Considering buying the Eten M600? Think again.

Being a bit of an extremist when it comes to purchasing the newest and coolest pda-phones, I decided a few months ago that I would try to get my hands on the Eten M600, which until very recently could not be obtained through normal retail chains in North America. After a few weeks of figuring out how to get one shipped to me, I managed to have one routed through the UK and finally into my hands.

When taking the unit out of the box you immediately notice how fantastic the design, size and style are. I was convinced that this unit would be the best to date, even when I powered it up I could really notice that the 400Mhz processor was blazing fast. However, after a few hours of calling people to test the RF and sounds quality of the phone I was getting some mixed reviews. Although the speaker quality is outstanding, the problem is that it is too clear and too ambient, picking up even the slightest sounds in your vicinity. The major issue with the phone, even after the ROM update, is that people on the other end can hear their voices echoing. After a week and a half of contacting several reliable sources, including Eten tech support, I came to the realization that no one has an answer for this issue and unfortunately I had to return the device. Most forums blame Windows Mobile 5.0 but I wouldn’t be so quick to point the finger at Microsoft. It seems to me that many device manufacturers are blasting through these devices in order to keep up with an overly competitive market and are not spending the necessary time required to effectively test the phones in different situations.

For those of you that are looking into the Eten M600 as your next pda-phone, I strongly recommend that you take a look at some other options such as the O2 Atom, or the iMate JAMin. Although I haven’t yet had an opportunity to test either of the devices, I will be getting my hands on them soon and from what I hear both are pretty impressive.
Being a bit of an extremist when it comes to purchasing the newest and coolest pda-phones, I decided a few months ago that I would try to get my hands on the Eten M600, which until very recently could not be obtained through normal retail chains in North America. After a few weeks of figuring out how to get one shipped to me, I managed to have one routed through the UK and finally into my hands.

When taking the unit out of the box you immediately notice how fantastic the design, size and style are. I was convinced that this unit would be the best to date, even when I powered it up I could really notice that the 400Mhz processor was blazing fast. However, after a few hours of calling people to test the RF and sounds quality of the phone I was getting some mixed reviews. Although the speaker quality is outstanding, the problem is that it is too clear and too ambient, picking up even the slightest sounds in your vicinity. The major issue with the phone, even after the ROM update, is that people on the other end can hear their voices echoing. After a week and a half of contacting several reliable sources, including Eten tech support, I came to the realization that no one has an answer for this issue and unfortunately I had to return the device. Most forums blame Windows Mobile 5.0 but I wouldn’t be so quick to point the finger at Microsoft. It seems to me that many device manufacturers are blasting through these devices in order to keep up with an overly competitive market and are not spending the necessary time required to effectively test the phones in different situations.

For those of you that are looking into the Eten M600 as your next pda-phone, I strongly recommend that you take a look at some other options such as the O2 Atom, or the iMate JAMin. Although I haven’t yet had an opportunity to test either of the devices, I will be getting my hands on them soon and from what I hear both are pretty impressive.