Pocket PC - what are the advantages?

[Fox2k]

I'm looking at getting a pocket PC. I've been looking thorugha few models, but I was wondering if anyone has any firsthand opinions they'd like to throw out. The models ive been looking at include the Dell Axim X5, Toshiba e330, Viewsonic PCv35, and Acer n20W. I guess you can tell what my price range is


anyways from what I can tell, dell comes out stronger except for having a plastic shell (not metal), being larger and heavier than the rest, and because its a dell ( ). the rest take only SD, which caps out at 128 megs at the moment, which is not good if this is going to be used as an mp3 player quite a bit. Does anyone have some info on thes emodels, or any other suggestions you'd like to shoot?

 

[AdamDuritz99]

I think i'm going to get the dell axim. Unless someone changes my mind. The only thing that is holding me back on the AXIM is the size. I really want to see it in person before i decide.

peace
sean

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: Fox2k
I'm looking at getting a pocket PC. I've been looking thorugha few models, but I was wondering if anyone has any firsthand opinions they'd like to throw out. The models ive been looking at include the Dell Axim X5, Toshiba e330, Viewsonic PCv35, and Acer n20W. I guess you can tell what my price range is


anyways from what I can tell, dell comes out stronger except for having a plastic shell (not metal), being larger and heavier than the rest, and because its a dell ( ). the rest take only SD, which caps out at 128 megs at the moment, which is not good if this is going to be used as an mp3 player quite a bit. Does anyone have some info on thes emodels, or any other suggestions you'd like to shoot?

I just pre-ordered the Viewsonic V35 from Amazon.com for $294.95 - $25 MIR. It is the most balanced IMHO (300MHz X-Scale, 64MB RAM, transreflective screen, SD slot, 4.2 ounces).

And SD does NOT cap out at 128MB. I just ordered a 256MB Sandisk SD card from Buy.com for $64 after MIR and there are 512MB SD cards available. 1GB versions will be here soon.

 

[Fox2k]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Fox2k
I'm looking at getting a pocket PC. I've been looking thorugha few models, but I was wondering if anyone has any firsthand opinions they'd like to throw out. The models ive been looking at include the Dell Axim X5, Toshiba e330, Viewsonic PCv35, and Acer n20W. I guess you can tell what my price range is


anyways from what I can tell, dell comes out stronger except for having a plastic shell (not metal), being larger and heavier than the rest, and because its a dell ( ). the rest take only SD, which caps out at 128 megs at the moment, which is not good if this is going to be used as an mp3 player quite a bit. Does anyone have some info on thes emodels, or any other suggestions you'd like to shoot?

I just pre-ordered the Viewsonic V35 from Amazon.com for $294.95 - $25 MIR. It is the most balanced IMHO (300MHz X-Scale, 64MB RAM, transreflective screen, SD slot, 4.2 ounces).

And SD does NOT cap out at 128MB. I just ordered a 256MB Sandisk SD card from Buy.com for $64 after MIR and there are 512MB SD cards available. 1GB versions will be here soon.

wow, I guess I should watch where I get my info from. Thanks for the heads up!


Is there any reason you picked the viewsonic over the toshiba? (just curious what you found the differences to be)

 

[AdamDuritz99]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Fox2k
I'm looking at getting a pocket PC. I've been looking thorugha few models, but I was wondering if anyone has any firsthand opinions they'd like to throw out. The models ive been looking at include the Dell Axim X5, Toshiba e330, Viewsonic PCv35, and Acer n20W. I guess you can tell what my price range is


anyways from what I can tell, dell comes out stronger except for having a plastic shell (not metal), being larger and heavier than the rest, and because its a dell ( ). the rest take only SD, which caps out at 128 megs at the moment, which is not good if this is going to be used as an mp3 player quite a bit. Does anyone have some info on thes emodels, or any other suggestions you'd like to shoot?

I just pre-ordered the Viewsonic V35 from Amazon.com for $294.95 - $25 MIR. It is the most balanced IMHO (300MHz X-Scale, 64MB RAM, transreflective screen, SD slot, 4.2 ounces).

And SD does NOT cap out at 128MB. I just ordered a 256MB Sandisk SD card from Buy.com for $64 after MIR and there are 512MB SD cards available. 1GB versions will be here soon.

