I MATE (JASJAR )...!

Design

If portability, aesthetics, and usability of phone functions are of significant importance to you when purchasing a PDA, you may as well close this browser window now. The JASJAR is not for the stylish teen or those with simple needs; it's a business tool designed specifically for mobile professionals. For most, one look at the device is sure to be a dead giveaway of this fact -- it's an eye-sore, to be frank.

It weighs 285g and meas

ures 81mm by 127.7mm by 25mm; given the fact that it's equipped with a 62-key QWERTY keyboard and swivelling touch screen, we're unsure whether to call it a miniaturised laptop PC or a smartphone. Regardless, one great aspect of this design is that data entry ranks among the best we've seen from a device of this size. Punching out long e-mails and word documents is extremely comfortable, thanks to the relatively large keys.

In addition to the keypad, data can also be inputted using the stylus and 3.6-inch touchscreen. Yet pulling out the stylus when you only need to accomplish a simple task can be a chore, so there's also a number of handy shortcut keys. Volume, camera, voice dial, calling and power buttons all make an appearance and, thankfully, they're all located in logical positions.

The swivelling screen allows the device to be closed with the screen facing either internally or externally. The former provides protection against scratching, but if you plan to use the phone feature you'll want to have the screen facing outwards, as the speaker and microphone are located here. It's also worth noting that the JASJAR will automatically switch between portrait and landscape modes depending on the position of the screen.

Features

One of the most impressive aspects of the JASJAR is its 3G network support, as smartphones aren't commonly 3G-capable. The device also sports tri-band GSM/GPRS (900/1800/1900) connectivity, 802.11b Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Infrared, making it easily the most connected PDA/smartphone device we've encountered.

It's got two integrated cameras -- one 1.3-megapixel offering (with flash/focus light) on the back, and a secondary CIF (352x288) camera on the front for video conferencing. The second camera complements the 3G connectivity option nicely, as it provides a compelling application for making use of the additional bandwidth provided by a 3G network.

If you're not impressed yet, you will be when you hear that the device's 3.6-inch display boasts a resolution of 640x480. There's plenty of screen space to work with, and we didn't have any issues reading the display while outdoors.

Under the hood is a powerful set of components, including a speedy 520MHz Intel processor, 64MB of RAM and 128MB of flash ROM. Should you require more space to store your files, there's also an SD expansion slot.

Like most current smartphones, the JASJAR runs Windows Mobile 5.0, and thus comes bundled with pocket versions of Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint), Outlook, Internet Explorer and MSN Messenger. Your files and tasks can be synchronised with your desktop PC using ActiveSync, which also allows you to install any third-party Java applications.

Of course, push e-mail is supported as well. If your JASJAR isn't updated to include this feature, be sure to check out our DIY guide on the subject for detailed information on how to do this yourself.

Performance

We apologise for labouring the point, but we must re-iterate that we found the JASJAR to be unsuitable for use as a primary mobile phone. Unless you're comfortable using a Bluetooth headset, you'll soon tire of the device's size, weight and unorthodox design.

We found the processor and RAM to be adequate, and there's little delay when loading up applications. The JASJAR's battery provides around eight hours of talk time (slightly less if you're on 3G) and around 250 hours of standby time.

Despite its unsavoury aesthetics, the JASJAR is an ideal companion for the mobile professional that needs to input large amounts of data on the go.

BLACK BERRY BOLD 9700...!

With the previous Bold model about a year past its original release, the Blackberry Bold 9700 came out at a perfect time. With sleeker looks and more powerful hardware than the previous model, it's just the right device to put RIM firmly in the thick of the business smartphone market.

Physically, the handset looks nothing like its predecessor. The new body is more svelte and compact, with an aesthetic that should appeal to both genders. Not only is it more pocketable than the previous Bold, it's also slimmer than this year's popular Tour. With classy looks, appealing lines and a great feel in the hand, it's an easy winner in the design department.

The downside to the compact frame is that the 9700's screen is smaller at 2.44 inches (compared to its predecessor's 2.75-inch). Display, at a 480x360 resolution, is brilliant, with crisp lines and vibrant colors. Navigation array, 35-key QWERTY keypad (crammed, but large and comfortable, buttons) and the rest of the physical controls work admirably. UI is similar to the previous device's, save for some slight refinements in OS 5.0.

As a phone, the quad-band handset manages excellent call quality on both ends of the conversation. Voices sounded clear, with nary the sign of any distortion. The speakerphone mic picked up voices very well on our end, although speaker quality was just average. Battery life has a rated talk time of 6 hours, which should be good for a couple days of regular use.

With a powerful 624MHz CPU, the smartphone runs very fast. Coupled with speedy 3G, performance of connected apps is downright snappy. Browser has received much improvement over RIM's previous versions (faster Javascript, CSS and Google Gears). Despite their efforts, however, the browser still lags behind other smartphones, marked by very slow-responding navigation.

The Bold 9700 comes with the usual Blackberry smartphone features, including a souped-up messaging and productivity suite, aGPS and Bluetooth. There's the excellent Blackberry Enterprise Server, of course, which supports Exchange, Domino and GroupWise. There's also an attachment viewer, a bevy of pre-installed messaging clients and Documents To Go.

Unlike many of Blackberry's previous releases, the phone comes with both 3G and Wi-Fi, allowing you more chances of staying connected wherever you end up (yep, it's a world phone too). The Wi-Fi service even comes with UMA, which lets you make unrestricted calls over data lines without running up your minutes.
The media player is decent, with a good range of supported formats. The 3.2 megapixel camera was a huge step-up from its predecessor, managing excellent photo quality, while providing for a good range of editing options.
Overall, the BlackBerry Bold 9700 is an excellent business phone, especially for frequent travelers who could use both the 3G and Wi-Fi support. The browser, while decent, is the handset's only low point, one that we expect RIM to work on during the next year.