additional info from Sony

[pdagal]

As promised, I wrote to my Sony US contact with a few questions. Here are the answers:

Q. Is is possible to move the Graffiti area to the left for lefties?
A. "Yes, it is possible to move Graffiti area to the left (Preferences / Extension / Silk Position / Left or Right)."

Q. 3rd party API for landscape?
A. Yes there will be one. Date is TBD.

Q. What is the actual clock speed of the processor. I understand that the Handheld Engine can run at speeds from 8 Mhz to 123 Mhz. Will it run somewhere between these values depending on load, or will it be a narrower range of values?
A. "Yes, depending up on the application, the CPU will run between 8 MHz and 123MHz."

[elf]

Originally posted by pdagal

A. "Yes, depending up on the application, the CPU will run between 8 MHz and 123MHz."

That's the most brilliant piece of computer engineering since the Transmeta CPU.

[jaimejr66]

Nice..... That should help Save on Battery life. I'd still like to see some Real world tests comparing similar apps running on an nx-70, nx-80 and the ux-50 comparing relative speed and battery life.

Sony's 30 minutes a day with backlight off, means absolutely nothing in the real world.

[RoyoftheRovers]

..especially for the battery hungry multimedia apps such as movieplayer.

[Reggie]

If you'd all notce, the Tungsten T2 is running at 144Mhz max only, using the non-Intel chip. It seems like Sony and Plam is agreeing that Mhz is not the way to go. Who would need a 400Mhz processor on a PDA anyway?

[EdFrmBrighthand]

Don't forget the Handheld Engine has a integrated Digital Signal Processor (DSP) and a CXD2230GA graphics accelerator chip, so the main processor won't be handling multimedia. It will be interesting to see what effect these have on the battery life.

[pdagal]

Unless you're running Pocket PC OS ;)


Originally posted by Reggie
If you'd all notce, the Tungsten T2 is running at 144Mhz max only, using the non-Intel chip. It seems like Sony and Plam is agreeing that Mhz is not the way to go. Who would need a 400Mhz processor on a PDA anyway?

[Reggie]

lol pdagal. :D

[Unregistered]

You missed the most important question. You should've asked if current Hi-res+ apps will work on it without modification.

Sigh,
-Doug

[pdagal]

There's no way they could since the unit doesn't run in portrait mode.

Originally posted by Unregistered
You missed the most important question. You should've asked if current Hi-res+ apps will work on it without modification.

Sigh,
-Doug

[dliao]

I remember reading some other site that mentioned current application will run in 320x320.

[pdagal]

That's correct, 3rd party 320 x 320 and 160 x 160 apps will run, according to Sony. I saq apps running in 320 x 320. The Graffiti area fills in the unused area of the display in these modes.

Originally posted by dliao
I remember reading some other site that mentioned current application will run in 320x320.

[n2ifp]

Sony must have some idea how it's new processor would compare to the Intel. Sony will give comparisions on other aspects of the Clie, the camera is one. Sony can compare it with a regular 35mm film camera. For some of us, the variable processor doesn't elicit much enthusiasm due to the numbers published.

I am spoiled with my NX, as I suspect most are ;).

[Unregistered]

Originally posted by pdagal
There's no way they could since the unit doesn't run in portrait mode.



Not true really. Potrait vs. landscape is just a matter of interpretation of the software. They could've made the software do the landscape instead of the hardware. Also, even if they made new apis for landscape, the could've still had backwards compatible apis to allow the old software to work. Please ask your contact to be sure, as it would've been relatively easy for them to make it work with older apps.

-Doug

[Unregistered]

Originally posted by Unregistered


Not true really. Potrait vs. landscape is just a matter of interpretation of the software. They could've made the software do the landscape instead of the hardware. Also, even if they made new apis for landscape, the could've still had backwards compatible apis to allow the old software to work. Please ask your contact to be sure, as it would've been relatively easy for them to make it work with older apps.

-Doug

To be more specific. Most of the apps I'm referring too already are technically landscape apps (ie. insaniquarium, aggression, AI).

-Doug

[EdFrmBrighthand]

There seems to be some confusion about this so let me see what I can do to clear it up. If an app can run in 320x320 or 160x160, it will run on the UX series. Sony confirmed this at the announcement of these models.

However, because the screen has a different orientation that previous models, apps that could make use of the extra area obtained by hiding the virtual Graffiti area won't be able to do so on the US models. Again, this isn't in question; Sony has already confirmed it.

Just so we're clear, this does NOT mean these app don't run on the UX series models. They will run fine. They just won't be able to take full advantage of the screen.

