Simply put, the Siemens SX66 does it all. A full color display slides down to reveal an integrated QWERTY keypad, while integrated "wi-fi" and Bluetooth keep you on the cutting edge of connectivity. Powered by the Windows Mobile 2003 operating system and with support for corporate email accounts, this device is designed for maximum efficiency, wherever you are. It's the ultimate power tool for mobile professionals.
Design
Click the image to get a closer look at the SX66's features. View the rear of the unit in detail here. |
The SX66 follows the standard form factor of the latest Pocket PC devices, with one major addition; as mentioned, a sliding QWERTY keyboard is hidden below the screen. A generous, 240 x 320 full-color touchscreen display dominates the face of the unit. Just below the display is a five-way selection button that allows you to navigate and control the Windows Mobile interface. Meanwhile, shortcut buttons positioned both above and below the screen offer quick access to your Outlook calendar, contacts, messaging, Internet Explorer and more. Alternatively, the device can be directly controlled with an included stylus that slides out of the rear of the SX66's case.
Under the hood, the SX66 sports a 400 Mhz Intel PXA263 CPU with 128 MB of RAM and 64 MB of embedded flash memory storage. The unit's SD IO memory slot supports additional flash-based memory so you can expand available storage. The Windows Mobile 2003 Pocket PC operating system is completely touchscreen-enabled and features advanced handwriting recognition that is compatible with all of the device's applications. There's a standard stereo 2.5mm headset jack, while USB data and charging is handled by the SX66's docking ports on the bottom of the device.
Calling Features
Many of the SX66's calling features are integrated with the Windows Mobile operating system. For instance, the included Pocket Outlook software features a contacts list that is cleverly integrated with the phone's dialing functions. Meanwhile, the phone's handwriting recognition software can be used to dial numbers and enter contact information. The SX66's built-in speakerphone makes it easy to talk without having the phone to your ear. Polyphonic ringtones are available, as is a vibrating alert. Caller ID and call waiting are also supported. Lastly, the SX66's Bluetooth connectivity makes it easy to sync the unit with a wide range of handsfree, wireless headsets and car kits.
Messaging, Internet and Tools
The SX66 is designed as a complete mobile office solution, so Internet and messaging capabilities are robust. The unit comes packed with pocket versions of Outlook, Internet Explorer and MSN Messenger. In addition to keeping track of contacts, Pocket Outlook features integrated calendar and email functions. Microsoft's ActiveSync software keeps the device synced with all of your PC's Outlook information (via USB, IR, wi-fi, or Bluetooth connection). Users who want Internet connectivity on the road with their laptop or PDA can tap the SX66's wireless modem capabilities (Cingular data plan charges apply). An included Cingular Xpress Mail Suite provides real-time access to your corporate and personal email (with optional Cingular Xpress Mail service). Meanwhile, the unit fully supports basic text messaging, as well as multimedia messaging (MMS).
A generous toolset ships with the SX66's Windows Mobile 2003 software. Pocket Outlook includes to-do lists while pocket versions of Word and Excel are included so you can review and edit documents on the go. A calculator, alarm clock and voice memo recorder round out the tools package.
Entertainment
The SX66 delivers the ultimate music experience. You can store MP3 files and easily exchange them with your PC or stream them from the internet. The included Windows Media Player application can also play videos for even more mobile entertainment.
The SX66's wallpapers and screensavers can be customized to suit your tastes. Windows Mobile and Java-based games are also supported.
Vital Statistics
The Siemens SX66 weighs 7.41 ounces and measures 4.92 x 2.83 x .75 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 4 hours of digital talk time, and up to 168 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the GSM 800/GSM 900/GSM 1800/GSM 1900 frequencies. The phone comes with a one year limited warranty.
What's in the Box
SX66 handset, USB Sync Station, li-ion Battery, headset, spare stylus, travel charger, 22-pin DC jack converter, carry case, user manual, quick start guide, companion CD
1 Good for business use, not that great for consumers
The Siemens SX66 is a WIndows CE based Smartphone designed mostly for business usage. For Consumer purposes it is a bit of an overkill and is not particularly optimized for some entertainment purposes.
This review is written mostly with Business usage in mind (I use it with a Goodlink e-mail client) I also include some consumer comments at the end.
