By James Alan Miller

September 22, 2005

Sprint PCS this week launched the first Windows Mobile 5.0 smartphone in the United States, the PPC-6700 Pocket PC Phone.

This handset is also the first Sprint device to feature EV-DO cellular broadband and Wi-Fi wireless networking, as well as Bluetooth 1.2 personal area networking. EV-DO delivers average data transfer rates of 400 to 700 kilobits per second (kbps) with peak rates of 2.0 megabits per second (Mbps), while Bluetooth enables you to connect wirelessly to headsets, PCs, and other devices (such as car kits).

As of July, Verizon Wireless no longer stood alone the U.S. market with a 1xRTT EV-DO (Evolution Data Optimized) wireless service, a CDMA-based 3G technology. That’s when Sprint started to roll out EV-DO broadband in 200 markets (including 60 metropolitan areas) for completion 2006, enough to serve a potential market of 150 million people.

Like many other smartphones today, the PPC-6700 integrates a QWERTY thumb-keyboard that slides out from the bottom of the unit—a QVGA (240 x 320 pixel) resolution type typical for a Pocket PC. You need to use the keyboard when the display is in landscape mode.

Additional features include a 1.3-megapixel camera with built-in flash and digital zoom for taking still images and video. The device also includes a built-in mini USB port and miniSD expansion card to add memory; transfer music, photos and video from the desktop; or load additional games and applications.

As a Windows Mobile handset, the PPC-6700 includes versions of familiar applications like Microsoft Outlook, Pocket Internet Explorer 4.0, and Windows Media Player 10. Windows Mobile 5.0 features Microsoft ActiveSync (version 4.0) for faster and easier synchronization of e-mail, contacts, calendar, tasks, and documents. There’s also Pocket MSN with Hotmail, Messenger and content services for maps and directions, weather, news, money, entertainment and yellow pages.

The 4.25 x 2.3 x 1.0-inch and 6.07-ounce device runs on a 416 MHz Intel PXA270 processor. PPC-6700’s 1350 mAh Lithium Ion Polymer battery promises up to 3.7 hours of talk time.

Sprint regularly sells the PPC-6700 for $630, but it can be had now for $480.