Don't Call the Hump Ugly

Kris Kumar · Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2005 9:15 pm Post subject: Don't Call the Hump Ugly

Cingular's 2125 Smartphone has gained a lot of attention, not because of its cool features but because of its hump. The 2125 has a lot going for it - Windows Mobile 5.0, QVGA resolution and faster data speeds thanks to EDGE. But it seems like we are more obsessed about the hump and overlooking the plus points of this Smartphone. And the "ugly" hump is there to improve the cell phone reception.

I decided to do a little investigation. So that I can prove that the hump serves a useful purpose. Before I provide the supporting evidence, I would like to mention, that I do not work for Cingular or HTC; I do not own stocks in either of these companies. Smile

The evidence consists of a bunch of images from the FCC's repository. And in case you are not convinced, you are free to order the hump-less i-mate SP5 or one of its cousins. Wink

Presenting a few close-up images of the antenna module for the Cingular 2125 and Cingular SMT5600.

Figure 1: Take a closer look at the highlighted area. You can see the gold plated foil/plate extending into the hump and it runs from one end of the hump to the other.

Figure 2: This is the antenna module for the SMT5600. No hump, no extra antenna.

Figure 3: The 2125's antenna module from a different angle. Again you can see that the antenna plate goes into the hump and extends from end to end.

What does this prove? The hump is not an empty space; a left-over after the surgery that removed the Wi-Fi as some claim. I firmly believe that this Smartphone version never had Wi-Fi enabled. The hump was added to extend the antenna, so that the cell phone reception can be improved. i-mate SP5 has Wi-Fi, but it does not have the hump. Yet, T-Mobile's un-announced SDA has Wi-Fi and has a hump. The presence of the hump does not indicate Wi-Fi support.

The hump merely shows that HTC has designed Smartphones with better antennas for the North American market. GSM coverage in the US is not as good as in Europe. Cell phones with internal antennas, especially those that operate on 1900Mhz do not receive good signal. This problem is more apparent inside buildings and homes. The bigger antenna hidden inside the "ugly" hump will go a long way in improving the reception quality, increasing the number of bars. Or as Cingular would call it - "raising the bar." Smile

OSUKid7 · Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2005 9:37 pm Post subject: Re: Don't Call the Hump Ugly

optikalsaint · Smartphone Thinker Joined: 28 May 2005 Posts: 480

if it wasnt for the fact that i have my heart set on wifi id totally get this phone. hell even without the wifi if the minisd slot was on the outside i could just buy an extra card. i prefer the smaller size of this phone compared to the qtek/imate versions

Kris Kumar · Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2005 9:42 pm Post subject: Re: Don't Call the Hump Ugly

Mike Temporale · Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2005 9:45 pm Post subject:

Wow kris! Excellent post. Quasimodo offers some good after all. Mr. Green

There's no question that the antenna is larger in the 2125. Lets hope it makes a difference. Personally, the SP5m is significantly better than my old C500/5600. So I don't know how much more they could improve. It would be nice to try it out and see.
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Reland · Smartphone Neophyte Joined: 09 Nov 2005 Posts: 7

Hey, guys. This might not be the right place to ask, but does anyone know of a site similar to this one where I can find answers to my more elementary questions about smartphones and cell phones in general?

Rebecca · Smartphone Intellectual Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 134

Better reception or not the problem with this phone will be sales.

People buy beautiful phones. The majority of people will look at it and say it is ugly. They won't care about technology.

One problem for us is that Cingular will blame it on WM Crying or Very sad

and not on the uglyness of the phone.

Another problem is Cingular targeting this phone to business people.
Today most business I know are using the Blackberry because it does not has a cammera. Also many professionals use the RAZR because it offers "minimal bulk, elegant and conservative desing and no camera".

Cingular is not promoting that this phone has a high-res screen, 1.3MP of cammera resolution. They are targeting it at business and what business people want is "minimal bulk, elegant and conservative desing and no camera" .

Again this will cause low sales and Cingular may blame it on the phone being based on Windows and not becuase of the cammera or the ugly desing.

Rebecca · Smartphone Intellectual Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 134

By the way the could have made the hump smaller and extend the antenna on the top of it.

The SDA has the wi-fi antenna on top https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/...tive_or_pdf=pdf

They could desing this phone with a smaller hump.

robertotores · Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 4:38 am Post subject:

The hump is butt-ugly!

Most people will laught at this phone, the ugliest phone ever carried by Cingular.

It the screen angle has been fixed I could consider it, but I am concerned of people laughting and me and saying: "you did not had money for a good phone and so you bought quasimodo". MORONS.

robertotores · Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 4:48 am Post subject:

Does anyone knows what's the SAR rating for the SMT 5600?

For Quasimodo the FCC reports 1.316 for the USA band, for the Wi-Fi SDA it is just .89

1.36 is a bit high in my opinion.