Windows Phone Thoughts: The i-Mate JasJar Reviewed

1:00
Back at the office, I set up the laptop and connect Outlook to server to pull the, thanks to the i-mate, small amount of email to my Inbox. Pop a few Dayquil and adjust the text size on my i-mate to a larger size since my eyes feel a bit tired. However, this doesn't do me too much good though - I collapse on my office floor for a two hour nap around 2 PM. Have a class at 4:15...


Figure 13: See the effects of changing the size in the Screen Shot Gallery.

4:00
Wake up, brush off, grab i-mate for note taking and head off to graduate social psychology. We're discussing beliefs and social norms - thanks to the Dayquil and nap, I'm awake. If I hadn't had the i-mate though, I would have spent easily another half hour catching up on emails that were dispatched this morning in five minute triage sessions. i-mate should consider changing its slogan to "It gets you more sleep"...

6:45
Class is over, return to office with i-mate, upload notes. While in class I used the i-mate to email my instructor my discussion questions directly, thus saving some paper and time. Now I work on some reading while I wait for my fiancée to return from her spanish class...

9:00
Leave campus, head home. On the way, stop at McDonalds and view the score of the White Sox - Indians game while eating a cheeseburger. I love the loading bar in PIE - makes progress seem like progress a lot more than a waving flag...


Figure 14: Ultra Nice loading bar in PIE.

10:45
Home finally, the i-mate now tells me it has only 17% battery life left. Not bad considering what I've put it through today. However, I expect I would have had to do a late-day recharge if I'd used Wi-Fi a bit more intensely or paired my Bluetooth Headset with it all day. Thankfully, unlike my x50v, this device can be used and charge off of USB at the same time.

One last note that I have to point out about the JasJar - the GSM reception can be really spotty if you live in what T-Mobile calls "fair" territory on its coverage maps. I can keep a signal and make/receive calls if I keep the unit out in the open at home. However, if I put it in my pocket or obstruct the antenna, I lose signal. One bright spot here - the unit does have jacks for external WCDMA and GSM antennas, so you could always use one of those to boost your signal.