Sony has also said it is going to release an API to allow developers to add support for the landscape screen. Until developers make the required changes, their apps won't be able to hide the virtual Graffiti area on the UX series, even if they could do so on the NX series. Again, not a guess or an assumption, this comes straight from Sony.

p.s. I'm the one who coined the term "Hi-Res+". I guess I'll have to come up with a new description for an app that supports 480 by 320.

[nickster87]

So that was YOU......;)

[Sneezy]

How about +Hi-Res...or Hi-ResL for "landscape"

[Unregistered]

how about 480x320 :)

Hey, I'm the one who coined "480x320" now :)

[Raptor]

Originally posted by EdFrmBrighthand
p.s. I'm the one who coined the term "Hi-Res+". I guess I'll have to come up with a new description for an app that supports 480 by 320.

Hmm, how about:

HiRes->

:)

[jeffmac]

I would actually suggest WiRes

[EdFrmBrighthand]

I'm currently leaning towards Wide-Res

[n2ifp]

No, make it WiRes+

Wi for WiFi

[n2ifp]

To pdagal,

I was curious, since you have seen the new UX50 Clie by Sony. Does the Clie have a serial connector besides what looks like a USB port on the left hand side? On the charging tray, it looks to me that the only connection is a couple of gold pins for powering and charging the Clie.

Thanks!

[nickster87]

Originally posted by n2ifp
No, make it WiRes+

Wi for WiFi

Then you could not use that for the UX40.;)

I like Wide-Res, too.:)

[greg elmassian]

on the comment about the dsp doing all the work on movie player... the cpu will still be used, or there would be nothing on the screen! of course it's load SHOULD be significantly lightened...

pda gal, please, can you post some speed benchmarks?

greg

[ballistic]

Originally posted by Reggie
If you'd all notce, the Tungsten T2 is running at 144Mhz max only, using the non-Intel chip. It seems like Sony and Plam is agreeing that Mhz is not the way to go. Who would need a 400Mhz processor on a PDA anyway?

Might make a nice pocket warmer for those in cold climates ;) .

Wintel has perpetuated the focus on Mhz/clock speed as a means to measure performance. As processor technology goes forward, I think we'll see this become less important. Performance with low power requirements will force processor manufacturers to suddenly claim 'faster' is not necessarily better.

Just look how popular VIA mini-itx based computers are becoming as a low power, quiet, small form factor (SFF) computer. They just announced a new processor here (http://www.via.com.tw/en/Digital%20Library/PR030708Antaur.jsp) that shows the trend against 'more Mhz is best.'

[pdagal]

Wish I could, but I was only able to play with the UX50 for an hour in Sony's offices. When they send out review units in a few weeks I'll be able to post benchmarks in our review.

Originally posted by greg elmassian


pda gal, please, can you post some speed benchmarks?

greg

[pdagal]

The only connector I noticed on the UX50 was the USB connector. Tis true that charging pins are the only "connectors" on the cradle.
-Lisa


Originally posted by n2ifp
To pdagal,

I was curious, since you have seen the new UX50 Clie by Sony. Does the Clie have a serial connector besides what looks like a USB port on the left hand side? On the charging tray, it looks to me that the only connection is a couple of gold pins for powering and charging the Clie.

Thanks!

[Unregistered]

pdagal, read in another thread that you said Sony was releasing API for portrait orientation. did i miss something?

[pdagal]

No, not portrait mode. Sony says no portrait mode.
They'll be releasing APIs for landscape high res +, aka wide res plus :)

Originally posted by Unregistered
pdagal, read in another thread that you said Sony was releasing API for portrait orientation. did i miss something?

[ksjenkins]

pdagal:

Another question: Can you manually or automatically (via time of day=alarm) kickoff a backup of RAM to the 16MB backup partition??

Thanks!

[Unregistered]

A novice question:

Would it be possible to force the UX into portrait mode through a hack or custom software evenif Sony wants to stick with the landscape?

t~N1

[hayashikerubin]

regarding the clockspeed, although it seems that it is lower than all the other 200 MHz or above CPUs out there, it is able to stand on its own in performance.

the CPU handles video processing well, 30 fps, and still running on 123 MHz max, it is able to extend battery life. this is efficiency.

i read this from an interview with the product design team. i will post a thread on the whole interview that i have just completed the translation.

[hayashikerubin]

was there something wrong with my password???

ok i already posted it, under UX developer interview part 2

[Unregistered]

I should have said in my question about portrait mode that "pdagal was reported to have said"... sorry!

