Details Surface On Upcoming Pocket Loox 700

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://firstloox.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1509' target='_blank'>http://firstloox.org/forums/showthr...=&threadid=1509</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Further to our report on 01 June we've received more information (from several sources) about the upcoming Pocket Loox 700 - the new high end Loox due this summer."</i><br /><br />Duncan reports that the device will have a 520MHz XScale, VGA screen, 128MB of RAM, 64MB of ROM, dual slots, dual wireless, 1.3MP camera <i>with flash</i>, and will be available towards the end of the summer. That's a great feature set. I wonder how this will compare to the upcoming Asus A730 as well...

[moaske]

Ha ! I think it probably IS the ASUS 730, judging from the specs, and of course the fact that the Loox 610 was also an ASUS model (the 716). ASUS is becoming a real big OEM player i guess... :D

[dean_shan]

:drool:

[rpommier]

That's my next Pocket PC... I don't know why manufactures are moving away from CF slots. My 2210 has a nice trade-off between size and features. There are still plenty of peripherals that a CF can be used for, not to mention cheaper memory and drives.

I'm also wanting my next PPC to have VGA, I want a new device so bad it's unreal..

[Take1]

I find it disconcerting that the new PPC VGA devices are HUGE with no 4150 sized VGA screen device on the horizon. 8O

I was hoping HP would follow up their fantastic 4150 with a VGA flavor.. or that someone would cram a VGA screen into a small footprint PDA by now. Even a 4" screen device could be made thinner if you leave out the dual slots.

Worst comes to worst, I'll pick up one of the huge-ish PPCS eventually, but all I really want is a VGA screen in my 4150! :|

[Deslock]

Some images:

http://mobile-review.com/pda/articles/2004/image/loox700/pocket-loox-700-1.jpg

http://mobile-review.com/pda/articles/2004/image/loox700/pocket-loox-700-2.jpg

http://mobile-review.com/pda/articles/2004/image/loox700/pocket-loox-700-3.jpg

[Jonathon Watkins]

8O :shocked!: :helpme:

:soapbox: Onboard camera...... not again! :cry:

Please - if these are meant to be used in a business environment they should not have a built-in camera. If this carries on, just about all the decent PPCs will have built in cameras & can not be carried everywhere.

(Apart from that - it looks good).

[Duncan]

You can find extremely high resolution versions of those photos here (http://www.fsc-mediaserver.com/mediaserver/clientview/server/photo/index.cfm?fuseaction=list&CFID=641900&CFTOKEN=33480047&fid=3395).

[Jonathon Watkins]

You can find extremely high resolution versions of those photos here (http://www.fsc-mediaserver.com/mediaserver/clientview/server/photo/index.cfm?fuseaction=list&CFID=641900&CFTOKEN=33480047&fid=3395).

Cheers. Just love the caption at the F/S site:

Pocket LOOX 700 with pen - dark mood side

Mmmmmm, does your PDA have a dark side? :wink:

[Pony99CA]

:soapbox: Onboard camera...... not again! :cry:

Please - if these are meant to be used in a business environment they should not have a built-in camera. If this carries on, just about all the decent PPCs will have built in cameras & can not be carried everywhere.
I knew somebody would be complaining about the camera. :roll: Why not allow that some PDAs will have cameras? If PDA manufacturers didn't think there was a market for them, they wouldn't be putting them in.

If you don't want a camera in your Pocket PC, that's fine -- just buy a different model. :duh:

Steve

[Fishie]

I find it disconcerting that the new PPC VGA devices are HUGE with no 4150 sized VGA screen device on the horizon. 8O

I was hoping HP would follow up their fantastic 4150 with a VGA flavor.. or that someone would cram a VGA screen into a small footprint PDA by now. Even a 4" screen device could be made thinner if you leave out the dual slots.

Worst comes to worst, I'll pick up one of the huge-ish PPCS eventually, but all I really want is a VGA screen in my 4150! :|

Urm what about the asus 730 then?

It basically IS a VGA 4150.

[Stephen Beesley]

:soapbox: Onboard camera...... not again! :cry:

Please - if these are meant to be used in a business environment they should not have a built-in camera. If this carries on, just about all the decent PPCs will have built in cameras & can not be carried everywhere.
I knew somebody would be complaining about the camera. :roll: Why not allow that some PDAs will have cameras? If PDA manufacturers didn't think there was a market for them, they wouldn't be putting them in.

