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Handhelds Hardware

Fujitsu Announces XScale PDA 111

Posted by timothy from the pocket-rocket dept.
Andrew Slough writes: "Fujitsu has announced the world's first PDA based on Intel's XScale architecture, making this the fastest ARM PDA in the world! Stories also at at Infosync and The Register. Pictures at PocketNow."
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Fujitsu Announces XScale PDA More

Fujitsu Announces XScale PDA

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  • I didn't see any mention of battery life. I would imagine that the color display will reduce it significantly.
    • Then you must not have read the post at pocketnow. It's got a lithium-polymer battery that lets it run for 14 hours.
    • It is stated in press announcement at the Fujitsu site (the first link of this story)...:

      "Pocket LOOX utilizes a high-performance Intel PXA250
      Applications Processor and boasts advanced high-speed network
      connectivity functions as well as very long battery life."

      What "very long battery life" is expressed in days, hours or years, that is up to Fujitsu... It will also depend on the applications you run on the PDA.
    • Some people have replied that they claim a 14 hour battery life. That is a hell of a lot more than the current line of Pocket PC devices. Does anyone know how they achieved such a long battery life? I know Li-Polymer is supposed to be superior to Li-Ion but surely not by a factor of 2 or 3?

  • The fastest ARM PDA? (Score:2, Insightful)

    by ergo98 ( 9391 )
    What does that mean in the real world, versus say a 200Mhz Hitachi SH4? It just sounds weird seeing it called the fastest ARM PDA : Sort of like when pickup trucks have the best fuel economy in their category (which could mean that single model of pickup truck...). Will this be a super fast PDA? (And yes, to those who ask it does matter. With GPRS and other high speed connectivity issues real time compression/decompression, etc., matters more, and begs for increased power).

    • What does that mean in the real world, versus say a 200Mhz Hitachi SH4?

      Well, since this one runs @ 300MHz, chances are good it can outperform the Hitachi. Plus, the PXA250 can run as high as 400MHz - I wonder if you can overclock this sucker since it only comes out of the box at 300MHz?

    • They mean for free fall
      The batteries are at the bottom of the device putting its mass center at its feet
      Also, it has a much better aerodynamic design taking advantage of it, so that air resistance is futile :)
    • A 100 MHz SH3 or MIPS feels *worlds* slower than a 206 MHz StrongARM. So if Hitachi hasn't worked in any miracles in the SH4, any StrongARM/Xscale should be much zippier than SHx even at the same MHz.

      -Martin
      • An SH4 is nothing like the poxy little SH3. A 128MHz SH4 will eat a 200MHz XScale. Maybe even eat a 300MHz XScale - depending on what you're doing.

        To get this speed with an SH4 you need a 64-bit data bus (big). It gets hot (ie needs very good cooling and chews up batteries).

        Thus,I doubt though you'll see any SH4-based PDAs (or if they are ever made I don't see them running anywhere near top performance)

  • Nice. Very nice. Sleek, stylish, powerful. This is what a PDA is MEANT to be in order to succeed in the commercial world. It might not be styled for business use, but this one will definitely turn some heads in the commercial realm.

    I've often thought that Linux-on-the-desktop is a loosing battle. But, Linux-on-the-palmtop is definitely a battle that the Linux community could win. The biggest hurdle that needs to be overcome, however, is the "geek factor". Many of us techies design devices that WE would use. Here is a perfect example of a device that the typical consumer would find attractive. Build a stylish-looking device, design a pretty GUI, write intuitive applications, adhere to standards (such as vCard, vCal, etc.) so data can be shared across device platforms, and provide the ability to sync with existing software (i.e. Outlook on both Win and Mac, Netscape, Evolution, etc.) and a Linux-based PDA could DEFINITELY make some big inroads.

    The Zaurus is a nice little machine, but it won't make a splash. No one is going to buy it outside of the Linux community. But, if Sharp were to go all out and do something like this, Linux would definitely become more mainstream in the handheld market.
    • What makes this PDA special over any of the other PocketPCs? It's not, except to number counting geeks like those of us on /..

