Sony Announces Excellent New Handhelds 225
PalmAddict writes "Sony Japan has announced what was only supposed to be a non-working mockup at Palm Source just a few short weeks ago, as reality. Palminfocenter has the scoop on the PEG-NR70, a thin, folding, half VGA, built-in digital camera picture taking, MP3 playing powerhouse." Nothing I can say except wow.
But... (Score:1)
ISTR that Linux on Palms is kinda primitive ATM.
Re: (Score:1)
Re:But... (Score:2, Insightful)
Why on earth would you want to run linux on a handheld? The PalmOS is sleek, compact, and perfect suited to its purpose.
It's a downright bastardization by slavering fanboys who must run linux everywhere to put linux on this beautiful sony handheld.
Re:But... (Score:4, Funny)
I just got Linux running on my toilet bowl (RedHat 7.2).
It's great!
Now I have to type 'rm -rf *' when I'm done.
Of course, I replaced the stdio function 'fflush()' with a version that does the appropriate thing.
Next, I'll be installing Linux on a rock in my front yard. Yes, a rock. I'm not sure what It will do yet, but won't it be great to have Linux on a rock?
Available in the UK... (Score:1)
more pics (Score:5, Informative)
LINK (Score:5, Informative)
here's a link [sonystyle.com]
Kaboom! Goes the site. Read it here. (Score:5, Informative)
Posted by: Ed on Monday, March 11, 200212:06:43 AM
Sony Japan has just introduced two new cutting-edge handhelds. The PEG-NR70 and PEG-NR70V both have built-in keyboards and 320 by 480 color screens. They also have built-in MP3 and ATRAC3 audio players. In addition, the PEG-NR70V has a built-in camera.
These have a clamshell design, with the keyboard on one side and the screen on the other. However, the screen can pivot around and then close again, this time with the screen facing out, allowing these to be used like a traditional handheld, with text entry done through a virtual Graffiti area.
The screen doesn not flip all the way around like a note pad does. It opens, the screen rotates on an axis located just above the hinge, then closes back over the keypad. When the screen rotates, it's image automatically flips over so it is still upright to the user.
Frequent readers will recognize the NR70V as the one a Sony executive briefly showed off at PalmSource last month.
The 16-bit color Backlit TFT screen is 3.8 inches tall. When closed, both of these models are 5.4 by 2.8 by
They are the first Palm OS models to use Motorola's 66 MHz Dragonball SuperVZ processor. They run Palm OS 4.1 and have 16 MB of RAM and 10 MB of Flash ROM.
Of course they have a built-in Memory Stick slot. They also have a Jog Dial and a Back button.
These have a built-in Lithium Polymer battery, which Sony estimates will last for 10 days, based on 30 minutes of use a day. They have an additional DSP chip for handling audio and this drains significant power. The company says these will last for 7 hours of music playback with the display off.
The PNR70V's camera is also on the hinge. It can take images with 100,000 pixels. It has a 1/6 inch CMOS Image Sensor and it can take pictures between 0.3 meters from the lens all the way to infinity. it saves images in PG Pocket format in sizes of 320x240, 160x120, or 88x88.
These models have the enhanced IR port from the T-series. They have other things in common with the T-series, sharing the same styli and HotSync port. This means the NR series should be able to use many of the same peripherals designed for the T series.
They also comes with ear-bud speakers and an audio control wand similar to previous Clié models with built-in audio players. Also like previous Sony models, the screen can be turned off while playing music. Because they use a separate DSP, the user can listen to music while using other applications.
In addition to software necessary to use the audio player and camera, they come with Documents To Go 4.0 Standard Edition to allow the user to access Microsoft Office files and Intellisync Lite for the Clié to synchronize with Outlook.
These handhelds have been introduced only in Japan. The NR70 will be available on March 23. The NR70V will be out April 13. There is no word yet on when they will be available in other countries.
