Cingular 3125 Press Release

Cingular Wireless today unveiled the ultra-thin Cingular 3125, the only flip phone smartphone on the U.S. market that combines an iconic design with the power, functionality and price to please both businesses and consumers alike.

The jet-black Windows Mobile-powered Cingular 3125 Smartphone - which is available beginning today exclusively from Cingular for under $150 - measures just a hair over a half-inch thick. While the Cingular 3125 takes on the appearance of a high-end wireless phone, it packs a full set of features which makes it the perfect and affordable tool for use during work or leisure time. These include wireless access to business and personal e-mail accounts, over- the-air synchronization of calendar, contact and to-do lists, and superb music, photo and video capabilities.

Under the hood, the Cingular 3125 provides a powerful tandem of Cingular’s nationwide* EDGE network and Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 in conjunction with excellent voice quality to ensure an outstanding end user experience. With Windows Mobile, Cingular 3125 users will have the familiar Windows look and feel similar to that on their desktop computers at home or in the office. They can take that experience along with them in 13,000 cities and towns and along some 40,000 miles of major highways via the largest national high-speed wireless data network in the U.S., or abroad in more than 180 countries for voice communications and over 100 nations for data use. Built by a leading manufacturer of Windows Mobile-powered devices, HTC, the Cingular 3125 also features support for Bluetooth(R) version 1.2 making for faster connections and the ability to enjoy music wirelessly in stereo.

“The Cingular 3125 Smartphone is a true ‘crossover’ device that blends an iconic phone design with unparalleled, feature-rich functionality of the Windows Mobile platform at a very aggressive price point that surely will appeal across the spectrum of wireless users,” said Kent Mathy, president of Cingular Wireless’ business-to-business organization, the Business Markets Group. “This is a winning, groundbreaking combination that no other smartphone on the U.S. market comes close to matching.”

Familiar Experience

The nerve center of the Cingular 3125 is the Microsoft Windows Mobile software. This gives Cingular 3125 users access to mobile versions of many of the familiar Microsoft features found on their desktops, such as mobile versions of Windows Media Player, Internet Explorer and Outlook.

Additionally, the 3125 includes the Messaging and Security Feature Pack for Windows Mobile 5.0, providing users with the benefit of Direct Push Technology. This means that email, calendar, tasks and contacts are always-up- to-date making it very easy for users to stay on top of their jobs and connected to the people they care about. The feature pack also provides advanced security features, including remote device wipe, remotely enforced IT policy and S/MIME support.

“The lines are blurring between personal and business uses for smartphones, which means people want one device that will meet the needs for home and work,” said Pieter Knook, senior vice president for the Mobile and Embedded Devices Division at Microsoft Corp. “The Cingular 3125 powered by Windows Mobile proves you can have your e-mail, web and business applications in an elegant flip phone design.”

Work Time, Leisure Time

Access to e-mail while on-the-go and the ability it gives to stay connected to important information when out of the office has become a must- have for wireless users. Cingular 3125 business customers have a choice of powerful solutions, Microsoft Direct Push Technology and Good Mobile Messaging from Good Technology. Consumers can get their personal and work e-mail as well with Cingular Xpress Mail, which is compatible with many popular Internet Service Provider (ISP) services.

The Cingular 3125’s value doesn’t diminish at the end of the work day. Its built-in MP3 player, which is controlled by external buttons and powered by Windows Media Player 10 Mobile, gives users the ability to spend their downtime listening to their favorite music. Optional accessories such as a Bluetooth-enabled stereo headset heighten the experience. For a change of pace, Cingular 3125 users can access Cingular’s MEdia Net(SM) to find out the latest sports scores, shop at Cingular’s MEdia Mall to download ringtones, games and graphics, or stay informed with news and local weather.

The Cingular 3125 also features a built-in l.3 mega-pixel digital camera and the ability to record video for viewing on the Cingular 3125’s large, full color 240×320 LCD screen.

Its outstanding features aside, the Cingular 3125 also performs the most basic and important of functions - wireless phone calls. The Cingular 3125 provides excellent voice quality via the ALLOVER network, the largest digital voice and data network in the nation which has the fewest dropped calls of any national carrier. A speakerphone, included ear piece and Bluetooth connectivity to a variety of optional wireless headsets provide an optimal hands-free experience.

Availability and Pricing

The Cingular 3125 is available now for as low as $149.99 in Cingular Wireless retail stores nationwide, select national retailers, on www.cingular.com and through Cingular’s B2B direct sales team. Monthly unlimited Cingular Smartphone Connect plans are $19.99 with Xpress Mail, $29.99 with Microsoft Direct Push and $39.99 with Good Mobile Messaging with a Cingular voice plan of $39.99 or more.

Cingular 3125 Reviews

CNET has a review up of the Cingular 3125 and writes, “We tested the quad-band (GSM 850/900/1800/1900; EDGE) Cingular 3125 in San Francisco and Los Angeles, and overall, call quality was good. On our end, conversations were loud and clear. Our callers reported excellent audio quality and added that they couldn’t tell we were on a cell phone. Unfortunately, activating the speakerphone diminished audio quality a bit. Our friends reported no problems, but they sounded garbled to us. … The Cingular 3125 changes the look of smart phones with its sleek, flip phone design, and while some minor quirks and performance issues exist, it’s still a solid Windows Mobile device.” Source.