Can you transfer data from a Canon A40 to the V35 without using another pc?

peace
sean

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: AdamDuritz99

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Fox2k
I'm looking at getting a pocket PC. I've been looking thorugha few models, but I was wondering if anyone has any firsthand opinions they'd like to throw out. The models ive been looking at include the Dell Axim X5, Toshiba e330, Viewsonic PCv35, and Acer n20W. I guess you can tell what my price range is


anyways from what I can tell, dell comes out stronger except for having a plastic shell (not metal), being larger and heavier than the rest, and because its a dell ( ). the rest take only SD, which caps out at 128 megs at the moment, which is not good if this is going to be used as an mp3 player quite a bit. Does anyone have some info on thes emodels, or any other suggestions you'd like to shoot?

I just pre-ordered the Viewsonic V35 from Amazon.com for $294.95 - $25 MIR. It is the most balanced IMHO (300MHz X-Scale, 64MB RAM, transreflective screen, SD slot, 4.2 ounces).

And SD does NOT cap out at 128MB. I just ordered a 256MB Sandisk SD card from Buy.com for $64 after MIR and there are 512MB SD cards available. 1GB versions will be here soon.

Can you transfer data from a Canon A40 to the V35 without using another pc?

peace
sean

Yup, just take the card out of the A40 and put it in the V35 and use your favorite picture viewer to look at the photos (or just use Pocket Internet Explorer to view the pics).

 

[AdamDuritz99]

Yup, just take the card out of the A40 and put it in the V35 and use your favorite picture viewer to look at the photos (or just use Pocket Internet Explorer to view the pics).

Well, i'm under the impressions that the V35 only has SDIO (no CF) and the A40 only has CF(no SD).


peace
sean

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: AdamDuritz99

Yup, just take the card out of the A40 and put it in the V35 and use your favorite picture viewer to look at the photos (or just use Pocket Internet Explorer to view the pics).

Well, i'm under the impressions that the V35 only has SDIO (no CF) and the A40 only has CF(no SD).


peace
sean

Ooops, that's right I was thinking about my Panasonic camera. With my camera, I can take out my SD card and just drop it in my PocketPC. If you're gonna use the A40, then you're gonna need a PocketPC with a CF slot.

 

[AdamDuritz99]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: AdamDuritz99

Yup, just take the card out of the A40 and put it in the V35 and use your favorite picture viewer to look at the photos (or just use Pocket Internet Explorer to view the pics).

Well, i'm under the impressions that the V35 only has SDIO (no CF) and the A40 only has CF(no SD).


peace
sean

Ooops, that's right I was thinking about my Panasonic camera. With my camera, I can take out my SD card and just drop it in my PocketPC. If you're gonna use the A40, then you're gonna need a PocketPC with a CF slot.

Ok, well i'm back to the Dell AX5, unless someone can tell me of a digital camera as good as the A40 at the same price give or a take a few dollars.

Technology is so awsome, that it sucks!

peace
sean

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: AdamDuritz99

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: AdamDuritz99

Yup, just take the card out of the A40 and put it in the V35 and use your favorite picture viewer to look at the photos (or just use Pocket Internet Explorer to view the pics).

Well, i'm under the impressions that the V35 only has SDIO (no CF) and the A40 only has CF(no SD).


peace
sean

Ooops, that's right I was thinking about my Panasonic camera. With my camera, I can take out my SD card and just drop it in my PocketPC. If you're gonna use the A40, then you're gonna need a PocketPC with a CF slot.

Ok, well i'm back to the Dell AX5, unless someone can tell me of a digital camera as good as the A40 at the same price give or a take a few dollars.

Technology is so awsome, that it sucks!

peace
sean

My Camera is just as good IMHO:

Only $199.99 (09/22-09/28): Panasonic DM-LC20S Dig Camera (2.1 MP, 3xOpt ) + 128 MB SD card + Two 16 MB SD cards at OM

The deal listed above is on about twice a month.

 

[AdamDuritz99]

Originally posted by: NFS4
My Camera is just as good IMHO:

Only $199.99 (09/22-09/28): Panasonic DM-LC20S Dig Camera (2.1 MP, 3xOpt ) + 128 MB SD card + Two 16 MB SD cards at OM

The deal listed above is on about twice a month.

Nice Deal! Ok, So what about the price difference between a SDIO WiFi card and a CFII WiFi card? Also, I heard that the V35 has inferior sound compare to an iPaq. Could you tell me what to expect in sound. I want to use this as a mp3 player too.

peace
sean

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: AdamDuritz99

Originally posted by: NFS4
My Camera is just as good IMHO:

Only $199.99 (09/22-09/28): Panasonic DM-LC20S Dig Camera (2.1 MP, 3xOpt ) + 128 MB SD card + Two 16 MB SD cards at OM

The deal listed above is on about twice a month.