      If numbers are any indication, Palm OS devices are what the business world wants. Not what I want, mind you, but that seems to be what the business world wants. A PocketPC with a faster processor won't make them all turn.
      • If numbers are any indication, Palm OS devices are what the business world wants.

        I know that's what the numbers indicate, but I don't think the Palm is what the business world wants either. It just gets closer than the other offerings. What most of the business people that I know want is a device like the Pocket PC that has the battery life, price and reliability of a Palm. They also want better wireless connectivity and more memory. I've never heard anybody complain about the Palm crashing and losing its memory contents. However, my iPaq does that regularly. I know that my peers have had similar problems on other Pocket PC platforms. I always hesitate to press that little reset button because you never know if it will reboot with memory intact or not. Note that I do NOT have Pocket PC 2000 on my device, so maybe that's better.

        I firmly believe that when a company releases a very reliable, fast, powerful device with good battery life and a low price, you'll see all of the numbers change.

        • Really? Now you're making me paranoid. I reset my iPAQ 3150 a lot, and have never had a problem. I'm using PPC2000. That blows. I've only had a loss of memory due to running completely out of battery (went unused for a few weeks).

          Frankly, I've always been appalled by the way PocketPCs and Palm OS devices handled the power thing. Has it changed on newer Palms, or do you still only have a couple seconds to replace the batteries before the tiny capacitor runs out, and all your memory is gone?

          On my Newton MP2100u, I've never had such a problem. Why, just the other day, I plugged it in to charge. However, I didn't push the battery pack in at all- absent mindedness. Unpluged it after a couple hours, and it sat overnight with no power whatsoever. The next morning, nothing is gone. Nothing is lost. All it takes is a little non-brain dead design, a little watch battery. Oi.
          • Most Pocket PCs and the old Palmsize PCs have a watch battery for backup. My Casio E-100 (Palmsize PC running Windows CE 2.11) has one (good old CR2032).
          • My m100 went for about a month without batteries and didn't lose any data.

            That might just be because I had a full up to date backup though.

          • Really? Now you're making me paranoid. I reset my iPAQ 3150 a lot, and have never had a problem.

            I'm not really trying to make you paranoid. It's fresh in my mind because it happened to me AGAIN last week. This time, I was browsing the web through wireless LAN, when I received a message telling me that I needed to allocate more memory to storage space. Rather than transfer memory from system, I decided to clear my cache on the browser. When I did so, it gave me the cute little spinner. After watching the spinner and getting dizzy for about ten minutes, I finally gave up and presset the reset button. The device happily came up and asked me to start configuring it for first time use. It had lost EVERYTHING. I've had this happen before when I reset while a program was busy. I've also had it crash when installing / removing the PCMCIA jacket, and when inserting or removing cards. And the most frustrating is the crash that occurs by simply turning the device on. All of these hard crashes I've encountered could not be fixed by pressing the reset button. I was required to actually do a hard reset (with the switch) to make the device usable again.

            This wouldn't matter nearly as much if it didn't take close to an hour to do a backup or restore over ActiveSync. I probably just need to bite the bullet and get a flash card. But in my mind, if the device is THIS unreliable, it should have been provided WITH a flash card.

            • god man, that blows. Perhaps yet another reason not to upgrade to PPC2002? In testing my PDA environment, I've had to do my share of resetting during a busy-cursor, but never had that problem.

              Even having it come with a flash card is simply inexcusable. It should *not* be anywhere near that unreliable, it's just disgusting.
              • god man, that blows. Perhaps yet another reason not to upgrade to PPC2002?

                Oh wait, I think I may have made a mistake with what I typed in my first post. I'm NOT running PPC2002. I'm running PPC2000. Oops. So, maybe PPC2002 is better.

      • Since I am in the market to replace my Vx, here's what I like about the Loox: SD and CF card slots (instead of just CF like HP, or just SD like Palm/Compaq or MemoryStick like Sony), jog dial (only Sony and Handspring), Color QVGA screen (only PocketPC), integrated Bluetooth (only Compaq).

