5 new PocketPCs look identical

[torring]

What started me thinking was the fact that my recently purchased Medion PocketPC had not been announced anywhere before it was available at a local store. No information to be found on the internet at all.

A began to take a look at some of the other PPCs that had been announced the past 6 months and quickly noticed some striking similarities between this and three other machines (look below for the 4th):

The ViewSonic Pocket PC V35
The Mitac Mio 338
And The Packard Bell PocketGear 2030

What I know:
The Mitac, the Viewsonic and the Medion all execute the operating system in ram so only 36 MB are available, even though 64 MB is installed.

The Mitac, the Viewsonic and the Medion all use transflective displays

All the devices use telescopic stylus’s that are situated at the back of the device (and look similar).

All the devices run X-Scale processors
The Medion and Mitac run at 200 MHz
The Packard Bell at undetermined speed
The Viewsonic at 300 MHz

All the devices have jog-dials, record button, head phone jacks, infra red ports, SD/MMC ports, two diodes and D-pads situated at the same places

The Viewsonic and Medion devises have the cradle power in, in the usb-plug

None of the devices have swappable batteries

The Medion and Viewsonic have the on/off switch situated at exact same spot on the back of device

The Medion and Viewsonic both have VERY slow SD/MMC port write speed
http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6851

The Medion has preinstalled software with pictures of and older Mitac PPC (the 558)

All the devices weigh exactly the same

What I think:
The Packard Bell also has a transflective display or will not be released at all

Mitac has produced the hardware for all the devices, which could explain why Viewsonic was not aware of the ram-limitations before people began buying the devices

What this may mean:

All these devices will be able to use the same ROM-updates, cases and equipment like the Viewsonic serial sync cable, keyboard and so on. Very good news.

All the devices MAY have SDIO ports as the Viewsonic has, but this I cannot confirm yet (I don't really know how to)

Relevant links:

http://www.infosync.no/news/2002/n/2518.html
http://infosync.no/news/2002/n/2608.html
http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=MIO338
http://computers.cnet.com/hardware/0-2709830-404-20758312.html

Pictures:

Packard Bell:
http://www.infosync.no/news/2002/10/30/gfx/packard_bell_pocketgear_2030_02.jpg

Mitac Mio:
http://www.infosync.no/news/2002/11/13/gfx/mitac_mio338_01.jpg

Medion:
http://www.pdamed.dk/forumpics/Medion/10.JPG http://www.pdamed.dk/forumpics/Medion/11.JPG http://www.pdamed.dk/forumpics/Medion/13.JPG http://www.pdamed.dk/forumpics/Medion/12.JPG

Viewsonic:
http://a.r.tv.com/cnet.1d/i/uff/20758312/ovr/20758312_1_overview_300.gif http://a.r.tv.com/cnet.1d/i/uff/20758312/ovr/20758312_3_back_300.gif http://a.r.tv.com/cnet.1d/i/uff/20758312/ovr/20758312_5_top_300.gif http://a.r.tv.com/cnet.1d/i/uff/20758312/ovr/20758312_4_sides_300.gif

[ux4484]

heh......looks like it's made by the Viewsonic\Mitac OEM for shure.

Medion is a UK company that is much like Dell across the pond, they assemble computers, but do not make any of the components. They (like Dell) outsource the mfg of their Branded PDA's.
Their equipment is sold here in the US only at Aldi discount food stores (also a UK based company).

Where did you get it?

[torring]

I got the Device in Denmark at a store called FONA.

Medion is, as you say, mostly sold by Aldi (which is based in Germany), but resently their products have been sold by many other stores in Denmark.

[Delta737]

heh......looks like it's made by the Viewsonic\Mitac OEM for shure.

Medion is a UK company that is much like Dell across the pond, they assemble computers, but do not make any of the components. They (like Dell) outsource the mfg of their Branded PDA's.
Their equipment is sold here in the US only at Aldi discount food stores (also a UK based company).

Where did you get it?

Here in Holland, Medion in sold through Aldi mostly as well. No Medion PPC at our Aldi's or anywhere else though

BTW, isn't Aldi a German company :?:

UPDATE: Oops, that last thing was already remarked :oops:

[ux4484]

A google search indeed says Aldi is German, says Medion is also :oops: though just a few months ago, you'd be hard pressed to find any info on Medion (I was looking). I know that Aldi UK has ALL Medion computers in their offices. My nephew works for Aldi here, and the overseas office they report to is in England.

[torring]

Check out how much this device also resembles the other ones:

NEC-article:
http://www.foxpop.ndirect.co.uk/roadtesting2/nec/200e_cover.htm

Similar article to mine:
http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6491

The NEC 200e

http://www.foxpop.ndirect.co.uk/roadtesting2/nec/200e/2_14.jpg

http://www.foxpop.ndirect.co.uk/roadtesting2/nec/200e/2_12.jpg

http://www.foxpop.ndirect.co.uk/roadtesting2/nec/200e/2-34.jpg

[Delta737]

Packard Bell & Nec are the same. In europe this PPC is sold as Packard Bell and in the US as Nec. No differences I believe..

