Being the agent of change that Qool Labs aspire to be, they seek to achieve the lofty aims of revolutionizing our lifestyles by introducing technological and innovative lifestyle products. Have they done so with their quirky-named QDA Oh! Pocket PC phone? Read on to find out what our own Firetrail has to say about this device.
[attachmentid=4427]
Full Version: Review of Qool Labs QDA Oh
Design
The review set we have received comes in the hottest color (of iPod fame) in town currently, white with silver emphasis at its side and front faceplates. At the time of this review, the packaging has not been finalized. Most people preferring a miniUSB sync solution will frown at the included sync cable with an inlet to the AC adaptor just like older iPAQs. Even the connector is the familiar, flat-head type.
[attachmentid=4428]
[attachmentid=4429]
In terms of size, QDA Oh! in a pad form factor is very pocket-friendly at 55 x 112.8 x 23.9mm and weighs a mere 145g. To achieve such dimensions, Qool Labs may have cast her eyes on a popular competitor, Xda II mini at 58 x 108 x 18.1mm and weighs 150g. Being such a lightweight Pocket PC Phone device, it will no doubt appeal to ladies and men alike.
[attachmentid=4430]
One of the increasingly common trends is for such small devices to use a miniSD memory slot. While it is non-SDIO, Qool did design the memory-only slot thoughtfully with a cover that protects and prevent accidental ejections. On the same side is a covered, 2.5mm audio port. With no included earpiece, we were unable to test the output.
At the other side of the QDA Oh! are a sizeable digicam-like camera button, Up/Down tabs, the Power button and finally the ubiquitous Record button. These are all nicely done in silver that does not smudge. At the top there’s nothing but a slot that can incorporate a flappable keypad. As far as we have last tried it briefly, the keypad basically contacts with the numeric pad on Windows Mobile Phone dialer. It has neither T9 nor other forms of predictive inputs. That’s quite a letdown although it does serve to protect part of the touchscreen.
[attachmentid=4431]
The bottom of the QDA Oh! is as busy a part of the device as the front. Found there are the infrared port, the sync connector and also the reset button. With such a big window for infrared, we find aiming the QDA for files, contact transfer and ActiveSync much easier.
[attachmentid=4432]
Coming to the front of the device, it consists of a delicately-designed speaker grill, a round directional pad (d-pad) with action button in the middle and 4 programmable buttons not including the Answer and End Call buttons! By pressing the End call button, the phone function will change to flight mode. This is very handy indeed. All the buttons are of the easy-to-press size, responsive and a pleasure to use generally. For fatter fingers, they may be spaced too closely for accurate pressing. This is also where a cool Bluetooth light is located.
At the back of the QDA Oh! is the 1.3-megapixel CMOS camera with 8x digital zoom. Pictures taken in daylight are adequate for web display while night shots suffer from insufficient contrast.
[attachmentid=4433]
The rechargeable and removable 1,300mAh battery is nicely-finished in matching white and does not protrude unexpectedly. A welcomed addition is the raised pods that serve to prevent the back from being scratched.
[attachmentid=4434]
The review set we have received comes in the hottest color (of iPod fame) in town currently, white with silver emphasis at its side and front faceplates. At the time of this review, the packaging has not been finalized. Most people preferring a miniUSB sync solution will frown at the included sync cable with an inlet to the AC adaptor just like older iPAQs. Even the connector is the familiar, flat-head type.
[attachmentid=4428]
[attachmentid=4429]
In terms of size, QDA Oh! in a pad form factor is very pocket-friendly at 55 x 112.8 x 23.9mm and weighs a mere 145g. To achieve such dimensions, Qool Labs may have cast her eyes on a popular competitor, Xda II mini at 58 x 108 x 18.1mm and weighs 150g. Being such a lightweight Pocket PC Phone device, it will no doubt appeal to ladies and men alike.
[attachmentid=4430]
One of the increasingly common trends is for such small devices to use a miniSD memory slot. While it is non-SDIO, Qool did design the memory-only slot thoughtfully with a cover that protects and prevent accidental ejections. On the same side is a covered, 2.5mm audio port. With no included earpiece, we were unable to test the output.
