14 DAY TRIAL // Mobile device manufacturer Lenovo has announced its first Windows Mobile 6 powered Pocket PC, the ET600. This is rather surprising because Lenovo doesn't usually offer this type of device, especially in other parts of the world except for Asia.
The handheld comes with a slim, brushed metal-like case (although it's not actually made out of metal), measures 110 x 60 x 16 mm and weighs 128 grams. It supports tri-band GSM 900/1800/1900 Mhz networks and will be available only in China, which was somewhat to be expected since it comes with a Chinese Edition Windows Mobile version.
It doesn't feature either a QWERTY keyboard or a numeric keypad, which makes it quite obvious that the 2.8 inch 256k color touchscreen with a 240 x 320 pixel resolution will be used for text input.
This might prove to be quite inconvenient at times, especially when the user wants to compose a text message, and it is also the reason why most smartphone and Pocket PC manufacturers are starting to release only QWERTY-equipped devices. Other features include a 2-megapixel camera, Bluetooth for connectivity, an OMAP750 processor running at 200MHZ, 64 MB RAM and 128 MB ROM that can be extended through the MicroSD card slot.
While it's clear that this handheld is Asia-only, there is no actual information on when it will become available or for what price. With so many advanced handhelds in the US and Europe, it is also clear that only Chinese and Asian users will be interested in the device, with people from other parts of the world probably ending up ignoring it.