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View Full Version : Asustek A620 Launches Today


Ed Hansberry
05-20-2003, 01:00 PM
<a href="http://www.digitimes.com/NewsShow/Article1.asp?datePublish=2003/05/20&pages=PR&seq=201">http://www.digitimes.com/NewsShow/Article1.asp?datePublish=2003/05/20&pages=PR&seq=201</a><br /><br />Asustek launches its second Pocket PC, the MyPal A620. Features include: <br /><br />• The new 400MHz Intel XScale PXA255 processor<br />• 32MB ROM, 64MB RAM<br />• 3.5-inch semi-transflective TFT LCD panel<br />• CompactFlash Type II expansion slot.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/hansberry/2003/20030520-a620.jpg" /><br /><br />It is currently available only in Taiwan. Asustek has a Wifi Pocket PC on the drawing boards that could come out later this year.

Ivan
05-20-2003, 01:58 PM
Semi-transflective?? :?:

Almighty Foo, Grand Master of the Transflective Displays... care to elaborate if you know? :lol:

Ed Hansberry
05-20-2003, 02:07 PM
Semi-transflective?? :?:
I thought the same thing. It has to mean backlit transflective like on the iPAQ 3900, Axim, et al.

Sslixtis
05-20-2003, 02:30 PM
I thought the same thing. It has to mean backlit transflective like on the iPAQ 3900, Axim, et al.

Not that I doubt you or anything Ed, you are my hero after all, but has anyone seen one of these? Can anyone confirm Ed's theory? :pimp:

ppcsurfr
05-20-2003, 02:45 PM
I have one with me right now...

Screen is just like the h1910's.

One thing nice about it? You still get the 255 step slider bar for the brightness.

ppcsurfr

mscdex
05-20-2003, 03:00 PM
Anyone know if this PocketPC is going to be sold/released in the U.S. anytime in the future ?

Paragon
05-20-2003, 03:32 PM
I find it kind of weird (translated to troublesome) that we are seeing new devices now being released withPPC 2002 when PPC 2003 is supposed to be right around the corner. If you were an OEM would you release s device with an OS that is going to be replaced in the very near future.......Do they know something we don't???

Wondering out loud.

Dave

Janak Parekh
05-20-2003, 03:42 PM
I find it kind of weird (translated to troublesome) that we are seeing new devices now being released withPPC 2002 when PPC 2003 is supposed to be right around the corner. If you were an OEM would you release s device with an OS that is going to be replaced in the very near future.......Do they know something we don't???
I don't think so. Remember, these products are months into a pipeline. It's not like Palm is stopping the manufacture of Palm OS 5 devices, although OS 6 is supposed come out this fall. In fact, it's likely OS 5 devices will still come out after OS 6 is released (just like OS 4 devices that are still coming out, such as the Tungsten W, the 7135, etc.). Whether or not it's smart business strategy is another matter altogether.

--janak

szamot
05-20-2003, 03:46 PM
and more so weird too is that in this day and age we get brand new devices coming out with 32mb or ROM and 64mb of RAM - I mean come on - these days that just does not cut the mustand anymore people.

TawnerX
05-20-2003, 04:24 PM
This is same models as in Japanese casio E3000, with different chasis. I guess we now know who make the casio model.

It's the only one with semi-transreflective. I've heard, it is not as bright as transreflective, but it has the same color depth richness as transreflective, AND it works under intense sunlight retaining the color saturation without getting dark. It's far better than reflective under any lighthing condition.

Paragon
05-20-2003, 04:47 PM
I find it kind of weird (translated to troublesome) that we are seeing new devices now being released withPPC 2002 when PPC 2003 is supposed to be right around the corner. If you were an OEM would you release s device with an OS that is going to be replaced in the very near future.......Do they know something we don't???
I don't think so. Remember, these products are months into a pipeline.

--janak

...and could have released it months ago when Casio released the same device, but chose to do it now......????

I don't want to make it sound like I think this is conclusive evidence of further delays with PPC 2003. I just wanted to throw out some food for thought.

Dave

geez
05-20-2003, 05:06 PM
This is same models as in Japanese casio E3000, with different chasis. I guess we now know who make the casio model.

