Gigabyte GSmart MS800

The GSmart MS800 from Gigabyte is a new entry into the busy smartphone market – a mobile phone that will do everything from make calls to organise your life. With the advent of the iPhone, touchscreen smartphones you control with your fingers (rather than a stylus) have entered the mainstream, and this device follows the trend, with an extra finger-controlled interface that sits on top of the usual Windows Mobile software. Can it offer a Windows-based alternative to the iPhone?


Features
The unit is slim and narrow, weighing in at just 133g, with a screen just short of three inches in length but, for a lightweight phone, it’s a heavy hitter. The keyboard is incorporated into the touchscreen, freeing up significant face space, leaving it uncluttered and sleek. However, if you want to type a text you may have to pull out the included stylus as it’s too small and fiddly for our fingers. It’s got a full complement of smartphone features and will organise your contacts, calendar and events, as well as sync with your PC. Email and messaging is straightforward, and the phone supports web browsing. The camera (both video and still) is 2-megapixels – perfectly functional but a bit on the slow side if you like capturing quick snaps. The GPS-locating service deserves special mention: accessed on the dial pad, it comes complete with a walking, bike and driving mode, so you’re unlikely to get lost.

Performance
Despite the touchscreen, the MS800 has a good battery life, though using the GPS has a significant impact on it. The media player is standard and includes an MP3 player, an in-built FM radio and a voice and video recorder. However, the non-standard headphone socket means you can only use the earphones provided. Like the iPhone, the screen for the GSmart alternates between a portrait and landscape view. But unlike Apple’s seamless viewing change, the GSmart requires you to press a button. The user interface is a pleasure to use but can feel a bit unresponsive at times.
Meanwhile, internet users will be glad of the phone’s ability to connect via 3.5G HSDPA if their service provider supports it, and there’s a Wi-Fi option too.

Ease of use
One benefit of using Windows Mobile devices is that you’ve always been assured that, if you upgrade your phone, you’ll find the same interface on the new device. Because of its alternative, finger-controlled interface, this isn’t quite true of the MS800. Still, learning to use it should prove unproblematic, while the ability to leave the stylus in its holster will ultimately speed up your navigation. The attractive screen iconography certainly helps make the process smooth and attractive. On the main screen, the icons hug the bottom of the screen from where you can access each service. You can also use the dial pad to scroll through and select, but it feels a little clunky. The little icon for the keyboard is ever-present so you don’t have to go looking for it to start writing texts, emails or notes.

Value for money
The competition in the high-end smartphone market is fierce, especially with O2 temporarily knocking a further £100 off the 8GB iPhone, so the MS800 has its work cut out. The positive side is that, if you’re looking for a phone that doesn’t come with an expensive contract, you could purchase the device and a SIM separately, as the phone isn’t tied in to a specific operator. Although this makes the phone pricey at the outset, it could work out better value for money in the long run, though it’ll depend on what you’re paying for your service. For a saving of £60 or so, you could downgrade the HSDPA connection to EDGE (2.5G like the iPhone’s) and plump for its otherwise similarly featured little brother, the MW700.