        However, the most serious spec is missing: size. I like the iPaq, but it's too big for carrying around everywhere. If this thing is close to the T- or N- series Clie in size, I'll be first in line to get one.
      • What makes it special is that it's not Palm. Palm makes nice little toys, but they're outrageously overpriced. Just look at Handspring's Visor for a great example : they licensed Palm OS for their own hardware, and made a lighter, cheaper PDA for the rest of us. Lock-in is evil, remember that.
    • Between school and work, I know a handful of people who use PDA's (myself included). I don't know if anyone would see any benefit from using a PocketPC or Linux platform on their machine.

      Even if a Linux machine came out with all those features, wouldn't that make it equivalent to a PocketPC?

      It's like when you go to a restaurant, and you say "I'll have a Coke."
      "I'm sorry, all we have is Pepsi."
      "That's fine, whatever."

      Maybe I've got my head up my ass, but wouldn't a Linux machine have to go above and beyond what is currently available to make some inroads? Cross platform compatability would be nice, but what could it do to make people say "I'm sorry, I have to have a Coke"?

  • Warning: Too many connections in /home/httpd/pocketnow.com/htdocs/forums/admin/db_m ysql.php on line 32

    There seems to have been a slight problem with the database.

    Understated, I like it ;o)

  • arg! (Score:1)

    by mirko ( 198274 )
    XScale is *not* StrongARM, StrongARM is *not* ARM.
    So, calling this the fastest ARM PDA in the world is *incorrect* !

    • http://www.arm.com/news.ns4/iwpList125/B88B5796636 DF17E802569440062D45B?OpenDocument&style=Press_Roo m [arm.com]

      I had no clue about this XScale thing, however that was the first thing I came across on Google, so it appears to be an ARM instruction set processor, using technology Intel obtained when they bought DEC, which was a co-creator of StrongARM.

    • Re:arg! (Score:4, Informative)

      by pslam ( 97660 ) on Wednesday March 13, 2002 @11:33AM (#3156534) Homepage Journal
      XScale is *not* StrongARM, StrongARM is *not* ARM. So, calling this the fastest ARM PDA in the world is *incorrect* !

      While the core is very different to current "ARM" cores, the instruction set and patents are licensed from ARM. It runs ARM instructions natively. Saying it's not an ARM is like saying an Athlon isn't an x86 processor.

      It's basically an ARM9 core with the pipeline extended a bit and a DSP MAC unit bolted on the side. This equates to slightly faster than StrongARM speeds (per MHz) on most code, and maybe double on DSP.

    • Does not XScale implement a modified ARM instruction set? Not equivalent to the ARM, but a derivative, and there for "an" ARM.
      • XScale implements an ARMv5e architecture + some extra.

        Fortunately, ARM designed a _standardized_ means of extending their cores. There exists support for add-on coprocessors (up to 16, although the sixteenth coprocessor (15) is already dedicated to MMU + other functions, and the first coprocessor (0) is for floating point), as well as dedicated instructions for passing registers to and from coprocessors (mrc, mcr, mrrc, mcrr) as well as data processing instructions. (cdp, cdp2)

        I'm willing to bet that all of Intel's extra features map into the infrastructure that ARM has established.

  • Some info about the XScale processors here (Score:5, Informative)

    by eples ( 239989 ) on Wednesday March 13, 2002 @11:24AM (#3156481)

    Fujitsu's press release just said the chip was "high-performance", and after some digging I turned up this article [infoworld.com] which tells us that the Intel PXA250 can run at speeds as high as 400MHz. An excerpt:

    Designed for advanced PDAs, the PXA250 is available at speeds of 200MHz, 300MHz, and 400MHz. While designed for low power, the PXA250 offers a Turbo Mode for application acceleration and multimedia acceleration with Intel Media Processing technology. USB, 920Kbps Bluetooth wireless, and a 1.84MHz baseband interface are offered as communication interfaces, and an enhanced memory support 2.5 volt or 3.3 volt 16-bit or 32-bit memory.

    I feel so Dirty.