Nice Deal! Ok, So what about the price difference between a SDIO WiFi card and a CFII WiFi card? Also, I heard that the V35 has inferior sound compare to an iPaq. Could you tell me what to expect in sound. I want to use this as a mp3 player too.

peace
sean

SDIO Wi-Fi cards won't be out until Q2 next year. You can get SDIO Bluetooth cards now from Toshiba though. For more info on the V35, read this review:

http://www.pdabuyersguide.com/viewsonic_V35.htm

 

[AdamDuritz99]

Originally posted by: NFS4

SDIO Wi-Fi cards won't be out until Q2 next year. You can get SDIO Bluetooth cards now from Toshiba though. For more info on the V35, read this review:

http://www.pdabuyersguide.com/viewsonic_V35.htm

What do you think about those low benchies? Will this PDA be able to do the occasional gamming with some enumaltors?

peace
sean

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: AdamDuritz99

Originally posted by: NFS4

SDIO Wi-Fi cards won't be out until Q2 next year. You can get SDIO Bluetooth cards now from Toshiba though. For more info on the V35, read this review:

http://www.pdabuyersguide.com/viewsonic_V35.htm

What do you think about those low benchies? Will this PDA be able to do the occasional gamming with some enumaltors?

peace
sean

The synthetic benches (as are most synthetic benches on the PocketPC) are pretty much useless...sorta like 3DMark The only thing that matters is real world performance where the Viewsonic V35 does extremely well given it's 300MHz. Take a look at the only real-world benchmark they provided; the PocketTV test.

The 400MHz iPAQ scored 24 FPS
The V35 scored scored 22.67 FPS

Compared to the 300MHz e335, the V35 is pretty much even in the benchmark. Here's a quote from that same review:

While higher end Pocket PCs such as the iPAQ 3900 and Toshiba e740 have XScale processors running at 400MHz, I didn't feel that the 300MHz V35 was slow. It benchmarks numbers are not exciting, but it feels plenty fast (see table below). Note that while Toshiba PPCs perform very well on graphics benchmarks, their real world performance is not superior.

But for movie playing, everyday PIM stuff, and games it is more than enough.

 

[Fox2k]

One thing I'm worried about is battery life. The Jornada 525 I have right now is rated for 8 hours of normal use, and while playing mp3s i get barely 2 hours if im lucky. Anyone know what the audio-battery life is of the viewsonic , toshiba and dell models?

 

[Frosty3799]

I like my Toshiba e310 ... it's really thin, and does everything I need....

Would be nice if it had a CF -II slot so I could do wireless internet, but I guess that woul dhave just forced me into buying the wireless net stuff eh?

Josh

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: Fox2k
One thing I'm worried about is battery life. The Jornada 525 I have right now is rated for 8 hours of normal use, and while playing mp3s i get barely 2 hours if im lucky. Anyone know what the audio-battery life is of the viewsonic , toshiba and dell models?

In the review, it says that it gets about 85% of the iPAQ 3900 which gets 10-12 hours. So that translates to about 8.5 - 10.2 hours for the V35 under "normal" use.

 

[Fox2k]

too bad..looks like anotehr point for dell which has a "high capacity battery" available I *really* dont want to buy a dell, even if its a pda..but its looking like they are the best option for what I need in a pda




"dude I'm getting a dell!!"

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: Fox2k
too bad..looks like anotehr point for dell which has a "high capacity battery" available I *really* dont want to buy a dell, even if its a pda..but its looking like they are the best option for what I need in a pda




"dude I'm getting a dell!!"

Sure, get the Dell if you don't mind have a brick in your pocket

Dell weighs 6.9 ounces, V35 weighs 4.2 ounces
Dell is .67 inches thick, the V35 is .4 inches thick

 

[Fox2k]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Fox2k
too bad..looks like anotehr point for dell which has a "high capacity battery" available I *really* dont want to buy a dell, even if its a pda..but its looking like they are the best option for what I need in a pda




"dude I'm getting a dell!!"

Sure, get the Dell if you don't mind have a brick in your pocket

Dell weighs 6.9 ounces, V35 weighs 4.2 ounces
Dell is .67 inches thick, the V35 is .4 inches thick

yeah but two hours of battery life for playing mp3s is not an option. My trip to school / work and back is 2.5, let alone time during the day when i listen to music

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: Fox2k

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Fox2k
too bad..looks like anotehr point for dell which has a "high capacity battery" available I *really* dont want to buy a dell, even if its a pda..but its looking like they are the best option for what I need in a pda




"dude I'm getting a dell!!"

