What's really new about UX50?

[ngwailung]

UX50 may be impressive in the first glance, but after I had a second thought about its features, it lacks the really surprising features that Sony's previous models had.  (Remember the Jog-dial? expansion slot? HiRes+ display?)  Should you thank Sony for giving you WiFi if Palm's T|C has the same feature?  Or Should you thank Sony for giving you (back) Bluetooth after it was taken out in NX73V/80V?  And remember the following:

1. The form factor.  If you use the Clie one-handed, don't consider UX50.  Remember when Sony introduced the Jog-dial the company stressed that it will be very convenient for one-handed usage.  It does.  However, the Jog-dial is now located in the bottom and you even can't use it if you are in "portrait" mode - if there's one.  Goodbye to single-hand operation.

2. The memory space.  The handheld has 32MB RAM but only 16MB is available to user (I refer to the information on PalmInfocenter as I can't read Japanese).  Same as NX80V.  And it doesn't even have a CF slot.

3. The camera.  If you enjoy using your phone camera to take low-res pictures, you may be satisfied by the 310K camera.  It's ridiculus to pair up a low-res camera with such a high-end handheld.

4. The battery.  You may be contented with the 14 days battery life which Sony claims.  We don't know the power consumption when other features are used, but by the fact that Sony gives you an extended battery, I think it won't be long.  (What about MP3 playing for 35 hours?  Well, the real fact is that you cannot store 35 hours of music even if you have a 1GB MS Pro.)

5. Goodbye game and (stereo) music.  It's not quite sure at this stage, but it seems that most games cannot be played in this handheld.  And the mono sound output makes listening to music less enjoyable.

6. Not lefty-friendly.  The virtual Graffiti on the right is simply not friendly for left hand users.

In fact I have some more views, but I'm not sure about them and maybe I can write it later.

[cbulock]

And the mono sound output makes listening to music less enjoyable.


This is the first I have read this. Why would Sony have a mono sound output! They are a company that makes sound equipment. This would have to be the first device they have made with mono sound output in a least 20 years. If this is true, then this device is not going to do well for a "Personal Entertainment Organizer".

[cbulock]

Nevermind, the Sony Japan website says that it is in fact a stero output.

[Pekkle168]

I don't see a way to play keypad games anyways on any of the NR, NX series devices anyways.. they keyboard are just too hard to even play games. so what do I play? games that are like bejeweled :D So I don't see a problem playing that on a UX50.

and correct me if I am wrong. which Clie offers stereo with it's built-in speaker? they all sound mono to me.. :)

[ballistic]

I think a lot of people are missing the BIG PICTURE on this one.
Not everyone uses their PDA for games, MP3's and other entertainment. Some people use their PDAs for productive reasons; scheduling, carrying around volumes of information, viewing/editing/creating documents, composing and replying to email, etc.

If Sony is making a seperate gaming device with the PSP, why would they make ANY Clie very functional at playing games?

With the addition of the UX-50, they are simply evolving the Clie line by giving users the option of having a pocketable clamshell laptop replacement device.

I don't forsee all future Clies having the same form factor of the UX-50; the NX and TG form factors will remain far into the future. The UX is simply the newest form factor in the Clie family.

[splat]

My response to your comments:

1) Have you ever used the Danger Hiptop? The layout is very similar to the UX series Clie, and it's quite easy to use. Just because we're all used to the current one-hand operation doesn't mean this won't be as good, if not better.

2) 16MB available for storage of files and programs, 16MB for system backup, and 29MB internal storage for media (JPGs, MPEGs, MP3s, etc.). Plus there's probably ROM storage that can be eventually unlocked with JackFlash in the future. And a CF slot? Where were they going to put it? Sony took a device smaller than the NX series, packed in Bluetooth and Wireless along with it, where was there room for a CF slot? I'd rather lose that than carry around a brick.

3) It's the same resolution camera as the NX70, and here's why I think they didn't put the newer 1.3 MP camera in. If I have a Bluetooth/Wireless device, I'm probably going to be sending data from it, including pictures. And do I really want to be sending 1280x1024 pictures over that kind of connection? Otherwise I wonder why they didn't pack in the better camera myself.

4) Sony claims basically the same battery performance as the NX series, but with a hit when using WiFi or Bluetooth. This is expected. If you want to use a pocket sized wireless PDA, you better be ready to charge it quite often. And to help us out, they designed it to use an external backpack. Name me one other device like this that offers something to that effect.

5) It does have stereo music and a polyphonic speaker.

6) If you take a look at some of the pictures online, you'll find that Sony DID actually think of this and there IS a feature to switch the virtual grafitti from the right to the left for the small percentage of lefties out there.

