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View Full Version : Fujitsu Siemens Pocket LOOX Available for Pre-Order


Jason Dunn
04-05-2002, 09:06 PM
<a href="http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=FSLOOX">http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=FSLOOX</a><br /><br />We received an email from <a href="http://www.sprinklerhead.com">Jeremiah Owen</a> saying that the LOOX was now available for pre-order from European company Expansys. In typical Expansys fashion, not even a price. I'd say to wait until more is known.<br /><br />I'll have my own opinions of the LOOX and some photos up in the next few days, but the quick summary is this: potentially killer device, but the beta units I saw were not as exciting from a performance standpoint as I had hoped. Until I'm holding a production unit, however, it's impossible to make any firm judgments.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.expansys.com/img/large_FSLOOX.jpg" />

rfischer
04-05-2002, 09:10 PM
So here's the question of the day. Is this device pronounced like LOOKS or LUKES? Just wondering.... :)

Jason Dunn
04-05-2002, 09:40 PM
http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/loox.jpg

Master O'Mayhem
04-05-2002, 09:46 PM
LOOX is like LOOKS

Jason Dunn
04-05-2002, 09:47 PM
LOOX is like LOOKS


Ah, but when you say "LOOX" with a German accent, it sounds like "LUKES". :wink:

Shapeshifter
04-05-2002, 09:48 PM
I have to disagree. The Siemens people pronounced it Lukes (with a long u).

rfischer
04-05-2002, 10:23 PM
LOL! Sorry I asked!

JonnoB
04-05-2002, 11:02 PM
Who will have it for sale first in the US? I want one now!

Jason Dunn
04-05-2002, 11:28 PM
Who will have it for sale first in the US? I want one now!


It will be a while for the US release - I'm guessing, but probably 6 months or so.

Shapeshifter
04-05-2002, 11:47 PM
Well, it certainly kicks butt. I will wait for the other devices though, since the LOOX wont have Flash ROM.
-Shapeshifter

innersky
04-06-2002, 12:04 AM
No flash ROM, are you sure about that ?
That would be really a pity.

Dave Conger
04-06-2002, 12:08 AM
It will be a while for the US release - I'm guessing, but probably 6 months or so.


Is this an XScale deal or is Fujitsu just holding back to maybe fix some bugs before a US release is in order?

GregWard
04-06-2002, 12:19 AM
In typical Expansys fashion, not even a price. I'd say to wait until more is known.

Once you catch their style of thinking Expansys is a good way of separating out the "vapourware". They stick pretty much anything up as soon as they hear about it and it ALWAYS seems to start with "available for pre-order - no date - no price" - ie they haven't got a clue when it will really exist! Then you see a price "heh this thing really exists - but we ain't seen one yet". Eventually you get an "expected" date ("it exists and we've even been promised some"). Once it gets to "in stock" the baby has really arrived!
So I visit their website to check how "real" new kit is.
To be fair to them they do seem to get things in pretty quick normally (when they finally exist) - and they do say that they re-confirm pre-orders before dispatch.
BTW - I have no connection with Expansys - just a happy customer.

Jason Dunn
04-06-2002, 12:21 AM
No flash ROM, are you sure about that ?


We've been through this several times on this site already. :-) All Pocket PC 2002 devices MUST have Flash ROM - period.

Jason Dunn
04-06-2002, 12:22 AM
Is this an XScale deal or is Fujitsu just holding back to maybe fix some bugs before a US release is in order?


The LOOX is 400 mhz XScale, but the US release date will take longer because it's first being released in Europe - there's not even a 100% guarantee that Fujitsu USA will carry the LOOX. Fujitsu Siemens is a joint company based in Europe from what they told me.

Duncan
04-06-2002, 12:37 AM
It's simple economics - the US is the biggest market for Pocket PCs but Europe is the biggest market for mobile comms. As FJ are most concerned with attracting mobile comms. cutomers - the European market comes first. Same reason Nokia are marketing the Communicator much later in the US. I don't see this changing much before 3G is all over - even then the US will still be playing catch up to Europe as Europe currently plays catch up to Japan... Simultaneous releases is out of the question because not enough units can be produced to launch in two markets simultaneously (as MS are finding with the Xbox surely...?).

