HP iPAQ rx4000 Mobile Media Companion Revealed

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.cnetasia.com/reviews/notebooks/0,39050495,39403981,00.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.cnetasia.com/reviews/not...39403981,00.htm</a><br /><br /></div><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20060904-ipaqrx4000.jpg" /><br /><br />The standalone PDA isn't quite dead yet - at least, according to HP. A report over at <a href="http://www.cnetasia.com/reviews/notebooks/0,39050495,39403981,00.htm">CNET Asia</a> talks about the company's upcoming iPAQ Mobile Media Companion, the rx4000. Expected in the Asia-Pacific region in October, the device features a 2.8" QVGA display (landscape-oriented, by default), integrated 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, an SDIO slot (yes, we like this over miniSD and microSD), 128MB of memory, a scroll wheel, and Windows Mobile 5.0. For US$299, it's yours (perhaps a little more, if you're not in the Asia-Pacific region and are forced to import).<br /><br /><b>Update:</b> <a href="http://www.theunwired.net/?itemid=3313">the::unwired</a> has additional details.

[griph]

It is disappointing that they define it as a "Mobile Media Companion" but fail to give it any sort of reasonable internal memory. It should not be beyond the wit of man to include a >2GB hard drive it it! 128mb is just insulting!

[Nurhisham Hussein]

I think the fact that it has SDIO more than makes up for the lack of internal ROM. What I find disappointing is the screen - 2.8"? Still that ought to make for decent battery life.

[Timothy Rapson]

This looks very nice to me. I love the location of the buttons as the number 1 button problem I have had for years is buttons actuating when I don't want them too. It has driven me nuts, or almost nuts.

The screen is way too small for my uses, but the other features sound very, very good.

What happened to the MS dictates about button locations? Is there a new OS on the way for this model?

[stlbud]

I hope it has some way to do iPod video. Before, you could get mpeg, wmv, or DivX format videos nearly everywhere. Most places have replaced nearly all other formats with Mpeg-4 format compatible with iPod Video. So far, because of licensing, it has been difficult to get this format to play on Pocket PCs.

[dbrahms]

who cares anymore. same ole stuff in a new package. there hasnt been any new PDA recently that has given us anything new. It's the same old stuff in new wrapping. Heck, even Palm threw in a 4gb hard drive in their LifeDrive..which is a monster but still they're giving it a whirl.

Personally, I'm waiting for the next PDA Phone that will give me headaches. the 6315, the 6600 and now the 6700. After this, I'm done. back to a standard phone that works. No more manufactures that take forever to give ROM updates, no more cell phone carriers that have no in-store support for PDA phones etc. Seems they put out a product and see who the suckers are...and I've been a sucker now three times over. My old Ipaq 3975 was the last one that was reliable...sort of.

But at least I can watch pointless streaming video on my phone for the 20 minutes of commuting that I have...just enough time to watch a show stutter, freeze and pixelate all the way home.

Or, maybe I can be cool stream an mp3 from my PDA/phone to a mono, bluetooth headset that sounds like, well, it wasnt designed for real music audio.

How's about a poll: The percentage of us who continually fight with our devices because we're hoping that all the cool stuff that COULD be cool, would one day work as we'd hope. Until then, we'll continue to spend $500 on devices...just becasue we love a good challenge and even moreso, enjoy telling people how cool and good these devices are...and then say "well, it's not working right now because...."

[JesterMania]

Personally, I love this new look. It's too bad it doesn't have a VGA screen (for better quality movies) or a CF + SD slot combo like on my hx2790 or the hx4700. I'd still love to give it a try when it comes out though.

[Darius Wey]

I hope it has some way to do iPod video. Before, you could get mpeg, wmv, or DivX format videos nearly everywhere. Most places have replaced nearly all other formats with Mpeg-4 format compatible with iPod Video. So far, because of licensing, it has been difficult to get this format to play on Pocket PCs.

While the rx4000 hardware is suited for the task (as are most other Pocket PCs), its ability to replicate the iPod's functionality is still limited by the platform and the applications available for it. At the moment, TCPMP is regarded as the leader in video playback. If it can play the MPEG-4s in question, you're in luck. If not, you'll have to sit and wait (or just settle for an iPod, which is designed to playback iTMS content).

[R K]

At the moment, TCPMP is regarded as the leader in video playback. If it can play the MPEG-4s in question, you're in luck
The next major release should play MPEG4 (H.264), but you'll have to purchase the codec seperately.
MPEG4 Audio and AAC can already be played with plugins that are floating around the net.

[isajoo]

is this a joke? 8O

i think they must have said, people are not buying pocket pc's... LET's change the name and THEN they will buy them.

:(
2.8: screen
NO FLASH MEMORY INCLUDED... atleast 256 for a "Media Companion" decive.

