08-18-2004, 09:00 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Dave's iPAQ Reviews the iPAQ rx3700
One of the units lost in all the hubbub between the iPAQ rz1715, the hx4700 and the h6315 is the rx3700. (I hope I got those letters right! 8O) It's been billed as a "multimedia device", and Dave's iPAQ editors Jack Cook and Dave Ciccione decided to give the unit a spin. You can read Jack's first impressions as well as Dave's detailed review.
Looks like a sweet device, and the camera pics look surprisingly good. If only it had VGA!
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08-18-2004, 09:28 PM
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Mystic
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,911
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It may have a funny name but it looks like a very nice device.
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08-18-2004, 09:40 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 702
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Very nice device. As usual though, Hp has lost track of what the consumer really wants. If you combined this unit with all of the features of the 4700, then make it 128MB of RAM instead of all that useless ROM, you'd have a TKO. Still gonna have to wait for the Asus or Loox
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08-18-2004, 09:49 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 112
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I don't why everyone is down in the high amt of ROM in the new devices. I, for one, am a fan of what HP is trying to do here. It seems to be akin to the HDD/RAM setup on the desktop PC. Store your programs & files in ROM and/or Storage Card, and leave the RAM as avail. memory.
I agree this is a pretty sweet looking device, but it is basically a souped up 415x with camera (useless IMHO) and bigger form factor. I'll buy up all those excess 415x @ under $350 all day long until they're gone before I'll ever touch one of these.
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08-18-2004, 09:54 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 EricMCarson
I don't why everyone is down in the high amt of ROM in the new devices. I, for one, am a fan of what HP is trying to do here. It seems to be akin to the HDD/RAM setup on the desktop PC. Store your programs & files in ROM and/or Storage Card, and leave the RAM as avail. memory.
I agree this is a pretty sweet looking device, but it is basically a souped up 415x with camera (useless IMHO) and bigger form factor. I'll buy up all those excess 415x @ under $350 all day long until they're gone before I'll ever touch one of these.
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Why?
ROM= Slower then RAM.
__________________
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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08-18-2004, 09:55 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 555
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Pretty impressive. I'm very interested to see how this stacks up to the Asus.
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08-18-2004, 09:55 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,329
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Quote:
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HP has done it again the innovator for all others to follow!
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I disagree, like you didn't see that coming.  , I don't define this device as anything innovative. They took a ho-hum form factor, engineered some decent specs into it, slapped an annoying, IMHO, startup screen on it. And called it a mobile entertainment PPC.
I call BS on this. It smells more or less like a marketing gimmick then anything else and isn't the current head of HP's PDA development team originally a VP from marketing? Ya there is a distinct air of gimmick in the air. Don't get me wrong. The specs look good. Quite good actually. But I think if they really wanted to call it an entertainment PDA it should have had a VGA screen or if nothing else had the high end device contain a VGA screen. Innovation comes in many forms. Will this device have anything that any other device won't have? Nope. Will this device be priced cheaper then the competition? Doubtful when you compare it to the 1715. Will this devices form factor make it stand out in the crowd? Next.. Honestly will anything associated with this system be innovative?
Honestly HP has a good device on its hands. Too bad they again are lacking in only one or two critical fields to keep this from being an outstanding device.
PS- Quick question. Did Dave sign the HP contract thingy to get first dibs at the hardware? I ask because I now consider it a legit question for anyone who does a review. I really question the integrity of any site who agreed to those terms. Consequently I question if a site might be, how do it put it, some want slanted towards a certain opinion to make sure they get a good seat for the next round of iPaq's which will doubtlessly come in a beige boxy design. :roll:
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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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08-18-2004, 09:56 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jonathan1
I disagree, like you didn't see that coming. , I don't define this device as anything innovative. They took a ho-hum form factor, engineered some decent specs into it, slapped an annoying, IMHO, startup screen on it. And called it a mobile entertainment PPC. |
If you look carefully, there's actually some additional PC-side software to do things like stream music. It's a bit more than just a look.  Probably not critically important for power users who can set it up themselves, but it might be worth it for end-users.
--janak
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08-18-2004, 09:58 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,060
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I still think it's incredibly ugly. I really like the rounded corners of the 1900 and 4100 series. These new ones look like they belong in the 70s.
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08-18-2004, 10:01 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 702
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by EricMCarson
I don't why everyone is down in the high amt of ROM in the new devices. I, for one, am a fan of what HP is trying to do here. It seems to be akin to the HDD/RAM setup on the desktop PC. Store your programs & files in ROM and/or Storage Card, and leave the RAM as avail. memory.
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I understand what they are doing, and I think there may actually be a market for it, but I'm not a fan of it at all. I have run low on RAM many times with a 64MB PPC, and I don't store any programs (other than Today plug-ins) in RAM. I also have had many programs that will not work when installed in ROM, but they work fine on a storage card. With the price of SD and CF cards dropping, I just don't think it is a credit to the device, other than for expandability for future OS's, which is often times bloated with software programs that many users don't want or need.
But to get back on topic: The multimedia options on this device are quite impressive, aside from the proprietary WMP only support.
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