ViewSonic entry level Pocket PC for $299

[marlof]

<a href="http://news.com.com/2100-1040-960004.html">http://news.com.com/2100-1040-960004.html</a><br /><br />On November 1, ViewSonic will release an entry level Pocket PC that might be quite interesting. Not for the power users out there (there's no built in 802.11b, no Bluetooth, only one SD expansion slot) but for those in the need of a basic PDA that still can give you a full multimedia experience.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/bregonje/viewsonicppc.jpg" /><br /><br />The V35 Pocket PC will be 4.9-ounce device, have a 300MHz Intel XScale PXA250 processor, 32MB of memory, a 3.5-inch transflective color screen and a Secure Digital expansion slot. It will be bundled with PowerPoint file viewer and image viewer applications. And you can get all that for just $299. I was a bit amazed to read this entry level product will have a transflective screen for this price. But ViewSonic general manager Tom Offutt states that ViewSonic's position as a display company helped to bring down the cost of the device.<br /><br />And that's important. As Richard Shim of CNet News writes: "Analysts have said that high prices have kept the Pocket PC-based handhelds from the biggest segment of the market: consumers. However, with the ViewSonic device--and other gear that will fall in the same price range and are due out by the end of the year--the Pocket PC OS has the potential to grow its share of the market."<br /><br />Source: Marc Zimmermann and Foo Fighter.

[Skoobouy]

Bear in mind: technically, all side-lit reflective displays are "transflective." The keywords you want to look for when selecting a screen like the iPaq 3900 or Clie units is back-lit transflective.

[Ed Hansberry]

I've never seen the word "transflective" used when it wasn't backlit. Otherwise it is "reflective." Doesn't transflective mean it is semi-tranparent so the backlight can shine through? Put a backlight behind a reflective screen and nothing comes through.

[Paragon]

There has to be at least one single person out there who can explain what a transflective screen is without throwing more confusion into the subject.

I have read probably a dozen reports on what a transflective screen actually is. I think I understand it less now then I did before reading them. I may not be the brightest bulb in the pack, but I'm not an idiot either. Most times the explanation begins with "this is my understanding of what it is" I think we need someone who actually knows to step up and say "this is what a transflective screen is".

I'm going to have my morning coffee now. :)

Dave

[Timothy Rapson]

By Christmas there will be the (effectively $300 due to current fire sales on the e310) Dell, Ipaq, and now ViewSonic selling at that $300 list price area. It will be a pricing meltdown.

This confirms to me that they have long been making way too much money on PPCs. Compaq was getting them from HTC for $204 and selling them to Best Buy for $400. Nice for HP. At one time Palm enjoyed even better margins than that on the Palm V. Consider that the new Zire is nearly identical featurewise to the original Palm V and it will come at $99 list.

I expect that eventually PDAs will sell for $80-100 monochrome (if they sell them at all) and $150-200 color in volumes of 1-2 billion per year. They will be in everyone's hands like GameBoys and pocket radios.

These models show that day is coming faster than I expected. With this many manufacturers in the same price range this soon, I am predicting we will see a $150 color PDA at Best Buy by Christmas.

[Ed Hansberry]

I think we need someone who actually knows to step up and say "this is what a transflective screen is".

I'm going to have my morning coffee now. :)
I agree - I was just clarifying I have never heard of a screen like those on the iPAQ 3900 or Sony Clies referred to as anything but transfective and never heard a reflective misidentified in an article.

Pass me a cup of coffee will ya? :morning:

[Paragon]

Pass me a cup of coffee will ya? :morning:

Here you go Ed! :beer: Start the day off right. :)

Dave

[R K]

I think all this transreflective versus reflective conflict came when the Pocket Loox was advertised as having a transreflective screen, when it actually had what was commonly known as a reflective screen.
Then people came in claiming that the original iPAQ 3600 advertisements claimed that it was transreflective as well.
Steve from Brighthand had a pretty good article explaining different display technologies a while ago, but I wonder if the new debate between reflective and transreflective has changed his mind in any way.

[PPCRules]

It loooks to me as though Dell waited too long to get into this, especially if they don't make it until next spring, as the latest info seems to indicate. The third and fourth entries at this price point with basically similar specs will have a tough time. I wouldn't be surprised to see Dell back out; they have no manufacturing synergies for a product like this.

