or not to fish, there is no question.

[mikealder]

I saw it on the Dutch T Mobile site last weekend. Someone has posted on another board the cost was 60 plus contract, but I somehow doubt the authenticity of this! - Mike

[rvw]

Expansys are now doing the P3300 on Vodaphone and O2 tariffs from just over £100.

O2 are launching soon!

rvw
_________________
Richard Wood
Dorset (occasionally)

To fish or not to fish, there is no question.

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