The NR70V will sell for 59,800 Yen, or about $465. The NR70 will sell for 49,800 Yen, or $385. Again, these are the prices in Japan. They may or may not indicate what these will sell for in other countries.
Sony has also introduced the PEG-MSB1 Memory Stick Bluetooth module.
Thanks to SaxonMan for the tip and Eugene for his translations. -Ed
Related Information:
* ClieClub: Lots of Pictures of the new models
* PIC: Sony to Announce New Handheld in Japan Next Week
* PIC: Sony Prototype Pics
* PIC: Bluetooth Memory Stick Gets SIG Approval
* PIC: Sony Forum
Re:30 minutes of use a day? (Score:1)
Re:Kaboom! Goes the site. Read it here. (Score:2)
Yes, these toys are neat at times, but it's just more features that can break.
Think "static linking" (Score:2)
Is it just me, or do these all-in-one gadgets fly in the face of the UNIX idea of compartmentalized utilities that do one specific function, and that's it?
Imagine if all apps had to be statically linked to a large library. Then the UNIX idea of compartmentalized utilities at 4 KB a piece breaks down. Under the current design conventions for handheld devices, every device has to be "statically linked" to at least a memory card slot, a display, and a case.
Re:Kaboom! Goes the site. Read it here. (Score:4, Funny)
Is it just me, or do these all-in-one gadgets fly in the face of the UNIX idea of compartmentalized utilities that do one specific function, and that's it? If you want something more powerful, just chain them together.
True, which makes them more complex and more likely to break. Problem is that there's a lot more room for comparmentalized utilities on a hard drive than there is for compartmentalized devices in my shirt pocket.
Focus (Score:5, Interesting)
The new PDA looks good though. Maybe this will be a hit.
Oh (Score:5, Informative)
Since it's be /.'ed..... (Score:3, Informative)
Here's the CNET Story [com.com]
Jeez... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Jeez... (Score:5, Informative)
No. That's not a technical term. I just made it up then.
Re:Jeez... (Score:1)
We're getting better at it as time goes by.
As they say, "practice makes perfect."
Wow. (Score:5, Funny)
Yeah, that's about the same thing palminfocenter.com is saying right now...
"...eleven-thousand hits in HOW LONG??!!"
But does it... (Score:1)
No... (Score:3, Funny)
Companies are planning to create a mod-chip for the device, but because it's fair use, sony will sue them according to the DMCA.
Now if they'd add a phone... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Now if they'd add a phone... (Score:1)
Re:Now if they'd add a phone... (Score:1)
Re:Now if they'd add a phone... (Score:2)
Re:Now if they'd add a phone... (Score:2)
Funny - I prefer PPC because that means beefier hardware and generally an upgrade path to Linux. I have a funny feeling we're only a couple of years away from these devices being capable of running a full fledged OS at desktop speeds... I've been thinking that since UI (menus and toolbars) in KDE is controlled via XML, just publish an alternate set of UI files (or change the DTD to allow some sort of flag) that is optimized for small displays (short toolbars, fewer menus). Just run the exact same things on the desktop and palmtop/phone/camera device.
--
Evan
Servers already gettin' hammered... (Score:4, Informative)
Lots of pictures of the new models [clieclub.jp]
It's not much besides pictures, but that's the first thing you want to know, right? That, and that they have a 66 MHz Dragonball SuperVZ processor, run Palm OS 4.1 and have 16 MB of RAM and 10 MB of Flash ROM. They also come memory stick slot and a jog dial. Battery life is 10 days, used for half an hour each day. Guess that means 5 hours.
:Peter
New PalmOS resolution (Score:2, Interesting)
--Ives
Re:New PalmOS resolution (Score:2)
I hope this connects to Macs well. I have a Palm V and the serial connector adapter, and it really, really blows.
Re:New PalmOS resolution (Score:2)
Perhaps a good idea, but no-one (developer) will use it. Why write your application to count on that screen real-estate and thus make your program incomaptible with every other Palm device out there?
