It looks like the race to launch the first HTC Universal by a network will be won be Orange with their SPV M5000, who today publish two press releases here and here. Although it’s probably going to be a few more days before these hit the stores, Orange have said that the 3G tablet-esque handset has been launched today in the UK, France and Switzerland. It’ll be fully available in from early October in stores for approximately £400 ($721) in the UK and €600 in France and Switzerland, before subsidy. Pricing however will be subject to the customer’s contract, local market conditions and local market tariffs (per customer).
This handset, with it’s 3G data speeds, 3G video calling, Wi-Fi, full QWERTY keyboard and flip / tilt screen should sell extremely well to business users and heavy data users alike. It should also be an ideal solution to those seeking to use just one device to organise their personal and business lives.
Get the full press releases below or direct from Orange.com with the links.
Links –
Orange Launch its first combined laptop-style 3G phone and connected PDA for Business
SPV M5000 – Orange spearheads new range of mobile devices for Business.
UPDATE – More pictures now available below..
ORANGE LAUNCHES ITS FIRST COMBINED LAPTOP-STYLE 3G PHONE AND CONNECTED PDA FOR BUSINESS
Orange SA today launches the SPV M5000, a new laptop-style 3G phone and connected PDA for business users. The SPV M5000 is designed to provide quick, easy and high speed access to remote office applications and the internet, as well as offering full voice capability. It provides mobile business workers with a genuine alternative to carrying a laptop, PDA and phone by combining them in a sleek, pocket-sized device running on Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0.
The SPV M5000 features a customised Orange Homescreen and an icon that provides shortcuts to the key applications required by business users. The laptop-style device has a pivoting screen and a user-friendly QWERTY keyboard. It also operates as a stylus-driven connected PDA with a screen display that automatically switches between portrait and landscape, depending on its orientation.
The first 3G connected PDA from Orange, the SPV M5000 underlines the company’s commitment to provide its business customers with the widest range of mobile devices available today. The SPV M5000 is being launched simultaneously in France, Switzerland and the UK and will be made available across other Orange territories by the end of 2005.
The SPV M5000 is also one of the first business devices to take advantage of Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0, giving business users the type of functionality and applications they use on their desktop PC such as email, personal information management and Microsoft Office. The SPV M5000 comes with Microsoft applications such as Word, PowerPoint and Excel so that users can continue to work within their familiar Microsoft Office environment while away from their desktop computer.
Orange, Microsoft and HTC worked together closely to design the SPV M5000 which is optimised for data-centric business use. It has a built-in modem and fax capability and the user can read emails and access their calendar whilst making calls using their handsfree kit. A 128MB flash memory gives the SPV M5000 ample storage for the majority of short business trips. The device also features an integrated camera and supports video playbacks. An in-built loud speaker and sensitive microphone also makes the SPV M5000 suitable for conference calls. Its sleek form factor is complemented by a selection of screensavers, wallpapers and ringtones suited to business use.
The flagship product in Orange’s newly-created Signature devices for business range, the SPV M5000 features an Orange Homescreen which provides one-click access to key business functions and applications such as ActiveSync, Notes, File Explorer and Calculator.
Philippe Bernard, Executive Vice President, Orange Business Solutions comments, “Mobility is unlocking the potential of the IT infrastructure by giving business people access to data when and where they need it. As mobile devices are increasingly aligned with personal computers, they must operate within that same environment. The SPV M5000 does exactly that by providing a powerful Microsoft Windows based connected PDA that has outstanding compatibility with IT software, hardware and powerful connectivity.”
“The SPV M5000 and the launch today of the Signature devices for business range, is another example of Orange providing its business customers with the widest selection of choice, whilst ensuring a consistent, and positive user experience that is easy to manage and deploy across a range of user types,” concludes Philippe Bernard.
Tony Cripps, Wireless Software analyst from Ovum says, “Orange’s Signature range is notable for its breadth of form factor and mobile OS choices, which covers a wide range of usage scenarios and price points while delivering a common experience.
“Devices like the SPV M5000 give a good indication of how far business mobile devices have come and how far they can go. Its high-speed connectivity options and convertible form factor are enabled through the use of Windows Mobile 5.0, which also offers improved compatibility with Microsoft Office and will soon be capable of out of the box push email via Exchange.”
Suzan DelBene, Corporate Vice President, Mobile & Embedded Devices Division Microsoft Corp. concluded, “we are thrilled to see the SPV M5000 as the flagship device that is launching Orange’s optimised portfolio of Signature devices for business. This announcement follows a hugely successful collaboration between Microsoft and Orange in Europe and is another great example of the innovation possible on the Windows Mobile software platform.”
SPV M5000 – THE FIRST LAPTOP-STYLE 3G PHONE AND CONNECTED PDA FROM ORANGE SPEARHEADS NEW RANGE OF MOBILE DEVICES FOR BUSINESS
Orange SA today launches the SPV M5000, a combined 3G mobile phone and connected PDA that provides a viable alternative to using a laptop while on the move. Part of the new Signature devices for business range, this mobile device features a customised Orange Homescreen to suit business users, with an icon that provides shortcuts to key business features.
The SPV M5000 is optimised to provide high speed access to the internet and remote office applications. The laptop-style device has a pivoting screen and a user-friendly QWERTY keyboard. It can also operate as a stylus-driven connected PDA with a screen display that automatically switches between portrait and landscape.
The SPV M5000 is one of the first business devices to take advantage of Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0, giving business users the type of functionality and applications they use on their desktop PC such as email, personal information management and Microsoft Office applications. Although designed for regular data usage, the SPV M5000 also provides high quality voice capabilities including a loud-speaker for conference calls and a full range of accessories to provide business users with constant connectivity on the move.
The SPV M5000 is the flagship handset in Signature devices for business, a new pan-European portfolio from Orange. The range has been created to provide customers with devices which are easy to use, and easy for the business to deploy and manage. All Signature devices for business handsets feature a specially customised Orange Homescreen with a specific icon for business users which provides one-click access to key business applications. For the SPV M5000, the icon provides one-click access to ActiveSync, Notes, File Explorer and Calculator. Other Signature devices for business will provide short cuts to business applications such as Talk Now, Orange’s push-to-talk offering.
Signature devices for business simplifies the selection and rollout of mobile devices by offering consistent experience and management (regardless of manufacturer, price or form factor), which results in reduced deployment costs and less need for training.
Tony Cripps, Wireless Software analyst from Ovum says, “Orange’s Signature range is notable for its breadth of form factor and mobile OS choices, which covers a wide range of usage scenarios and price points while delivering a common experience.
“Devices like the SPV M5000 give a good indication of how far business mobile devices have come and how far they can go. Its high-speed connectivity options and convertible form factor are enabled through the use of Windows Mobile 5.0, which also offers improved compatibility with Microsoft Office and will soon be capable of out of the box push email via Exchange.”
An extension of Orange’s existing business devices programme announced in February 2005, Signature devices for business also offers companies a range of devices that Orange has tested rigorously, based on customer feedback to ensure they satisfy a range of business-orientated specifications. This includes cost, battery life, durability, connectivity and car-kit compatibility. As a result of this end-to-end testing, all devices in the range are best-in-class in terms of price and performance.
Designed to cater for users in different roles and within businesses of all sizes, the Signature devices for business portfolio ranges from basic mobile phones to advanced voice and data devices that includes GSM, GPRS, EDGE and 3G mobile phones, smartphones, connected PDAs and Mobile Office Cards. Whether it is quick and constant contact through voice calls, SMS and email or optimised functionality to download data files and documents, the Orange portfolio of Signature devices meets different business-specific needs across the entire range of devices.
Devices in the portfolio come from a variety of world-class manufacturers including HTC, Motorola, Nokia, Sagem, Siemens and Sony Ericsson. The flagship SPV M5000 is simply the first in a range of business devices to meet the mobile data and voice needs in one converged device.
“Businesses need mobile devices, but want to minimise the complexity of procuring and managing a range of devices across their employees’ different requirements,” explains Philippe Bernard, Executive Vice President, Orange Business Solutions. “With Signature devices for business we are providing a broad fleet of mobile devices, sourced from a range of world-class manufacturers, which feature a consistent Orange Homescreen. It allows companies to match device form factor and functionality to individual roles, at the same time as easing deployment, support and training.”
Signature devices for business is just one way in which Orange simplifies its business customers’ adoption and management of mobility. Devices in the range support business people with applications such as Orange Wizards, Line 2, Dual SIM and Talk Now. For bigger business customers, Orange provides after-sales service with service performance indicators including agreed handset delivery times, 48-hour handset and SIM replacement, configuration support, onsite customer training teams, centralised reporting and international reach through the FreeMove alliance. For smaller business customers, Orange provide the same configuration support and online purchasing through online shops.
Signature devices for business is a strategic differentiator for Orange. The company shipped 1.8 million handsets to business customers in 2004. In 2005, the figure will rise to over two million. Signature devices for business is designed to ensure further growth by simplifying device experience and procurement process.
“Mobility is unlocking the potential of the IT infrastructure by giving business people access to data when and where they need it. Depending on their job role and mobile requirements, different business people need different types of devices. Signature devices for business ensures that across a wide range of devices, from a variety of manufacturers, all mobile devices within a company can be operated in a consistent way, thus helping to remove the complexity of managing a mobile fleet” concludes Philippe Bernard.
Suzan DelBene, Corporate Vice President, Mobile & Embedded Devices Division Microsoft Corp. concluded, “we are thrilled to see the SPV M5000 as the flagship device that is launching Orange’s optimised portfolio of Signature devices for business. This announcement follows a hugely successful collaboration between Microsoft and Orange in Europe and is another great example of the innovation possible on the Windows Mobile software platform.”