Work and huddled around to watch excitedly as the wrapping was torn off and we opened the box to review it!The Atom Life enters the Indian market as part of 02 s new strategy to divide its five main product segments: performance, lifestyle, messaging, hybrids, and smartphones. The products in each segment have feature sets appropriate for their target market. This device fits into the lifestyle category with its good looks and multimedia capabilities. Speaking at its launch in Mumbai recently, 02 Asia Pacific and the Middle East CEO, Mark Billington, stated that the Atom Life is a PDA that will power the user both at work and play. We decided to put this claim to test.
Packed with Features
The 02 XDA Atom Life is a tri band GSM 900/1800/1900 phone with GPRS and EDGE capabilities. The built in Wi Fi functionality makes it an excellent device to check e mail on the go. GPS (Global Positioning System) navigation is not built in, but it s possible to add an external receiver. The Atom Life is 3G capable—the front mounted VGA camera makes video calling simplistic In call voice reception is nice and dean.
The Atom Life runs on Windows Mobile 5, so mobile versions of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel are included. These applications ens that your work won t suffer no matter where you are. Other preinstalled applications include 02 AutoConfig, 02 Autolnstall, 02 Connect, 02 MediaPlus. 02 SMSPIus, and 02 PhonePlus, which make the phone economically strong. 02 Connect offers access to software updates via a GPRS connection, while 02 MediaPlus allows you to access all your stored music, videos, and photos from a single interface. You can use PocketMSN to access your Hotmail account and chat with your contacts through MSN Messenger. The Internet Explorer makes browsing the web a breeze. There s also a mobile version of Windows Media Player 10. And to round off the package, there is Microsoft ActiveSync to connect the Atom Life to your PC.The Atom Life is powered by an Irte XScale PXA 270 processor running at a mind blowing 624 MHz. We were impressed by the capabilities of this processor, which was able to multitask and run heavy applications without am hiccups. It features 64 MB RAM and 1GB of internal flash memory. A MiniSD card slot for expanding the memory is located on the top of the phone.
Camera
The 2 megapixel camera takes decent pictures with resolutions ranging from 80x60 to 1600x1200. An LED strobe flash and a self portrait mirror are also built in.
Shaping the Masterpiece
At first glance, the Atom Life looks like any other 02 model, but look closely and you ll see a few subtle differences. The device s glossy black plastic screen is the in call speaker grille, which also houses status lights—green for standby, red for charging, and blue to show that Bluetooth is switched on. Volume controls are on the left, and the camera and record buttons are on the right. Keys on the front panel include call accept and reject controls, two soft and media player shortcut keys.
The Atom Life weighs 145 grams which is quite light for a PDA. Its slick form makes it a true style statement.
Chinks in the Shining Armour
02 markets the Atom Life as a PDA that doubles up as a multimedia device. Even though it has SRS WOW surround speakers, the volume levels could have been higher. The glossy black plastic finish is prone to fingerprints and smudges, and the chrome plating— especially around the stylus holder slot—wears out easily with heavy use. The 2.7 inch LCD screen might look good at first, but it isn t the clearest we have seen. Team this up with terrible viewing angles and you have real disappointment on your hands. The quality of still and video photography is also below average.
Verdict
The 02 Xda Atom Life is a brilliant device, and a great solution for all your business and multimedia needs. There s a chance that you might find it a little confusing to handle initially but once you get the hang of it, organizing your daily schedules and carrying out vital daily tasks will become very convenient. Also, the enhanced multimedia functions make the Atom Life a pleasure to work with. The elegant shape ensures that you are carrying a guaranteed style statement in your pocket. As the maufacturers said—the Xda Atom Life surely does power you at work and play!
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