At the other side of the QDA Oh! are a sizeable digicam-like camera button, Up/Down tabs, the Power button and finally the ubiquitous Record button. These are all nicely done in silver that does not smudge. At the top there’s nothing but a slot that can incorporate a flappable keypad. As far as we have last tried it briefly, the keypad basically contacts with the numeric pad on Windows Mobile Phone dialer. It has neither T9 nor other forms of predictive inputs. That’s quite a letdown although it does serve to protect part of the touchscreen.
[attachmentid=4431]
The bottom of the QDA Oh! is as busy a part of the device as the front. Found there are the infrared port, the sync connector and also the reset button. With such a big window for infrared, we find aiming the QDA for files, contact transfer and ActiveSync much easier.
[attachmentid=4432]
Coming to the front of the device, it consists of a delicately-designed speaker grill, a round directional pad (d-pad) with action button in the middle and 4 programmable buttons not including the Answer and End Call buttons! By pressing the End call button, the phone function will change to flight mode. This is very handy indeed. All the buttons are of the easy-to-press size, responsive and a pleasure to use generally. For fatter fingers, they may be spaced too closely for accurate pressing. This is also where a cool Bluetooth light is located.
At the back of the QDA Oh! is the 1.3-megapixel CMOS camera with 8x digital zoom. Pictures taken in daylight are adequate for web display while night shots suffer from insufficient contrast.
[attachmentid=4433]
The rechargeable and removable 1,300mAh battery is nicely-finished in matching white and does not protrude unexpectedly. A welcomed addition is the raised pods that serve to prevent the back from being scratched.
[attachmentid=4434]
Features
Qool Labs QDA Oh! uses the Freescale i.MX21 processor that runs at 266MHz. This interesting processor is designed to "deliver the ultimate performance in multimedia to handheld devices. Developers will enter new dimensions in smart video, 3D graphics, connectivity and power management with the i.MX21 applications processor". For more information visit http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/o...=01J4Fs29734975
From a user’s viewpoint, applications do run snappily and the QDA really shines when it comes to viewing movies. 30 fps video is easily achievable. We even ran a 640 x 300 pixel video smoothly! Cabinet files in ARMS run and install to the device.
QDA Oh! comes with 128MB ROM and 64MB RAM. Unfortunately, it runs the older Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition for Pocket PC although Windows Media Player 10 comes installed. We would have preferred Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system. That said, a whopping 80MB of non-volatile ROM is made available to users to install their programs or store important files.
Another exceptional feature is the QDA's 262k-color touchscreen. Although resolution stays at the commonly seen 320 x 240 pixels, the screen is vibrant and there’s no yellow tint. Color banding for pictures and Today themes is so much less obvious. Perhaps we need Windows Mobile 5 OS in the QDA to really take advantage of this.
By putting music files in the flash ROM under Flash/Ringtones, we are able to select them as ringtones easily. With support of a 60-chord polyphonic ringtone, ringing volume is very clear and rather pleasing when using the default .mid files. Strangely, when outputting WAVE, WMA, or MP3 sound files, acoustics are soft and meager, even at the maximum volume.
Besides the infrared connectivity, Bluetooth is included and it comes with Windows BT stack. Not so good news for people who wants to use a stereo earpiece for music. We were also unable to ActiveSync via Bluetooth. Hopefully, a later update will solve these issues.
What the QDA lacks in hardware, it attempts to make up in terms of software enhancements and customization. Unique and value-added software worthy of mention includes:
- SmartX (Task Manager that can configure to close programs totally)
- Backup (Fast backups without need to pay for separate software)
- Smart launch bar (A today plugin with large icons. The BT function is only accessible via this)
- 2 HTML with special mobile content accessible by pressing hardware buttons
- Java midlets Manager
- SIM Manager (Copies contacts to-and-from SIM card)
Qool Labs QDA Oh! uses the Freescale i.MX21 processor that runs at 266MHz. This interesting processor is designed to "deliver the ultimate performance in multimedia to handheld devices. Developers will enter new dimensions in smart video, 3D graphics, connectivity and power management with the i.MX21 applications processor". For more information visit http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/o...=01J4Fs29734975
From a user’s viewpoint, applications do run snappily and the QDA really shines when it comes to viewing movies. 30 fps video is easily achievable. We even ran a 640 x 300 pixel video smoothly! Cabinet files in ARMS run and install to the device.
