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Cingular 8125
Rated 3.0 out of 5 Is the Cingular 8125 Pocket PC the most capable mobile device in the world? It has a solid resume with built-in WiFi support for blazing fast email and Web downloads, as well as a protected QWERTY keyboard, a 1.3 Megapixel camera and Bluetooth. Plus, theres the Windows Mobile operating system with Pocket Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Media Player 10 for music and video on the go. Try kicking the tires and youll be amazed at what Cingular 8125 can do.
Features of Cingular 8125:
- 1.3 mega-pixel camera, camcorder and flash
- bluetooth phones
- camera phones
- e-mail phones
- high speed edge data connectivity and bluetooth® wireless synchronization
- microsoft® windows mobiletm 5.0 smartphone edition
- mp3 phones
- pda phones
- pocketpc with sliding qwerty keyboard
- windows media®player and mp3 support
Reviews:
| Still Deciding | Rating: 3 |
I've had this phone for about 2 weeks now and am still evaluating whether or not it is worth keeping (you have 30 days to try it out).
The PROs:
*) Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 familiarity. If you know Windows, then using Outlook, Word, Powerpoint and all of the other Microsoft programs it comes with will be a cinch.
*) I can keep track of my appointments with ease. Outlook is great and the 8125 will display your next appointment right on your phone's "Desktop" - the Today screen.
*)The QWERTY keyboard, while seemingly tight and a pain to use initially (i'm not used to PDA phones-this is my 1st one), is something i've gotten used to and is a GREAT feature when texting and sending emails. Also, the screen adjusts automatically from portrait to landscape mode when you're using the keyboard.
*) Email Accounts- I'm an Actor, a Web Designer, and a night club Manager; I have a few different emails that I need to access throughout my day, and i needed a device that would allow me to function on all areas of my life with ease. It allows you to have up to 5 POP3 email accounts. You can also program it to alert you when you have new messages. Very convenient from 1 device!...
*) All in one convenience- Rather than buy a PDA and a separate phone, I can keep all of my phone numbers, addresses, emails, appointments, notes, tasks, etc all in one device! You can't beat that.
*) Smaller than it looks- it's the same size as a Treo 700, though it looks a heck of a lot bigger in press photos.
*) Bluetooth and WiFi- this is the only device (along with the T-Mobile MDA and Spring 6700- these are all the same device, made by HTC) that features both WiFi capability and Bluetooth connectivity.
The CONs:
*)Battery Life- Like I said before, i'm not used to PDA phones so I keep seeing reviews that say the battery life is GREAT and such. I'm not so sure about that. After a full charge, I'll use this phone sporadically and moderately over a period of 6 hrs and it seems like a good portion of the battery goes. Again, i don't know if this is normal for a PDA phone.
*)Speaker phone- basically useless in environments with even a moderate amount of noise.
*)ActiveSync- It even says on your user manual "There are known Activesync problems with this product..." There have been times when i'd connect this device to my computer w/ the USB cord and nothing happens! No recognition, nothing! Definitely a reliability issue.
*) The camera- worthless. The pics are unbelievably subpar! Unless you're outside, everything appears dark. The little flashlight doesn't work more than 6 inches away. A little disappointed because they really tout this phone's "AMAZING 1.3 MP Camera." I mean, who buys a phone for a camera anyway, but it reads like a great feature but doesn't produce great quality.
*)Other Reliability issues- Prone to freeze even when there are no other programs open.
When in email/text messaging program, screen will appear in landscape mode even when the keyboard is not in use! (This is SO annoying).
At times, when trying to switch accounts (for instance, when trying to switch from my Outlook email to Text messages), i will hit "Switch Accounts" and a little square box will appear on the screen, but that's it. (When working properly, it's supposed to give you a list of the email accounts on your phone and you select from that list).
1st day I had it- it would not let me configure my email. I would select "Edit account," but nothing would happen. I had to call customer service and they had me reset the device and had to call me back 45 minutes later because i had no other phone for them to direct me through the call.
