Asus A730 Coming, With VGA Screen?

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pocketpctools.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid2=747' target='_blank'>http://www.pocketpctools.com/module...rticle&sid2=747</a><br /><br /></div>Pocket PC enthusiast DanielTS noted, on a <a href="http://discussion.brighthand.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=101369">Brighthand thread</a>, that <a href="http://www.neteconomie.com/perl/navig.pl/neteconomie/infos/article/20040226183536">an interview</a> with the marketing director of ASUS France suggests that an A730, with a VGA resolution screen and integrated camera, will be hitting the market this summer. Is this the first hint of more VGA-enabled Pocket PCs to come? 8)

[yslee]

*chants* keyboard keyboard keyboard keyboard keyboard

*thinks for a moment*

no brick no brick no brick no brick no brick no brick no brick

Seriously, I wonder how big and heavy this will be? I mean, the MPx already had people commenting how big/heavy it would be to carry it around.

[Partita]

holly molly, a camera too? They say it will have 3D accelerator. (beside dualslots/dual wireles)

My next question: Does it come with Wasabi dispenser too?

[Partita]

Seriously, I wonder how big and heavy this will be? I mean, the MPx already had people commenting how big/heavy it would be to carry it around.

no way, mpx is smaller than any current PPC, slightly thicker but definitely shorter/not as wide. (smaller footprint)
see the movie here.
http://mpx.ruttensoft.com/

[arnage2]

i hope the 730 has dual wireless.

[Jason Dunn]

Seriously, I wonder how big and heavy this will be? I mean, the MPx already had people commenting how big/heavy it would be to carry it around.

We're posting some video links soon, and based on what I saw, it's the furthest thing from big and heavy...it looks TINY!

[yslee]

But.. does it have a thumbboard of some kind? If it's anything like the XDA/XDAII/iPAQ 6300/Antek-whathaveyou, I'll pass.

[sponge]

Here's a quote from the ProPortable people, they have pretty high connections in ASUS:

"The 730 is a planned model from Asus. Nothing is supposed to be released yet because it doesn't exist. It will, most likely come in June/July however. The 730, although the name suggests it, is not a new model to replace the 716 which comes out in the next couple days. The 730 is going to be basically the 716, same size, weight, features, but will have a VGA screen. The cost is going to be about another $100, which makes this really like another option --- Like I said earlier, something for every budget. There is no way that this is the size of the a620 and nor is the price going to be anywhere near the 716, it's impossible.

Also, there is not supposed to be a new version of windows mobile coming out. There is supposed to be an UPDATE which will better support VGA screens, but that is all that Asus is tell me."

http://www.pocketmatrix.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15365

[Ben Stark]

The real question is: How fast is the processor? Unless it's over 800MHz, there will be no reason to upgrade from the e805.

[sponge]

I don't think you'd be upgrading from the e805 to this one. But with the Asus, you get the absolute top of the line performance, especially in gaming (don't know how the video performance would be compared to the Imageon - to think it did something for once)

[arnage2]

the new xscales will be 540mhz and 420mhz, no 800 or 1ghz in site

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

the new xscales will be 540mhz and 420mhz, no 800 or 1ghz in site
I would think that the graphics processor and available graphics caching memory will more important than the CPU speed with the increase in resolution.

[Partita]

The real question is: How fast is the processor? Unless it's over 800MHz, there will be no reason to upgrade from the e805.

I thought Bulverde won't come out until a bit later in the year? June seems awefully early to me. But I can only hope.

[Ben Stark]

the new xscales will be 540mhz and 420mhz, no 800 or 1ghz in site
I would think that the graphics processor and available graphics caching memory will more important than the CPU speed with the increase in resolution.

We need both IMO.

10 MB of internal dedicated graphics memory on a blazing 2D/3D chip and a 1 GHz main processor would finally take PPC into the realm of near desktop/laptop performance.

[jizmo]

If it really has a VGA display, the screen size should be 4" or atleast 3,8". At 3,5" normal sized fonts would look like fly droppings.

I'm getting a headache just thinking of reading the text :|

/jizmo

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

I would think that the graphics processor and available graphics caching memory will more important than the CPU speed with the increase in resolution.

We need both IMO.

10 MB of internal dedicated graphics memory on a blazing 2D/3D chip and a 1 GHz main processor would finally take PPC into the realm of near desktop/laptop performance.
That depends on your requirements. I don't think there's a realistic demand for a PPC that rivals a desktop in terms of overall horsepower. In any case, my comment was more in regards to the screen resolution increase. An increase in resolution would not necessarily demand a CPU upgrade as much as it would a graphics chip upgrade... at least not for the standard applications that most would use a PPC for.