If you don't want a camera in your Pocket PC, that's fine -- just buy a different model. :duh:

Steve

I agree that there is certainly seems to be a market for PDAs with camera's - just look at phones. I know that here in Europe pretty much all the phones being released these days have cameras in them. I also am pretty sure that the next PDA I get is going to be one with a camera - since I have had a camera phone I have gotten into the habit of taking quick snaps of things and adding them to emails to friends etc.

That said it does seem that many of the new "top of the range" PDAs are coming out with a camera on a take it or leave it basis. It would be nice to see a version with a camera and one without. Of course that would no doubt bump up production and design costs so it may not be something we do get to see. Meaning that people not wanting a camera, but wanting all the other top end features may be left with a more constricted choice of devices.

[Jonathon Watkins]

:soapbox: Onboard camera...... not again! :cry:

Please - if these are meant to be used in a business environment they should not have a built-in camera. If this carries on, just about all the decent PPCs will have built in cameras & can not be carried everywhere.
I knew somebody would be complaining about the camera. :roll: Why not allow that some PDAs will have cameras? If PDA manufacturers didn't think there was a market for them, they wouldn't be putting them in.

If you don't want a camera in your Pocket PC, that's fine -- just buy a different model. :duh:

Steve

That said it does seem that many of the new "top of the range" PDAs are coming out with a camera on a take it or leave it basis. It would be nice to see a version with a camera and one without. Of course that would no doubt bump up production and design costs so it may not be something we do get to see. Meaning that people not wanting a camera, but wanting all the other top end features may be left with a more constricted choice of devices.

Bingo - Bang on. I want a top of the range PDA and if they all have cameras, I and many other folks wont' be able to buy a decent PDA, as we can't take them anywhere. Sure, it's fine if low end PDAs have camera embedded as toys, but not in high end ones used in business etc.

It is important that we send a message to the manufactures that we don't want cameras in PDAs by default. If there is a second model with a camera then fine, but no camera should be the default rather than vice versa.

I 've already said that I can't get a decent phone with BT but without a camera on my phone contract in the UK. I don't want to see the same happening with PDAs. :|

[Stephen Beesley]

Bingo - Bang on. I want a top of the range PDA and if they all have cameras, I and many other folks wont' be able to buy a decent PDA, as we can't take them anywhere. Sure, it's fine if low end PDAs have camera embedded as toys, but not in high end ones used in business etc.

It is important that we send a message to the manufactures that we don't want cameras in PDAs by default. If there is a second model with a camera then fine, but no camera should be the default rather than vice versa.

I 've already said that I can't get a decent phone with BT but without a camera on my phone contract in the UK. I don't want to see the same happening with PDAs. :|

I couldn't agree more. I am in the lucky situation at the moment that a camera on my phone or pda does not cause me hassles at work or elsewhere and has actually been a benefit to me. But (and it is a big but :D ) I can see a time when this may change. Increasing sensitivity to security and privacy is already curtailing the places you can take a camera phone and as more PDAs come with cameras then they are going to be subject to the same restrictions. The last thing I would want is a PDA that I could not use (or even have with me). I have already read (wish I could remember where....) about an airport in the US that is thinking of a total camera ban (!) due to security concerns - I know it sounds crazy but it is a sign of the times.

[Jonathon Watkins]

It is important that we send a message to the manufactures that we don't want cameras in PDAs by default. If there is a second model with a camera then fine, but no camera should be the default rather than vice versa.

I 've already said that I can't get a decent phone with BT but without a camera on my phone contract in the UK. I don't want to see the same happening with PDAs. :|

I couldn't agree more. I am in the lucky situation at the moment that a camera on my phone or pda does not cause me hassles at work or elsewhere and has actually been a benefit to me. But (and it is a big but :D ) I can see a time when this may change. Increasing sensitivity to security and privacy is already curtailing the places you can take a camera phone and as more PDAs come with cameras then they are going to be subject to the same restrictions. The last thing I would want is a PDA that I could not use (or even have with me). I have already read (wish I could remember where....) about an airport in the US that is thinking of a total camera ban (!) due to security concerns - I know it sounds crazy but it is a sign of the times.