  • Old news... (Score:4, Informative)

    by brogdon ( 65526 ) on Wednesday March 13, 2002 @11:26AM (#3156486) Homepage
    The LOOX was announced weeks ago. Brighthand [brighthand.com] already had a forum [brighthand.com] up for it in February. Toshiba also announced [toshiba.com] their next PocketPC (XScale processor and embedded 802.11b included) last month.

    A month behind the times? That's just shameful guys.
  • Tokyo, March 12, 2002 - Fujitsu and its group affiliates today announced the global launch of Pocket LOOX, a sleek new handheld PDA designed to serve as a powerful enabler of mobility for demanding business users and consumers the world over. The new device, which will go on sale from Q2 2002, will preview at CeBIT (Fujitsu Siemens Computers' booth; Hall 1, Stand 5e2) from March 13 - 20 in Hannover, Germany.

    Running on Microsoft Pocket PC 2002 software for seamless compatibility with widely used PC-based Windows applications, the ultraslim, lightweight Pocket LOOX utilizes a high-performance Intel PXA250 Applications Processor and boasts advanced high-speed network connectivity functions as well as very long battery life. The new PDA marks an important and flexible new platform addition to the Fujitsu group's mobile solutions offerings aimed at capitalizing on the infinite possibilities of the broadband era. Product specifications will be optimized to meet the particular market and sales channel requirements of each region.

    In Europe, for example, Fujitsu Siemens Computers will offer the Pocket LOOX with a mobile telephony function through an added GPRS* plug-on module.

    In Japan, Fujitsu will equip Pocket LOOX with an integrated Bluetooth module for wireless communication. In addition to strengthening network functionality, Bluetooth technology enhances expandability, convenience and flexibility of system design for advanced mobile solutions.

    Major specifications (in Japan Market):

    CPU : Intel® PXA250 Applications Processor
    OS : Microsoft® Pocket PC2002 Software
    Memory : RAM 64MB
    Display : 3.5in. Reflective TFT (240 x 320), more than 65,000 colors
    Expansion slots : CF TYPE II x 1, SD memory x 1
    Communication capability : Bluetooth V1.1

    Notes:
    * GPRS:
    General Packet Radio Service: One of the mobile phone packet transmission standards.

  • $50 linux pda (Score:1, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward
    What if somebody sold a $50 linux based pda. What is the minimum you want the device to have? Understand, not everything can be done at a $50 retail, yes five-zero, not five-zero-zero.

    What is too small, to slow, etc.

    Do you really need 200mhz and no battery life?

    • Re: (Score:3, Funny)

      by account_deleted ( 4530225 )
      Comment removed based on user account deletion

    • Re:$50 linux pda (Score:2, Interesting)

      by k2r ( 255754 )
      O.K. lets see what we need:

      Display:
      - since we won't get a decent Color display
      I'd like to have a B&W display with excellent
      contrast in any situation. Contrast is more important to me than greyscales, resolution is more important than greyscales.

      Speed:
      - I don't think that we can get mp3-support
      for 50$, so the speed of my Handspring Visor would
      be okay. Maybe a little faster.

      Interfaces:
      - It definitely would have to have a serial or
      USB port. I'd prefer USB.
      - It would have to connect to a mobile phone, so
      it would have to have IR, too.
      - Blutooh would be great for this, too, but might
      be too expensive

      Memory:
      4 MB RAM, 3 MMC-Slots.

      Input:
      I don't think that we'll get a decent HWR
      for this price - and I'm used to the
      HWR of the Newton MP2000.
      So give me an on-screen-keyboard and it'd
      be fine.

      Size/Proportions
      I want a pure big screen on the front and some buttons on the side, maybe a dial.
      Please no buttons on the front.

      Where do I have to sign?

      k2r
      • I'm not much for linux myself, so I'll ignore that part of it, but one suggestion I'd make here is make it sort of "modular".

        For example, assuming it can do mp3 playback (powerwise) you need somewhere to put them. Lots of ram would up the cost too much so support for CF cards or something would be necessary. That would also give you the option to add extra functionality,like blootueth, etc : ) without upping the cost of the base unit.

        I suppose that's my main point. Hack down the main box so it's mostly featureless, and let people add what they want.

        Hell, isn't that what linux is all about?!

