First question perhaps to come to one’s mind would be “What does JASJAR mean”. It literally means “Perfect”. It doesn’t bear too well for the JASJAR as this simply puts a lot, and I mean a LOT of expectations on the device. The next question to come to one’s mind would be, “So, how close does it come to its definition?” Initial verdict would be pretty darn close.

The JASJAR is the (blows trumpet) FIRST device to support the newly announced state-of-the-art OS "Windows Mobile 5.0". For a list of improvements in the new OS, please visit the aforementioned link. The device is also the FIRST of its kind to in fact incorporate such a ground-breaking design. This tablet style design is not uncommon in the notebook/tablet PC world, but is definitely a first as far as Windows Mobile PDA’s are concerned. We will delve a little deeper into this as we move further along the review.

 

 

Specifications

 

For a complete list of specifications of the device, please visit the official website "Club i-Mate". Two things to be corrected in the list of specifications are :

1)      Bluetooth hardware is 1.2 compliant.  More profiles are in the pipeline.

2)      USB 2.0 instead of 1.1

 

Technical details:

Platform
• Data-centric wireless PDA with full voice capability and clamshell form factor with 180-degree pivot screen.
• Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC Phone Edition
• Dimension (Typical): 81mm x 127.7mm x 25mm
• Weight (Typical): 285g with battery


Processor/Chipset
• Intel Bulverde 520MHz


Memory
• Flash ROM: 128 MB
• RAM: 64 MB SDRAM

LCD Module
• 3.6” 640x480 transflectiveTFT-LCDwithback-lightLEDs
• 65K-color
• Sensitive Touch Screen
• Support portrait/landscape (touch screen input) and landscape (QWERTY keyboard input) modes

Dual Mode GSM/WCDMA Function
• Internal antenna
• Dual-Mode UMTS/GSM
• Tri-Band GSM/GPRS (900/1800/1900) + WCDMA(UMTS) (2100MHz)
• Audio codec: AMR, EFR, FR, HR
• SMS (MO, MT), concatenated SMS (640 Characters)
• Supplementary Services Call holding/ waiting/ forwarding CLI (Calling Line Identity) Display own number Multi-party conference call Phase 2+ unstructured supplementary service data
• Network Lock
• Network selection
• Cell broadcast
• Network Lock
• GPRS Functionality GPRS class B Multi-slot standard class 10 PBCCH MO/MT SMS over GPRS
• USIM 3V of UICC USIM Application Toolkit SIM Application Toolkit Release 99 Over the air programming

Stylus
• Lock Type Mechanism

Keyboard/Button/Switch
• Built-in 62 keys QWERTY Keyboard (including two softkeys, one start button, one OK button, one send callkey, one end call key, and 56 alphanumeric and symbol keys)
• One POWER button
• One Backlight button
• One Camera shutter
• Volume control (up and down)
• One 5-way Navigation button – key orientation shall be adjusted after view changed.
• Two phone buttons (hinge): SEND & END
• RESET switch

Notification
• 1st lenses - bi-color (green and red) LED for networkstandby, network message, network status,notification,and charging status
• 2nd lenses - bi-color (green and blue) LED for WiFi andbluetooth notification
• NotificationbySound,Vibration,and Message on the display

Audio
• Dual Receivers
• Dual speakers for Hands-Free supported
• Built-in Microphone
• Full duplex
• Audio sampling rate 16-bits with 8KHz, 11KHz, 22KHz, 44.1KHz

Camera
• Main Image Sensor: 1.3 Mega Pixels CMOS
• Second Image Sensor: CIF CMOS
• Operating above 5 Lux
• Flash/Video Light
• Portrait mode default (Full screen preview)

Interface
• 3V USIM card
• One mini-USB connector
• SDIO/MMC card slot
• 3.5 Ø stereo earphone/microphone jack
• 2 External antenna connectors (WCDMA and GSM/GPRS)

Power
• Battery
  Removable rechargeable Lithium   Polymer battery (Typical capacity:   1620mAh)
  Battery life
  Standby time
    -GSM: 220~260 hours
    -WCDMA 190~250 hours
  Talk time (Screen off):
    -GSM: 5~8 hours
    -WCDMA: 2~4 hours
• AC Adapter
   -AC input: 100~240Vac, 50/60Hz
   -AC input current: 0.2Aac (max).
   -Output voltage: 5Vdc (typical)
   -Output current: 1A (typical)
• USB charging
• Ambient light sensor detecting ambient light forkeyboard to save power.

