Mobile-Review.Com Reviews F/S Pocket LOOX 720

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.mobile-review.com/pda/review/fs-loox720-en.shtml' target='_blank'>http://www.mobile-review.com/pda/re...oox720-en.shtml</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Almost 10 months have passed since the release of the first Pocket PC with a VGA screen. The appearance of Toshiba e800 proved to be a turning point in the development of Pocket PC. However a mass release of Pocket PCs with VGA screens is outlined only now. In the upcoming months or weeks there will be offered for sale five such Pocket PCs (not counting various modifications) at a time: Asus A730, Fujitsu Siemens Pocket LOOX 720, Toshiba e830, HP iPaq hx4700, Dell Axim X50. Each model is interesting in its own way. Not long ago we’ve written about Asus A730, today we are testing a handheld computer Fujitsu Siemens Pocket LOOX 720. The tests of other VGA-Pocket PCs will be available as these handhelds appear in our test laboratory."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20040907-MobileReviewLoox720.jpg" /><br /><br />And a fantastic testing it is. The amazing photos of the device (as well as its surprisingly good camera pictures) make this very appealing. If only it were sold in North America... :cry:

[JustinGTP]

If only it was sold in North America... :cry:


Well - you can get the English version shipped from Clove or eXpansys. That's what I plan to do!

-Justin.

[Janak Parekh]

Well - you can get the English version shipped from Clove or eXpansys. That's what I plan to do!
I know -- it's more expensive though, and as such is tailored to geeks like us. I think it'd be a top seller if it was available domestically.

--janak

[kaitanium]

is it really that much more expensive? doesnt it come out to around $600 USD if bought from clove?

[ctmagnus]

OT: in the first picture, what is the second-last Today plugin? I know it isn't PocketMon (http://www.spritesoftware.com/products/pocketmon.html), but other than that I have no idea.

Edit: Found it! :) It's Uptime Meter (http://ae.inc.ru/uptime_t.html).

[Ryan Joseph]

I guess it's goes to show how much the devices are used in the reviews, but it always bothers me when pictures in reviews show the device with the low battery warning. :grumble:

Do they want to show what the screen looks like with the warning?

[OSUKid7]

If only it was sold in North America... If only it were sold in North America. ;)

[ctmagnus]

...the Europeans would have difficulty getting it ;)

[marovada]

There are 2 things I don't like about this - the key lag (bad for gaming :cry: ) and the camera (means that I can't use this at work :bad-words: ). The review says that the key lag is caused by the "hold" functioning of the keys, but doesn't say whether the lag is fixed if the "hold" function is disabled.

Anyone care to comment?

[ricksfiona]

That's an amazing review. Good job!

[Janak Parekh]

If only it was sold in North America... If only it were sold in North America. ;)
I could have meant past tense, right? :P Fixed.

--janak

[jonathanchoo]

In Europe looks count as well as specs. But people here are willing to fork out extra for a well designed gadget. That is why till today I have never seen a Dell Axim being used in public.

Personally I think this is very good designed PDA for the fashion conscious, even the lanyard loop is placed well. Too bad the camera's quality is very poor.

[Duncan]

What I can't figure is - thare are now four Loox 720 reviews (including my own), all with SPB benchmarking, and all with rather different results.

Anyone got an explanation that makes sense...? :?

[OSUKid7]

If only it was sold in North America... If only it were sold in North America. ;)
I could have meant past tense, right? :P Fixed.heh...I don't remember the exact English rules about that. :worried: I thought it was always supposed to be "were" if you state If, but who knows! :lol: Just nit-picking. ;)

[mhowie]

If only it was sold in North America... If only it were sold in North America. ;)
I could have meant past tense, right? :P Fixed.heh...I don't remember the exact English rules about that. :worried: I thought it was always supposed to be "were" if you state If, but who knows! :lol: Just nit-picking. ;)

Past tense= had been? :)

[shanipaqman]

I guess I can't wait to have some side by side comparison reviews of retail models of these upcoming VGA models...Then I think you can make a better decision on whether to shell out $600 + for a unit you can't even hold before you buy....

I have to say, so far, this unit has more features than the others that are coming out. You'll be hard pressed to find a more feature rich unit that has decent battery life....it will be interesting to see what the Dell Axim X50 turns out to be with the supposed graphics processor and higher speed chip...

[tw]

What I can't figure is - thare are now four Loox 720 reviews (including my own), all with SPB benchmarking, and all with rather different results.

Anyone got an explanation that makes sense...? :?

Maybe different ROM versions?

But I didn't compare yet. Are your results better or worse?

[Duncan]

What I can't figure is - thare are now four Loox 720 reviews (including my own), all with SPB benchmarking, and all with rather different results.

Anyone got an explanation that makes sense...? :?

Maybe different ROM versions?

