More Details on the HTC Wizard

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pocketpcitalia.com/cms3/templates/PPC-NEWS.ASP?articleid=2222&zoneid=1' target='_blank'>http://www.pocketpcitalia.com/cms3/...d=2222&zoneid=1</a><br /><br /></div><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20050531-Wizard.jpg" /><br /><br />Pocket PC Italia has just revealed a bit of information on the HTC Wizard. Although it is subject to change, here's the buzz: Windows Mobile 5.0, GSM/GPRS (with EDGE) - Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900MHz, a Texas Instruments OMAP 850 processor (interesting choice?), 64MB RAM, 128MB ROM, a 2.8" QVGA display, Bluetooth, 802.11b Wi-Fi (rejecting earlier reports of this device having 802.11g), IR, a 2.1MP integrated camera with Flash LED, dual speakers, a QWERTY keyboard, mini-USB, and a miniSD slot. Here's a <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pocketpcitalia.com%2Fcms3%2Ftemplates%2FPPC-NEWS.ASP%3Farticleid%3D2222%26zoneid%3D1&langpair=it%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&prev=%2Flanguage_tools">Google translation</a> if you need it.

[yanathin]

Wow, they can make the keyboard a pretty decent size that way. Hmm, 320x240 landscape is not my favorite thing in the world, though... It would be much better if it automatically switches to landscape when you slide the keboard out, then switches back to portrait when you slide it back in.

[Pdaholic]

I just want to say bravo to HTC. When Sony left the PDA market, I thought we would never see another innovative PDA developer; HTC has proven me wrong!

I don't think the design would work for me, but I appreciate the ingenuity.

Just gimmie the MDA IV.

[snayar]

I think I like it...

Looks kinda fake to me, but I like it nevertheless... :lol:

I wish they put a VGA display instead.... I don't care if the screen size i'ts too small for VGA, I JUST WANT VGA NO MATTER WHAT!!! (Thank God I have good eyesight!.. still...) 8O

:mrgreen:

[KTamas]

Texas Instruments OMAP 850 processor :( Why oh why?... Ah well, still waiting for HTC universal :roll:

[saru83]

Texas Instruments OMAP 850 processor :( Why oh why?... Ah well, still waiting for HTC universal :roll:

Yah, thats not good, its gonna be much better with intell 520MHz, or 624MHz :D ,

Does anybody know how fast is this OMAP 850 processor is? like MHZ? :roll:

[KTamas]

Texas Instruments OMAP 850 processor :( Why oh why?... Ah well, still waiting for HTC universal :roll:

Yah, thats not good, its gonna be much better with intell 520MHz, or 624MHz :D ,

Does anybody know how fast is this OMAP 850 processor is? like MHZ? :roll:
Taken from here: http://focus.ti.com/general/docs/wtbu/wtbuproductcontent.tsp?templateId=6123&amp;navigationId=12000&amp;path=templatedata/cm/product/data/omap_850
"[...]
# Low-voltage 130 nm technology
# 1.1 - 1.5V cores, 1.8 - 2.75V IO
[...]
ARM926EJ-S V5 architecture up to 200 MHz (maximum frequency)"
This will be a device with a good battery life, but one which is darn slow (therefore it is not for us, geeks :P)... do i smell HP 63xx?...

[wiz]

The OMAP850 is a single chip that integrates a ARM926EJ-S™ core for applications processing and TI’s EDGE digital baseband modem. It is intended for high-volume wireless OEMs and ODMs and is not available through distributors.

The OMAP850 includes all of the features of the OMAP850 and adds support for 128Mb or 256Mb of stacked mobile SDRAM. This makes the OMAP850 well-suited for space-constrained systems or for even smaller, lighter mobile device designs. It also consumes less power than traditional external memory configurations.

With this kind of flexibility, mobile device manufacturers can further reduce the size of high-end, next generation smartphone and wireless PDAs. In addition to its space-saving features, stacked SDRAM offers the additional benefit of reduced power consumption - always an important consideration for mobile device designers.

The OMAP850 processor is an integral part of the TCS3500 EDGE chipset solution.

