TI's Wanda - Next-Gen Pocket PC Phone

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://focus.ti.com/docs/apps/catalog/general/general.jhtml?templateId=1101&path=templatedata/cm/general/data/wire_conceptdesign' target='_blank'>http://focus.ti.com/docs/apps/catal...e_conceptdesign</a><br /><br /></div>TI is developing a reference concept design for what could, in the future, be one killer product.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/news/20030317-ti-wanda.jpg" /><br /><br />"The tri-wireless PDA concept design, code named "WANDA" for Wireless Any-Network Digital Assistant, is the first PDA design to integrate TI's wireless LAN, Bluetooth™, and GSM/GPRS technologies for simultaneous voice calls, wireless web access and personal area networking."<br /><br />Yes, you read that right. WLAN, Bluetooth, and GSM/GPRS. A Pocket PC Phone. Anyone got a time machine they're willing to sell to me?

[Hank Scorpio]

I'll take 2, they're small.

on the product spec, it has - camera 800x600 (0.5 MPixel) images

[thanos255]

Do they have an expected date?

Thanks
Thanos

[JonnoB]

Did you notice the battery and its effects on usable time?

Battery Usage (estimates)
8 hours GSM talk time; 450 hours GSM standby
6 hours GPRS browsing
12 hours PDA constant usage
Battery: Lithium Polymer, 3.6 V at 1900 mAh capacity

[rubberdemon]

There won't be a date until an OEM picks it up - as a reference model, it's sort of like one of those concept cars you see at auto shows. It is designed to show TI's chip in action, but they won't actually create the devices, leaving it up to someone like HTC in Taiwan to buy the chips and put the device together...

Very promising though - I suppose you could cobble together something like this with a phone/data CF card and a wifi sd card, but this would be much more elegant.

[Will T Smith]

If you look at the detailed specs, it references PocketPC 2003 as the shipping OS.

I would look for this to be rolled out by wireless carriers at the same time as PPC 2003 is released.

[Pat Logsdon]

Very interesting device...these tidbits from the "application processing" chip specs sound interesting:

- One integrated USB transceiver for either host or function
- Camera interface for CMOS sensors

Also, it looks like it's a "dual core" processor - one core runs at up to 200mhz, the other at up to 175mhz. Interesting...

[scrinch]

Yeah....sure it looks innovative, but does it have a transflective screen?


What kind of Foo do you take me for?

[Jason Dunn]

Do they have an expected date?

reference concept design = not a shipping product :wink:

[JonnoB]

Yeah....sure it looks innovative, but does it have a transflective screen?


Entirely up to the manufacturer who decides to employ this reference design.

[Theo]

OEMs please pick it up quickly... let me know where I can preorder :twisted:T.

[paris]

ok someone plese send this to HP together with the number 1910. What i am concerned for now is form factor and not features, HP seems to be on the right track.

[twntaipan]

Just wish it had a CF slot (SD and MMC are nice, though)

[JonnoB]

Just wish it had a CF slot (SD and MMC are nice, though)


It is SD/MMC (one slot) not SD -and- MMC. I believe that all future Pocket PC devices should have minimal 2 slots (both mem/io) along with at least one form of wireless connectivity.

[ricksfiona]

OEMs please pick it up quickly... let me know where I can preorder :twisted:T.
Oh yeah, this looks killer. If only HP can get this going.... C'mon HP, you gotta hella lead here, don't drop the ball.

The battery life is awesome too.

[Paul]

yes please

Seriously, this product has potential. Let's see what else OEMs can add to this design.

[marlof]

I just hope this TI OMAP does a better job than the one in the HP Jornada 928 wda....

[fivespeed]

Why bother with CF? It'll only make the pda larger. I thought at they revealed several SD cards that do everything CF cards can do.

[mc_03]

SD cards that can do as much as CF??? I don't see any... where are all the SD peripherals?

CF is cheaper and faster and can do more.

Back on topic:
I agree that it would be great for this thing to come out... with any logo silkscreened on it. :P

[JonnoB]

Why bother with CF? It'll only make the pda larger. I thought at they revealed several SD cards that do everything CF cards can do.

They may be in prototype form, but I have yet to see SD cards available that have WiFi, 1GB+, camera, PCMCIA interface, USB host, and other items available. These are all available in CF form factor now.

Attention Pocket PC manufacturers. SD is the future - but for those like me that want IO and memory expansion, at least put two slots in please. They are smaller than CF and many devices have both SD and CF.... so if you are going to have SD only (iPaq) then put in two!

[gonsped]

Ummm.....I dunno how long I have been waiting to have WLAN and GSM/GPRS on my PDA........ :roll:

Just hurry up with it!!! Aarrrrrgghhhh!!! 8O It shouldn't have taken this long for this to arrive to the market :x

[cslaughtermd]

This looks sweet! I'm a CF fan as well for the expandability potential, but with a built-in camera and all those wireless capabilities, you won't need a CF slot as long as that's an SDIO slot! The big thing missing is VGA output, but I think that the few SD Palm VGA output cards just need pocketPC drivers, unless someone can figure out a way to squeeze all that info through a bluetooth receiver :wink: I guess i'll just wait for the ipaq 5600 series and stick the camera in my HP CF/battery expansion pack for videoconferencing! BTW - if you're looking for extra battery life, the HP sleeve is great - almost like the SilverSlider 5 with a bonus battery option: cover pack with CF slot that comes with both a removeable battery and a thin little plastic cover that keeps the CF sleeve slim when you don't need the battery! Happy St. Patty's Day.

[Daimaou]

Well just Missing ONE little thing and it will be perfect for me...

it should be a Global Standard = GSM/W-CDMA that I can use here in Japan in 3G at 348 Kbps (W-CDMA) and in China or Europe with (GSM) ;) and in this case I will burn my "Modified" Ipaq/Mobile Phone with its Slow 128 Kbps Connection :D

http://akiba.sorobangeeks.com/news/180303/2.jpg

[MaestroXTreme]

Anyone got a time machine they're willing to sell to me?

Yes, I am developing a prototype at this time.

[baralong]

All I can say is:

Build it and they will come

Did someone mention USB host? Give me that and a mass storage driver and I'll live without the CF slot.

[fivespeed]

SD is the future, and they did reveal several SD solutions at CeBit.

[danmanmayer]

I want it already but if it is still being tested and such some pleas.... I would love having compact flash over SD. If it is SD it better be SDIO. Make the phone buttons map normally it is really annoying to develop for the XDA since the buttons map to the top not the bottom. This will be a amazing device... Now once i have this i figure i will dream of the device that has all this and built in GPS... can anyone imagine how cool this would be with built in GPS!

[szamot]

I too would buy two right now - and call myself endlessly first from one then from the other. Hours of fun.

about the time machine, meet me in behind BestBuy with a pile of cash I will sell you some plans I have.... :scrambleup:

[David C]

All it needs is intergrated camera (for Microsoft Portrait), and a expansion/sleeve of some sort for any other unexpected add on (Ricochet, GPS, CDMA, ect...) and I'm there.

[xsherlock]

Spec are looking sweet, I'm too missing CF but thinking about it I dont need it.

There is one thing noone raised that is more of the problem. Single channel BT is limiting. Corded ear plugs are dead and for sure this PDA is suposed to used with BT head set like Ericsson HBH-30. This first channel that is taken most of the thime. the seccond one is to be taken by GPS and all other gizmos that i'll be connecting on the go.