i-mate SPL Review

The first impression SPL gives you, when you know it is a smartphone, is “how really slim it is!” If you set aside (or you do not know) the fact that it is a smartphone, then you will probably regard it as a normal slim phone similar to SLVR. But, provided that it runs Windows Mobile, SPL has almost no rivals. And because it is offered on the market in different colors (blue, pink and black), SPL could be a very nice phone and it has nothing in common with most of the traditional smartphones.

As a mobile phone it is middle-sized, but for a smartphone SPL is small in size. Its weight is only 3.6 oz (102 grams), which is pretty acceptable and it feels light in your pocket. It is comfortable in your hand and certainly does not look cheap thanks to its metal panels.

The nice small 2.2” color display has found its place on the front panel. It visualizes up to 65K (65 thousand) colors. The resolution is standard for this class, 240х320 pixels, the contrast is high and the brightness is a little bit over the average and the phone can be used, to some extent, in bright daylight. The colors are a little bit bluish and blue is the prevailing color.

The flat keypad is below the display and it reminds the keypad of the first RAZR phone. It reminds of it not only by its type and material but also by the curves of the lines which separate every key - the lines “curve” at the end, which is very impracticable, but good for the vision. We definitely do not like this keypad because besides it is flat (almost no raise), the keys are too small. The keys work softly when pressed and that gives tactical response, which is very good for that type of keypad. The small size of the keypad and its full flatness, lead to unpleasant, inaccurate and tiring work with it. There is a light blue backlighting, which clearly illuminates the separating lines, but the characters on the keys are not clearly visible.

The two volume control buttons and a musical shortcut between them are placed on the left side. The camera shutter key is on the right side. You can also find there a miniUSB port for connection with PC, charger and stereo earphones. Our personal preference is for a separate output for earphones - 2.5 or 3.5мм stereo jack.





The camera module is a little raised and located on the back panel (lens and self-portrait mirror) and the loudspeaker is below it. At the opposite end, a little raised pad helps the phone to be stable when placed on any surface.






Under the comparatively solid metal cover the 1100 mAh battery is hidden, which has to be removed to get access to the miniSD slot for memory cards and the seat for sim cards, which has to be pulled out to place the card. Removing the battery is somewhat unpleasant (besides slow) operation. Sometimes it is possible to place it back incorrectly, so that it juts out a little and still, to be in contact.
There is a LED placed in the left upper corner on the front panel.