Mobile Phones Guide

Compare This

MWg Atom V

26 Feb 2008

Taking on O2 Asia's mandate, Mobile Wireless Group (MWg) introduces its first mobile device lineup for the year, the MWg Atom V.

Tags: (none)

Filter by Manufacturers

<div id="reviews-list">
		<h2>More articles (2)</h2>
		<ul>
					<li class="current">
			<a href="/review-first-looks-mwg-atom-v" alt="/product-mwg-atom-v/review?review=34048">First Looks: MWg Atom V</a>			</li>
					<li >
			<a href="/review-mwgs-atom-v-quick-peek" alt="/product-mwg-atom-v/review?review=20267">MWg's Atom V - A Quick Peek</a>			</li>
				</ul>
	</div>
	
	<div id="product-review" class="article">
			<h2 class="header-green">First Looks: MWg Atom V</h2>
		<span class="byline">Reviewed by Seow Tein Hee on Thursday, 20 Mar 2008</span>
		<div class="share">
	<div
		id="addthis_div_519bf3e06670e" 
		class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style"
		addthis:url="http://www.hardwarezone.com/review-first-looks-mwg-atom-v"		addthis:title="First Looks: MWg Atom V"	>
		<a class="addthis_button_google_plusone" g:plusone:count="false"></a>
		<a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a>
		<a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a>
		
		<a class="addthis_button_email"></a>
	</div>
</div>
<script type="text/javascript">
//<![CDATA[
	window.addEvent ('domready', function ()
	{
 		//AddThis thing
		addthis_share = window.addthis_share || {};
		addthis_share.url_transforms = {
			add: {
				utm_source: 'addthis',
				utm_medium: 'referral',
				utm_campaign: 'addthis',
				utm_content: 'First%2BLooks%3A%2BMWg%2BAtom%2BV'
			}
		}
		
		addthis_config = window.addthis_config || {};
		addthis_config.data_track_clickback = true;
		addthis_config.data_ga_property = 'UA-166763-1';
		//window.addthis && addthis.toolbox (".addthis_toolbox");
		 
