Many of you by now will recognize the name HTC as the abbreviation for the Taiwanese based company High Tech Computer. They are the world’s largest manufacturer of Pocket PC and Smartphone OS based PDAs, and as such they are responsible for many of the more recognizable devices which are rebranded by companies including Hewlett Packard, i-mate, Audiovox, and Dopod - to name a few.

The device we’ll be looking at today is known by several names including the O2 XDA Trion, the MDA Vario II, Orange SPV M3100, and the Dopod 838Pro. This review will specifically cover the HTC Hermes branded as the Dopod 838Pro; while some of its included software may differ from other branded versions, the general hardware specifications should be about the same.

Similar to the HTC Apache / Sprint PPC-6700 which I reviewed last year, the Hermes features a compact touch-screen PDA form factor with a left-sliding keyboard which only appears when needed. The Hermes is intended to function not only as the user’s mobile phone, but also as a fully functional PDA, an email and text messaging center, and a compact means to wirelessly surf the internet.

Continue Reading

One of the treats we received at Mobius Thailand this year was a Vaja case for the HTC Hermes / Dopod 838Pro.

You would have thought it was Christmas!

John Starkweather had no sooner announced that Vaja had made custom cases for our new Windows Mobile 5 Phones, when the room erupted with “oooooooohs” and our eyes grew wide; there was a good reason for this.

Vaja has been around since 2000, and in that time they have managed to revolutionize the case making industry. No longer the new guys on the block, they are now the leather craft company that every other case-maker aspires to be. From the beginning they have created form-fitting, well made cases constructed of aromatic Argentinean leather which complemented the PDAs carried inside. But before long their innovative designers chose to not only create the highest quality cases, they also began to offer custom designs that allowed their patrons to personalize the case-making process in a way never done before. Whether the case is from their Classic line or the slightly edgier iVolution line, Vaja items all have a few thing in common - they are impeccably made, they look beautiful, and they all smell yummy!

So today we’ll take a look at the HTC Horizonal Pouch, which is made to fit Pocket PC Phones - with or without a sliding keyboard - that measure no larger than 4.45″ tall x 2.3″ wide x 0.5″ thick. This pouch is very similar to the Vaja HT41 Pouch which I previously reviewed.

The case itself measures 4.53″ long x 2.6″ wide x 1.35″ thick. It is composed of black aniline leather with a deep red aniline accent stripe. The subtle Vaja logo is the only branding evident anywhere on the pouch.

Continue Reading