[torring]

I think NEC owns the Packard Bell brand name, but that is not the same as saying the two PDA's are the same, I think you are right though.

[PlanetPDA.de]

A google search indeed says Aldi is German, says Medion is also :oops: though just a few months ago, you'd be hard pressed to find any info on Medion (I was looking). I know that Aldi UK has ALL Medion computers in their offices. My nephew works for Aldi here, and the overseas office they report to is in England.

Both companies are german. Aldi is THE big food-discounter and Medion delivers most of the electronics sold by Aldi (in weekly special offers), e.g. cheap Desktop PCs, Car stereo with MP3, cheap DVD-Players etc...mostly OEM devices from HK or Japan...


The Medion PDA look a bit like the Yakumo delta (sold here in Germany by Vobis), LINK: Yakumo delta http://www.yakumo.de/docs/pda_delta_en.pdf

1. LINK: Aldi http://www.aldi.de
2. LINK: Medion http://www.medion.de

[Janak Parekh]

I think NEC owns the Packard Bell brand name, but that is not the same as saying the two PDA's are the same, I think you are right though.
Christian, check out my earlier article (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6491) on the subject. :)

--janak

[tw]

I thought I let you know that the Yakumo Delta (http://www.yakumo.de/produkte/index.php?pid=1&ag=PDAs) sold in Germany since mid-December by Vobis (http://web.vobis.de/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/de/-/EUR/DisplayProductInformation-Short;sid=8q3nnJPzrA_nnK3sn7w-xfWX0JeTHMrXBM4=?ProductID=mLTZWWZlyAMAAADx6ESzErrl&xyz=%23xyz%23), a retail chain, for €333 is also another clone of the Mitac Mio338.

BTW the Yakumo Delta has SDIO. So I guess all Mio338 clones have SDIO.

http://www.yakumo.de/grafik/produkte/pda/1018862_1.jpg

[torring]

I think NEC owns the Packard Bell brand name, but that is not the same as saying the two PDA's are the same, I think you are right though.
Christian, check out my earlier article (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6491) on the subject. :)

--janak

I did, that must be where I read about Packard Bell, but how do you know FIC is manufacturing the XScale units?
And can you tell tell us anything about the company?


And just to follow up on everything, I think we can now say that these devices are more or less the same:

Medion MDPPC 100 (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=63324)
Yakumo Delta (http://www.yakumo.de/produkte/index.php?pid=1&ag=PDAs)
NEC 200e (http://www.foxpop.ndirect.co.uk/roadtesting2/nec/200e_cover.htm)
Packard Bell PocketGear 2030 (http://www.infosync.no/news/2002/n/2518.html)
ViewSonic Pocket PC V35 (http://computers.cnet.com/hardware/0-2709830-404-20758312.html)
Mitac Mio 338 (http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=MIO338)

This brings the total up to 6 devices that are potentially based on the same hardware.

What I would like are some close up pictures of the connectors for these devices. If they are the same, there is good basis for add on hardware development.

[Janak Parekh]

I did, that must be where I read about Packard Bell, but how do you know FIC is manufacturing the XScale units?
I don't. NEC has placed an order with FIC for new US units. It's not clear at all if it'll be the same as these.

And can you tell tell us anything about the company?
FIC? They've been a PC component manufacturer for years.

What I would like are some close up pictures of the connectors for these devices. If they are the same, there is good basis for add on hardware development.
That's an excellent, excellent point. I don't know how one would coordinate that, though.

--janak

[torring]

What I would like are some close up pictures of the connectors for these devices. If they are the same, there is good basis for add on hardware development.
That's an excellent, excellent point. I don't know how one would coordinate that, though.

--janak

Here is a closeup of the Medion's connector. Meybe you could coordinate a collection via the front page asking people to contribute pictures of the Viewsonic, which is probably the most prevalent device right now.
http://www.pdamed.dk/forumpics/Medion/connector.jpg

[tw]

Here is a pic of the Yakumo Delta's connector. It's from Yakumo's web site.

http://www.yakumo.de/grafik/produkte/pda/1018862_6.jpg

[MarcTGFG]

Worth noting:

The Yakumo Delta claims to have Consumer Infrared (CIR). Does that mean decent range using it as a remote for your tv or stereo?

[torring]

Worth noting:

The Yakumo Delta claims to have Consumer Infrared (CIR). Does that mean decent range using it as a remote for your tv or stereo?

I read that too, but have not had time to test it yet.

By the way the connector fits the Ipaq 38XX just turned arund 180 degrees like on the Ipaq 1910. I think the connectors are becomming stanardized.
Check out this picture:
http://www.megabytemike.com/reviews/pda/pocketpc/MVC-426F.JPG

[Delta737]

Worth noting:

The Yakumo Delta claims to have Consumer Infrared (CIR). Does that mean decent range using it as a remote for your tv or stereo?

I read that too, but have not had time to test it yet.

