Mexican Pocket PC Alaska from Taiwan

[Andy Sjostrom]

<a href="http://www.alaska.com.mx/pocketpc/">http://www.alaska.com.mx/pocketpc/</a><br /><br />Coming your way, all the way from Mexico, is a Spanish Pocket PC 2002! The Mexican computer integrator, Alaska, is releasing its Pocket PC this week. The device is manufactured by <a href="http://www.fica.com/site/html/products/internet/detail.asp?cat_id=240000053&C_ID=240000055">FIC</a>, Taiwan, and uses an Intel StrongARM 206 MHz processor, 32 MB RAM and a CF-II. Sweet list price of about $399!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/alaska_01.gif" />

[JMountford]

Kinda Ugly....

Do we realy need another 206 machine?

[Marc Zimmermann]

The device is manufactured by FIC (http://www.fica.com/site/html/products/internet/detail.asp?cat_id=240000053&C_ID=240000055) [...]

Interesting. From the first look, I would have said Compal, the maker of the @migo. The speaker holes have some striking similarity.

[tw]

Compal changed the speaker design.

Compare the Toshiba e310, e740 and the new Acer Pocket PCs. They are all made by Compal.

[ThomasC22]

OK, here is my question...

Does any PocketPC manufacturer want to, oh I don't know, design a device that DOESN'T have the exact same configuration as all the rest?!?!?

Sorry, but it is getting a bit annoying. Same joy pad, same slots (roughly), etc...

Is anyone even thinking about design anymore? Or are they just copying the iPaq?

[Captain Obvious]

Is anyone even thinking about design anymore? Or are they just copying the iPaq?

Yes, they are all just copying the iPaq.....but the iPaq certainly isn't a good device to copy. :?

Even Casio dropped their awesome button layout from the E-125/EM-500 and went with a centered d-pad. Here's hoping the next Casio device will have an EM-500 style button layout.....fingers crossed.

[Will T Smith]

2 or 3 million 8? :-)

[jkieffer72]

My spanish is not so good; but this looks like a (fairly) unique feature:

Entrada de corriente (CD IN Jack)

An audio input?

I say fairly unique; because I do recall seeing something about a European company specially modifying Ipaqs to include this feature. Price was very high though!

At a $400 price point; this could be very cool. Wonder if they will have an English language version; or if it is stricktly Espanol...

[Robotbeat]

I get upset every time a new Pocket PC comes out without a simple audio-in jack. How hard is it really?

But really, for 4,000 pesos (=400 US dollars), you can buy a PC, and you need a PC to really get the most use out of a Pocket PC... (But thanks everyone who provides CAB files for direct download for their programs off the internet for Pocket PC!)

I just got back from a missions trip in Puebla, Mexico. I wouldn't like living there as opposed to in the States, but I'd probably get used to it...

[draiken]

Well, about the "unique" feature... its the DC-In, the AC-Adapter, the Power Juice Input... so, sorry to dissapoint...

Since here in Mexico the HP 568 sells for about $700US, I believe this is great, because a local manufacturer (even if they make an ugly device) will drive prices down, also, it will increase availability.

Here you can only get:
Jornada 545/548, and 568 (500 and 700 USD respectively)
iPaq 36xx 37xx and some 38xx (this also very expensive)
In some stores you could find the Casio's
Not a single Toshiba or Acer PocketPC

I think it's great to have local companies offer this devices, since the PDA in most of Latin America is considered a "toy" for "executives".
The market is booming, I think the local cell companies are finally going to offer CDMA modem access for the PDA (still no solid info on the cost... but pretty expensive) sales are going up, but on old devices like the HP 525 (about 5-6 guys here in the office have those) and 548s and obviously palm devices mostly m505 and Vx. Still to spend 700 bucks on a 400 device is still way to much, I personally buy my pocketpc's on the US, and bring them back, but warranty and support are very difficult to get.

This is the first step, maybe more models will be offered, and design will be improved... we'll have to see