Sprint recently began offering the HTC Mogul, also called the PPC-6800. This Windows Mobile device offers a number of high-end features, like a built-in keyboard, Wi-Fi, and support for 3G cellular-wireless networking.
It is the successor to the Sprint PPC-6700.
Performance and Hardware
For a first, the Mogul ships with a 400 MHz CPU made by Qualcomm, rather than the XScale, TI, or Samsung processors typical in most Windows Mobile devices.
Using the Linpack benchmark, the MSM7200 chip managed 1.30 megaflops. This is just slightly below the 1.34 of the 400 MHz Samsung processor in the Hermes, but more or less inside the margin of error, and well above the 0.59 Mflop performance of the 200 MHz TI processors used in some PPC phones.
According to Qualcomm's press releases, the MSM7500 boasts TV out and an ATI-based 3D graphics engine. However, the Mogul doesn't appear to implement TV output, and without optimized applications, it's anyone's guess as to what graphics performance benefit the MSM7500 may entail.
The Mogul technically supports the use of EV-DO Revision A, which provides slightly faster internet access than the existing "Revision 0" EV-DO devices. Revision A requires modifications on both the tower and the device end, so even some EV-DO areas may not have Rev. A coverage yet. Revision A provides an approximately 15% increase in download speed, and a several fold increase in upload speed.
The reason I say the Mogul "technically" supports it is because, while the hardware is there, the initial software version of the Mogul isn't Revision A enabled. Sprint will need to issue a system update at some point later this year in order to turn on this capability. It seems odd to me that they would launch the device without one of the major capabilities that differentiates it from its predecessor, but there you go.
Wireless on the Mogul is rounded out by the presence of 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.0. The latter supports the standard profiles such as headset, headphones, PAN, AVRCP, and HID. These might be a little fussy to use, though, as the Mogul implements the famously user-unfriendly Microsoft Bluetooth stack. While this has improved slightly in Windows Mobile 6, I'd still prefer to have the Widcomm suite back.
Wi Fi performance was average for an HTC device: less range than I would like, but still enough that it should get signal in any normally covered area.
Last but not least among the spec upgrades, the Mogul has 256 MB of internal Flash memory, twice that of most Pocket PC phones. A good thing, since it seems that with every new PPC phone HTC releases, the operating system and bundled software take up more and more room. The Mogul has 150 MB of free memory, around 45 MB less than other 256 MB devices.
That's not all on the memory front, though. Sprint, apparently feeling generous, includes a 512 MB microSD card standard with the device, giving the user well over 600 MB of total storage out of the box. The Mogul is also known to support microSDHC cards at least up to 4 GB, thus removing the size restrictions that have typically accompanied such small slots. Good luck finding a decent price on a 4 GB card, though.
Specifications
Processor : 400 MHz Qualcomm MSM7500
Operating System: Windows Mobile 6.0 Professional (Pocket PC)
Display : 240 x 320 transmissive/reflective LCD
Memory : 64 MB RAM; 256 MB flash memory (150 MB available)
Size and Weight : 4.33" long x 2.32" wide x 0.73" thick; 5.8 ounces
Expansion : Single MicroSD(HC) slot
Docking : HTC ExtUSB plug
Communication : Dual band CDMA/EVDO (Rev. A upgradable); 802.11b/g; Bluetooth 2.0
Audio : ExtUSB headphone/headset jack
Battery : 1500 mAh replacable Lithium Ion cell
Input : QWERTY thumb keyboard; 5-way directional pad; application buttons; 3-way jog wheel; touchscreen
Other: 2 megapixel camera
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