I played with the UX50 today (preview)

[pdagal]

Hi guys,
What coolness! Two of us from pdabuyersguide.com attended Sony's press roundtable at the Sony Metreon in San Francisco this morning. As part of the presentation, we got to play with the UX50 and accessories for an hour. We took lots of pix, several of which are published in our preview. I wrote a a pretty long preliminary review of the UX50 as well. Feel free to ask any questions. . .

http://www.pdabuyersguide.com/feature/sony_UX50.htm

[tonyreynolds]

Wow!

What a scoop!

Great 'review' Lisa. It's a very compelling PDA, but at $699, I'm gonna have to pass, especially when I can get a discounted or nearly new NZ90 for $150-250 less...

Tony

[Vidge]

Good review. I think I'm going to pass on this one, too.

[Katsu]

Great review, but still wondering how running 3rd party applications will work on this new unit? We shall see...

[greg elmassian]

nice form for browsing, disappointing in camera, flash, non-replaceable battery (but might not be needed) and no cf or second memory slot

if it had a 200 mhz processor and a flash and at least one megapixel i'd be drooling...

greg

[pdagal]

I too have fallen for, and even taken for granted, the CCD cameras in the NX80V and NZ90. Not sure I'd want to give them up, though landscape browsing is tempting-- and as you guys can guess, I spend much of my work days either writing for the Net or surfing the Net, and the UX has its merits.

This is Sony's thinking, as of today's press conference: they want us to choose between being an entry level/mid-level user (SJ and TG50), a multimedia user wanting a great camera and processor (NX, NZ) or a communications user-- WiFi, BT and landscape browsing (UX). They're trying to make all kinds of handhelds to please as many camps as possible. The problem is us power users, who want it all in one device. I'm sure they can make it-- but they'd charge us $1,000 US ;). The UX is the next step beyond the TG50, for folks who prefer landscape and a more serious keyboard over a slate design.

I'd tend to believe them when they say most 3rd party apps will run. Esp. since one of the heads of 3rd party software relations was there :). Several apps on the UX, including the PIM apps, are running in a 320 x 320 space. The exciting part will be if Sony offers 480 x 320 APIs so 3rd party developers can offer landscape full screen apps. I could kick myself for forgetting to ask about such an API, but I'll send them an email and ask. Anyhow, this leads me to another point: the 320 x 480 res on the NX and NZ series is pretty well supported by 3rd parties, and all the built-in apps run full screen. In the case of the UX, unless Sony releases an API, you won't get full screen on the UX from 3rd party apps.

[OcellNuri]

Originally posted by pdagal


I'd tend to believe them when they say most 3rd party apps will run. Esp. since one of the heads of 3rd party software relations was there :). Several apps on the UX, including the PIM apps, are running in a 320 x 320 space. The exciting part will be if Sony offers 480 x 320 APIs so 3rd party developers can offer landscape full screen apps. I could kick myself for forgetting to ask about such an API, but I'll send them an email and ask. Anyhow, this leads me to another point: the 320 x 480 res on the NX and NZ series is pretty well supported by 3rd parties, and all the built-in apps run full screen. In the case of the UX, unless Sony releases an API, you won't get full screen on the UX from 3rd party apps.

In my opinion, Sony better release the 480x320 API ASAP! They should also make it very easy to impliment. I can already imagine that some developers are going to be unhappy with another screen API, just when 320x480 support was becoming common. Landscape looks great, but I know none of us want to go through the initial NR70V deal again... where you have all of this screen, and just Graffiti stuck there! The UX has a lot of great features with a lot of potential, but Sony better get on the ball and release API's for the screen, sound, and this 2d/3d hardware. The speed of the screen API getting released, in my opinion, can make or break the launch of the UX.

[Eddy]

nice scoop! way to go! :)

[cykalan]

Originally posted by OcellNuri


In my opinion, Sony better release the 480x320 API ASAP!
They actually already did it - the wide screen APIs are released on the same date as Sony Japan announced the release of UX50. :)

[cykalan]

Pdagal, so is it confirmed that the UX screen can NOT switch beteen landscape and portrait mode.?

[pdagal]

I asked that specific question at the roundtable and Mr. Yoshida said portrait mode will not be supported. He even consulted some other team members before giving me an answer.

Originally posted by cykalan
Pdagal, so is it confirmed that the UX screen can NOT switch beteen landscape and portrait mode.?

[techdude]

Hopefully the landscape mode in UX will be the same as the one in the rumored T3, or else, the developers just might get crazy supporting all of these custom APIs.

[DonWon]

pdagal

you had both the NX and UX side by side.
which did u perfer more?

