Paul Martin
01-23-2007, 04:35 AM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/19/asus-revamps-gps-pda-offerings-kicks-out-a686-a696/' target='_blank'>http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/19/...-out-a686-a696/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"With the overall PDA market slowly dwindling into oblivion, Asus is attempting to keep the PDA kickin' for just a bit longer, and the company's latest duo actually isn't half bad considering the GPS functions and relatively slim enclosure. The A686 / A696 units ditch the MyPal moniker from days past, and rather than adding that bulky GPS antenna the side, Asus has bumped up the style points by crafting a stainless steel frame with a non-protruding GPS antenna. Both units pack Windows Mobile 5.0, 802.11b/g, a SiRF Star III receiver, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, 64MB of SDRAM, 3.5-inch 320 x 240 resolution touchscreen, integrated speakers / microphone, audio recording capability, rechargeable battery, and it comes in at just 1.57-centimeters thick."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/asus_a686-696.jpg" /><br /><br />Despite the negative view of the PDA market, Engadget offers a good summary of two <a href="http://www.asus.com/news_show.aspx?id=5508">new Asus offerings</a>. The 802.11g is a nice touch! Though I'm not a GPS user yet, I can certainly see the benefit, assuming that it wasn't too big of a drain on battery life. The 696 offers 256MB Flash ROM but only 64MB SDRAM. I'd still like to see more. :D Is GPS a killer feature for you?