Hopefully this isn't Sony practicing Microsoft's "adopt and extend" policy, thus killing standards.
Re:New PalmOS resolution (Score:3, Informative)
Re:New PalmOS resolution (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:New PalmOS resolution (Score:3, Informative)
Subscription (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Subscription (Score:1)
Re:Subscription (Score:3, Interesting)
Then again, that may not be a bad idea. Now that I think about it, I think that's a great idea, even for the people who don't subscribe. The first n posts would all come from people who care enough to subscribe and who probably don't want to waste ad-free page views on content-free posts. This would likely result in a higher signal-to-noise ratio in the first comments. Sometime that's all I get to read anyway, so 30-minute-delayed stories in exchange for better comments is a trade-off I'd be willing to make
Re:Subscription (Score:4, Insightful)
If a Slashdot member wanted a way to make slashdot better, this would certainly be a good one... pay the money, read complete articles, and take the time to write good posts.
Re:Subscription (Score:3, Insightful)
Assume that such a feature would be a success. The initial user base that had this feature would start out small, but would grow as more people caught on. At first it's great: paying users get to see the site before it get's crushed, cuts down on a lot of the common trolls and crapflooders. At some point, though, the user base grows to where the 30 minute "buffer" is indistinguishable from a normal post. Then what? "Premium" service, where you can pay an extra $5 to get an extra 10 minute warning? What happens when that gets filled up? Eventually you've got a system where articles don't reach "the masses" for perhaps hours.
What does this do to anonymous posting? It kills it dead, that's what. Only the most exciting or inflamatory of articles are able to maintain critical mass past about 150 posts. If AC's aren't able to see stories for hours before paying registered users, they're effectively silenced, as no one (or at least a very small portion) of readers won't be paying attention anymore. Anonymous posting has long been one of the staples of Slashdot: I don't think you can just throw it by the wayside like that.
Also consider how other sites might "abuse" this feature. If I'm a web-site operator with some content, and I see it's up in "pay for play" Slashdot, I might be tempted to shut down my server after 30 minutes just to save the inevitable crush when it hits the rest of Slashdot. Sites might abuse this in other ways as well, by "planting" stories. You've effectively got a group of people willing to pay for otherwise free content, that would be a very attractive set of eyes to a marketer. Companies send in these "plant" stories right now, true, but knowing you've got an audience who has already shown a willingness to pay for a service would undoubtedly increase this practice greatly, and editors are only human. In other words, we'd be getting spam on the Slashdot front page.
Re:Subscription (Score:2)
And then Slashdot is paid for and profitable by its readership, and doesn't go under. Or it doesn't happen, and then the subscribers get a perk. Either way, the readers win.
Companies send in these "plant" stories right now, true
And they are treated like any other submission - CmdrTaco is pretty damn opinionated and runs the content the way he wants. That means that Lucas could get just about any Star Wars story in, but no matter how hard somebody tried, unless there was a damn geeky twist to it, Make Money Fast isn't showing up on Slashdot. People can hate it because the article policy is totally subjective to the editors tastes (which it is), but that pretty much rules out corporate control. Even when Andover tried to, Rob denied them being able to influence content (it's written into the contract of sale of the site). Sure there's been plenty of Andover/VA Linux/OSDN content through the years, but it's primarily because they work there and have a personal (not professional) interest. And that's what gets posted - anything that interests the editors. You're reading what is News for Nerds in the opinion of a few geeky guys.
--
Evan
allegiances... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:allegiances... (Score:2)
Needless to say, the whole demo of the lab came to a complete and rather embarassing end. I just didn't have the heart to tout our supposed high-technology against something like that.
It really sucks that all we get over here are the hand-me-downs of Japanese technology. I guess it's payback for giving them the hand-me-downs of our culture.
Sure this isn't from-the-marketing-dept ? (Score:5, Insightful)
I see it was a comment of the submiter, but isn't
it a bad-thing to slip-in product endorsement into
article submissions?
