On the XV6700, any of the buttons could be re-mapped for any Press, or Press & Hold function, and I miss that. It's something that can be remedied with various third-party applications, but some of them will only remap buttons the pre-installed mapper can handle, and some actually disable buttons you don't want them to. If the pre-installed mapper could cover all the buttons on one HTC device (XV6700), it should do it on another (8525).

My last little complaint is how the headphones connect to the device... by the USB plug. The sync cord connects to the USB port, the charging cable connects to the USB port, and the headphones plug in there as well. That's a lot of things in one place.

I understand why, it makes for less hardware on the inside. USB also provides a better connection than a 2.5 or 3.5mm plug. But it's another format that has suddenly made all of my other headsets useless. I kind of felt this way with my XV6700; it had a 2.5mm plug and my other sets were 3.5mm.

I'm just tired of a new standard with every device. The industry trend seems to be shifting toward the USB standard, so maybe we'll get a break for a while.

On the up-side, Cingular has included a Y-adapter so you can charge and talk on the phone at the same time. The headset does seem to have that airy, white-noise in the background though.

The verdict
Despite the shortcomings noted above, the 8525 is at the top of the Pocket PC heap, and with a Windows Mobile 6 update, is likely to hover around the top for some time to come. It is, without question, the best Pocket PC phone that Cingular has to offer.

The XV6700 is the best Verizon has going, but with a WM6 update uncertain, its longevity is questionable. If you're looking for PTT, are considering changing service providers and want to stick with a Windows Mobile device, looking to migrate from a Palm to a Pocket PC, or are looking to upgrade your 8125, you can't go wrong with the Cingular 8525.

Travel overseas? Because it's a quad-band GSM, it should work on any GSM network in North America, Europe, or Asia, making it a true world-phone.

One of the bonuses I didn't mention above (I was saving it for now), is the interchangeability of parts with other HTC products, namely the battery. I was very pleased to discover it uses the same battery as my XV6700, and the same AC adapter, and car charger. Sadly, it didn't fit the XV6700's desk cradle, and Cingular didn't include one in the retail package. Shame on you, Cingular, everyone likes a desk cradle.

Overall, the Cingular 8525 is a top-shelf Pocket PC phone, with voice and data service available virtually the world over. The soon-to-be-released Windows Mobile 6 update shows Cingular's continued commitment to the device, its longevity, and their customer base. The recently released PTT update adds further value and addresses customer demands. The 8525 is available from Cingular for $400 with a two-year contract, or $600 without. I have no reservations whatsoever recommending the 8525 and give it a rating of 4 out of 5.

OUR RATING: 4 of 5

David Gewirtz is the author of How To Save Jobs and Where Have All The Emails Gone? For more than 20 years, he has analyzed current, historical, and emerging issues relating to technology, competitiveness, and policy. David is the Editor-in-Chief of the ZATZ magazines, is the Cyberterrorism Advisor for the International Association for Counterterrorism and Security Professionals, and is a member of the instructional faculty at the University of California, Berkeley extension. He can be reached at david@zatz.com and you can follow him at http://www.twitter.com/DavidGewirtz.