  • Why the small screen? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by RevAaron ( 125240 ) <revaaron AT hotmail DOT com> on Wednesday March 13, 2002 @11:42AM (#3156582) Homepage
    Can't *one* of these PocketPC-driven PDAs have a decent sized screen at 480@320? Or does the PocketPC spec require 320@240? Anyone know?

    You can still have a small-enough device with a slightly bigger screen. But with one, you can potentially raise the usefulness of it. Am I the only one that uses a PDA for more than a datebook? Am I the only one who reads a lot of text, or takes a substantial amount of actual notes (not just quick jots)?

    • Re:Why the small screen? (Score:1, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward
      The Windows CE (Pocket PC) OS supports up to 640x480 standard, and I believe it could be custom linked to even larger res libraries if you have the platform builder. It also is not limited to the 16 bit (65535 color) screens currently popular with handheld makers, and can go up to 32 bit color easily. Hopefully more large res units will come out.
      • Yes, but without special support, most PocketPC apps would look downright goofy. PPC apps seem to rigidly expect portrait 240@320 for the most part, and look like hell in anything else. I imagine that the PPC specification requires a 320@240 screen, even though it would run on something more capable.
        • Actualy most programs work on larger screens just fine including PocketIE, PocketWord, PocketExcel, I know this becuase www.jimmysoftware.com has put out drivers that create a large screen in software and shrink it before actually drawing it to the screen... It slows things down a little but increases the usability of PocketIE a lot, and gives everything a nice antialiased look.
          • I've used Nyditot Virtual Display, which does the same thing as JS Landscape. And there are a lot of programs that don't work in a different resolution very well. PocketIE and Word, and some other apps that have one big control that takes up most of the screen work fine... but plenty of other apps look like hell.
    • about the best so far in a pda...

      so, any bets on how long until this puppy is running linux?

      • The new Sony is 480@320, yeah. But it runs Palm OS. Why bother running Linux? I'd just be running the gimped out uClinux anyway.

        And even if it ran "real" Linux like on the Zaurus, it's still just a toy with no real HWR and inconsistent apps, as far as I'm concerned. And some people don't expect more that that, and that's fine. But I do. On neither Palm OS nor PDA Linux, there's no real handwriting recocgnition, and until one of those platform gets it (hopefully by the porting of CalliGrapher), they won't be of much use to me for anything more than an organizer and game boy.
        • Ever run Linux on an iPaq? It's great.. With an IBM Microdrive you could get a whole dist. on the thing.. Load up some wireless network drivers and you can IRC, play MP3s, run Kword, Konquer, ssh to your server.. whatever you want. The handwriting is almost like the palms, or you can get one of those small keyboard things.

          • I've never run it myself for an extended period of time, but played with it on my own and other iPAQs. I wasn't impressed. I could get an entire distro, sure, but what does that get me? It was designed for running on a PDA, and it shows. It does do the extra things that software running on a PDA should, to make the experience more coherent. It's an expensive toy. A fun one for many people, I do not doubt it. Because of this, I'm working on my own PDA environment (Dynapad [sf.net]) this summer. If may not be what you want, but it's what I want. out of a PDA. A software system that is personal and dynamic for a PDA, not just a port from the desktop, with the addition of a floating soft-keyboard.

            Having character recognition like on Palm OS isn't *real* HWR. Graffiti and xscribble are *character (or glyph) recognition* schemes not handwriting recognition.

            Real HWR is the HWR that can be found on the Newton, or WinCE devices using Transcriber or CalliGrapher. That is, I write on the screen in my real handwriting and it translates it to text. It's quite a bit faster and more natural than using a CR scheme like Graffiti. And Linux doesn't have it, making it a waste of time for a PDA platform for me.
          • Oh, I almost forgot:

            A PDA shouldn't have to need a 300+MB microdrive just to be able to get some stuff done. That's what we call bloat. The system I'm working on fits a web browser, an email client, an ftp client, a telnet client, a webserver (for syncing), text editors, a 3D modeler and renderer, a high quality IDE (as in, more functionality than KDevelop) with GUI builder, and a full compiler and virtual machine in around 13 MB. Plus a lot of crap I can't remember ATM because I don't use it as often. :)

    • Erm no, you can't. With technology where it is today in terms of miniaturization, there is no "extra" space for a bigger screen. Have you ever taken apart an iPaq? There's not exactly a ton of room in there.

