New Images of the M.A.G.I.C.

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.advancetc.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.advancetc.com/</a><br /><br /></div><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20060513-MAGIC1.jpg" /><br /><br />Remember the first <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=47066">M.A.G.I.C. prototype with its er... magical specs</a>? Images of the final prototype have just gone live, and according to tipster, <i>Phoenix</i>, it'll ship worldwide with a nasty price tag of $1500 to $2000 USD. The initial version will have a four hour battery life, and a later version will sport an eight hour battery life and 3G support. Looks cool, though I don't think I could bite the size or the cost. <!><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20060513-MAGIC2.jpg" />

[Eugenia]

I agree. The cost is prohibiting and the size could have been better (there's a lot of empty space around the internal screen).

However, to be honest, some of their specs are just laughable. They offer a 2MP camera on their INTERNAL view, which is pretty useless and drives costs up. The video-call camera does not make sense to be more than a VGA. Even CIF/QVGA would have been enough for video calls.

Another bad decision is the 512 MBs of RAM. For an OS that requires just 15 MBs to startup, even 128 MBs are more than enough. They wasted money on the RAM. Instead, they could have used that extra money to make the internal screen a 3.7" VGA instead of having two QVGA screens. Now, THAT would have been cool.

[rhelwig]

Almost there...

Make the display VGA and drop the price, and it'd be worth considering.

[r@dimus]

The prototype they pictured doesn't even have a sprung hinge yet:

http://www.advancetc.com/pair01.jpg

Note the jar behind the opened prototype that's there to keep the screen section from falling over.

[Noel]

Save a thousand words...
http://www.seespotruninc.com/images/jasjar-i1.jpg

[freitasm]

That looks so fake... It actually looks like they got the Nokia 9300 Communicator, with all the bad design, and stuck a Windows Key in it - on top of a picture of the HTC Universal keyboard.

[Phoenix]

I agree. The cost is prohibiting and the size could have been better (there's a lot of empty space around the internal screen).

However, to be honest, some of their specs are just laughable. They offer a 2MP camera on their INTERNAL view, which is pretty useless and drives costs up. The video-call camera does not make sense to be more than a VGA. Even CIF/QVGA would have been enough for video calls.

Another bad decision is the 512 MBs of RAM. For an OS that requires just 15 MBs to startup, even 128 MBs are more than enough. They wasted money on the RAM. Instead, they could have used that extra money to make the internal screen a 3.7" VGA instead of having two QVGA screens. Now, THAT would have been cool.

Some of the specs do seem a bit crazy, but I think this device's progression is interesting nonetheless which is why I brought it to the attention of PPCT once again.

As I've said before, I'm taking all of this with a big grain of salt. Who knows if it'll ship for sure? Companies have certainly said that before. But we'll see.

These are only prototype photos - and I have to agree, the jar behind the photo is tacky at best... laughable even - but I'm going to give this company a bit of slack until they show more.

I would have loved to see VGA screens on this device. I don't think it'll harm the usability of the device not to have them, but I agree, VGA would have been better, IMO.

You raise a good point about the res of the internal camera. I'm not sure why they went with that. As a matter of fact, I'm not quite sure why they included so much RAM either. I suppose all of this will be made clearer as things progress.

The price is nuts. But the Universal is $1000. Based on how much more this device has than that, it's no wonder why it would sell for $1500. Anymore than that would be insane.

[Eriq Cook]

So close...but no cigar. Can we see an i-mate JasJar form factor + buttons on FRONT of unit in phone/closed mode?

[Pdaholic]

I'm an HTC Uni addict (got two), and one thing I should point out here. The Universal is large, but thankfully it doesn't have to have a case. This new device is larger than the Universal, and it has an external screen which will demand some form of case. I can't imagine having to carry that monster.

[Phoenix]

So close...but no cigar. Can we see an i-mate JasJar form factor + buttons on FRONT of unit in phone/closed mode?

The screen on the front is also a touchscreen, so the keypad will appear there.

I know some would prefer tactile feedback better, though.

[Eriq Cook]

So close...but no cigar. Can we see an i-mate JasJar form factor + buttons on FRONT of unit in phone/closed mode?

The screen on the front is also a touchscreen, so the keypad will appear there.

I know some would prefer tactile feedback better, though.

That's what I'm referring to. It's nice to have buttons where you can just feel the location insteading of having to always look at the screen

[Phoenix]

I agree. The cost is prohibiting and the size could have been better (there's a lot of empty space around the internal screen).

However, to be honest, some of their specs are just laughable. They offer a 2MP camera on their INTERNAL view, which is pretty useless and drives costs up. The video-call camera does not make sense to be more than a VGA. Even CIF/QVGA would have been enough for video calls.

Another bad decision is the 512 MBs of RAM. For an OS that requires just 15 MBs to startup, even 128 MBs are more than enough. They wasted money on the RAM. Instead, they could have used that extra money to make the internal screen a 3.7" VGA instead of having two QVGA screens. Now, THAT would have been cool.

There are a couple of things I forgot to mention...

First of all, I don't think they could have made only the inner screen VGA and left the outside one QVGA. Unless they show otherwise, I believe that the outer screen will also run WM software as well, not just a phone dialing applet. With that in mind, I don't believe a WM device and its software can switch quickly between the two resolutions on the fly from one screen to another. And this would be an odd thing to deal with anyway when using the device - to go from res to another when swtiching screens. I believe that if one screen is one res, the other will need to be the same. If this is the case, to have VGA, it would've required both screens to be so, which would increase the overall price of this device even more. Providing the MAGIC ships, it'll be the only handheld with two touchscreens - completely unique. And despite no VGA, this is something to applaud, IMO.

In regard to the 512 MB RAM, again, I'm not certain why they went with this much. But I do know that as we continue to do more with these mobile devices, increasing amounts of memory and storage is and will continue to be needed. We see 64MB RAM as standard in these mobiles today which is a joke to say the least, cripples them, and doesn't allow them to get even close to the performance levels that they should be operating at. WM might only demand 15MB to start up, but that isn't saying much. XP can start up with 128MB RAM, but you'll get crappy performance if that's all you're giving it. OS's needs much more than their minimum requirements to behave like they were designed to and to give the end user a really positive experience, not just frustrations.

With as much as the device is supposed to offer, multitasking will demand even more memory than we've ever seen before to offer a true seamless and positive experience. So they must have figured this is what was really needed to allow the device to perform in just that manner.

Now I know people always talk about battery life in regard to the memory. But does anyone really know the real impact that more memory will have? How many people have a device with even 128MB RAM, let alone 512 MB? Truth is, we don't know how this much memory will impact the batteries, but according to Advance Tech, they have power management issues covered. One way or another, if MAGIC ships, we'll see for sure. And besides, it's nothing that a second battery couldn't cure.

We're so used to devices that are crippled by their lack of memory - so many of us are used to accepting this as OK. But not me! Rather, any high end device, especially one like this MAGIC, will require that we all think outside the box. I welcome more memory, and I'd rather have too much than not enough.

Memory is going to increase no matter what as technology continues to progress. We better start to get used to it, and we should be excited with any company that is trying to raise the standards, like Advance Tech.

I'm excited with the notion of being able to one day see what this devices offers.