T-Mobile's Wing: Not Flying Yet

The provider's new dual-mode wireless handset doesn't take full advantage of its Wi-Fi capability

by Olga Kharif

Editor's Rating:

The Good: Nice design, lots of cool capabilities, and a full QWERTY keyboard

The Bad: The device isn't designed to be compatible with T-Mobile's upcoming hybrid wireless service

The Bottom Line: High-end device that needs just a little more fine-tuning to take flight

Reader Reviews

On May 22, wireless provider , a unit of Deutsche Telekom, introduced a new smartphone called T-Mobile Wing that can connect with both cellular and Wi-Fi networks. The device, made by Taiwan's HTC, is among the first dual-mode wireless handsets on the U.S. market, but may herald an impending flood. By 2010, shipments of cellular handsets equipped with Wi-Fi will exceed 132 million units, according to consultancy In-Stat. Sadly, the Wing doesn't make the best use of this wireless flexibility by facilitating Internet calls via Wi-Fi.

The Wing's name is derived from its shape: A full QWERTY keyboard slides from the side of the rubberized soft casing like a wing. In the closed position, the device is no bigger than your average Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), though thicker and heavier than most. At 6.1 ounces, it was hefty enough to make my hand tired after holding it to my ear after only a few minutes during a call. But that may not be a big deal, as the device is Bluetooth-enabled, allowing for hands-free talking.

Multifunctions Are a Snap

Using software based on Windows Mobile 6, this handset lets you work on Word documents and Excel spreadsheet files (though functions are limited with the mobile versions of these programs). You also can access Outlook to deal with e-mail, find contact info, or update your calendar.

The Wing is equipped with a 2 megapixel still and video camera, plus a microSD slot for extra memory. And like a growing number of phones, it doubles as a music player (there's no dedicated music button, so you use the scroll wheel). Other features include the obligatory Bluetooth wireless capability for a cordless headset, as well as voice-activated dialing, which didn't work for me, probably because I have an accent.

Its most impressive feat: Despite the complexity that comes with cramming so much technology into a handheld, the Wing's design is less confusing and intimidating than many other multifunction devices. When the keyboard is tucked away, there are just a few buttons below the large, 2.8-inch diagonal color touch screen which can be manipulated using a finger or a stylus. Dedicated buttons on the side provide instant access to camera and messaging applications.

The slide-out keyboard looks very similar to a regular computer keyboard. A tiny blue light even comes on whenever you press the "Caps" key. When you slide the keyboard out and turn the device sideways, the screen automatically changes orientation from portrait (vertical) to landscape (horizontal).

With its funky metallic-blue color, the Wing also looks fun—like something a a teen would carry—even though it's intended for working professionals. At $300 with a two-year contract, or $500 without, the Wing is priced on a par with or higher than many similar devices.

Touch Screen for Pros and Cons

However, Wing's streamlined design has forced some sacrifices with convenience. When the keyboard is hidden, the phone does not have a number pad to dial calls. Instead, you use the touch screen to press numbers. Although the notion of dialing by touch screen may appear hipper in light of Apple's (AAPL) iPhone design, it just doesn't feel as natural as punching real buttons (see BusinessWeek.com 4/13/07, "iPhone: Harder to Build than Apple Thought"). With real buttons, you can learn to dial blind. Using the touch screen with my big, clumsy fingers, I found myself anxiously squinting at the screen after every poke to make sure I wasn't calling Bermuda when dialing California.

That said, the phone's on-screen buttons do a lot of cool things: You can put a call on speaker, mute, or hold. They also enable you to view your call history and send a text message to a number, save a contact to your address book, or create a note about a particular phone call. I expect the latter function could be very helpful for a mobile professional.

Forget Cheap Internet Calls

Unfortunately, despite the built-in Wi-Fi, the Wing isn't designed to help you cut your wireless bill by making cheap or free Internet calls over Wi-Fi networks. While it should be possible to download an Internet-calling application such as Skype for Mobile (EBAY), Wing may not have enough memory or processing power to support it. Bizarrely, the Wing also isn't designed to work with T-Mobile's Hotspot at Home service, expected to launch nationally in June. That service provides seamless handoffs of a live phone call between cell and Wi-Fi networks, depending on which wireless signal is strongest. Even if you're at one of T-Mobile's thousands of hotspots, all calls are routed through T-Mobile's cellular network, forcing you to use up your voice-plan minutes.

The Wing also comes up a little short with Internet use. Unless you are using a T-mobile hot spot or a home network, most of the time it doesn't automatically pick the cheapest and fastest available network. Instead, you need to click on a menu to turn on the Wi-Fi, then pick a Wi-Fi network to use and log in. This setup only took a minute, but it was a bother.

Bottom line: Sleek device that could be even better with a few minor tweaks.

Kharif is a reporter for BusinessWeek.com in Portland, Ore.