Actually, you're thinking about the other Asus model that was shown a while back. This model is completely different from the Casio one. The 620 only has a CFII slot (no SD) and there's no USB on the unit. Asus sacrificed these features for a much smaller/thinner form factor than their new high-end model (which is the one that you're thinking about that's the same as Casio).

geez
05-20-2003, 05:11 PM
You can read more about the 620 at Brighthand discussion. There's a member there that owns the unit and posted pictures and benchmarks up for the unit.

http://discussion.brighthand.com/showthread.php?s=1fcd75229a4e813793723fce45bc3e63&threadid=78492

AZMark
05-20-2003, 07:22 PM
It's not that they've been in the pipeline and just are now comming out. Every mfgr. or OEM is well aware of MS release dates by now. But the forgien units are not in the same boat. Forgien editions are usually months behind the US release dates, so this would be like a US version being released in Jan.

trachy
05-20-2003, 07:47 PM
Pardon my ignorance, but are there any PPCs that can be flashed? I assume not, as manufacturers must want to encourage hardware upgrades.

Ed Hansberry
05-20-2003, 09:14 PM
Pardon my ignorance, but are there any PPCs that can be flashed? I assume not, as manufacturers must want to encourage hardware upgrades.
All Pocket PC 2002 devices can be flashed. MS made it a requirement that the ROM be flashable in 2002 and beyond devices. It is still up to the OEM to provide the update.

trachy
05-20-2003, 09:29 PM
OK. Do you know if any OEMs have stated they'll provide a 2003 update? If they won't, will it be possible to seperately purchase an unbranded version of the OS?

Ed Hansberry
05-20-2003, 09:35 PM
OK. Do you know if any OEMs have stated they'll provide a 2003 update? If they won't, will it be possible to seperately purchase an unbranded version of the OS?
No, none have stated.

Historically, Compaq has been very very good about it. They provided Palmsized PC to Pocket PC 2000 upgrade hips to Aero owners, PPC 2000 to PPC 2002 iPAQ owners and are the most current on EUU updates. HP seems to be keeping that trend.

Toshiba is an unknown. They didn't have a PPC 2000 device to upgrade, and have been horrible with timely EUU updates.

All phone manufacurers are an unknown too, though they seem to get EUUs and revised ROMs out periodically.


Dell too is an unkown but they have a terrific history of BIOS updates and have released 3 ROMs for the current X5 to fix bugs. Dell doesn't mess with RAM patches for much it seems. :way to go:

And no, you can't buy an unbranded version. It needs the OAL (OEM Abstraction layer) and device drivers for specific hardware. It isn't a one-size fits all solution like a Windows XP update is.

Paragon
05-20-2003, 09:37 PM
No one has yet stated whether or not they will provide an upgrade....because.....well so far there isn't a new OS. None of the OEMs will be able to comment on this issue until it is official.

As for an unbranded version....NO! Each OEM has to tweak the version to work with their own devices, and produces their own ROM version. This is nothing like an End User Update that only changes a porion of the ROM. There are far to many variables from one device to another....different screens, different buttons, OEM additional software, and so on.

Dave

heov
05-20-2003, 09:39 PM
according to people who have this unit, there's a note saying Asus will offer a free upgrade to PPC2k3 when released.

This device is probably the fastest device out there hands down. It even beats the a600 (zayo) ;) It's BMQ score is really high, as is it's quake benchmark. Asus probably just incorporated all the tweaks they had in the a600 into the a620, and coupled w/ a pxa255, this thing burns!

this is currently my next device to upgrade to (when i upgrade), unless hp or dell come out with something nice...

BTW, they got rid of the backlit buttons, which is GREAT! It's cool at first, but since you can't turn them off on the a600, they get annoying fast...

ppcsurfr
05-24-2003, 06:59 PM
according to people who have this unit, there's a note saying Asus will offer a free upgrade to PPC2k3 when released.

This device is probably the fastest device out there hands down. It even beats the a600 (zayo) ;) It's BMQ score is really high, as is it's quake benchmark. Asus probably just incorporated all the tweaks they had in the a600 into the a620, and coupled w/ a pxa255, this thing burns!

this is currently my next device to upgrade to (when i upgrade), unless hp or dell come out with something nice...

BTW, they got rid of the backlit buttons, which is GREAT! It's cool at first, but since you can't turn them off on the a600, they get annoying fast...

If you want to see more you can go to http://www.ppcw.net/index.php?itemid=1283 . I was able to play with one with the English ROM version.

ppcsurfr