****The SPV Mk3!!!****

[theecspec]

The new SPV E100/SPVx is to be reincarnated this November '03 in the form of the SPV E200. The main additions are Bluetooth and an in-built camera.

These additions will make Orange's phone a lot more appealing as I know people in addition to me, that wouldn't buy a phone without Bluetooth; and the camera will fully maximise the 65k colour screen.

Only downside seems to be the OS. There are mixed reports it won't be released in time for Windows 2003, and will have 2002. However, one source mentioned that 2003 will indeed be on it, meaning only one thing...bugs.

Any new software/firmware will have niggles in its infancy, just as the original SPV did. Lets just hope this version has been FULLY tested, and come Dec 14th when my 12 months is up, I can order one of these things!

There is little news about it out there, let alone a review. So if you hear anything, whack it in here.

[nick]

I had been looking at the Orange SPV's before and was impressed by what they had to offer.

Daedalus has already been wetting himself at the prospect of these being released...:)

[theecspec]

They look great, but my forst choice was a Symbian based phone for stability and customisation. I'm praying to god there won't be the typical Microsoft ball-aches inbread in this baby. I will be using my 14 day cooling off period to put the phone through its paces to make sure its worth the money!

[Daedalus]

your too late, about a month too late :)
I'm several large steps ahead of you, i've been doing heavy research on the e200 over the past month and i'll settle a few rumours for you:
1. It WILL have Microsoft SmartPhone 2003
2. It's supposed to be released on the 17th November, but i would'nt all your hopes on that date, as originally it was meant to be out on the 28th September, and I personally went to the Orange shop and that day and they have no idea about anything to do with it other than whats in their brouchure :rolleyes:
3. It hopefuilly going to have more RAM, and combined with the new OS it's reported to be running far more smoothly now.
4. I've got several working screenshots of the e200 (i.e. it turned on and in action) and the one thing that's putting me off (and just the one thing mind you) is the joystick, which seems to be too flush with the rest of the phone to look like it's going to function properlly (p.s. i had a play with a 6600 dummy, and i'm not impressed at all. It's like holding a large pebble or a bar of nearly round soap. And the joystick is pretty nasty to use, to small and clickly with not enough range of movement).
All in all, i'm very excited about it (not THAT excited Nick :) ) and I'm looking forward to have a play with it. I've already been to the Orange shop twice and had a good go with the e100 and I'm pretty impressed with it, except for the little slow downs it keeps having, but no end of options to play with in the menu :)
And it may take me a little while to get used to the SE T610 style controls (i'm too used to Nokia/Samsung controls).