QDA Oh! comes with 128MB ROM and 64MB RAM. Unfortunately, it runs the older Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition for Pocket PC although Windows Media Player 10 comes installed. We would have preferred Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system. That said, a whopping 80MB of non-volatile ROM is made available to users to install their programs or store important files.
Another exceptional feature is the QDA's 262k-color touchscreen. Although resolution stays at the commonly seen 320 x 240 pixels, the screen is vibrant and there’s no yellow tint. Color banding for pictures and Today themes is so much less obvious. Perhaps we need Windows Mobile 5 OS in the QDA to really take advantage of this.
By putting music files in the flash ROM under Flash/Ringtones, we are able to select them as ringtones easily. With support of a 60-chord polyphonic ringtone, ringing volume is very clear and rather pleasing when using the default .mid files. Strangely, when outputting WAVE, WMA, or MP3 sound files, acoustics are soft and meager, even at the maximum volume.
Besides the infrared connectivity, Bluetooth is included and it comes with Windows BT stack. Not so good news for people who wants to use a stereo earpiece for music. We were also unable to ActiveSync via Bluetooth. Hopefully, a later update will solve these issues.
What the QDA lacks in hardware, it attempts to make up in terms of software enhancements and customization. Unique and value-added software worthy of mention includes:
- SmartX (Task Manager that can configure to close programs totally)
- Backup (Fast backups without need to pay for separate software)
- Smart launch bar (A today plugin with large icons. The BT function is only accessible via this)
- 2 HTML with special mobile content accessible by pressing hardware buttons
- Java midlets Manager
- SIM Manager (Copies contacts to-and-from SIM card)
Performance
While being rated to have a 1,300mAh battery, power seems to drain too fast for our liking. Rated to last for 4.5 hours, we are not experiencing that. There were also occasions that when left overnight, the QDA totally drains itself totally, resulting in hard resets! Qool Labs attributed this cause to a pre-production model and that it is fixed in later ROMs.
With barely 54MB main RAM available, memory leakage is frequent and we will need to soft reset the device. Plus, a soft reset takes a lengthy 1 minute before users can access the QDA again.
Calls made using the QDA are generally clear and loud enough to hear without need for earpiece.
For smartphone users who do not require Wi-Fi connectivity, this light Pocket PC Phone in delectable white can certainly satisfy their needs. If you are a mobile warrior who needs to be connected on the road, the lack of Wi-Fi may leave a bad aftertaste. That said, we find that Qool Labs QDA Oh! that is positioned as a lifestyle product, do have loads of potential. What it need is support from the manufacturer via ROM updates to fix the issues mentioned.
While being rated to have a 1,300mAh battery, power seems to drain too fast for our liking. Rated to last for 4.5 hours, we are not experiencing that. There were also occasions that when left overnight, the QDA totally drains itself totally, resulting in hard resets! Qool Labs attributed this cause to a pre-production model and that it is fixed in later ROMs.
With barely 54MB main RAM available, memory leakage is frequent and we will need to soft reset the device. Plus, a soft reset takes a lengthy 1 minute before users can access the QDA again.
Calls made using the QDA are generally clear and loud enough to hear without need for earpiece.
For smartphone users who do not require Wi-Fi connectivity, this light Pocket PC Phone in delectable white can certainly satisfy their needs. If you are a mobile warrior who needs to be connected on the road, the lack of Wi-Fi may leave a bad aftertaste. That said, we find that Qool Labs QDA Oh! that is positioned as a lifestyle product, do have loads of potential. What it need is support from the manufacturer via ROM updates to fix the issues mentioned.
Nice review Chee Wee! 
I have read from PPC Dubai that it has got an interestingly designed D-Pad. Does the D-Pad comes with some out-of-the-ordinary lights? That's the impression I've got when I first read about it.
Is it possible if you take some shots of it? Thanks in advance.