      Most people want a PDA form factor that will either a) fit into a pants pocket or b) fit into a sport coat's pocket easily. There's just no room in devices of that size for a bigger screen right now.

      The tech's only going to get better, though, and the Sony units that have a clamshell design are a step in the right direction. In the meantime, if you're dying for a bigger screen, just get a true palmtop like the Libretto that Toshiba used to put out. Several ocmpanies still make comparable units, and they all have nice big screens.
      • Erm no, you can't. With technology where it is today in terms of miniaturization, there is no "extra" space for a bigger screen. Have you ever taken apart an iPaq? There's not exactly a ton of room in there.

        Erm, yes. I'm not talking about putting an extra screen *inside* an iPAQ. When LCDs get bigger, they don't generally get deeper, they get longer and wider. An iPAQ with a bigger screen would be taller and wider, but only by a couple inches or so. Not everyone would want to carry around a PDA that's that big, but I'm better that there are others who would find it to be a suitable trade off for having a screen that's twice as big.

        In the meantime, if you're dying for a bigger screen, just get a true palmtop like the Libretto that Toshiba used to put out.

        I don't want a palmtop PC. I want a PDA, sans keyboard, that has a screen of a decent size to use HWR for taking notes. I still use my Newton, and will do so until I find a PDA with a screen that's big enough. I don't want to use some piddly little keyboard either, I've found HWR is faster.
        • It sounds like you want to do away with the buttons and D-pad on PDA's completely, and just have one big screen. I can understand that, as I've often wanted the same thing.

          The only problem with this is that a lot of PDAs have hardware that takes up the entire depth of the unit in the same area as the buttons. The iPaqs, for example, have their speaker integrated with the directional button. It you extend the screen over the entire face of the device, you'll either have to kill the speaker or find some way to shrink it, which they have as yet to do. There are other components besides the speaker with the same issue, of course, that's just the first one that sprang to mind.

          As for increasing the size of the device, I think you'd be surprised how much difference an inch or two makes. It'll no longer fit in a pocket at that point, so you'd be relegated to carrying it solely in a briefcase or backpack which is a huge hassle, IMO.
          • Not quite. I'm OK with having the d-pad and buttons, but they're superfilous. For games, they're good though. Playing Tetris on the Newton blows, because of the lack of hardware buttons.

            But I never argued for getting rid of these. You can have hardware buttons and a bigger screen, they're not mutually exclusive, so I'm not sure why you're addresing it. :)

            Having a slightly larger device doesn't mean you have to have a dedicated case! I carry around a Newton MP2100 with no problems. In my pocket. And that's quite a bit bigger and heavier than an iPAQ with a larger screen. So no, I wouldn't be surprised. :P

    • Re:Why the small screen? (Score:3, Interesting)

      by szcx ( 81006 )
      Can't *one* of these PocketPC-driven PDAs have a decent sized screen at 480@320?
      How about 1024x768 [jimmysoftware.com]. It's kind of neat running a Jornada 565 at that resolution, but not very practical.
    • Can't *one* of these PocketPC-driven PDAs have a decent sized screen at 480@320? Or does the PocketPC spec require 320@240? Anyone know?
      Would be nice. Bigger won't sell though. Most of the current crop are only borderline pocketable for mid-sided humans.

      Better resolution would be nice too, but LCD costs go up exponentially in the small sizes.

