Home > Consumer Reviews > i-mate K-JAM GSM/GPRS Pocket PC/Mobile Phone

I waited almost 7 years for the quintessential convergence device. An integrated mobile phone and PDA that is small enough and light enough to ride comfortably in my shirt pocket. There is absolutely no doubt that the K-JAM is it. I was lucky enough to secure a unit in the first batch to arrive in the UK and can confirm that it has been rock solid, even with the new Windows Mobile 5.

Highlights:
- Handwriting recognition works really well
- Slide-out keyboard is perfect for high-speed thumbing
- Wi-Fi instantly connects with my home network allowing web browsing, instant messaging and e-mail communication
- Initial set-up and configuration is very easy
- It is pretty quick even with a number of programmes running
- Larger memory capacity - installed all Tube and London maps and still plenty of space - Mini SD card will really only be needed for music and movies

Lowlights
- Quality of speaker could be improved
- Form factor and placement of buttons make one-handed operation slightly awkward - a jog like on the P910i would have been really nice.
- In many cases there is no option to take one step back to the previous screen or menu (more of a WM5 issue to be fair)
- Some software packages (e.g. TomTom Navigator 5) do not work on WM5.
- If you are running Lotus Notes you will have to wait for the version of XTNDCONNECT that works on WM5 - Beta version expected next week.
- The included earphones and mic look and feel very cheap
- Car kits are not yet available
- Can't get Skype to work

None of these lowlights in any way detract from the sheer usefulness of the device in day-to-day circumstances. There are a number of detailed reviews on the web but if you have any doubts about getting one, my advice is to just go for it.

I have the T-mobile version of this item called MDA Vario but it's exactly the same product.

The main reason why I had bought this nice piece of kit was that i got fed up of carrying around 2 pieces of hardware (i had a IPaq as well as a mobile phone). I must admit I was initially concerned that it would be too large and bulky. But in actual fact, it is only slightly thicker than my PDA.

hidden in a corner is a telescopic sylus which is functional but may be too little for some people. I use my pen with the lid on which just works fine.

Weighing in at 160g it's heavier than most phones but considering how much is packed in this thing it's surprising it's not heavier. The PDA runs at about 200mhz processor speed which is fairly fast for the average user with some added applications. As i've overloaded mine with add ons like windowblinds to make it look better, and additional calenders, it still works fine but a little laggy at times. Other standard software includes a built in calender, tasks, notes and mail which can all sync with your computer. You can even connect your email to retrieve your Google/yahoo/hotmail if you want. It's easy and you can keep up to date with your mail on the move. It also has windows media so you can view videos stored on an SD card of all sorts of music.


Running Windows Mobile 5 it's already got pocket Word and Excel so that you can edit your files on the move. But that's all i'd suggest using it for. Reading small scale files and minor editing otherwise it'll give you a headache since the screen is a bitty (but relatively substantial) 6x4cm screen. The screen is very clear but as with all PDA's i'd suggest getting a screen protector.

The internal memory is pretty small and if you're thinking of adding on software, i'd definitely invest in an additional mini SD card. there you can install and save games on, pictures, emails etc. I've got games like tennis, golf, soccer, crosswords, Arevale (an RPG game) and they all work just fine with no lag and it will keep you busy at would-be boring moments at the bus stop.

Connectivity is excellent with the Vario capable of accessing wifi & bluetooth. It was very easy to connect to the internet using wifi. If you're out and about it can be a little fiddly connecting to public wifi hotspots but nonetheless very useful. Connecting at home should be a doddle if you don't have any security settings (if not why not - you're network isnt secure!). All you need to do is turn wifi on and you're set. the phone will pick up the signal all by itself. Internet explorer is handy to check up or surf the net with on the move but navigating can be a little fiddly. Download speeds aren't too bad considering but remember to just be a little patient - i think with Broadband becoming standard for most of us, waiting for a PDA to load amazon can be comparatively slow.

If you are new to PDA's then you can sync with your outlook email, inbox, calender and tasks as well as notes if you want to by connecting the phone to your computer. You can do this by using the wires supplied or if you've got a laptop with infrared, then you can connect and sync without using wires at all.

The talk time is reported to be 3 hours and standby time is 200 hours, but what does that really mean? In actual fact if you're an average user on the phone and like to surf the net & play games occasionally, then you're basically looking at charging every 2 days on average. I have read in some reviews that the phone signal strength is poor sometimes but i've never had any problems (however i do live near the local city centre). I couldn's say what it's like further out though but even on the move, i've never really had any problems. I was also initially worried about the embarassment of having a brick to my head when answering the phone but it's really not that big as other phones with music players are just as thick. Alternatively most hardcore phone users get a bluetooth headset anyway for answering calls.

