imate Ultimate 8502 photo, originally uploaded by mrgadget_oz.

Here’s a picture that I took with my iMate Ultimate 8502 as one of our readers said he was having problems with the inbuilt camera. I think it looks ok for a 2MegaPixel PDA camera!
I’ve been using it for the last 2 weeks mostly for Address Book contacts and it’s been fine.

Thoughts?

24 hours after unboxing my new iMate Ultimate 8502 I thought I’d make a video and share it with the world!

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWqy-LN_PeY]

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I know, I know for the last couple of weeks I’ve been saying that I had my heart set on a iMate Ultimate 9502, but after revisiting the size and weight options I decided that the iMate Ultimate 8502 would be more suitable for me this time. I also liked the idea of not having to unclip my leather case to type out a detailed SMS or note. Besides the iMate Utimate 8502 has all the same specs without the slide-out keyboard with the bonus of being lighter and thinner.

So off I went at lunchtime to visit the only Telstra Store in Melbourne that had 8502s, Tshop Bourke Street. The 9502s are expected later this week. Kris, the Tshop assistant was helpful, organised my upgrade from my chunky JasJam and finally escape with the store’s first iMate Ultimate 8502.

Microsoft ActiveSync 4.5.0 took around 5 minutes to sync all my contacts, calendar, tasks and notes. All went smoothly without any hitches. Now comes the task of reinstalling all my software…Microsoft Voice Command will be my first!

First 2 hours impression:
Likes
- Clear sharp screen
- Thinness and lightness (compared to my Jasjam)
- Performance is responsive
- Little Joystick
- Tiny QWERTY keyboard is actually decent to use
- No crashes yet
- Not-cheap looking holster case
- Secure stylus that doesn’t slip out easily
- Side volume control buttons

Dislikes
- No GPS software packaged in
- Can’t find the reset hole
- Default Voice Dialling software is so eighties
- Want an extra button so I can assign Microsoft Voice Command to it
- Camera quality (need to take more photos)

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Considering that I am with currently with Telstra and that I am coming to the end of my contract with my iMate JasJam, the iMate Ultimate 9502 looks to be my next upgrade.

Pocketpcthoughts.com has news that Telstra will launch the iMate Ultimate 9502 & iMate Ultimate 8502 as soon as the next couple of weeks!

Investorschronicle.co.uk reports that i-Mate’s shares rose by up to 25 per cent when it was announced that the phone-maker had signed a distribution deal with Telstra, Australia’s largest telco.

See our current range of i-Mate pocketPCs and accessories here.