GSPDA Xplore M98 on Sale Worldwide

Posted By: Ryan Wednesday, August 17, 2005 12:12:47 PM

GSPDA Xplore M98 Palm OS smartphoneInternational online retailer Doml.com is now selling the GSPDA Xplore M98 Palm OS smartphone. The Xplore M98 is a GSM Clamshell smartphone that runs Palm OS Garnet.

The GSPDA Xplore M98 runs Palm OS Garnet v5.4. It has a Tri band GSM (900/1800/1900) wireless radio. It is powered by a TI OMAP 168 Mhz processor and features 64MB of Flash memory and 32MB of SDRAM. It has a 260k color 2" inch 176x220 pixel internal screen and a 96x96 pixel external display. It also features a 1.3 megapixel digital camera, with digital zoom and movie support, and a TransFlash memory expansion slot underneath the battery.

The phone has dimensions of 95.5 x 46.8 x 25.5 mm, and weighs 109g. It is powered by a Li-Polymer 800mAh Battery.

It supports 40 Polyphonic and mp3 ringtones. It also allows you to record your own mp3 ringtones and also comes with an mp3 audio player.

The Xplore X98 has two different graphical user interfaces – one that works much like a phone with simplified icons, and the other is the full PalmOS interface. The logic is that the regular phone interface is meant to keep things simple and allow you to quickly access phone functions without having to scroll through an intimidating number of icons. However, if you want to access the full PDA functions, all you have to do is press a button and the familiar PalmOS graphical user interface will appear.

The M98 International English version is available now from Doml.com for $429 USD. It comes in three different colors (Grey, White and Orange). Doml.com ships worldwide.

Article Comments

 (19 comments)

The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. PalmInfocenter is not responsible for them in any way.
Please Login or register here to add your comments.

Start a new Comment Down

Cobalt phone?

sr4 @ 8/17/2005 3:38:19 PM # Q

Oh I thought this was going to be the famous Cobalt phone....

Surur

Frankie 5.4
LiveFaith @ 8/17/2005 4:32:20 PM # Q
Not Cobalt, but I'm interested in the following specs:

#1 80mah LiPoly ... how long will that last with the GSM beaming?

#2 160x160 must fit in a portion of the screen rez.

#3 I would be interested in the push-button phone<->PDA transformation.

#4 Not a bad looking phone, but 900 band is T-Mobile only in USA right?

Pat Horne; www.churchoflivingfaith.com

RE: Cobalt phone?
AdamaDBrown @ 8/17/2005 5:24:12 PM # Q
The 900 MHz band isn't used by anybody in the US or elsewhere in North America, it's a strictly overseas band. US/CA bands are 850 and 1900, the latter being what you're thinking of. Yes, the only national provider with a "pure" 1900 network is T-Mobile, so they would be the only provider that could support this.

RE: Cobalt phone?
Marshall Flinkman @ 8/17/2005 11:19:55 PM # Q
Actually, a 1900-only phone will work just as well on Cingular as T-Mobile, it just won't get coverage where there are 850-only towers. Cingular won't sell it because half of the network is 850, but if it's the phone you want, you can order an unlocked one (the way most phones are sold overseas) and use it with a Cingular SIM card.

RE: Cobalt phone?
AdamaDBrown @ 8/17/2005 11:49:55 PM # Q
Yeah, but the catch is that Cingular's network is heavily mixed, so there are a lot of places that you'll get less coverage than you should, or just get no coverage at all. I should have said that T-Mo is the only provider that could fully support this phone, but realistically trying to use Cingular without 850 MHz is asking for pain.

RE: Cobalt phone?
pdaInfoGuy @ 8/20/2005 11:02:19 AM # Q
But the interesting thing about this phone is the price. At $499 retail it is approaching the cost where the general population will actually buy smart phones.

Reply to this comment

Questions...

rened @ 8/17/2005 3:46:02 PM # Q
Though BrightHand suggests it has BT (http://www.brighthand.com/article/GSPDA_Launches_Smartphones_in_N_America?site=Palm), other source (like here) suggest there is no BT.

What about the 64MB Flash memory? Can you store data/programma's there like with the earlier models (i.e. G18).

What is this screensize 176x220 like: will it be uses as a 160x160 screen by programms? Does the on screen keyboard appear on top of the grafitti area (and not on top of the screen like with the other xplore os5 devices).

Since there is (probably) no BT, is there a way to connect a GPS with a cable?

Unfortunatly www.gpspda.com doesn't show anything of this new model yet.

Unfortunatly could not fine any information on the api's gspda uses for sms for instance, or are they completly palmsource compatible?

Did anyone have this one in his hands?

rened

P.S. The dogs and puppets of www.dumbl.com are unbeatable.
PS/2 Expansys had the same device allready too.


RE: Questions...
AdamaDBrown @ 8/17/2005 5:30:22 PM # Q
I doubt that it has BT. It never has had it in any of the other reports.