MobilitySite has a review up of the Cingular 3125 and writes, “Hearing that the Cingular 3125 only has a 200mhz TI OMAP 850 processor, a lot of people shun the processor not expecting to see any pep in its step. This is simply not the case here, the 3125 performed well as long as proper care was take to stop all running files. Using the task manager, you can stop all programs running by selecting the file and stop or by stopping all. … Overall, I say this phone is a winner. We have Windows Mobile on a phone that costs less than $200, looks better than the RAZR, and performs well. The shortcomings of the Cingular 3125 fall far behind the positives. For me, no WiFi and poor camera does not affect me much at all. The Proprietary connector is easy to get around as well using Bluetooth headphones. Having a Windows Mobile Smartphone that flat our works is enough.” Source.

PCMag has a review up of the Cingular 3125 and writes, “Think of the Cingular 3125 as an attractive flip phone that syncs with Microsoft Outlook and also plays music and you’ll be thrilled. Think of the handset as a cutting-edge smartphone and you’ll probably be disappointed. … All in all, the Cingular 3125’s design is so striking that it seems almost unfair to compare it with our most recent Editors’ Choices for keyboardless smartphones, the moderately priced T-Mobile SDA and the super-high-end Nokia N80. The 3125 is a flip phone, and an attractive one at that. Also given that there are currently no other flip-style Windows Mobile smartphones available, many will find the 3125 compelling. Superior phone reception and Wi-Fi, however, still keep the SDA ahead of the 3125 and the rest of the pack.” Source.

LaptopMag has a review up of the Cingular 3125 and writes, “The external screen is useful, as it displays calendar appointments and can be used as a camera viewfinder. One downside is that all transfers go through a proprietary interface, not a standard mini-USB jack. That keeps the design seamless, but requires you to carry one more cable on the road. … The 3125 sounds, appropriately, much like a RAZR. It’s comfortable to talk on for long periods, thanks to the thin and light form factor, and parties on either end of our conversation reported no notable static, drop-outs, or echo … Best for casual e-mail users, the 3125 is a sleek phone for work or play that’s just smart enough.” Source.

Infosync has a review up of the Cingular 3125 and writes, “Overall, the Cingular 3125 makes for a powerful business sidekick given that it’s a relatively compact clamshell. Armed with Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone Edition, the 3125 packs in push e-mail capabilities, an Office document viewer (no editing, but this is a flip-phone after all), robust contact and calendar management, and surprisingly impressive multimedia capabilities. The 3125’s design is certainly unique, but never feels cheap or simply cosmetic. If you wish your RAZR could do a lot more, but don’t need a full-fledged Windows Mobile device, the 3125 is an excellent choice.” Source.

MobileTechReview has a review up of the Cingular 3125 and writes, “At $149 with a 2 year contract and data plan, this phone is a bargain. If you need or want a smartphone, run now and get this phone. It’s got great looks, is nearly the same size as the RAZR and it’s your only clamshell phone choice at the moment. This quad band GSM phone will work anywhere in the world GSM service is available and it has EDGE for good data speeds. Cingular’s network in the US is strong and their $20 unlimited smartphone plan is a decent deal. The phone can act as a modem over Bluetooth and USB for those who need emergency data access on a notebook when traveling and it comes with USB modem drivers for Windows. The Cingular 3125 syncs easily and well to Outlook and Exchange servers and supports Direct Push email as well as Good’s messaging solution. Bluetooth is robust with a boat load of profiles and it even works with stereo bluetooth headsets and headphones. Music sound quality is excellent and the external controls are good.” Source.

GadgetNutz has a review up of the Cingular 3125 and writes, “In addition to being a music player and phone, the 3125 is of course a powerful multi-tasking smartphone. I use my smart phone to check email via an IMAP server, view and edit spreadsheets, watch videos, surf the web, and half a dozen other tasks. My experience was fairly good. The only issue I ran into had to do with the form factor of the phone. Being a flip, it is not nearly as convenient to watch a TV show in full screen, as you have to hold the whole length of the phone, which is substantial. … Overall I am very impressed with the Cingular 3125. Despite some minor flaws, it is a well thought out device. I have no problem recommending the phone to anyone who is searching for a Windows Mobile Smartphone Edition device.” Source.

Mobiledia has a review of the Cingular 3125 and writes, “With a Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system in addition to basic call features, the 3125 should keep users in touch via phone, email, IM, text messaging, and internet. In addition, the phone will help users on-the-go to access important data, such as spreadsheets or documents. With a more-than-sufficient array of organizational applications and a host of entertainment options (including video, MP3s, and games), the 3125 should both organize and entertain its users. Bluetooth and USB cables connect the phone to almost any other device, while a standard (if unimpressive) camera rounds out the deal.” Source.

Brighthand reviews the Cingular 3125 and writes, “One of my criteria for judging devices is whether or not I regret having to ship it back to the company when the review period is over. By that mark, the 3125 does exceedingly well. It’s solid, efficient, and has a very nice design. It doesn’t have the flashiest specs, and wouldn’t place it in the same category of data devices such as the Motorola Q, the T-Mobile Dash, or any of the other keyboard-style devices, but it succeeds at being a much better phone than most keyboard devices I’ve used, and still keeps a solid core of connectivity and real applications. It would do well as an extension to a laptop, a companion to a handheld or tablet PC, or a standalone device for someone who needs only moderate data use. It’s fast, it has good battery life, and a great design. … Bottom Line: A solid voice-centric smartphone that mixes good computing with a great design.” Link.

CrunchGear reviews the Cingular 3125 and writes, “In the end, the 3125 from Cingular is an all around great buy when you consider it packs high-end features into a unique, familiar and user-friendly form-factor. Also, with a price tag that’s palatable to most consumers ($149 after rebate and 2 years of your life), it makes an ideal smartphone for a first time buyer. Power-users will miss some features (touchscreen, QWERTY), so we can’t recommend it for them. But if you’re a casual smartphone user looking for the connectivity aspects more than the full-on “smart” features, it’s as good a choice as any for the price.” Link.