First Photos of the ASUS A730 VGA Pocket PC

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.xscale.de/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=427' target='_blank'>http://www.xscale.de/modules.php?na...article&sid=427</a><br /><br /></div>These appear to be the first shots of the new ASUS A730 Pocket PC, although unfortunately the screen isn't turned on so it's hard to see much in the way of what's really new. This looks to be a very significant new device, however, because in addition to offering a VGA resolution (rumoured to be across all applications, not just in certain ones a la Toshiba e800), a 1.3 megapixel camera (the highest resolution on an integrated Pocket PC camera yet), and most important of all: a CPU faster than 400mhz! The A730 will boast a 520 Mhz processor, and more than the extra Mhz, I'm interested to see if Intel has made it a better <i>processor</i>. Exciting stuff!

[JonnoB]

Being that ASUS has provided one of the best gaming devices, too bad it looks like they have messed up the d-pad. Also, does anyone see a battery cover? I assume with the camera, you can't replace the battery?

[Kati Compton]

Yes, please tell me why some of the new PPCs are moving towards worse and worse button layouts. Plus, the new Toshiba buttons (and the ones on this unit) just look cheap!

Enough ranting.

Awesome specs! :)

[spinedoc]

Anyone know the exact size? I would like to see how big it is versus a HP4100 which I might buy. If it's the same size as the Toshi e805 then its not worth it, especially if it does not have wifi as rumored.

[Will T Smith]

Translated text:
The ASUS A730 reminds not only farblich of the Toshiba E800, it also similarly is equipped.
640X480 pixel display solution, Bluetooth, CF-slot, SD-I/O slot , 520 Mhz, 1.3 Megapixel digital cameras etc., the volume clearly more slightly fell out however.

The Bluetooth-version is supposed to be delivered in June, follows somewhat later then also a BT/WLAN-version.

So there will be a universal radio version after June. And these guys say it's a SDIO slot.


About the battery:
Yeah, I noticed that there are no seems as well. I suspect there is some way to get the back cover off. Nor does the article quote the devices battery capacity. Looks like they're going the HP route and we'll get a ****ty 900MAh.

Other observations.

- Nice shape, no way of knowing the size at this point.

- There are no buttons on the left hand side of the device. There are some controls (or an assymetric grip) on the right hand side of the device. These probably assume that a righty will use his index and middle finger rather than his thumb (good idea).

Picture 2 depicts the device rotated to the left so that you would control the thumbpad with your right thumb and the side buttons with your left index finger. Again probably a good idea for those gamers out there.

- The speaker in on the back of the device. BAD IDEA!!!!!!

- Nice cradle with stylus holder.

- Nice stylus the e800 stylus SERIOUSLY sucks.

- The Microphone appears to be on the front panel below the calendar button.

- There appears to be a single LED (probably power) from the picture in the upper left corner of the device.

- There appears to be a light sensor or flash immediately below the camera lense.

- There appears to be no separate power connector. The second photo clearly shows a power adapter plugged into the bottom.


Lets see what HP has up it's sleeve in competition. You know that they won't tolerate NOT having a VGA device to compete.

[dim_spazov]

I have one more foto.
You can view it by clicking http://www.portalppc.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=272&PN=1&TPN=1.

It's the fourth one.

[dim_spazov]

I've noticed my site is somewhat slow due to the amount of visitors.

If nothing happens just hit refresh.

[huangzhinong]

So they changed the name to A740 instead of A730.

I found the buttons are really cool. The a716 and a620 buttons are space waster.

[HTK]

nice design, inspired on h19xx :)
good stylus, not telescopic

Beautiful device, I will probably buy this one instead of the toshiba e800, one of my biggest concerns with toshiba is that I don´t know if they´ll provide OS updates in the future and things like that.