Screen and Input modes.
The SX66 includes a large screen that can fit more elements than other smaller screen phones. This is particularly useful to browse through e-mails. It gives you a choice of typing via a qwerty keyboard or through a virtual keyboard and your stylus. It includes many programmable keys that are mapped to many Windows applications, such as Explorer, e-mail, calendaring, tasks and phone answer and hang up.
Other useful tools: for talking you can use it as any phone talking, or use its wired headset (included) or use its speakerphone mode. It also has a built in camera and a built in voice recorder.
Business Applications
As many other Windows CE handhels (PDAs or smartphones) you can find many applications both for business as well as for consumer purposes. Coupled with an e-mail business client software (e.g. Goodlink) you can have Blackberry-like functionality as your e-mails, meetings and other corporate e-mail items can be pushed into your handheld via GPRS or WiFi. One nice thing about the SX66 vs. Blackberry is that the SX66 with the right software can open most MS Office attachments (and you can even modify some of them).
Using this phone for business apps (e-mail, calendar, et al) this phone is a great tool. Its large screen and its keyboard options allow for great e-mail reading and for composing short e-mails (or SMS messages). For large e-mails, honestly, your notebook is a much better tool.
Battery Usage / Power Options
Battery duration is good but not great for regular phone usgae, it will typically last for one day. If you use it heavily for e-mail or for PDA apps (e.g. taking notes) its battery life greatly diminishes to less than one day. There are many packages in the market so you can charge it in the middle of the day via USB, USB cradle, car charger or regular power adapters. The nice thing in any of them is that it charges really quickly. so can be back to full charge in less than 1 hr.
Networking options
The networking options are many and very useful. It can operate on quad-band GSM (it operates in most countries), it can hook to GPRS, WiFI and Bluetooth networks. It also has infrared connectivity to connect to other portable devices. GPRS is available in most GSM cellular networks, and it will give you pretty much ubiquitous access but at somehow slow speeds (it is good for e-mail clients, as they typically push text into the handhels), for faster access use WiFi and connect is the same networks you connect on your notebook.
Consumer usage
- Not as good performing video. I have tried a couple of times to play home videos (e.g. 30 sec shots taken with my camera) and it has basically stalled and taken long to recover.
- Not as good performing games, its video performance makes it unpractical.
- Built in camera lacks the quality and is below some lower cost phones.
PROS
- Large screen, larger than most phones in the market.
- Variety of input modes.
- Variety of tools.
- Pre-programmed buttons allow quick access to most useful functions.
- Variety of Wireless networks to connect to.
- Good-sized memory included, can be increased greatly using an SD-Card.
CONS
- Battery life is limited. Needs midday recharging if you use PDA or e-mail heavily trough the day.
- Included camera has very limited resolution, pictures come out with a lot of noise and its colors are not that great.
- Lack of EDGE networks support.
- A bit heavy and large format, you need to use its carrying case.
- Video playing is very poor. Don't even bother trying.
2 Good, PDA, OK phone
on the whole, I really like my SX66. The reception I get with Cingular (even after the takeover) is not quite what I got with my old AT&T phone, so I believe this is due to the phone itself.
For talking on, the quality is certainly acceptable, but by no means the best cell phone I've ever had. A hands free device is a good thing to have since the phone itself is rather bulky.
That brings us to the downsides:
* The included hands free microphone/headset broke within a month.
* The bluetooth headset I bought (Jabra BT250) has generates a pretty consistent amount of static if the phone is more than a foot or two from the headset.
Everything is functional, and because of the data capabilities I have to say I like the phone and wouldn't trade it in for another, but it'd be a definite 5 star device if they could iron out the bluetooth static issue.
3 SX66 vs Treo 650
I need a GSM phone for world-wide travel, I'm a photographer who needs to have a BT-compatible phone, which can upload image files to the Web. (A Canon 20D WiFi's the image to a HP Ipaq 4705 PocketPC, which captions the image & BT's it to the BT-phone, which then Tx's to the Web.) There's a software package available (see http://www.idruna.com), which runs on the 4705..but if the SX66 & Treo 650 are essentially PocketPCs, then why couldn't they get the WiFi'd image, caption the image, & Tx it to the Web? (ie, avoid the intermediary HP4705) I wonder if that Idruna software can somehow be ported to the SX66 or Treo 650. I bet it can't, or they don't want to.
