Windows Phone Thoughts: O2 XDA Atom Reviewed

O2's Additional Software
Since most Windows Mobile 5.0 devices will have nearly the same accessories and applications, I will concentrate on the additional software and components that O2 has thankfully added onto the core operating system. Third-party applications include Westtek's ClearVue PDF and Esmertec Java.

O2 Media Plus
This central application created by O2 gives you immediate access to the photos, music, and videos you have on your Atom, plus the FM radio. Its friendly interface is reminiscent of Windows XP Media Center Edition, and you can even stick your photo in the corner for sheer vanity. It features an integrated alarm clock with snooze feature that can play the FM radio, a music file, or buzzer sound. The music and videos are played using Windows Media Player 10, while the photos link up to Pictures and Videos, both supplied natively by Windows Mobile 5.0.


Figure 14: Have instant access to all your media from this program.

FM Radio
Probably the most obvious feature of the Atom is the integrated FM radio - a first for Pocket PC devices. Sure, there are CompactFlash and Secure Digital add-on cards, but none of them can route the audio output through the internal speakers or headset, let alone capture the audio.

The FM Radio program can store eight groups of 20 FM radio stations each, good for times when you are in different cities or countries. It features an auto-scan function, but since it doesn't have RDS (Radio Data System) capability, you'll have to name the radio stations manually. Also, you can't reorder the stations to your preference, and there's no confirmation when deleting a station (which can happen in two clicks) - both of which are annoying quirks to the program.

The audio output of the FM Radio appears to be independent of the Atom's normal system sounds, so you have to use the on-screen + and - buttons to modify the volume setting. Ironically, the + and - buttons on the directional keypad change the channels, while the back and forward buttons modify the volume. The FM radio automatically mutes for any phone call, but you can only stop the radio completely by either pulling the antenna or by exiting the program. O2 Media Plus has an icon on the bottom-left corner to activate the FM radio (see above), but unfortunately, the same button does not turn it off.


Figure 15: The FM radio comes in very handy when you're done with all your MP3s.

One important note is that the FM radio requires the wired headset to be plugged in, since it doubles as the radio's antenna. Of course, the obvious downside is that the use of a Bluetooth stereo headset becomes a bit redundant (I didn't have one to test anyway). If you pull out the wired headset at any time, the application will warn you that the headset is required, then exit automatically. If you want to use the FM radio for the alarm clock, make sure you plug in the wired headset before you go to sleep. You don't have to wear them though, since sound will still come out through the internal speakers, and the icon on the bottom left-corner can toggle the headset or internal speakers during normal use.

In most cases, the FM radio reception is pretty good. I take an hour-long train ride to work and only lose reception when I get into the tunnels. Also, the radio capture is a nice bonus: uncompressed WAV format sounds great, and compressed GSM format is available when capacity is a priority over quality.