Antelope MCC Nearing Production?

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.antelopetech.com' target='_blank'>http://www.antelopetech.com</a><br /><br /></div>Looks like one OQO-like device is slowly coming out of the vapor. The Antelope MCC (Modular Computing Core) is supposedly being shown at DEMOmobile in California, and they claim that production has begun.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20030918-AntelopeMCC.jpg" /><br /><br />The device is 3" x 5" x 1", and can run XP Pro on a Crusoe chip. It's not as small as a PDA, weighing in at about 9 oz, but it's still pretty impressive -- it can support a 6.3" 1024x768 display as part of the "Rugged Handheld" version. 8O

[ricksfiona]

Cool. I've been waiting for this for quite a while. Laptop replacement? Quite possibly. No Bluetooth though. I'd have to see it.

[hindencm]

How can it have a 6.3 inch display if the unit is only 3x5?

[Gremmie]

Remember the 133MHz Jornada 546 was 9oz?

[powder2000]

Of course you would measure the display at an angle from one top corner to the opposite lower corner, although this would only give you a 5.83 max display??? . :roll: Pretty cool though.

[powder2000]

Or is the display a seperate part from this unit?

[Paul]

The MCC and the Rugged Handheld ( 6.3” 1024x768 TFT) are two different products.

http://www.antelopetech.com/mccprod2.htm

[Janak Parekh]

The MCC and the Rugged Handheld ( 6.3” 1024x768 TFT) are two different products.
Ahhh. Looks like the Rugged Handheld is built on top of the MCC. I'll edit. (Geez, two mistakes in one day! :oops:)

--janak

[JustinGTP]

Wow, this might be a nice device to have. Hmm, XP!

[Hugh Nano]

Woo-hoo! This is my next computer--if at all financially possible.

And, as has been noted, MCC stands for "modular computing core"--the base unit that is shown in the picture. You plug the MCC base unit into various shells, one of which is a touch-screen display, etc. which enables the unit to function as a handheld. There is also a desktop docking station, so it can function as your main computer, plus (I think) a laptop body--as well as one or two other potential configurations (including a wearable one). Don't know whether this has actually been deployed yet, but it sounds (from their website) like it is already in distribution in vertical markets. I've been waiting for it to come out to the retail market--I hope it does soon! This (except for the "instant-on") would ultimately replace my beloved iPAQ 3650--and my desktop!

BTW--that's the handheld version of the Antelope MCC in my avatar.

[Hugh Nano]

Hmm... $4000 (http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/0915demomobile1.html?page=1) is a bit steep... :( (Though that includes both the handheld and the desktop equipment.) I hope the price comes down...

[ctmagnus]

Hmm... $4000 (http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/0915demomobile1.html?page=1) is a bit steep... :(

I heard today (on kenradio (www.kenradio.com)) that a similar unit will go for $399USD.

Edit: Turns out their source and your source's source are both DEMOmobile (www.demomobile.com). Somebody screwed up!

[stjohn1335]

At first I was very enthusiastic about these types of products. I then realize there are 2 major issues to tackle first.

1) Wake-up speed. Unless this could have an instant-on function, it would be useless as a handheld device. There are times when I just need to jot something down ASAP. Even if it simply needs to wake up from suspend mode, on my desktop it is still too slow, and I'm sure my desktop is more powerful than this thing!

2) Backing up. At first I was intrigued at the idea of having all my information with me anywhere I go, and I only need to set up one operating system to have everything I need. But then I realized, do I really want only one copy of my entire operating system to go with me everywhere? If I drop this device in a puddle, there goes EVERYTHING. I thought the main arguments for a PDA is that it gets backed up to your home computer, so that if anything goes wrong, you have a backup.

I definitely think the concept is a great one, it's just not yet ready. I would first need to see an instant-on OS, and some sort of hard drive backup system at home that automatically backs up my information when I dock it. What I would really like to see is to have a desktop shell with a nice sound and video card, extra RAM, etc. so that I can still have a powerful computer at home and a portable solution when away.

I could see this being good for someone who has a computer at home and an office computer, but at $4000, you can get two desktops for much cheaper and buy a USB memory stick for transferring files. Besides, many companies don't want you bringing work files home. How would this thing handle on Windows NT?

[jlp]

At first I was very enthusiastic about these types of products. I then realize there are 2 major issues to tackle first.

1) Wake-up speed. Unless this could have an instant-on function, it would be useless as a handheld device. There are times when I just need to jot something down ASAP. Even if it simply needs to wake up from suspend mode, on my desktop it is still too slow, and I'm sure my desktop is more powerful than this thing!

TabletPCs are supposed to have a wakeup time less than a second (I read that on MS site for requirements for these devices); I haven't tested that so I'm not sure but that's MS requirement.

So I suppose that one second wakeup time is acceptable.

2) Backing up. [snip] I thought the main arguments for a PDA is that it gets backed up to your home computer, so that if anything goes wrong, you have a backup.

Every PocketPC has a backup program in ROM, there are 3 third party backup programs and all such devices have a media slot to backup.

OTOH these pocket PCs (as opposed to PocketPCs, note the capital P), have, the OQO at least, a USB and/or a FireWire connector. So all you need to backup your data is connect an external drive/burner and install a backup program.



I could see this being good for someone who has a computer at home and an office computer, but at $4000, you can get two desktops for much cheaper and buy a USB memory stick for transferring files.

These kind of devices are NOT intended to act as a transfering device between two stationary PCs, but to be able tu run desktop PC apps on the run, totally different from your proposed solution which is not adequate.

Then the OQO is supposed to be between $1500 and $2000, much less than the Antelope. But here again nobody knows since it's not out yet.

[Janak Parekh]

TabletPCs are supposed to have a wakeup time less than a second (I read that on MS site for requirements for these devices); I haven't tested that so I'm not sure but that's MS requirement.
I had the opportunity to play with a Tablet PC, and at least the one I was playing with (new Acer unit) it was definitely more along the standard XP resume times, not one second. Maybe others are better? I'm skeptical.

Besides, PDA wake-up times are a fraction of a second. It's not impractical for me to open my PDA, check an address, and suspend it within 5-10 seconds. It remains to be seen if a miniature Tablet PC can do the same.

OTOH these pocket PCs (as opposed to PocketPCs, note the capital P), have, the OQO at least, a USB and/or a FireWire connector. So all you need to backup your data is connect an external drive/burner and install a backup program.
This still doesn't address syncing and reconciliation, which PDAs do.

--janak

[Hugh Nano]

I'll certainly concede the wake-up time issue on these units. I'm still waiting for a desktop/laptop with the OS in flash ROM. That doesn't look like it's coming in the forseeable future, though...

OTOH these pocket PCs (as opposed to PocketPCs, note the capital P), have, the OQO at least, a USB and/or a FireWire connector. So all you need to backup your data is connect an external drive/burner and install a backup program.
This still doesn't address syncing and reconciliation, which PDAs do.

OTOH, syncing is not an issue with the Antelope MCC. (Yeah! No more ActiveSync problems!) You are not syncing information at all since you are using essentially the same unit as both desktop and handheld, just in different sleeves.

Of course, you're welcome to add a PDA to the Antelope MCC, if you want to. Still results in less form-factors than the desktop/laptop/PDA combo that I'm working with now. And then you also have ActiveStink to deal with...

[Janak Parekh]

OTOH, syncing is not an issue with the Antelope MCC. (Yeah! No more ActiveSync problems!) You are not syncing information at all since you are using essentially the same unit as both desktop and handheld, just in different sleeves.
You mean, use the MCC as a replacement for your desktop.... but I don't want to necessarily do that. I guess I could either use Exchange Server or sync a Pocket PC to the MCC...

--janak

[jlp]

TabletPCs are supposed to have a wakeup time less than a second (I read that on MS site for requirements for these devices); I haven't tested that so I'm not sure but that's MS requirement.
I had the opportunity to play with a Tablet PC, and at least the one I was playing with (new Acer unit) it was definitely more along the standard XP resume times, not one second. Maybe others are better? I'm skeptical.

"Play" is the keyword here. unless you have looked into and tested all the off modes that opinion, or rather guess cannot be taken into consideration. From what I've seen there are at least 3 levels of off states.

OTOH I've been using different HP Omnibook subnotebooks from the 325 almost 10 years ago up to the 800: they only had a suspend/resume state and had instant on capabilities. All the on/off switch did was to enter this "light nap" state. If you wanted everything to really be off, you had to use the Windows shut down procedure, which was only needed once in a while. Even to change batteries, you just hit the off button to put it into a nap state, exchanged the battery, switch on again and you work further. The wakeup time was 1-2 seconds. So it's technically possible.

Especially the Transmeta Crusoe is engineered to allow light, medium or deep rest states, so I would really be surprised if the manufacturers would not use this capacity, especially on a devices that is a "desktop in a PDA clothing"

OTOH these pocket PCs (as opposed to PocketPCs, note the capital P), have, the OQO at least, a USB and/or a FireWire connector. So all you need to backup your data is connect an external drive/burner and install a backup program.
This still doesn't address syncing and reconciliation, which PDAs do.

Of course you don't need this mess since all your data is on just one device. No more need to remember to sync, face ActiveSync connection problems, having to retart both the PDA and the desktop, etc.

All of us PPC users know that nightmareish behavior. Of course if you really intend to go thru this, you still can.... the choice is yours, but totally unnecessary...

[jlp]

OTOH, syncing is not an issue with the Antelope MCC. (Yeah! No more ActiveSync problems!) You are not syncing information at all since you are using essentially the same unit as both desktop and handheld, just in different sleeves.
You mean, use the MCC as a replacement for your desktop.... but I don't want to necessarily do that. I guess I could either use Exchange Server or sync a Pocket PC to the MCC...

--janak

OIC, you'd want to use a PocketPC to backup your MMC :lol: ??!!