By the way the connector fits the Ipaq 38XX just turned arund 180 degrees like on the Ipaq 1910. I think the connectors are becomming stanardized.
Check out this picture:
http://www.megabytemike.com/reviews/pda/pocketpc/MVC-426F.JPG

Pretty cool! That way these devices might get a lot of add-ons and accesoires!

[torring]

Pretty cool! That way these devices might get a lot of add-ons and accesoires!

I hope so too, lets hope everything is connected the same way inside the devices.

I was NOT able to use my Targus Stowaway keyboard with the Medion, but I was able to charge the device.

[Seraph1024]

Aldi is an german company. When I lived in Austria, those were called Hoffa. Same thing. Same logo.

[tw]

One of the two PDF files on the Mitac web site lists these optional accessories for the Mitac Mio338 DigiWalker:

http://www.ppc-welt-community.info/Community/attachment.php?s=&postid=150191

Source:
http://www.mitac.com/micweb/products/pda/338en_b.pdf

[arias90210]

Newbie to this site, but i found this thread pretty interesting, so i joined... :) as i picked up the PacBell/NEC over New Year (it was being sold cheap)... i had noted the styling similarities with the V35 Viewsonic machine but wondered why mine only shipped with 200mhz, given that both appeared to be clones.

Turns out that both these units (and i would imagine the others listed here :idea: ), actually ship with 300mhz chips, however NEC, have removed the Processor controller software, and thus locked the machine to 200.

On one of my wonders over the web i stumbled on a PDA site in South East Asia, and some one there had managed to extact the processor app (its called 'Smart Battery', from the ROM of his Mitac....i guess you can see where this is going...my Benchmarks are now better than the 300mhz Viewsonic :D .

Incidentally the 2030 has had slight design changes since the posted pic (and mine for some reason didn't even have the Pac Bell name on it at all only NEC on the back?).

[julrik]

On one of my wonders over the web i stumbled on a PDA site in South East Asia, and some one there had managed to extact the processor app (its called 'Smart Battery', from the ROM of his Mitac....i guess you can see where this is going...my Benchmarks are now better than the 300mhz Viewsonic :D .

How about a link to this wonder of the web :?:

Jacob

[JJ71]

One of the two PDF files on the Mitac web site lists these optional accessories for the Mitac Mio338 DigiWalker:

http://www.ppc-welt-community.info/Community/attachment.php?s=&postid=150191

Source:
http://www.mitac.com/micweb/products/pda/338en_b.pdf

The "Battery extender" looks interesting...

By the way, a lot of people writing about these clones (I've got the Medion model, and I'm pretty pleased with it) complain about the quality of the microphone, and it's true that with the factory setings the recording quality is pretty bad.
However, you can change the settting up to 44.000 Hz/16 bit/stereo, which of course takes up a lot of memory (about 10Mb/sec), but produces high quality recordings without significant background noice.
For some odd reason, the feature is hidden where noone will look for it:
Click start/settings/input, select the "options" tab and choose your recording format from the dropdown, and hey, presto: Good quality recording!

[azur]

:D

Got my Mio 338 yesterday night, so far I am enjoying it, size is perfect and looks elegant,


got it for nearly 280USD

even if its 200Mhz, I sometimes find it faster than the loox I used to have..

so far so good..

[whatsnext?]

the mitac looks somewhat like the old jornada 560 series- copyright issue? :rawr: :bangin: :jawdrop: :spam: :alfdance: :lurking:
:armed: God bless our troops

[Ashd1984]

I just bought the medion Pocket PC and as can happen i broke the tip on my stylus :oops: and was wondering if anyone knew a link where i can purchase a new stylus pack or if any of the other stylus will fit from the other models :mrgreen:

[torring]

I just bought the medion Pocket PC and as can happen i broke the tip on my stylus :oops: and was wondering if anyone knew a link where i can purchase a new stylus pack or if any of the other stylus will fit from the other models :mrgreen:

I garantee you that ALL the other stili (is that the´plural of stylus?) will work.
I just went to Cebit in Hannover and checked out the viewsonic, Packard Bell, Medion and Mitac Mio: they are identical

[DJcrazymonkey]

*Sorry for bumping this back up*

I have had one of the Medions for over a year and grey scattered lines have appeared across the top of the screen. Has anybody else had this kind of problem and if so, what have you done? Thanks.

Edit: Also, how can a Medion get the Pocket PC 2003 updates? Thanks.

[torring]

*Sorry for bumping this back up*

I have had one of the Medions for over a year and grey scattered lines have appeared across the top of the screen. Has anybody else had this kind of problem and if so, what have you done? Thanks.

Edit: Also, how can a Medion get the Pocket PC 2003 updates? Thanks.
I expect, but am certain, that you could use a Mitac Mio update or a ViewSonic Pocket PC V35 which I know has been released, because the hardware is the same. The ROM on the other hand is slightly different, so maybe you will not be permitted to update.
Please let me know if it works or drop me a line if you any questions.