Toshiba Portégé G910 / G920

Expected Q1 2008
13th February 2008
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We saw Toshiba's first Portégé branded phones last year, and now Toshiba have followed up with a couple of very different devices. The top of the range is the Toshiba Portégé G910 / G920, a folding smartphone with a touchscreen and a QWERTY keyboard.

Before we start, let's clear up any confusion about size. Yes, it says Toshiba on the cover, yes it looks a bit like a laptop, but it really isn't that big. At 117 x 64 x 20mm and 183 grams, the Portégé G910 is in the same class of devices as the Nokia E90.

The other slightly confusing thing is the model number - both the Portégé G910 and G920 feature built-in GPS, but on the G920 this has been upgraded to A-GPS (Advanced GPS). Since this is a carrier dependent feature, you may see some networks offering the G910 with others offering the G920. Quite why Toshiba didn't just bundled A-GPS as standard is a mystery. Toshiba say that both models offer Qualcomm's gpsOneXTRA Assistance™ technology to improve fix times and accuracy in urban areas. Toshiba indicate that there is a navigation system built in, or you can add your own favourite SatNav package if you wish.

Like the Nokia E90, the Portégé G910 has an 800 pixel wide display which is ideal for web browsing. However, the Toshiba display has more screen real estate at 800 x 480 pixels (compared with the Nokia's 800 x 352 pixels), and crucially the G910 has a touchscreen as well. The Toshiba's 3" display is one of the highest resolution screens around, most competing devices only manage 320 x 240 pixels, with a handful of 640 x 480 pixel displays around.

As you have probably guessed already, this is a Windows Mobile 6 device, so it comes bundled with pocket versions of Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player. Security has been enhanced by a fingerprint reader, the Opera web browser has been included, but other than that it seems that Toshiba haven't tried to jazz the interface up in the way that HTC tends to.

TOf course, this is not just a standalone pocket computer. The Portégé G910 and G920 feature HSDPA high-speed data, 3G, tri-band GSM with EDGE and GPRS support and WiFi. The lack of quad band GSM means that the Portégé might suffer from limited network coverage in North America. The G910 / G920 can handle VOIP calls over the WiFi connection. The Portégé also has Bluetooth 2.0 and a USB connector. In addition, there is a microSD card slot, capable of taking up to 2GB of memory.

he primary camera on this Toshiba is a 2 megapixel unit with autofocus, plus a secondary camera for video calling. This is pretty typical for a Windows Mobile device.

Close the Portégé G910 up, and you'll see that it has a very attractive and businesslike exterior, combining smooth good looks with a partial leather effect covering. There's a small external display and some very minimal controls.. perhaps a bit too minimal, but overall the G910's looks will certainly impress your business colleagues.

The 1320 mAH battery provides up to 5 hours of talktime and 19 days of standby time, but remember that the more features you use, then the quicker the battery will drain. Toshiba say that the Portégé G910 and G920 should be available during Q1 2008, but did not give any guidance on price.