[Ed Hansberry]

It loooks to me as though Dell waited too long to get into this, especially if they don't make it until next spring, as the latest info seems to indicate. The third and fourth entries at this price point with basically similar specs will have a tough time. I would be surprised to see Dell back out; they have no manufacturing synergies for a product like this.
They have sales synergies. Dell is never first. They win by producing a high quality product at a low price and taking marketshare in established markets. They did it with:
•Desktops
•laptops
•servers

They are working on
•networking products (3com worried)
•printers (HP worried)
•blade servers

Next up?
•PDAs

[grogma]

An LCD is a transmissive display. What this means is that it does not, in and of itself, emit light. It either blocks light or permits it to pass (through a color filter in the case of a color display). What we are talking about when we use terms like reflective and transflective are the properties of the material that lives behind the LCD. In the case of a reflective display there is, essentially, a mirror in back of the display that reflects as much ambient light as possible back through the display. Since the display itself is not 100% transparent some light is lost on each journey through the display (in and back out again). These displays tend to be dim. It is common for some form of ambient light enhancement to be added to these devices. A front light is a plastic lens that takes a light source and attempts (usually poorly) to bend it and disperse it so that it enters the display, reflects off the backing material and comes out the front again. Reflective displays are at their best under conditions of strong ambient light. The Palm M505 is an example of a front lit reflective LCD. A backlit LCD depends on the presence of an active, powered light source (typically flourescent or LED) to transmit light through the display. These displays are at their best under dim ambient light and tend to become washed out in the presence of strong ambient light. A transflective display features a backing material that both reflects ambient light AND emits light of its own. There are the brightest displays and they work in most lighting conditions.

[JonnoB]

Grogma-
Great explanation.

[jlnflus]

I did a search for the Viewsonic V35 on Google and found 2 news article on this pda from today. It show the device with 64 MB RAM and 32 MB of flash memory, that would make this a very nice unit and maybe some competition for Toshiba.

http://www.internetnews.com/wireless/article.php/1472551

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=1093&ncid=738&e=6&u=/pcworld/20020930/tc_pcworld/105489

[cpoole]

Come on Grogma, couldn't you explain that in a bit more complicated way. I actually understood what you said. :wink:

[Paragon]

A transflective display features a backing material that both reflects ambient light AND emits light of its own. There are the brightest displays and they work in most lighting conditions.

Thank you grogma!

To me it seemed like every explanation given to date in the end made reflective, and transflective sound like they worked the same way. The line I have just quoted seems to be the final piece in understanding the difference between the two.

Dave

[brntcrsp]

Thanks Grogma!

Also since this is ViewSonic, I would believe that they would actually know their LCD displays pretty well. Thus, I hope that this will be a tranflective screen of high quality. Beware HP/Compaq, the ants will eat you for lunch at this rate.

[klinux]

Grogma:

Thanks for the lucid explanation. What is the name of display that the Casio E-125 uses (the kind where it is superbright indoors but barely viewable outdoors)?

[jpaq]

OK. Back to the rest of the PDA (aside from the screen).

It looks like a Toshiba with a jazzed up front panel.

Look at the button and speaker placements. Yes, the LED's are on the right, but they are on the right on the E740.

Just $.02

[grogma]

Grogma:

Thanks for the lucid explanation. What is the name of display that the Casio E-125 uses (the kind where it is superbright indoors but barely viewable outdoors)?
That would be a backlit transmissive display.

[grogma]

Come on Grogma, couldn't you explain that in a bit more complicated way. I actually understood what you said. :wink:
Not without using math and confusing words like "polarization" and "nematic twist".

[heov]

TRANSFLECTIVE = transmissive + reflective

transmissive = emits light (from the back)
reflective = reflects light from the back

transflective is a device that emits light AND reflects it at the same time.

Now I'm not sure how OEMs are getting past that, but i'm sure there are some technical things with transmissive that doesn't ensure it has to be backlit. And please correct me if i'm wrongt, I don't want to confuse more people!

Casio's (old) screen is a HAST (Hyper Amorphous Silicon TFT) which is a transmissive (backlit) display, though not reflective, so in sense, it's just a little better in terms of brightness and clarity than transflective, though you can't view it outdoors...

[PPCRules]

Yes, nice description.
A transflective display features a backing material that both reflects ambient light AND emits light of its own.
But I suspect this is not trivial matter (especially given the pressure to make it as thin as possible), and can be done in different ways for different cost points. Therefore, there is ineveitably a wide range of possible end results. In short, some 'transflective' displays will no doubt look much better than others, so use of the name will not guarantee a superb display.

[scrinch]

Here is the link at Brighthand for the article that describes display technologies:

http://www.brighthand.com/newsite/features/screentech.html

[grogma]

Yes, nice description.
A transflective display features a backing material that both reflects ambient light AND emits light of its own.
But I suspect this is not trivial matter (especially given the pressure to make it as thin as possible), and can be done in different ways for different cost points. Therefore, there is ineveitably a wide range of possible end results. In short, some 'transflective' displays will no doubt look much better than others, so use of the name will not guarantee a superb display.
Yep, since the transflector is not 100% efficient at transmitting light from the backlight through the LCD and it is not as good as a "pure" reflector at reflecting ambient light, what you have is a compromise. Fortunately its a good compromise. Given the same amount of light energy a transflective display will not be as bright in zero lighting conditions as a transmissive backlit display. Nor will it be as bright and readable as a pure reflective display under bright ambient conditions. But it will never be unreadable. The manufacturer can of course "tune" the display so that it is more reflective or more transmissive so an "optimally viewable" display is still dependent on your lighting conditions but not as much as it used to be.

