infoSync Reviews ASUS MyPal A620

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.infosyncworld.com/reviews/n/3843.html' target='_blank'>http://www.infosyncworld.com/reviews/n/3843.html</a><br /><br /></div>"The latest, Windows Mobile 2003-powered offering from ASUS is not only the world's smallest CompactFlash-fitted Pocket PC - it's also a slick powerhouse with a stunning display. Despite being fairly unknown in Western Pocket PC circles, ASUSTeK Computer - or ASUS, as the company frequently goes by - has a reputation for delivering high-quality hardware. This is also the case with the company's most recent Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC-powered offering (breathe here), the MyPal A620. And, although having only one former Pocket PC - the MyPal A600 - under its belt, the A620 comes off as a solid Pocket PC."<br /><br />Jorgen Sundgot takes a look at the A620, but there aren't any hard benchmarks in the review on performance or battery life, which is critical for me when choosing a device, and the one thing that the OEM will never be able to provide on their specs page. I've seen some unofficial Spb Benchmark scores on the A620, and it blew the doors off of every other Pocket PC on the market by a huge number (it was so drastic we thought we had a bug in Spb Benchmark), so it's disappointing to see a lack of detail on the performance. I'm itching to get my hands on an A620, but don't know anyone at ASUS. :roll:<br /><br />I'm also surprised to see how heavily the lack of bundled software factors into the final score - how important is it for you to have bundled software with your device? For me, if it's not in ROM, I'll probably just ignore it. What about you?

[nz0eBoy]

If software is not important then why do we long for upgrades to the OS so much. I see poeple updating their PPC each time a new version of the OS comes out, but in some cases the hardware requirements are no different.

Of course bundled software makes a difference, even the third party stuff.

[mar2k]

"Jorgen Sundgot takes a look at the A620, but there aren't any hard benchmarks in the review on performance or battery life, which is critical for me when choosing a device, and the one thing that the OEM will never be able to provide on their specs page. I've seen some unofficial Spb Benchmark scores on the A620, and it blew the doors off of every other Pocket PC on the market by a huge number (it was so drastic we thought we had a bug in Spb Benchmark), so it's disappointing to see a lack of detail on the performance. I'm itching to get my hands on an A620, but don't know anyone at ASUS. :roll:


Jason,

I am getting in on the first batch of these being shipped out in the US. Its funny you should post this article because my A620 is supposed to be delivered to my home by UPS sometime tomorrow :mrgreen: I'm even in the process of setting up a little web page dedicated it and plan to post a full review. I'll be glad to run plenty of benchmarks, battery tests as I plan to do this for my full review anyway. I just may not be able to post much on it until next week as I have a major project and final next week (grad school).

I'll come back here tomorrow and at least post pictures of the box, if nothing else! :wink:

[Reza]

I've seen some unofficial Spb Benchmark scores on the A620, and it blew the doors off of every other Pocket PC on the market by a huge number (it was so drastic we thought we had a bug in Spb Benchmark)
So what was that number (the overall Spb Benchmark index)?

[Ed Hansberry]

I rarely even stick the OEM CD in unless I need to install ActiveSync again with their specific device drivers.

[David Prahl]

I pay for the Pocket PC, not the software library.

I may be bitter because Dell included NOTHING with the Axim. :D A few demos, ActiveStink, and Outlook 2000. :evil:

Maybe that's why there's so cheap!

[Jeff Rutledge]

Hardware all the way. Software comes and goes. Or more accurately: my tastes change all too often. I want to have the gear to run whatever tickles my fancy today! 0X

[dh]

To me, all that matters is the hardware.
I want to be able to install the software I choose, not what the OEM has a special deal with the publisher.

[Jason Dunn]

If software is not important then why do we long for upgrades to the OS so much.

Because that's a core functionality improvement - and it's always a lot of improvements, even if we can't see them all.

I suppose is the software in ROM or on the CD is "best of breed", I'd be happy to see it, but so often the software they pick isn't terribly good...

[ctmagnus]

I'll play with the stuff on the CD but I usually end up doing a hard-reset to clear the cr@p out of the system.

[ECOslin]

Mostly I just care about what the hardware can do. I was let down one time. I was going to use my Audiovox Maestro to figure out what type of door my grandmother wanted for her house. I went to use a paint program, a staple of MS Windows for years and years, and the pda didn't have one installed. I ended up using the scratch pad program, which did the job poorly. I found a copy of Jinzo Paint and very quickly installed it to solve the lack of a sketch program.

I do expect basic programs, notepad, scheduler/calender, and basic drawing pgrm to be there.

