Two New Loox Models Coming from Fujitsu-Siemens

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=9680' target='_blank'>http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=9680</a><br /><br /></div>"...by July 2003 there should be a new version with Wi-Fi connectivity built in. Better still it will feature the company's 'trans-reflective' screen technology. Designed initially for its Tablet style portable computers, this technique apparently permits much better viewing of the screen in bright sunlight. Working in co-operation with Siemens mobile phone division, Barker expects to have a second Loox with GPRS built-in available Q4 2003."<br /><br />I was always quite disappointed that the Loox never hit the North American shores full-force. I hope these models are released with a bang over here!

[entropy1980]

Somewhat related .... according to PocketPCItalia... Loox owners will be able to upgrade to PPC 2k3 in September.Click
here (http://translate.google.com/translate?sourceid=navclient&hl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Epocketpcitalia%2Ecom%2Fcms3%2Ftemplates%2FPPC%2DNEWS%2EASP%3Farticleid%3D372%26zoneid%3D1) to read more.

[Foo Fighter]

" ...Better still it will feature the company's 'trans-reflective' screen technology. Designed initially for its Tablet style portable computers, this technique apparently permits much better viewing of the screen in bright sunlight.

Uh oh. Here we go again. What does this mean? Is it a transflective screen..or just another fancy name for Reflective LCDs?

[Foo Fighter]

Hmm..I see a pattern here. A July product launch? That means June for PPC 2003, perhaps? :lurking:

[Jonathan1]

HEH I was seriously buzzed when I first heard about the Loox. Now *SHRUGS* Don't really care. I think they kinda blew it with the first Loxx and lost a lot of creditability with a lot of Pocket PC users who were interested in this device.
Maybe they can repair their PPC rep with this next generation but god only knows if they devices will even make it to North America :|
If they release it here great. If not I won't lose any sleep over it.

[JonnoB]

A typo, an error, or a tech journalist who doesn't know better? The article quotes the PXA250 and not the 255 as the CPU. Yawn....

[Kevin Daly]

I wonder if the integrated GPRS model (assuming it sees the light of day this time) will be Pocket PC Phone Edition? (2003 one assumes)

You'd think that was obvious, but you'd probably think wrong 0X

[Duncan]

What does this mean? Is it a transflective screen..or just another fancy name for Reflective LCDs?

Yes - it is a 'transflective' screen as is commonly understood (i.e. like the Axim, iPAQ 39xx etc.).

A July product launch? That means June for PPC 2003, perhaps?

Apparently PPC2003 in new devices from July and upgrades available from late August (according to someone who attended a new product briefing recently).

Maybe they can repair their PPC rep with this next generation but god only knows if they devices will even make it to North America

The thing is Jonathan, the Loox has been successful in Europe and Asia. From what I understand Fujitsu US made the judgement not to sell in N America because the market would have been difficult to make a profit from. Not saying I agree with them mind!


It is worth noting (something which was clarified for me today) that info on these two new Looxes comes from an expression of intent by FSC in their portfolio of upcoming devices. In other words - there is an intention to release devices with these new features but other details are not yet fixed (i.e. memory capacities, slots etc.).

[Duncan]

A typo, an error, or a tech journalist who doesn't know better? The article quotes the PXA250 and not the 255 as the CPU. Yawn....

None of those. The terms trans-reflective and transflective are both contractions of transmissive/reflective and mean the same. They seem to have been used interchangeably. The processor quoted is irrelevant since specs are not 'fixed' yet!

I wonder if the integrated GPRS model

There was never going to be an integrated GPRS model - simply a module that would attach to the back. I suspect that quite a few manufacturers who decided against PPCPE devices have changed their plans (as have, apparently, HP) since no-one wants to be left behind a new trend... :)

[JonnoB]

A typo, an error, or a tech journalist who doesn't know better? The article quotes the PXA250 and not the 255 as the CPU. Yawn....

None of those. The terms trans-reflective and transflective are both contractions of transmissive/reflective and mean the same. They seem to have been used interchangeably. The processor quoted is irrelevant since specs are not 'fixed' yet!


I was referring to the article quoting that the new Loox devices woudl have a PXA250 CPU - when the rest of the Pocket PC world is using the much better 255.