[WirelessJunkie]

... and an other one on the Digit Life website (http://www.ixbt.com/short/2k4-03/cebit-001.jpg) :ppclove:

[jkendrick]

"the A730 will be 5.3 inches long by 3.0 wide and 0.69 thick"

[jkendrick]

So they changed the name to A740 instead of A730.

I found the buttons are really cool. The a716 and a620 buttons are space waster.

I think the 740 is a typo- everything I've seen says A730.

[huangzhinong]

From that website,

it is 73 X 117 X 16,8 mm, weight 168g.
64Mb Rom, 64Mb or 128mb ROM. Battary 1150mah, 1800mah battary will be available too.

LCD is 3.7inch, 640*480.

[captgoodhope]

"the A730 will be 5.3 inches long by 3.0 wide and 0.69 thick"

That puts it about the same size as the Toshiba e800. Not cool.

[sp0om]

im not liking that dpad, but the colors look very cool.

[jgoodman]

From that website,

it is 73 X 117 X 16,8 mm, weight 168g.
64Mb Rom, 64Mb or 128mb ROM. Battary 1150mah, 1800mah battary will be available too.

LCD is 3.7inch, 640*480.

hmm, so you can change the battery, but theres no 3000ma one like the A716.

and VGA on anything smaller than 4" may be difficult to use in certain situations.

It looks nice, but i too am not a fan off the dpad or button layout. The camera seems cool though!

[Jonathon Watkins]

Hmmm, I really *don't* want a camera on my PPC. It means you can't take it everywhere. :|

[huangzhinong]

From that website,

it is 73 X 117 X 16,8 mm, weight 168g.
64Mb Rom, 64Mb or 128mb ROM. Battary 1150mah, 1800mah battary will be available too.

LCD is 3.7inch, 640*480.

hmm, so you can change the battery, but theres no 3000ma one like the A716.

is it a 4"screen?

looks nice, but i too am not a fan off the dpad or button layout. The camera looks nice though!

The LCD is 3.7" VGA.
This device is much smaller than e800, which is 135*76*15.3mm.

[ctmagnus]

Hmmm, I really *don't* want a camera on my PPC. It means you can't take it everywhere. :|

This turns me off of most newer devices as well. I want a device I can use anywhere without security implications, gosh darn it!

[Gen-M]

Hmmm, I really *don't* want a camera on my PPC. It means you can't take it everywhere. :|

This turns me off of most newer devices as well. I want a device I can use anywhere without security implications, gosh darn it!

Me Three :bad-words:

[jpjehu]

seems to be noticeably smaller than the e800 - even smaller than the 5555 (.43 x 3.3 x 0.63 in. (138 x 84 x 15.9 mm)) except for the thickness - which would be due to the cf slot. it actually is only 0.06 in thicker - not a bad exchange for greater expansion...

[jkendrick]

3.7" in VGA is way too small. 4 " like the Toshiba is OK, 3.8" would be too small but maybe workable but 3.7"? No way.

[jpjehu]

3.7" would be preferable if the updated os didn't require 'all or nothing' regarding screen resolution. if the screen could be set to 320*480 or if you could use the qvga-type settings and sizes with vga resolution 3.7" would be ideal so that the form factor would stay reasonable.

[jpjehu]

otherwise 3.7" would be nearly impossible to use with VGA...

[LarDude]

"the A730 will be 5.3 inches long by 3.0 wide and 0.69 thick"

That puts it about the same size as the Toshiba e800. Not cool.

Whaddaya mean? The Tosh e800 is 5.3" x 3.0" x 0.60" and it's fine (not a brick). But the A730/740 is a whole 0.09" thicker!! Now that's definitely a brick!!
:wink:

Seriously, both the e800 and A730/740 are the same as size as the bare iPaq 3630, which is about the same (smaller) than the 5000 series iPaq's. Any smaller and you might as well forgo the VGA (you really do want a 4" screen).

