Any TH55 owner going to get the iPaq HX4705 ?

[FunFriendship]

I have the TH55 and still waiting for the HX4705 to come out. This iPaq HX4705 keeps on delaying and it is drying me crazy!!!

Well, at least I have the TH55 to play with in the mean time. :) :D

[RunningWoman]

I've been seriously looking at that one as well as the Toshiba e830, assuming it comes out with BT and WiFi, as well as CF and SD slots as predicted. I'm not replacing my beloved Clies, just adding to my collection!

Kim

[IsLNdbOi]

TH55 is perfect! :D Why would you want a HX4705? :p

[FunFriendship]

TH55 is perfect! :D Why would you want a HX4705? :p

The TH55 is far from perfect.

Heck, it lacks many things that the HX4705 have.....for example:

1. Screen of the TH55 is smaller with less resolution
2. TH55 is not able to use flash card
3. TH55 has very minimal landscape mode...meaning many programs are not written in landscape mode.
4. TH55 movie feature is not as good as the HX4705
5. TH55 does not have bluetooth

and those are just a the main differences....there are more.

[IsLNdbOi]

1. The TH is the best screen on a PalmOS machine (along with the T3). The new iPaqs have VGA resolution. That's better than what the TH has (what is the TH's resolution anyway? I know it's 320x480, but is that QVGA?), but that's also a PPC not a Palm.
2. What flash card? Compact Flash? I hope I'm not the only one that thinks CF is getting old and seems just huge compared to the newer "standards"? (SD, MMC, xD, MS). I own alot of Sony stuff from network walkman, to VAIO PC's, to digital cameras, camcorders, DVD players and TV's and older CLIEs that all use memory stick.
3. Missing landscape mode is definitely a negative on the TH55, but I've never had a PDA with landscape capabilitites so I don't miss it.
4. The TH55 is the only PDA I've ever had that plays videos so I have no complaints. There is a thread around here with instructions to playing videos full screen and @ 30 fps.
5. TH55/E

As for the HX4705, how big is that thing again? I like being able to put my PDA in my pocket without a noticeable bulge. How much is that thing gonna cost again? As for as I know the TH55 has been going for as low as $299. How is the battery life? The TH55 has the best battery life of any PDA I'ver ever played with.

... I guess I just feel good knowing that I have the best PDA Sony will ever release in this part of the world. :p

[RunningWoman]

I have the TH-55/E1, and I'm still curious about the new Pocket PCs coming out. For one reason, because to my knowledge no one has gotten a GPS to work with the TH-55 successfully. I also would like the MIDI capabilities my TG-50 has. The devices I'm looking at will also act as USB hosts, allowing me to interface with the data bank I use with my digital cameras.

I love both my TH-55 and my TG-50, but I'm curious about the new devices in the WinCE world. Each has its virtues.

Kim

[wellsjs]

The Dell X50 may actually beat the Ipaq's delivery date! It has similar specs* and if history proves itself, will come in considerably cheaper than HP's $650 price tag for the 4705!

* 640-by-480-pixel (VGA) screen, a 624 MHz Intel XScale processor, and either 128 MB or 64 MB of RAM.

Unless PalmOne steps up to fill the void (in inovation) left by Sony, it's only a matter of time before the new PDA decision will be a "no-brainer!" :)

[Jun]

The Dell X50 may actually beat the Ipaq's delivery date! It has similar specs* and if history proves itself, will come in considerably cheaper than HP's $650 price tag for the 4705!

* 640-by-480-pixel (VGA) screen, a 624 MHz Intel XScale processor, and either 128 MB or 64 MB of RAM.

Unless PalmOne steps up to fill the void (in inovation) left by Sony, it's only a matter of time before the new PDA decision will be a "no-brainer!" :)

I just hope that X50's size is the same as X30 with low price tag rather than the bulky Dell X5.

Cheers!

[RobertS]

I will be buying an hx4700 sometime around the beginning of 05 (end of 04 is reserved for whatever is released as a T5). I am excited about the screen and touchpad (and dual wireless...Please Palm..PLEASE) and I am one of the few who likes it's overall looks and the apparent size of it...I prefer devices with a bit of heft.

That does not change the fact that my TH-55/T|C combo for play and work is unlikely to be changed for quite awhile. I truly feel that they are two different sides of the perfect PDA.

Robert

[Cyker]

320x480 would be half-VGA, not QVGA (VGA is 640x480 ;)). 320x240 is QVGA

CompactFlash is nice, but I just wish the interfaces didn't take up so much space. I guess you can't have it both ways ;)

The main thing I love about my TH is the battery life 'tho - I've not seen any other modern PDA, PalmOS, PPC or otherwise that is as fully featured as the TH and has a battery-life even close to it (Case in point: I left the MP3 player running and forgot about it; When I realised I was like "AAAH!" 'cause I hadn't backed it up yet, but when I checked it the battery was still over 50%, and this was like, ~10-hours later!!!)

