10-10-2003, 03:22 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 216
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Paul
Toshiba Japan should market the Genio series worldwide. They know what people want.
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They know some of what people want. What Toshiba seems to miss is that people want actual support on the devices that they invest in. That means, timely updates (see EUU's), firmware, additional software (see back-up, picture viewer, Powerpoint viewer, etc.) beyond the stripped base MS OS, should I go on?
Someone has got to step up to the plate. The common misperception is that this is a hardware OEM only statement. It's not. When Palm was a bottom dwelling, non-innovative, stick in the mud of an OS, Sony had the foresite and the access to enough base OS code to innovate and light a fire under Palm's A%@! Even if the OEM's innovate, I don't think any of them have access to enough base code to push the OS as Sony did to Palm. I may be wrong on that, but even if I am, it is undeniable that MS dropped the ball when it came to the leading edge innovation that it could have introduced with WM2003. MS Word, PIE, lack of VGA support, etc. Things that would have helped the OEM's to hold their own against the Palm devices that are on their way out now.
Is Toshiba, Microsoft's Sony? Not hardly. Are they a camp divided? It certainly seems that way. Do they looked confused and unorganized? Absolutely. That leaves the question, "Who is going to push the design, functionality, size, and price edge?" Who is MS's Sony? I hope one pops up soon and shocks us all with innovation and pushes MS with technology. I hope so, because I HATE Graffiti and I am not a Palm fan.
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And there you are.
I was just thinking, "What could take this headache I have over that edge to a full blown migrane?"
And there you are.
- Dr. Cox, Scrubs
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10-10-2003, 03:45 AM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 517
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by jpaq
That leaves the question, "Who is going to push the design, functionality, size, and price edge?" Who is MS's Sony? I hope one pops up soon and shocks us all with innovation and pushes MS with technology.
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But as you allude to in the rest of your post, I suspect that the problem has more to do with Microsoft not allowing them to innovate. Hopefully they truly have relaxed things, though for me the biggest problems are still OS-related. One hardware "guideline" that I have to think existed (and hopefully no longer exists) is the center D-Pad positioning.
Scott
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Tapland
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10-10-2003, 04:30 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 196
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Eh, while I'll always be disappointed about the lack of WM2k3 for my e740, Toshiba has been ok on support overall. They have problems they need to take care of, but after the WM2k3 stuff went down, Toshiba also restructured their support dept that did everything they said they would do when they handled my BBB complaint. Whether people like it or not, they did put up a letter with their intentions of supporting WM2k3 for the e740 finally which had to do with the restructuring. And then finally provided support for ROM 23. All of this came very late and is inexcusable for its lateness, but the fact that they talked to me about it and handled it personally gives me hope.
As for this eGenio...cool! I hope it makes it over here. With the announcement of the e805 eGenio line and now this, perhaps Toshiba is having the eGenio team take over completely? I really like the eGenio line as it seems to also be the team that made the e570, the PPC I really wanted over my Jornada way back when  If that's so, that should be good news really. It could only help Toshiba to have one team doing their PPC work rather than several. |
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10-10-2003, 10:39 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 187
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I'll explain better why I think 640x480 is overkill:
- 320x240 in a device used so close to the eyes lets us make out the individual pixel with a little effort. So double that resolution and it would be fine.
- a button or clickable item now has roughly 16 to 20px of height. If the screen were larger, they'll have to double them because the clickable area must remain the same so you can use it.
- the screen size is the real issue. larger it won't fit in a pocket, and in the actual size the UI must have a certain dimensions for you to use it with a stylus. and it has to account on imprecison. so, workspace would be around the same as it is now. 1/2 inch of diagonal size isn't that much bigger and more than that and it would compromise portability.
- text is now very readable with cleartype. can it have quad the sharpness? I think not. Double maybe. theorically you could have smaller text but it wouldn't be readable.
- processors and graphics chips would have twice or quad the workload. imagine a movie in higher resolution. not to mention you would have insuficient ram and the file would be bigger. and battery remarks? twice the workload, half the battery. do you real need high-res video on your pocket?
For all this accounts i think 640x480 is way overkill in a 4" screen. 320x480 is the way to go.
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10-10-2003, 01:43 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 418
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I think 640 by 480 is more than is needed, but given the current standard, it is the only next step up, for compatibility purposes on the WM2003 OS.
RE: all the innovation.
Microsoft does have a platform that allows all sorts of innovation. Windows CE. The Casio B300 and the Nexio come to mind. Do anything you want.......except run software that runs on the PPCs. A bad compromise, but one that is also present in a different way on the Palm OS. I can run about any old program on my Clie NR, but it will not be hi-res or full screen. I think Sony/Palm's sollution worked out better, but there are also a lot of programs from the PPC 2000+ era that work on the Casio B-300 with or without small modifications.
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10-10-2003, 02:22 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 1
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Bruno Figueiredo
I'll explain better why I think 640x480 is overkill:
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For all this accounts i think 640x480 is way overkill in a 4" screen. 320x480 is the way to go.
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I have seen the T3 and its screen is tremendous.
I can only imagine that VGA would be even more stunning.
For me, the killer app will be reading avantgo at VGA landscape.
Now I can read only pda specific content.
With VGA landscape I could read most regular sites.
Can I make a wild prediction?
A few years from now any PDA with resolution less than VGA will be considered a toy. :clap:
Thanos |
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10-10-2003, 07:50 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 155
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at 4" VGA, the pixel size is very near the 320 by 320 screen pixel size.. (IE. it'll look the same)
I think it's .124 vs .126 pitch or something near that number. Regular QVGA is .24
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10-10-2003, 08:12 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 445
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Janak Parekh
Re useability: they need to increase the DPI of systemwide fonts and controls once the resolution gets bumped up. You can do it in Windows on the desktop -- so I can't imagine why MS couldn't add such functionality to the Pocket PC. The CE core has a TrueType rendering engine, I believe...
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You can already change font size easy enough in the registry.. I have mine a bit smaller than normal. |
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10-10-2003, 08:34 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 10
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Uh... What's all the ruckus about...? I have the "old" genio e 550C (the one with a camera). I can't find any differences besides having Win Mobile 2003 installed...? Well that and an extra "T" in the product name. Memory, CPU, non-existent wireless (except for IR but that doesn't count in this case :lol: ) etc - all seems to be exactly as the "old" ones. What am I missing here? Is this a re-introduction of some kind? To show the 550 series now come with WM 2003?
Btw it also seems owners of at least the 550C and the GD will (at last!) get an upgrade for 7000 yen starting the 17th this month! Ok, not cheap but anyway it's there if you want it, I know I do!  IF I'll be able to order it from Sweden that is... :? |
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10-11-2003, 05:30 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 59
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What happens if you buy the Japanese device, but flash it with a US ROM? Would much of the functionality be affected?
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Linear Mode