      • Oi. I know. No one bought the Newton because it was too damn big, among other things. Way to ruin my day. :P Incidentally, my pants (Carharts, if it matters, not huge baggy cargo pants) have no problem fitting one Newton MP2100 or two iPAQs with CF sleeves in one pocket. Perhaps everyone else is wearing skin-tight jeans?
    • Fwiw, the Newton 2000/2100 had a 480x320 16-shade greyscale screen. (What did the eMate have, the same?) Internally it ran at 8bit color as well (there were video out cards which took advantage of this).
      • I know. I have one. And the larger screen is precisely the reason I still carry it around and leave my iPAQ at home. The eMate had the same resolution and bit depth, but had a larger and lower DPI screen. By the reference to video cards, I assume you mean the PPT PCMCIA presenter and the like?
        • Re the PPT PCMCIA Presenter, exactly.
          The Newton 2000/2001 and eMate's hardware was designed to allow for some awesome improvements. Too bad Apple wasn't able to exploit them.
          • So very true. And the OS/NewtonScript system also allowed for some incredible extensions by users and developers. It's a shame that it was supplanted by the inferior excuses for PDAs we have today.

    • Yeah, working for a WinCE 'systems integrator' I know.

      Microsoft place a huge number of requirements on specific WinCE platforms (eg PocketPC). This includes display size. They also have a large number of tests that devices have to pass.

      In addition, the shell is apparently hard-coded for that screen size.

    • instead of higher res.. why not just use a lil bigger screen say.. four or five inch diagonal viewable size. i hate handhelds, they're so piddly.

      there's this crapy Disney movie that was on late like called Zenon or something and they had these all in one pda's (it did take place in the future and yes i realize its just movie magic) but they looked like they were about 5 inches across diagonally. so yeah.. my 2 cents
  • I still can't justify buying a PDA. Of course I don't work in the high tech IT industry where you need to keep 6,000 phone numbers, Shorthand notes not even you can read, and tetris handy.All for only $300! Now with unbearable web access! No thanks, I'll wait. When we get to PADD level technology, then I'll be seriously tempted...
  • I want a high-end PDA like this but I don't want to run a Microsoft OS or MS Software. I refuse to use "Pocket" anything. When is someone going to offer a good alternative? Or has Microsoft already won the high-end, color, PDA market?
    • How high do you want it? Top of the range PalmOS PDAs are pretty powerful, and with the Sony Clie you can get a decent 320x320 colour screen.

      The processor isn't that fast, but the OS is designed for it, so the PDA stays pretty responsive.
  • Check it out here [intel.com]:

    Not sure if this is the one they used for the LOOX but it's worth a .... come on you know you want me to say it: LOOX

    OK I'm done now :(

  • Noooo!!! (Score:1, Offtopic)

    by zulux ( 112259 )
    Fisrt there were Japanese girls with semen on them! Bukake!

    Now their are Japanese PDAs with Semens on them!
    LOOX!

    (read the artical before modding)

  • I went looking for more info on ARM, found it is used everywhere. Here's the address:

    http://www.arm.com/sitearchitek/armwww.ns4/html/ ar m_powered?OpenDocument

    Hope someone finds it informative.
  • I want a PDA with good communications, but I'm not going to buy one that forces me to buy Micros**t software along with it.

  • The real strength of the XScale is not the speed.. (Score:5, Informative)

    by waytoomuchcoffee ( 263275 ) on Wednesday March 13, 2002 @02:18PM (#3157722)
    ...that's gravy. It's strength is its power consumption.

    The Xscale at 200Mhz will be using about 50mW, about the same as a Palm processor runs at now. Compare to the current StrongARM, which at 233Mhz (a slightly overclocked Ipaq) sucks down 900mw. The Xscale will be 15x or so less power-hungry than the StrongARM at 200.

    Or in other words, for the same power you get 5.4 mips with a 33 MHz Palm vs. over 300 mips for a Xscale.

    It also has an advantage as it "scales" what it needs depending on the app, hence the name. So if you are running a memopad type function, it will need less power, and if you are running Quake or something, it will go full-bore. Think of it as intelligent underclocking when needed.

    So in summary, the Xscale can have the computing power of a current Ipaq (more actually, they tweaked the core), at the same power consumption as a Palm (or much less depending on what types of apps you run). At 400Mhz, it will use about 3x the power of a Palm processor, but this will still be 5-6x less power than the StrongARM running at half the speed.
  • Bah! Who needs those geek toys anyway? I'm off to do some karate. Brush up, brush down, Daniel-San, that's the way to get the fastest arms.

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