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Broaden your Outlook

Posted on 28 Jan 2009 at 16:31

Paul Ockenden accesses two Exchange Servers from Outlook, and gets a bug fix for his phone.

I asked this manufacturer whether phones really benefit from HSDPA, and went one step further in provocation by suggesting a little test. Let's put a sticker over the top of the screen where connection speed is displayed, then we'll go for a walk around the block and the product manager will do stuff like web surfing and checking his email, then tell me whether he thinks he was connected at HSDPA or standard 3G speed. He declined the challenge, admitting that he probably wouldn't be able to tell any difference.

This is probably a contentious thing to say - and it's sure to wind a few industry people up - but I reckon that, at least with today's devices, the only time you really need HSDPA is if you've got your phone connected to a laptop and are using it as a mobile broadband modem. In day-to-day use, HSDPA provides barely noticeable speed improvements on a typical handheld device, but it will considerably shorten your battery life. Does anyone else agree, or am I talking utter rot? I'd be interested to know your thoughts, emails to the address under my photo please.