Jason - Siemens (the mobile bit in Fujitsu-Siemens) is very strongly European based. I used to live practically next door to one of their research centres in the UK (along with someone who did 'work experience' with them while at University).

Shapeshifter
04-06-2002, 01:56 AM
We've been through this several times on this site already. All Pocket PC 2002 devices MUST have Flash ROM - period.
And I have been trying to tell you that they have clearly stated towards me that they will not have a flash rom. period. i also asked about the ppc2k2-ms-specs but they said they had removed it because they do not want costumers who ran apps by bad developers on their ppc to come back and demand a new one.
i will write them an email in a minute, asking if the loox will have flash rom or not, okay? the man on the cebit said it wont. i was pretty disappointed too, but i can only say what i have heard. okay? okay.
-Shapeshifter

Duncan
04-06-2002, 03:31 AM
Shapeshifter,

I'm reluctant to say out and out that you are wrong (I can remember only too clearly telling someone that the original iPaq couldn't possibly be due to have only a 4096 screen as all the 1st gen Pocket PCs were to be 64 K!) BUT -

here - http://www.microsoft.com/MOBILE/enterprise/papers/why.asp , in a whole spiel about why enterprises should go with the PPC 2002 platform, Flash ROM is given (in a table about half way down) as a fixed characteristic of the Pocket PC hardware (while some other things are not). Now this does not necessarily mean that they can't have changed the fixed specs but -

1) That could really annoy other manufacturers
2) That would put FS in a positon of weakness if major OS updates are released and only FS couldn't put them into ROM
3) Why should FS be concerned about people messing with Flash ROM? It clearly invalidates the warranty to make an unauthorised ROM alteration (and it can hardly be done by accident) - so FS can shrug their sholders and say TOUGH or charge for it to be fixed or even follow Compaq's example with the illegal ROM upgrades!

Perhaps the person you spoke to at CeBit thought you were asking about some form of Flash ROM file store (Compaq seem to have had some difficulties with theirs)? It might make sense to leave that off...

I kind of assume that the people set to man information booths are rarely (Dale Coffing and his ilk aside!) people who know anything much about the product.

It will be interesting to note what response you get to your e-mail...

jlp
04-06-2002, 04:51 AM
Well, it certainly kicks butt. I will wait for the other devices though, since the LOOX wont have Flash ROM.


Shapeshifter,

The LOOX DE-FI-NI-TELY has flash ROM, I sent an email to a handheld product manager at Fujitsu-Siemens in Germany and he said it DOES have flash ROM !!!



Is this an XScale deal or is Fujitsu just holding back to maybe fix some bugs before a US release is in order?


The LOOX is 400 mhz XScale, but the US release date will take longer because it's first being released in Europe - there's not even a 100% guarantee that Fujitsu USA will carry the LOOX. Fujitsu Siemens is a joint company based in Europe from what they told me.


Although nothing is guaranteed untill you get it into your hands, the Pocket LOOX is to be available worldwide. It bears the Fujitsu only logo in Japan and Fujitsu-Siemens in Europe because of the alliance. It might/should be Fujitsu only in North America.

Take a LOOX ;) at this page on the international site. They just added a nice Flash animation (link is at the upper right) that gives many interesting information, including the fact that the ROM IS flashable and that it comes already installed with the PPC 2k2 Phone Edition !!!

Here's the LINX ;) (http://www.fujitsu-siemens.com/rl/products/handhelds/pocketloox.html)

Duncan
04-06-2002, 05:07 AM
jlp,

GOOD spot! Did that just appear tonight? I'm sure it wasn't there earlier!

BTW - I know that FS have said their will be a global launch but there do seem to be indications that the US will get it some time after Europe and Japan. Mind you, as you said, until it is in our hands... who knows!

