Hitachi to target corporate users with new PDA

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://www.computerworld.com/storyba/0,4125,NAV47_STO68454,00.html">http://www.computerworld.com/storyba/0,4125,NAV47_STO68454,00.html</a><br /><br />"Hitachi Ltd. is targeting corporate users with its first personal digital assistant (PDA), combining Microsoft Corp.'s Windows CE .Net operating system, Intel Corp.'s XScale microprocessor and a built-in wireless LAN modem. The device will ship in April, the company announced today. "<br /><br />It is based on the PXA250 XScale processor, will have 32MB of RAM, 3.5 inch 16bit display, a mini-USB connector and can accept SD/MMC cards. It will weigh 5.6oz, and is roughly 3 inches wide, 4.25 inches high and .7 inches thick. Very tidy package!<br /><br />Hitachi is apparently pretty serious about PDA's as they have "formed a new subsidiary, the Net-PDA Venture Co., to handle development of the PDA and complementary services." It wil be interesting to see what they develop for the UI and apps though. Since it is based on CE.NET, it won't be a Pocket PC. Maybe they'll come around. ;-)<br /><br />Thanks to Arnon Rotem-Gal-Oz for the link.

[van_mierlo]

It is a shame for the just 32 mb ram, the rest is delivered with 64 mb these days

[spg]

It is a shame for the just 32 mb ram, the rest is delivered with 64 mb these days


Yeah really, I don't think 32MB would be enough for me.

[Scott R]

Sounds impressive. If they're targetting it corporations, that probably means it won't be cheap. With those size/weight specs and wireless built-in, I'll be interested to hear what the battery life will be like. The XScale should help, but will it help enough?

I wouldn't be concerned about memory. They're not using PocketPC, so they may be keeping built-in apps to a minimum. And with the SD slot, who cares.

I'll be interested to see what they come up with on the GUI. I'm also curious whether developing with the .NET tools will enable you to create apps which will run on both Pocket PC and this device. Or, if not, if the changes needed to make multi-platform applications easy. Any inside info on this, EdH?

Scott

[Dave Conger]

I had though Hitachi was working on a tablet, and not a PDA? Well, maybe they are working on both. Remember, this isn't a Pocket PC...it runs CE.NET. Though 32mb might be limited, that thends to be what CE devices have. If they decide to bring it to the US I would hope they would upgrade it to 64mb, though I fear they would still make it a corperate product. I like the idea of the LAN connection on the device. I wish more companies would do that (Though i suppose it does increase the device size).

[Trade Wind]

Here are some good quality pictures @ ZDNet Japan & WinCE Fan Japan:

http://www.zdnet.co.jp/news/bursts/0202/19/02.html

http://www.wince.ne.jp/snap/ceSnapView.asp?PID=705

[Foo Fighter]

Yuck! More corporate models? When are we ever going to see consumer PPC devices? :cry:

This is exactly what I have been complaining about:

http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/stories/story/0,10738,2848712,00.html

[Scott R]

Yuck! More corporate models? When are we ever going to see consumer PPC devices? :cry:

This is exactly what I have been complaining about:

http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/stories/story/0,10738,2848712,00.html

Wow Foo, you've really arrived now. You got ZD to print one of your ramblings. ;)

Scott

[Scott R]

foo, the problem with most of the comments you made in that article is that, IMO, they're common sense. Let me explain: Do you think MS and their partners wouldn't want to create a Pocket PC device that is both smaller and cheaper? I'd argue that they can't because of the added costs of the components that goes into them (plus the somewhat higher cost of licensing the PPC OS - as compared to the Palm OS).

Things will get more interesting once XScale arrives. This should allow smaller device and/or longer battery life. However, how much does a 200 MHz XScale CPU cost as compared to the current 206 MHz StrongARM? If it's more (which you'd have to think it will be), costs won't be going down any time soon.

Scott

[Foo Fighter]

I'd argue that they can't because of the added costs of the components that goes into them

I know that. My point was that PocketPC needs better hardware and lower costs before it can be accepted into the mainstream.

(plus the somewhat higher cost of licensing the PPC OS - as compared to the Palm OS).

That's an issue for debate. From what I understand, the licensing fees charged by Microsoft and Palm are fairly close.

Things will get more interesting once XScale arrives. This should allow smaller device and/or longer battery life. However, how much does a 200 MHz XScale CPU cost as compared to the current 206 MHz StrongARM? If it's more (which you'd have to think it will be), costs won't be going down any time soon.

I agree. Xscale is going to lead to better battery life and performance...but it may be a bitter pill to swallow, initially.

[Ed Hansberry]

I'll be interested to see what they come up with on the GUI. I'm also curious whether developing with the .NET tools will enable you to create apps which will run on both Pocket PC and this device. Or, if not, if the changes needed to make multi-platform applications easy. Any inside info on this, EdH?
The Mobile Devices group doesn't have much to do with the Windows CE .NET team. Mobile Devices is really a customer of the CE team and they take CE and build Pocket PC on top of that, then sell it to HP, Compaq, etc.

If I were to hazard a guess, I would say the PPC team doesn't care about CE .NET devices, be they elevator programs, gas pumps, museum guides or OEM PDA's. If Hitachi and Casio (BE-300) cared about compatability, they would buy the Pocket PC product, not the CE/CE.NET product and grow their own UI.

There are some developers compiling their apps for both platforms. www.developerone.com has some, but most aren't. It isn't like compiling for MIPS and ARM. It is like compiling for Windows 95 then recompiling for 16bit Windows 3.1. It is close, but different enough that coding and UI changes have to be made.

Obviously Hitachi thinks they have a pure corporate device here. You can still use the Visual Studio .NET to do your stuff - so all of your VB, VC++, VC# knowledge carries over, PIM is there and you don't have to worry about your employees loading up Doom or Chopper Alley, because they won't work.

[Venturello]

Darn RAM being so cheap this days...

Remember when I paid 25 dollars for each 8k CHIP on my XT...

[Kirk Stephens]

We have yet another player in the niche pocket pc market. All for the better I suppose, competition lowers prices and creates superior produts.

The specs of this new PDA looks nice, but two things are troubling me. First, 32MB is not enough. Second, it has no buttons on the front face of the device.

[Teddy]

I agree with Kirk that no Dpad and buttons could be a drawback...how are we supposed to play games??? :D

[st63z]

Soo, how long before the Mobile Devices group releases Pocket PC.Net? I assume they've had some time to work on it already since Hitachi's ready to roll out their custom build in April...?

I thought PPC.Net is quite far off, but I might be in for a pleasant surprise :) Maybe we should wait until PPC.Net catches up to XScale so we can buy a new PPC with next-gen hardware *and* software... maybe this summer??

BTW, from the first pics I had thought the Hitachi uses some flip screen cover or something (that may be covering up the buttons on the bottom) but there's no mention of a cover... Also, the linked article says:

"It has slots for a Multimedia Card and Secure Digital expansion cards"

Does that mean it has *2* SD/MMC slots (in addition to 802.11)? That would be sum'thin' :)

[Ed Hansberry]

Soo, how long before the Mobile Devices group releases Pocket PC.Net? I assume they've had some time to work on it already since Hitachi's ready to roll out their custom build in April...?

THey just released PPC 2002 a few months ago. They were busy working on that. I don't know how far a .NET based PPC is. I would hazard a guess it is at least 12 months off since there seems to be an approximate 18 month cycle between PPC's that you can track back to the original WinCE 2.11 based Palm-sized PC's, but that is obviously no guarantee.