[jlp]

Originally Posted by Doug Raeburn

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The biggest news about the latest generation of Pocket PCs is the introduction of Windows Mobile 2005, the newest iteration of the OS for Pocket PCs and Smartphones. For those of you who aren't aware of the key features of this new release, the most significant change is the implementation of persistent storage.

Persistent storage was ALWAYS there. The use of it exclusively for storage of every file (apps and data) is new.

However running anything from ROM slows things down quite a bit. On my Axim X5 when I run apps and data located in RAM, switching from one program to the next (using GigaBar) is instantaneous; however when I launch another app from ROM, switching between apps takes up to 7 seconds, and still average 4 seconds, EVEN between the apps that launched from RAM!!!

Originally Posted by Doug Raeburn

Previous generations of Pocket PCs use RAM both for primary data storage and program execution. Although memory cards and built-in file stores provide some options for more permanent storage, the My Documents folder as well as the system databases that contain calendar and contact information are in RAM. Since RAM is volatile storage, a loss of power (dead batteries, for example) results in the loss of the contents of the RAM, including the documents and databases described above.

That's the biggest deception from those stupid MS engineers (mind you I'm NOT an MS basher, but a stupidity basher 8)) ROM is up to 10 times slower. And one can install a program that automatically backs up your data when power goes under a user defined level. That should be included as a standard feature. I seem to recall the first ipaq generation had such an automatic backup of calendar and contacts to ROM at every soft boot; modifying such program to backup data at some fixed interval could be very easy; for example at midnight when the system already wakes up to roll recurring appointments.

But most importantly, EVERY battery manufacturer recommend battery level to be topped at all time.

So this persistent storage argument is a) moot, b) totally unefficient and counter productive (and needless to say irritating; I quickly close* programs I run from ROM as soon as I'm thru with them) as far as lower performance in everyday life is concerned, which is the worst.

Originally Posted by Doug Raeburn

Also, the RAM needs to be refreshed at all times, even when the unit is "turned off", which further drains the battery.

Read above. Automatic backup is a better solution.

Originally Posted by Doug Raeburn

Many owners weren't aware of the consequences of this design, and would leave their Pocket PC in a briefcase while on vacation only to find a "dead" unit and lost data when they got back.

RTFM :twisted:.

Originally Posted by Doug Raeburn

Windows Mobile 2005 units eliminate these potential problems by using flash ROM for permanent storage (documents, installed software and system databases), leaving RAM for program execution and open documents. If your batteries run dry, you'd lose at most any unsaved documents, since flash ROM is persistent storage that doesn't require constant power. The lower power requirements of this design also results in improved battery life.

So how come the battery life for this unit is only 3 hours vs. 12 for the PL 720?!!

Originally Posted by Doug Raeburn

Windows Mobile 2005 also provides some major interface changes. Taking a page from Windows Smartphones, WM 2005 Pocket PCs are designed for better "one-handed" operation through the introduction of soft keys, which are two keys on the bottom of the screen that are large enough to be easily pressed with your fingers.

Tell me how you can hold the device firmly in your hand resting on your palm with thumb and fingers wrapping on both sides and hit the soft keys with the same hand; with earthling fingers that is 0X. This is ok for smartphones which are MUCH smaller. I wish these stupid MS engineers left the choice to users to choose between which interface to use.

Originally Posted by Doug Raeburn

I didn't perform a test to determine how long it takes to drain the battery; instead I monitored battery performance during common usage. With the processor on automatic and the backlight about ¾ up the scale, I found that after reading an e-book for one hour, the battery level would be at around 75%. Since the battery can be drained almost completely on WM 2005 units before the battery needs to be recharged, I would expect a life of around three hours under these conditions, which is about average performance in my experience.

THREE hours battery life :evil:, and you say battery life improved with WiMp 5.0?! 8O Last time I checked the definition of the word improvement in my dictionary it meant something opposite to what you imply :devilboy:.

Thanks for taking the time to test the beast anyway :wink:.

The more I think about it the more I see I will NEVER touch a WiMp5 device, even with a 10 ft pole :twisted:.


*=and don't even get me started on why those MS engineers are deaf, arrogant and stupid concerning the missing Close functionality REQUIRED to pass the Designed for WM label 0X.