Connectivity EVDO Via Laptop
If you are deciding on purchasing this unit you probably are asking is there anyway to connect the XV6600 to your laptop and surf at broadband speeds? Yes and No. Yes you can, but Verizon doesn’t make it easy. Verizon offers this data plan for $44.95 which doesnt “support” laptops but if you want laptop support you need to purchase a PCMCIA EVDO card which they will charge you $79.95 per month for data. Well here is a workaround to get your XV6600 to work as a modem. First you need to download the PC EVDO drivers and the modem software from Here.
 |
Once downloaded and installed follow these directions exactly how I have them. Turn off Active sync on laptop, Go to File..connection settings and uncheck usb box, turn off EVDO connection on 6600 by holding end call button, start wmodem on phone, make sure to pick USB on popup in wmodem and hit start button and plug phone into laptop via usb. When new hardware wizard starts, point to drivers which should be on your laptop. Start dialer. User is phonenumber@vzw3g.com password is vzw Dial #777. Thats it!!! Now you are on your way.
Design
 |
The first thing you will notice with the XV6600 is the stylish slip out keyboard. The keyboard is responsive and the keys are easy to press. It even comes with a special Pocket Internet Explorer key to launch the browser. Another interesting feature is the blue backlight, which is strong enough to allow use in very dark places. And the XV6600 is not behind in terms of buttons: it has Answer and End phone buttons, Calendar and Contacts button and plus an Internet e-mail and browser buttons. By far HTC has done a brilliant job with this keyboard. I should note though since this is a new unit we cannot determine how durable this keyboard is for daily use. We highly recommend purchasing the insurance for $4.99 per month from Verizon.
 |
Unlike Windows Mobile Smartphones which are designed for single hand operations, Pocket PC devices rely mostly on touchscreen. It seems this will be changing slowly, since these devices are now coming with specific Start and OK keys. Although the functions can be changed, the default functionality, paired with the built-in keyboard, will in some cases allow users to handle the Pocket PC without the need of a stylus. Since the user interface is still that of of a standard Pocket PC we still need the stylus for normal use.
Battery Life:
The battery life on this unit definitely needs some improvement. I used this device hard each day and noticed I was at 50% at no time. Verizon says the unit should have an estimated battery life of 3.6 hours talk, 6 days standby. Dont be fooled purchase an additional battery $59.94 and a car charger $24.95 if you are a power user.
Conclusion:
Being an iPAQ handheld enthusiast, I am certainly wondering why HP did not partner with Verizon? Maybe because they wanted the worldwide coverage. But I really think they missed a HUGE opportunity partnering with Verizon. The XV6600 delivers everything a user can ask for! From the robust speed to the sleek and sexy design, HTC has delivered me something I have missed in a long while. The last 5 days I have already received postive remarks from people walking by asking about the phone and nevertheless commenting on it’s sleek design. Some of the downfalls is that Verizon should have bundled Microsoft Voice Command and Pocket Informant by WebIS. I have had some issues pairing my bluetooth headset which I am hearing will be addressed in the next software update. So if you are a power user looking for that extra functionality then this is your answer, And my comment to Verizon, “Thank You and I am glad to finally be back!”