I have read from PPC Dubai that it has got an interestingly designed D-Pad. Does the D-Pad comes with some out-of-the-ordinary lights? That's the impression I've got when I first read about it.
Is it possible if you take some shots of it? Thanks in advance.
QUOTE(PPCGF @ Dec 4 2005, 10:19 PM)
I have read from PPC Dubai that it has got an interestingly designed D-Pad. Does the D-Pad comes with some out-of-the-ordinary lights? That's the impression I've got when I first read about it.
The ring between the action button and the direction buttons lights up (blue light) when pressed.
It would be nice if there is a photo. Well, if that's not too much of a hassle, otherwise don't bother.
Thanks for your response vicott.
Thanks for your response vicott.
Hi Firetrail,
That day at the gathering in Funan you were saying that WM 5.0 is lousy, but in above review you say that the QOOL should have WM 5.0 instead of WM2003SE. Not very consistent leh.....care to explain??
That day at the gathering in Funan you were saying that WM 5.0 is lousy, but in above review you say that the QOOL should have WM 5.0 instead of WM2003SE. Not very consistent leh.....care to explain??
PPCGF,
Not sure if this is what you are looking for?
Not sure if this is what you are looking for?
Hey that's cool!
Thanks very much Chee Wee, thanks for your kind effort. Hope it wasn't too much of a trouble.
I may take a look at the real thing later on.
Thanks very much Chee Wee, thanks for your kind effort. Hope it wasn't too much of a trouble.
I may take a look at the real thing later on.
QUOTE(Symphony @ Dec 5 2005, 08:44 PM)
Hi Firetrail,
That day at the gathering in Funan you were saying that WM 5.0 is lousy, but in above review you say that the QOOL should have WM 5.0 instead of WM2003SE. Not very consistent leh.....care to explain??
That day at the gathering in Funan you were saying that WM 5.0 is lousy, but in above review you say that the QOOL should have WM 5.0 instead of WM2003SE. Not very consistent leh.....care to explain??
Given the current bugs in WM5, it may appears that WM5 is may not be keeping up to it's name. However, if you compare the features and enhancement in WM5 to WM2003SE, you will realise that it is still worth to upgrade to WM5.
IIRC, the Qool has about 80MB of ROM space. With WM5, you can install all the programs in the ROM and leave the 64MB RAM to run the software. If using WM2003SE, you still have to leave some spaces for program storage.
Cheers
John
QUOTE(Symphony @ Dec 5 2005, 08:44 PM)
Hi Firetrail,
That day at the gathering in Funan you were saying that WM 5.0 is lousy, but in above review you say that the QOOL should have WM 5.0 instead of WM2003SE. Not very consistent leh.....care to explain??
That day at the gathering in Funan you were saying that WM 5.0 is lousy, but in above review you say that the QOOL should have WM 5.0 instead of WM2003SE. Not very consistent leh.....care to explain??
Sure, pal.
Take note that for Qda's case, it has a 262k-colour screen. To take advantage of it's true capability, WM5 is the OS capable of doing so.
Also, in a review, between personal opinions (as what i've expressed to you) Vs what the general Window Mobile device users look out for, imho, we should state the latter. My personal opinion that WM2003SE works better for me stands
. Hope these are clear enough.
Cheers!
Dear all,
The Qool Labs’ QDA Oh! is one cool-looking device all right, but the weird thing about it is that when PPCSG tested the evalution units, we found that we have to tread carefully when removing its battery.
If a user does not put the QDA Oh! into "suspend" mode by pressing and holding the power button PRIOR to removing the battery, the PPC will hard-reset itself
. This isn't a bug, but its by design 
.
Remember this well, QDA Oh! users!
The Qool Labs’ QDA Oh! is one cool-looking device all right, but the weird thing about it is that when PPCSG tested the evalution units, we found that we have to tread carefully when removing its battery.
If a user does not put the QDA Oh! into "suspend" mode by pressing and holding the power button PRIOR to removing the battery, the PPC will hard-reset itself
. This isn't a bug, but its by design .Remember this well, QDA Oh! users!
Hey that's cool!
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.