Device-to-Device Connectivity
• Infrared IrDA FIR
• Bluetooth Compliant with v1.1 Class 2 transmit power
• WiFi 802.11b (manufacture option) IEEE 802.11b compliant WLAN Antenna: internal 11, 5.5, 2 and 1 Mbps per channel, auto fallback forextended range Encryption: 64-, 128- bit WEP standard data encryption
• USB 1.1
• SDIO/MMC

Accessories
• Standard
 -AC adapter
 -USB Sync. Cable
 -Stereo wired headset - stereo earpiece, monomicrophone, Volume Control, and pick up/drop calls
 -Standard Battery
 -User Manual, Quick Start Guide & Software CD
 -Pouch
 -Stylus

Windows Mobile 5.0 Applications
• Microsoft Pocket Outlook: Inbox, Contacts, Calendar,Tasks
• Microsoft Windows Media Player
• Microsoft Pictures
• Microsoft MSN Messenger
• Microsoft Pocket Internet Explorer
• Pocket Office
• Microsoft ActiveSync
• Games
• Calculator
• Voice Notes
• Photo Contact ID

Value Added Applications
• Ring tone SW polyphonic MIDI ring tones SMF/ SP MIDI MP3, AAC, ring tone
• DirectShow Filter for WMP
• Camera / Camcorder
• Video Telephony
• ZIP
• Smart Dialing
• Pictures Enhancement
• T9 Phone Pad
• Wireless Modem
• Wireless data manager (UMTS/GSM/GPRS, Bluetooth,802.11b)
• MMS with video clip support
• DRM: OMA 1.0 engine
• Java virtual machine (J2ME, CLDC 1.1, MIDP 2.0,JTWI)
• PDF Viewer

Regulatory
• R&TTE
• WiFi Certification
• BQB (Bluetooth Qualification Body) certification
• Microsoft Pocket PC 2004 Logo (NSTL)
• USB certification

SAR
• 0.172 mW/g @10g

 

Contents

 

The contents of the package are as follows:

1)      The I-mate JASJAR

2)      Battery (1620 mAh 4.2vDC Li-ion Polymer)

3)      Charger

4)      Headset (3.5mm finally!!!)

5)      USB cable

6)      Case (slip case, no holster unfortunately)

7)      Extra stylus

8)      CD (containing Active sync 4.0)

 

Pictures of the contents are shown below:

 

a)      The Box

I would like to mention here that the box is now for a change finally of an acceptable size; it is roughly half the size of the box of the PDA2k.

 

      b) Contents (upper compartment in box)

 

c)      Contents (upper compartment on table)

 

d)      Contents (lower compartment in box)

 

e)      Contents (lower compartment on table)

 

Optional Accessories 

To be announced at a later date.

 

Ergonomics

 

The device itself is simply fantastic. It has been made of a mix of metal with a small amount of high-grade plastic. The contouring of the device is superb, there are absolutely no rough edges on the device anywhere and the overall finishing is excellent. Too many adjectives, I agree, but it still doesn’t do enough justice to the device.

 

Click on the images below for a larger version

 

The device as such fits well in the hand as you can see from the above pictures. Please bear in mind; this is in comparison to PDA’s and not Smartphones. In comparison to the PDA2k which I had earlier, this device size is hardly a difference. It is broader than the device by a very small margin, but there is a definite increase in the weight. The PDA2k weighed 210g while the JASJAR weighs 285g. Unless you hold the phone to your ear for an extended call, you will never really notice the difference.

The reason for this is that, the JASJAR is primarily meant for usage with 2 hands in notebook mode; hence the weight of the device is divided between your two hands and thus the weight of the device goes un-noticed. However, if you are going to use the device in PDA mode, the difference in weight is more obvious. From my personal use over the last week, the size and weight has never been an issue except for when in the case which makes it rather bulky.

The case is of rather poor quality. It’s NOT made of leather entirely but perhaps a mix of material such a Vinyl or Rexene. When placed in the slip case, it becomes rather bulky which is quite prominent in the picture below.

 

 

You can carry the device in your jacket pocket which would be a tad embarrassing as it would appear that you are working out only one side of your Pectorals . The other options are to carry it in your briefcase, or simply hold it in your hand as I do.

Aftermarket cases have already begun showing up and in about 8 weeks, you will have plenty of options to choose from.

Continue on Page 2

 

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