Toshiba Pocket PC e740 Reviewed on Pocket PC Passion

[Jason Dunn]

<a href="http://www.pocketpcpassion.com/toshiba/e740/e740-1.htm">http://www.pocketpcpassion.com/toshiba/e740/e740-1.htm</a><br /><br />Dale Coffing takes a detailed look at the e740 from Toshiba. Overall, he seems to like it quite a bit, but the performance issues are vexing. I thought that moving to an ARM core would make things simpler for consumers, but it appears that's not the case. Developers will have to create both XScale and StrongARM versions of their apps, which is simlpy ridiculous. How could they botch this so badly? <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif" /><br /><br />"What more could you ask for in a top end Pocket PC today? You want a sleek looking device with the powerful new Intel PXA250 processor with Intel XScale™ technology at 400MHz, built-in 802.11b wireless connectivity along with integrated CompactFlash® II and Secure Digital™ (SD) media slots, a 64K color display as well as a removable battery? Toshiba's latest entry into the Pocket PC arena has raised the bar tremendously for all other manufacturers to meet. Fujitsu-Siemens who was first in announcing an XScale LOOX model months ago just slipped the availability date again which will leave Toshiba alone at least for the short term in the high-end Pocket PC arena." <a href="http://service.bfast.com/bfast/click?siteid=39648844&bfpage=search_box&bfmid=19187551&Operator=2&linkin_id=2054462&keyword=Toshiba E740 Pocket PC">(search for the lowest price)</a>

[marcusbankuti]

Hold on...

So will ARM software be incompatible with xscale, or will ARM software run badly on xscale?

[donkthemagicllama]

"What more could you ask for in a top end Pocket PC today?"

1) Higher resolution screen (a la Clie NV-70 or whatever it's called)
2) Built in mini-keyboard (a la Clie NV-70 or whatever it's called)
3) Built in webcam (a la Clie NV-70 or whatever it's called)

[Rez]

Hold on...

So will ARM software be incompatible with xscale, or will ARM software run badly on xscale?

All StrongARM software is compatible with XScale, as XScale is based on the ARM architecture. However, the Pocket PC 2002 operating system is not optimized for XScale.

Ironically, Palm OS 5 is optimized for XScale. Palm will be releasing a Palm OS 5 XScale (PXA250) device in early 2003, but an X-scale-optimized Pocket PC operating system may not be released until 2004!

http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_Story.asp?ID=3676
http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_Story.asp?ID=3679

[Steven Cedrone]

Developers will have to create both XScale and StrongARM versions of their apps, which is simlpy ridiculous.

Is this any worse then the past when developers had to compile for MIPS/ARM/SH3? At least it's two cpu types instead of three :wink:

Steve

[Rez]

"What more could you ask for in a top end Pocket PC today?"

1) Integrated phone (a la Handspring Treo 270 [GSM/GPRS] and Treo 300 [CDMA])
2) Integrated QWERTY keyboard (a la Handspring Treo 270 and Treo 300)
3) Integrated flip cover (a la Handspring Treo 270 and Treo 300)

[JonnoB]

The iPaq is missing a CF slot, the Jornada is not to be, the Loox is nowhere to be seen and the new Toshiba, although impressive, has gufaws of its own.
1) Side IR port. How do I work with my stylus to beam somthing across a room? I have to turn it sideways!!!!!
2) Small screen. If the 550 can have it, why not the 740? The specs of the 550 are better except without integrated wireless and replaceable battery.

I guess I will have to keep waiting for someone to release a PPC with:
- built-in wirelesss (like Toshiba 740)
- 4" screen (like Toshiba 550)
- flip cover (like HP Jornada)
- expansion sleeve design (like iPaq sled)
- consumer IR
- dual slot expansion (SD and CFII)
- transreflective display
- easy phone add-on option
- replaceable battery

[AhuhX]

Wow I can't believe you actually went for the FUD in those articles Rez!

According to that article: An XScale device running against the current PPC 2002 OS can only be clocked at 200mhz because the OS isn't optimised.

"The PXA250 can run at 400 MHz while using the same amount of power as a 206 MHz StrongARM chip. But in order for this to happen, the handheld's operating system needs to be optimized for the PXA250.

Pocket PC 2002 isn't and therefore will be limited to 200 MHz. "


Do IQ's on the Palm side of the fence drop every time OS 5 is mentioned, or are they always this low?

[Take1]

PalmInfocenter isn't the most accurate source for PPC info on the net :roll:

PocketNow has video which seems to establish that perfomance is increased in some areas and hurt in others.

What gets me is that MS should have OPTIMIZED the code in the first place! It seems MS simply doesn't have the talent, skill or will to get the PPC working to it's full potential. The dissapointing results of the Toshiba are a prime example of not doing their job well. They had better fix ANY performance hits the Xscale causes on the OS and get an optimized OS next year or SONY will simply steal their market with a more capable handheld with both hardware and software advantages (tweaked up the wazoo, of course).

I don't mean to be harsh on MS, but really -- they COULD have tweaked the 2002 OS to be compatible with XScale if they REALLY wanted. Waiting unitl 2004 for XScale optimization is ridiculous -- that's so PALMISH in it's sit-on-your -ass-and-do-nothing attitude.

[Jason Dunn]

I don't mean to be harsh on MS, but really -- they COULD have tweaked the 2002 OS to be compatible with XScale if they REALLY wanted. Waiting unitl 2004 for XScale optimization is ridiculous -- that's so PALMISH in it's sit-on-your -ass-and-do-nothing attitude.

I don't have all the facts yet, but several reports that I've read talked about Intel not getting the chips out in working form fast enough for Microsoft to update their OS in time. I don't know if that's true, but it would explain a few things...we'll see what Microsoft has to say about it I suppose.