Pharos Traveller 137 hands-on
By Sean Cooper 
posted Jan 8th 2009 6:18AM
posted Jan 8th 2009 6:18AM
Pharos' Traveller 137 is at CES and as far as well packed Windows Mobile sets go, it is pretty much at the top of the heap. We won't bore you with the specs again, but if there's anything you want in a phone, it's likely already in there. Follow the link below to get a closer look at the world's first unlocked AWS 3G handset.
Anybody knows if it has proximity censor and accelerometer?
Grrr...no 3.5mm jack...
HTC touch HD , besides being much, much nicer looking, is also a much better device also because of its touch flo gig without which (or something similar, such as Samsung's touch whiz) win mobile is a pain to use with a touch screen UI.
As for the trackball, I had a touch HD for over a month a never missed a trackball once; but if you really feel that you can't live without one then Samsung Omnia (i910) is just as good as the touch HD, more stylish, and it comes with a genial mini mouse trackpad, that if you wish can be set up to work as a trackball (not that I think anyone would do that after they tried the mini mouse).
This Pharos can only hope to compete on price and it doesn't seem like it can do that either.
The Traveller will have compatible 3G for both AT&T and T-Mobile. In fact, it is the only Windows Mobile device with T-Mobile USA 3G bands. The Touch HD and Omnia i910 are nice phones, but without North America 3G it is hard to justify importing them if you live in the US. Verizon does carry a CDMA version of the Omnia, but it has low screen resolution compared to the Touch HD or Traveller. Keep in mind that the Traveller will likely eventually be flashed with a Touch-Flo ROM.
"HTC touch HD , besides being much, much nicer looking, is also a much better device also because of its touch flo gig without which (or something similar, such as Samsung's touch whiz) win mobile is a pain to use with a touch screen UI."
The Traveler 137 comes preloaded with a touch screen keyboard, SPB Mobile Shell with touch-and-sweep user interface, and Microsoft Office Mobile suite, Media Player, and Live Search.
Happy?
I actually liked the SPB Mobile Shell when I used it with the T-Mobile MDA.
OK, I don't live in America so I don't know much, anything actually, about what works best on the networks of the New World, my comments are directed mostly at other decadent europeans like me, but I think I have read somewhere that the Omnia is tailored to yankee 3G needs too.
And belive me, its just as good if not better than the touch HD.
The touch wiz is lighter than touch flo, and the mini-mouse is something you quickly get addicted to.
I hope for you that your networks would let you exploit its potential because it's really a pleasure to use.
I bought also the HTC HD only because I needed a different phone for work, but there has been a period when I considered buyng 2 identical Omnias.
Don't you have HSDPA 3,5G (7500mb/s)? Seems strange
"Don't you have HSDPA 3,5G (7500mb/s)? Seems strange"
yep.
i guess i shouldn't say this phone is better than the omnia, which we have here in the US, but i will say that i'll prefer over the omnia because it has a larger, WVGA screen and since it is unsubsidized, it won't have any of the bloat. i would love to buy the t omnia if it came to the US. i used spb mobile shell 2.0 before i started using touch flo 2d and it is awesome. i do like
here are the specs:
The Traveler 137 is a GPS smartphone with 3.5” flush touch-screen WVGA display.The Smartphone features the very latest 3.5G communications capability based on a tri-band UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA and a quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE cellular modems.It offers industry-leading 7.2Mb/s download and 2Mb/s upload speeds enabling fast Web browsing, email and other Internet services. There are two on-board cameras, a 3 MP digital camera for recording pictures and video, and a 0.3 MP camera for video conferencing.The unit comes with Pharos’ proprietary Smart Navigator software and server-based travel information and navigation service.Additionally, the device is pre-loaded with Microsoft Live Search, providing free information about traffic, gas prices, movie times and weather. The Traveler 137 is powered by the Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 with Microsoft® Outlook® Mobile (Calendar, Contacts, Tasks and Inbox), Word Mobile®, Excel® Mobile, PowerPoint® Mobile, Internet Explorer Mobile, Picture, Notes, ActiveSync, Calculator, Game, Voice Recorder, MSN® Messenger, Media® Player 10.The device gives up to 4 hours of talk time and 200 hours of standby.
Features
* Qualcomm MSM7201A 65nm 528MHz Processor
* 3.5” WVGA 480 x 800, 65K color TFT LCD with touch panel
* Unlocked 3.5G smartphone for use on any GSM network
* Tri-band AWS 1700/1900/2100 MHz, UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA: 384K/7.2M/2M bits per sec
* Quad-band 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, GSM/GPRS/EDGE
* Built-in GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, FM
* 3MP camera for picture or video; 0.3MP front camera for video conference
* Free real-time traffic, gas price, movie and weather information
* Talk time: up to 4 hours; 200 hours of standby
* Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player
* Outlook Contacts, Calendar and Tasks
* Email and Internet Explorer
for the record, i think the omnia and touch hd rock.
crescentmage is correct, the GSM Omnia and Touch HD are not as desirable without NA 3G and the 137 matches the Touch HDapart from a slightly smaller screen, lower res camera. As far as looks that is subjective but I think functionality wins out. I dont consider the lack of TouchFLO a negative as it comes with SPB Mobile which is not too bad in its own right and being a WM phone there are no shortage of hacks you can do to make it look pretty much how you want. The price is actually quite good compared to the normal price for unlocked WM phones, especially one with a high-res screen (the Diamond was a bit more when it went on sale at Best Buy) and it will likely be cheaper a short time after release. For someone like myself with an Omnia on T-Mobile in the US who regularly travels to the UK this phone is almost ideal, only the lack on onboard storage is lacking vs the Omnia but I will probably be picking this up when its avaialble.
Could be my next phone so I could "abuse" the now-grandfather-$5.99 T-Zones plan.
Woohoo
Haha yes, got to love that plan! I have been using the unlimited Internet access for years while enjoying the low, low price.
it has WCDMA I/II/IV support is enough to drop $600 for it
the only things I don't like
1. doesn't have 3.5 jack
2. cam doesn't have AF
if it's like the T-mobile G1, the wired stereo miniUSB headset will have a 3.5 mm adapter on it
Hey, if you want TouchFLO for this device, I'm sure soon after it is released you will be able to pick up a cab install for it over at the xda-developers forum. Can't wait to get a hold of this phone though.
Anyone reply and tell me what case that is they are sporting on the iPhone in the last 2 pics? Be much appreciated.
1 ivolution SP for Apple iPhone 3G
Color-scheme:
Body: Caterina Vibrant Orange
Stripe: Caterina Black
Personalization: Graphic
Backside: Without Clip