Pretty Pictures Of The BenQ P50

[marlof]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.eprice.com.tw/news/?news_id=2468' target='_blank'>http://www.eprice.com.tw/news/?news_id=2468</a><br /><br /></div>I can't understand a word of the message on the ePrice website, but I can say a lot ooh's and aah's when I look at the pictures they have of the BenQ P50. It looks like quite the device. Although I did hear someone state that they keyboard wouldn't have a backlight, which to me would be a complete dealbreaker, since that was the main reason I've never used the attachable iPAQ thumbboard. Did anyone of you see the BenQ in real life (I never was that lucky), or know more on this subject?<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/marlof-20050203-benqp50.jpg" />

[Bruno Figueiredo]

It's a beautiful device and I lust for it. But it's not VGA and I'm affraid that with that KB the device is too bulky.

[Vincent M Ferrari]

I saw it at the CES show, and since it was Saturday, I had some quality time with it while everyone else was hung over from Friday night :lol:

The keyboard is pretty much identical to the one from the Treo, but I can't for the life of me remember if it was back lit or not because the lighting on the show floor was pretty bright, but I have to tell you; despite it not having a VGA screen, the screen it does have is great. It's a tiny device that's very light and has some zip to it when you open apps, etc.

Truthfully, I'm not too thrilled with the idea of a VGA screen on a phone anyway. Thus far every VGA device has mediocre battery life, and when you factor in a cellular radio that's on all the time, well, draw your own conclusions.

Either way it's a terrific little device, and I was very glad I got to see it at the show. It's definitely going to be worth the wait when it does hit the market.

[fyiguy]

It is a pretty nice unit and feels good in the hand I have some pictures of it from CES here (http://www.bostonpocketpc.com/modules.php?op=modload&amp;name=News&amp;file=article&amp;sid=2686&amp;mode=thread&amp;order=0&amp;thold=0), not as nice as the ones that Marlof referenced, but gives you size reference, pictures of the BenQ booth and some screen shots of the software installed on it. Most impressive was the inclusion of SkyPE (http://www.skype.com/products/skype/pocketpc/). I actually have a few more daily roundups written from CES, but I have been too swamped with work since I back from CES to post :(

Hopefully by the end of the week...

[yslee]

Hope you enjoyed the photos Marlof. :wink: Note that these photos have the device in a very classy black, unlike the ones at CES (or others before it)!

[Pdaholic]

A few months ago, there was an Asian website that had pictures taken by a guy that actually owned the device. I could have swore there was a backlight on the keyboard. I agree, though, it would be a deal breaker. I didn't think it was VGA, either.

I would need to see what cases are available for this thing. If there's no built in screen protection, then somebody's gotta make a nice case before I'll drop $700+ on it.

[powder2000]

This and the Tmobile device talked about yesterday, if available in the U.S. would put any other offering to shame. I love that black design!

[adamz]

Why do you need to see the keyboard?
The buttons are raised so that you can feel them with your fingers.. and it's not like they're not going anywhere.

[d-roC]

It does have a backlight if I remeber right from my playing at CES with it. It does feel much better in the hand than other WinMob smartphones, but the only concern that hasnt really been addressed by BenQ is the battery life is all wireless is going. It looks like it will be worse than the h6300 when its all wireless are on.

Oh, I had left CES Friday night so I wasnt hung over, but saw people on the plane who were. :)

[shockidelica]

I like it! I'ts got an old-school styling to it. Reminds me of the old Sinclair QL.

[jlp]

A device with the same length as the PDA2K and only a tiny half an inch narrower, and a price on par with or even higher than the latter I don't understand why anybody would foresake the PDA2K's much larger screen and double the RAM for this device :!:.

I expected much of the P50, but it's pretty disppointing I'd say :evil:.

[jlp]

All in all what can I do with this that I can't do with a good PPC with VGA, BT and Wifi connected to a BT cellphone?

What I see is with the latter setup (say a PocketLoox 720) I have 1) CF, 2) USB host, 3) VGA, 4) a much larger screen and 5) double the RAM; Ah forgot 6) the side scroll :clap:; I'll take any single of those any day over the kthumbboard, so much more all the 6 together :ppclove:. And with Applian PhoneKing (http://www.applian.com/pocketpc/phoneking/index.php) (says it all :D) such a PPC is sooo much more capable than the P50 :way to go:.

The BenQ fails to convince (me).

[S1RHC]

well, 2 questions.
1) About how many euros it will cost and from which e-shosps I will be able to buy it.
2) I see that there are two soft-buttons. May this mean that it will be Magneto (windows for PPC 2005 aka Win CE 5.0) compatible?

[zybler]

All in all what can I do with this that I can't do with a good PPC with VGA, BT and Wifi connected to a BT cellphone?

What I see is with the latter setup (say a PocketLoox 720) I have 1) CF, 2) USB host, 3) VGA, 4) a much larger screen and 5) double the RAM; Ah forgot 6) the side scroll :clap:; I'll take any single of those any day over the kthumbboard, so much more all the 6 together :ppclove:. And with Applian PhoneKing (http://www.applian.com/pocketpc/phoneking/index.php) (says it all :D) such a PPC is sooo much more capable than the P50 :way to go:.

The BenQ fails to convince (me).
I had the same thoughts. But I doubt the experience is the same. The seamlessness, the integration between pda and phone goes much deeper than you think. Or at least, I think so. There must be some benefits in using a converged device. It's not as simple as sliding a CF GSM card or pairing a BT phone with a PPC and effectively making it a phone edition PPC. It's not as simple as that. For example, you can't record phone conversation.