[imagine]

I'm definitely going with the a716, by the time this thing comes out, and even with good OS implementation, the VGA will not be very useful for text applications, etc, since that is what a ppc is for. Maybe it will be better for image viewing, but qvga is good enough for today's application. I am going to wait until a716 gets into more stores next month i guess, and I'm going to grab myself one. The 520MHz is not that practical either, since the only thing you would need more clock speed for is stuff like video, and games...and even games run great on the 400MHz. So What do you guys think? Should I wait for the a730 or go for the a716 soon?

[Deslock]

Translated text:
The Bluetooth-version is supposed to be delivered in June, follows somewhat later then also a BT/WLAN-version.

So there will be a universal radio version after June. And these guys say it's a SDIO slot.

No wifi? Or is that included with "universal radio"?

[dh]

Translated text:
The Bluetooth-version is supposed to be delivered in June, follows somewhat later then also a BT/WLAN-version.

So there will be a universal radio version after June. And these guys say it's a SDIO slot.

No wifi? Or is that included with "universal radio"?
WLAN = Wireless Lan = WiFi. You don't have to worry.

This is the first PPC that has really got me thinking that I might replace my X5.

[spinedoc]

It's only an inch longer than the 2215, same width and about .08 thicker. If it had wifi AND bt I would consider it, looks like a decent bet. I had a Toshi e805 and trust me, that sucker is big!

I think I am going to tough it out and see what HP releases. They really do make the best PDA's.

[Deslock]

WLAN = Wireless Lan = WiFi. You don't have to worry.

Cool. So the battery looks like it's non-removable, but someone mentioned a higher capacity battery in the future... perhaps that'll be standard in the wifi model? If so, and if it's only marginally heavier/thicker, I think it'll be a big winner. I played with the e800, but it was just too large and the stylus blew big-fat-hairy-oozing-chunks.

Asus' recent PPC's performance is impressive... I can't wait to see how they do at 520 MHz.

[orol]

3.7" would be preferable if the updated os didn't require 'all or nothing' regarding screen resolution. if the screen could be set to 320*480 or if you could use the qvga-type settings and sizes with vga resolution 3.7" would be ideal so that the form factor would stay reasonable.

exactly VGA display is just fine but at least on 4" or even better 5". on e800 you always end up using 240x320 anyways :-/
well, except of web, spreadsheets & images ..

in this I think palmsource had a better choice with 320x480 or 480x320 ..

[Jonathon Watkins]

.. on e800 you always end up using 240x320 anyways :-/
well, except of web, spreadsheets & images ..

Why? :? Aren't you using the hack to get everything at VGA resolution?

[jkendrick]

exactly VGA display is just fine but at least on 4" or even better 5". on e800 you always end up using 240x320 anyways :-/
well, except of web, spreadsheets & images ..


I hear this over and over again but it's so far from the truth. I can't post pictures here but check out this thread where I have many screens of everyday programs I use in VGA.

VGA screens (http://www.pocketpctools.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=1239&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0&sid=62893393f6b38f4ace142b52141fa226)

[huangzhinong]

"the A730 will be 5.3 inches long by 3.0 wide and 0.69 thick"

That puts it about the same size as the Toshiba e800. Not cool.

Whaddaya mean? The Tosh e800 is 5.3" x 3.0" x 0.60" and it's fine (not a brick). But the A730/740 is a whole 0.09" thicker!! Now that's definitely a brick!!
:wink:

Seriously, both the e800 and A730/740 are the same as size as the bare iPaq 3630, which is about the same (smaller) than the 5000 series iPaq's. Any smaller and you might as well forgo the VGA (you really do want a 4" screen).

The 5.3"*3.0"*0.69* is wrong, I don't know where it come from. THE CORRECT SIZE IS 73 x 113 x 16,8 mm, same size as H4155 but thicker.

Check out this image:
http://www.xscale.de/modules.php?op=modload&name=My_eGallery&file=index&do=showpic&pid=1004&orderby=dateA

Here is some big pictures for side by side with e800.
http://msmobiles.com/news.php/2350.html