HTC, the largest manufacturer of Pocket PC devices in the world, has done it again. Few thought the much-praised 8125 could be improved upon, but HTC proved them wrong with the Cingular 8525. Running on Windows Mobile 5, it is a quad-band GSM phone with GPRS/EDGE/3G data access capable of operating on any GSM network worldwide. It has a 400MHz Samsung processor, 64MB of RAM, 128MB of Flash ROM, a 2.8-inch QVGA (240X320, 64k color) screen, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, IR, a 2MP digital camera, a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a microSD expansion slot, and powered by a 1350 mAh Lithium Polymer battery. The Cingular 8525 also comes with a full suite of pre-installed software. There are Pocket versions of Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, Clearview PDF, Windows Media Player, Pocket Internet Explorer, Telenav GPS, MobiTV, and Cingular's XPress Mail. Compared with others in its class, it has an average size and looks the same on the exterior. Underneath the hood is where you'll find the difference. The battery life is simply amazing, and you get a very strong signal with Cingular's network. Overall, the Cingular 8525 is a top-shelf Pocket PC phone, and the reviewer whole heartedly gives it a thumbs-up.

Although the average consumer may be unfamiliar with HTC (High Tech Computers), they manufacture most of the Pocket PC devices in the world - including Cingular's 8525. This quad-band phone is a true world phone that can operate on GSM networks all over the world. It runs on Windows Mobile 5, but Cingular will provide Windows Mobile 6 upgrades. This device has a built-in 2 megapixel camera, a sliding QWERTY keypad, and a microSD slot. The 8525 also has impressive connectivity, which supports Bluetooth, infrared, Wi-Fi, and 3G data access. You can even use the 8525 as a modem for your laptop - which is not an option for the Verizon counterpart. The 8525 also comes with full-featured bundled software, which includes pocket versions of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. It also includes a PDF reader, Telenav GPS, MobiTV, and Cingular’s XPress Mail. The reviewer also discovered that ActiveSync on the 8525 is much easier than with older devices. However, the reviewer found the stylus a bit difficult to use because of its small size. Despite its minor limitations, the 8525 is probably one of the best Pocket PCs from Cingular.

The HTC Cingular 8525 Pocket PC is a true world phone, with its use of GSM/GPRS technology. It lets you access both mid-speed UMTS networks and HSDPA networks in more than 50 countries - although this kind of connectivity tends to have pricey package plans. The 8525 also makes use of 3G data access, allowing you to be open to receiving and making calls even while surfing the internet. This device also makes for a speedy laptop modem, and the 400MHz Samsung processor makes it a very fast device to work with. The 8525 is also Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.0 capable. The design on this device is more ergonomic than its predecessors, making it much easier to hold and control. The sliding QWERTY keypad itself has fairly large buttons that are much easier to reach and press. A built-in 2 MegaPixel camera with LED flash is also included. The camera has 8 levels of digital zoom, and beside it is a parabolic mirror that lets you compose self-portraits properly. The camera control is quite flexible, since there is a macro slider available for close-up shots, and users can even control the camera aperture. The device comes with a micro SD slot.