[ssulux]

Originally posted by wonton
pdagal

you had both the NX and UX side by side.
which did u perfer more?

i think she already mentioned the implied answer in the beginning of thread and in the review in the pdabuyersguide that ux will support her and other "web/internet oriented" user.

thus, if i'm not mistaken, the answer is she likes ux better.

i just hate the fact that ux will have no support for portrait mode, thus every developer will have to do more work to support this new res.

what about zlauncher and acid image?
i don't think i could live well without this two apps.

nice review anyway.

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the informative review. It confirms why I don't want one, lol, but I can see if one "lives on the net" or wants to get their email while in the toilet or standing in line at McDonalds, it would have great appeal :).

Now if Sony would just listen to the rest of us. I guess a boring "work horse" PDA with hi-res+, VG and a voice recorder doesn't look as thrilling in an advertisement.

[ssulux]

" but I can see if one "lives on the net" or wants to get their email while in the toilet or standing in line at McDonalds, it would have great appeal "

ha ha ha ...
this is sooooooo right.

[pdagal]

Surprise: I like the NX80V better.

1. The NX feels and looks so absolutely beatiful (OK, that's not a prime reason for buying a machine, but looks don't hurt).

2. I'm a photographer on the side, so the I would really hate to go back to the VGA CMOS camera with no flash or capture light. Were it not for battery issues, I'd be an NZ user.

3. There's plenty of support for full screen apps on the NX. I don't want to wait 6 months to get that on the UX. NR syndrome all over again. . .

4. The NX has a faster processor, yet maintains awesome battery life. Though I do generally find it hard to tax the processor, and I imagine for most things the UX would be zippy enough.

That doesn't mean I don't like the UX, cause I do. Integrated WiFi and BT are wonderful for me. But I already own the WiFi card, so I'm pretty much there with the NX.

I don't really care about the lack of a CF slot since I use that only for an Ambicom 56k modem and the WiFi card. I have enough memory sticks that I don't use the CF card unless I'm viewing images taken with my standalone digicam. If I wanted to watch full length movies or TV episodes on the Clie, I'm sure I'd feel different :) If Sprint came out with Clie drivers for their PCS Vision CF card, I'm sure I'd feel different.

The size is highly portable and the keyboard is simply a joy to use compared to other PDAs, even HPCs. It's quite attractive in person, just not up the new NX standard.

Landscape is very appealing, but you're still gonna do scrolling on web pages, so I'm not sure it's there yet. Were it 640 x 480 or (I can wish, can't I?) 800 x 600, I'd snap it up in a heartbeat.

Keep in mind I only played with the UX50 for an hour. We'll see how I feel about it after I play with our review unit for a week. Hopefully we'll receive one in a few weeks.

My ideal Clie would be a 640 x 480 landscape compact model with integrated WiFi (BT wouldn't hurt, but I need WiFi), decent processor, 32 megs or more of RAM, a 2 MP CCD digicam w/flash and the UX keyboard. As I said before, I'm sure I could have it, but it'd cost at least $1,000. A gal can dream-- but I bet in 2 years I'll have what I want :)

Originally posted by wonton
pdagal

you had both the NX and UX side by side.
which did u perfer more?

[Drachen]

Thanks for the preview, Lisa. I'm a die-hard NZ user for the time being and the UX hasn't done much to change that. The only thing I really want from that device is the landscape version of Netfront. Knowing this place, that wish may be fulfilled on this board once the actual device is released. :D

Unregistered: Uh... that's what I do now with my NZ! :p

[nickster87]

Do the native Sony apps run in 480x320?

Also: Are the developers able to update their programs to fit the UX50's screen?

I need to know since I am currently about to preorder.

Thanks and great preview!!;)

[ksjenkins]

pdagal:

You mentioned that the UX was zippy enough. From the hour you got to play with it, does it seem as fast as your NX80?? Also any mention of being able to charge the UX from the USB port??

[pdagal]

Yes, it felt as fast as my NX80V. However, you can only run calendar, contacts and etc. so fast ;) The camera apps felt equally as fast, as did Clie Viewer. I do believe the graphics coprocessor helps with these. Netfront was fine, but the bottleneck there is generally the connection speed when we're running at 100 MHz or above. Picsel launched fast enough, but there were no files on the PDA to view with it, other than the help file.

I suspect I'd need to try movie trailers and intensive games to see a noticable difference.

No mention of USB charging.

Originally posted by ksjenkins
pdagal:

You mentioned that the UX was zippy enough. From the hour you got to play with it, does it seem as fast as your NX80?? Also any mention of being able to charge the UX from the USB port??

[nickster87]

Don't forget about my questions!:)

[OcellNuri]

Originally posted by cykalan

They actually already did it - the wide screen APIs are released on the same date as Sony Japan announced the release of UX50. :)

Excellent! I hope we start seeing the major apps updated...

Datebk5, Acid Image, Zlauncher, Wordsmith...

Those would be my top 4 apps to be updated.

[pdagal]

OK :)
The camera and movie apps ran full screen, with the thumbnail area to the right instead of the bottom as on the NX and NZ series. I don't recall about the MP3 player. As I recall, Clie Viewer also ran full screen.

I can't answer about the 3rd party developer question unil I get an answer from Sony. Lucky them, they don't work on weekends, so I'll have to wait until Monday for them to see my email. cykalan says the answer is yes, earlier in this thread.



Originally posted by nickster87
Don't forget about my questions!:)

[dliao]

Pdagal,

I'm surpirsed that you didn't mention about the screen size difference between NX and UX? does that mean the screen size (3.8' of NX v.s. 3.2" of UX) isn't an issue?

I was happy when i heard UX is a 480x320 resoltuion unit, but later feel upset about its smaller screen. Please commnet on it!

THanks

[pdagal]

Yes, that's true the screen is smaller. Guess I'm so used to the Mac of old days with its smaller dot pitch and higher res on a smaller display that it didn't affect me. The display is very sharp on the UX and that helps. Though I'm not a youngster anymore and do wear glasses, I didn't have any problems at all. I can imagine some folks might, esp. with older eyes.

I do find the Zaurus landscape PDA a bit hard to read, in comparison. The LCD on that unit is a bit too small for the resolution.

[dliao]

thanks for the reply :)

[DonWon]

thanks pdagal

[cykalan]

Originally posted by pdagal
I asked that specific question at the roundtable and Mr. Yoshida said portrait mode will not be supported. He even consulted some other team members before giving me an answer.



ar.....too bad.....dumb dumb sony......

[cykalan]

btw, thanks a lot pdagal. :) :)

[aaronchow]

PDAGal,

Just wondering, where exactly in Sony Metreon did the press event happens? I was there earlier and I didn't see anything special happenning?

[pdagal]

In the upstairs offices. They held it at 8:30am, before the stores opened downstairs (so a guard and Sony PR rep had to let us in).

And you're welcome, guys :)

Originally posted by aaronchow
PDAGal,

Just wondering, where exactly in Sony Metreon did the press event happens? I was there earlier and I didn't see anything special happenning?

[Ddeath]

In my opinion, they should really include the capability to switch between landscape and portrait mode. It's enough to put me off from buying it if I have the dough, just like the mono audio plug on T|C. :(

[orol]

I unfortunately overslept this press conference ;-(
besides I really didn't know where the sony metreon is ..

[Raptor]

Originally posted by OcellNuri
Excellent! I hope we start seeing the major apps updated...

Datebk5, Acid Image, Zlauncher, Wordsmith...

Those would be my top 4 apps to be updated.

Oooooh . . . a widescreen Wordsmith. If Bluenomad updates before the UX release, that'll seal the deal for me.

While I do prefer to have some multimedia features in my PDA, I primarily use it for creative writing, communicating (I've got the BT MS and a BT phone), game design, and PIM, of course. This means that the UX is right up my alley, 'specially since I've got a WiFi network at home.

Here's a question, though. What's the hotsync connector on this thing? And will the unit be compatible with the Sony Stowaways? A wider built-in keyboard is nice, but sometimes I do need a full sized version, especially when I get in the writing "groove".

:)

[AndrewClie]

Next time anyone gets to play with the UX, beam a bunch of programs on to it and take some screenshots of what they look like on the screen. It'll be interesting to see how some programs deal with the new screen size.

[Raptor]

Originally posted by AndrewClie
Next time anyone gets to play with the UX, beam a bunch of programs on to it and take some screenshots of what they look like on the screen. It'll be interesting to see how some programs deal with the new screen size.

Now, I haven't played with one, but my guess is that it would be handled the same way they were handled on the NR70's. They would fill up the 320x320 square and the rest of the screen will be filled up with a "locked" (non collapsible) vertically oriented virtual grafitti area.

Left of right positioning of the VG area is assumed.

[AndrewClie]

It's worth a look.

[drws1]

The cost benefit ratio calculations comparing the NX-80 and the UX 50 will be greatly altered by the pending availability of the PEGA-CC5 Car Cradle for the NX80.
I downloaded the operating instructions from the FCC site, and the cradle is very impressive indeed It should increase the usability and attractiveness of the NX80 many times over especially for those of us who seem to spend our lives in cars on freeways. (Search will get you theFCC site and the info to input)