It's svelt too, which is one of my bigger gripes about equivalent/near-spec PPCs (Aside from the OS that is :P)

[Agy]

I have the TH-55/E1, and I'm still curious about the new Pocket PCs coming out. For one reason, because to my knowledge no one has gotten a GPS to work with the TH-55 successfully. I also would like the MIDI capabilities my TG-50 has. The devices I'm looking at will also act as USB hosts, allowing me to interface with the data bank I use with my digital cameras.

I love both my TH-55 and my TG-50, but I'm curious about the new devices in the WinCE world. Each has its virtues.

Kim


Take a look at this thread regarding the gps
http://www.1src.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65377

[RunningWoman]

Thanks, Agy! :) I'd somehow missed your post about that. All I remember was the one poor gent who ended up selling his device because he hadn't been able to get GPS to work. I'm glad to know you've had success with yours, and appreciate your comments. Cheers!

Kim

[Rossi_01]

1. The TH is the best screen on a PalmOS machine (along with the T3). The new iPaqs have VGA resolution. That's better than what the TH has (what is the TH's resolution anyway? I know it's 320x480, but is that QVGA?), but that's also a PPC not a Palm.
2. What flash card? Compact Flash? I hope I'm not the only one that thinks CF is getting old and seems just huge compared to the newer "standards"? (SD, MMC, xD, MS). I own alot of Sony stuff from network walkman, to VAIO PC's, to digital cameras, camcorders, DVD players and TV's and older CLIEs that all use memory stick.
3. Missing landscape mode is definitely a negative on the TH55, but I've never had a PDA with landscape capabilitites so I don't miss it.
4. The TH55 is the only PDA I've ever had that plays videos so I have no complaints. There is a thread around here with instructions to playing videos full screen and @ 30 fps.
5. TH55/E

As for the HX4705, how big is that thing again? I like being able to put my PDA in my pocket without a noticeable bulge. How much is that thing gonna cost again? As for as I know the TH55 has been going for as low as $299. How is the battery life? The TH55 has the best battery life of any PDA I'ver ever played with.

... I guess I just feel good knowing that I have the best PDA Sony will ever release in this part of the world. :p

Ditto, and adding:

6. Best battery life any PPC will every dream to have.

7. Free of Windows crap... priceless! :-)

[stronggeek]

I've had mine for a few days now and paid appr. 550 for it with rebates and all.

It was more or less a B-day present that I got to pick and sense I was due for a new toy (though I'll use it extensively for work as well) and Palm1 didn't deliver I chose the 4705 and I am a happy camper.

I like my clie and will continue to use it though my transition, but for now all I can tell you is that the speed, the screen, the apps I've been missing out on are amazing and the accessories are abundant.

Will report back later.

PS By the way, I've also noticed many palm ueres in the PPC forums lately.

[Pdaman]

Ditto, and adding:

6. Best battery life any PPC will every dream to have.

7. Free of Windows crap... priceless! :-)
Now we are talking about !

[CliePet]

FWIW: I have a Toshiba e800 (Pocket PC, VGA screen), but I still prefer the TH55 for many things. Selective comments and troll feeding...

Portable movie watching:
Unless you have a movie file that is 640x480 format, it is being scaled up to fit a PocketPC VGA screen
Most movies compressed for a PDA are smaller, say 320x240 to fit more on a CF card.

The TH55 can play back up to 480x320 movies directly, which is well beyond what most people use.
The TH55 built in movie playing capabilities are very good, and give hours of movie watching. PocketTV (an MPEG player on the PocketPC platform) is quite good too, but you can only watch for a shorter time.

If the PDA has drained the batteries, I don't care whether it is PalmOS or PocketPC ;->

---
PocketPC has a lot of plusses and minues too.

Try both (in real life), and draw your own conclusions.
As always be careful of over-hyped specs and marketing promotional material.
Read a review or two (some lackluster comments on the new HX4700)

[JulianL]

If the PDA has drained the batteries, I don't care whether it is PalmOS or PocketPCNicely put. I'll definitely be using that rather clever turn of phrase in the future.

- Julian

[Cyker]

The general consensus is that the PocketPC is better for multimedia and 'posing', while PalmOS is better for actually doing stuff, like organising :p

The main reason I've always liked the Clie range is that they strike a near-perfect compromise between the multimedia-ness of PPC's and the usability and large software base of Palm's. That and it has the best (unmodified) battery life of *any* modern PDA by far! :D

PPC's may have better overall multimedia capabilities but it's no good having a DVD on Flash when you have to charge the thing twice before the film finishes :p

[stronggeek]

FWIW: I have a Toshiba e800 (Pocket PC, VGA screen),
PocketPC has a lot of plusses and minues too.