OMAP850 Features:
Low-Power, High-Performance CMOS Technology

Low-voltage 130 nm technology
1.1 - 1.5V cores, 1.8 - 2.75V IO
Extremely low power consumption: less than 10 µA in standby mode
Split power supplies for application processing, digital baseband and real-time clock enable precise control over power consumption
Optimized clocking and power management: Only two clocks required at 13 MHz and 32 kHz
ARM926TEJ Core Subsystem

ARM926EJ-S V5 architecture up to 200 MHz (maximum frequency)
16 kB I-cache; 8 kB D-cache
Java acceleration in hardware
Multimedia instruction set architecture (ISA) extension
EDGE Digital Baseband Subsystem

384 K-bytes internal SRAM
E-OTD and TTY support
Quad vocoder with EFR, FR, HR, AMR
GSM ultra-low power device (ULPD)
SIM interface
Application Subsystem

Supports all leading operating systems
DMA with 4 physical and 17 logical channels and a dedicated 2D graphics engine
Programmable GPIO keyboard interface
54-Mbps WLAN interface
Security acceleration in hardware:
Secure bootloader
48 kB of secure ROM
16 kB of secure RAM
Hardware acceleration for security standards and random number generator
Unique die ID cell
Third-party Security software library
Enhanced audio controller (EAC)
Comprehensive memory controller for interfaces to:
128 MB of mobile SDRAM
256 MB Flash
NAND Flash controllers
1.6 Mb ISRAM
SD/MMC/SDIO interface
Enhanced Trace Module for debug
LCD controller
uWire
SPI
1-wire and HDQ interface
Bluetooth data/audio interface
USB On-the-Go
Two high-speed 3.68 MHz UARTs
Fast IrDA (FIR)
Two 32-bit timers
Parallel camera port
Programmable three-color LED pulse generation
I²C master/slave controller
SmartCard interface
289-ball, 12 mm x 12 mm MicroStar BGA™ Package

[KTamas]

The OMAP850 is a single chip that[...]
I beat you with 3 mins :P

[wiz]

The OMAP850 is a single chip that[...]
I beat you with 3 mins :P

That;s because I took the time to read it, look at the graphics and spotted the 2D accellerator ;)

[saru83]

wooooow woooooow... its awesome, thx for this HUGE information guys.. :D

[Sven Johannsen]

Just a mini-SD? No SD/SDIO? Seems like it has almost everything you could want built in, but I would feel cramped, by only 64M ROM and a mini-SD. Remember in WM2005 all your contacts/calendar/registry/third party programs will likely wind up in that ROM or on that mini-SD.

[surur]

Didn't I see 128 MB ROM and 64 ram?

Surur

[Tim H]

Great to see that it has EDGE, but doesn't the Universal only support WCDMA? Won't it be some time before there is decent coverage of WCDMA in US so an EDGE version of the Universal would also be great?

[griph]

It would be much better if it automatically switches to landscape when you slide the keboard out, then switches back to portrait when you slide it back in.
How do you know it doesn't do that - it would be a simple microswitch affair! I'd be very surprised if that feature wasn't installed!

I have to say that I like the Magician2 - PocketPCItalia.com state that the dimensions of the beast are still unknown but expect it to be similar to the original magician. Perhaps that is why they have gone for MiniSD and OMAP850 - in order to keep depth. If it is the same size this is going to be one sweet baby!!!! I dont think that the processor speed will be a significant issue for the majority - perhaps some of the Power Boys though! Battery life will be more of an issue - and the slower processor should help offset additiona; power requirements for WiFi :)

Now this is what design is all about and Motorola would be well advised to keep an eye on HTC - particularly following the patethic farce their ... (now what was it called- its already fading eerr - oh yes) MPX turned out to be! :wink:

[Paragon]

Ok, everyone raise their hands....Who noticed that the OMAP 850 runs at 200MHZ? Man....???

[ricksfiona]

Yes, it looks like the HTC Universal is going to be the way to go. At 200MHz, it won't be welcomed into the business community.

[Darius Wey]

Now this is what design is all about and Motorola would be well advised to keep an eye on HTC - particularly following the patethic farce their ... (now what was it called- its already fading eerr - oh yes) MPX turned out to be! :wink:

Moto seem bent on focusing on their mobile phones and their RAZR-matazz! There's little competition from Motorola in the Windows Mobile department as far as I can tell. If anyone has a strong lead in the Pocket PC Phone department, it is HTC. :D

[Ploobers]

Haven't previous PPC's that used TI processors doubled up and used two separate processors?

[Paragon]

Haven't previous PPC's that used TI processors doubled up and used two separate processors?

Yeah, that's supposed to be one of the great features of the OMAP processors, they are dual processors. As usual, someone will correct me if I'm wrong. ;) To compare this processor to an Intel processor running on 400mhz, it is sharing that 400mhz with both sides of the device, PDA, and phone, whereas the OMAP uses 200mhz on each side, so it isn't really fair to compare the two types based solely on MHZ....BUT still every time I hear of the OMAP series of processors I think of the h980 Jornada and the 6315 Ipaq...I know, I know, they are both very different processors, and this new one has a ton of features...It slices, and dices. I'm just afraid it will do it in low speed. I just don't have any confidence in them. Perhaps someone with a much better understanding of them can convince me otherwise.

Dave

[austinguy23]

Like the HTC Universal, this device doesn't have GPS! When is HTC going to wake up and smell the GPS trend...

[KTamas]

Like the HTC Universal, this device doesn't have GPS! When is HTC going to wake up and smell the GPS trend...
HP 6500 will have GPS and it IS made by HTC. But that device's downside is that it has an 240×240 screen... :roll:

[KTamas]

Great to see that it has EDGE, but doesn't the Universal only support WCDMA? Won't it be some time before there is decent coverage of WCDMA in US so an EDGE version of the Universal would also be great?
Universal supports (will support) WCDMA (3G) _AND_ GSM (2G) too.

[austinguy23]

Like the HTC Universal, this device doesn't have GPS! When is HTC going to wake up and smell the GPS trend...
HP 6500 will have GPS and it IS made by HTC. But that device's downside is that it has an 240×240 screen... :roll:

Yes, but the 6500 doesn't have Wi-Fi and won't come with WM05...frustrating.

[KTamas]

Like the HTC Universal, this device doesn't have GPS! When is HTC going to wake up and smell the GPS trend...
HP 6500 will have GPS and it IS made by HTC. But that device's downside is that it has an 240×240 screen... :roll:

Yes, but the 6500 doesn't have Wi-Fi and won't come with WM05...frustrating.
Well, it does not have wifi indeed, but it will have wm5 as far as i know.

[Cortex]

is it me, or does this device look nothing like the picture posted yesterday?

[Andy Whiteford]

I think we have been a little spoiled by the fast X-Scales of late to be honest. 200mhz sounds slow compared to a 624mhz cpu but then if it gives me genuinely usable battery life on a converged device that I will be happy to take everywhere with me then I am more then happy. At least I will have the option of always having a Pocket PC with me at all times stored away in my phone while being able to get a pumped up seperate Pocket PC for when the need arises.
I currently use a seperate phone and Pocket PC combination and while I always have my phone with me, my Pocket PC doesn't always get to be on my person.

[TheZodiac]

I believe that TI OMAP model is WANDA based, like the rest of them. This is a good thing.

This will prob replace my Sidekick - or the HTC Universal. Desicions... :)

[Paragon]

I think we have been a little spoiled by the fast X-Scales of late to be honest. 200mhz sounds slow compared to a 624mhz cpu but then if it gives me genuinely usable battery life on a converged device that I will be happy to take everywhere with me then I am more then happy. At least I will have the option of always having a Pocket PC with me at all times stored away in my phone while being able to get a pumped up seperate Pocket PC for when the need arises.
I currently use a seperate phone and Pocket PC combination and while I always have my phone with me, my Pocket PC doesn't always get to be on my person.

Andy,

I agree fully with your thoughts on a slower processor giving longer battery life. With the Ipaq 6315 we all felt the same way. I used one for several weeks, the whole time spouting those thoughts....but in the end it was just way to slow for many operations. Thousands of people had similar or worse experiences, while few hung in with it. We've all read about it or experienced it. I'm just afraid we are going to see the same thing again with this 200mhz OMAP processor. I'm all for better battery life, but I'm not willing to overpay for it.

Dave

[Muntasser]

looking a whole lot different to the last glamour shot; can we get some dimensions over here on Big Bertha?

[Darius Wey]

looking a whole lot different to the last glamour shot; can we get some dimensions over here on Big Bertha?

It's not known at this stage. We'll keep you posted as more information rolls in.