Toshiba's Handheld Enters the Fray 86
Chanc_Gorkon writes "Check this new handheld being released by Toshiba: The Toshiba Genio e550 series will be powered by a 206MHz StrongARM processor, 32MB ROM, 32MB RAM, and a 3.5?? reflection TFT running at 240 x 320 x 16-bit color. The e550 will also support industry standard Compact Flash Type II cards as well as the newest expansion technology, a Secure Digital cards for SD Memory and SDIO cards. The e550 will be 77.5 x 125 x 17.5mm in size, weigh 180grams and run 8 hours on its Lithium-ion battery. And now to the major news about Toshiba's new Pocket PC ... one version of the Genio (the e550/MD) will have an integrated 1GB IBM Microdrive! " Presumably handhelds.org will have a port fairly soon since this is fairly similiar to the iPaq. Especially exciting news about the gigabyte microdrive capable version. Suddenly a handheld usable for more then just a PDA and terminal.
But does it run Linux ? (Score:1)
Hey Rob? Settle a bet for me. (Score:2)
Is the date string for "by USER on Monday July 16 @03:27PM EST" really just the output of
date +"%A %B %d, @%H:%m%p %Z"
?
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Re:Oops... (Score:2)
Reflective TFT screens are not backlit (Score:1)
Vermifax
Re:Reflective TFT screens are not backlit (Score:1)
Vermifax
The ultimate PDA (Score:1)
What we really need is a PDA with the flexibility, openness and convenience of a Palm, the connectivity of a RIM Blackberry, and the ability to act as a cell phone to boot. Until I can stop carrying around 5 different electronic communication appliances, I'm not going to be happy
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Re:Good thing?..... (Score:1)
I see your sarcasm, and I raise you more sarcasm:
I'm very interested in watching ripped DVD movies on my handheld. I still can't really do that with only a 1GB drive.
Seriously, how much power does a handheld have to have? I've made the same argument before about the games on Nokia phones...If you can't last the time you're between computers without playing some kind of game, perhaps a more powerful handheld isn't your biggest problem right now.
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Re:The ultimate PDA (Score:1)
Yes! I also have great hopes for the Nokia Communicator [nokia.com]. It's a cellphone that splits in half lengthways to reveal a 4096 color screen on one half and what looks like a full keyboard on the other. It's supposed to be available (according to the web site [nokia.com]) in North America by 2002.
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battery life (Score:1)
Re:I say DAAAAMN!!!!!!!!!!! (Score:1)
Re:The ultimate PDA (Score:1)
Here [kyocera-wireless.com] is some good info on the phone...
Re:The ultimate PDA (Score:1)
I won't pay the MS Tax. (Score:1)
Tough stand though...
Re:Don't buy it (Score:1)
--InfinityEdge
Think MP3 (Score:2)
Re:I say DAAAAMN!!!!!!!!!!! (Score:2)
PacketVideo is a commercial product for streaming to handhelds, and it's MPEG 4 based.
Integrated as in the box, not the device. (Score:3)
Re:Reflective TFT (Score:2)
Re:Reflective TFT (Score:1)
Re:Think MP3 (Score:2)
My ex wanted a single CD-R disk full of E-Rotic and Lords of Acid songs. I had ripped them all at 256bps. Since she would be playing them at work with tinny little speakers, and having them on one disk was semi-necessary, I downed them to 48k or 32k. They sound fine on the cheap, zero bass speakers on a PC.
You're a simple lame command from downstepping MP3s for appropriate targeted storage.
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Evan
Re:Any other alternatives? (Score:1)
Re:Any other alternatives? (Score:1)
Re:while i am all for better technology... (Score:2)
;)
Re:Finally... (Score:2)
For those that don't know, GEOS (yep, ancestor to the GEOS still showing up occasionally in cellphones and the like) started life as a GUI office suite for the C-64. That's 64 *kilobytes* total RAM, folks (and you didn't even get to use it all.) Truly, one of the most impressive hacks of the 20th century.
I sometimes wonder how Commodore might have fared if they had abandoned their attachmnent to those glacially slow 1542 serial disk drives in favor of something capable of file i/o at a more usable speed... Hmm, does anyone make an ethernet adapter for a c-64?
iPaq battery. (Score:2)
I've had customers using GPS survey software which had to be installed with a special, date sensitive unlock key. If they accidentally left the iPaq out of its cradle over the weekend they have to call the software developer and convince them they aren't trying to copy the software to a new device.
Naturally, all the other data is wiped out too, so better not get far from your cradle for too long.
