Windows CE. NET based Clamshell Sigmarion III at $599

[Andy Sjostrom]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.dynamism.com/sig3/' target='_blank'>http://www.dynamism.com/sig3/</a><br /><br /></div>Sigmarion III is a clamshell Windows CE .NET device with a quite nice specification sheet! $599 will buy you a 400 MHz, 5" TFT 800x480, 64 MB RAM, 72 key keyboard supporting CF Type II, SD and MMC. Not bad at all. If Pocket PCs are too small, laptops and tablet PCs too big, then this might be just right! If you are a developer looking for a "same but different" form factor for your corporate account and still need to stay with Visual Studio .NET, the Sigmarion III looks very interesting!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/sig_01.jpg" />

[Jonathan1]

I thought we learned already that devices like this are doomed to niche market due to them sitting between a full sized device and something that is pocketable? :?:

[ChuckyRose]

From the website it appears that this device is not just another HPC. It's wireless. There is a phone built into the device. And if it's got what I think it has, it's got 3G technology built in. How many would want something like this if it has broad-band connectivity built in with nationwide service and long battery life? While this specific device's phone service will not work outside Japan, I could imagine something like this being useful to a 3G North America or Europe. It's quick, fast, not too big and has a phone built in. Sounds neat to me. But then again, I'm a gadget geek looking for an excuse to upgrade to 3G. (c; :wink:

[mv]

I like it... but a bigger screen would be nice... 8", maybe? I think it fits...

[Jimmy Dodd]

Note that the cell phone functionality of the unit will not be operable within the United States.

Bummer! So much for that.

[Andy Roberts]

Bigger screen?
How about a netbook pro then (roughly under 9 inches).
128 Mb Ram

[Perry Reed]

I like it! I still use my old Jornada 820, and I love the form factor. And with a cell phone, too? Needs Bluetooth so I don't have to lug it out to make calls, but that could be remedied by a CF card...

Actually, what I'm really hoping for is a nice small (sub-notebook size or even smaller) Tablet PC with cell phone capability (and Bluetooth and 802.11) built-in. Acer has a pretty small Tablet that's close to what I want. Maybe with the new version of the Tablet PC OS coming out next year, someone will build the machine I want.

[Thinkingmandavid]

BIGGER SCREEN Fujitsu p1000 8.9 screen running xp

[cgavula]

BIGGER SCREEN Fujitsu p1000 8.9 screen running xp

Yeah - at twice the price....

[Venturello]

You mean, VISUAL STUDIO WILL RUN IN THIS THING????

I had no idea... are you sure? MSDN will also run?

Wow... no doubt interesting.

(pricewise, a comparable size laptop is much more attractive featurewise but like 4x the price, so this is good)

[ShivShanks]

You mean, VISUAL STUDIO WILL RUN IN THIS THING????
I had no idea... are you sure? MSDN will also run?


What?! As far as I know Visual Studio does not run on Windows CE. Of course applications developed for CE using it can run on CE. I really don't know what was meant by the original post ... Perhaps he meant the .Net Framework runs on it? Or perhaps he means you could Terminal Service into another machine running VS. I was also wondering just what the heck was meant by that.

[WirelessJunkie]

... And trying to code on such a small screen would be a bloody pain 8O Moreover, try to install VS2003 ! You need a damn big CF ! Well on the other side i'm still locking for an ultra portable laptop that can run Visual Studio but not as pricey as the lovely Vaio TR1MP or TR2MP :roll: Any idea ?

[Jimmy Dodd]

You mean, VISUAL STUDIO WILL RUN IN THIS THING????

I had no idea... are you sure? MSDN will also run?

Wow... no doubt interesting.

(pricewise, a comparable size laptop is much more attractive featurewise but like 4x the price, so this is good)

No. I think he was trying to say if you need to stay with VS.NET as a development environment you can use it to develop FOR this device, not ON it. Studio does not run on CE.NET, although you can use it to write for CE.NET.

[doctorc]

can someone please direct me to a resource or explain key differences between ce.net 4.1 &amp; ppc 2003?

[Floodguy]

Hi Guys,

I have this device now for a few months and I want to makes something
clear here:

1. this device has no buildin cell phone or similiar capacities

2. To use it wireless you'll need cards, or adapters etc. for WiFi, Bluetooth,
etc.
I think the misunderstanding comes from the fact, that the SIG III is sold in Japan with a so callled "PHS Card", which provides 64kps and endless use for only 4800YEN fee/month. It has also support for the 3G cell phone called FOMA (WCDMA??) which provides 384kps down/64kps up-load.

