Audiovox Beta PPC5050 shown at 5th Annual Wireless Internet Conference

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/344/C2017/' target='_blank'>http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/344/C2017/</a><br /><br /></div>"The Audiovox prototype of the PPC5050 is a very sleek and feature packed Pocket PC device running Windows Mobile Pocket PC 2003 Phone Edition. This is the successor of last years Audiovox Thera CDMA PDA. The PPC5050 uses Intel's 400MHz Xscale PXA250 Processor and 64MB of RAM. This is enough to run any of the new applications designed for the Pocket PC OS. The device has an integrated GPS receiver giving it that extra functionality. This truly is an all-in-one mobile solution. Bluetooth or Wi-Fi can be added via the SDIO port, and only a mere 7.5 ounces the slim and sexy Audiovox PPC5050 resembles the highly sought-after XDA PDA from the euro manufacturer o2. The device will function on Dual Band 800 MHz CDMA/1900 MHZ PCS for Bell Mobility and Verizon Wireless. Availability will be 4th quarter of 2003."<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/audiovox-ppcphone.jpg" /> <br /><br />Wow, looks like a sweet device! I'm surprised they didn't put Bluetooth in it, but the integrated GPS is cool. 8)

[bjchantry]

It looks like the XDA because it is also made by HTC in Taiwan. I remember seeing the FCC approvals for this back in January and thinking it would be a sweet device, wonder if a GSM version is on the horizon? 8) I like the idea of integrated GPS, no more cables, but it's a pity about the lack of bluetooth for the headset option.

[Yorch]

It actually looks a lot like the CDMA version of the Xda that was posted a while back. Notice that still has the antenna, like the old version. I'm assuming that it wont have the camera like the Xda II. Still, a cool device if it has the GPS built in.

[Jimmy Dodd]

This looks really thick. Is that just an illusion from the photo? I thought the XDAs always looked pretty thin in photos.

[bjchantry]

I am pretty sure when I read the original specs on this device back in January it is exactly the same size as the XDA, I think the shadow on the left side makes it appear to be thicker than it really is. If my memory serves me correctly, the only difference wa a slight difference in the joystick/pad design and the slight protrusion on the upper left area which I understand to be the GPS receiver. Hope this helps.

[powder2000]

Looks like a shadow to me :roll:

[Janak Parekh]

It's indeed the "CDMA XDA". And yes, that's a shadow.

http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/phone.php?id=242

--janak

[entropy1980]

And it looks like it's using WM2003 instead of Audiovox/Toshiba's horrible dialer on the Thera.

[Jimmy Dodd]

I am pretty sure when I read the original specs on this device back in January it is exactly the same size as the XDA, I think the shadow on the left side makes it appear to be thicker than it really is. If my memory serves me correctly, the only difference wa a slight difference in the joystick/pad design and the slight protrusion on the upper left area which I understand to be the GPS receiver. Hope this helps.

Good. I was afraid that the dark grey area was actually part of the device. My eyes are getting old I guess. :)

[quidproquo]

GPS built in!! How cool is that? 8O

[Jason Dunn]

And it looks like it's using WM2003 instead of Audiovox/Toshiba's horrible dialer on the Thera.

Yeah, it's a real Phone Edition OS, not the Thera hack-job. :roll:

[disconnected]

Is that the sort of GPS you can use with Mapopolis, for example, or just the kind that phone companies have to put in so they can locate you in an emergency?

[danmanmayer]

This looks awesome and I am happy to see some more competition in the pocket pc phone market. This looks like it is a sweet device. I am still really happy with my XDA but i want WIFI so bad it hurts. Although i probably helps me to pay more attention in class since i dont have wifi.

[JonathanWardRogers]

I have been waiting sooooo long for a device with built-in GPS! I sure hope it's a full blown receiver!

[Kevin Daly]

Aha! (...steps back and looks sheepish at overreaction).
That's the device that Telecom NZ were showing off at Tech Ed last month.

I wonder what the integrated GPS actually consists of?
(i.e. is it GPS As We Know It?)

[Kevin Daly]

Is that the sort of GPS you can use with Mapopolis, for example, or just the kind that phone companies have to put in so they can locate you in an emergency?

My money would be on the latter.
The earlier piece Janak linked to lists it as "GPS position location", which sounds pretty much like Option Number 2...although I'm not sure that would explain the protrusion. But I know nothing about this.

[Janak Parekh]

My money would be on the latter.
The earlier piece Janak linked to lists it as "GPS position location", which sounds pretty much like Option Number 2...although I'm not sure that would explain the protrusion. But I know nothing about this.
I've gotta agree with your suspicions. Any real GPS has a much larger antenna, right? A lot of the new CDMA devices have this "fake" GPS functionality, and I'd suspect this one is the same.

Moreover, if you look carefully in the display, you'll see a crosshairs with a circle around it -- this is the very symbol they use for this CDMA-based GPS position location. Hopefully you can use a SDIO GPS solution. ;)

--janak

[David Prahl]

I'd give it a 50/50 chance.


:lol:

Couldn't resist that!

[ddevilx2]

If this is the same "GPS" that is on other CDMA phones it's not a true GPS solution that can be used or even accessed as of yet. Many Sprint phones have this GPS and it is nothing more than a tracking device in case of a 911 emergency. People have been trying to hack into the system but so far have come up empty handed.
I'm not saying this is a fact, but it seems many of the new CDMA phones have said GPS capabilities but it is not consumer GPS

[disconnected]

I could only live with something like this if it had two SD slots instead of one. At least for now, the combo cards sound like a bandaid solution. (Not to mention that they'll probably prevent the thing from fitting into most cases while they're installed).

Let's see now -- I use WiFi to synch and install a new version of Mapopolis to my WiFi/storage card. The card is too small for my maps, so I have to use the cradle or a separate card reader to copy them to a larger SD card. Now I'd like to use Mapopolis and the new maps -- oops, the maps and the program are on two different cards --- and I need a third card to provide a bluetooth connection to my external GPS receiver. That's way too complicated.

With two SD slots, this would be easier to manage, by some order of magnitude.

[dochall]

I've gotta agree with your suspicions. Any real GPS has a much larger antenna, right? A lot of the new CDMA devices have this "fake" GPS functionality, and I'd suspect this one is the same.


While it may be 'sub' gps but even if was a real gps it would not necessarily need the large aerial. The Emtac BT GPS doesn't have one. Neither do the Garmin Extrex series.




Edit - to translate into english

[maximus]

Well. GPS or no GPS, I still need a CF slot in my next PPC.
Unless the price of 1G SD cards drop below $200.

[Duncan]

While it may be 'sub' gps but even if was a real gps it would not necessarily need the large aerial. The Emtac BT GPS doesn't have one. Neither do the Garmin Extrex series.

Ummm... as both are specialised devices they both have very large internal arials. The Emtac is virtually 90% arial in itself.

A PPC has a lot more stuff inside leading to rather less space for the sizeable antenna needed.

[ctmagnus]

That's not a shadow, that's an expansion pack!

:mrgreen:

[Charles Pickrell]

I would be very leery of purchasing anything from Audiovox. Their technical support has been very spotty. e550G users were dropped completely and Audiovox said at that time (about 3 months ago) that they would not sell any more Pocket PC based devices at all. Audiovox also said it would offer Pocket PC 2003 upgrades to e550G owners in an interview with PocketPCPDA.com and then never offered the upgrade. If you want a phone that might be orphaned right after it is released, then buy from Audiovox. Otherwise stick to larger players like T-Mobile, Verizon, or HP.

[rlobrecht]

I'm surprised it has a PXA-250. I thought all the new devices had 255's now. I guess it just takes a lot longer to get a phone edition to market.

This will make the second PPCPE that Verizon is to offer.

[microchasm]

GPS built in!! How cool is that? 8O

Has anyone been able to take advantage of the built-in GPS on the Samsung i700?

Probably the same problem with this Audiovox device as far as actually being able to take advantage of the built-in GPS in an application (like Pocket Streets for instance).

[Janak Parekh]

Has anyone been able to take advantage of the built-in GPS on the Samsung i700?
The i700 features the "fake" CDMA GPS location service, and in fact Verizon Wireless hasn't enabled it anyway, so it's a moot point.

--janak