[cookie319]

But given you have both light sources, from the front and backlit, doesn't that mean it will be the brightest in most light conditions? It will lose out in extremes, but those are unlikely situations in which you would prefer a lower intensity anyhow.
A super reflective screen will pretty much blind you in direct sunlight... as will a super bright screen in the dark (meeting room nightmare). So what's the compromise? ;)

Oh, question: are transreflective screen also lit (artificially) from the front/side?

[scrinch]

Oh, question: are transreflective screen also lit (artificially) from the front/side?

Artifically lit...yes. From the front/side...no. They are backlit.

[Foo Fighter]

Oh, question: are transreflective screen also lit (artificially) from the front/side?

No, they are back-lit only. Which also gives this display technology another added bonus....there is no gap in between the digitizer and LCD. So the screen is much closer to the surface, which makes tapping easier. If you look at an iPaq, or any device with a reflective LCD for that matter, you notice that the LCD (the part that displays images) sits deeper inside the device. This is necessary to make room for the sidelight(s). When you tap on the screen, you are actually just tapping on the outer layer of glass (the digitizer). Since transflective type displays don't have a sidelight, the displays sits flush with the digitizer, bringing images closer to the surface. So its almost like tapping on a piece of paper.

[jpaq]

In a related subject....Viewsonic is coming out with a PPC2K2 device. Did any of you hear about that?

Sorry to be that way, but the post about the new PPC that might have a notable effect on the Palm vs. PPC war has been totally overtaken by this display discussion.

Does anyone have any information, thoughts, opinions, mindless ramblings about the Viewsonic PPC?

[Foo Fighter]

Did any of you hear about that?

Viewsonic Pocket PC....32mb ram...300mhz xScale processor....Transflective display...priced @ $299. Nah, never heard of it. :wink:

Does anyone have any information, thoughts, opinions, mindless ramblings about the Viewsonic PPC?

Other than the fact that this device might be the catalyst that brings me back to the PPC platform....no I have nothing to say. :P

[David C]

What I really want to know is who oem this machine. Would it be the same as the acer/zayo. At least they have the option to add a CF jacket.

[hokie36]

Am I one of the few that has noticed that the V35 is actually going to ship with 64mb RAM? I even read the press release off of the Viewsonic website (http://www.viewsonic.com/companyinfo/pressrelease_detail_160.htm), and it states:
At a trim 4.2 ounces, the ViewSonic V35 offers a "no compromises" Pocket PC at the sharply competitive price of $299. An Intel® PXA250 processor at 300MHz , along with 32MB flash memory and 64MB random access memory (RAM), combine for high-power performance. The Pocket PC V35 features a 3.5-inch 240 x 320 LCD display, a long life Lithium-ion battery and four launch buttons for easily identifying and updating contacts, tasks, notes and calendar schedules. A convenient and easy-to-use jog dial allows users to quickly and easily navigate through files and applications, while a built-in Secure Digital (SD) slot provides additional memory, input-output and connectivity options.


So this looks to me like a device that will eat up the competition. Time to start saving up for another PocketPC

[jimr18]

I just confirmed (from the Viewsonic tech) that the Viewsonic Pocket PC has 64 meg of RAM, NOT 32 meg. This unit will be incredible for the price!

Did any of you hear about that?

Viewsonic Pocket PC....32mb ram...300mhz xScale processor....Transflective display...priced @ $299. Nah, never heard of it. :wink:

Does anyone have any information, thoughts, opinions, mindless ramblings about the Viewsonic PPC?

Other than the fact that this device might be the catalyst that brings me back to the PPC platform....no I have nothing to say. :P

[Foo Fighter]

I just confirmed (from the Viewsonic tech) that the Viewsonic Pocket PC has 64 meg of RAM, NOT 32 meg. This unit will be incredible for the price!

Wow, that is amazing. And judging from the high-res pic posted at InfoSync, it looks like it will have an all metal case as well. I don't see how Viewsonic can possibly sell these devices at $299 without taking a bath.

http://www.infosync.no/show.php?id=2383&page=2

[Ed Hansberry]

judging from the high-res pic posted at InfoSync, it looks like it will have an all metal case as well.
You can run conductivity tests on an iPAQ and you'd swear it was all metal, until you peeled the metalic paint off. A 3D virtual reality tour isn't going to tell you if it is all metal, a high res pic certainly isn't. :lol!:

[jlnflus]

I had posted yesterday that the v35 had 64 MB memory and included 2 links for more info. I saw on MobilePlanet.com that the E330 will cost $349.95 and it has the same features but will cost more than the ViewSonic v35. This unit looks like it could make some competition for the new Toshiba E330.

http://www.mobileplanet.com/product.asp?cat%5Fid=101&cat%5Fname=Pocket+PC+Windows+CE&dept%5Fid=2621&pf%5Fid=MP920912&listing=1