Any other alternatives? (Score:1)
Look at the Palm series: every one of them has the four "hot link" buttons and an up-down button. I know they're used some of the time, but most people just turn on their PDA and go straight to the touch-screen.
ATTENTION PDA MAKERS! Shrink the device a little more by cutting those buttons off the bottom and give me a device that's all touch screen. Let the developers worry about ease-of-use. Give me the most screen real-estate in the smallest package possible! THIS GOES FOR ALL YOU POCKET PC, PALM, AND OTHER DEVELOPERS AS WELL!
I can't wait for a Handspring Edge with a CF slot for ethernet, modem, or memory that's all screen. QVGA res would be nice, and don't burn my batteries up with color. Just gray or B&W thanks.
Insanity is my friend.
Re:Any other alternatives? (Score:1)
Just a rant I guess. Maybe I need to get a patent... hmm....
Re:Any other alternatives? (Score:1)
Re:Don't buy it (Score:5)
From the Toshiba Spec Page (http://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/press/2001_07/e160 1/doc02.htm [toshiba.co.jp])
SD card slot supporting single SD Memory card or SDIO card
Re:8 hours battery life? (Score:1)
<rant>But of course, they're not made in the USA so none of you are prepared to buy them...</rant>
Re:I say DAAAAMN!!!!!!!!!!! (Score:1)
Re:Reflective TFT (Score:1)
Re:8 hours battery life? (Score:1)
Re:I won't pay the MS Tax. (Score:1)
Re:Buttons (Score:2)
Go out and buy a GameBoy Advance or something. At least there'd be games you can get for it.
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Re:Prices (Score:2)
Re:Integrated as in the box, not the device. (Score:2)
Re:The ultimate PDA (Score:1)
It's at least 2 out of the 3 items you mentioned.
Re:The ultimate PDA (Score:1)
Re:Reflective TFT screens are not backlit (Score:2)
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Will I be able to run .Net? (Score:4)
Re:The ultimate PDA (Score:1)
Re:Any other alternatives? (Score:2)
PDA or MP3 Player.... (Score:2)
I checked out the m505 and the only thing I can say about it is that the screen SUCKS! Worst of all, they have no multimedia! I don't want to plugin a MP3 player....the processor should be able to handle playing them not acting as a mere display for a player like the Handspring ones.
I am saving up for one of these uber cool Toshiba ones so I can relegate my EM-500 to the wife ;). 1GB of storage plus GPS, Modem, Wireless Ethernet, Bluetooth and what ever else CF or SD/IO devices can do. BTW, I have a SD card for my EM-500 and I love it! I run most everything on it because there's only 16 MB onboard the EM-500 until Times2Tech can pefect the 32 MB upgrade (they are backlogged upgrading iPaq's to 64 MB!...check em out here [times2tech.com]. Also check out the review of this upgrade here [the-gadgeteer.com]. Anyway, I DROOL when I think about this machine and what else is to come! Pocket computers won't replace computers, but they will end up being FAR more common then the PC ever was. Now, when is someone going to design one that looks like a PADD on Star Trek! :)
Re:PDA or MP3 Player.... (Score:2)
We are working on it, but it has been slow going as we are working through a backlog of iPaq upgrades currently.
Notice that both on the web site and in this e-mail it says nothing about it NOT being possible, just that they don't have it figured out....yet. Apparently they have a sudden surge of iPaq 64 MB upgrades...can't imagine why! :) Oh and his price ain't all that bad when you consider what they want for a 64 MB stock one (yes they do make a iPaq with 64 MB now. Not sure what the model number is.....too early in the morning....no coffee yet...). Remember dis ain't like stickin a stick of RAM in a PC. He is most likely working on surface mount chips and has to unsolder the old memory chip then solder in the new.....not an easy task and it's one I 'd pay to have done for me since I have trouble soldering Huge DIP IC's!
Re:PDA or MP3 Player.... (Score:1)
From their webpage
So no 32Meg EM500 for me then
[Then again I doubt I'd bother if it's a ludicrously priced as the IPAQ conversion anyway]
Sounds like the Handera plus color (Score:1)
But yeah, having a gig to play with would be real sweet. Five foot shelf of ebooks, and a nice chunk of space for Audible [audible.com] books, if they ever get with the program and add a cellphone earbud jack compatible with a Jabra.
Then we can all start lusting for heads-up displays.
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Oops... (Score:1)
The only "intuitive" interface is the nipple. After that, it's all learned.
8 hours battery life? (Score:3)
The only "intuitive" interface is the nipple. After that, it's all learned.