The slide out keyboard is very easy to use. when you slide out the keyboard whilst the phone is switched on, then the screen will automatically switch from portrait view to landscape which is very convenient. This makes viewing the internet that little more clearer with the extra width. It also obviously makes texting a breeze and quick too. The keys are well spread out so even those with larger than average hands shoudn't have any problems.

The phone does come with a headphone/microphone set which is useful but basic. it's bright white so not very subtle but it does the job. When you're listening to music and a call comes in, if you select to take the call, the music cuts out which is very handy and the reverse happens when you end the call. The headphones have a volume and answer call button which is good but they're not the best quality. The problem i found is that you can't replace the headphones realistically as the headjack is not standard 3.5mm but 2.5mm- very annoying. However if you're that into music you can get bluetooth headphones now.

The phone comes with a case too but it's a clip on. I got paranoid about this as it's not a cheap piece of hardware so changed case to one that is more secure around the belt but the case supplied does it's job.


conclusion
If you want the usefulness of a pda, access to music, internet and phone all rolled into one and don't mind the slightly extra weight compared to most other phones, then this is for you. It's packed with all sorts of good standard applications for keeping you busy on the move and keeping you up to date. you may find you'll want to add loads of extras to the pda but bear in mind that as it's a hybrid, it has it's limits - one of which is the processor speed. If you want something faster but with the same functionality, look for this phones younger brother. For Tmobile it is the MDA Vario 2 which has a 400mhz processor speed.

After finding myself carrying nearly a kilo of cords and cradles to go with my mobile phone, mp3 player, digital camera, and PDA I am glad to say, I can now dispense with nearly all of them as this is the device for the road warrior! And may I say, it has a very high WOW factor when produced…

BATTERY - The stated battery life is about 200 hours - which would assume you only turn on the device and don't use it at all for a week... It also states the talk time on the phone is about 3 hours. I have talked for up to 2 hours on the phone, but it does drain the battery. On average, this device is so useful and does so much, that there is no way you are going to let it sit for a week waiting for phone calls to come in. The most I have gone is 2 days without having to recharge it. If I was using Bluetooth and Wi-fi extensively, I suspect it would have to be charged every day. I have read elsewhere that battery life improves after you've 'drained' it a few times but I'm having problems letting it run down to that point!

CAMERA – Takes OK pictures in daylight and crap pictures at night – despite its built in ‘flash’ (read – flashlight…). No zoom capability. But handy for spur of the moment pics and video. Will not be replacing my high-end digital camera though… Very easy to transfer images to computer via USB cable.

CONNECTION – Yay! No cradle – connects with only a USB cable to your computer – and the battery can also be charged via this method so if traveling with my computer, I only need one cable – magic!

DATA ENTRY – The slide out keyboard is great, but I found the keys slightly widely spaced when trying to use the soft keys. The device does not lie flat when keyboard open so can’t type with anything but thumbs. However, the handwriting recognition software is vastly improved on a couple of years ago and I find myself using that a lot…

MEMORY - When the battery gets very low, the device automatically turns itself off and will not turn back on until you give it a power boost. Further more, I have done a couple of hard resets and not lost information so it looks like it does save the information. You can also install all programs to the mini-SD card, which is a major advantage to not losing information

MP3 - Yes it does work! It has Windows Media Player (mobile) installed and in the interests of seeing how this device stacks up against other mp3 players out there (which as far as I can tell, all seem to die between 6 and 8 hours), I got a respectable 9 hours – but I used no other application on the device. However, the headphones that come with it are a ear buds with a mini-jack – and hurt after a short period of use. Furthermore, they kept slipping out of my ears... I have yet to find an adaptor between ordinary headphone and the mini-jack

PROCESSING SPEED – People have made an issue of this. I only found it to be slow when booting up, otherwise it seemed to chug along fine to me

PHONE – Crystal clear sound! Incredible sound! Very impressive! I have not invested in a Bluetooth headset, so can say that putting the phone to the head does cause all sorts of menu’s to be activated by your ear, so it can painful closing down all the screens and programs when you suddenly find yourself needing the keypad to enter passwords etc… Thank goodness the speaker phone is very clear!