I am afraid of covert ad tactics. You can never
notice them, for they disguise as a personal opinion.
Most of you will probably dismiss me as a troll or
flame bait, or even mod me as such, but some of you
will notice the subliminal impact of a header like
that.
First impression counts, and hidden presuppositions influence our choices later.
It is called "nesting" if you are not familiar with
propaganda.
--
Re:Sure this isn't from-the-marketing-dept ? (Score:3, Insightful)
Try getting a "lame" out of a submitter on a Linux distro. Or software for Linux. Or hardware that runs Linux. Fat freakin' chance.
But hey, submitters are submitters. Private people with their own opinions. I don't see any "advertisements" going on in them.
Re:Sure this isn't from-the-marketing-dept ? (Score:2)
Not to be painfully redundant here, but try being a Windows-using Slashdotter! I recently submitted a Microsoft-related story [slashdot.org], and I firmly believe it would have been rejected if I hadn't added a sarcastic little hook at the end, as reverse psychology (I'm pro-Microsoft). If a Microsoft article is non-controversial, chances are it won't make it to the front page. That's probably the case for most other non-Linux OS's.
Re:Sure this isn't from-the-marketing-dept ? (Score:2)
Please don't take my harsh post as a personal attack.
Like every other concerned citizen, I am merely
defending the democracy of this public forum.
--
Keyboard??? (Score:3, Interesting)
-Evil
Re:Keyboard??? (Score:3, Interesting)
-
Same size as a typical PDA today, so it fits in my pocket.
- Opens up like this one, except the hinge is on the long axis.
- Screen is almost the entire size of the PDA. It is wider than tall, and runs at maybe 720x480, with full color. (No *&^!* graffiti area, or only a virtual one that I can disable!)
- There is still a pen, but it's used mostly for pointing or drawing.
- The keyboard is two pieces that are hinged on the short axis, and fold out into a nice usable size, as tall as the PDA is wide, and twice as wide as the PDA is tall, in QWERTY format. This will require some clever design, but I'm sure it's possible.
- DataPlay drive gives me cheap 500MB discs. I can play a movie or 100 mp3's with a single disc. (Headphone jack is a must)
- Batteries: The batteries are thin flat pads that mount on the back of the pda. For typical, day-to-day operation, I will not need to change the battery, I will just place the pda in its stand at night to sync and recharge. But when I'm going on a trip or listening to mp3's or whatever, I can bring extra batteries with me. These batteries are easily charged apart from the pda. In addition to buying extras of the ultra-thin batteries, I can buy a fat, heavy, low-tech battery, which I wouldn't want to have to carry every day, but for long trips it would provide a long charge and not cost way too much money.
So, when can I buy it?Power? (Score:1)
Re:Power? (Score:2, Funny)
I...guess... (Score:3, Insightful)
Is this really what people want?
I'm not trying to flame here, but I personally would much prefer a small MP3 player that I could take with me on a jog or to the gym (or use in a business situation if necessary).
As for the digital cam feature -- again, I would rather have a more versitile and quite frankly, better quality, digital camera with 3.3 megapixels or something. I can't get to the specs page for this particular PDA (it's
Perhaps I'm out of the loop, but is the PDA as a tech Swiss Army knife practical (aside from the "gee-wiz" factor and showing it off to your friends, of course)?
monolinux.com
Re:I...guess... (Score:3, Insightful)
In fact, it's actually much worse than this. According to the article, it features a
I absolutely agree with you. This is the same concept that's doomed many an "all-in-one" electronic device (be it a computer, a video game console, etc.): it's far better to excel at just one thing than to be mediocre at many.
Would you pay >$400 US for a 10mb MP3 player that takes digital pictures on par with a circa-1997 webcam? I know I wouldn't.
Cam so low-res it's a waste of time (Score:2)
Phillip.
Camera fine for special uses (Score:2)
For businesses, there are lots of things where a picture is needed but high resolution isn't important - I ran into someone the other day who has one of those wristwatch digital cameras and is quite happy with it for basic assessment use.
