Overview of the Gigabyte GSmart 2005

The Gigabyte GSmart 2005, announced in 2005, marked one of the notable entries in the era of Windows Mobile smartphones. Although it has since been discontinued, this device was remarkable for its time, integrated with features that provided a solid foundation for the smartphones that would follow. Designed primarily for those who needed a robust combination of personal digital assistant functionality alongside a traditional cell phone, the Gigabyte GSmart 2005 was the epitome of cutting-edge mobile technology of its day.

Design and Build

The GSmart 2005 showcased a design that was both functional and stylish. With dimensions of 109 x 53.5 x 24 mm and a weight of 153 g, it was compact enough to be portable but also substantial enough to handle comfortably. The device was equipped with a Mini-SIM slot, housed within a durable body, reflecting the design trends of the mid-2000s.

Display Specifications

Featuring a 2.4-inch TFT resistive touchscreen with 256K colors (65K effective), the GSmart 2005 offered a visual experience that was quite commendable for its time. The screen's resolution, standing at 240 x 320 pixels, provided adequate clarity for viewing content, navigating apps, and using the phone’s features. A screen-to-body ratio of about 30.6% made it a compact powerhouse for its category.

Platform and Performance

The Gigabyte GSmart 2005 operated on Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 for PocketPC Phone Edition (AKU2), supported by an Intel PXA272 416 MHz processor. This combination provided a fluid user experience for various professional and personal tasks. Although it may seem modest by today’s standards, this setup was quite capable, handling basic computing tasks efficiently in its time.

Memory and Storage

Equipped with 64MB of RAM and an equivalent 64MB of ROM, the GSmart 2005 offered storage solutions mostly aimed at business users who needed moderate data storage on the go. It also featured a miniSD card slot, allowing for expandable storage to accommodate more applications, documents, media files, or other data as needed.

Camera Capabilities

The main camera on the GSmart 2005 was a single 2.1 MP shooter, enhanced with an LED flash, allowing users to capture images even in low-light conditions. It also supported basic video recording, which was an innovative addition at the time, offering users a multimedia tool within their mobile devices. However, the lack of a front-facing selfie camera demonstrates the different consumer priorities during the era.

Sound Features

In terms of audio capabilities, the GSmart 2005 had a variety of alert types, including vibration, downloadable polyphonic ringtones, and support for MP3, WMA, AMR, and MID formats. However, it was devoid of a loudspeaker and a 3.5 mm headphone jack, which might have been seen as limitations by some users while being typical for many of the handsets of that period.

Connectivity Options

The connectivity suite in the GSmart 2005 included Wi-Fi 802.11b and Bluetooth 1.2, enabling wireless connectivity for networking and data exchange. It also had an FM radio, appealing to users looking for media entertainment on the go. A miniUSB 1.1 port facilitated physical connectivity for charging and file transfers, reflecting the typical setup for devices of that era.

Battery Life

Powering the GSmart 2005 was a removable Li-Ion 840 mAh battery, offering a standby time of up to 110 hours and talk time of up to 3 hours. A larger 1300 mAh Li-Ion battery was also available, catering to users in need of extended battery life. Although these specifications might seem limited today, they adequately met the needs of typical use patterns in the mid-2000s.

Miscellaneous Information

Available in a sleek black color, the GSmart 2005 was priced at around 170 EUR at launch, positioning it within reach of a professional audience. While it lacked advanced features like multi-touch capability, GPS positioning, and a robust app ecosystem, it still fulfilled the essential needs of a mobile device for its time, combining phone functionality with smart capabilities.

Conclusion

The Gigabyte GSmart 2005 represented a transitionary phase in mobile technology, bridging the gap between early mobile phones and the smartphones we know today. Though it is discontinued and now surpassed by vastly more capable devices, it remains a testament to the evolution of mobile technology and the era it defined.