New Pocket PC with powerful Intel XScale processor already on store shelves and even Russian stores. While the windows adorned only HP iPaq 3970 - everything was clear. Here is a leader in which you want to navigate. But the leader did not stay alone. Next to the S600 there are "seven" BMW and Audi S8 - Toshiba e740, and Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket LOOX. Here is a comparative overview of three PDA-class high-end, make up the pride of the PDA market. Nowadays, of course. After all the processors for PDAs with a frequency of 1.2 GHz is not far off :-)
Packing
All three of the PDA is very high quality decorated. Solidly all, in my opinion, still iPaq - it inside plastic boxes, not boxes. And his papers packed in hard plastic case. In all three boxes all packed into individual bags, all neatly sealed and arranged into sections. Feel that the products quality and Vysk from solid brands. For example, with the same "budget" Casio BE-300 or frankly Korean Wincent 320 (with all due respect to him) just do not compare. What, indeed, expected - typewriter class High-End. In two - iPaq and the LOOX - to spare stylus included. At Toshiba itself, unfortunately, is not observed. This, however, perhaps the only difference in configuration. In addition to the "chute", all three CPC set postavkm standard - the cradle, power supply, thick-thick manual on good paper with good printing. In LOOX'a printing slightly lower quality, but also a thick book and pleasant. Noticed some strange thing: and a Toshiba e740, and Pocket LOOX power supplies consist of two parts, and look at both the twin brothers. On one side of the adapter and connector to the PDA, on the other - the usual fork. Wire as a result of long, but the adapter box, it turns out to be lying on the table that, in my opinion, somewhat unaesthetic, and even takes place. In iPaq'a standard PSU nasadochkoy to connect directly, bypassing the cradle. I ask myself the question: is it not possible to do in case the proper hole and abandon the adapter, as in all PDAs? Adapter, of course, remove the work-wear is not very big, but if he loses? In addition, the disc box with software and cheholchiki. And again in the minutiae Hewlett Packard barely wins. He has included corporate "jacket without a jacket, made famous in the municipality of 3800 - that is, cover that fits like a jacket protects the casing and screen, but does not take place. Cover the screen traditionally clear, so that the text alerts can also be seen without opening it. At Toshiba e740 "standard" black leather "envelope", and in general LOOX some Cloth monster with a strange clasp, which does not close, but still considerably larger size than the LOOX - PDA it aloud dangles. Such cases would fit belt clip, and it is not.
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| This would cover complete ... |
But thank you for Fujitsu-Siemens, so it's a detachable from the cradle sync cable. Now the house can do "everything like everyone else, but in the way bulky cradle not to take without buying expensive accessories at the same time - to connect the PDA to the PC via the supplied cable. The only thing that smells like rubber, which is made from cable, somehow very intense. This dream drug abuser.
Appearance and ergonomics
For HP (formerly Compaq) iPaq, we all have been accustomed to. At HP 3900 standard housing the 38th series: time-tested, but the "forever young" and stylish design. According to this indicator Compaq was always ahead. About Design 38-series is said a lot, so that we can not repeat. Design of Toshiba I liked very much, although as it turned out later - the beauty is not important. Rigorous, but not brittle line, noble matt-silver-colored, polished letters TOSHIBA below the screen, an elegant black hull lines - classic beauty.Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket LOOX, on the contrary - the sample's modernist art. Asymmetric body, smooth, curved contours. This PDA is better than others to the arm and adapted to the "one-handed" management. About ergonomics iPaq also know everything. Use it in moderation it is convenient, although the button layout of delight and does not cause: too much stick and not a very good button on the recorder). The stylus is a new handheld remains the same. On first impression it seemed that the joystick has become softer, but then the feeling passed. Toshiba - sample frankly ill-placed buttons. The Power button is pressed while necessarily keeping the CPC in a case - and when taken out, and when the insert. And the record button finger falls under withdrawal machines from the cradle and set it there. As a result, the CCP, when it is absolutely not expect from him, and starts to record conversations of others. In an unusual place - on the left below - is the infrared port. The front panel of two indicators: they are included during charging and when enabled wireless data Wi-Fi. Battery cover is removed - not surprising, because as one of the main accessories Toshiba offers enhanced battery power. The joystick is small but very soft and comfortable. He has no fixed direction, as in iPaq. Use it - a pleasure. Plus standard Chetri buttons - three for a PIM-application and one for "HOME" (something like a quick menu plus a task switcher - its own development Toshiba). Speaker, as always, below the microphone on top. It is unusual that the slots for expansion cards are located nearby - on the top panel. And this despite the fact that the e740 - the thinnest model of the three! But how much fun you will when you try to insert a Compact Flash and fix the button-pusher! I will not tell you what to do. All written in the instructions, but those who did not read it, let pomuchayutsya I wonder :-) made hard reset - as a tiny switch on the bottom. The same "toggle is enabled, and Wi-Fi.