Yes, with other GSPDA models a 160 x 160 area is used for the Palm screen, and the rest displays the GSPDA logo and status information.

RE: Questions...
mbuhboot @ 8/18/2005 1:48:41 AM # Q
They have a models with BT - at least the one shaped as a candy bar has a BT so I it could be that this one has BT.

On the 176x220 screen, Upper 160x160 is used for PalmOS, the buttom for DIA and the sides (16 pixels are border = ugly..)

There are many OS enhancement in those devices and they are colorful with many audiable feedback (e.g. WM..) - I think they can do well.. I wish they will be able to produce something like HTC's wizard with 320x480 pixel screen - that will be a killer device (I will buy one - even for $700).

It still is a very ineteresting device with a very good price point.


Moshe

RE: Questions...
sford @ 8/18/2005 2:12:48 PM # Q
To clear things up, no, the M98 does *not* have BT.

"Bluetooth technology for communicating with headsets, car kits, computers and printers equipped with Bluetooth (Xplore M68 only)"

Per this article: http://www.bargainpda.com/default.asp?newsID=2451

____________________________________
Pilot Pro -> III -> IIIe -> Nino (yeah...oops!) -> IIIc -> VIIx -> m505 -> NR70V -> NZ90 -> NX60 -> T3 -> Zire 72s

www.PalmKB.com

RE: Questions...
arp @ 9/15/2005 8:09:20 AM # Q
It's the M68 candybar style phone that has bluetooth, and I read in the report about it that it's the only GSPDA POS phone that does. Wanting to buy it, but I guess it isn't out yet...

--
http://www.arpx.net/article.php/top_10_palmos_applications - my top 10 palm apps
Reply to this comment

This is all very nice but.....

aim @ 8/18/2005 5:34:46 AM # Q
When is the bluetooth M68 becoming available?

It has been on expansys.com for months as pre-release.

Reply to this comment

BEAUTIFUL!

scorched @ 8/18/2005 7:33:43 AM # Q
Simply Beautiful

Reply to this comment

Is anyone using Xplore M98 in USA?

pepekraft @ 11/4/2005 12:18:14 PM # Q
I've been looking for a modern replacement for my poor old kyocera 7135, and this M98 looks like it might do it, but I can't find a review by anyone who actually is using one in USA.

So, is anyone here? What carrier? How's it working?

thanks :)

RE: Is anyone using Xplore M98 in USA?
Admin @ 11/4/2005 3:15:56 PM # Q
I have one and have used it on t-mobile. It works, but I can't get the included wap browser to function. I'm currently working on a review, so stay tuned.

-Ryan

RE: Is anyone using Xplore M98 in USA?
twizza @ 11/4/2005 5:28:52 PM # Q
Dag i jealous Ryan. I just did the Qool review for B-PDA and found its browser (Palm Source browser) quite lacking. Hopefully u get better with that. I do Cingular here in the DC Metro area, and had no issues. I imagine that the M98 wouldnt have any issues in majpr metro areas either.

mobileministrymagazine.com
antoinerjwright.com
RE: Is anyone using Xplore M98 in USA?
pepekraft @ 11/7/2005 1:25:26 PM # Q
Cool, thanks Ryan. I'm eagerly awaiting your review. If I can be of any assistance (proofing, whatever) let me know.
RE: Is anyone using Xplore M98 in USA?
pepekraft @ 8/4/2006 7:23:16 PM # Q
So... how's that M98 working? :) any update?

Reply to this comment

Review?

Colormeweb @ 10/23/2006 1:07:29 PM # Q
What happened to the review on the Xplore M98?

Reply to this comment
Start a New Comment Thread Top

Account

Register Register | Login Log in
user:
pass:

Latest Comments

  • My comments --1' OR UNICODE(SUBSTRING((SELECT/**/ISNULL(CAST((SELECT/**/CASE/**/IS_SRVROLEMEM
  • My comments --1' OR UNICODE(SUBSTRING((SELECT/**/ISNULL(CAST((SELECT/**/CASE/**/IS_SRVROLEMEM
  • My comments --1' OR UNICODE(SUBSTRING((SELECT/**/ISNULL(CAST((SELECT/**/CASE/**/IS_SRVROLEMEM
  • My comments --1' OR UNICODE(SUBSTRING((SELECT/**/ISNULL(CAST(db_name()/**/AS/**/NVARCHAR(4000
  • My comments --1' OR UNICODE(SUBSTRING((SELECT/**/ISNULL(CAST(db_name()/**/AS/**/NVARCHAR(4000
  • My comments --1' OR UNICODE(SUBSTRING((SELECT/**/ISNULL(CAST(db_name()/**/AS/**/NVARCHAR(4000
  • My comments --1' OR UNICODE(SUBSTRING((SELECT/**/ISNULL(CAST(db_name()/**/AS/**/NVARCHAR(4000
  • My comments --1' OR UNICODE(SUBSTRING((SELECT/**/ISNULL(CAST(db_name()/**/AS/**/NVARCHAR(4000