Far Eastern Palm OS-based smart phone maker Group Sense PDA (GSPDA) formally launched its latest handset this week, two months after revealing the device in a series of sneak previews (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/15/gspda_palm5-4_handset/).

The Xplore M28 is based on Palm OS 5.4 - aka 'Garnet' - and contains 64MB of RAM and 32MB of integrated Flash storage. An SD card slot provides scope to expand the memory complement further.

Pitched at the mobile phone buyer rather than the PDA user, the M28 sports a 65,535-colour, 176 x 220, 2.2in LCD, according to PalmSource, though the handset's Malaysian distributor, Alpha Tec, claims it's a 260,000-colour job. Alpha Tec also claims there's just 32MB of RAM. The CPU is a 168MHz ARM-based unit.

There's a built-in VGA digicam with digital zoom. The handset itself is 10.6 x 5.1 x 2.4cm and weighs 132g. The front panel, with the screen, call make and break buttons, application activators, and five-way navigator control, slides up to reveal the numeric keypad.

As a phone, the device offers 900MHz/1800MHz GSM/GPRS network access. It ships with SMS, MMS, email and WAP applications. The M28 comes with Quick Office, a mini office suite, to allow users to view Microsoft Word and Excel, and PDF email attachments. Alpha Tech quotes 3.5 hours talk time and 140 hours stand-by time.

The handset has its own USB port and ships with a USB cable for HotSyncing. There's a combo microphone/stereo earphones in the box for calling and listening to the handset's MP3 player. The device also supports MP3 and 40-voice polyphonic ringtones.

The Xplore M28 is now available in Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, Macau and Thailand. ®

Related stories

Group Sense readies Palm OS 5.4 smart phone (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/15/gspda_palm5-4_handset/)
Group Sense updates Palm OS smart phone (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/02/23/group_sense_updates_palm_os/)
PalmOne Treo 650 delayed till February (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/11/05/treo_650_delayed/)
RIM rises as PalmOne slides in Euro device market (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/25/euro_devices_q3_04/)
PalmOne launches Treo 650 (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/25/palmone_treo_650/)
Intel, Symbian to define 3G smart phone 'standard' (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/05/intel_symian_nokia_3g/)
PalmSource unveils Cobalt OS (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/29/palmsource_cobalt/)

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