"Gray" Illuminated

Just want to repent - Review of Packard Bell PocketGear 2060 (aka NEC MobilePro 300E in a version for the European market), I wrote with some prejudice. This PDA has appeared has appeared only in June this year, when all the pockets, the computer community awaited the machines on Intel XScale and Windows CE.NET. NEC also "escaped" the most standard features. And no nice "chip", such as Bluetooth, Fast IrDA, 802.11b (Wireless LAN), too, was noted. In general, it would seem boring machine. To some extent, so it was. However, several "attractions" at the NEC still there. So, as always, start with the kit, which is simply a surprisingly rich. No, the box is very decent, a set of documents also commands respect, but (almost incredible thing for today's handheld!) There is no cover or at least protect the screen. Operculum screen as, say, Casio BE-300 is also not provided. There is no extra stylus, which is very inconvenient, given the very structure of the original "pen" in the NEC. As with the Pocket LOOX, telescopic stylus is like a vacuum cleaner tube into two parts. In case of loss, something like that would be very difficult to find, so the lack of spare stylus - a very annoying flaw. In addition, the stylus itself is made not very successful. If the Pocket LOOX, a stylus, even when folded fully functional, then "nekovsky, less than 6.5 centimeters, to razdvizheniya absolutely not usable. And in an elongated state stylus noticeably short. The sales package includes a second stylus - a stick of transparent plastic, but it is almost equal to the length of most PDAs and is intended for household use (it has a special hole on the cradle). But the cradle deserves a special thanks to the developers. Massive-looking (and heavy actually), made ​​in the same metallic silver-gray tones, that he himself NEC MobilePro, he looks at the salt is very solid and stylish. Made it very competently - provides a separate slot for charging a spare battery (with diode display on the front panel), it can be inserted as the CCP itself, and from wearing jackets expansion Rocketeer. But the most important "feature" - if the cradle is plugged in, when installed in his PDA, the lower part of the stylus and light up a bright blue light, providing additional illumination in low light conditions and, of course, simply decorating your desktop. In the darkness, I must say, it looks simply enchanting. Much of the credit NEC - high-quality training devices for sale on a particular market. In our case, of course, on rossyiskom. All documents included in the two ekzemlyarah: English and Russian languages. What a pleasure to leaf through a thick, delicious, detailed instruction manual in Russian, printed on excellent paper with color printing! Translated, even the accessories catalog, where you can find descriptions of the required extra stylus and covers. Furthermore, in a box two discs - one with a familiar Active Sync, USB-drivers and utilities (about them below), the second - with a system of localization of Language Extender Paragon and demos SlovoEd dictionaries and VOX. Well, pleased to note that the PDA can be used even by people who do not speak English. More in the box, except the power supply, nothing left. Proceed to the most MobilePro 300E. At first glance, machine attracts attention. Firstly, its miniaturization. While not on screen, it seems that in your hand is something on the Palm OS, only with a bigger screen, a standard for the Pocket PC. Secondly, the ease. NEC MobilePro weighs only 146 grams - lighter only Toshiba e310 (and even then only 6 oz.).Well, in the third, look. All, of course, is subjective, but I really like the NEC - and a noble silver-gray shade cover, and the location of control buttons on the front panel (they are slightly recessed into the silvery indentations), and non-standard controller (it is square). Unfortunately, the first inspection and any claim: the joystick does not work as a button "Action" in the center position is not that good (at the top, next to the slot for cards SD / MMC) is the power button. And most of all the problems with plastic, which is made of the case. In the cradle machine gets very tight and because of that, when taken out of krydla very noticeable rubs sides of the wall of the cradle. The result - two very noticeable scratches on the sides of the front panel only after a dozen synchronizations. The same thing happens when connecting the jacket - plastic with back wall is erased. Governing elemntov on the case - at least, and they are quite predictable. Four buttons for PIM-apps on the front panel underneath the opening speaker (the speaker is not very good - a fairly quiet, but when playing the bass quickly begins to "choke). The left side button on the recorder, the wheel control and reset button. Button on the top power card slot Secure Digital / MultiMediaCard, microphone and jack for naunikov. quite a decent amount of battery (1000 mAh), a removable, which is a big plus (remember the slot for charging additional battery for CRED). Beneath it, on the rear is the lever for hard reset with complete loss of all data. In addition, in the back are two holes for attaching a jacket and a communication slot. Generally, when working with NEC oschuscheschnie appears that in their hands - the average Pocket PC in the flesh, the dream of Orwellian Party - absolutely standardized representative of a large family . Screen - standard, reflective, 3.5 inches diagonally, 65536 colors. illuminator located at the bottom, because of what the top of the screen dark, but quite visible. The distinguishing feature - a very high sensitivity. The feeling that if the screen will fall pen, touch-screen reacts to it. you can get used, but to me it seemed too easy, especially when typing. In a set of software, written in the ROM, NEC by itself does not add anything - on the MobilePro installed just a standard set of applications, Pocket PC 2002. On the one hand, of course, nothing more ... But still hurt. extra utilities, but not yet tackled the RAM - it is always nice. However, there is a set of bonus programs on the disk. This is Acrobat Reader to read pdf-files ( itself, by the way, free) ... AOL Instant Messenger - an analogue of ICQ, the program for instant messaging network ... game iGolf ... Perhaps the most successful, "adding" - PhotoSuite, pretty handy photo viewer, which can be spread by albums and even slightly edited (brightness, contrast). That is, in general, and all. More about the machine itself to say almost nothing, except a few words about the jackets. We in the editorial was a jacket for the Compact Flash memory cards of the second type with an additional battery. So, to describe this piece can be one word - "coffin". Jacket is huge - a half times thicker than most PDAs, and coincides with the length and width, but still weighs a lot. Although, of course, extra 1000 mAh, it's useful "trifle." But to carry a coffin of this, especially when he NEC so small ... This is a betrayal of the idea of ​​"pockets"! Total. In general, all told. One hundred percent "middling" no frills, but pretty solidly made. Costs are not too expensive (around $ 490), but in my opinion, the money for him sorry. The authors, translation: