Event Coverage

i-mate Launches in SEA - Windows Mobile Mania

By Seow Tein Hee - 9 Nov 2007

i-mate in Sight

Land Ahoy, Maties!

The local mobile device market has just gotten more competitive with Windows Mobile device specialists i-mate looking to steal a slice of the pie for themselves. In a recent event held on the 7th November at Bold, The Scarlet, i-mate's entry into the SEA region was marked with the launch of six full-fledged Windows Mobile devices, just in time for the Christmas too. For all our readers who are saving up for a holiday shopping spree, the arrival of i-mate could spell more trouble for the wallet. According to i-mate, their range of phones will be available by December, though the actual dates, prices and carrier offers have yet been disclosed.

If you've never heard of i-mate before, we don't blame you. Up till now, they've been operating mostly in the European market. With all the established mobile device brands around, one may wonder what can i-mate bring into the picture at this stage of the game. Well, i-mate's main message is that they aren't just another kid on the block offering mobile devices. All i-mate mobiles will be backed up with several services that are pretty unique – independent of your mobile provider – and for 'Free'.

 The six i-mate devices, showing its true purpose as both a mobile office device and a mobile entertainment platform.

A series of backend support is provided with the i-mate family of devices. Secure i-Q, a device management software, gives the power to the each owner to lock and even wipe the data on their phone and memory card in the phone in the eventuality of a loss or theft. According to i-mate, this security measure will work even if the SIM card has been replaced and/or firmware re-flashed. Custom i-Q provides users with an avenue to customize the look of their i-mate device via a web-based interface, which includes push e-mail configuration and many others. You can then save this customization template to download directly to your phone as a one stop configuration utility.

Technical support for the i-mate devices is provided by Support i-Q, a premium worldwide 24/7 technical support service which is able to directly access your i-mate device for troubleshooting - with your permission of course - remotely. Think in the lines of corporate IT help desk services, but for your phone. While these services seem to be really tailored to the business user, regular consumers enjoy the same services as well.

 

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