My local sports centre has just instituted a ban on all cameras in the changing rooms. So, no camera phone, no PDAs etc. If you are found with one you are banned from the centre. And that's a trivial non-business example. More and more places are bringing in camera bans. You can argue about their reasons, but in the end, they make the rules. The only safe option is not to have a camera on the deice you take everywhere with you.

[Pony99CA]

:soapbox: Onboard camera...... not again! :cry:

Please - if these are meant to be used in a business environment they should not have a built-in camera. If this carries on, just about all the decent PPCs will have built in cameras & can not be carried everywhere.
I knew somebody would be complaining about the camera. :roll: Why not allow that some PDAs will have cameras? If PDA manufacturers didn't think there was a market for them, they wouldn't be putting them in.

If you don't want a camera in your Pocket PC, that's fine -- just buy a different model. :duh:
That said it does seem that many of the new "top of the range" PDAs are coming out with a camera on a take it or leave it basis. It would be nice to see a version with a camera and one without. Of course that would no doubt bump up production and design costs so it may not be something we do get to see. Meaning that people not wanting a camera, but wanting all the other top end features may be left with a more constricted choice of devices.
I certainly agree that it would be nice if the manufacturers made models with and without cameras. I can appreciate that more places are prohibiting cameras, and I wouldn't want to be without my PDA or phone in those places, either.

However, if the manufacturer has decided that they'll sell more models with cameras than without, and that providing two models will cost more in production and overhead costs than they'll make selling non-camera models, I wouldn't expect them to offer two models.

Maybe there's a relatively simple way to produce two models, though. Produce one model with a camera, but disable the camera in some of those models by not wiring it up. That will mean they can use the same case and everything. On the models with disabled cameras, they'd probably need to include some holographic sticker indicating the camera was disabled so people would believe it.

Of course, you could always try putting some professional looking lettering on the case of the PDA saying something like "Model 002 -- Camera Disabled" even if it wasn't and see what happens. :-D

However, I still think that businesses will have to stop prohibiting cameras if more devices keep getting them, or risk employee backlash.

Steve

[Stephen Beesley]

:soapbox: Onboard camera...... not again! :cry:

Please - if these are meant to be used in a business environment they should not have a built-in camera. If this carries on, just about all the decent PPCs will have built in cameras & can not be carried everywhere.
I knew somebody would be complaining about the camera. :roll: Why not allow that some PDAs will have cameras? If PDA manufacturers didn't think there was a market for them, they wouldn't be putting them in.

If you don't want a camera in your Pocket PC, that's fine -- just buy a different model. :duh:

That said it does seem that many of the new "top of the range" PDAs are coming out with a camera on a take it or leave it basis. It would be nice to see a version with a camera and one without. Of course that would no doubt bump up production and design costs so it may not be something we do get to see. Meaning that people not wanting a camera, but wanting all the other top end features may be left with a more constricted choice of devices.
I certainly agree that it would be nice if the manufacturers made models with and without cameras. I can appreciate that more places are prohibiting cameras, and I wouldn't want to be without my PDA or phone in those places, either.

However, if the manufacturer has decided that they'll sell more models with cameras than without, and that providing two models will cost more in production and overhead costs than they'll make selling non-camera models, I wouldn't expect them to offer two models.

Maybe there's a relatively simple way to produce two models, though. Produce one model with a camera, but disable the camera in some of those models by not wiring it up. That will mean they can use the same case and everything. On the models with disabled cameras, they'd probably need to include some holographic sticker indicating the camera was disabled so people would believe it.

Of course, you could always try putting some professional looking lettering on the case of the PDA saying something like "Model 002 -- Camera Disabled" even if it wasn't and see what happens. :-D

However, I still think that businesses will have to stop prohibiting cameras if more devices keep getting them, or risk employee backlash.

Steve

Okay I know this is getting pretty far OT now, but....

I am sort of in two minds about the future of camera enabled devices - be they a PDA or a phone. On the one hand there is an increasing move toward banning them from more and more places, but I also see the validity of Steve's point. I have a feeling that camera enabled devices (not just still, but more and more video capable devices) are going to become more and more popular - to the point that banning them is just not going to be popular or even possible. Rather, it seems likely to me that the world, people, businesses and the laws will end up adapting over time and that in 20 years from now people will not rember what all the fuss was about.