If you're looking for 3D gaming capabilities, then that's a different story, as you'd now be looking to address an entirely different market than what PDA's are currently aimed at.

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

If it really has a VGA display, the screen size should be 4" or atleast 3,8". At 3,5" normal sized fonts would look like fly droppings.

I'm getting a headache just thinking of reading the text :|
I agree that a 4" or 3.8" screen would be more optimal, though the res increase could still serve a 3.5" screen IF an upgrade to the WM2003 OS supports intuitive modification of standard font sizes. So if we're currently using a 12pt font size, an increase in resolution could still be very functional (and easy on the eyes) with the ability to step up the standard font size to, say, 16-18pts. Of course that somewhat limits the benefit of the res increase, but only by a small percentage.

Looking at the Sony Clies that support 640x480 resolutions... I don't see any real issues with readability... in fact, the screen image always looks really sharp in my eyes.

[huangzhinong]

[quote=jizmo]

Looking at the Sony Clies that support 640x480 resolutions... I don't see any real issues with readability... in fact, the screen image always looks really sharp in my eyes.

Whic clie are you refering to? :lol:

As to readability, there is no directly relationship between resolution and readability. With a VGA screen in 3.5 inch LCD, as long as the font is scalable and set right, you may not tell if the resolution is 240*320 or 640*480. The VGA is very good for pictures viewing in small LCD.

[Palmguy]

It could be usable on a 3.5" screen, but the OS would have to have some sort of corrections in it to make it acceptable, such as scalable fonts. My e805 is right on the edge of usefulness, if things were any smaller it wouldn't be for me...but that is of course running the OS formatted for 240x320.


BTW, the Clies use 480x320, not 640x480.

I'm glad to see another VGA res. device come out, as I hope it will force more support for VGA from software developers.

[Will T Smith]

Here's a quote from the ProPortable people, they have pretty high connections in ASUS:

"The 730 is a planned model from Asus. Nothing is supposed to be released yet because it doesn't exist. It will, most likely come in June/July however. The 730, although the name suggests it, is not a new model to replace the 716 which comes out in the next couple days. The 730 is going to be basically the 716, same size, weight, features, but will have a VGA screen. The cost is going to be about another $100, which makes this really like another option --- Like I said earlier, something for every budget. There is no way that this is the size of the a620 and nor is the price going to be anywhere near the 716, it's impossible.

Also, there is not supposed to be a new version of windows mobile coming out. There is supposed to be an UPDATE which will better support VGA screens, but that is all that Asus is tell me."

http://www.pocketmatrix.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15365

Sounds like a good deal. Now if they'll add a $.15 plastic flip cover, it will be perfect.

BTW, due to the predicted 19 hour battery life, the ASUS 7xx will probably be the one to finally replace my aging and partially hobbled Jordada 568.

From the pattern, we can certainly speculate that Windows Mobile 2004, will have both VGA resolution AND potrait/landscape flipping built in. If HP starts leaking about a VGA device, it will be a certainty.

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

Looking at the Sony Clies that support 640x480 resolutions... I don't see any real issues with readability... in fact, the screen image always looks really sharp in my eyes.

Whic clie are you refering to? :lol:
yes... my mistake... for some reason I had though they supported VGA resolution.

As to readability, there is no directly relationship between resolution and readability. With a VGA screen in 3.5 inch LCD, as long as the font is scalable and set right, you may not tell if the resolution is 240*320 or 640*480.
Which was my point exactly...
I agree that a 4" or 3.8" screen would be more optimal, though the res increase could still serve a 3.5" screen IF an upgrade to the WM2003 OS supports intuitive modification of standard font sizes.

[Duncan]

Both Fujitsu-Siemens and HP have had plans for releasing VGA Pocket PCs for a while now. The dates I saw were May for the former and June for the latter. I suspect both will now be later than that due to Bulverde and WM2004 delays.

[maddix]

ASUS A730: Powerful Handheld Computing

http://uk.asus.com/news/n_images/2004/20040311-4.jpg

Leveraging a high-quality VGA LCD, 1.3 million-pixel camera, Intel 520MHz Xscale CPU and both Bluetooth and IrDA wireless connections, the MyPal A730 is a powerful and multi-functional Pocket PC that significantly trims down carry on baggage on business trips.

http://uk.asus.com/news/2004/20040311.htm

[Janak Parekh]

ASUS A730: Powerful Handheld Computing
Yes, I started a new thread on this today:

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=25670&highlight=

--janak