MiTAC Mio 528 Reviewed

[Jason Dunn]

<a href="http://www.ppcsg.com/pages.php?page=MiTAC+Mio+528">http://www.ppcsg.com/pages.php?page=MiTAC+Mio+528</a><br /><br />This is the first time I've seen a production-level MiTAC device reviewed. I got a chance to see their devices in person earlier this year at CeBIT, and this device was incredibly thin. And now that I think about it, it looks a lot like the new Viewsonic V35. Hmm.<br /><br />"Until recently, the Pocket PC scene has been largely dominated by players such as Hewlett-Packard, Toshiba and Casio. As Pocket PCs are getting popular, more and more manufacturers such as Fujitsu, O2, NEC, ASUS and MiTAC are jumping onto the bandwagon. The recent COMEX 2002 show in Singapore is a good indication of the things to expect at the Pocket PC camp. This is definitely one of the better COMEX shows to date with many Pocket PC manufacturers showcasing their devices. <br /><br />Thanks to Gennett Technologies, the distributor for the MiTAC Mio 528 Pocket PC, PPCSG takes a look at the Mio 528. The Mio is similar to Toshiba e310 and NEC MobilePro 300E in terms of specification and pricing. So how does the Mio stack up to the competition?"

[Boxster S]

This is the first time I've seen a production-level MiTAC device reviewed. I got a chance to see their devices in person earlier this year at CeBIT, and this device was incredibly thin. And now that I think about it, it looks a lot like the new Viewsonic V35. Hmm.


Ummm, did you forget your glasses?? :lol: This thing looks NOTHING like a V35.

1) The V35 has a directional pad and 4 buttons, this just has 4 buttons
2) The V35's headphone jack is on the left side, it's at the top for this one
3) The V35 doesn't have a removeable battery, this one does
4) The V35 uses a 300MHz X-Scale, this one uses a 206MHz StrongARM
5) They look NOTHING alike:)

[heov]

I don't think a removable battery and processor have anything with the looks... I think he pretty much meant the size and jog dial; which is kinda broad. Cause then it also looks like an e310 and the new packard bell one; infact it looks more like the PB one than anything else...

[mmidgley]

According to the review, the unit is 799SGD. If I've done the conversion correctly:

800 Singapore Dollar = 453.90 US Dollar

That is grossly overpriced compared to the elusive Dell or Viewsonic devices. The only thing the Mio has that I'm not aware of these others having is an expansion connector for adding sleeves, and with the things its lacking, it would need to sell for &lt; US$200 to make sense.

m.

[vincentsiaw]

man how to play game without multi directional pad? especially if you are playing game like doom ce....

[heov]

man how to play game without multi directional pad? especially if you are playing game like doom ce....

hmm... never used a jornada 540 series, eh?
It's really quite good; you use the jog dial as up and down, and the two left buttons as left and right. It's easily controllable by using your left index finger to control the jog dial and useing you left thumb to control the left and right; then you use your other thumb and the other two buttons as the action ones. I'd rather have that setup than a center joypad... but of course, having the joybad on the left side is the best....

Anyway, this is comparable to the Zayo/Asus a600 which sells for 450... I actually think it's a pretty good price; I also think the VS and Dell are awesome! Remember, only View Sonic and Dell are this cheap, and they aren't even shipping yet; so we'll have to wait and see how things turn out...

[ThomasC22]

I think one of the down sides of the PocketPC industry gaining momentum is that we're now getting a bunch of "adds nothing new" alsorans.

This is probably a good device for what ever markets MiTAC usually sells to, I just think that we as PPC fans have to start accepting that the time when every device added a new and interesting feature to the mix, is probably over.

[Anthony Caruana]

I think one of the down sides of the PocketPC industry gaining momentum is that we're now getting a bunch of "adds nothing new" alsorans.

This is classic market behaviour. New market gets established -> prices high as early adopters move in -> bang for buck improves and devices get more features and stay price neutral -> market grows -> new players enter with little technical innovation but better prices (eg Dell, Viewsonic).

The problem with the Mitac device is that is will be competing with other new vendors in the PPC market but they are not, based on the current pricing, not going head to head on price.

You're right about the lack of innovation in the devices though. However, I have a feeling that the "big" changes in PPC design and functon are likely to be incremental. Screen technology is pretty good at the moment, the PPC OS is unlikely, IMHO, to undergo substantial change (like the change from Palm size PC to Pocket PC) and CPU technology will continue to improve as per Moores Law. I doubt that we are going to see quantum chnages in the technologies in devices for the next couple of years.

I think that the real innovation will come from how the devices are used and not from manufacturers/OEMs

Just my $0.02

[tw]

This Mitac is sold as "Yakumo PDA alpha" in Germany by the Vobis retail chain since two or three months for €444.

[ThomasC22]

The problem with the Mitac device is that is will be competing with other new vendors in the PPC market but they are not, based on the current pricing, not going head to head on price.



Well, my theory here is that MiTac is not going to be competing at all. I don't think this device will ever make it to the US, they probably market only to certain countries that don't have PPCs yet.

Although Germany is pretty Technology oriented so I don't know...

[tw]

The reason they could sell a few here in Germany is that in general Pocket PCs are much more expensive here than in the US and €444 was quite cheap in the past weeks. But recently the prices for a number of PPCs like e310, e740, iPaq 39xx etc. dropped so I doubt that they can keep selling it for that price for long.