The Treo650 is a quad-band phone, & has Edge (high speed data network). Isn;'t the latter, where the Treo 650 is better than the SX66? (still dialup speeds).
I'd appreciate any further comparisons between the Treo 650 & SX66. I'm about to spring for one of the, can't decide which. If the SX66 had Edge functionality, I would buy it right now. There are a lot of smaller issues like: USB 1.0 for SX66 (rather than USB 1.1), the screen of the Treo650 is "twitchy". The SX66 looks a lot more compact, the Treo650 looks bulky.
4 great review...
The previous review was very helpful and thorough. I had the sx56 and all the features I wanted them to add, they did. ie, wireless b, bluetooth, qwerty keyboard.
Anyways, the last reviewer said it needs satelite radio, check out www.mobzilla.com
5 Great PocketPC phone
This phone is meant for people who need to work with email and simple office files (Excel and Word) while on the road, but do not want to carry a laptop. It will display photos and short movies with ease.
Even though I am an AT&T wireless customer, I bought this phone a few days ago at a local Cingular store without a contract. The phone came unlocked, which means that I can use it an any GSM network, including ATT&T and T-Mobile.
The phone feels solid and well built. The signal strength seems pretty good, at least as good as my old ATT&T phones. Voice quality is good, even though its a little akward to hold a PocketPC to your ear. The screen gets smudged easily. I bought a Motorola bluetooth headset, so that I can keep the phone in my pocket. On other boards people complained about spotty blue tooth compatibility, but Siemens now has a downloadable firmware upgrade on their web site. I have had no problems with the headset. The sound is loud and clear.
I have unlimited data access through ATT&T for $20/month, so I went online and found the settings needed to change the GPRS settings from Cingular to ATT&T. I can now access the Internet over GPRS, but I cannot yet access my ATT&T Mmode home page. I will keep researching.
This is a great phone for anyone interested in a Pocket PC. It is loaded with GSM/GPRS, Bluetooth, and 802.11b. The only thing missing is FM and Satelite radio :)
It also has plenty of onboard memory, more than other high-end Pocket PCs (like the HP 4705).
Cons:
* Microsoft should upgrade the file explorer so that you can open files from over the LAN. The built in file explorer allows you to browse and copy files from local PCs, but not open them. For example, I want to play my MP3s from my desktop anywhere in the house, without first having to copy. There are 3rd party file explorers that let you do this (I found VM Net Browser online), but they cost money.
* The wireless manager is nice, allowing you to switch between Wifi, GPRS, and bluetooth networking, however it would be nicer if it had the option to auto switch when a preferred network is found.
* Cingular does not offer any extended warranties on PDAs. For $650 this is ridiculous. I love the phone, but I might return it just for this reason. Electronics tend to brake down easily.
* The keyboard looks nice, especially with the blue backlight. However, I find that typing with the stylus and the on-screen keyboard is sometimes faster for me.
* Does not have a built in voice dialer like other phones costing half as much. Kind of defeats the purpose of bluetooth. (Microsoft has a separate voice command software package, but again it cost extra).
* For this price, there should be more bundled software, specially for networking.
* Many websites with client-side Javascript crash Internet explorer (such as ZDNet.com).
* With such a small screen, you have to scroll alot on web pages. There are layout settings where the phone will resize web sites into a single column, but this sometimes makes the web siteunreadable. The phone also, allows you to rotate the screen horizontally, but this is still only 320px, and most web sites are developed for 1024px and higher. You only see 1/3 of the page.
* The phone only has an SD slot. CompactFlash would be nice so that I could use my Samsung 4GB HD.
* There is no built in screen cover, like the Ipaq 4705. Since this is a phone that will be pulled in and out of my pocket alot, I am worried that I will scratch the screen.
Even with all the cons, I really love the phone. I am a programmer and can develop software easily for it. Being a PocketPC, it can be expanded easily, and most of the cons can be worked around (for a price). I would recommend this for anyone who needs the extra functionality of a PDA.