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| Left to right: LOOX, e740, iPaq 3970 |
LOOX, as I said, just nice to pick up, although his body does not look as solid as the other two (there is anodized, and the deep, plastic - it is simply plastic, painted). LOOX, moreover, is the easiest Pocket PC from the "present". The front panel keys are predictable - 4 PIM'a. Joystick in size almost like Toshiba (slightly less), and despite the fact that the course had more than the Toshiba, vyzyvet oshushenie inconvenience. Here, on the contrary, the microphone on top and bottom of the speaker, but that is an important cause. By LOOX can connect GSM / GPRS module and it will become a full-fledged phone. Naturally, with this arrangement speaker and microphone to speak better. Cover, covering the connector for this module, treacherous as the era of palace revolutions. She seems to be holding a "dead", prilagaesch more effort, and it finally flies off with a bang. Not only that we have to look for her, so even during the search for sure she broke in at least half. But no, alive and zhivehonka and without a scratch. Hard reset and wireless (in the case of the Pocket LOOX is Bluetooth), as well as on the e740, include hardware switches. In LOOX'e unusual that upravlyayushie keys are located at both ends. However, the "right" button is very conveniently located under the middle finger of his left hand. Place a familiar record button on the left is the start button "Main Menu" - utility, developed by the manufacturer. Expansion slots are available as usual - CF above, SD on the left. Dot soft reset hidden somewhere at the top of the rear panel.
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Screen. Hardware.
Unconditionally prefer HP iPaq 3970. He only truly new type of screen - transflective.In some foreign surveys, wrote that LOOX and the same breed, but no - he had the same terrible "fluorescent lamp" on the screen, like the older models. The result is evident - the iPaq screen is much brighter and more contrast than the other two models. And LOOX, by the way, the screen is generally very dark and dismal. In addition, a new type of screen is much better behaved in the sun - everything is visible, nothing is twofold. Just feast for the eyes, not the screen. Somehow using it in a completely dark room, I found the way to the switch is safely behind all the chairs and tables. No halo, of course, but as a flashlight amiss. And yet (a pebble in LOOX'a) - the screen had some cotton. Backlight is switched on only when you turn somewhere in a second, when you turn off the image as it "crawls" on the screen - slowly and reluctantly.
