07-16-2004, 05:00 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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PDAGold Gets Some Hands-on Time with the iPAQ hx4700
"At first sight, you'll notice the device's unusual design. HP designers allowed their imagination free rein and hx4700 resembles a futuristic communicator rather than 2004 PDA. Forget about silvery plastic - the body is made of magnesium alloy so that it is as light as plastic but incomparably more durable. Its dark colour with metallic shine makes the device appear smaller than it is. Instead of a common joypad, this iPAQ features a unique touchpad, the same as that used in laptop computers. It can work in two modes - either as a rather unusual joypad or as a normal touchpad which even shows a pointer on the display! It remains to be seen if it is an ingenious innovation or a dead end - now, it's too early to judge. For a device with two expansion slots (SDIO and CF type II), it is extremely thin - it looks gorgeous with its 15 millimetres."
I don't know how Pavel does it, or how HP allows him to publish these reviews, but he managed to get his hands on an hx4700. This device looks simply awesome - a 4" VGA screen, fast 624 mhz CPU, 128 MB of Flash ROM (with about 80 MB for storage), 64 MB of RAM (for running programs - savvy users will install everything to Flash ROM), Bluetooth, WiFi, and a whole lot more. The only thing I'm a little suspicious of is the touch pad, but time will tell how that works out for gaming and whatnot. Check out Pavel's preview for more information.
There's no pricing yet, but this is the only pre-order page I've seen for the hx4700 yet. If you want one of these bad boys, put your name down. [Affiliate]
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07-16-2004, 05:19 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,329
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I never understood why people are so gung-ho on safe store areas. For files sure its great but for apps? Since most apps dump a few registry entries into the RAM upon install if a device gets rest the apps, at least in every instance I've tried, breaks making the safe store areas less appealing. I'd rather have a ton of more RAM storage (That typically is faster anyways.) and dump any critical files I need on an SD or CF card.
Beyond that...the only other complaint I have is lack of flip cover. I still am the conspiracy theorist thinking that its motivated by letting the screen stay unprotected. Other then that this device looks like da ****.
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PDA History: Palm Pilot 5000 -> Apple Newton 2100 -> Casio E-11 -> iPaq 3650 (64MB Upgrade) -> iPaq 3700 -> Casio EM-500 -> HP Jornada 568 -> HP iPaq hx4705 www.spreadfirefox.com |
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07-16-2004, 05:25 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jonathan1
I never understood why people are so gung-ho on safe store areas.
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Adding more RAM to a Pocket PC (say, 128 MB) means it needs more power to keep that RAM lit up. Flash ROM costs no power when the device is off. For that reason alone, nothing else, I want to see more Flash ROM and less RAM.
Yeah, the lack of a flip cover sucks. I can't believe how stubborn HP is being about this. :roll:
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07-16-2004, 05:35 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 217
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I wasn't really thinking any of these new devices would be able to suck away dollars from my PDA budget, but dang if this one isn't tempting me with its large memory capacity, 4" high resolution display, dual slots, integrated wireless and magnesium alloy casing.
I would like to try the touch pad out first though because I personally cannot stand them on laptop and prefer the trackpoint eraser head on laptops. I don't know if this was a smart move and it may prevent this PDA from being my new choice. Why do manufacturers have to tweak too much or too little and end up with devices that are close to being perfect?
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07-16-2004, 05:35 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,329
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
Adding more RAM to a Pocket PC (say, 128 MB) means it needs more power to keep that RAM lit up. Flash ROM costs no power when the device is off. For that reason alone, nothing else, I want to see more Flash ROM and less RAM.
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Ahh. I never saw it from that point of view. I didn't realize that RAM was THAT power hungry. I knew it tapped the batt to keep the RAM from losing its data but never figured it was anything other then a slight trickle. But I guess anything that can extend the batt so its not eating battery life while my system is turned off is a good thing.
On thing. Anyone else wish they put a camera in this thing? I know that there has been a backlash on integrating camera's in stuff but I've found myself REALLY wishing that I had a camera in a few instances and carrying my Sony hand canon with me really isn't an option. *shrugs* Maybe its just me. I was at the grocery store the other day and got out of the car. Next to me was one of those shopping cart slash kid cars that are fun for the kids. Well the thing was apparently having oil problems since under it there was a puddle of oil that was trickling out from under it. I got a nice laugh out of it and really wish I could have taken a picture.
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PDA History: Palm Pilot 5000 -> Apple Newton 2100 -> Casio E-11 -> iPaq 3650 (64MB Upgrade) -> iPaq 3700 -> Casio EM-500 -> HP Jornada 568 -> HP iPaq hx4705 www.spreadfirefox.com |
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07-16-2004, 05:37 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 113
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vacillation
Overall impression: state-of-the-art guts, solid but ugly exterior, probably outlandishly priced for me.
But still no real word about that touch-pad. For big-finger folks, that small pad seems to be a ridiculous idea. Will have to wait for a real review that puts this model through the paces.
Thre seems to be an awful lot of landscape above the screen (which to me makes it look too big). But it might be great to see a model in landscape mode with buttons on both sides of the screen!
So this model may be a forerunner of better things to come. 
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"This is nothing like anything we have yet to experience." - Bob & Ray
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07-16-2004, 05:38 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 329
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jonathan1
I never understood why people are so gung-ho on safe store areas.
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Adding more RAM to a Pocket PC (say, 128 MB) means it needs more power to keep that RAM lit up. Flash ROM costs no power when the device is off. For that reason alone, nothing else, I want to see more Flash ROM and less RAM.
Yeah, the lack of a flip cover sucks. I can't believe how stubborn HP is being about this. :roll: |
For my two cents I want more RAM, way more RAM! I am with Jonathan1 on this. If we get any system updates on this device, chances are they will be RAM based. Drivers and today screen programs do not run from Flash ROM or a Storage Card, has been my experience. :cry: The more free RAM the faster the performance. It's way to easy to run out of 64 MB of ram for me.
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07-16-2004, 05:49 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 98
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Quote:
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Last but not least, the iPAQ offers automatic backlight adjustment based on lighting conditions.
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The Jornada lives!
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07-16-2004, 05:49 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 217
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Where in the article does it say there is no flip cover? Everything up until now says there is a flip cover. The article says the following:
"Display protection is almost perfect. Compared with a plastic shield in iPAQs h3000 series, this solution is much better."
It does not elaborate on whether it is a flip cover or something else.
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07-16-2004, 05:55 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 291
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Corrrrr :jawdrop:
I'm not too clear on whether the usual RAM stored OS files are now in flash memory and the ram is for... other stuff.
What i'm trying to say is, is the registry and windows folder now kept in flash ram (as well as running cab files) or are they still in ram?
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Linear Mode