Try both (in real life), and draw your own conclusions.
As always be careful of over-hyped specs and marketing promotional material.
Read a review or two (some lackluster comments on the new HX4700)

Hi Cliepet, I just wanted to let you know that most of the reviews I've read have been extremely positive for the hp 4705 and the speed, the screen, the battery life (1900 mah) as well as the apps like Pocket Informant are amazing!

For me this unit most definitely lives up to the hype and although I'm still trying to get use to the touch pad I find that for my use it a fantatic purchase!

I'm not trying justify my purchase, but in staying with the topic of this thread I like share some positive reiviews.

http://www.pdagold.com/articles/detail.asp?a=206

http://pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=reviews&id=483&p=3

AND Handheld Computing magazine gave the unit an A+.

There are many more positive reiviews, but in the end it all boils down to "how do it I like it" and the answer is I LOVE IT!

[depret]

stronggeek, thanks for the links. I have NetFront >> Page memo saved as reference reading material. Depending on the PalmOne Treo 650, Tungsten T|6 or T|7 and the need to get new accessories, I will have to make a decision on FY05 purchase depending on my own trade study. TH55 is still going strong but you never know what may come up.

[jjesusfreak01]

I have nothing against ppc, except that they involve microsoft, and have generally worse battery life than palms. I am excluding tungsten handhelds from this. I just do not see how a vga screen could be that much better than a hvga screen. Unless the screen was much larger, I do not see how you could tell the difference. I think its funny that ppcs, for the most part, have jumped directly from qvga to vga. I believe ppc owners would probably be awed by a hvga screen, if they were used to qvga. Whats next, XGA screens on handhelds? Someone must have a large contract with Acuvue.

[Gazpacho]

And I for one really wonder how users handle the enormous BULK that the new VGA PPC's give you. The new HP is bigger than the NZ90 for goodness' sake, and remember we had a whole thread making fun out of the NZ90's appearance?

[stronggeek]

stronggeek, thanks for the links. I have NetFront >> Page memo saved as reference reading material. Depending on the PalmOne Treo 650, Tungsten T|6 or T|7 and the need to get new accessories, I will have to make a decision on FY05 purchase depending on my own trade study. TH55 is still going strong but you never know what may come up.

Had Sony not left the palm camp and I had more faith in Palm1 I would have waited, but after the realease of the wifi-less T5 and finding out how "sloppy" of a release it actually is with all it's bugs I just thought I take a dip in a different pond, but I still have my clie and will be synching both units with outlook now and so therefore I shall always strive to see what's crackin in both campa now! I'd love to see a T6 unit come out and be what we thought the T5 should have been.

[stronggeek]

I have nothing against ppc, except that they involve microsoft, and have generally worse battery life than palms. I am excluding tungsten handhelds from this. I just do not see how a vga screen could be that much better than a hvga screen. Unless the screen was much larger, I do not see how you could tell the difference. I think its funny that ppcs, for the most part, have jumped directly from qvga to vga. I believe ppc owners would probably be awed by a hvga screen, if they were used to qvga. Whats next, XGA screens on handhelds? Someone must have a large contract with Acuvue.

Honestly as most of the reviews state and from personal experience the battery life is fantatic in the 4505 I can get 4.5 to 5 hours playing games, using wifi, bt and pims and other apps.

Your information on the ppc battery may outdated now which is why I decided to give the dark side a chance.

And the screen... well as unbelievable as it is my NX80's screen still comes pretty close to the quality, but you can see more on the ipaq's 4 inch screen.

[depret]

Although the Tl7 rumor was a fake I still think Palm will release a Tl7 (skipping the T|6) which will be a TlC2 like machine. Whether it has 320x320, 480x640 plus a keyboard is anyones guess.

Now that I think about it, a Tl6 with OS6 would be hard for marketing to NOT pitch it to management.

Glad Sony gave us the TH55 before saying 'out' for 2004. Gives me lots of options for 2005.

[stronggeek]

And I for one really wonder how users handle the enormous BULK that the new VGA PPC's give you. The new HP is bigger than the NZ90 for goodness' sake, and remember we had a whole thread making fun out of the NZ90's appearance?

Check out http://www.brighthand.com/article/HP_hx4700_Review

This article states that the 4705 is 5.2 inches tall, 3.0 inches wide, and .6 inches thick (131 mm by 77 mm mm 15 mm). It weighs 6.6 ounces (186.7 g).

The NZ90 is 3 x 5 5/8 x 29/32 inches and weighs 10.3 ounces so you're WAY off.