	});
//]]>
</script>		<div class="content resizeable">
						<div id="page-1" class="page">
		 		<h2 class="page-title">A Fresh Start</h2>
		 		<h3 class="page_title">A Fresh Start</h3>
<p>When O2 started its Atom series of mobile devices in Singapore, it was met with substantial success and popularity amongst Windows Mobile enthusiasts. However, when the decision was made to pull the O2 branding away from the Asia Pacific market, the Mobile Wireless Group (MWg) was formed and they took over the mandate to continue with the Atom line. Following through, the first device under the MWg label has been born, the Atom V.</p>
<h4 class="page_sub_title rtecenter"><img src="http://images.hardwarezone.com/upload/files/2010/05/412f49c1bb.jpg" alt="" /></h4>
<h4 class="page_sub_title">Fifth's Time the Charm</h4>
<p>Although still under the Atom branding, MWg has decided to differentiate the fifth generation Atom device from its Atom Life predecessor with a slimmer chassis at 14.95mm, but at the expense width (59mm) and height (116mm). Predominantly black with a silver border running along its edges - a similar design to many Windows Mobile devices on the market - the Atom V sports a five-way directional keypad with four shortcut soft keys above and below the Call and End buttons respectively. Though generously spaced out thanks to its stretched dimensions, the buttons are thinner than normal, making it less comfortable for input. The camera and jog dial buttons, plus a microSD slot are located on the left side of its bodice, while you have a 2.5mm audio jack on the right, followed by the stylus slot at the bottom right.</p>
<p>MWg reveals its trump card within the Atom V's interface, which enhances the basic Windows Mobile 6 interface with their propriety Quick Menu. Similar to the shortcut menus you see on the LG Viewty or the more recent LG KS20, the Atom V's Quick Menu is a shortcut through the score of applications found within the device. It also has the added flexibility of adding or removing applications within the Quick Menu, something that was lacking on the LG devices. These features are further enhanced with a flushed LCD screen akin to the HTC Touch series or the iPhone, making the Atom V's navigational experience sweepingly easy to use.</p>
<h4 class="page_sub_title">Cracking Open the Atom</h4>
<p>Placing a strong emphasis on its GPS functionality, the Atom V utilizes a SiRF Star III chipset, which does a decent job of location tagging, though varying factors such as weather and the availability of a clear surrounding will affect GPS performance. Other connectivity options on the Atom V include WiFi 802.11b/g, and Bluetooth 2.0.</p>
<p>The Atom namesake has a hint of power hidden within, and that certainly holds true with its Intel XScale PXA270 520MHz processor. Oddly enough, with such a high processing speed, the Atom V gets the short stick with a downgrade of its ROM from the Atom Life's 1GB to its current paltry 256MB. Its RAM capacity stays at 64MB though. You're up to guess whether this was a technical decision on MWg's part, though battery life seems to be better, which managed to run on a full charge for up to two days with intermittent messaging, call, WiFi and GPS usage.</p>
<h4 class="page_sub_title">Ending Thoughts</h4>
<p>Though we have scrutinized MWg's Atom V and revealed certain flaws such as low RAM capacity and its slightly over-sized design, MWg is still a fledging company that has taken on a huge portfolio from O2's days. With an improved Quick Menu interface and its propensity for better touch screen navigation, we believe there's more to expect from MWg in the near future, especially so when its Zinc II Windows Mobile 6.1 ready device hits our shores in the 2nd half of 2008. For now, the Atom V retails at S$998 with a 12-month local warranty.<br />
&nbsp;</p>			</div>
		</div>
			<div class="pagination" style="visibility:hidden;">
		<span class="desc">Page 1 of 1</span>
		<ul>
			<li class="prevnext prev"><a href="/review-first-looks-mwg-atom-v" class="disabled">&lsaquo; Prev</a></li>
			<li class="skip">
				<form id="PageAddForm" method="post" action="/go"><fieldset style="display:none;"><input type="hidden" name="_method" value="POST" /></fieldset>					<select name="data[Page][url]" class="page-selector" disabled="disabled" id="PageUrl">
<option value="/review-first-looks-mwg-atom-v" selected="selected">A Fresh Start</option>
</select>					<input type="submit" class="submit" value="Go" />				</form>			</li>
			<li class="prevnext next"><a href="/review-first-looks-mwg-atom-v" class="disabled">Next &rsaquo;</a></li>
		</ul>
	</div>
<script type="text/javascript">
//<![CDATA[
	window.addEvent ('domready', function ()
	{
 
		var container = document.getElement ('#product-review'),
			content = container && container.getElement ('.content'),
			pagination = container && container.getElement ('.pagination'),
			form = pagination && pagination.getElement ('form'),
			menu = form && form.getElement ('.page-selector'),
			links = {
				prev: pagination && pagination.getElement ('.prev a'),
				next: pagination && pagination.getElement ('.next a')
			},
			page = -1,
			desc = 'Page {curPage} of {lastPage}'
		;

// Tag as Javascript-enabled
		pagination.addClass ('js');

menu.addEvent ('change', function (e)
		{
			var curPage = this.selectedIndex + 1,
				lastPage = this.length,
				url = this.get ('value'),
				pageContent = container && container.getElement ('.page')
			;

// Disable controls
			menu.set ('disabled', 'disabled').blur ();
			if (pageContent) pageContent.setStyle ('opacity', .5);

new Request.HTML ({
				'url': url,
				'method': 'get',
				'link': 'cancel',
				'update': content,
				'onSuccess': function ()
				{
					// Update controls
					menu.erase ('disabled');
					links.prev
						.set ('href', menu.getChildren ('option')[(curPage > 1)? curPage - 2: curPage - 1].get ('value'))
						[(curPage > 1)? 'removeClass': 'addClass'] ('disabled')
					;
					links.next
						.set ('href', menu.getChildren ('option')[(curPage < lastPage)? curPage: curPage - 1].get ('value'))
						[(curPage < lastPage)? 'removeClass': 'addClass'] ('disabled')
					;
					pagination.getElement ('.desc').set ('text', desc.substitute ({ curPage: curPage, lastPage: lastPage}));

