Geekzone Reviews Toshiba e800

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=2178' target='_blank'>http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.a...?contentid=2178</a><br /><br /></div>"The Toshiba e800 is the first handheld computer running Windows Mobile Pocket PC OS that supports a large 4" TFT LCD screen in comparison with a more standard 3.5" screen. It also supports VGA resolution (480 x 640 pixels), when the current standard is QVGA resolution of 320 x 240 pixels. To manage the graphics area Toshiba has incorporated a ATI Graphics Controller with 2 MB of internal video memory. The screen is probable one of the brightest one I've seen. Announced at the same time that the e400 this Pocket is a little bigger that its sibling, incorporating more CPU power, memory and even wi-fi..."

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

Must resist... must resist... must be happy w/ my 2215... toshiba is a bad vendor... must wait for next WM version...

UGH!!

[ctmagnus]

My, Jawbreaker looks interesting at 480x640!

[Janak Parekh]

My, Jawbreaker looks interesting at 480x640!
It's huge. My eyes start going crazy. My coworker is a Jawbreaker addict and he broke his highest score from his 2210 with my e805 in about 5 minutes. ;)

--janak

[Fishie]

Must resist temptation.

[Jonathon Watkins]

Let's all join the resisting together. Repeat with me –
"I will wait for a device that officially supports the PPC2004 release with VGA.”

Must – resist – can’t – be – much – longer – surely????

[Janak Parekh]

Must – resist – can’t – be – much – longer – surely????
Yeah, it's tough. I lost. ;)

--janak

[Jonathon Watkins]

Oh goodie, DO let us know how you get on. :? :lol:

Seriously, do indeed tell us what you think of it. I have decided to wait for the new, official hardware. I can wait. :?: I will wait! :!: :twisted:

[Janak Parekh]

Seriously, do indeed tell us what you think of it.
Since I don't have energy for a 9,000 word review, here's the short version:

- Screen is amazing. Mind-blowingly so. I personally don't find 480x640 too small for daily use. Most applications run fine in that configuration, although some don't fully use the resolution. ClearType is insane at 480x640. Landscape is convenient, although it isn't at the screen's optimal viewing angle.
- Case is mediocre. Plastic looks nice, but it's a bit slicker than I'd like, and fingerprints show up.
- Buttons are terrible. Worst buttons on a Pocket PC I've owned yet. On the other hand, it has the rocker on the side, which is very handy.
- Stylus is very mediocre as well. It's telescoping, which is fine, but the tip is much larger than it has to be.
- Performance is quite good. PIE is still slow IMHO, but overall the unit is very snappy.
- It's fantastic having 160M of memory (128M is the "standard" RAM, plus a 32M flash disk).
- Integrated WiFi works very well, range is good (I'd guess better than e740 but I haven't tested them side-by-side).
- Battery life is average. I'd guess probably about 5 hours without WiFi on at "automatic" brightness (scales with battery life). I might get the extended battery.

I bought the device because I wanted the 480x640 display for reading material in RepliGo, Acrobat, Palm Reader and Microsoft Reader. It hasn't failed me there. :way to go:

--janak

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

Since I don't have energy for a 9,000 word review, here's the short version:
...
I bought the device because I wanted the 480x640 display for reading material in RepliGo, Acrobat, Palm Reader and Microsoft Reader. It hasn't failed me there. :way to go:

--janak
Uggghhhhh!!!!

You ain't helpin' me Janak!! The resolution combined with the 4" screen is KILLING me!!

[Janak Parekh]

You ain't helpin' me Janak!! The resolution combined with the 4" screen is KILLING me!!
:lol: OK, I won't say any more... ;)

--janak

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

You ain't helpin' me Janak!! The resolution combined with the 4" screen is KILLING me!!
:lol: OK, I won't say any more... ;)

--janak
You see, now you're just teasing me... the damage has already been done...

Soooo.... do you find the unit to be any more bulky than the iPaq 38xx series?

[Fishie]

I lost my Ipaq 2215 while returning from Japan, it happened somewhere between Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris and my place in Belgium.
I have been making do with my TungstenE wich I bought as a back up to have some data with me just in case and yeah high res is sweet and super high res on 4 inch screen coupled with winmobileOS must be special.
Dont have the cash right now but once payments for my articles will come in mid and end february I will have cash to spare on my 15th or so PDA in 5 years.
I want it aaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh.

[Janak Parekh]

Soooo.... do you find the unit to be any more bulky than the iPaq 38xx series?
Do you really want me to answer that question? :lol:

Just a bit wider and taller. That's really about it. Still fits in my shirt pocket, although it protrudes slightly at the top (mind you, I almost never carry it that way). If you're used to the 38xx's size (especially with a CF+ sleeve, like I used to) I don't think it'd bother you.

--janak

[Fishie]

Im still drooling over the Sigmario3 as well, thinking of getting a refurbished one from Japan for less then 300$ and trying to flash it to English language CE.net
the 5.1inch WVGA screen(800by480) on that one is really something special

[Janak Parekh]

Im still drooling over the Sigmario3 as well, thinking of getting a refurbished one from Japan for less then 300$ and trying to flash it to English language CE.net
the 5.1inch WVGA screen(800by480) on that one is really something special
Right, just like the NEXiO's screen. The reason I don't do that, expense aside, would be the implicit frustration of having an ultimate communications device without a network to use it on. ;)

--janak

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

Soooo.... do you find the unit to be any more bulky than the iPaq 38xx series?
Do you really want me to answer that question? :lol:

Just a bit wider and taller. That's really about it. Still fits in my shirt pocket, although it protrudes slightly at the top (mind you, I almost never carry it that way). If you're used to the 38xx's size (especially with a CF+ sleeve, like I used to) I don't think it'd bother you.
:|

ugh... any stability issues or software compatibility issues?