$299 is the only good part. but thats only means that they are trying to get IPOD users to buy. BUT, HELLO HP, IPOD COME WITH A HUGE HARD DRIVE.

morons, when will they learn.

[isajoo]

At the moment, TCPMP is regarded as the leader in video playback. If it can play the MPEG-4s in question, you're in luck
The next major release should play MPEG4 (H.264), but you'll have to purchase the codec seperately.
MPEG4 Audio and AAC can already be played with plugins that are floating around the net.

h264 does work on my pocket pc :!:

[R K]

h264 does work on my pocket pc :!:
Are you using the TCPMP 0.72 Beta?

[SteveHoward999]

Looks pretty, but otherwise ... YAWN

[Paragon]

A mobile MEDIA device with a Qvga 2.8" screen. I guess what they meant to say was the emphasis is on sound, not video.

Has the complete mobile device manufacturing segment gone astray......the 1900/4100 form factor was/is great. They have a decent sized screen yet are slim enough to slip in any pocket.

Dave

[R K]

They should just start making PMPs out of the old standalone Pocket PC concept.

Who wouldn't want a 3.5" - 4" VGA PMP that can also play games and run apps from the Pocket PC OS?

Besides the Toshiba, the HP iPAQ, and the Dell Axim, has there been any other VGA Pocket PC widely available in North America?

It seems like VGA has lived a very short life on the Pocket PC.

[frankenbike]

With the price of a 2gb SD card around $35 US and 4gb around $65 US, they should have pre-packaged them with at least as much flash memory as an iPod Nano. You'd expect someone like HP to get an even better price than that in quantity.

There's no real excuse for something like this to be called any sort of media device when the first thing you have to do to use it as such is buy another accessory.

Regardless of the wifi and bluetooth radios, it's still laughably ill equipped out of the box for the purpose it's being sold.

[Brad Adrian]

...the 1900/4100 form factor was/is great. They have a decent sized screen yet are slim enough to slip in any pocket.
I agree; they've got the nicest non-VGA screens around and are very pocket-able. This new entry offers nothing beyond what has already been available for years (other than running WM5).

[griph]

is this a joke? 8O

i think they must have said, people are not buying pocket pc's... LET's change the name and THEN they will buy them.

:(
2.8: screen
NO FLASH MEMORY INCLUDED... atleast 256 for a "Media Companion" decive.

$299 is the only good part. but thats only means that they are trying to get IPOD users to buy. BUT, HELLO HP, IPOD COME WITH A HUGE HARD DRIVE.

morons, when will they learn.

Exactly - with a Media Companion why should anyone assume they are going to have to buy add on memory to enable any sort of reasonable use! Solid State Memory is cheap now and it would have been simple to have had a couple of Gig built in. Its like buying an iPod and then having to buy the memory to put in it! C-R-A-P!

[griph]

With the price of a 2gb SD card around $35 US and 4gb around $65 US, they should have pre-packaged them with at least as much flash memory as an iPod Nano. You'd expect someone like HP to get an even better price than that in quantity.

There's no real excuse for something like this to be called any sort of media device when the first thing you have to do to use it as such is buy another accessory.

Regardless of the wifi and bluetooth radios, it's still laughably ill equipped out of the box for the purpose it's being sold.

Someone else talking sense here! 128mB is already too small for a WM5 device - in what way is a Media hungry device supposed to be able to cope with it! Come on HP - you are loosing the plot!! :roll:

[R K]

I agree; they've got the nicest non-VGA screens around and are very pocket-able.
Sorry to nit-pick, but the H1900/H4100 screens are pretty outdated by today's standards, even for QVGA.
Though it wasn't an impressive Pocket PC in general, the rx3715's screen blew the H4100 screen out of the water in terms of contract and color accuracy.

On the subject of form, if you're still interested in non-converged Pocket PCs, you can always go for the Acer N311. It's a 3.7" VGA Pocket PC that's even smaller than the H4100, but battery life may suffer because of it.

[Phillip Dyson]

I think these devices are atleast interesting. Windows Mobile has long since been stuck in the "PDA" box. Only the GPS ODMs dared to step out of it with their navigation-centric devices.

Maybe more manufacturers will follow suit. And lets hope that with Zune's attention on marrying to Xbox, lets hope they don't forget Windows Mobile. Then devices like this may really stand a chance.

Oh and I agree about the memory. They should have atleast packaged a card in with the device.

[saru83]

as much as i like the idea that its a Windows Mobile based PMP, but i totally agree with the memory issue. I would have been very happy with 2gb of built in flash memory.

[alese]

This is just great, a PMP to compete with iPOD equiped with WM5 and able to run all the serious stuff (programs) at the same time...

Interesting idea, but:
- it's bigger than iPOD
- the screen is only 2,8 QVGA - not that great for video
- they forgot to add storage

I agree with the others, this thing totally misses the mark as any kind of media device out of the box. It's just repackaged plain vanilla PocketPC with new name... sad...

