XV6700 from Verizon Wireless

After over a year of using the XV6600, i figured that it was time to upgrade my cell phone to the XV6700.

First impression:
- Smaller (5.2H x 2.32W x 0.93D)
- Smaller screen
- Buttons look differant and are moved to the lower part of the phone
- Built-in WiFi
- New version of Windows Mobile (WM5)
- Faster Processor (416 MHz Intel PXA 270 XScale)
- Bigger keyboard sliding on the side
- Built in 1.3Mpix camera with flash
- Mini SD slot

Starting to use it:
- The new GUI of WM5 getting some getting used to it but it looks more functional (once you get used to it) (+)
- The new button location is very user friendly. A bit small if your fingers are like sausages, but I can live with it. (+)
- Althoug the screen is smaller, the quality is really good! The problem is that pressing the screen using your fingers.... not really happening anymore. And that was very usefull for dialing number quickly, without taking out the stylus. (-)
- I love the new, bigger keyboard! (too bad it's still missing the CTRL and ESC buttons, so I can actually use it for SSHing easyer) (+)
- Turning on the WiFi, turns off the phone connection! Who came up with THAT brilliant idea? (-)
- Running vbar crashes the phone, and had to hard reset and reinstall. I love that utility. I am going to miss it. (-)
- Upgrading to ActiveSync 4.1 and getting it to work with Outlook was a challenge. Actually had to remove and reinstall Outlook!!! Only MicroSoft...!!! (-)
- The camera is better than most phones. Not 100% yet, but getting there (+)
- The Xten-Pro software for VOIP actually works now (+)
- It does not come with a beltclip case. (Thankfully, it fits perfectly on my old case for a P800) (-)

Conclusion:
The XV6700 out of the box, is significantly improved and definatly a nice PDA/phone. After spending a whole day hacking, I got it to do be everything I deamed off, and it became a perfect phone. Definatly the best phone on the market, but you have to hack it to take it to that level. I hope, next time the manufacturer will be nice enough to have it configured right from the factory.

Manos Megagiannis