Re:I...guess... (Score:2)
Re:I...guess... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:I...guess... (missing the point) (Score:3, Insightful)
Now the camera, I think people are just totally missing the point here. Do you honestly believe that Sony thinks that someone will say, "dude, I don't need to buy a digital cam now that Sony has this". Uh WRONG. No, it's Sony having a decent grasp of their home market, one in which such gadgetry sells. (i.e. Now take your NR70V, stick in the blue tooth module and start communicating with other similarly equiped individuals, including sending pix.)
Also, what's the big deal. If they sold it ONLY with a camera, then I could see some people getting a bit miffed, but hey, you don't like it, save some bucks and just buy the model without it, duh.
And you thought WE were bad? (Score:1, Offtopic)
Did you get a load of some of the comments at the bottom of that page? You thought WE were guilty of not reading articles. It was on the same fscking PAGE, and these idiots were reposting the full text of the article, and then asking questions THAT WAS IN the crap they had pasted from higher up in the page! After this, I swear I will never tell another troll to read the article first!
Back on topic, sweet, and only the cost of an Athlon 1800 complete system with 512 MB of RAM! (Pricewatch @ $490). I'll stick with my IIIxe.
Not cool enough... (Score:1, Flamebait)
Jobs please bring back the Newton! I want a PDA with the iPod HD!
Re:newton?? (Score:2)
Re:newton?? (Score:2)
Re:newton?? (Score:2)
An MP2100, with batteries, is 1.4 lbs [msu.edu]. But coming from an MP2100u user, it doesn't bother me. I'd rather carry around one Newton than a backpack full of notebooks and handouts.
Re:newton?? (Score:2)
/me scolds self for feeding the trolls...
Re:newton?? (Score:2)
"Nothing I can say except wow." (Score:3, Interesting)
(disregarding the screen for a moment)
All of these things have been done before by... guess who... Pocket PC. MP3, Digital Camera, high-resolution screen, etc. These are all standard features on Pocket PCs.
Still, Sony is taking the right direction by adding these fatures to their devices. Some people don't like to play MP3s or Videos, I find that it's a great way to pass the time on the long train ride to work every morning (I could drive but the traffic is really bad in my suburb).
Re:"Nothing I can say except wow." (Score:1)
Sony's previous Clies have done MP3 and ATRAC3 anyway, this isn't new on their devices. The format of the device is however, and the swivelling screen looks like a great idea.
I find it amazing that Sony can take a platform like the Palm, and turn it into something so sexy! All this thing needs is a built in GPRS mobile phone and it will combine nearly everything that a person needs on their body!
Re:"Nothing I can say except wow." (Score:2)
Re:"Nothing I can say except wow." (Score:2)
What the hello are you talking about? Could you please post a link with a PocketPC device with a built in camera? I'd be surprised if there is one, let alone being "standard."
Go back to Redmond, you bozo...
-Russ
Oooh. Grumpy, grumpy. I need to eat more bran I think...
More details from Japanese site (Score:5, Informative)
It looks like they have a Bluetooth card accessory coming out and a GPS card. There is also what looks like a wireless modem and another type of wireless adapter, but I'm not sure if it's 802.11b, or not.
a couple more views [sony.co.jp]
It can also be used to transfer map/location data back and forth with your Sony Car Navigator (in Japan). And it can function as a programmable remote control for your home theater gear (TV, DVD, VCR, etc). It looks like the camera uses Picture Gear Pocket edition, so the photos are probably compatible with most of Sony's DV and digital still cams (and transferrable by Memory Stick).
It's surprising they didn't put a phone in, but I guess Japanese hipsters wouldn't be caught dead talking into a giant PDA when they have such amazing "keitai" cell phones.
Sony baloney--- no 802.11b support? (Score:2, Interesting)
yet? Gee If I was going to use it to access my servers or the internet I'd want 802.11b capability.
