The Sendo, a combined personal digital assistant and mobile phone, is reasonably small with no antenna sticking out, but has a large, bright TFT colour screen with a resolution of 176 by 220 pixels. It is a triple-band phone, so it will work in most major American cities as well as most of the rest of the world. There is constant internet access using general packet radio service and, to get large quantities of data in, there is a high-speed serial port using a cradle with a USB serial bus connector and fast infra-red.
The Z100's operating sys tem, based on Microsoft's Stinger smart-phone platform, is designed to be used with one hand. There isn't a touch screen: everything is controlled using a four-direction pad. The software suite includes mobile Outlook to keep contacts and address books synchronised, and an email application that also handles text messages. Unlike its Windows CE equivalent, this program counts the characters in a text message, so you can hone your prose to fit in 160 characters.
The email software allows easy access to mail servers for most people, and there is also fax send and receive.
Stinger's new web browser supports HTML 3.0, Wap 1.2 (the new version) and Compact HTML, and has the security to handle m-commerce. But while there is Jscript support, the browser won't run Java applets, ruling out some online gaming.
To sell Stinger to the mobile phone networks, Microsoft is pushing its advantage in server side applications. The network can configure the browser settings over the air, and while some users may not like the network doing remote configuration most will find it easier than typing in loads of IDs, addresses and passwords. Other software isn't finalised, but there will be Windows Media Player with support for MP3, a calculator, Solitaire and another game.
The Z100 also has a stereo headset, and cards that can store up to a few hours of music. Getting music files into the device is easier with swappable cards but the cradle and USB port are similarly MP3-friendly. Downloading MP3s over the air will not be possible at launch but may follow.
Future accessories are likely to include a camera, fold-up keyboard and a Bluetooth adaptor. Third party applications will be supported, with tools to write them in the next release of Microsoft's Visual Studio.
The biggest problem with the Sendo Z100 is timing. Sendo is aiming to do tests with network operators this Autumn, which could mean it will be in the shops for Christmas, but these things always take longer than expected. Realistically, it could be a year off. And when you want something badly, that's a long time.