Edward

[R K]

This page here lets you compare Spb Benchmark results on different devices.

http://www.softspb.com/products/benchmark/compare.asp

It's amazing that the A620 blows all the other devices away in the graphics department by so much. It's a total 200% to 600% faster in graphics than other Pocket PCs.

[marlof]

If I recall correctly, I have paid for software (like the Resco Picture Viewer) that came on a CD of later Pocket PCs I had. I would have loved not to have paid for that excellent piece of software. So in some cases, yes, I do like the added bonus of the software package. But in a total score of a Pocket PC, it wouldn't make a huge difference to me.

OTOH: neither does battery life. As long as I can get 6 working hours, I am more than happy. If I get double, I can forget to charge once in a while. More is better, but not necessary.

[Ratel10mm]

I could probably live without the bundled software, but where's the wireless connectivity?
My ideal PPC at the moment seems to be an upgraded h2210, with wifi & bluetooth, & 128M Ram. In other words, a H5550 killer :lol:

[guinness]

I pay for the Pocket PC, not the software library.

I may be bitter because Dell included NOTHING with the Axim. :D A few demos, ActiveStink, and Outlook 2000. :evil:

Maybe that's why there's so cheap!

Not quite true, it did come with a full version of the Resco Picture Viewer and a Powerpoint slide viewer. I don't use the Powerpoint app, but the Picture Viewer is handy.

[don dre]

I pay for the hardware and usually there isn't anything all that special in the included software. However, were the oem to include something useful it might make me more apt to spend the money on a ppc ratehr than wait for the price to come down. it also might be a factor in whether to upgrade my ppc or wait.

[heov]

hmm... i'll post some benchmarks of my a600 once i get back home for comparison...

[Jason Dunn]

It's amazing that the A620 blows all the other devices away in the graphics department by so much. It's a total 200% to 600% faster in graphics than other Pocket PCs.

Ah, interesting - I didn't realize that Spb had added that officially.

[Pony99CA]

I suppose is the software in ROM or on the CD is "best of breed", I'd be happy to see it, but so often the software they pick isn't terribly good...
My iPAQ 3650 included eWallet and ListPro. If they hadn't included those, I never would have tried them. The newer iPAQs only have trial versions of eWallet and ListPro, and I don't think I would have used them.

Thanks to the bundled versions on the 3650, I may upgrade to the latest versions of both packages. Without the bundled software, I doubt I would even be using them.

Steve

[don dre]

I pay for the hardware and usually there isn't anything all that special in the included software. However, were the oem to include something useful it might make me more apt to spend the money on a ppc ratehr than wait for the price to come down. it also might be a factor in whether to upgrade my ppc or wait.

[Dom]

HP have an AMAZING system at
http://www.iPaqCHOICE.com
There's heaps of top software including Agenda Fusion that you can select for FREE when you buy an iPaq !
It's Europe only but guess that doesn't matter so much since users appear to buy on Hardware ;0)
Dom :D

[ppcsurfr]

Spb Benchmark results:

I've had the MyPal A620 with Windows Mobile 2003 for about a week now. I did some Spb Benchmark tests and was about to post it over at PPCW.Net until I saw the official benchmarks at Spb. They were identical so I didn't bother posting it.

As far as performance is concerned, Windows Media Player 9 on this device simply rocks.

It is definitley faster than any Pocket PC 2002 running any X-Scale chip.

I've tried several games and one of them is from www.kittpeak.co.jp - Racing Days. Now this is really great! You better see it to believe it. Ultra smooth graphics, action is liquid smooth, really responsive, really fast... my NSX in Racing Days feels like it just had an extra 100 bhp added to it.

The implementation of the built-in BT drivers are great too... try to see the latest entry I have on TEST DRIVE: at www.ppcw.net. It's done on a MyPal A620.

And before I forget, PPCW.Net also did a preview on the A620 a couple of months ago, if yu want to see more photos of te A620, see it at http://www.ppcw.net/index.php?itemid=1283

Mabuhay! ~ Carlo

[mar2k]

I received my A620 friday and the infoSync article is inaccurate.

The A620 package comes with a CD with full versions of

IA Zip
IA Album
IA Presenter

all $19.95 programs

also two Jimmy Software games Zera and Boyan's Crystal $9.99 and $19.99

PocketSwap by Pocketfun game $15.00 to register and another game Dung Cleaner by Maction Tech a Lode Runner type game which is $NT480(not sure the exchange rate - saw that on their site). CD also has the usual trial versions and over 200 themes.

By my calculations that's over $100 worth of commercial software included for free in the A620 package. Quite impressive for a $349 device.

To get lower ratings for lack of included software is ridiculous, to be so inaccurate is even more ridiculous....