Kyocera Palm OS Smartphone Available Next Week

Posted By: Ed Friday, March 2, 2001 12:38:25 PM

Next week Verizon Wireless is going to begin selling the Kyocera QCP 6035, a smartphone that runs the Palm OS, according to a Nando Times article. It will sell for $500 with a one-year service contract. Sprint PCS will also be selling it later.

The Kyocera QCP 6035 has a a smaller screen than the V series, probably about the same size as that on the m100 series. It is a bit thicker than a V, a touch longer, and heavier.

The Kyocera Smartphone accesses the Internet by dialing a regular phone call. That makes it possible to connect through either the wireless carrier or the same ISP a person uses on their PC. That saves the extra money that Verizon and other mobile phone companies charge for data access.

Details of the QCP 6035 were released last fall and since then the device has been highly anticipted by those who want to carry a single unit around, rather than both a Palm and a mobile phone.

Operating on CDMA PCS (1900 MHz), CDMA cellular (800 MHz), and analog cellular networks, the Smartphone offers many features, including a built-in speakerphone, voice-activated dialing and a jog-dial for accessing phone settings, contact information and call history. It runs the Palm OS v3.5 with 8 MB of memory. The Kyocera Smartphone measures approximately 5.59 in. x 2.60 in. x 0.86 in. (14.2 cm. x 6.6 cm. x 2.2 cm.) and weighs 7.35 ounces (208 grams). A user-replaceable lithium ion battery provides up to 4.5 hours of talk time and up to 110 hours of standby time in CDMA digital mode.

The Kyocera Smartphone supports HTML browsers with Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption to provide security for confidential data. It also supports Web Clipping applications and WAP browsers. All three methods use CDMA wireless data services for Web access. In addition, users can access corporate or personal e-mail accounts using the integrated Eudora e-mail application. The Smartphone also acts as a wireless modem to provide data/fax capabilities for personal computers via the charging cradle or optional serial cable.

Users can choose either the speakerphone or a headset connected to the universal earphone jack to make simultaneous use of the phone and PDA functions. The jog dial on the left side of the phone provides easy access to contacts, call history, phone settings, messages and voice memos. The Smartphone features voice-activated dialing and Speed Dial, as well as 15 audible ringer types plus a silent, vibrating alert. A SmartSound feature automatically adjusts the earpiece volume during a call based on surrounding noise levels. The Smartphone also incorporates Text Telephony (TTY) capability for hearing-impaired users.

With the keypad open, the Smartphone displays the familiar Palm applications launcher, with additional Smart Keys for the Address Book, Date Book, Memo Pad and To-Do List. The Tap 'n' Dial feature allows automatic dialing of contact numbers from the Address Book. HotSync technology allows users to synchronize information between the Smartphone and a personal computer. The Smartphone also features an infrared data port at the top of the phone for rapid beaming of information to other IR-enabled devices.

Samsung is also going to release a smartphone running the Palm OS later this year.

Thanks to Mike Cane for pointing out the Nando Times article.

Update: Kyocera has rearranged their phone product page so that the Smartphone is no longer listed under "Coming Soon" and has been moved to "New Phones". Click on the image of the phone above to be taken to this page. There is a link on it to find the Verizon store nearest you.

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SmartPhone

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/2/2001 3:41:07 PM #

I think I will wait until the price drops, that would make me a "Smart Consumer", ;-)

men : don't forget to shave often

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/2/2001 4:52:35 PM #

I worry you have to be a women (but don't use too much cosmetics)
or if you're a man, you need to shave and a a neat skin if you don't want
to make rays on the screen !

RE: men : don't forget to shave often

porter @ 3/2/2001 7:03:33 PM #

Rather amusing... But the flip-down keypad covers all but the top couple of lines of the screen so it shouldn't really be a problem, unless you've got whiskers of steel. :)

Other Palm Phones?

joeberk @ 3/2/2001 4:56:07 PM #

What other Palm/Phones are on the way?

RE: Other Palm Phones?

joeberk @ 3/2/2001 4:57:57 PM #

OK, outside of Samsung. (Fridays....)

GSM Support ???

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/2/2001 8:15:17 PM #

Great - finally there was someone who was as smart as millon of useres...but is it GSM compatible?
GSM is the most spreaded digital mobile phone standard in the world (Europe, Australia, USA, Russia etc)
Is there anybody at KYOCERA as smart as.....?

RE: GSM Support ???

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/3/2001 1:34:21 AM #

It may be the most widely used, that does not make it the best. Far from it.

I would much rather have CDMA support on a phone than GSM, you get better features, superior service area and call quality.

GSM is a european based format, designed for small areas and crowded cities, and does not do very well in an environment other than that.

I would expect CDMA to gain in popularity,k and eventually become the new standard. They are pushing it in the USA, and they have started pushing it in australia and in singapore. Once they can get over the POC-Nokia stronghold in europe, than I would expect it to do very well there as well.

RE: GSM Support ???

ardiri @ 3/3/2001 4:10:56 AM #

I would much rather have CDMA support on a phone than GSM, you get better features, superior service area and call quality.

say what????

you obviously have not used a GSM phone!! I would not call "Australia" a densely populated country - very much far from it. "Sweden" has over 90% coverage, now - thats quite an area! when it comes to coverage, it is up to the operators.. not the phone.

when I visit USA, i show people my GSM phone, and what *I* can do with it - and they all pretty much end up saying "yeah, I wish GSM support was better here".

I travel quite a bit, and without GSM - I would be screwed. SMS is a great service, and is very cheap. I also like the ability to change my phone as I desire - not have a dependant number wired into my phone. if my phone gets run over, I get a new one.. swap the SIM card, and off I go - whats with bad service?

I await the GSM version of this, for now.. I will use my Nokia 8850/8890 to suit my needs as appropriate with getting a connection to my Palm(s).

// az
aaron@ardiri.com
http://www.ardiri.com/

RE: GSM Support ???

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/3/2001 7:04:22 PM #

There is no time to argue - GSM is the best because most flexible standard, CDMA ? Try to use it in the 96 (!!!!) countries in the world using GSM.In almost all of them you stay reachable with your one and only number.And Internet access with a palm via IrDa is no problem at all
(the real reason we never needed a PALM VII...) because you can use any PALM with an GSM phone like a VII including Internet, WAP, SMS and Clipping.
There is a reason also for Motorola to introduce more and more Triband GSM mobiles...

RE:GSM Support??

PalmPlan @ 3/4/2001 5:05:24 AM #

You know what? GSM has got to be the most widely used system for mobile phones in the world today. You travel around the world & still manage to usethe phone.

RE: RE:GSM Support??

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/5/2001 3:43:15 PM #

Yes... However, that Kyocera division that makes Palm smartphones was once a part of Qualcomm (the CDMA patent holder) not too long ago, and I doubt that much of the personnel and the attitude has changed... which forces me to believe that some other GSM handset manufacturer (such as Nokia?) have to license Palm OS.

Samsung do make GSM phones, but their native market, Korea, uses mostly CDMA...

Just my $.02.

Processor? Flash Upgradable?

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/5/2001 5:44:32 PM #

Does anyone know which Dragonball processor this thing uses? Also, is the OS flash upgradable? I've looked on Kyocera's website, but these details are not listed anywhere.