Axia PDA phone A108

The world's smallest PDA phone..



The AXIA A108 is the world's smallest PDA phone on the Microsoft Windows CE .NET Operating System. But size doesn't matter these days, it has all the standard phone functions, plus everything else you would expect in a PDA. User will appreciate the large 2.2", brilliantly sharpe display which produces crisp, clear visuals. While its alpha-numeric keypad is specially designed for one-handed operation, making it ultra convenient for text messaging.

Check out its specification... it uses Freescale processor..

Why Freescale ?
Because it has a manufacturing plant in Malaysia by the road side of Federal Highway. Malaysia Boleh!

Their story:
AXIA is created by Malaysian... Malaysian Boleh! The company main concept is to build a phone with a lot and ample built-in applications for its user. Hardware design is done by Singaporean expert while manufacturing plant located at Sungai Petani, Kedah Malaysia.

SDK concept:
The inventor focuses on concept, branding and applications. Thus they are not counting on the fact that some company will help them to develop a SDK(Software Development Kit) at low cost so that it can be shipped alongside the packaging, which would otherwise be expensive. If so, programmers around the world would make use of the SDK to develop applications and either sell it to AXIA user or upload it for free in AXIA homepage or other URL. Thus, this is not really a good idea because the development of SDK is not going to be cheap. If you engage company like Axiomatic Solutions S/B, development cost would be around RM500K without royalty.

Hope concept:
Thus, the second solution is to hope that someone would go and purchase Microsoft Visual Studio .NET and develop applications for it. Then either upload it to AXIA homepage or other URL for either free download or purchase with credit card or Mobile Money.

But Microsoft Visual Studio .NET cost RM 1500.00 (unless you are talking about pirated)

Thus nobody would be very keen on that too.

The Java factor:
Another way is to install Java into the device. You need to install a JVM into Windows CE.NET. You may find the listing here. There are two types of JVM:
1. CDC (512KB +)
2. CLDC (512KB -)

based on AXIA specification, it has 64MB Flash ROM. Windows CE can be as small as 200KB for a minimal configuration. Thus on the average, it is about the size of JVM too. Therefore, to include Windows CE and JVM into the device is not a big problem for 64MB of disk space (Flash ROM)

Then, programmers can make use of J2ME to develop applications for AXIA 108 and either upload it to AXIA homepage or other URL and then either make it a freeware or shareware or buyware.

However, since they already chosen Microsoft as the platform, might as well forget about Java.

The Right Way:
Thus the right way for them to have a cost effective sales is to hire 2-3 programmers and using Microsoft Visual Studio .NET to develop as many applications as possible and make it built-into the device.

They need to do this because the USP (unique selling proposition) of AXIA is to provide rich built-in applications to its user. Compare to other brand like Blueberry, O2 and etc have difference focuses. Therefore, this is to drive the sales.

To achieve cost saving, they just need to hire few programmers in Malaysia and pay them like RM 3-5K monthly and force them to develop as many applications as possible using RM1500 Microsoft Visual Studio .NET. Let's assume that they hire 3 programmers and cost them RM15K monthly, RM 500K would provide them(programmer) with 33.3 months of employment; that is like around 2 years duration. On top of providing job employment for people, they also become owner of the Intellectual Property(IP) and able to change the source code anytime and anyway they wish. Thus, of course this is smart and a good deal. Malaysia Boleh!

The following are applications available..

• AXIA launcher
• INFOMate - Weather Forecast, World News, EPL News, and AXIA bulletin
• TextMaker - Microsoft Word document editor
• PlanMaker - Microsoft Excel document editor
• AXIA Email with support to download attachments
• Jettayu MMS
• Jettayu WAP browser
• STR (SIM Tool kit)
• AXIA calendar
• AXIA notes
• AXIA Task
• AXIA Phone Book
• AXIA MPEG 4 player
• AXIA photo album
• AXIA Group list
• AXIA Flash Backup
• Astraware Games - Cubis, Dynomite, RoketMania and Bejeweled.
• AXIA Desktop Application for managing data and PC backup
• Synchronizing PIM and email with Microsoft Outlook

Isn't it fantastic, I will never use most of them anyway.

Facing problems?
It is actually a GSM phone with GPRS, IrDA and USB support. Oopss.. thus it means that they are in problem now.. becoz 3G is coming.

Since they outsourced the hardware design and manufacturing, it would cost them another fortune to design a 3G hardware from scratch. Thus, they need to sell it really well now and before 3G really gets the going tough for them.

But not to worry so much because they have conquered the European market very well. 3G will still take some time for adoption and by that time, they should have earn enough fortune to produce another 3G device with even more applications.

To find out more about embedded system...

Author = Robert L. Bogue Pages =368 Disk = N/A Level = Int/Adv Published = 01/30/2002 ISBN =0-7356-1502-0 Price= $29.99 To see this book's discounted price