[mvfrancisco]

So can we now officially refer to it as wide-res? Before Sony decides to call it Sony Biz-View™ or something?

[ksjenkins]

pdagal:

In your review of the UX you said that 16MB was available as app space. How much actual memory is available??? Is it really 16MB or 14MB or what??

Thanks!!

[EdFrmBrighthand]

Originally posted by pdagal
The only connector I noticed on the UX50 was the USB connector. Tis true that charging pins are the only "connectors" on the cradle.
My friend Eugene in Tokyo confirmed this yesterday. Too bad. :(

[pdagal]

They said you could also do manual backups. I doubt there's any timed backup feature though.

Originally posted by ksjenkins
pdagal:

Another question: Can you manually or automatically (via time of day=alarm) kickoff a backup of RAM to the 16MB backup partition??

Thanks!

[pdagal]

16 megs, just like the NX80V.

On another note, on www.sony.com/clie, the new PDF format specs are now clear about how much memory you can use, with footnotes for those models which don't have the full RAM available (i.e.: NX80 has a footnote that 16 megs are available, NZ90 has a footnote saying 11 megs available). This is a good thing :)

Originally posted by ksjenkins
pdagal:

In your review of the UX you said that 16MB was available as app space. How much actual memory is available??? Is it really 16MB or 14MB or what??

Thanks!!

[ksjenkins]

Thanks pdagal for all your feedback. Can't wait for the in depth review!!!

I'm sold... Sure wish Sept would roll around a little quicker!

[n2ifp]

Originally posted by pdagal
The only connector I noticed on the UX50 was the USB connector. Tis true that charging pins are the only "connectors" on the cradle.
-Lisa

Thank you!

That's what I thought, as any picture that I looked at, showed no connector. It doesn't make any difference to me, but it's good to know. My major concern is performance, if it runs as good as the NX80, I would be happy :)!

[nickster87]

pdagal:

How are the hard buttons for gaming? They are not alligned in the typical fashion (they are off to the right).

[pdagal]

To me, they didn't seem ideal for gaming, esp since you don't get the usual up/down arrow keys plus 4 buttons arrangement. But I didn't actually get to play any games on it :D.

If one can map the game buttons to the keyboard, it might be pretty good.

Originally posted by nickster87
pdagal:

How are the hard buttons for gaming? They are not alligned in the typical fashion (they are off to the right).

[nickster87]

I figured you did not get the chance to play any games on it, but I figured you could at least get a general idea.

[ksjenkins]

pdagal:

Have you received your review UX units from Sony???:D

[pdagal]

Not yet. I'll let you guys know when I do :)


Originally posted by ksjenkins
pdagal:

Have you received your review UX units from Sony???:D

[Unregistered]

Will Sony let you print battery benchmark and CPU benchmark?

[pdagal]

I've never known a manufacturer to ask us not to. And they can only ask ;)

We always print benchmarks when it seems relevant. As long as I can find a good Palm OS 5 CPU benchmark app that is designed for modern RISC processors such as the XScale, Ti and Handheld Engine ones, I'll be happy to do it. Any suggestions for a good current benchmark app, folks?


Originally posted by Unregistered
Will Sony let you print battery benchmark and CPU benchmark?

[*YellowRose*]

You could check out yCPU Benchmarks . . . it seems pretty thorough to me.

www.hotpaw.com/rhn/hotpaw

[Unregistered]

http://www.benc.hr/appusage.htm
http://palm.jeroenwitteman.com/BatteryGraph/index.php

[Unregistered]

This benchmark is free

http://www.ive-software.com/palm-benchmark.php3?kat=2

[pdagal]

Thanks mucho for the suggestions! I'll check out these CPU benchmark apps for use on the UX review.

[ccelada]

So... Wide-Res+, right?... i like the sound of it... the question that remainds unanswered... would it be possible to use Hi-Res+ programs on a Wide-Res+ Device, via a Hack or something similar?... i gues we'll have to wait and discover... :)

BTW, if you saw the pictures of the new Helix/Zodiac/Tapewave or whatever the name is, on PDA Arcade, it seems the device can do both Wide-Res+ And Hi-Res+... here are the pictures

http://www.pdarcade.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1171&mode=&order=0&thold=0

[pdagal]

Of course it's technically possible to make a device that works in both portrait and landscape full screen modes. It's possibile to allow existing high res plus apps run full screen in portrait mode on the UX. The trouble is whether Sony will release an API to allow for this, or alternatively whether some ingenious coder will find their own way of doing it. I suspect that Sony doesn't want to cannabilize sales of NX models, and is trying to keep some separate or value-added for each model line.