SIERRA WIRELESS VOQ PROFESSIONAL PHONE

IN BRIEF: Sierra Wireless has created a handheld device that aims to be everything to all business users

Just as software developers are struggling with the notion of what constitutes a smartphone, so too are the hardware vendors who are constantly experimenting with design and format. Sierra Wireless is an American company that specialises in communication devices for the business professional. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the Voq Professional Phone (price TBC) is aimed at the business buyer, rather than the consumer market.

THE HARDWARE

When it comes to the look and styling of the Voq, we found it was less than compelling. While the company is restricted by the OS design reference to using a 2.4-inch screen, its number pad and navigation buttons dominate the device. With an overall weight of 140g, the Voq measures 52 x 130 x 21mm.

The device includes a QWERTY thumbpad, which is hidden away under the standard number pad. Once the flip cover is opened, the handheld switches to MyVoq mode and makes writing SMS messages and short notes easier than on a standard device.

However, we found that the thumbpad was difficult to use. This is because half of the keyboard is supported by the device itself, while the other half is on a hinged flap that’s difficult to use. The two main problems with this design are the stability of using the keyboard for any prolonged period of time and the size of the keys, which are small and of uneven height.

The Voq we used for this review was a pre-production model, therefore we hope that some of the build quality issues are resolved before it’s released in the second quarter of the year. That said, the size of the Voq won’t be reduced and many users will find that it’s rather cumbersome.

Powered by the 200MHz Intel XScale processor, the device is quick and responsive. It’s fitted with 48MB of flash memory, of which just 20MB is available to the user. This may prove to be problematic, but the SD slot allows for expansion.

THE SOFTWARE

The main differentiator for Sierra Wireless is the software layer that it has added to the device. While the Microsoft Windows for Smartphone design reference doesn’t allow for keyboard data input, the Voq has the added functionality of writing notes and documents. Used in conjunction with the thumbpad it offers users a greater degree of flexibility than current Windows Smartphone-based handsets.

The real benefit of the Voq is in how it can be used by the business professional to collect and send emails. It’s targeted at those users who would traditionally opt for the Blackberry. However, unlike the Blackberry, the Voq doesn’t require the use of a server to push email and is compatible with Lotus Notes, Novell and Microsoft Exchange. In this way, setting up and maintaining a connection with the device is much more straightforward and more cost-effective to the small business user.

The device also supports IMAP4 and POP3, along with Instant Messenger services. While we were impressed with the capabilities of the Sierra Wireless Voq Professional Phone, the device itself failed to live up to our expectations. Although it’s a usable handheld, problems arise when trying to conceive of a situation where the solution makes sense over devices offered by other handheld vendors. We were also unimpressed with the keyboard, which is a nice idea, but feels underdeveloped.

PRICE: TBC (EX/INC. VAT)
PROCESSOR: 200MHZ INTEL PXA262
OPERATING SYSTEM: WINDOWS MOBILE 2003 FOR SMARTPHONE
MEMORY: 48MB (20MB AVAILABLE TO USER)
EXPANSION: SECURE DIGITAL
SCREEN: 16-BIT COLOUR (64000 COLOURS)
BATTERY: LITHIUM-ION
LINK: USB
SIZE: 52 X 130 X 21MM
WEIGHT: 140G
CONTACT: ONLINE ONLY WWW.VOQ.CO.UK

Price correct at time of writing