[Janak Parekh]

ugh... stability? Any stability issues or software compatibility issues?
Not yet -- switching resolutions requires a soft reset, but that's non-problematic. I'm not using it for alarms, though. I haven't had to soft-reset for any other reason. Note: I'm primarily using it for reader apps and a little bit of PIE when I have a wireless connection -- I have very little 3rd party programs installed (RepliGo, Palm Reader, AvantGo, SimCity, Pocket Plus, maybe one or two other things, that's it). Next up is to try PockeTTY on the device -- I'm hoping to get an 80x25 display or better...

--janak

[Kati Compton]

Hehehehehe. Janak - are you trying to tempt ekkie? :twisted: You really should stop going into detail if you want to save ekkie's wallet...

[Janak Parekh]

Hehehehehe. Janak - are you trying to tempt ekkie? :twisted: You really should stop going into detail if you want to save ekkie's wallet...
Hey! He's the one asking. I offered to stop. :razzing: I can delete this thread if ekkie wishes.

--janak

[Fishie]

ugh... stability? Any stability issues or software compatibility issues?
Not yet -- switching resolutions requires a soft reset, but that's non-problematic. I'm not using it for alarms, though. I haven't had to soft-reset for any other reason. Note: I'm primarily using it for reader apps and a little bit of PIE when I have a wireless connection -- I have very little 3rd party programs installed (RepliGo, Palm Reader, AvantGo, SimCity, Pocket Plus, maybe one or two other things, that's it). Next up is to try PockeTTY on the device -- I'm hoping to get an 80x25 display or better...

--janak

Hey you can still use wifi and bleutooth cards, the only part you cant use on the Sigmarion3 is the NTT DoCoMo cellphone part and at 300$ its an insane deal regardless.
Just look at the price they charge for a flashed device in the US

[Fishie]

Oops, quoted the wrong person, this one is with regards to Janekh off course.

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

Hehehehehe. Janak - are you trying to tempt ekkie? :twisted: You really should stop going into detail if you want to save ekkie's wallet...
Hey! He's the one asking. I offered to stop. :razzing: I can delete this thread if ekkie wishes. :?
At this point, the only thing saving me is the fact that the device isn't available in any nearby stores... and I can't order online b/c I'm about to leave town for 3 weeks of vacation...

I do appreciate both of your humanitarian considerations though...

[Jonathon Watkins]

I do appreciate both of your humanitarian considerations though...

They are just trying to save you from yourself ekkie! :wink:

I had to think about it seriously myself - and decided to wait. The newer toys will put this PPC in the shade. Newer ones always do. :? And they will do it without resorting to 3 different hacks to make it work!

[Janak Parekh]

I had to think about it serisouly myself - and decided to wait. The newer toys will put this PPC in the shade. Newer ones always do. :? And they will do it without resorting to 3 differnt hacks to make it work!
Two hacks, but point taken. :lol: And not a bad choice...

--janak

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

I had to think about it seriously myself - and decided to wait. The newer toys will put this PPC in the shade. Newer ones always do. :? And they will do it without resorting to 3 different hacks to make it work!
True. The lynchpin on this e800 for me though is the screen size.

There's just no guarantee that there will be a WM2004 device with this kind of screen! Of course, I could wait it out and if I find there are no 2004 devices to my liking, I could always try to buy this device for a cheaper price by then...

Of course, if that logic always prevailed with me, I'd have spent a lot less money on gadgets! :roll:

[Janak Parekh]

There's just no guarantee that there will be a WM2004 device with this kind of screen!
I'd be very surprised if Toshiba doesn't update the e805 or release a comparable unit for WM2004... so I don't think you'll lose by waiting. 8)

--janak

[Jonathon Watkins]

I'd be very surprised if Toshiba doesn't update the e805 or release a comparable unit for WM2004

Well, would it be bad form to mention Toshiba's pervious history..........? :?

I believe that they may release a 'true' WM2004 device, orphaning the e805. The best case is that they release a WM2004 update for the e805, but it will probably be month afterwards, while the true Wm2004 device will bring other goodies to the table (increased CPU etc.)

... so I don't think you'll lose by waiting.

Agreed – for me – for now! :)

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

There's just no guarantee that there will be a WM2004 device with this kind of screen!
I'd be very surprised if Toshiba doesn't update the e805 or release a comparable unit for WM2004... so I don't think you'll lose by waiting. 8)
Nothing to lose except that I have to continue watching videos/movies on a 3.5" screen. :cry:

If WM2004 comes out soon, then I'm sure Toshiba would have to provide some sort of update. If WM2004 is delayed and becomes WM2005, I wouldn't feel so confident.

[Jonathon Watkins]

...I'm sure Toshiba would have to provide some sort of update.

Why are you so sure? I am not. Look at thier past history. :|

This is not being unfair, just realistic. They have done it once before - they could do it again. :?

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

Why are you so sure? I am not. Look at thier past history. :|

This is not being unfair, just realistic. They have done it once before - they could do it again. :?
That's why I was saying IF the next WM version gets delayed, I wouldn't be confident of an update... but if an update were to come out relatively soon, I think Toshiba would HAVE to support it considering the short timeframe from the original launch of the e800 to the launch of the new OS. Also consider the fact that this is their high-end PDA priced at $600USD. I don't think they'll feel the same obligation for their lower-end PDAs where only the common consumer would be impacted. The e800 is targeted at their corporate clients and their decisions could have a much greater / much more obvious impact to their bottom line. So I think they'd be in a position where they'd have to support this product, not so much b/c of moral reasons but for very obvious business reasons which they couldn't afford to ignore.