The 4705 is actually just slightly taller and wider than my NX80, but not as thick!

Just stating that it's no where near the size of an NZ90.

[jhintonh]

Good Evening-

And hello, multiple-thread-starting-consumer-electronics-purchase-acceptance-seeking-individual.

See my post in response to I believe your first "e-Ahem".

http://www.1src.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70168

-Jhintonh

[stronggeek]

Well I mispoke or mis-wrote. :)

The 4705's creen is clearly much better than my NX80's in that I can that with the help of a little hack and the size of the screen I can view full web pages.

Also some things I didn't list before are the fact that the contact apps are a lot more powerful allowing one to link to documents, pics, other contacts and dates and so on.

Also speech recognition is something I've always wanted and now have (and it's very accurate as well).

The software side of the ppc world still lags behind Palm, but it's not as bad as some would have you believe.

Battery life is excellent.

I still use my NX80 (Because it's still cool and I haven't found replacement apps for the apps "I took for grant it"), syncing both to Outlook now.

I am in no way slamming either camp, but just offering a friendly opinion.

[coolride]

I just looked at the specs on the new HP iPAQ hx4705 and I'm pretty impressed. I'm fully aware of the pros and cons of the TH55, so there's no need for me to go into that. But the TH55 is far from perfect, and the hx4705 might have me change...but not any time soon. The money I've invested in my TH55 as well as the Palm OS would have me look at the Palm T5 before the hx4705. In my opinion, if you have the TH55, I would hold off, as OS6 should be coming (not soon enough, and albeit maybe not for a long time) and there are probably other companies that will put out products similar to the hx4705 and offer some competition, hopefully lowering prices. In sum, at least for me, it's not enough for me to switch.

[stronggeek]

Good points coolride.

I considered all that, but because of palm1's lack of innovation lately, and the fact that they no longer have Sony around to force then to do so was enough for myself and many to step over to the Darkside.

And I did leave out 1 thing- KILLER SPEED! This definitely makes a huge difference in my everyday use of my palm.

Heck, even both Gagetteers purchased a 4705 and IMO those ladies know what's cracking! http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/hp-ipaq-hx4700-review.html

Now I don't know what your uses are, but I use mine for work and play and the benifits of the better screen, speed, more memory, wifi + BT 1.2, Consumer IR, CF and SD slots, far outweigh the price and my need to stick with palm software and though as I mentioned mine was a gift I know it was purchased for 550 and the rebate also included a "free" 128 SD card (not much, but it's something!).

As I implied I feel like I'm living in the best of both words as I still use my NX80, ust not as much.

But if palm1 ever gets it's act together or even another company licensing the palm os kicks out something decent...well then... there's always ebay!

But for now... I'm glad there's a DARKSIDE!

Later.

[coolride]

You're definitely right, the ladies at Gadgeteer do know their stuff, and it does say something if they both purchased the hx4705.

The speed is definitely a plus, and the battery life isn't too bad either. After reading into the specs and reviews more, I am considering it further. Don't get me wrong, if you can get one of these things, and justifiy the purchase, by all means, do!

Software wise, you're right as well. Palm may have more software choices, but I think part of that is attributed to the fact that they've been around longer. One would assume that if you've been around longer, people will develop more software for it.

Personally, I think that software won't be an issue for PPC in the upcoming years, so long as they keep putting out machines like this. The biggest reason I would join the Darkside is because of certain programs that I want that aren't available on the Palm OS, for example, ministumbler. I am a network/security administrator, so those types of programs are very benficial to me.

My uses for my Palm are for both work and play, and for work, I do try to remotely log into my systems. It seems that with the speed of the hx4705, all things considered equal, would improve my experience communicating with my machines at work. Granted, this is a generalization, and not substantiated with any evidence, but more speed wouldn't hurt.

In sum, would I buy? Thinking about it, and reading more reviews and opinions, has made me think twice about it. Of course, actually giving the money to buy it is a different matter all together. Provided I can sell my Clie and accessories, I just might be right there with you, in the Darkside.

[VAIO Jet]

I have the TH-55/E1, and I'm still curious about the new Pocket PCs coming out. For one reason, because to my knowledge no one has gotten a GPS to work with the TH-55 successfully. I also would like the MIDI capabilities my TG-50 has. The devices I'm looking at will also act as USB hosts, allowing me to interface with the data bank I use with my digital cameras.

I love both my TH-55 and my TG-50, but I'm curious about the new devices in the WinCE world. Each has its virtues.

Kim

Well, now you know of someone who has had GPS work with the TH-55. I tried the EMTAC BT gps with no luck. I then switched to the Navman Bluetooth GPS with my TH-55/E1 and it works great. Voice commands are clear and the signal stays locked up very well.