[Brad Adrian]

... Sorry to nit-pick, but the H1900/H4100 screens are pretty outdated by today's standards, even for QVGA.
There's plenty of room for personal preferences and opinion, to be sure. I was simply trying to make the larger point that (even though they weren't perfect) there have been some pretty decent QVGA screens for some time now. For me to be very impressed by a device as feature-lean as this new rx4000, I'd expect to at least see a VGA screen.

[RogueSpear]

I remember when Toshiba put out the first VGA device (correct me if I'm wrong) and I thought to myself that it was only a matter of time before VGA would be the standard. I couldn't have been more wrong, but also Microsoft couldn't have discouraged the VGA screen any more than if it had purposefully attempted to sabotage the standard.

I've said it before.. if someone puts out a truly "uber" device, I'll gladly pay the price of admission. But so long as everything I'm seeing is a half hearted effort, I'll just stick to my trusty 3975.

[mv]

I like it.... $299 is what i paid for my 1950 and this thing has 4 times the ram. So why not? I´m so upset with the fact lot of programs don´t work at all, that i´m thinking in getting rid of my new 1950 very soon. The 416mhz axim is what i want now, but this ipaq also looks very cool.

[whydidnt]

I agree with all the previous posters regarding the lack of RAM. It's not a PMP without a built-in place to legitimately store your media. Don't understand how Apple manages to include a 30 GB HD for the same price. If HP was serious they would have figured a way to put serious storage --- 20-30GB of space included. Then they would have a convergent media device/PDA.

[Nurhisham Hussein]

Don't understand how Apple manages to include a 30 GB HD for the same price.

They don't need to pay (or allow for in their software) the extra hardware the HP carries - wifi, bluetooth etc. Most of all, they don't need to pay the license fees for the OS either.

[isajoo]

APPLE is a VERY smart company... THEY BUILT IPODS from the ground up to the point that even the stuff that u put on the IPOD is a PROFIT for apple. $299 is a great price for them because of that.

dont even start about the hp1950... that was the 1st of many DUMB decisions on hp's part. then they discontinued the VGA MODEL 4700, i think. NOW THIS... come on... they should have made this the 1950 specs from the get go and then the price would be correct.

HP..... YOU HAD A GREAT RUN... BUT JUST LIKE MOST PPC/PDA MAKER YOUR TIME IS UP.

Hopefully we will see highend HP unit on ebay for less than $200, just like TOSHIBA and DELL. OHHH remember Philip Nino's, they were like the first windows mobile device i remember. then HP/Toshiba and Dell came along....
sont get me wrong I LOVED ALL THE COMPANIES effort. they all made great devices. BUT i dont think they made much money.

[alese]

maybe things are not all that bad.
According to poster on Brighthand there will be version (rx4540) with 1Gb storage, that's at least something.

http://forum.brighthand.com/showthread.php?p=1407952

[inteller]

how about just make a good cheap PMP? if you are going to do a standalone device like this then either make it a super media player or a super PSA (though who would want it).

[Brad Adrian]

APPLE is a VERY smart company... THEY BUILT IPODS from the ground up to the point that even the stuff that u put on the IPOD is a PROFIT for apple. $299 is a great price for them because of that.

The old "razors and razorblades" strategy! I'd be willing to bet that, on average (and this figure is probably available somewhere), an iPOD user spends at least another $100 on downloaded music during the first year of ownership.

The Pocket PC device manufacturers are all so price-focused because their early forrays into the market were met with less expensive models from Palm. I just wish they'd realize that there are a lot of us who would be willing to pay more for a bit more internal memory; just talk to the folks at PPCTechs!

I like the fact that there have been varying incarnations of devices, with varying processors, memory, etc., but that idea hasn't been taken seriously.

[Rob Alexander]

On the subject of form, if you're still interested in non-converged Pocket PCs, you can always go for the Acer N311. It's a 3.7" VGA Pocket PC that's even smaller than the H4100, but battery life may suffer because of it.

The Acer would just about be my perfect PPC, but I've never seen it for sale in the US. Has it become available here yet, or is it still only in Europe and Asia?

[BoxWave]

APPLE is a VERY smart company... THEY BUILT IPODS from the ground up to the point that even the stuff that u put on the IPOD is a PROFIT for apple. $299 is a great price for them because of that.

The old "razors and razorblades" strategy! I'd be willing to bet that, on average (and this figure is probably available somewhere), an iPOD user spends at least another $100 on downloaded music during the first year of ownership.



Great observation -- I think most people are VERY surprised at how large the razor industry is. Truly amazing.

[BoxWave]

Btw, I should have made that more clear. Absolutely, Apple makes a ton of money through accessories/long term upselling. I got caught on the razor blade parallel :P.