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In addition, the Pocket LOOX noticeably tighter pressure-sensitive layer on the screen. To press the button, or write something must exert more effort than the other two participants tested, and indeed, more than on any PDA, with whom I dealt. However, you get used to it quickly and do not feel any discomfort. On the effectiveness of Transcriber'a (programs for handwriting recognition), increased stiffness has no effect. Otherwise, the "iron" characteristics, three PDAs - almost twins. Processors Intel XScale 400 MHz, 32 MB Flash ROM for e740 and Pocket LOOX and 48 MB for HP iPaq 3970, from which the user is allocated already 22, however, part of the program is busy Nevo. 64 MB ROM, two expansion slots (Compact Flash and Secure Digital) for e740 and Pocket LOOX and only one - Secure Digital - from HP. That's what results it leads to:
| iPaq 3970 | Toshiba e740 | Pocket LOOX |
| CPU | Floating Point | 12.66 | 12.65 | 12.62 |
| Integer | 26.93 | 26.96 | 26.86 |
| Graphics | Bitmaps | BitBit | 25.99 | 72.07 | 47.12 |
| StrechBit | 0.79 | 0.25 | 0.94 |
| Filled | Ellipse | 0.51 | 1.00 | 2.59 |
| Rectangle | 2.09 | 5.01 | 4.16 |
| Rounded Rectangle | 0.59 | 0.80 | 2.11 |
| Memory | Allocation | 11.16 | 11.48 | 11.81 |
| Fill | 0.93 | 0.95 | 0.91 |
| Move | 0.37 | 0.39 | 0.36 |
| Text | 3.20 | 1.19 | 3.78 |
What did the tests: Floating Point - floating-point operations are needed in high-precision mathematical calculations, which, for example, can be used when working with spreadsheets in Excel. Integer - integer calculations are used for basic arithmetic operations where there are no fractions. Bitmaps - BitBit - drawing a bitmap (BMP) image while preserving the original image size. Bitmaps - StretchBit - rendering bitmap image by resizing the original image. Ellipse - from top left to bottom right and fills an ellipse is drawn in red, green and blue. Rectangle - same with the rectangle. Rounded Rectangle - again the same thing, but a rectangle with rounded edges. Allocation shows how fast the Pocket PC can be booked and osobozhdat memory. This operation is a variety of applications and perform in their daily work more often. Fill - a block of memory (500 Kbytes) is filled with data.Fill rate shows how fast your computer will run. Move - the transfer of a block of memory. Text - shows how fast the text is drawn on the screen. Note that the use of ClearType font smoothing slightly reduces the speed of rendering. It is difficult to deduce some regularity. And anyway, in my opinion, these tests do not otrazhayutrealnoe things (such as old CPUs Intel StrongARM XScale ahead for the two indicators are two to three times). But, once tested ... Perhaps, Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket LOOX slightly overplays the rest of the schedule, but worse than working in the tests where the load loditsya exclusively on the processor. Hewett Packard iPaq does not win in any setting, but in practice (by subjective feelings) works pozadornee others. Anyway, not exactly slow. In general, the test to clear my conscience - he did not in fact establish.
Work experience. Multimedia
Now these very subjective feelings. Operating system works much the same as on the StrongARM. Open menus, dialog boxes pop up message poyayavlyayutsya except for a paltry fraction of a second faster. The difference is noticeable only in transactions where you really need the power of the processor. For example, texts and pictures of a large amount of open times and a half faster than the StrongARM, and the toy Interstellar Flames Demo - three-dimensional space simulator - noticeably more frames per second than before. By the way, Pocket LOOX in this toy somehow retarding ... In general, multimedia capabilities with a new processor soon widened, but the "usability" (pleasure use) hardly increased enough to justify the difference in the $ 100 (for example, the difference iPaq'ami between different series). On the other hand, for sure, and Microsoft itself said this, there will be work on the "fit" the OS for the new processor, so that we can expect an update, which will certainly appear, and wait until "it all will fly." But the multimedia capabilities at the expense of the new processor, perhaps, improved. MPEG video played fine. Frames 15-17 (maybe more) in second test video just gave out on all the machines. For one thing: Toshiba e740 with a standard version of Pocket TV (a program for viewing MPEG) slows down, it needs a revised Enterprise Edition. This, incidentally, is written in the description of the program Pocket TV. Set up and just heart rejoices at the typewriter. Monsters from "Monsters, Inc." (trailer) jump very perky, not faltered. And anyway, if you have enough memory, you can udovlstviem and without stress posmotert a movie, good DivX also works well on level. "