[Jonathon Watkins]

OK, I can feel a camera poll coming on soon.

Now, including myself: :nonono:

[juni]

Since I'll start working for Fujitsu-Siemens next month one could hope they gave one to me as a "welcome to the company'' gift. I'd make the default skin for one of those. :D

[dean_shan]

Since I'll start working for Fujitsu-Siemens next month one could hope they gave one to me as a "welcome to the company'' gift. I'd make the default skin for one of those. :D

Hey congratulations. Do you know what other things you will be making for them?

[Kacey Green]

:soapbox: Onboard camera...... not again! :cry:

Please - if these are meant to be used in a business environment they should not have a built-in camera. If this carries on, just about all the decent PPCs will have built in cameras & can not be carried everywhere.
I knew somebody would be complaining about the camera. :roll: Why not allow that some PDAs will have cameras? If PDA manufacturers didn't think there was a market for them, they wouldn't be putting them in.

If you don't want a camera in your Pocket PC, that's fine -- just buy a different model. :duh:

Steve

I agree that there is certainly seems to be a market for PDAs with camera's - just look at phones. I know that here in Europe pretty much all the phones being released these days have cameras in them. I also am pretty sure that the next PDA I get is going to be one with a camera - since I have had a camera phone I have gotten into the habit of taking quick snaps of things and adding them to emails to friends etc.

That said it does seem that many of the new "top of the range" PDAs are coming out with a camera on a take it or leave it basis. It would be nice to see a version with a camera and one without. Of course that would no doubt bump up production and design costs so it may not be something we do get to see. Meaning that people not wanting a camera, but wanting all the other top end features may be left with a more constricted choice of devices.

If it costs too much to remove the camera circuitry, then they can always replace the shutter and lens with plastic, no doubt saving some money

[ultraman]

Here is latest spec at 22 June

Source: http://firstloox.org/forums/showthr...a&threadid=1528

As revealed previously there will be two models in the Loox 700 series. We now have full preliminary details for both, including the following headline news:

Consumer IR
VoIP Receiver built-in
Dual Wireless (Bluetooth 1.2 - latest version)
USB host (1.1) and slave (2.0)
1.3MP camera with flash (model 720 only)
VGA (model 720 only)
Thinner and narrower than any other known existing or upcoming VGA Pocket PC
Large capacity 1640mAh battery

Full details:

The lower end model will be the Pocket Loox 710 - which will feature the following specifications:

Processor: PXA27x 416Mhz

ROM: 64MB (appox. 28MB user accessible LOOXstore)

RAM: 64MB

Display: 3.5", QVGA (240x320), 65K colours

Dimensions: 122 x 72 x 16.1 mm

Weight: approx. 175g
The higher end model will be the Pocket Loox 720 with the following specifications:
Processor: PXA27x 520Mhz

ROM: 64MB (appox. 28MB user accessible LOOXstore)

RAM: 128MB

Display: 3.6", VGA (480x640), 65K colours

Camera: 1.3 Megapixel; integrated video capturing and
flash

Dimensions: 122 x 72 x 15.2 mm

Weight: approx. 175g
Both models will have the following features:
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition

Bluetooth: 1.2 (latest version)

WiFi: 802.11b

Expansion: SD I/O - MM card, Compact Flash type II

Interfaces: 1 x built-in microphone, 1 x speaker, 1 x receiver for VoIP calls, 1 x headphone jack (3.5 mm), 1 x IrDA (Consumer Infrared), USB via sync cable (2.0 slave, 1.1 host), Serial (RS232) via sync cable

Battery: 1640mAh (replaceable)

Jog dial, SpeedMenu and voice recorder buttons

Pocket Loox Choice software voucher

[Stephen Beesley]

I am still not sold on the aesthetics of the device, but the specifications certainly seem pretty impressive. I do wonder, however, about a 3.6 inch vga screen.