[tonyreynolds]

I agree with the responants, this is a BUSINESS Clie, not a GAMING PDA. It's feature set is perfect for business people who want to stay intounch with the offices and clients while allowing maximum use of te keyboard for Grafitti-phobe executives.

This doesn't mean that I would PERSONALLY want one; the camera's a real let-down for me. But for you average executive used to the Tungstens, this is a real alternative...

Tony

[Eddy]

the above replies make sense, I also think this is simply a start to a new line of CLIEs as the U series, & aimed at the Business users. I just can't imagine how many threads there're already about the "soon to be released" CLIE :eek:

[ksjenkins]

I agree with splat!

You've jumped the gun a bit. Lets see what the announcement today reveals.

From all the pictures and details I've seen:
It does have MP3/ATRAC Stereo Out.
It will support VGrafitti on the Left for us lefty's.
It will have more memory available to the user than any of the current Clie's
Battery life will vary just as it does now. Some users (like me) use their Clie's constantly, so if I can get a day's use then I'm golden. Having an extended battery option just makes it much more usable for trips and long weekends.

I'm a very statisified N760 user, I've been waiting for the Clie with WiFi and Bluetooth INTEGRATED and lo and behold here it is. Having a camera on any other device than a camera is almost less that worthless to me.

The screen is HiRes+ though it is smaller than the current NX series, which means a smaller dot pitch (a little higher res). The UX will fit my gadget hunger for at least the next 18 months!

[Unregistered]

this is aimed at business users, to compete with t/c, t/w, hiptop, blackberry. although the tg was supposed to be aimed at business users, it never took off like that. right now, sony does not have a device that penetrates the lucrative business market. not that many companies are mass buying and implementing clies. they are for dell, palm, and hp though. sony needs to penetrate this market.

[purpleice]

I am so disapointed!! why would they covert back to low res imges- I use that a lot and was hopeing it would be like the z90 - very sad, and how abouot the remote? I just guest I'll have to wait!!!! Bad Bad Sony!!! "Backwards"
; (

[n2ifp]

Who said it was going back to Lowres images?

[purpleice]

I did 640 by 480 is low res

[Unregistered]

"I agree with the responants, this is a BUSINESS Clie"

Maybe for business people who warm a chair all day at a desk. Not for those who are mobile.

[Quantumduck]

  Personally, the UX looks to me like the first Clie I have seen that will be a 'must have' in the upgrade trail.  The only thing the SJ-33 or the NX series had that I wanted is the faster processor.  But, then again, I don't listen to MP3's, I rarely play games beside solitare and scrabble, but I do have doc to go documents that are hundreds of pages long on MS.

  I will upgrade in September.

The QuantumDuck

[purpleice]

I really need the camera- one that take good pics... I find it very useful when meet people and having contact and image together... I also hate carrying around a camera- so 2 in one is better for me... I still will have to wait ... nybe by xmass ?

[ballistic]

Originally posted by Unregistered
"I agree with the responants, this is a BUSINESS Clie"

Maybe for business people who warm a chair all day at a desk. Not for those who are mobile.

If you're at a chair all day, you'll use a desktop. If you're mobile and want a viable alternative to a laptop that is pocketable, just as functional for WP, email, etc, has better battery life, then the UX-50 could fit the bill.

[tonyreynolds]

Originally posted by ballistic


If you're at a chair all day, you'll use a desktop. If you're mobile and want a viable alternative to a laptop that is pocketable, just as functional for WP, email, etc, has better battery life, then the UX-50 could fit the bill.

...exactly.

Tony

[Unregistered]

"the small percentage of lefties out there"

Actually, biological lefties make up exactly 50% of the population. The fact that we 'see' more righties in our lives is b/c as young kids many people are 'socialized' into being righties - they basically learn it, as opposed to it being natural.

Ask any biologist.

-X

[tonyreynolds]

Originally posted by Unregistered
"the small percentage of lefties out there"

Actually, biological lefties make up exactly 50% of the population. The fact that we 'see' more righties in our lives is b/c as young kids many people are 'socialized' into being righties - they basically learn it, as opposed to it being natural.

Ask any biologist.

-X

THIS IS FALSE...

"Generally, what percentage of the population is left-handed:
Quick answer: from 11% to 13% , depending on the criteria used.

Statistical percentage that tends to increase slowly as society becomes more accepting with respect to left-handed people.

In the case of young people aged 10-20, more males (14%) and women (12%) are left-handed than in the case of older people (6% for both genders).

More men (13.5%) are left-handed than women (10%)."

