Faster, wireless Pocket PCs

[Jason Dunn]

<a href="http://www.msnbc.com/news/771301.asp">http://www.msnbc.com/news/771301.asp</a><br /><br />Gary Krakow is an MSNBC journalist that I'd like to meet someday - he writes with actual working knowledge about Pocket PCs, which is a rather rare thing in the Palm-biased mainstream media ("Those Pocket PCs are so hard to use, not like my good ol' Palm..."). Give the whole article a read - he has some good first-hand observations about both the new iPAQ 3970</A> (<a href="http://www.dreampages.com?aff=pocketpcthoughts&page=bcomippocpc.html">affiliate link</a>) and the Toshiba e740 (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000658CE/jasonsego">affiliate link</a>). He doesn't go into the XScale performance problems, but that might be good news - if he didn't notice it, perhaps the issue on the 3970 isn't as bad as the Toshiba. Granted, he might not have fired up a video and watched it sputter. What I found most interesting in the article was his gushing over the iPAQ screen - and, trust me, it's quite warranted:<br /><br />"Now it’s time to talk about the screen in detail. 64K color, 16-bit touch-sensitive transflective TFT liquid crystal display. Sound impressive? All you really need to know is that this is the best screen ever on a handheld computer — and rivals (in quality if not size) the best screens you’ve ever seen on a portable device. The big difference here is that Compaq has changed screens and the way the screen is lit — now from the back instead of the sides. I was never a fan of the Compaq side-lit screen. As a matter of fact the first time I saw it I wondered why many people told me it was so terrific. It looked slightly washed-out in subdued light — and just OK in bright sunlight. The new screen is an entirely different story. This time around Compaq got it exactly right. <br /><br />To understand why, go to your nearest Compaq dealer and turn on this device. You’ll be bowled over by the quality of the screen resolution and color rendition. My test model came with 3 test photographs. Everyone who has seen them on the 3900 has been completely bowled over." Source: Humphrey Riley, Peter West

[b3trio]

The main reason I still haven't upgraded from my Casio EM-500 is because there hasn't been a PPC 2002 device that can compete with the quality of the screen (indoors anyway).

How does the new iPaq screen compare Jason?

[heov]

Ok, I understand that the screen is awesome, but is it really better than the Clie's? I mean, has anyone actually seen the screen on the nr70 @ 320x480 resolution - that is an awesome screen. In fact, even the t615/655 has an awesome screen, which even a better dot pitch.

How does ipaq screen compare to the clies?

[Jason Dunn]

How does ipaq screen compare to the clies?

I didnt' compare them side by side, but I remember being blown away by the iPAQ screen - it's uniformly lit, and doesn't have that "washed out" effect that all the current side-lit screens have. It's just something that you have to see to understand. :-)

[Jason Dunn]

The main reason I still haven't upgraded from my Casio EM-500 is because there hasn't been a PPC 2002 device that can compete with the quality of the screen (indoors anyway). How does the new iPaq screen compare Jason?

Didn't have a lovely Casio screen to compare against, but I really, really, really liked the new iPAQ screen. :D

[jpaq]

Now, make it reasonably priced and we'll talk about it. Otherwise, it is so close to the price of a laptop, why bother?

Maybe it will be like so many other PDA's. They have a published price and everyone sells it for $50-$100 less.

Who's got the deals??????

[Paragon]

This is the same screen that the Loox is using is it not? FS Loox announced this long before it was announced in the Ipaq, so I don't understand why everyone is jumping all over this 'new' Compaq screen innovation.

Ok now that I got that out of me :)

The more that I hear about this screen the better it sounds. I am reading some rather conficting reports as to how it actually works...I think that is probably since it is new, not many have used it, and some reports are simply misinformed. So someone can kindly correct my mistakes on how the basics of it work..... Being transrefective, it bounces ambient light back thru the display. It is back?, front? lit for use when there is not enough ambient light.

A question to anyone who has used one. How much ambient light can it work on? Can it be used in normal indoor light with out having the light set too high? Hence giving better battery life. Are the colours more vibrant. From the sound of the author of this report they are. As he says less washed out.

Dave

[Jason Dunn]

This is the same screen that the Loox is using is it not?

Unless the LOOX has a different screen from what they were showing at CeBIT a few months ago, certainly not. The Loox screen looked no different than my HP screen. This iPAQ screen is very different!

The more that I hear about this screen the better it sounds. I am reading some rather conficting reports as to how it actually works...

Until I get one to test, I can't confirm whether it offers any better battery life. My hunch is, yes, it will have a significant impact. It takes VERY little light to back-light a screen vs. splash light from the sides.

[Paragon]

Jason check the data sheet here http://www.fujitsu-siemens.com/rl/products/handhelds/pocketloox.html#

They are calling it a transflective screen??

Dave

[Paragon]

although if you read the tech. data it calls it non-reflective, and transflective?