Again, overall, i don't know if the reliability problems are specific to my phone and whether I was unlucky or not, but overall I gave it 3 stars because it is a good all-in-one device. The quirks, however, take away from enjoying this product fully. With that in mind, I have 14 more days to decide whether this is worth keeping for 2 MORE YEARS. I'll let you know if I return it or not... |
| Great Pocket PC / phone combination | Rating: 4 |
The Cingular 8125 is yet another branding of the HTC Wizard. I really like this form factor since the antenna is internal. The PPC functionality of the 8125 works like a charm, and the phone does absolutely everything I could want it to do. Thanks to Cingular's EDGE network (high-speed GPRS), you can stream audio via the device and listen to it with the built-in stereo speakers or using headphones. E-mail and web browsing also work very well on the 8125.
The only gripes I have with this wonderful phone are the following:
- The camera flash is worthless, and the photo quality isn't particularly good for a 1.3 megapixel camera. Forget completely about pictures in low light.
- Windows Mobile 5 is rather buggy, especially on the 8125. More testing should have been done prior to release.
Notwithstanding those drawbacks, I highly recommend this phone. It's a great tool for entertainment, communication, and data management. |
| The longer you have it the more you like it | Rating: 5 |
I've had my 8125 for a week now. After some initial syncing delays, I was able to get all my Outlook info moved over. Let me just say that nobody should review ANY product without using it for awhile. I probably haven't had it long enough to form a thorough review, but it is great so far. Every single day I find one more useful thing that this phone will do. With it's WiFi connectability, handwriting transcription, great large keyboard, Windows Mobile 5.0, infrared connection, etc., etc., - this is one great unit.
No, it's not good for one hand typing. You shouldn't do that and drive anyway. No, it's not the smallest out there - it's not the biggest either. It's the perfect size for people larger than elves.
It's a good solid unit. You cannot tell from the demo at the Cingular showroom - that one feels like a toy. And if there is a syncing problem, it is a Windows issue, not the phone itself. |
| The Phone we should all use | Rating: 5 |
I had this phone since it came out and I really think it has everything you could want. I have had no sync problems. I carry it every day and battery life is great. Sending and getting e-mail is very easy. And the slide out keyboard is wonderful. For those that complain about 1 hand use while driving you should be issued a ticket or save money and get a hands free package and MS voice command. Together they make the phone vey hands free.
So if you are looking for a PDA phone do not pass this one up. |
| Best PDA cell phone yet | Rating: 4 |
I have had a Cingular cell phone for over 10 years (known as Houston Cellular in years past). I have also had a PDA for the past 10 years, including Windows Mobile based HP IPAQ's for over 5 years. I have always longed to combine the two devices into one. However, for the most part, cell phone PDA devices were not up to the quality offered by the HP IPAQ's.
Recently, I took the plunge and tried out a few PDA phones from Cingular. First I tried the new Nokia PDA in the store - this one has the long horizontal screen. Unfortunately, the keyboard is not lighted and I decided to opt for the latest Palm Treo instead. I kept the Palm for about 3 days - it is a very nice phone with a sharp screen but the Palm operating system pales by comparison to Windows Mobile. I did like the one button switch on the top of the Treo that turns vibrate mode on. However, I felt that the exposed cramped keyboard was not the best for a tall man with big hands.
Mainly because of my bias in favor of the Windows Mobile platform, I exchanged the Palm for a Cingular 8125. For those who are not aware, this phone is Cingular's incarnation of the HTC Wizard and the T-Mobil MDA.
I have now had this phone for about 6 weeks. For starters, I need to state that I have not tried e-mail connectivity - I paid the full price for the phone and Cingular did not require a data contract, just a 2 year agreement for the cell phone services. I work for a large energy company and getting company e-mail on a private PDA is still in the future for security reasons.
However, I use it to connect to the internet using the Wi-Fi that I have set up at home with a Time Warner Roadrunner cable. The 8125 took me about 15 minutes to set up and reliably connects to BBC Pocket PC version every day in a matter of seconds. By contrast, my HP IPAQ 4705 running Windows Mobile 3 has hiccups every third day that needs me to ping to the server, re-enter the password, etc. Of course, you cannot compare the 8125's display to the IPAQ - the 4705 has a gorgeous 4 inch display. Having said that, I must add that the 8125 has a sharp 2.8 display that is quite adequate if not quite as spectacular.
I have read a review on CNET that states that the 8125 gives reception problems in Sugar Land, Texas. I live in Sugar Land and I can tell you that this phone has a clear strong reception everywhere in Houston. The Palm Treo was much inferior by comparison - I had difficuly hearing in my car with the Treo pressed against my ear.
