CNETAsia: HP's New iPAQs Are "Wild"

[Pat Logsdon]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/photo_gallery/0,39034081,39188565-4p-1,00.htm' target='_blank'>http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/photo_...565-4p-1,00.htm</a><br /><br /></div><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/logsdon_20040810_cnetasia_ipaqs.jpg" /> <br /><br />I'm not sure that the new iPAQs are wild, but I certainly agree that they're new. And iPAQs. CNETAsia has a number of high quality photos of the new and allegedly wild devices, which I'd encourage you to check out if you're into that sort of thing. Personally, I'll be staring at my wallpaper for the next hour or so, perhaps followed by a nap. ;)

[arebelspy]

New iPAQs? I know what you mean about being sleepy.. ;)

-arebelspy

[daninnj]

iPAQs Gone Wild!: Watch as iPAQ users take the flip covers off of their hx4700s! Call now!

/corny mode

Anyway, to me, the hx4700 looks good in that picture...It doesn't look as long.

[Pat Logsdon]

To be fair, this is a good batch of professional photos that show the entire line-up. Decent overview of the new HP landscape, such as it is. :wink:

[arnage2]

that 4700 looks really sleek in that new cradel

[Wiggster]

I want to hold one of 'em in my hands. They look like they might look cool in person, or they might be as ugly as sin. Just a few more weeks and I can go to Circuit City/Best Buy/Wherever and try one out... I hope :|

[isilver]

It that a camera on the back of it or is that just infared support?

[Lorenzo]

You wouldn't happen to know when they go on sale? I e-mailed
hp, but they wouldn't answer my questions. I'd consider buying
a pre-sale model, but not if the device is going to be released
a few months from now? Maybe a few weeks would be a different
story, but I've gotta have one.

Lorenzo

[Wiggster]

You wouldn't happen to know when they go on sale? I e-mailed
hp, but they wouldn't answer my questions.


This product will be available Sept 09, 2004.

From here (http://www.shopping.hp.com/cgi-bin/hpdirect/shopping/scripts/product_detail/product_detail_view.jsp?landing=null&category=handhelds&subcat1=handhelds&product_code=FA304A%23ABA&catLevel=3)

[huangzhinong]

Same fate as Mpx, The more I look at it, the uglier it is.

[Prevost]

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/logsdon_20040810_cnetasia_ipaqs.jpg


Nice cradle.

[Ryan Joseph]

I still can't wait to try the 4700, but I did get to try out the 1715 today.

I was reserving judgement on the entire iPAQ line until I tried them in person. While I do agree that HP seriously messed up somewhere with the very low specs and very high price of the 1715, it does look kind of cool.

The black around the edges makes it look powerful in a weird sort of way.

I saw it at Best Buy and they had it right next to the Zire 72. What uninformed consumer in their right mind would go for the 1715 over the Zire? The Zire is only twenty bucks more and offers more memory, a camera, and a cooler looking body. :grumble:

Byt this was also my first time using Second Edition. I only had a vew minutes to play with it but the screen rotation is very sweet! :mrgreen:

And the "hourglass" (if you can call it that) is cooler looking, too. :)

[dean_shan]

It that a camera on the back of it or is that just infared support?

On the rx3400/3700 that is a camera. They say 'HP Photosmart' near the lense.

[ctmagnus]

Personally, I'll be staring at my wallpaper for the next hour or so, perhaps followed by a nap. ;)

Meow ;)

[Jonathan1]

Just to maintain consistency with my griping: those 1710’s really look butt ugly. ;) Then again the 3xxx isn't much better. :(
Seriously though the 47xx is the only one out of the bunch, IMHO, that doesn’t look bad but sure as heck won’t win any beauty contests for its looks or form. I think the touchpad was the only thing keeping the entire lineup of iPaq from looking butt cheap. They had no choice but to do some tweaking on the form to accommodate the touchpad. I REALLY want to play with that pad and see if its workable for me.

[TomB]

"HP iPaq rx3400/3700: Touted as the industry's first entertainment PDA, the rx3400/3700 supports playback of MPEG1, WMV, MotionJPEG, WMA and MP3 file formats on its 3.5-inch QVGA screen." Wow! MPEG1! WOW! I guess the copywriter never hear of the HP 3600, PocketTV and blah blah blah... you get the message!

[Jonathan1]

The black around the edges makes it look CHEAP in a weird sort of way.



Fixed that word mismatch for you. :wink: :?

[Jonathan1]

"HP iPaq rx3400/3700: Touted as the industry's first entertainment PDA, the rx3400/3700 supports playback of MPEG1, WMV, MotionJPEG, WMA and MP3 file formats on its 3.5-inch QVGA screen." Wow! MPEG1! WOW! I guess the copywriter never hear of the HP 3600, PocketTV and blah blah blah... you get the message!

Yes but keep in mind that AFAIK no PPC out of the box has offered MPEG video support. (Feel free to lay the smackdown if I'm wrong.) Only through 3rd party software. I would be much more impressed if HP had done more with this video support. I mean sorry but I consider a VGA screen mandatory for any “entertainment” PDA and possibly the full range of standard video codecs that are out there. The only unique “feature” that I see is “rx3000 series models will have software that allows them to easily play music and videos streamed from a Windows PC over Wi-Fi” But again this is purely software based and can be done right now on just about any PPC without too many hassles.
This is simply putting on some centrifuge type spin on their devices that are no more entertainment devices then my Jornada 568 is just with a camera and a few wireless options added on. I hope this isn’t the direction HP is going in the future. Release craptastic devices and simply spin out some smoke and mirrors marketing to try and get some type going for them. :?

