Under the Hood: Blackberry wins handset data-rate bakeoff

Because no file transfer software was included with the Motorola Razr 2 phone to which I had access, I transferred my files via direct file transfer.

Please remember that the values for the Sony Ericsson W910i reflect the performance of the external memory card reader and that direct file transfer rates were omitted to maintain relative scale with the other phones. Surprisingly, the BlackBerry 8120 transferred files faster than any other phone tested, despite its low name recognition in the multimedia-device market in comparison with other phones that overtly sell themselves as multimedia phones.

Why did the BlackBerry perform so well? The answer lies inside . . .

The device behind the BlackBerry's fast transfer rates is the Cypress CYWB0124AB west bridge peripheral controller. West bridge products directly connect peripherals, creating fast transfer tunnels without loading the main processor. Instead of routing files from the computer through the phone processor to the storage device, the west bridge sets up a tunnel running from the computer directly to the storage device.

This practice carries with it a number of advantages, including significant increases in transfer speeds. That can be a blessing when uploading a significant amount of content onto a phone (such as when it is first purchased or has been formatted).

This speed bonus is also a plus for those who like changing their phone's content regularly. Mobile systems today have sufficient memory to store a movie or two, some CDs, and typical phone data like contact information and pictures; but having the same movies on the phone all of the time can get wearisome, especially for frequent travelers. Being able to replace phone content quickly is therefore a big selling point.

Transferring information without activating the central processor conserves battery power. Granted, the device is plugged into a USB socket and is therefore recharging anyway. But during content transfer, the amount of time that it takes to charge the battery is lessened.

The point of this exercise was to make readers aware of transfer speeds. Think of the time saved when transferring 4 Gbytes of data to a phone. According to the average transfer rates shown earlier, the iPhone would take 23 minutes, the BlackBerry six minutes using its media manager and five minutes when using direct file transfer, the Sony 210 minutes using direct file transfer and 15 minutes via the external memory card reader, and the Razr 19 minutes.

The difference in times required by the various phones may well be the difference between drinking a cup of coffee before heading out of the house and planning out, well before leaving, the content you want available on your phone.

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Gregory A. Quirk is technical marketing manager at Semiconductor Insights, a CMP company.