XV6600 Pocket PC Phone Edition
from Verizon Wireless

Discuss this Review!

There are quite a few reviews of the Verizon XV6600 already floating around, but John Becker and I felt compelled to give our ten cents (our two cents is free!) about the device, since we’re both XV6600 owners now.
As we had done with the i700 review, our format for this review will be conversational, with each of us commenting on the features and usability. On with the review!

Matt: Some folks have asked me what was wrong with my Samsung i700 - why I felt like I needed this new device. The short answer is: nothing. Overall, the i700 served me quite well. I was quite happy with it.
I simply wanted the "latest & greatest" device! Some key attractions for the XV6600 were the faster processor (400 MHz), the larger memory (128MB), Bluetooth, Windows Mobile 2003 SE (Second Edition), the sliding keyboard, and of course, it's overall looks! This is one beautiful Pocket PC, in my opinion! It is the prettiest device that I have owned. It has no antenna nub, and the weight is decent. It also feels smaller, and I attribute that to the rounded edges.

John: I also wanted the newer device. I loved the i700 with the extended battery and ability to pop online to check mail whenever I wanted. Some of the applications did run a bit too slow for my taste, so the XV6600 is a perfect choice. Personally, I don’t care about Bluetooth. I’ve disabled mine and even removed the little icon on the bottom of the screen. I doubt I’ll get a headset, so why waste the energy? Wi-Fi would have been nice, but with EV Network coming, I doubt I’ll miss that. As for the lack of the antenna… that is one of the BEST reasons to get a new device. My little stubby antenna would get caught on my pocket all the time. It’s nice to have it gone from my life!
I just love having a fully converged Pocket PC. It's definitely the way to go. It’s great having everything built into one device.

Opening the box

Here is what came in the box:

• The device, of course!
• One 1400Mah battery
• Extra stylus
• Stereo headphones
• A simple vinyl case (more on that later)
• Cradle
• A/C Power Supply (with an adaptor that reminded me of the old iPAQ adaptor. Great – something small to lose!)
• Quick Reference Guide
• Companion CD (includes Outlook 2002, ActiveSync 3.71 and a Users Guide)
• Welcome CD (contains interactive presentation on getting to know your phone & service). I checked it out for the fun of it, and went to the Accessories section. Get this: the Keyboard, Headphones & Case shown on the CD belong to the i700!

The box, unopened	All of the contents of the box
A side-view of the cradle	The phone, and the battery (not yet attached)

Matt: I also received a Car Charger (which I ordered extra from VZW when I ordered the device).

John: I opted to go a different route for the car charger. I used mine for the i700 very rarely. I bought the USB Sync/Charge cable from BoxWave, along with the versa-charger (Car charger / AC adapter). I think I’ll use that a lot more than just a regular car charger. My system came with a beltclip case that isn’t too bad. It’s an accessory from Verizon. The only problem is it doesn’t swivel. It will lock into any four positions, but it won’t swivel. I am spoiled by the Covertec case I had for the i700 and I’m still using it for the new device (more on this later).
By the way, ActiveSync 3.8 is now available and it works great with the device. If you are upgrading from an earlier device, you must have either 3.71 or 3.8 installed. This device will not work with 3.7 or earlier versions of ActiveSync.

Matt: I'm now using the Covertec case designed for the XV6600, and I love it.

Covertec makes some excellent cases. You can see my review of that case here.

Some initial observations

The potential speed!
Matt: My XV6600 arrived just before a trip to Florida (I mean just hours before!), so I had the unique pleasure of (unexpectedly) connecting to Verizon's EVDO (stands for Evolution Data Only, and is now being referred to as BroadbandAccess) the moment I stepped off the plane in Orlando! Imagine my surprise when I saw the icon at the top showing EV instead of 1X!

I surfed to 2Wire.com to check out my bandwidth speed, and was delighted to see that I was connected at over 300Kbps! WOW! I can't wait for BroadbandAccess to be available here in Louisville! Rumor has it that it will be available in late Q2 of 2005. Fingers crossed! With that, who needs WiFi?!

John: Yeah, the Orlando Airport is one of the spots, but not the rest of the town. Isn’t that strange? You can see the list of available cities on the VerizonWireless website.

The cradle
Matt: The device will charge in the cradle when connected to a powered USB port, which is nice. That frees up the A/C power supply for other uses. There is a slot for an additional battery, and the power supply would be needed to charge that one…

The cradle looks very iPAQ-like, and is a little steep for my liking. I really liked how the Samsung i700 cradle held the device in a more comfortable writing angle. It’s not that big of a deal, but if I had my preference, I would choose for the Pocket PC to be less upright than it is in this cradle.
There is a microphone built into the cradle. This was obviously done out of necessity, since the 6600’s mic is on the bottom of the device! It’s buried when cradled!

John: Wow, you learn something new all the time! I didn’t know the cradle didn’t need the power adaptor! I’ll have to unplug it and move it upstairs! Now I won’t need to rush downstairs just to charge my device at home! It will be nice to be able to charge not only on the base, but in the bedroom and at work with the USB Mini-Sync cable.
I agree, the cradle does stand up a bit too straight. I can read it fine, but using the stylus on the screen seems so fragile when the device is cradled. I’ve opted to use one of the various remote applications so I can view everything on my PC screen when it’s cradled.

Good looking screen
Matt: The QSVGA screen is noticeably clear and bright. I have found that the setting “one click above dim” is totally sufficient (and obviously best for battery consumption) for normal use. The screen is also viewable in direct sunlight. Immediately upon ordering the device, I ordered WriteSHIELD screen protectors from Pocket PC Techs. In the past, I have used the standard (anti-glare) screen protector that they sell (now called the AG), but now they offer a “shiny” version (called the A2), so I ordered a two-pack, which has one of both. I currently have the newer A2 on the screen, and like it. Protected from day one! That’s my motto!

John: I was extremely impressed by the brightness of the screen. I can tell the difference between the i700 and the XV6600 instantly. The XV6600 is more like the iPAQ with the very bright screen.
Matt, you and I think alike. I had one WriteShield left over from my i700. It fit perfectly. It was on the device even BEFORE I activated the device! I won’t use a Pocket PC without a screen protector. I’ve seen what can happen without one.

Continued on Page 2 >>

Discuss this Review!

Screenshots in this review were obtained using Pocket Controller - Professional
which was generously provided by SOTI