Mobile Bob
04-06-2002, 06:14 AM
Is this an XScale deal or is Fujitsu just holding back to maybe fix some bugs before a US release is in order?


The LOOX is 400 mhz XScale, but the US release date will take longer because it's first being released in Europe - there's not even a 100% guarantee that Fujitsu USA will carry the LOOX.


Here is a link to Fujitsu's March 13, 2002 press release, posted on their U.S. site, where they claim the LOOX will be available in the U.S. in late May. :D

http://www.fpc.fujitsu.com/www/news.shtml?aboutus/pressreleases/pr_031302

jlp
04-06-2002, 08:55 AM
After watching the Flash animation I mentionned just above, I went inside my explorer cache within my Windows directory to save the SWF file elsewhere on my harddisk to watch it at leasure (size 2.6 MB).

Then I use the freeware multimedia (images video sounds) file viewer Irfanview to watch it again. Download it here. (http://www.Irfanview.com) I can even watch it fullscreen.

entropy1980
04-06-2002, 09:11 AM
On www.pocketpc.com
Microsoft states it will be available in the U.S. , I just got off the phone earlier with the a higher up at Fujitsu and they said looks like like at least June before we in the U.S. see it... :cry:

here's the MS link:
http://www.microsoft.com/mobile/pocketpc/hardware/devices/fujitsuloox_specs.asp

Teddy
04-06-2002, 11:21 AM
First in Spain than in the US? That's really amazing!!! :wink:

ausindo
04-06-2002, 04:45 PM
What i really need to know is when will it be available in Oceania? (Australian and New Zealand) i mean what about us? don't tell me i have to buy it from USA? or Europe? bugger that

mgd
04-06-2002, 06:10 PM
Here's a question that I haven't seen addressed yet. What about software? Will current ARM software work with LOOX or will we have to wait for updated releases?

entropy1980
04-06-2002, 06:21 PM
Yes all ARM software will run on XSCALE.

kagayaki1
04-06-2002, 06:27 PM
I have read (both official and otherwise) conflicting reports about whether software for the XScale would have to be recoded. Anyone want to post a URL clarifying this?

But perhaps something more interesting to think of: could the new CE .NET software have a Pocket PC shell before the LOOX is released? I would tend to think at this point in product development, the possibility is almost non-existant. But nonetheless, we can't start dreaming too early, can we?

Duncan
04-06-2002, 08:23 PM
OK - you asked!

http://developer.intel.com/design/pca/prodbref/298620.htm

Highlights -

ARM** Architecture v.5TE compliant and application code compatible with Intel® SA-1110 processor for rapid upgrade
This highly integrated, 32-bit RISC processor combines the efficiency of Intel design with the industry standard ARM** v. 5TE instruction set architecture
Our robust software and hardware development environment offers a large library of ARM**-compliant applications and tools

So - the rule of thumb (no pun intended) seems to be - software designed for previous StrongArm processors should work fine with the new processors BUT won't necessarily be able to make use of all the extra things that the new processors can do.[/quote]

jlp
04-06-2002, 08:27 PM
I have read (both official and otherwise) conflicting reports about whether software for the XScale would have to be recoded. Anyone want to post a URL clarifying this?

But perhaps something more interesting to think of: could the new CE .NET software have a Pocket PC shell before the LOOX is released? I would tend to think at this point in product development, the possibility is almost non-existant. But nonetheless, we can't start dreaming too early, can we?


Have you tried to LOOX ;) at the source ARM.com or Intel.com??

zucchini
04-08-2002, 12:43 AM
so now, it is all depends on how much will it be... really hope that it will be around the same price or less than the current PPC2002 model!!

Duncan
04-08-2002, 01:05 AM
'A' price already exists: €699 ($615; £429) in Europe, $599 (€680; £417). Whether this is going to be the final SRP (or anywhere close to the actual street price) is another matter. This would make it a very good price in £Sterling but I can't comment on Dollars or Euros.

ausindo
04-08-2002, 02:08 AM
dam it i don't think it will be available in Oceania? bugger! :cry: