...Well, remember it's a bad translation. I don't know the source language, so I'm not sure. :P--janak
I was also thinking alone these lines and I'm sure we would have all heard something from someoen but I had to ask just in case I missed something along the way today.
I think the above screenshot makes it abundantly clear that VGA is the future, and considering the 720 has a CF slot, I'd much rather have a 720 + a large CF card or Microdrive as opposed to a LifeDrive.
You could also argue that the future is also greater integrated storage. In this regard PalmOne is taking the initiative with devices like the Lifedrive. Unfortunately, these 1st gen Lifedrives imo have HD capacities that are too small. The first LD prototypes had 5 GB HD's but Palmone had to switch to the 4 GB micro-HD b/c of performance concerns. It is quite conceivable that the next gen LD's will have 10-20 GB HD capacities (hopefully also running cobalt) that will make them worthy alternatives to ipods etc for mobile storage mediums...
I think the above screenshot makes it abundantly clear that VGA is the future, and considering the 720 has a CF slot, I'd much rather have a 720 + a large CF card or Microdrive as opposed to a LifeDrive.
You could also argue that the future is also greater integrated storage. In this regard PalmOne is taking the initiative with devices like the Lifedrive.
Why? Buy a device with an integrated hard-drive and you have two problems: 1) You are stuck with that size of hard-drive; and 2) The device needs to be bigger to allow for ventilation. Buy a device with a CF slot and you have a slimmer PDA with the ability to upgrade your disk size over time. All the advantages with one of the disadvantages.
i have never liked the idea of carying a miniature hard drive in my pocket. its good that 4GB CF cards are not very expensive today.
solid state forever :!:
__________________
I used to think, that the universe is a random caotic sequence of meaningless events. But i see now that there is reason and purpose to all things.
Jerry Seinfeld
I think the above screenshot makes it abundantly clear that VGA is the future, and considering the 720 has a CF slot, I'd much rather have a 720 + a large CF card or Microdrive as opposed to a LifeDrive.
You could also argue that the future is also greater integrated storage. In this regard PalmOne is taking the initiative with devices like the Lifedrive.
Why? Buy a device with an integrated hard-drive and you have two problems: 1) You are stuck with that size of hard-drive; and 2) The device needs to be bigger to allow for ventilation. Buy a device with a CF slot and you have a slimmer PDA with the ability to upgrade your disk size over time. All the advantages with one of the disadvantages.
There are couple things wrongs with your assumptions though. First is that CF storage accessories will always be competitively priced with solutions found in integrated devices. I don't think you can assume that. Second, you rely on CF as a sustainable interface standard for the future. IMO, in the future you will see fewer devices with CF, not more. In addition, I think you will see microHD integration in many more devices like mobiles, gaming devices, etc which will definitely lead to cost efficiencies for OEM's. Thus, microHD's should become much more plentiful, ubiquitious and cheaper to integrate into devices. This should also push the technoogical barrier as cornice, toshiba's .85 drive etc have illustrated allowing thinner devies etc. Finally there is an arguement for simplicity. Integrated solutions like the iPod, Gamrin gps pdas, etc have shown that often the best solutions are the one with the best integrated solutions.
I think the above screenshot makes it abundantly clear that VGA is the future, and considering the 720 has a CF slot, I'd much rather have a 720 + a large CF card or Microdrive as opposed to a LifeDrive.
You could also argue that the future is also greater integrated storage. In this regard PalmOne is taking the initiative with devices like the Lifedrive.
Why? Buy a device with an integrated hard-drive and you have two problems: 1) You are stuck with that size of hard-drive; and 2) The device needs to be bigger to allow for ventilation. Buy a device with a CF slot and you have a slimmer PDA with the ability to upgrade your disk size over time. All the advantages with one of the disadvantages.
There are couple things wrongs with your assumptions though. First is that CF storage accessories will always be competitively priced with solutions found in integrated devices. I don't think you can assume that. Second, you rely on CF as a sustainable interface standard for the future. IMO, in the future you will see fewer devices with CF, not more.
Reality proves you wrong: this same argument of yours came out 2 or more years ago, on these boards, when 1 GB SD cards were announced; and they took more time to come on the market than expected as well. Then you only had 4-5 devices with CF card slots: ipaq 2200, the Toshiba e750, the Asus MyPal a620, the FSC PocketLoox 600 and the Axim x5. Right now every manufacturer makes their top of the line with both CF and SD slots and even HP has 2 lines and 4 models, Dell has 3, FSC has 3 too (710, 718 and 720), Fujitsu has 2, Toshiba has 1 (e830), etc. That's at least 13 devices, or almost 3 times as many!!! not less.
Furthermore, 2-3 years ago you only had 2 Microdrives on the market: 340 MB and 1 GB, flash cards came in up to 1 GB versions and did cost a lot more than microdrives.
Nowadays, Hitachi (ex IBM Storage division), Seagate and a few others also make microdrives in so much higher capacity than SD cards: you can regularly find 4GB flash CF cards from many vendors at many different transfer speeds; Sandisk, PQI, Kingston, SimpleTech and other less known manufacturers have them. Likewise you can find 4, 5 and 6 GB microdrives from 2-3 makers. Pretec even has 12 GB CF flash cards.
What about SD cards? you're very lucky if you can find the 2 GB SD card from the unique manufacturer Sandisk; AND this card was announced LAST OCTOBER for a Nov 04 release!!
Just click on those many PPCT links to that card, only to see 3 out of 4 vendors have been out of stock for the last 6+ months and the one that has some charges $390 for them!!!
The days of CF cards (and slots 8) ) are very bright and shiny for the long foreseeable future!!
Reality proves you wrong: this same argument of yours came out 2 or more years ago, on these boards, when 1 GB SD cards were announced; and they took more time than expected as well. Then you only had 4-5 devices with CF card slots: ipaq 2200, the Toshiba e750, the Asus MyPal a620, the FSC PocketLoox 600 and the Axim x5. Right now every manufacturer makes their top of the line with both CF and SD slots and even HP has 2 lines and 4 models, Dell has 3, FSC has 3 too (710, 718 and 720), Fujitsu has 2, Toshiba has 1 (e830), etc. That's at least 13 devices, or almost 3 times as many!!! not less.
That doesn't prove anything imo. In fact I find the whole CF vs integration argument fairly amusing. Why are so many users here opposed to geater functionality integration into handhelds here? Isn't this what many WM users found soo annoying and wrong about PalmOne devices? :? Or is the criticism here precisely because it is PalmOne that is trying to innovate for once? :roll:
Look, there's fairly strong rumors that Dell's working on a next gen WM05 Axim with integrated HD. I willing to bet it won't have CF slot...
Reality proves you wrong: this same argument of yours came out 2 or more years ago, on these boards, when 1 GB SD cards were announced; and they took more time than expected as well. Then you only had 4-5 devices with CF card slots: ipaq 2200, the Toshiba e750, the Asus MyPal a620, the FSC PocketLoox 600 and the Axim x5. Right now every manufacturer makes their top of the line with both CF and SD slots and even HP has 2 lines and 4 models, Dell has 3, FSC has 3 too (710, 718 and 720), Fujitsu has 2, Toshiba has 1 (e830), etc. That's at least 13 devices, or almost 3 times as many!!! not less.
That doesn't prove anything imo. In fact I find the whole CF vs integration argument fairly amusing. Why are so many users here opposed to geater functionality integration into handhelds here? Isn't this what many WM users found soo annoying and wrong about PalmOne devices? :? Or is the criticism here precisely because it is PalmOne that is trying to innovate for once? :roll:
Look, there's fairly strong rumors that Dell's working on a next gen WM05 Axim with integrated HD. I willing to bet it won't have CF slot...
Except that it ISN'T greater integration. Installing a fixed HD and losing a flexible CF slot is taking an unnecessary step backwards. Easy for Palm to do since they've never used CF slots - but a huge mistake for PPC manufacturers.
All a PPC maker has to do to trump this is bundle a CF HD with a CF enabled PPC. Instantly they trump Palm. I believe Toshiba already did this with their Asia only e550.
Not to mention, of course, that the HD in a LifeDrive is rather awkwardly 'integrated' while any CF card or HD inserted into a PPC is immediately integrated into the file structure of the PPC - able to be used for anything that the integrated memory can be used for - storage or programs.
Sure - you can buy a LifeDrive - have a device that has a 4GB HD inside. Then you'll have PDA that comes close to my Loox 720 with solid state 4GB CF card installed. Meanwhile when those 6, 8 and 10GB CF HDs come out - and I upgrade - I'll have the superior storage.
...Look, there's fairly strong rumors that Dell's working on a next gen WM05 Axim with integrated HD. I willing to bet it won't have CF slot...
Yeah, maybe manufacturer will add integrated HD to their PDA's but I don't think that they will illiminate or be a replacement for card slots. Rather I think that they will be sold as an added feature.
These card slots do more than just hold cards. They double as a base for pluggable addon devices. The versatility of card slots is well known. Plug in a GPS, barcode reader, modem, nic, etc. Can't do that with an integrated HD. But I would love both in a PDA (if the HD can be easily upgraded).
I can also see HD's being produced to be plugged into card slots before being built into the PDA. I just can't see being stuck with a 5gb HD for instance when CF cards are at 12gb.
@lapchinj: you say maybe manufacturers will make pdas with integrated HD AND dual slots? you have two wireless options, even USB host capability today, and what is the point of having two expansion slots if you dont have to upgrade memory???
Duncan, i totaly agree with you, but i think this is a marketing move. most people will say "wow the device has a harddrive" and they want to make an impression that a device with an integrated harddrive will have lots of storage for music and movies. on the other hand most of the people are not aware of shortcommings of microdrives
@mangochutneyman: i dont find the integration of a harddrive an grater functionality. in fact it is going a step backwards! if i have a free CF slot, than i will decide if i will use a solid state or HD storage, and i can remove the card or replace with another
__________________
I used to think, that the universe is a random caotic sequence of meaningless events. But i see now that there is reason and purpose to all things.
Jerry Seinfeld
Re: Loox 720 vs. Palm LifeDrive Comparison
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