Quanta and HP Prepare a Revised "Xda Atom"

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.digitimes.com/telecom/a20060116PR203.html' target='_blank'>http://www.digitimes.com/telecom/a2...60116PR203.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Quanta Computer is expected to begin volume shipments of PDA phones to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in the first half of this year, according to a January 16 report of the Chinese-language Commercial Times. Quanta will ship to HP a revised version of the Xda Atom PDA phone, which it currently manufactures for UK-based O2, the paper said, quoting market sources. The revised Xda Atom PDA phone will still come with the Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system, but will support the quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE standard, instead of the original tri-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE standard, it added. HP and Quanta are also in negotiations to expand the product lineups to include 3G-enabled PDA phones, the paper noted."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20060116-HPQuanta.jpg" /><br /><br />Looks like O2 won't be the only ones selling the <a href="http://www.seemightyatom.com/">Xda Atom</a>. According to Commercial Times, Quanta (the original manufacturer of the device) is planning to ship a revised version of the Atom to HP. The original Atom has an Intel PXA272 416MHz processor, 64MB RAM, 128MB flash ROM, a 2.7" 262K-colour QVGA (240 x 320) TFT-LCD, Bluetooth 1.2, 802.11b Wi-Fi, IrDA, tri-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support, a 2.0-megapixel camera, a miniSD slot, and Windows Mobile 5.0. HP's revised Atom will go one better by including quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support. It's not yet known if anything else will change, but we'll keep you posted as soon as we find out more.

[globaloffice]

Ok, I have to ask... I keep looking at the next "latest and greatest" and are we really taking a step forward or a step back? Processor speeds seem to be dropping or staying flat, screens are still at QVGA or dropping to 240x240 square, and the feature sets really aren't expanding that greatly.

When you look at the stellar screens of the hx4700/4705 and the Axim, and you get used to that real estate, then you go to 240x240 in a converged device it's almost like stepping backwards in technology. Sure, it's a converged device and one less thing in your pocket or on your belt, but come on..

I for one would pay good $$ for a something like a cross breed of the hx4700 and the Apache.. Give me a VGA screen, one handed capabilities like the 700w, slide out keyboard, with phone capability. Then supported by a major carrier.. I'd be in heaven. Instead we seem to be getting dangled by the latest and greatest toy that's really not that much of a leap forward...

Not to poo-poo on your news, I appreciate it. But reality is a lot of these are just "ok, yet another coulda, shoulda gotten it right" device

-Roger

[Sven Johannsen]

Got to agree with globaloffice there. Wonder when Dell is going to bring out a Phone Edition. Should be a decent machine at a good price if their past performance has been any indication. Wonder if they would go with a service vendor or just go with an unbranded, unlocked version. Might give i-Mate some competition.

[TheZodiac]

HP needs to stop rebranding electronics that arent computers.

hPod. Wasnt that a disaster enough. Unless NO OTHER GSM in the US isnt brining this here, then they shouldnt bother.

DELL will have a GPS before a cellphone - no doubt.

[squeeze]

I for one see the purpose of having such "scaled" down devices especially when they are converged. I won't go into them - but all of you know all the reasons and issues.

Key point - until battery technology has caught up with the power requirements of these things (longer than 3 days) - you wont' see a 4700 or similar specs sporting an always on cellular radio.

I wish for the same things as you - but I'll take what I can get. So I got the Treo 700w and the screen is small, and the cpu is underpowered and I paid full retail.

Ooof.

[pocketpcadmirer]

hPod. Wasnt that a disaster enough. Unless NO OTHER GSM in the US isnt brining this here, then they shouldnt bother.

:lol: That was funny indeed..Well I think what HP is doing is that they are thinking about the "Average Tom on the road". They do think about the power users(like us) too, but comparitively less

Remember, main moto of almost any company(exl co. like mercedes) is to sell more and more

Sunny :D

[globaloffice]

I wish for the same things as you - but I'll take what I can get. So I got the Treo 700w and the screen is small, and the cpu is underpowered and I paid full retail.

Ooof.

Me too :-) But we can wish, can't we? Please tell me we can! LOL

-Roger

[Phillip Dyson]

Remember, main moto of almost any company(exl co. like mercedes) is to sell more and more

Sunny :D

Assuming that I interpreted you statement correctly, meaning that Mercedes is an exception...

I would say that even they are falling into the trap of mass market. The days of them running like a boutique are long since passed.

[surfer]

Remember, main moto of almost any company(exl co. like mercedes) is to sell more and more

Sunny :D

Assuming that I interpreted you statement correctly, meaning that Mercedes is an exception...

I would say that even they are falling into the trap of mass market. The days of them running like a boutique are long since passed.

Did you know that the average buyer of a Mercedes is now 70 years old?

[profe]

You mean all three of those guys are in their 70's?

[ricksfiona]

Originally, this device being a tri-band device was my biggest turn-off. Mini-SD stinks, but for MP3 and some data, it's 'okay'.

Now with Quad band, this device is much more interesting. Being only 10mm wider and a little less thick than the i-Mate SP5m, more capable and almost the same price, it's sort of a no-brainer.

Unfortunately, my dream of a no-compromise, all-in-one device has eluded me. Now with that dreamy Dualcor device out there, there is no way I'm going back to a strictly Pocket PC regimen. The issue is that the Dualcor is too big to carry in a suit pocket.

However, both devices are justifiable. The Dualcor is a real pc and thus can be used for real work. Not just for field work. The Atom can be used if field work isn't too major or too much data entry.

But, I am at $2000 total price tag for both devices! :cry:

[saru83]

i like that idea that HP is acutally doing this, this my be the HP PPC that i can get, its a real good built one..

[ricksfiona]

What's the release date for this?

[Darius Wey]

What's the release date for this?

All that is known is that Quanta will begin volume shipments to HP in the first half of this year. When HP decides to sell it (first half or second half) is still a big question mark.

[phreaker18]

i still think SD would have been better that MiniSD but hey if the memory companies wanna make more money ... who am i to stop them...