Star Trek (Score:2)
NOKIA : phone + email + MP3 + colour screen +CAM (Score:3, Interesting)
http://www.nokia.com/phones/7650/ [nokia.com]
regards
john jones
Sony is one of the largest members of the RIAA. (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Sony is one of the largest members of the RIAA. (Score:2)
Re: memory stick (Score:2)
Still, I had a Toshiba camera that used those smartmedia cards, and I thought they were rather flimsy and prone to breakage. The memory stick takes up less space, due to its "stick of chewing gum" shape (instead of a more square "shrunken floppy disk" shape) - and you can buy 3rd. party clones (Lexar, Sandisk, etc.) that work just fine. Therefore, you're not really locked into paying an inflated price just because the stick says "Sony" on the front of it.
Wow... (Score:1)
server temporarily disabled? (Score:1)
IT Tech: "/. will post it and consume our bandwidth. We can't handle that."
CEO: "Bandwidth Schmandwidth. I want pretty geek pictures!"
IT Tech: "The pictures make it worse."
CEO: "Nonsense. Let's post it anyway!"
IT Tech: "Ok, I warned you......"
PIMP Stuff (Score:1)
pretty (Score:1)
A few additional comments (Score:2, Insightful)
-10 days with 30 minutes a day = 5 hours. 7 days, if used with music and screen off = 3.5 hours. Ok, do the maths. This thing will less than 2 continuous hours with music and screen on.
- MP3: I've given before. DRM means special app on windows to convert your MP3 to Sony homebrew format with copy protection. So it's not really MP3. First you need another OS to do the conversion with their crappy app (Jukebox if I remember correctly), next you can't transfer more than once and in one direction.
- Memory Stick: Ok: Sony still doesn't get it. The most expensive format per MB. I still refuse to go this route. What is the point of adopting this format over other proven and more economic ones?
- Special keyboard rotation and cool design: Here too, I've given in this trap already. If I need a keyboad, I get a laptop. Graffiti doesn't cut it for me. Cool factor: I already have an iBook and an iPaq. I'll still with that.
The Sharp Zaurus Linux PDA is way more powerful and appealing to me than this new Sony model.
PPA, the girl next door.
Re:A few additional comments (Score:2)
- MP3: I've given before. DRM means special app on windows to convert your MP3 to Sony homebrew format with copy protection. So it's not really MP3. First you need another OS to do the conversion with their crappy app (Jukebox if I remember correctly), next you can't transfer more than once and in one direction.
Yes, I believe you have posted this misinformation before. And it's still bullshit. I have a Sony Clie PEG760N, and it takes standard MP3s. I can mount the memory stick as a USB hard drive on Linux, copy MP3s from my KDE Media Player directory into the memory stick, umount it, and play them just fine on the Clie. If I wanted to, I could also copy them back. No "other OS", no "homebrew format", no "can't transfer more than once".
Re:A few additional comments (Score:2)
- This is not a real MP3 Player by any means, and it's not marketed as one or a replacement for one. It just has the ability to play MP3's so that you can hear that one or two songs you really like when you're waiting for a meeting or between classes if you're a student. With the limited amount of memory available to PDA's, even with 128MB memory sticks, it just doesn't qualify as a real MP3 player. Just another feature, which I welcome.
- I have a sony clie 760 and it has around the same battery life. I use it for EVERYTHING since I bought a castaway keyboard and use it as my main note taking device at EVERY meeting. we're talking hours every day. I've never seen the battery under 50%. Let me remind you that the clié 760 has a 320X320 TFT color display, so I expect about the same battery usage.
- You can play MP3's without using the magic gate format (the proprietary crap they're using now) by simply loading the MP3's directly on the memory stick instead of using the dektop software that comes bundled. I do this regularly.