.....non-reflective vs transflective???

Dave

[Jason Dunn]

Jason check the data sheet here http://www.fujitsu-siemens.com/rl/products/handhelds/pocketloox.html#They are calling it a transflective screen??

Hmm - very interesting. Definitely NOT what I saw, but that was 3+ months ago, so it's certainly possible that they changed the screen in the shipping product to be more competitive.

[Paragon]

I sure hope this is the case. I am beginning to cosy up to the Loox. It seems much more appealing to me then the Ipaq or the Toshiba at this point. Early reports are that it will be considerably less than the Ipaq plus better feature. Can't beat that... "less money more filling" :)

Dave

[DJR]

I'm not sure we can assume that a reviewer for MSNBC is going to be without bias... :wink:

I'd love to hear from somebody that has actually compared the new iPAQ H39xx screen to the Sony NR70V. I have a hard time believing that the Clie can be surpassed - it's truly in the jaw-dropping category.

Anyways, the most interesting part of the article was the battery-life comment - very disappointing that the Toshiba e740 starts popping up battery warnings in less than an hour when using WiFi :(

[Foo Fighter]

I hope the display on the LOOX is as good as the iPaq 3900. I've never been a big fan of the iPaq's slippery body, and the lack of a screen cover. The LOOX looks more interesting. And it's hard to justify the $650 pricetag.

[Scott R]

I'm pretty sure that this is the same screen technology used by the Sony NR70 and T615/665 series as well as the Palm m130. So, no, it isn't new. Still, just because they all use the same technology, it doesn't mean that they all implement it equally well. So, it's quite possible that some of these may look better than others. If the Sony's brightness and color quality are as good (or better) than these new iPaq's, then those would be the screens to beat since the resolutions are higher (320x320 and 320x480 vs 240x320).

Also, the HP press release and Krakow both make mention of the "new and faster processor," so they've put their reputation on the line there. It will be interesting to see if it delivers. Based on the past consensus, it seems like most were starting to believe that the source of the problems is in the entire Intel chip design itself, so I'm skeptical.

I'll also echo the comments that the price is way too high these days. Prices should be staying the same or coming down. The screen may be an improvement over the 38xx series, but this is the type of upgrade that would typically be implemented into the entire product line without affecting cost (see Sony for evidence of this). IMO, the added cost is there because of the XScale chip. If the chip doesn't deliver, then the added cost can't be justified.

Scott

[pdagal]

The Palm m130 and Sony 615 do not have transreflective screens. That technology isn't new but rather had been too expensive for the handheld market until recently.

I'm pretty sure that this is the same screen technology used by the Sony NR70 and T615/665 series as well as the Palm m130. So, no, it isn't new. Still, just because they all use the same technology, it doesn't mean that they all implement it equally well. So, it's quite possible that some of these may look better than others. If the Sony's brightness and color quality are as good (or better) than these new iPaq's, then those would be the screens to beat since the resolutions are higher (320x320 and 320x480 vs 240x320).

Scott

[Foo Fighter]

Sorry, but you are wrong. The Sony T615c does indeed use a Transflective LCD.

[pdagal]

Hey Foo,
Where did you get your info? A Sony marketing person told me otherwise, but they are not always the most knowledgeable.

Sorry, but you are wrong. The Sony T615c does indeed use a Transflective LCD.

[Paragon]

For those of you not buying based on price, you aren't alone. There is a pole going on at Pocket PC Pasion...will you but a new 3970... as of this post there were 60 votes with only three yes votes. 40% say no because of the high cost.

http://www.pocketpcpassion.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13953

Dave

[Chris Dunphy]

Compaq deserves no points for innovation - transflective has already been done, just not on a Pocket PC.

The Clie t615 is transflective. The NR70 is transflective, and twice the resolution of any Pocket PC. Even the very affordable Palm m130 is transflective, and so is the color Treos.

I am going to check out Compaq's booth at PC Expo tomorrow, but I really would be surprised if the screen on the 3900 is better than the Sonys. The extra pixels really go a long way.

I think someone asked what transflective is all about. A transflective screen gives you the best of both worlds of backlit and sidelit screens. Backlit screens are completely transmissive, and in bright light (particularly sunlight) - the backlight is drowned out and the screen goes black and is unreadable. But - in less extreme conditions the screen can be brighter and the colors more beautiful than a reflective screen. Also, backlit screens can be manufactured thinner.

Reflective screens reflect ambient light, and thus work well in sunlight. But to light them up, you need a sidelight which requires the screens to be slightly thicker, and it is tougher to get the brightness and colors uniform.

Transflective screens are both transmissive and reflective. The light comes from a backlight, the screen can be thin, but things will stay readable in even the brightest sunlight.

If you haven't seen some hires 320x480 sample images on a Clie NR70 screen, I encourage you to go to a CompUSA and check them out. The screen really is to die for.

- chris