The Smaller The Better!

[Jon Westfall]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=32703' target='_blank'>http://www.theinquirer.net/default....x?article=32703</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Compulab recently announced a computer that manages to cram a complete PDA into a device two-thirds the size of a credit card. The CM-X270L measures just 4.4 x 6.6 cm. In comparison, a MiniPCI wireless card is 6.0 x 4.4 cm - just half a centimetre thinner. In this space, the CM-X270L somehow manages fits in an Intel (should that be Marvell?) XScale chip running Windows CE or Linux, half a gig of flash, 128MB of RAM, AC’97 sound and a Philips 802.11b wireless interface, as well as some things you wouldn’t find on a PDA, such as a PCI bus, 4 USB host ports and wired networking."</i><br /><br /><img src=http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/westfall-compulab-tiny-pc.jpg><br /><br />Well, assuming you want 10,000, they're a bargain at $49. Hopefully this is a good sign of devices to come. When it comes to cell phones, I take the position that the smaller the better, however Pocket PC Phones pose an interesting issue: Screen Size. Keeping space for a larger screen but doing it with less electronics does mean more space for other cool things!

[j.moghisi]

What you seem to forget is that for most of the connectivity you need a daughter board about the size of a PDA, which basically doubles the cost. Also, the price quoted is for minimum spec.

We are currently building our own device using this hardware, and in future may manufacture our own, smaller, daughterboard.

cya

[Typhoon]

Who's we?

[daS]

When it comes to cell phones, I take the position that the smaller the better, however Pocket PC Phones pose an interesting issue: Screen Size. Keeping space for a larger screen but doing it with less electronics does mean more space for other cool things!
I doubt that this board is intended for PDA-type devices. More likely, it is designed to be an "embedded controller" for some smart device that may not even use a screen at all. For example, a data collection device that can process and transmit data collected remotely. Another application could be for an autonomous robot.

[Magallanes]

It's seem like my axim x51v without lcd, battery,cover and extra stuffs... i better stick with PIC stuffs.

[Janak Parekh]

I doubt that this board is intended for PDA-type devices. More likely, it is designed to be an "embedded controller" for some smart device that may not even use a screen at all.
Of course. And yet, the emergence of cheaper and smaller embedded solutions should eventually trickle down to the PDA market in size and price.

--janak