If you haven't seen it yet, the i-mate SP5 is the first Windows Mobile 5.0 smartphone on the market. It was released in the UK last month, and will be appearing in the US within a few days (provided you can get an order placed – UK supplies sold out almost immediately for the first few shipments).

Here’s a shot of the sucker:

The skinny, aside from running Windows Mobile 5.0, is that it’s a quad-band device, has 64MB of RAM, 64MB of ROM, a QVGA screen (higher DPI), all the usual trimmings, and 802.11B support.

It’s nice.

I placed an order with Expansys, but it didn’t go anywhere. I got an email from them saying that they had to update the price in dollars (the original was in British pounds). I shot an email back saying, “OK.” Then…

Nothing.

A few days went by, and I watched inventory dwindle. When I placed the order, the estimated shipping date was one day. It has since fluctuated between 4 days and, yes, 43.

Never got an email back.

As an American, this is a strange position to be in. We’re used to getting our behinds kissed by companies that want our business. If we’re willing to give someone a few hundred dollars, then they’re usually willing to give us a little bit of their time for it.

However, here, there was no response. Major disappointment.

I finally wrote back to say that I’d like my order cancelled. The great bit is that I got an email back within about three minutes saying, “OK.”

What kind of a business ignores customers offering money, but responds quickly to the ones who’ve decided to shop elsewhere?

It was also a bit of culture shock. I expected the typical ‘Merican, “We’re so sorry, please have your phone with free shipping and a fifty dollar gift card for Williams & Sonoma” response, but instead I just got dropped.

It’s funny how different cultures can be.

Anyway, I’ll be picking one up from a shop in the states as soon as possible. I’m bummed that I’m going to have to wait, but these things happen…