Handheld PCs (H/PC) and Landscape Displays

[MVives]

Hey folks,

Does anybody here have experience with Handheld PCs?

By this I mean "PDAs" based on Windows CE like the HP Jornada 728 (http://pandi.itrc.hp.com/busprod/overview/0,12512,series=81768^type=12454^category=64929,00.html?lsidebarLayId=79&rsidebarLayId=63) and NEC MobilePro 790 (http://www.neccomp.com/products/MobilePro/790). There is definitely a certain appeal to the clamshell design of the Sony NR/NX models, but I can't help but wish they had a "landscape" form factor like H/PC models, instead of a "portrait" form factor. A landscape display is much better suited for viewing spreadsheets and web pages, and text documents to a lesser extent. It also doesn't hurt that H/PCs have pretty decent keyboards.

However, weighing between 1 and 2 pounds, most H/PCs are really somewhere between a PDA and a laptop. For reference, the NX is 8 oz. and the NZ will be 10 oz. I know the Handera 330 can support lanscape viewing (quite nice), but of course there is no color model yet.

Any thoughts on this?

[pnorman]

A few years back when I started looking around, I had decided on the Compaq 3xxx. But it seemed so hopelessly back-ordered that I ordered the HP720 instead. As a landscape device it's, as you say, superior in such things as spreadsheets. I don't get online with it except for occasional tests, but 1/2 VGA works SO much better in the browser.

But there's NO way one can "wear it" with any ease, other in weather that calls for heavy overcoats (or bib overalls). It fits nicely in the shoulder bag I usually go outside with, but it's a completely different device than my T615.

Since I almost have a shirtpocket available, there's where the T615 resides, although the belt attachment w/swivel [Sena] looks very practical. I keep my Bus Pass affixed to the case since I ALWAYS have the T615 with me.

I welcome an upgrade [(PARTICULARLY 32MB RAM & interchangable battery) but I can easily wait till summer or later. Accordingly, I've spent extra $$$$$ on T615-specific accessories.

[hansschmucker]

Problem is that PalmOS doesn't provide means to write in any other direction then left to right. But a landscape mode would require writing bottom - up mode. So if developers want to do this they will have to write their own routines, which are likely to be slower then the palmos way. About the PPC stuff: Well, keep in mind that The Clié's horizontal resolution is already as high as the PPC's. The Clié has 320x480 while the PPC has only 320x240.

[MVives]

I guess it would be useful to point out that both the NR/NX and most H/PCs have half-VGA resolution. This means that they have half the number of pixels of VGA (640x480), or 153,600 pixels. However, the NR/NX resolution is 320 across by 480 down and the H/PC resolution is 640 across and 240 down. You can think of the NR/NX as displaying the left half of a VGA screen, and the H/PCs as displaying the top half. I have heard of at least one H/PC model which actually displays full-VGA resolution, but it approaches the size of a laptop.

Both of these are an improvement over PPCs, which only show quarter-VGA (240 across by 320 down, or 76,800). That's less than the standard Palm OS hi-res (!) of 320x320, which you might call "1/3-VGA." Of course, then there is the original Palm OS resolution of 160x160, which you might call "1/12-VGA."

Actually, it's a wonder that so many Palm OS apps were able to effectively use just 1/6 of the resolution we now enjoy with the HiRes+ of NR/NX. Well, I hope that somewhat long-winded explanation helps you to visualize what I am talking about...

[___]

Don't listen to these "I got 80 more pixels than you, therefore Clies are better." Most PPCs can landscape if that is what you want. You can buy third party programs that rotate your screens if the program you want to use in landscape has that option. Who wants a huge NX just to get VG when PPCs are built in with VG.

[hansschmucker]

Ahem! 76800! not 80! and VG is built into the NX as well, in case you don't remember. Also You can disable VG on a NX and replace it either by using the built-in keyboard (which works surprisingly well, I write down everything a teacher writes on the board or has on transparencies) or get a hack like Graffiti Anywhere.

[___]

Originally posted by hansschmucker
Ahem! 76800! not 80! and VG is built into the NX as well, in case you don't remember. Also You can disable VG on a NX and replace it either by using the built-in keyboard (which works surprisingly well, I write down everything a teacher writes on the board or has on transparencies) or get a hack like Graffiti Anywhere.

You do not get 76800 more pixels. You get 25600 MORE dumby. I ain't talkin about total. Can't you freakin do math? 320X80 (I got 80 from 320-240.) And like I said, Who wants a BIG NX or NR just for VG when you can get PPC vg built in. I did not say that NX and NR do not have built in VG either...jeese; reading comp mate...you gotta take your stars lessons.

[cbulock]

Whats sad is your calling someone dumb and you don't even know what your talking about. If you did the math right you would see that 480-240=240. 320 x 240 =76800. This is a hi-res plus screen. Not a square 320x320 screen.

[pnorman]

Getting back on track: I didn't know about the difficulty of a Palm device going into landscape mode. I believe the HP200 (DOS 5.0) handles that nicely, so I thought it would be trivial. In any event, full width and 1/2 height is sooooo much easier to read.

Another problem is that an awful lot of desirable CE PC software will NOT run on an H/PC, even if the CPU matches (ARM 206MHZ). My HP720 is built like a tank, and should give me several more years of valuable service, with the software I now have or can find. But unless it can be obtained at a deep discount, I wouldn't recommend it.

One useful program I bought for the H/PC, was "Peacemaker". It allows IR communication with my Sony Clie. (Also with C-Pen, a neat little handheld pocket scanner w/OCR, which also communicates with the Clie).