- A laptop is not the only option when you need a keyboard. Like I mentioned, I got a very portable, very practical collapsable keyboard for $100, plus the $450 that the clié cost, I spent a total of under $600 to have it shipped to central america (where I live) that fully replaces a laptop for everything, except for the ability to connect it to a projector for slideshow presentations, which I rarely do. I use spreadsheets at high resolutions, I type, take notes, write proposals at my favorite cafe, read ebooks and make little diagrams when necessary. It works perfectly and I saved at least $1,000.00 by not having to buy a laptop. It all comes with a nice leather case that carries both the pda and the keyboard. The new sony model is going to be even more practical than this.
I do agree with you that the memory stick is a very expensive format (about $1.20 per MB). It's very convenient since it's also used by a whole lot of other devices, but still, they have to be sony made, which sucks.
Re:A few additional comments (Score:2)
That's the usage pattern I've developed. I have a 64 MB stick full of low-bit "emergency" MP3s that don't suck and can drown out Muzak. And remember when 64-128MB did qualify as a real MP3 player? Damn you, Archos! :-)
Actually, Sandisk and Lexar are manufacturing their own sticks now. So far, they're not all that much cheaper, but you can save a few bucks here and there. And the price per MB is on a sliding scale. Small sticks hit a floor, probably due to manufacturing costs. I just went to sonystyle.com to get some prices, and 8 and 16 MB sticks are both $24.95! The sweet spot is at 64 MB, where the price drops to US$49.95, or $0.78 per MB.
Re:A few additional comments (Score:5, Insightful)
I happen to own a PEG-760C and I routinely use it to listen to MP3s at work all day. I used up ~20% of the battery a day, and this was before I figured out how to turn the screen off. Now I hardly use 5% of the battery/day. This also includes time spent using its more traditional PDA functions.
MP3: I've given before. DRM means special app on windows to convert your MP3 to Sony homebrew format with copy protection. So it's not really MP3. First you need another OS to do the conversion with their crappy app (Jukebox if I remember correctly), next you can't transfer more than once and in one direction
Bullshit. I can mount the memory stick as a USB device, and copy MP3 directly to it. No DRM, no extra software. Have you even used a Clie before?
- Memory Stick: Ok: Sony still doesn't get it. The most expensive format per MB. I still refuse to go this route. What is the point of adopting this format over other proven and more economic ones?
I'll partially agree with you on this. We don't need one more memory standard, but it's only marginally [buy.com] more expensive. There still is no standard for memory expansion in the electronics market anyway, so there is no dominate solution as far as portability goes. Each standard has its set of supported products.
Special keyboard rotation and cool design: Here too, I've given in this trap already. If I need a keyboad, I get a laptop. Graffiti doesn't cut it for me. Cool factor: I already have an iBook and an iPaq. I'll still with that.
Good for you. I'm glad your happy with your laptop, but some of us would still like the basic features of a PalmOS plus a little extra in a smaller foot print. I personally can write in Graffiti much faster then I can type on those keyboards, but I don't assume everyone can. Sony is try to appeal to a larger market then just you and I.
Memory Sticks - 128MB for ~$70 with shipping (Score:2)
Memory Stick prices have dropped enormously in price over the last six months to a year - they're still more expensive than CF, but they're no longer insanely expensive for what you get.
mp3s: depends on the color of the memory stick (Score:2, Informative)
If, however, you do not know, and buy the white memory stick, copy protection is built in and you can only play their proprietary format, not mp3's. However, their software will convert your music to their own format. Personally, I will convert the music to Sony's format because you can get equal sound as mp3 but with lower bit rates.
I've never seen the white memory stick for sale in stores or on any online stores, so I'm not even sure if they are sold anymore. I have seen them offereed with Clies for sale on Ebay, however. So if you want mp3, just make sure you get the purple memory stick.
puck
Animations of the folding display here: (Score:3, Informative)
Looks neat!
320x480 resolution!? Wow! Finally! (Score:4, Interesting)
While this is true, the 320x480 resolution with a full-tablet mode has only been done by one PDA, the Apple Newton 2000/2100, now discontinued for five years.