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The sound quality of all three machines is approximately the same. Actually, not their job - to work high-end portable players. Again, I will give preference to iPaq 3970, but this is mainly due to the built-in utility Compaq Audio (should probably be renamed to its HP Audio :-), which allows to add "bass and treble. In the metro to listen well. However, with programs like WithMP3 with built-in EQ, gain iPaq, perhaps even become extremely speculative. All three PDAs are equipped with the wireless transmission of data, but different. Bluetooth in the iPaq 3970 Pocket LOOX and works flawlessly. Machines have found each other, found astolny PC connected Bluetooth-transmitter, all friends with each other (ie form a pair of devices that will enable the exchange of information), and safely exchange files and contacts, and synchronize with your desktop PC. Wi-Fi (802.11b), built-in Toshiba, behaved not as great. PDA and desktop PC saw each other, e740 ping (ie "was"), but Active Sync and not earned. Already appeared was a green glow and whirling already heard the call of the sound, but the connection broke. Nothing to do with this trouble was not possible. True, we had only one Wi-Fi transmitter, so it is unlikely the result can be considered final. Multimedia and wireless communications have helped to solve one of the most important issue - the "survivability" PDA.I decided not to write that one PDA battery such a capacity, but the other half as much, then it is cooler. Instead, it had a very simple test - Playing Pocket TV to the endless repetition of running a movie trailer "Monsters Inc.", the backlight turned to maximum, the sound too. Plus, each PDA is working its wireless transmitter - Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Who will last longer in such extreme conditions? Toshiba e740 was terrible panikershey. The first report on low battery (Battery is low) appeared within 58 minutes after the start of the test, although the battery was still half a charge. Red alert (battery VERY low) appeared on 11% zazryada when passed two small hours. Finally, after 2 hours 16 minutes in batreya discharged to 1% and Toshiba refused to be included. Battery LOOX behaved a bit better (that, in general it is not surprising - Bluetooth "eats" less than 802.11b). He also showed a red light for further work in 2 hours and 2 minutes of testing time, but this prb in the battery was still a fifth of the charge. In 2 hours and 10 minutes remaining only 14%, and 2.28 (9% already charge!) Machine is no longer included.
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| The brightness of the screen - the maximum |
But the iPaq 3970 the first signs of trouble began to show almost two hours - 1.48 after the test, he warned that the battery remaining 40% charge. In the 2.14 charge was still 25% and car behaved very bravely. Finally disconnected it is only 3.15 with a 5% charge on the credit side. iPaq - deserved winner of the test.
Software
Any software can find, download and install it yourself, so, in my opinion, the bonus program - very priyanaya, but it's so small thing. In this connection, I'll be brief. The iPaq 3970 is more powerful infrared than in the previous series, so you can send a signal to several meters. Naturally, this can be used to prvratit PDA into a remote control. What program and is engaged Nevo - a program to control household appliances. Program is a smart (she has a heap-based settings for different models of consumer electronics), and students - you can add your own settings. Pretty easy to use interface - in one box all the equipment of the room. With the technique Pamasonic and Sony (TV, stereo and VCR) has worked flawlessly. In addition, the iPaq is integrated image viewer. It works quite quickly, but there thumbnail'ov (small images for preview), so voting for third-party products. For example, Resco Piture Viewer. Although, of course, free of charge greatly increases the appeal of a standard browser.
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| Nevo |
In the Toshiba e740 from innovations is a page HOME (see above). Vesh not very interesting, because it is not. In the Pocket LOOX is a separate button to open the menu his own, Fujitsu-Siemens'ovskoy development. There are shortcuts to all the standard programs, as well as fairly easy and fast task switcher. All programs are "scattered" across categories. Pocket PlugFree - Utility for Bluetooth. More functional, but less comfortable than on the iPaq.
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| Quick menu LOOX |
Total
Do not want to make a conclusion in favor of one of the three participants. All three - remarkable device, the work that brought great pleasure. Everyone has a lot of pros, each - a minor flaw that almost did not reduce the overall attractiveness. However, in the Class High-End, device costing more than $ 650, you could avoid these disadvantages. About myself I can say that the work (and after it :-) I use Hewlett Packard iPaq 3970.On its side the name, quality, great screen, nice trifles in the form of additional software. iPaq - the best selling Pocket PC brand in Europe and the USA. However, it is only personal opinion and does not pull on the council. For example, many lack the slot Compact Flash - a big disadvantage. Yes, and design LOOX'a, for example, objectively nicer. Compare, choose! The authors, translation:
