I’m not personally rushing my review of the Orange SPV C500. I’m not going to do any guesswork either, so I’m using this phone daily and making sure that every bit of it is tested. MMS, Text, Email, Camera, Video, browsing, bluetooth, the works.
Expect a full review here soon, but don’t forget that you can go and try this handset yourself at any Orange shop! 🙂
On a personal note, I’d like to completely disagree with this article. I’ve had a few emails about it already from you guys, including comments like..
“I appreciate that everyone has differing opinions and tastes (and may even agree that the direction pad on the C500 is poo – have to see if I get used to it!) but to state in an objective test that the C500 is small and ugly, but the MPX220 looks big and lovely – do they even know what objective means?!?!”
“They included details on the battery lives (SPV’s small bit of guesswork against MPX’s complete guesswork), but not highlight that the C500 wins in this category.”
“Let’s be generous and call them interpretations rather than bare arsed lies.”
I agree, it’s not objective. Plus, we’re not biased toward Orange. Orange have won several awards from JDPower etc for their customer service, and the integration into this handset is fantastic. Lets not forget who brought us the first ever Windows Smartphone either – and who still support it.
Anyway, enough of my personal views on these guesswork articles.. Adam White emailed me with information about what’s in the actual retail box from Orange. It’s good to hear that there IS a free MiniSD card which is loaded with software.-
“Got my SPV C500 yesterdal on upgrade from the Orange Shop in Solihull!
It was the only one they had so I was surprised they sold it to me!!
Excellent phone, fantastic screen,light and small, camera and video with sound recording and fast in operation.
I’ve owned an original SPV, and MPX200 and an E100, but they pale in comparison to this beauty!, the C500 is what the the SPV should have been from the start.
Comes with a ‘Mini’ SD card which fits inside the phone under the battery, so no more losing your SD card when it pops out of the side like in the old SPV!( I almost lost mine a few times) Mini SD card is loaded with’try it’ software including a very usefull Berlitz foreign phrasebook.
I’ll never fluff my words again when I’m on holiday!
But there is no cradle or Shiny carry pouch( was it me or did everybody not like the cheap looking case that came with the earlier SPV’s?!)
On the flipside there is now a standard mini USB port!, this means that I can dig out my old MPX200 spare sync cable and car charger which have the same connections and hopefully use them with this!
Also there is no application lock!…load what you like…it just comes up with as message to ask you if you are sure you want to load untrusted software.
I’ve been told that the official release date is Wednesday/Thursday next week, so I feel real lucky to have this one now.
Overall an excellent phone, and I recommend that you get one as soon as they come out!”
Yes, it’s true – the USB cable for the MPx200 will work on this phone too ! (Although we wouldn’t recommend using the power recharge cable, just the sync one!