But I didn't compare yet. Are your results better or worse?

Both. I ran SPB Benchmark four times - and got very similar results each time - yet I can see better and worse (sometimes strongly so) results from each of the other reviews...

[Len Egan]

I am an early Toshiba E-805 user. This review, and others, seem to prove to me that there isn't much that the new wave of devices have that my E-805 doesn't already have. I would love to be able to somehow justify getting a 47xx, but I can't seem to find that something. Touchscreen? Camera? Doesn't seem to make sense.

[jimski]

I am an early Toshiba E-805 user. This review, and others, seem to prove to me that there isn't much that the new wave of devices have that my E-805 doesn't already have. I would love to be able to somehow justify getting a 47xx, but I can't seem to find that something. Touchscreen? Camera? Doesn't seem to make sense.

Can you say "Bluetooth".

[juni]

Almost makes me want to get it after swearing I'd never get a Loox again (because of the buggy and slow Loox 600).

[HTK]

I couldn't care less for bluetooth ( anyway the device has dual slots, you can always add whatever expansion you want )
my old h1945 had it and I used a couple of times just to find out the speed and range is just lame.
I'm glad I got my e805 for $400. I always feel bad weeks after buying something and seeing new stuff coming out, but not this time, I dont need a poor camera and bluetooth, specially for $600

UPDATE: not to mention the risk of places not allowing camera-enabled equipament to enter.

[jonathanchoo]

I couldn't care less for bluetooth ( anyway the device has dual slots, you can always add whatever expansion you want )
my old h1945 had it and I used a couple of times just to find out the speed and range is just lame.
I'm glad I got my e805 for $400. I always feel bad weeks after buying something and seeing new stuff coming out, but not this time, I dont need a poor camera and bluetooth, specially for $600

UPDATE: not to mention the risk of places not allowing camera-enabled equipament to enter.

What about 624Mhz processor?

You might not care about Bluetooth but many do (see the poll). WiFi's range on PDAs are also weak. My h4150 (with no power saving) can't see my D-Link access point from 15 meters away and it was only seperated by a floor (open plan house) and a wall. Talk about major dissapointment after all the hype I read about WiFi. Bluetooth however worked within its 10 meter limit (sometimes separated by wall or floor).

There is no camera on the h470x.

But I agree that there is nothing exciting. Where are the new form factors (don't start on the ugly mpx :sleeping: ) that take advantage of landscape? Where are the PDAs with VGA 18-bit displays? Even new QVGA PPCs uses 16-bit displays while the new Sharp TM150 has CG Silicon QVGA 2.2" 18-bit displays.

[Doug Raeburn]

But I agree that there is nothing exciting. Where are the new form factors (don't start on the ugly mpx :sleeping: ) that take advantage of landscape? Where are the PDAs with VGA 18-bit displays? Even new QVGA PPCs uses 16-bit displays while the new Sharp TM150 has CG Silicon QVGA 2.2" 18-bit displays.

One step at a time, I guess...

[tw]

What about 624Mhz processor?

You might not care about Bluetooth but many do (see the poll). WiFi's range on PDAs are also weak. My h4150 (with no power saving) can't see my D-Link access point from 15 meters away and it was only seperated by a floor (open plan house) and a wall. Talk about major dissapointment after all the hype I read about WiFi. Bluetooth however worked within its 10 meter limit (sometimes separated by wall or floor).

But then there is something broken with your D-Link or something. In my experience the WiFi range of the 4150 is indeed excellent for a PDA. I have no problems connecting to APs through one or two walls of concrete or from 50 ... 100 m distance without walls. That wasn't possible with the 5450 or some WiFi CF cards I tried.

Nevertheless I care also much about Bluetooth. But not as a WiFi replacement. I think it makes no sense to compare WiFi and Bluetooth for that purpose. But Bluetooth is really great as cable replacement to connect mobile phones, GPS receiver and headsets. Believe me once you get used to it you don't want to miss it.

[Wilbert]

:?:
Ok, on the Today screen all of the icons are angled and I am running Windows Mobile 2003 SE and they are not that way on my unit. Why is this? Just a SMALL question... :?

[Jonathon Watkins]

In Europe looks count as well as specs. But people here are willing to fork out extra for a well designed gadget. That is why till today I have never seen a Dell Axim being used in public.

:twak: My Axim X5 and I take offence Jonathanchoo. You just haven't met the right folks then. :wink:

Too bad the camera's quality is very poor.

And you are are surprised at this? Decent optics cost a fair whack of cash. If it were a good camera, the unit would cost a lot more. Another reason I don't want one.

[Len Egan]

Can you say "Bluetooth".[/quote]

For $35 on ebay I got a beautiful BT CF card that works just fine. Can even pair it with my Moto v710. Don't see that as enough of a justification. If I only had one slot...maybe...