Tony

[muldermx]

wait , why do people say its a business thing and not a entertainment thing. it has its biz pluses (wifi etc) but what did they take off the nx70v (which IS an ent machine) ? - the CF which i dont use at all and?....

I think its just an addon - and a great one. maybe hires+ games wont be easy to play but thats that...

[Unregistered]

Originally posted by tonyreynolds


THIS IS FALSE...

"Generally, what percentage of the population is left-handed:
Quick answer: from 11% to 13% , depending on the criteria used.

Statistical percentage that tends to increase slowly as society becomes more accepting with respect to left-handed people.

In the case of young people aged 10-20, more males (14%) and women (12%) are left-handed than in the case of older people (6% for both genders).

More men (13.5%) are left-handed than women (10%)."

Tony


Sorry Tony, the statistics you cite are exactly what I'm talking about: what we *observe* in people, as opposed to what is biologically *natural* in people. Neither left handedness nor right-handedness is genetically dominant over the other. They appear EQUALLY in nature. Left-handedness is socialized out. Even the place you cite gets at this in an indirect way when they say :

"Statistical percentage that tends to increase slowly as society becomes more accepting with respect to left-handed people"

If society were 100% accepting of lefties, then we would observe that 50% of people are left handed.

-X

[Unregistered]

the point being made is this - sony so far has not targeted business users and industry pda solutions, and this is a very lucrative market, including the aftermarket support. computer departments are not exactly beating down sony's door to implement and deploy clies to their work force. palm has both 'comsumer' models and 'business' models. dell has packaged the axim and is now deployed in many businesses. so far, although the blackberry has not caught on like wildfire, it has no direct competition. the highest concentration of blackberry use - is on wallstreet where people are constantly checking quotes/rates. but so far, clies do not have a server that pushes the email, something that palm and pocketpc have.

[Unregistered]

you will also note that most of the people who say they will buy this just from reading the specs - are not hardcore games nor do they care that much about camera quality - this is the typical business user. when an IT department deploys a pda - do you think they want a nice built in camera so that people can spend their day taking pictures (or even in the office of their co-worker?)

[Unregistered]

Originally posted by tonyreynolds


THIS IS FALSE...

"Generally, what percentage of the population is left-handed:
Quick answer: from 11% to 13% , depending on the criteria used.

Statistical percentage that tends to increase slowly as society becomes more accepting with respect to left-handed people.

In the case of young people aged 10-20, more males (14%) and women (12%) are left-handed than in the case of older people (6% for both genders).

More men (13.5%) are left-handed than women (10%)."

Tony


Sorry Tony, the statistics you cite are exactly what I'm talking about: what we *observe* in people, as opposed to what is biologically *natural* in people. Neither left handedness nor right-handedness is genetically dominant over the other. They appear EQUALLY in nature. Left-handedness is socialized out. Even the place you cite gets at this in an indirect way when they say :

"Statistical percentage that tends to increase slowly as society becomes more accepting with respect to left-handed people"

If society were 100% accepting of lefties, then we would observe that 50% of people are left handed.

-X

[ksjenkins]

I'm in the High Tech business and I have observed more lefties in my field than is typical - around 50% But if you did a poll you'd probably find about 25% are left handed. Being left handed is not absolute, many of us are ambidextrous because we live in a right handed world.

[Ftrooper93]

Just to address this, in nature handedness may be close to 50%, but in humans, hand dominance is 75% weighted to rightys.

[St. Magnum]

Okay, The only benefits to ME of using a UX-50 over my NX-70 might be:

1) A little more internal memory. Maybe. Sorta. Kinda...

2) The UX-50 appears to be a little less bulky than the NX-70.

3) The keyboard appears to be much larger than the itty-bitty thumb-buster on my NX-70. It might actually be practical to use!

4) The extended battery could be a BIG bonus. Sometimes I use my Clie for 6-7-8 hours a day, and I have to resort to the awkward AA battery adapter.

5) OS 5.2, but is it that much of an improvement?

6) Full Memory Stick Pro support.


Downsides?

1) Is there going to be a portrait mode? Please let there be!
2) Slower Processor.
3) Will the jog dial work in a hypothetical portrait mode? Probably not.
4) $700? C'mon! At best it's a MINOR upgrade from the NX70. Is that worth another $100?

As far as I'm concerned, I'll save my money and wait for something with a little more whizz-bang for the buck.

[dannyboy]

Just for comparison:

Price from Pricegrabber
NX70v = $350
WL110 wifi card = $125.23
Bluetooth Memory stick = $150

Total = $625.23

$699 too much? probably. would i pay for this thing? maybe, maybe not, depends on your need and size of your wallet.