Sure, get the Dell if you don't mind have a brick in your pocket

Dell weighs 6.9 ounces, V35 weighs 4.2 ounces
Dell is .67 inches thick, the V35 is .4 inches thick

yeah but two hours of battery life for playing mp3s is not an option. My trip to school / work and back is 2.5, let alone time during the day when i listen to music

Who said anything about 2 hours battery life for the V35? The iPAQ 3900 has the best battery life of ANY PocketPC out there now. The V35 is 85% of that. The Maestro was just flat out piss poor in the battery department...I know, b/c I had one.

The iPAQ 3900 and the V35 both use transrefelective screens which also helps out in battery life. Battery technology/processor power usage has progressed quite a bit since archaic PDA's like the 525

There's a difference between normal use and "actual battery life"

 

[Fox2k]

read my above post


the PDA I have now is rated for 8 - 10 hours of "normal use", just like the viewsonic and toshiba models. With the one I have now, I get 2 hours of batteyr lie listening to mp3s, which is the primary use. So If I get another PDA which is rated for 8 - 10 hours of "normal use", it'll last me around 2 hours since im always listening to music


The dell has an extra capacity battery available, and also hot swappable battery packs, so I would be abel to carrya spare battery with me which would last 4 - 5 hours since its rated at twice what the normal battery is.

 

[Fox2k]

damn you dell why must you enter every technological area!!!

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: Fox2k
read my above post


the PDA I have now is rated for 8 - 10 hours of "normal use", just like the viewsonic and toshiba models. With the one I have now, I get 2 hours of batteyr lie listening to mp3s, which is the primary use. So If I get another PDA which is rated for 8 - 10 hours of "normal use", it'll last me around 2 hours since im always listening to music


The dell has an extra capacity battery available, and also hot swappable battery packs, so I would be abel to carrya spare battery with me which would last 4 - 5 hours since its rated at twice what the normal battery is.

What I'm saying is, things have progressed since technology used to make the Jornada 525

Read this review:

Battery life is head and shoulders above the 3800 series (which was no slouch) and I've been pounding on the unit for 5 hours so far (yes straight!) with 45% power remaining. During that time I benchmarked the device twice, played 6 movies, 2 MP3s, attempted to use my Sierra Wireless 555 AirCard, used a Socket WiFi card with the CF Plus Pack, connected to our Anycom Bluetooth printer module and peer-to-peer Bluetooth to the e740 which had an Anycom Bluetooth CF card, setup the Nevo remote control to control our home entertainment components, and ran just about every app I frequently use (graphics apps, Word, IE).

This is with the iPAQ 3900 series. Playing MP3's with the backlight at low or even off should net you times of at least 11 hours. The Viewsonic V35 is at about 85% of that 3900 in the battery department.

http://www.pdabuyersguide.com/compaq3900.htm

Like I said, making comparisions of a 3-4 year old PDA to a brand new unit in the battery life department is pointless

 

[Fox2k]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Fox2k
read my above post


the PDA I have now is rated for 8 - 10 hours of "normal use", just like the viewsonic and toshiba models. With the one I have now, I get 2 hours of batteyr lie listening to mp3s, which is the primary use. So If I get another PDA which is rated for 8 - 10 hours of "normal use", it'll last me around 2 hours since im always listening to music


The dell has an extra capacity battery available, and also hot swappable battery packs, so I would be abel to carrya spare battery with me which would last 4 - 5 hours since its rated at twice what the normal battery is.

What I'm saying is, things have progressed since technology used to make the Jornada 525

Read this review:

As I said, this is an amazing screen. It equals if not exceeds the Sony Clié NR70. The 3900 series, like the NR70, uses a transflective screen. It both reflects ambient light to illuminate the screen (for outdoor viewability and power savings) and has backlighting. How different is it? The 3800 and 3900 PDAs look identical and I was worried I'd be confusing which is which in my PDA pile. But one look at the screens when the units are turned on and there's no mistaking them for each other. The 3900 series screen is that much brighter (without appearing milky) and richer, that even when they are not side by side you can tell the difference.

This is with the iPAQ 3900 series. Playing MP3's with the backlight at low or even off should net you times of at least 10 hours.

http://www.pdabuyersguide.com/compaq3900.htm

Like I said, making comparisions of a 3-4 year old PDA to a brand new unit in the battery life department is pointless

Have the standards of "normal use" changed though? if they're both rated for the same "normal use", shouldnt they both use the same battery power with audio as well?

I see what you mean now, but i dont understand how they can rate the battery fo the ipaq for 12 hours or so of normal use, and 10 hours of audio use. that would mean either some weak music is playing or "normal use" is considered major multitasking!