[Jonathon Watkins]

Hmmmm, I got burned by the LOOX 'flickering screen' problem and sent it back. Not too impressed By FS quality. OK I'm sure they are better now but the GPRS sleave fiasco did nothing for my confidence in FS. :?

[Duncan]

I was referring to the article quoting that the new Loox devices woudl have a PXA250 CPU - when the rest of the Pocket PC world is using the much better 255.

Actually - reading the article again - it doesn't say the new Looxes will have the PXA250. It simply points out that the current Loox has a PXA250 - two new versions of its Pocket Loox, a Microsoft Pocket PC based PDA with an Intel PXA250 processor.

[maximus]

Whatever the processor is, if they dont fix the stability problem (and bluetooth, and dead pixel, and blurred screen, and stylus dropping, and etc. etc. etc. etc.) with loox, I wouldnt even bother to turn my head when I see the newer version of loox on my local store.

Pocketloox is a hiccup in PPC history, and I personally experienced that (and throw away significant $$$ in the process). Never again .. and oh, I live in singapore, and travels a lot to hongkong, the two centers of asia, and I can make a conscious statement that pocketloox is not (and never was) a hit in both places.

[hollis_f]

Pocketloox is a hiccup in PPC history, and I personally experienced that (and throw away significant $$$ in the process). Never again .. and oh, I live in singapore, and travels a lot to hongkong, the two centers of asia, and I can make a conscious statement that pocketloox is not (and never was) a hit in both places.Yup, I'm afraid that the mushy, flickering, screen and the stupid Bluetooth implementation put me off FSC for a long time.

[JvanEkris]

Whatever the processor is, if they dont fix the stability problem (and bluetooth, and dead pixel, and blurred screen, and stylus dropping, and etc. etc. etc. etc.) with loox, I wouldnt even bother to turn my head when I see the newer version of loox on my local store. I'm perfectly happy with the Loox. Never had a better product.....

Jaap

[Duncan]

Whatever the processor is, if they dont fix the stability problem (and bluetooth, and dead pixel, and blurred screen, and stylus dropping, and etc. etc. etc. etc.) with loox, I wouldnt even bother to turn my head when I see the newer version of loox on my local store.

Maximus - I sympathise greatly having been through similar trials with the iPAQ 3870. I have to say though that many, many people have been more than happy with their Looxes.

On that point -

The Pocket Loox 600 has its issues (most of which have been cleared up by ROM and firmware upgrades) - though it still only a minority who have experienced major issues. It is, however, FSCs first Pocket PC (the Siemens only model was actually just a re-packaged Casio E115 with added GPRS module). I ask you to contrast with:

iPAQ 3870 - Compaq's second (or third depending on how you look at it)
E200 - Casio's second (or third depending on how you look at it)
e740 - Toshiba's second

So what was their excuse - each having produced superior models prior to producing ones with quite a few issues? Each (apart from Casio) has produced far better models subsequently as well - so FSC need to be judged in that light...

However - I have an Outlook folder jammed full of testimonies from people who love their Looxes and while their are lessons to be learnt by FSC - they haven't done so bad all told.

and oh, I live in singapore, and travels a lot to hongkong, the two centers of asia, and I can make a conscious statement that pocketloox is not (and never was) a hit in both places.

My bad actually - I don't know whether the Loox has done well in Asia or not (though I feel the need to point out that Asia is a big continent and Singapore and Hong Kong are but parts of one corner). I was referencing the figures for Loox sales in the EMEA region where FSC sells the Loox (in your neck of the woods the Loox is sold by Fujitsu). The A in EMEA is, of course, Africa (Europe, Middle East and...). Whoops. :oops:

[maximus]

Well then. I got to admit that I might be too strong about all these pocketloox thing. I had a really bad experience with loox.

People at my department were assigned a standard PPC, a pocketloox, for free (the company purchased it at around USD300 each). I used mine for 3 days, and the screen went blurred. I returned mine, and purchased an axim. But, the problem is, when I returned mine, there is a stupid dudette on the asset control department mentioning that returning a broken loox = breaking company's asset (apparently, to get the USD300 price, they forgo the warranty from fujitsu). Hence I have to pay for breaking a company's asset. and guess what ? they charge me the retail price of the loox, which is around USD500 in singapore. I should have just shut up, and put the broken loox somewhere on my basement. he he.

That said, perhaps it is not such a bad device for a first pocket PC from a company ... but then again, axim X5 is also a first time product :wink: