View Full Version : Pocket PC Dubai Reviews The ETEN P300 Pocket PC Phone
Janak Parekh
11-20-2003, 04:30 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://pocketpcdubai.com/everex/everex.htm' target='_blank'>http://pocketpcdubai.com/everex/everex.htm</a><br /><br /></div>There's been some interest in this device, because it's the smallest Pocket PC Phone on the market, with a 2.8" display. Pocket PC Dubai got their hands on one (rebranded as an "Everex" device... I wonder if it's the same people that made computers and PSPCs years ago?) and have a nice little review of the device up.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/27240-omikron_artikel.jpg" /><br /><br />"I think the Everex E500 is what a typical user is waiting for at a lower price point. With the included internal memory, built-in camera, solid design, SDIO, WM 2003 and the offered range of accessories, it might satisfy many people."
huangzhinong
11-20-2003, 05:02 PM
Unfortunately there is no STN market now.
Even only has a 2.8 inch LCD, this monster looks so big and retail at $530. I can see its fate.
Pinnacle
11-20-2003, 05:07 PM
STN Screen? Wow, it's the end of 2003 and a company seriously chose this type of screen for a phone?
There are going to be too many other viable options coming shortly to consider this phone for that price.
The size is nice, and snappy performance...but the screen can make or break a device.
SandersP
11-20-2003, 05:11 PM
wow they sure crimp on the graphic capability, look at the graphic benchmark. STN screen? gag...
octop8
11-20-2003, 05:28 PM
STN screen (and only 2.8"), no BT, not THAT much smaller than the XDA II and it's going for >$500?? Pity, it's a nice design...
powder2000
11-20-2003, 05:42 PM
STN screen (and only 2.8"), no BT, not THAT much smaller than the XDA II and it's going for >$500?? Pity, it's a nice design...
I agree, throw in a transflective screen and BT and lower the price with a calli plan and this looks very attractive
I really wish there were more (any) brick&mortar stores that sold PPC phones. Lots around have the treo, and even a few people I know have them, but I would like to SEE, Touch and compare this device with my iPaq and see if the STN screen is really a problem. I would like to try some of these devices, rather than just read about them and compare stats. This would be a phone & PPC in one for a fairly good price. However I don't want to jump in and blow $500 USD (I'm assuming) on a mail order to find out the screen is too small, or I can't use it outside or other things you can't do over the web.
I may be able to accept certain limitations for a less expensive unit, rather than getting the be-all-and-end-all the first time around. Can you tell me your first cell phone had everything? mine either, but I've worked my way up to knowing what I want, and what I can scrimp on. How about Best Buy or Future Shop bring in a few of these devices rather than the paltry few PPCs, and no PPCPE machines at all?
:soapbox: Axe
Pocket PC Dubai
11-20-2003, 08:21 PM
Unfortunately there is no STN market now.
Even only has a 2.8 inch LCD, this monster looks so big and retail at $530. I can see its fate.
Suggested retail price: $530 (This is not the final market price it could change when the product is finally released)
Please don’t consider this as a final price, this is what Everex Marketing people told me but they also said it could change, it is just estimated price. The price could go down to $470 when it is released. This is not confirmed, but we will announce it if there is any new information transpires.
droppedd
11-20-2003, 09:04 PM
hah. i used to have an everex pocketPC. back when it was Windows CE 2.0, and still called Palm Size PC, i believe... piece 'o garbage; died really fast; it would hard reset every week or so for no apparent reason, then eventually the screen cracked. good riddance. of course, it was really inexpensive... even came with a copy of the brand-new Windows 98 (First edition).
ppcsurfr
11-20-2003, 09:34 PM
Okay... First thing's first...
The screen is not similar to the Cassiopeias and Jornada's with STN displays.
The screen is of the transflective variety although not as good as that on the current iPAQs.
I have one with me and I've been testing it for a couple of weeks now.
http://www.ppcw.net/index.php?itemid=1617&catid=50
The size is just right... it actually feels more like a smartphone than a PPC Phone Edition.
The screen is not as reflective as it should be nor does it posess the crispness of the iPAQ screens. But as a phone, it does offer more than most smartphones around.
The built-in caller picture ID app is much better than those offered by 3rd party developers... and it really works!
The camera isn't good for taking photos (you can see the sample of one photo in the link above), but is ideal for videoconferencing or for using the P300 as a video phone although I'm still looking for software that will work with it.