3. I use Visual Studio 2003 and the compact framework to develop apps for this device and there run actually very well. There's also a runtime support out from Microsoft, that let on use their PocketPC 2002 eVB apps run under this device(and PPC2003 too). Check here: www.devbuzz.com and here www.pocketpcdn.com.

This is actually a very good machine, and the cost/performance is excellent. And I'm able to use remote desktop(included) to connect to my
home desktops. Another good piece of software is this Picsel viewer, which lets you view PDF-files too (not that ebooks ones yet).

Greetings
:D

ups forgot:

- Battery is very good
- if you feel that the screen font is to small, you can change this. There are four different sizes available.

[sau3a1]

Actually, I'm using this devise now.
This gaget and remote desktop are very good conbination.
I can't live without it now.
I'm very happy with it. However it is because I am a Japanese.

According to DoCoMo, it has masked ROM, and can't upgrade its OS.
I have no idea how Dynamist cound change system language into English...

If there is a way, ask your Japanese frined to get one.
To buy new one costs 39800 Yen in Japan, around $360.
Also, ask them to get USB mini A to Type A female cable.
Sigmarion 3 has two USB jacks, one is USB mini B for Sync, and
the other is Mini A for USB Host. There are not a lot of drivers available to
WinCE.Net, but at least I can use mouse, USB memory, and few USB-Serial Converter.
Some guys reported they could use USB floppy and MO drive.

[sau3a1]

Sigmarion 3 may not allow you to install HPC software because the OS version is different.
But there is a way. Simply, edit cabinet files by using binary editors.
Change the first 11 0A to 20 07. Then you can install some software for
StrongArm based HPC (Jornada 7XX)

Currently, I am using HPC note, MobiPocket, SpreadCE (Exel), and more!
You may also use dummy dll to run software for PocketPC.

I was hoping I could use TextMaker, but it is the only one I tried but can't run on it...
Too bad

[powder2000]

I actually emailed dynamism.com and received a response stating that they already have a working english version that will be ready in a week or so. I am very tempted by this device as the closest thing is an NEC mobilepro 900 at $900. A really good deal would be to be able to flash the rom with the English version yourself. This would allow you to get the japanese version at the above mentioned price. I like it.

[SoftMaker]

I was hoping I could use TextMaker, but it is the only one I tried but can't run on it...
Too bad
Hmm, care to tell me what exactly happened when you launched TextMaker?

You did try the HPC version of TextMaker, not the Pocket PC one, right?

Martin Kotulla
SoftMaker Software GmbH

[Floodguy]

I was hoping I could use TextMaker, but it is the only one I tried but can't run on it...
Too bad
Hmm, care to tell me what exactly happened when you launched TextMaker?

You did try the HPC version of TextMaker, not the Pocket PC one, right?

Martin Kotulla
SoftMaker Software GmbH

Hi Martin,
actually the installer reports that the processor is not supported and stops the installation.
The same happens if I copy the cab-file to the device. NEC the maker of the device states that the cpu-id is ARMV4I. With VS2003 I was able to use also ARMV4 and ARMV4T cabs.
It doesn't matter if I use the HPC or the PPC2003 cabs.
:?

--------------------

For playing games have a look at www.WinCeSoft.de. They providing a GAPI for SIG3. Also, there is a version of Morphgear out, that runs on the SIG3 www.morphgear.com.
:D

[SoftMaker]

I was hoping I could use TextMaker, but it is the only one I tried but can't run on it...
Too bad
Hmm, care to tell me what exactly happened when you launched TextMaker?

You did try the HPC version of TextMaker, not the Pocket PC one, right?

Martin Kotulla
SoftMaker Software GmbH

Hi Martin,
actually the installer reports that the processor is not supported and stops the installation.
The same happens if I copy the cab-file to the device. NEC the maker of the device states that the cpu-id is ARMV4I. With VS2003 I was able to use also ARMV4 and ARMV4T cabs.
It doesn't matter if I use the HPC or the PPC2003 cabs.
:?

--------------------

For playing games have a look at www.WinCeSoft.de. They providing a GAPI for SIG3. Also, there is a version of Morphgear out, that runs on the SIG3 www.morphgear.com.
:D

Would you know the CPU ID of this device? I.E., the dwProcessorType that is returned by the RAPI function CeGetSystemInfo? PROCESSOR_STRONGARM, PROCESSOR_ARM720, PROCESSOR_ARM820, and PROCESSOR_ARM920 are mapped by our setup program to the ARM binaries.

Also, you can unzip the downloaded EXE file for TextMaker manually and move both the contents of the common\ and the arm\ folder to a joint folder on the Sigmarion and then execute TextMaker on the device. 'Twould be interesting to hear if you get it to run this way

As always: Only the HPC version of TextMaker would be suitable.

Martin Kotulla
SoftMaker Software GmbH