The Harrier is built around an Intel processor running at 400MHz. It’s very generous in terms of memory, with 128MB SDRAM and 96MB ROM. This ROM size gives the user an additional 43MB of flash storage. Additionally on top of the unit there is also a SD/MMC expansion slot, which can store up to a 1 GB if more memory is required.

Included as part of Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition the Harrier’s on-board software includes Pocket Outlook, Pocket Excel, Pocket Word, Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player and MSN Messenger.

The package also includes the very easy to use Microsoft ActiveSync, which means you can be sure your tasks, calendar, emails, appointments and contacts are up-todate and with you at all times. The ‘Today’ screen can be personalised to display the meetings, messages and tasks that you need to see at a glance.

Working with these programmes on-screen was easy as the Harrier sports a very bright TFT-LCD, 240 x 320 pixel, 65,000K screen. You can make the most of it too, as the operating system allows you to switch between portrait and landscape screen-orientation with a couple of screen taps – this will be great when they start shipping movies on SD cards. The Harrier also comes with a fully featured built-in phone, TXT messaging, voice mail capabilities and an internal phone book that synchronises your contacts with Microsoft Outlook.

Exceptional data speed
The Harrier connects via Telecom’s new high speed T3G service. Although we have been covering the arrival of T3G for some time, this was our first chance to test a 3G device in action – and without putting too finer point on it, the results were rather spectacular. In a speed test conducted at www.jetstreamgames.co.nz/speed using the JetStream connection in our office, the data speed to our PC’s land line connection was 275 Kbps. Using the Internet Explorer web browser on the Harrier we visited the same site and conducted the same test. The data speed in this case was 1012 Kbps – almost four times faster.

Quick launch buttons mean you seldom need the stylus.

Telecom say it could get even faster than that, with speeds up to 2000 Kbps possible, although they predict the average download speeds will be around 300 - 500 Kbps, anywhere within the Mobile Broadband coverage areas. It’s worth noting here that even at the lower end of the speed scale, you’ll be clearing your email faster than ever before, as this is still around four times faster than the current 2G Mobile JetStream service.

Ease of operation
One of the most distinctive characteristics of the Harrier is the full QWERTY keyboard that slides out from its base. (The keys are raised to aid typing). What’s particularly impressive about the keyboard is that once deployed, it has a very ‘solid’ feel to it which makes it easy to type with – unlike many other mobile devices we’ve tested, whose QWERTY keyboards felt rather flimsy and gimmicky. The keyboard is back-lit with a cool blue glow that works well in the dark – no way to miss it. The keys have multiple functions: Shift, Caps and Fn.

The Harrier is designed to be operated easily using the special interface buttons on the front panel. The Calendar and Contacts buttons are on the top of the unit by the speaker, and fast access buttons for Pocket Internet Explorer, Pocket Outlook, the Start Menu and ‘OK’ are at its base. By using these buttons and the Fn-Menu it’s possible to completely control the Harrier without using the stylus. If that’s not easy enough for you, there’s also the new voice commands – push a button and tell the Harrier to open Internet Explorer, search for a contact entry or play some music – and your wish is its command. The system requires no voice training, but if it doesn’t understand you it asks you to “try again”.

The SD/MMC slot can provide up to 1GB of extra storage

Additional functionality
While it's hard to cover off everything in this device profile, a few items not yet mentioned include an in-built video recorder, an infrared port, MP3 and MPEG 4 support, a camera flash, handwriting recognition, photo messaging, a speaker phone and a stereo headset. Interestingly, with all the firepower on board, and its huge screen, you’d think the PDA’s battery might struggle to keep up. In our test, however, the results were impressive, as fully charged and used a few times to play videos and make calls the Harrier lasted a full seven days before requesting we charge it up again. Impressive.

For more information: www.telecom.co.nz/harrier

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December 2004