As I wrote above, I do not have a data plan with Cingular and so I cannot comment on this aspect of the phone. It does have an excellent voice dial feature - as long as ambient noise is low, the phone reliably picks up all my voice signatures and dials the appropriate contact. This is the best way to dial with this phone as using the hidden sliding keypad is not easy, especially if you are driving (it is usually best not to use a cell phone at all while driving). Bottom line, I am quite satisfied with the 8125 as a cell-phone. Note that it is not as bulky as it appears in the pictures.
Now for the PDA capabilities. Again, do not compare the screen to a 4705. It does not have the real estate that the 4705 does and therefore all fonts will be that much smaller. Other than this, the 8125 is the equal of the 4705. I added a 2 GB mini SD SanDisk card that I got from Amazon at an incredible price. It works beautifully and I am able to load large applications including talking dictionaries on the card, thus freeing up phone memory. I have SciCalc, Pocket PC Chess Grandmaster, Pocket Stars, Lextionary, MSDict with Slovo-En, Pocket Music, Resco File Explorer and Today add-in, Pocket Quicken and Code Wallet among other apps running smoothly. The keyboard is as good as it gets for such a small device - it is backlit and the keys have a nice reassuring feel.
The sweetest feature is the sound quality from the stereo speakers. With Pocket Music and the AAC add-in, I am playing Bollywood music at about half the volume level. The sound is very sweet - of course do not expect bass from the teeny speakers! This device beats the hell out of the IPAQ 4705's mono speaker. By the way, the camera on this phone is not much more than a toy - I would only use if I did not have a regular camera around and had to take a picture for some reason. There is a flash but I doubt that it makes any difference to the picture quality.
I have a car charge adaptor and the USB cable auto charges when connected to my laptop. Regarding Auto-Sync issues, there is no problem as long as you do not have a fire-wall like Zone Labs running. Shut down Zone Labs and the auto-sync works just fine. Windows Mobile 5 is an improvement over Ver. 3 - it does not need re-booting much and it is easier to manage apps from your laptop.
I have taken one star away because I think the PDA/phone marriage has still not fully matured. I know that people have connectivity issues. Furthermore, HTC could have improved the ergonomics on this phone. Turning on vibrate mode needs a few screen taps - I have not figured out how to use a single buuton to do this yet.
All in all, I must say that this phone is worth the $400 that it costs. Unfortunately, Cingular unlike T-Mobile and Sprint will not offer phone insurance on their PDA phones. So I lose this phone and I am out of luck....
To conclude, this is an excellent PDA phone for those comfortable with the Windows Mobile operating system. If you have realistic expectations and recognize that the PDA/phone marriage is stil evolving, you will not be disappointed. Kudos to HTC for a well-thought out and executed device. |
| I just don't know. | Rating: 2 |
I bought what may be a wonderful phone, etc. but I just dont know. There is no users manual except for a CD that only runs on Windows. Cingular is maybe unaware that not everybody uses or wants to use Windows. There does not seem to be any other recourse. My phone died. I was forced to sacrifice a morning hoping to find a competent sales person in my local outlet. After a very visible tantrum, the manager appeared and showed me how to fix the phone, without tools.
I bought a phone filled with features that I cannot understand. The phone and screens are not intuitive. Prospective buyers should force the sales people to demonstrate the phone at length and then explain how to obtain a working guide. Otherwise, Caveat Emptor! |
| good phone and great amazon service | Rating: 4 |
| had the phone for just over a month and I love all the integrated features especially the windows mobile platform and ability to run medical software....the phone is great but surfing thru the internet is slow and had to get thru customer service to walk me thru...my 1st SIM card was not working but amazon promptly shipped me another one....the camera stopped working on the 32nd day and after contacting amazon they shipped me a new one in 2 days ...FANTASTIC...kudos to their customer service department... |
| When you are past the point of worrying about show toys..... | Rating: 5 |
When the plane lands, everyone flips out their phones and begins a flurry of calls, from my experience on my 2000+ flights, these calls are mostly social chatter in nature. Compoaratively, I slip out my 8125, check my equities, retrieve email, review a letter from my admin, update the company gross margin plan, and send photos of the plane trip to my daughter. All before I get to the gate. I travel 80% of the week, own my own business, and use my PDA phone on average every 8 to 10 minutes; mostly for data manipulation, probably 25% as a phone as well. This is not a toy for impressing other travellers or keeping up with a busy social schedule (although it can do both of these). It is the first data/phone unit out of the 4 Windows Mobile and 2 Palm OS phones I have owned, which actually meets my needs.