SCREEN – Excellent quality – pictures look magical on it and with Windows Media Player, the video is sensational. You have the ability to switch between portrait and landscape – so watching those wide-screen movies is not a problem. It’s a bit fiddly switching between landscape and portrait and I often found for viewing of still photo’s it was quicker to slide open the keyboard which automatically flips the screen image to landscape

SOFTWARE – says it comes with PDF clearvue and Skype – I did not find either on the device or on the accompanying CD. I have downloaded Skype for PocketPC but not installed it at this time. Otherwise all other software works to spec, with no bothersome lag times detected.

SIZE & WEIGHT – perfect! Its amazing how such a little device can provide so much satisfaction. Its about the same size as some of the cheaper ‘pre-paid’ phones on the market – but oh does it do so much more…

SOUND – High quality sound in headphones, but a but tinny (yet clear) through the speakers

STORAGE – I can’t believe with all the advances in hard drive space, it has only 64Mb storage! So buying a mini-SD card, which are currently only available to 1Gb is essential.

VOICE RECONGITION – although I can add voice tags to contacts, I didn’t seem to be able to add them to programs as was indicated in the instruction book.

WI-FI – connected and surfed quite happily for an hour. You need to read the instructions as where to locate networks has moved since earlier versions of PocketPC software, but fine once path established. Nice to switch to landscape mode when surfing…

I have had this phone for over a year - here is my review from day one to now....


*What's in the box?*

MDA Vario Smartphone
Carry Case
Two Stilii (or 2 stylus'!)
USB Cable
Mains Charger
Adhesive Screen Protector.
Stereo Headset (with in-line volume control)
2 CD Roms (Microsoft and T-Mobile software)
Sim Card (of course)
Battery
Huge thick manual

*First Impressions*

Very impressed - to say the least. I charged it up (took about 45 minutes) and then started playing. It doesn't feel too plasticy and light (once the battery is in). The 'dimpled' effect on the back gives it great grip. Obviously it's a bit bigger than your average mobile - but the rounded styling reduces the visual size.


I had a quick play with the stylus - I need to admit here that this was the first time I've ever used a stylus. The MDA Vario comes with two - they are telescopic so if you've only got dinky hands you can shrink it down to size!

After playing with the stylus I had a play with the keyboard.

I was worried that my clumsy fingers would end up hitting several keys at once - but nope, they are well spaced and raised.

The keyboard pulls out easily and the stylus slots into the back of the handset and moulds nicely to fit in with the shape.

The blue-lit keys of the keyboard are reminiscent of my SPV C500, as are the flashing power/Bluetooth lights at the top.

*Ease of Use / Performance:*

If you've had an MS Smartphone before then this phone is dead easy. If not then you might take a little while to get used to the UI, but it doesn't take long.

I've had a blast on Word Mobile and Excel Mobile and they look and feel just like their bigger brother on the PC (obviously with less functionality - fonts for example.) The Camera is as easy as pressing a button, turning the 'flash' on is simply a case of selecting yes for it.

By far the most impressive thing was the WiFi set up. It literally took less than a minute to get on my home network - that's a good 20 minutes quicker than it took with my PC!!!

The screen has a great viewing angle - sunlight doesn't deem it useless as in so many other phones. You can adjust the brightness and I was surprised that it was only on 50% by default as it was so bright.

*In a nutshell - a year on:*

A great smartie that is easier to use than I imagined. It's been a joy to play with and I have spent many an hour looking fpr third party software to install and fiddle with.

If you want a mobile you can use to take notes in meetings AND have fun with - then you can't go far wrong with this. The WiFi is a great novelty for me as I don't have to spend any money of GPRS whilst I'm at home to check my e-mail!

Sometimes it runs slow/crashes - but only if I've left several applications running at the same time.

I bought my K-Jam after upgrading my Palm to an HP iPAQ which I just couldn't get on with. I ditched the iPAQ after a month of annoyance and frustration and the K-Jam has been an absolute godsend. More functionality than a Palm, less unnecessary clicks and menus than the iPAQ. It's proven a top notch user friendly PDA & Phone - with a heap of handy windows mobile, MP3 and camera functionality. Bluetooth handfree pairing was simple and solved the irritating daily problem of having your K-JAM at your ear when you're also trying to look in the diary. On the down side, battery life's not great. Mine's settled down at roughly 3 days between charges, and the stylus holder, annoyingly, no longer retains the mini-stylus although I've solved that by buying a HP stylus/pen combination.