A screen resolution of 320x480 makes a HUGE difference when working with information, text, graphics, etc. With a resolution of 320x480 and a virtual graffiti area (which could conceivably be left hidden and replaced with a 3rd-party natural handwriting recognition system?!) we could FINALLY have a near-Newton-killer on our hands...
Of course, it is still lacking in some areas... Only a 66MHz Dragonball CPU vs. the 162MHz StrongARM in the Newton 2x00, PalmOS vs. NewtonOS (which is still a decade ahead of its time), no PCMCIA slot(s), no 3rd party natural handwriting recognizers yet available for PalmOS, etc.
Still, wow. For a long time, I've thought that since nobody would ever make another PDA with a 320x480 display, nobody would ever even begin to come close to Newton. But this does! In fact, get me that natural handwriting recognizer and a nice "natural" database like Notion for Newton and you could see me switch... Maybe... Well, okay, probably not.
Re:320x480 resolution!? Wow! Finally! (Score:2, Informative)
Re:320x480 resolution!? Wow! Finally! (Score:2, Informative)
Extremist zealots? Are you terrified of Newton users for some reason? Some people prefer it and there is still an active eBay selling community. Are they all dangerous? Should they be locked up for not buying a newer PDA? Hardly. The Newton 2x00 series [msu.edu] died because it was a $1000+ piece of technology before it was discontinued. There's no doubt that's too much for a PDA, no matter how advanced. But of course it was so expensive when new because of just how high-end it was, and that's why it survives today.
The 2000 series had an EL-backlit 100dpi 320x480 display, PCMCIA slots (shove a 256MB CF card in one and an ethernet card in the other and away you go), a standard DHCP-compliant TCP/IP stack (browse the Web, send/receive e-mail), sound (play MP3's, take voice notes), natural handwriting recognition from Paragraph (which works incredibly well and now forms the basis for Microsoft's "Transcriber" in PocketPC), a 162MHz StrongARM processor, the ability to import and edit Office documents, the ability serve Web pages, and an interface which combines the best aspects of Mac OS, Palm OS and Windows CE, all at only an inch thick and about a pound in weight.
The fact that this product was killed off years ago (as you mentioned) and that people still use it every day to listen to MP3's, edit reports, browse the Web, send/receive HTML mail, and host their Web sites makes it more amazing, not less.
But I'll be damned if these new Sony PDAs don't come close. If only they'd used CF rather than memorystick! If only Transcriber/Calligrapher were released in a Palm OS version!
Little OT, but I'd like to know... (Score:2, Interesting)
Built-in DSP? Hmmm... (Score:2, Informative)
If the main processor is a Motorola, perhaps the DSP is Motorola also. If the DSP is a 56K derivative, well, that would be most excellent, as this is somewhat of an industry standard in the audio industry (Motorola 56K-compatible processors are used by Eventide, Digidesign, TC Electronics, the XBOX, etc.).
http://www.gweep.net/~shifty/ [gweep.net] is the homepage of a project to hook a Palm Pilot up to an ADI DSP dev kit for music DSP. Maybe the new Sony would allow you to do the same thing without the external DSP.
Finally- a decently sized screen! (Score:2)
I knew it... (Score:3, Informative)
Not implying anything of course, it was just one of those "I've seen that somewhere before" moments.
Re:palmos is a dead end (Score:2, Insightful)
If however it goes the way of Windows, where Windows 3.11 ran fine, Windows '95 ran slower, and Windows '98 ran even slower, yes the hardware and software that runs on it will eventually be placed 6 feet under.
Re:palmos is a dead end (Score:2, Insightful)
Synchronisation software allows "documents" on the device to be used on a PC fine.
And not everything has to be unix compatible. 90% of the population don't give a shit - and the companies are out there to sell as many as possible.
Re:inherient flexibility of Palm OS (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:DRM? (Score:2)
Thanks
Re:DRM? (Score:2)
Thanks
Re:Now if they would just... (Score:2)
Re:I want my 802.11b (Score:2)