Germany-based ROAD has upgraded its multifunction, Linux-based mobile phone. Based on a 512MHz Marvell PXA270, the Handy-PC Officer S101 can act as both a GSM cellular phone and a WiFi-driven PDA and web browser, and it offers a dual SIM-card option, says the company.

(Click for larger view of the Handy-PC Officer S101)

Like the original Handy-PC S101, which ROAD (Remote Office Access Devices) shipped in 2005, the Officer model looks and acts like a GSM mobile phone, but then flips open to reveal a keyboard and larger screen for PDA activities and web browsing. The new model offers a redesigned 5.1 x 2.5 x 0.9-inch case, a faster 512MHz Marvel PXA270 processor, and much more RAM and flash, with allotments of 128MB and 1GB, respectively. The device also includes not only an SD card, but also the option of dual SIMs, for use with two different phone numbers.

Original Handy-PC S101 (Click for details)

Like the original Handy-PC, the internal touchscreen display offers 640 x 240 resolution, and now the external phone display has been expanded to 128 x 160. The phone provides both a standard phone keypad and a 63-key QWERTY mini-keyboard, says ROAD. The device includes quad-band GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz) cellphone with EDGE, WiFi and Bluetooth radios, a two megapixel camera, and a USB 2.0 interface, says the company.

The Linux 2.6-based software includes a Qtopia-based graphical desktop. (Later called Qt Extended, among other names, Qt Software's Qtopia stack is being phased out as a separate product, but is largely being rolled into the mainstream, cross-platform Qt. 4.5.)

The Officer S101's applications include an appointment calendar, pocket calculator, MP3 player, web browser, and an email/SMS client, among other choices (see list below). ROAD has added Outlook synchronization and the MS-compatible Softmaker office suite. A Linux SDK is also said to be available for developing third party applications.

Specifications listed for the ROAD Handy-PC Officer S101 include:

• Processor — Marvell PXA270 @ 512MHz
• Memory — 128MB RAM
• Flash — 1GB flash
• Flash expansion — SD/SDHC/SDIO card multi-card reader up to 32GB
• Display — 128 x 160 color phone display (with lightness-sensor); 640 x 240 color TFT touchscreen
• Input — 21-key phone keypad; 63-key QWERTY mini-keyboard; 4 x external PC control keys
• Cellular — GSM quad-band (850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz) with EDGE/GPRS class 12; dual SIM-card option
• WiFi — 802.11b
• Bluetooth — Bluetooth 2.0 EDR, class 2
• USB — 1 x micro-USB 2.0 (OTG 1.1)
• Camera — 2 megapixel
• Audio — Microphone; earbuds; speaker
• Alarms — acoustical; optical; vibration
• Applications:
  • PIM-Pack (list, contact, calendar, tasks)
  • Remote access client
  • Messaging client email/SMS
  • Web browser
  • Softmaker Office Office-Pack (MS-compatible):
    • TextMaker word processing
    • PlanMaker spreadsheet
    • Database
    • PDF-Viewer
    • Drawing program
    • Calculator
    • Notes
    • Audio Player
    • Video Player
    • Games
    • PIM synchronization for PCs
    • Online software updates
• Battery — Akku 1800mAh Lithium-Polymer (charges via USB)
• Battery life — 4 hours active, 7 days standby (phone); 5 hours active, 30 days standby (phone off)
• Dimensions — 5.1 x 2.5 x 0.9 inches (130 x 64 x 24mm)
• Operating system — Linux 2.6.x with Qtopia-based ROAD graphical desktop and optional SDK

Availability

ROAD did not offer pricing or availability information on the Officer S101, but it appears to be shipping now. More information may be found here.

 
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