Re:I say DAAAAMN!!!!!!!!!!! (Score:1)
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Re:I say DAAAAMN!!!!!!!!!!! (Score:1)
full length high quality 640x480 movies just aren't going to turn out well, and re-encoding is a bitch. divx doesn't even make it on my celeron 300 laptop. the lowest system i've watched divx movies on is a athlon 500. it's heavy on the cpu.
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Re:Don't buy it (Score:1)
Re:Any other alternatives? (Score:2)
The Apple Newton MessagePad 2000 and 2100. I have one, and it works wonderfully. Huge screen, real HWR (not character) recognition, flawless net access. And no hardware buttons.
You can find them here [ebay.com].
Re:Current PDAs will soon be obsolete (Score:1)
I say DAAAAMN!!!!!!!!!!! (Score:1)
Re:I say DAAAAMN!!!!!!!!!!! (Score:1)
Windows. Oh well. (Score:2)
OK, hackers, get to work!
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Buttons (Score:5)
Let's hope, nay pray the Toshiba doesn't also have the design flaw then this seems like my perfect pocket PC.
Links (Score:5)
The official Toshiba press release [toshiba.co.jp] for the device.
Also the new Toshiba site for the genio-e [genio-e.com] unfortunatly in Japanesse only for now.
Re:MOD PARENT DOWN (Score:1)
hmm.. grammar.... grammar... We owe him...
Re:Any other alternatives? (Score:4)
The scroll up/down rocker switch is incredibly useful as well, just like wheel mice. I would definitely NOT want the buttons taken away, and I suspect most others would like to keep them too.
Good thing?..... (Score:3)
Don't buy it (Score:1)
How to avoid it ? (Score:1)
Finally... (Score:2)
somewhere over Iowa aboard a 757: Another visitor, stay a while, stay forever!!
-- .sig are belong to us!
All your
Re:why not the toshiba drive? (Score:1)
while i am all for better technology... (Score:4)
I mean my god, if I have to have a gig of harddrive space to maintain my appointments I think that I have much larger problems...
Wait a minute. What was I thinking?! I just realized that I would be able to run another setiathome client on it. And we all know how important this is on establishing your niche on the geek food chain.
Re:Good thing?..... (Score:1)
liB
PDABuzz... (Score:1)
And here's [pdabuzz.com] the pre-press release story on it.
"I am a man, and men are
animals who tell stories."
Prices (Score:5)
errataum (Score:1)
Re:I say DAAAAMN!!!!!!!!!!! (Score:2)
As for the MPEG1 vs. MPEG4 issue: MPEG1 can look really good provided you do some tricks during encoding. If you don't encode in real time you can achieve acceptable quality within the 400kbits/sec video rate.
Re:iPaq battery. (Score:1)
Hmmm. Perhaps your customers should have learned to use backup and restore on ActiveSync? (Note that I am not defending the iPAQ here)
GreyPoopon
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news correction (Score:1)
Check this new handheld being released by Toshiba: The Toshiba Genio e550 series will be powered by a 206MHz StrongARM processor, 32MB ROM, 32MB RAM, and a 3.5?? reflection TFT running at 240 x 320 x 16-bit color. The e550 will also support industry standard Compact Flash Type II cards as well as the newest expansion technology, a Secure Digital cards for SD Memory and SDIO cards. The e550 will be 77.5 x 125 x 17.5mm in size, weigh 180grams and run 8 minutes on its poor overtaxed Lithium-ion battery after the first impressario tries to play doom, watch an mpeg, and surf the web all at the same time .
Current PDAs will soon be obsolete (Score:1)
Reflective TFT (Score:3)
Is this one supposed to be better??
edge
Re:But does it run Linux ? (Score:1)
Are they independently wealthy or just off-center?
Besides, if it's not connected, it cripples the effectiveness of any unix variant.
Re:Current PDAs will soon be obsolete (Score:1)
3G? What's that? 2.5 G? If you want to call c.d.p.d. '2.5 G' that might count.
The big boys have no spectrum, and from the looks of the Nextwave mess they won't have any for quite some time, so nothing will even be designed until there can be some hope of payback. I'm talking about the U.S. here. Other countries are leaps and bounds ahead of U.S. (that's 'us') in spectrum management and deployment of wireless data infrastructure.
I'm afraid we will not be watching movies over our handheld's wireless link while riding the train to town for quite some time, boyz and grrlz. Looks good in commercials though, doesn't it?
Ahem! (Score:1)
Re:MOD PARENT DOWN (Score:1)
Re:User #468152 (Score:1)
Re:but (Score:1)
Re:Two can play at that game! (Score:2)
but (Score:1)
But! (Score:1)
Re:Ahem! (Score:1)