Battery life is wuite good and outlasts my Tanager. It's metering though is a bit odd... It seems to show a quick decrease in battery charge but lasts quite a while from 50% down giving an acceptable battery life.
It's not at all that bad and considering that it is priced at abot half that of the XDA II, then it is worth considering... and if you need more convincing... what would you rather have a $500 phone or a $500 Pocket PC Phone Edition?
Mabuhay! ~ Carlo
I read various interesting and strange comments here, especially from people who have held the device and/or have close contacts with the manufacturer/distributor.
First according to the logo as shown on PPCdubai site, it IS the Everex that did PCs and Palm-size PCs.
However the Everex Freestyle Palm-size PC was made by... HTC, yes the company that makes most ipaqs (as I understand it another one makes the 1900/4000 series), they also did the Compaq aero Palm-size PCs (the color and the slim B/W) and they of course make the XDA/XDA-II and Orange SPV, etc. They also made the French Sagem WA-3050 B/W PPCPE (tho Sagem made its removable GSM module).
Anyway I'm very suprised to hear the P300 could have an end user price of $470, especially since Eten quoted me a barely below price for importers (still above $400)!! That was in September, not so long ago and they were beginning full capacity manufacturing then already. So chances are low that they would have had a much lower price on some vital components.
Anyway as the PPCdubai site shows, this P300 is barely smaller than the XDA II while the screen is quite smaller, only displays 4'000 colors (as per the Eten site), has half the RAM and ROM, no Bluetooth, the SD slot is at the bottom (awkward for dongled cards like Wi-Fi, BT, GPS, etc.)
As far as I know Casio PsPCs and PPCs never had STN screens (Ok, maybe the B/W models ;) ); the E-200's is TFT; reflective but TFT.
The experts here will recognize my avatar as an Eten P603 8)
octop8
11-21-2003, 01:20 AM
Okay... First thing's first...
It's not at all that bad and considering that it is priced at abot half that of the XDA II, then it is worth considering... and if you need more convincing... what would you rather have a $500 phone or a $500 Pocket PC Phone Edition?
For $500, I could get a smartphone, a new Treo 600 (with plan) etc. I would like to take a look at the screen in person though, just to see what it really is like....don't STN screens have viewing angle problems? And the "needing to heat up" thing also sounds like a potential annoyance...
Corn Bread
11-21-2003, 04:36 AM
I've played with one (Eten P300) and even sell them at the store, but I honestly can't recommend it to any potential buyer; the STN screen is really bad (prevailant ghosting) and the camera is close to useless, the stylus is of questionable quality that it would actually bend a little at the slightest pressure.
I'd rather save up and get an xda II (heck, the xda I is way way better than the Eten P300) or get a Nokia 6600 which is a little cheaper.
ppcsurfr
11-21-2003, 09:28 AM
I've played with one (Eten P300) and even sell them at the store, but I honestly can't recommend it to any potential buyer; the STN screen is really bad (prevailant ghosting) and the camera is close to useless, the stylus is of questionable quality that it would actually bend a little at the slightest pressure.
I'd rather save up and get an xda II (heck, the xda I is way way better than the Eten P300) or get a Nokia 6600 which is a little cheaper.
I agree with CB on the stylus as one which needs a lot of work on...but since I use a Stylus/Pen I really didn't mind it too much.
The camera though while it seems useless may well be aimed for video conferencing rather than taking pictures... but the quality is still not up to par with even the oldest smartphones.
The ghosting is experienced if you set the contrast too high as the contrast and brightness settings are placed in different control panels, it is a hassle o keep on adjusting them... I never experienced the ghosting since I had it in a lower contrast setting... but the drawback here was a paler treatment of colors...
With the backlight off, I set it beside my 2210 and shone a lamp above it... the Eten P300 wasn't so far from the 2210 in terms no backlight performance. But with the backlight on... no matter how high you put it, the 2210 still shone brightly...
Mabuhay! ~ Carlo
The main problems with all these smartphones that integrate a digicam lies in the fact they use a CMOS captor instead of a CCD. The only reason is that CMOS use less power, but the huge drawback is that image quality is very poor at best: take for example the SE T610 it's small, has a nice design, the screen is great but the digicam sucks big time the low rez is around QVGA size and the image quality is the worst of them all. Absolutely useless.
On the other hand some manufacturers start using CCD captors along with much higher rez and even sport a flash.
Like the new LG PPCPE introduced at the ITU Telecom World last month in Geneva: 1.3 MPix CCD captor, in a rotatable lens with a flash
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