Internet
 Utilizing
the A920 and Sprint Power Vision, consumers can surf the web at lightening
fast speeds. Necessary for Sprint TV, Sirius Music, and other multimedia
experiences, the Power Vision Network is built upon state-of-the-art EV-DO
(Evolution-Data Optimized) technology.
Offering up to 10 times faster speeds than the conventional 2G networks,
EV-DO allows users to access wireless data at average download speeds of
400-700 kbps and peak rates of up to 2 Mbps.
Launched in July, EV-DO has spread to more than 141 major markets and
more than 250 airports nationwide. Accessible on Sprint's newest devices,
EV-DO will reach about 150 million people in over 220 major markets by early
2006.
Storage
An ample 24 MB of internal memory is included on the A920. Enough for
photos, ringtones, games, and videos, storage is dynamically shared among
all multimedia, except songs. Music need to be stored on TransFlash memory
cards to activate the built-in MP3 player. Current cards hold up to 512
MB in size, enough for hours and hours of music, but the A920 comes with
only a 32 MB card. Consumers are highly recommended to purchase additional
cards to store more than 10 songs.
Connectivity
The A920 can pair with devices within a 10 meter radius using Bluetooth
wireless technology. Convenient to offload any photos taken with the camera
to a PC, having unrestricted Bluetooth (unlike devices from other carriers),
users can also save a few dollars by downloading and transferring their
own multimedia from a PC instead of purchasing them from Sprint.
Conclusion
It's no mystery Sprint is focusing on providing an immersive multimedia
experience. With the launch of its Power Vision Network, the A920 is capable
of not only on-phone features, but also streaming multimedia and functionality.
 Being
labeled an MP3 phone, the A920 is an audio powerhouse. Music controls on
the front panel offer convenient functionality as a portable player, while
enhanced online radio service provides streaming music for times when the
same old songs get bland.
But the A920 also holds its own as a camera phone. Featuring a 1.3-megapixel
camera, the photo quality captured is better than most devices on the market.
And including PictBridge technology, consumers don't need to be a tech-wiz
to print photos.
All the features and functions would not be possible without Sprint's
EV-DO network. Providing broadband speeds, the A920 is undoubtedly created
to take advantage of Power Vision's multimedia capabilities.
Integration with Sprint Power Vision has many obvious strengths, however
it's also the A920's main weakness. Being so tied to Sprint, taking advantage
of the A920's full capabilities requires an additional subscription charge
on top of the monthly service plan. Sprint TV, Media Player, On Demand,
Mobile IM, and virtually anything else requiring online interaction will
need to be charged for data rates. Granted there are reasonable data plans
available, for the casual user, the monthly fee may not justify the extra
multimedia enhancements, and may turn the A920 into a mediocre device without
all the extras.
Regardless without the subscriptions, the A920 is still strong in imaging,
audio, and entertainment. Able to use Bluetooth technology to transfer files
to and from a PC, tech-savvy consumers can download multimedia files and
transfer them wirelessly for free instead of from Sprint.
As Sprint's flagship music phone, the A920 will not be cheap. Running
at about $200 with a service plan or $350 without, the price may be a limiting
factor. However for a robust MP3 music phone with a high-quality camera and
broadband capabilities, the A920 is a no-brainer for Sprint's Power Vision network.
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