I own the Cingular 8125 PDA Phone and am extrememly pleased with its overall use and function. The Cingular service coverage has gotten pretty smooth. I acutally traded stocks from the Grand Canyon and made more money than the trip even cost, by the time I got back to my campsite. So I put the phone in standby mode, and went out and took photos with my son looking for Elk and deer sign. I have the photos in the family stairwell now.
If you are a real user of a device like this, not a show toy fanatic, then the following will be salient:
1. The slide out keyboard is the first I actually use. It is large, intuitive and functional.
2. The unit is rugged and generally rainproof. I had to make calls while stuck in a hurricane...and sent some cool photos to the office as well.
3. The phone is sufficiently loud and the speakerphone is EXCELLENT. I use it every night with the family in my hotel rooms. The dual stereo speakers are non-obtrusive and make the sound much louder and clearer for calls speech and music (although if you are listening to music on purpose, why are you using this device???????)
4. I charged this unit and recently used it for 2 full days without a recharge.
5. The ADAPTOR is NON proprietary mini-USB...and actually charges the phone from your PC and desktop - - - what an ethical move on the part of Cingular and the maker of this unit
THANK YOU>
The ActivSync works flawlessly every time I hook it up, from the first time out of the box.
6. The screen is large and brilliant and can be viewed without your reading glasses (if you are over age 40)
7. The screen switches to landscape when you slide out the keybaord, making this the first unit where I really can use this to view complex websites.
8. The ringtone flexibility is good (I have Phil Hartman saying "Im just a caveman, really." and it can be LOUD or sotto voce, or non-existent with just a touch of a key on the exterior of the unit.
9. The keys all lockdown when the unit is off so it won't turn on in your pocket and start doing stuff like calling your boss and your wife while you are walking around Home Depot...or worse.
10. You can make voice activated quick-dial calls with just a one touch button. This will be necessary if you plan to make calls in the car.
11. The Window Mobile 2005 platform is a quantum leap in stability over the previous versions and the sync with TWO COMPUTERS (home and work) is flawless. Outlook tasks, notes, calendar, emails, contacts all update without a hitch...Files transfer and update to my computers flawlessly and I never loose them by substituting an older version over a newer one as I did with the Palm OS software.(finally, whew!!)
12. The unit can sync with your office wireless LAN or via bluetooth as well. The GPRS data connection is now functioning in nearly 100% of the voice network footprint from what I have been able to observe, so I use it the most.
13. Voice signal and clarity are great.
14. The camera is used in landscape mode and the shutter button is on the top right of the unit just like a regular camera, so the pictures are larger and more natural looking on the screen. (But the camera has downsides...see below)
15. Emailing photos is fast and easy, as are text messaging and multiple email account coordination; just one touch of a button to switch between text and all accounts...I loved this
16. The stylus STAYS in its holster and does not go flying out into the nearest sidewalk grate...so you can go buy 3 more for 15 bucks at the PDA store...
17. The earpiece bluetooth coordination is flawless, as with most phones now.
But a couple of drawbacks, lets ye begin to think I am a cingular employee.
a. Programs don't really close, when you close them (like all Windows Mobile Units). So your memory really clogs up until you run "settings, memory, stop all" a couple times a day.
b. The camera is the worst feature on the unit. The photos are not really great quality for 1.3 Mpxel, and you will not be able to take a picture if you have not run "settings, memory, stop all" before you attempt one. This is frustrating when you see an odd event and miss a one in a million .jpg or .mov because there was not enough active memory to take a photo when you needed to. The camera will not take photos of documents so you can't capture even large text which is within 4-5 ft or closer, of the lense. Everything is usually out of focus.
c. The unit is thick and a little bulky in the pocket. An no, working-out and dieting does not make the belt clip fit my physiology any better. Some people have to carry these things in their pockets.
d. The phone buttons are small on the screen and will not respond to your finger touches reliably, so you will have to dial using the stylus.
e. The unit cannot open passworded excel files, but it does reliably keep them swapped and updated on multiple computers.
Overall, after 6 PDA's, right now, this is the phone I would own, if you really use one for heavy business data travel. |
Cingular Part Number 8125 Pocket PC |
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