Orange SPV C500

Following on from its popular SPV series of smartphones, Orange has released the SPV C500. Rather than a basic rehash, Orange has completely rethought the design. Weighing 100g and measuring 46 x 16 x 108mm (WDH), it's the first smartphone we've seen that compares well to the average mobile.

That doesn't mean there's a lack of features. The 2.1in, 176 x 220 colour screen is superb, with a sharp, bright picture. It works well for viewing images, such as those taken with the VGA camera mounted in the rear of the chassis. The size of the phone means that the old SPV data connector has been replaced with a USB 2 port - a welcome addition. Using the provided cable, the port is used to synchronise with a PC. You can use Bluetooth too, but a USB connection will also charge the phone while it's plugged in.

In case you're away from a PC, Orange also provides a USB mains adaptor. Fortunately, you're unlikely to use it too often, as the battery life on this phone is very good. Depending on usage, four days of standby time isn't out of the question.

The only real concession to the phone's size is that the SD card slot is hidden beneath the battery, which means powering down the phone to change cards. But unless you plan to store lots of images or MP3s, you probably won't even need it, as the 64MB of onboard memory is enough for day-to-day needs.

As there's no touchscreen, the new scroll bar also improves navigation. It replaces the old joystick, which plagued previous SPVs with its fiddly control. Text input has also been significantly improved and the T9 mode now has a small drop-down menu showing alternative word choices while you type. However, it still isn't perfect for typing long messages or emailing - if this is your priority, choose the RIM BlackBerry 9100v.

It's not just the outside that's been worked on either. The OS has been upgraded to Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition. The standard Today screen is more refined, with icons for all the common features running down the side of the screen.

Selecting one pops out a side menu of other options, such as adding a new contact. As such, it's much easier to perform common tasks than on previous versions of the OS. Just bear in mind that while it's excellent for day-to-day organisation of your contacts and appointments, the lack of a touchscreen means that anyone needing to do a lot of data entry should look elsewhere.

Overall, it's a superb phone and, depending on the contract you have, not too expensive.

Author: David Ludlow