[Ryan Joseph]

This looks like a pretty sweet device. But I've seen the light and moved to Phone Edition PPCs, so I won't be buying this one...unless they release a phone version... 8)

And I'm embarrassed to be asking this...but how do you pronounce this? Is it said like pronounced like "Looks" or does it have the "u" sound as in "cool," "Looooox." :oops:

[Kati Compton]

I am still not sold on the aesthetics of the device, but the specifications certainly seem pretty impressive. I do wonder, however, about a 3.6 inch vga screen.

Yeah... That would be my concern as well. I'm mostly likely to get either the new Asus or the ipaq 4700. I'm looking at the ipaq because of the bigger screen and lots of accessories, but don't like the idea of a touchpad (I hope that's false info!). So that moves me towards the Asus (no accessories basically, 3.7 or so inch screen). The Loox has great specs, but the 3.6" screen... I'd have to see it. And I'm not sure where I could. :(

[Stephen Beesley]

I am still not sold on the aesthetics of the device, but the specifications certainly seem pretty impressive. I do wonder, however, about a 3.6 inch vga screen.

Yeah... That would be my concern as well. I'm mostly likely to get either the new Asus or the ipaq 4700. I'm looking at the ipaq because of the bigger screen and lots of accessories, but don't like the idea of a touchpad (I hope that's false info!). So that moves me towards the Asus (no accessories basically, 3.7 or so inch screen). The Loox has great specs, but the 3.6" screen... I'd have to see it. And I'm not sure where I could. :(

Kati - your thinking seems to be the same as mine on this. I really think that a 4 inch screen would be the way to go with VGA and if it is designed right I do not think it has to be too big. Earlier versions of the Loox seems to have sold pretty well here in Europe so I am hoping one of the local chains might actually stock these - I would love to have an actual play with one.

All I do know really is that I am pretty sure my next PDA will have to have vga built in BT and probably built in wifi. Of course this is all depending on cash flow!

[Janak Parekh]

I do wonder, however, about a 3.6 inch vga screen.
Since WM2003SE provides font scaling, it won't be too bad. You may find the smallest size in SE a little too small (can't say until I play with SE more), but the unit should certainly be useable...

--janak

[Kati Compton]

Since WM2003SE provides font scaling, it won't be too bad. You may find the smallest size in SE a little too small (can't say until I play with SE more), but the unit should certainly be useable...
Actually, I'm not worried about font size per se. I'm thinking games and UIs designed for VGA at 4" compressed into 3.6".

[Janak Parekh]

Actually, I'm not worried about font size per se. I'm thinking games and UIs designed for VGA at 4" compressed into 3.6".
I'd like to think VGA game designers will notice that there will be a broad variety of screens, and won't design only for 4". As it is, there is a 3.7" VGA screen already coming...

--janak

[IceCaveman]

on the iloox page it seems like the 420 isn't as powerful as I was told to belive., only 400mhz xscale and 64mb of RAM, why are they posting so low specs on the official page?

[Duncan]

on the iloox page it seems like the 420 isn't as powerful as I was told to belive., only 400mhz xscale and 64mb of RAM, why are they posting so low specs on the official page?

That could be because you've been looking at the specs for the Loox 420 - the last Pocket PC from FSC - rather than the Loox 720 - which is the upcoming VGA Loox taked about here. :wink:

You won't find details of the 720 on the official Loox page yet as it is not due to be launched until next month (August).

[ultraman]

You won't find details of the 720 on the official Loox page yet as it is not due to be launched until next month (August).

Sometimes I do not know what is the meaning of Public Release. Even an product is Official Announced but still cannot be bought in the public. I hope that in August, we can actually buy the Loox720. :roll:

[Duncan]

Sometimes I do not know what is the meaning of Public Release. Even an product is Official Announced but still cannot be bought in the public. I hope that in August, we can actually buy the Loox720.

The Loox 600 was available (and bought) in the very week of its official launch (which was of course delayed!). The 610 and 420 likewise. I don't see any reason why it shouldn't happen this time (of course now I've said that you know what will happen...! :wink: ).

[ultraman]

The Loox 600 was available (and bought) in the very week of its official launch (which was of course delayed!). The 610 and 420 likewise. I don't see any reason why it shouldn't happen this time (of course now I've said that you know what will happen...! :wink: ).

Thanks for you info. :D :D :D :D :D