14 DAY TRIAL // Pharos has been quite a busy bee lately and - after the launches of their latest GPS devices - they did make the next logical step and announced a GPS based handheld that will hit the mobile market pretty soon.
If the device pictured in the attached photo seems pretty familiar at the first glance, that is because it actually is a rebranded E-Ten handheld, a X500 glofiish also known as the OX500.
The new name of this mobile device is "GPS Phone", a pretty good name if you consider it represents what Pharos is about (GPS devices and stuff related to them) but they could have been a little more inspired and name brand it as "The GPS Phone". Now that is really a cool name for a GPS enabled handheld!
Even if the handset hasn't yet reached the mobile market or the retail stores' shelves it has already been mentioned as one of the 2007 International CES Innovations Honorees and, as the judges said, the Pharos GPS Phone is "the ultimate mobility tool, providing users cellular voice and data communications, Microsoft Office mobile programs, and Pharos' unparalleled GPS positioning, travel, location and navigation services".
A pretty impressive description and also a good thing to know for everyone planning to buy a GPS smartphone in the near future.
What else will you get if you buy this quad-band GSM/GPRS/EGDE GPS Phone? A SiRFStar III GPS receiver with Pharos Ostia navigation software, WiFi connectivity, wireless Bluetooth, a 2 megapixel digital camera, an unlocked SIM and an FM radio.
Pharos has already stuck on it a price tag of 699$ and has also mentioned its release date: February 2007. There is only one single thing that could make the eventual customers give it a strange look: there is no UMTS / HSPDA radio on this device.
Therefore, if you are one of those that like to have a taste of 3G flavor once in a while, you surely will be very disappointed by the GPS Phone.