[Jonathan1]

Nice cradle.[/quote]

I was thinking the same thing. I have to say looking the the cradle and then looking at my desk here with my Jornada 568 cradle I'm getting the impression the same team designed it. Its not the exact same and the overall form is diff but the feel to it seems similar. As if the designers actually paid attention to the fact that a sturdy base is everything and that it doesn't hurt to have the cradle match the device.

I really think the design team took some major "tips" from the Jornada line of devices for the 47xx but I’m also getting the impression that there was some corp politics involved in the creation of this device as well. Time will tell how well this device will sell. If nothing else I think HP damn well better drop the device my $50-$75 buck within the first few months or the other VGA Pocket PC’s are going to eat this device alive.

[The PocketTV Team]

> Touted as the industry's first entertainment PDA, the rx3400/3700 supports playback of MPEG1
> Wow! MPEG1! WOW! I guess the copywriter never hear of the HP 3600, PocketTV

Well in fact PocketTV Pro is in the ROM of the Rx3400 and Rx3700 series :)

So not only you don't need to install PocketTV Classic in RAM, but you also get the Pro version.

I don't think any other Pocket PC came with an MPEG-1 player bundled in ROM.

[arnage2]

the jvc io pocket pc was supposed to have mpeg playback, but the unit was cancled days before its release. (it was actually in one of mobile planet's catalouges)

[Fishie]

> Touted as the industry's first entertainment PDA, the rx3400/3700 supports playback of MPEG1
> Wow! MPEG1! WOW! I guess the copywriter never hear of the HP 3600, PocketTV

Well in fact PocketTV Pro is in the ROM of the Rx3400 and Rx3700 series :)

So not only you don't need to install PocketTV Classic in RAM, but you also get the Pro version.

I don't think any other Pocket PC came with an MPEG-1 player bundled in ROM.

Indeed and a kickass player at that.

If only the 3400/3700 would have VGA.

Its such a cool and well rounded machine, high performer with the fast Samsung procesor, decent memory(lotsa storage rom) dual wireless, insane batterylife, killer multimedia capabilities etcetera.

Why o why doesnt it feature a VGA screen?

[Ryan Joseph]

Fixed that word mismatch for you. :wink: :?

Be honest now...have you ever seen the unit in person or held it in your hand? I was suspecting it to be ugly but decided not to judge it by pictures. In person it really doesn't look that bad. At least, I don't think so.

I still wouldn't pay that kind of money for such a weak device, but the 3xxx will probably be a cool unit from both the specs side and the looks side. At least, I think so. :mrgreen:

[Jonathan1]

Be honest now...have you ever seen the unit in person or held it in your hand? I was suspecting it to be ugly but decided not to judge it by pictures. In person it really doesn't look that bad. At least, I don't think so.

I still wouldn't pay that kind of money for such a weak device, but the 3xxx will probably be a cool unit from both the specs side and the looks side. At least, I think so. :mrgreen:

Yes I have:
http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=30467&start=20

and I stand by my overall feeling of the device. As just about every review has pointed out cheap can sometimes be good but only if the price matches the hardware and the 1710 has a higher then expected price for such a low quality system. I mean for the love of god they skimped on the memory too?!?! The user has aprox (Correct me if I'm wrong) 15 MB to play with for running programs AND storage. In such a situation this thing becomes a glorified pocket organizer. I mean the cheap-o Zire 21 has almost no memory and the only thing its good for is PIM stuff but Palm priced it out right at $99. For the amount you shell out on the 1710 you can get a whole heck of a lot more PPC (Go check the prices on the Dell or the remaining iPaq 19xx, 22xx series that are still out there which have better specs all around for a cheaper price.) then this PoS.
Again I stand by my feeling.....HP screwed up so badly on this device I hope they have to pull an Atari and burry overstock out in a landfill somewhere. Am I pissed about this? Heck yes. If HP had a track record of crappy hardware then sure I wouldn't expect much. But a company the size of HP? A company that has had a really good track record of solid devices? A company who knows how to design electronics? I expect a whole heck of a lot more from them then this.

[neufeldm]

Anyone know whether any of these new HP themes have been posted on the Internet. I like the globe with the new HP logo.

[h3seaking]

I like the size and the dual slots. I could live without VGA for the size. It would be nice to have built in WiFi and more built in memory. I though there was a 2700 series due out. Any info?

[Dolphin]

I can't wait to buy a 3400 or 3700... the 1.3 megapixel cam with video are just what I'm looking for! Anyone know when they will be avalible?

[tthiel]

I would prefer real photos that actually show the screen.

To be fair, this is a good batch of professional photos that show the entire line-up. Decent overview of the new HP landscape, such as it is. :wink:

[darrylb]

I like the size and the dual slots. I could live without VGA for the size. It would be nice to have built in WiFi and more built in memory. I though there was a 2700 series due out. Any info?

The 3715 only has SD/SDIO. If you want dual slot you'll want the hx4700 with CF and SD/SDIO. :)