captureIntraLinks ();
					new Fx.Scroll (window).toElement (container);
				},
				'onFailure': function ()
				{
					// Restore controls
					menu.erase ('disabled');
					if (pageContent) pageContent.setStyle ('opacity', 1);
				}
			}).send ();
		});
		$$([links.prev, links.next]).addEvent ('click', function (e)
		{
			e.stop (); this.blur ();
			if (!this.hasClass ('disabled'))
				menu.set ('value', this.get ('href')).fireEvent ('change');
		});
		form.addEvent ('submit', function (e)
		{
			e.stop (); this.blur ();
			menu.fireEvent ('change');
		})

// Capture all intra-page links and hook to js
		function captureIntraLinks ()
		{
			content.getElements ('a[href^="#"]').flatten().each (function (link)
			{
				var target = link.get ('href').substr (6).trim ();
				if (target && target.match (/^\d+$/) && target <= menu.length)
					link.addEvent ('click', function (e)
					{
						e.stop (); this.blur ();
						menu.selectedIndex = target - 1;
						menu.fireEvent ('change');
					});
			});
		}
		captureIntraLinks ();

// Trigger initial pagination state
		var target = location.hash && location.hash.substr (6).trim ();
		if (target && target.match (/^\d+$/) && target <= menu.length && target != page)
		{
			menu.selectedIndex = target - 1;
			menu.fireEvent ('change');
		}
 
	});
//]]>
</script>
				</div>

<script type="text/javascript">
//<![CDATA[
	window.addEvent ('domready', function ()
	{
 
		var section = $('tab-product-content-review'),
			dropdown = section.getElement ('#reviews-list'),
			tId = 0
		;

if (section && dropdown)
		{
			var list = dropdown.getElement ('ul'),
				links = list.getElements ('li a')
			;

dropdown.addClass ('js');
			list.set ('morph', { 'link': 'cancel' });

$$(dropdown, list).addEvents ({
				'mousemove': function ()
				{
					$clear (tId);
				},
				'mouseenter': function ()
				{
					list.set ('morph', {'duration': 'short'}).morph ({ 'opacity': 1 });
				},
				'mouseleave': function ()
				{
					tId = function () { list.set ('morph', {'duration': 'short'}).morph ({ 'opacity': 0}); }.delay (1000);
				}
			}).fireEvent ('mouseleave');

links.addEvent ('click', function (e)
			{
				e.stop ();
				//unescape the 'alt' prooperty
				var o = new Element('i', { 'html': this.get ('alt')});
				new Request.HTML ({
					'url': o.get('text') + '&as=ajax',
					'method': 'get',
					'link': 'cancel',
					'update': section.empty().grab(new Element('div')
						.addClass ('waiter')
						.grab (new Element ('span', {
							text: 'Please wait while we load your article ...'
						}))
					)
				}).send ();
			})

section.getElements ('.footer .comments a').addEvent ('click', function (e)
			{
				e.stop ();
				new Fx.Scroll (window).toElement ($('tab-product-details'));

var href = this.get ('href').match (/#.+$/), target = href && href[0];
				if (target)
					(function () { new Fx.Scroll (window).toElement ($(target.substr (1))); })
						.delay (3000);

$('tab-product-comments').getChildren ('a')[0].fireEvent ('click');
			})
		}
		if( $$('.image-caption-container').length < 1 )
		{	
			$$('.article .content img[title]').each (function (img)
			{
				// skip if title is empty
				if (!img.get ('title')) return;
			
				new Element ('span', {'class': 'image-caption-container'})
					.addClass (['left', 'right'].contains (img.get ('align'))? img.get ('align'): '')
					.set ('width', img.get ('width'))
					.replaces (img)
					.grab (img)
					.grab (new Element ('div', {
						'class': 'image-caption',
						'html': img.get ('title').trim ()
					}))
				;
				img.erase ('align');
			
				var link = img.getParents ('a');
				if (link) link.addClass ('captioned');
			});
		}
 
	});
//]]>
</script>

Mobile Phones Guide

MWg Atom V

Filter by Manufacturers

You may also be interested in...