1src Forums - Zod or PSP?

CliePet

02-24-2005, 11:45 AM

Although people try to draw comparisons, there is no comparison.

The Zodiac is a PalmOS device. If you are keeping your TH55, there is no need to get the Zodiac. Also any memory sticks you have for the TH55 will not fit in the Zodiac. You will need to buy SD storage cards, a WiFi card and perhaps even a camera if you want to replace the TH55 functionality with a Zodiac.

The Zodiac is attempting to invent a new category of game machines. IMHO is has failed big-time. Commercial games are few and lame (and cost around $30 for a copy protected download). Some are not much better than the free generic PalmOS versions.

The PSP is *the* game system to get, with many more commercial games coming very soon.

TH55 + PSP = great combination. Also both use memory sticks (smaller DUO fit in PSP, you need the extender for the TH-55).
Long live Sony gadgets !

Pdaman

02-24-2005, 12:08 PM

TH55 + PSP = great combination. Also both use memory sticks (smaller DUO fit in PSP, you need the extender for the TH-55).
Long live Sony gadgets !Yeah! I could't agree more about that... :)

archangel

02-24-2005, 03:47 PM

Both would be a wicked combination.

I have a Zod, but it is a PDA for me and not a gaming system. The PSP would be my choice for gaming and video. The Zod for everything else.

AndrewP

02-27-2005, 01:09 PM

Thanks everyone for the comments. I think I will wait for the PSP as (i) it'll use MemoryStick Duos and (ii) it's WiFi-based, which suits me better. The only downside that I can see of the PSP is that there won't be the huge free / low cost software base. I'll just have to be choosy in buying my games.

Thanks,

Andrew

eric2002

03-04-2005, 04:11 PM

it's a sony device, so you can definitely bet that they will be extremely careful allowing you do do anything w/ your PSP easily and for free such as adding movies, adding software, games, internet/email, etc.

wshwe

03-04-2005, 06:06 PM

Tapwave is repositioning the Zodiac as a multimedia device. Tapwave failed to garner much support from the big game publishers. It was nice knowing you Tapwave.

If you're a Mac user you can download movies and music to your PSP with iPSP:
http://www.kaisakura.com/iPSP/

P.S. I have no affiliation to this company.

ballistic

03-05-2005, 09:45 AM

Tapwave is repositioning the Zodiac as a multimedia device. Tapwave failed to garner much support from the big game publishers. It was nice knowing you Tapwave.

You're correct that they are repositioning the Zodiac, and it's nice to see you jump on the doom and gloom bandwagon.

I wouldn't write Tapwave off yet by a long shot. They have a very forward looking business model that is preparing them for the long haul. With increasing popularity and projected growth (just check out Jupiter Research, Gartner and IDC among others) in handheld entertainment and wireless handheld gaming, Tapwave could become a major player with their next gen device that many have speculated might have the following features:

ATI Imageon 2300 (http://www.ati.com/products/imageon2300/index.html) or Nvidia GoForce 3D 4500 (http://www.nvidia.com/page/goforce_3d_4500.html) GPU
Motorola i.MX21 (http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/prod_summary.jsp?code=i.MX21&nodeId=018rH32973ZrDR) ARM-based processor
OLED Displays (http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Press/200409/04-048E/)
Fuel Cells (http://www.tapland.com/news_arc/?id=351&PHPSESSID=2516f78662900d341fc3e168ad9ea9b3)(Optional Add-on Sled with HDD or CF slot for Micro-Drive)
Toshiba .85 inch Mini-HDD (http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_story.asp?ID=7189) (Optional Add-on Sled with Fuel Cell) or CF slot for a Micro-drive
Bluetooth and Wifi on a single chip (http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_story.asp?ID=6908) with Bluetooth 2.0 Enhanced Data Rate
USB Hosting/Connector (lose the yet-another-connector)
H.264 video support
Non-volatile flash memory/NAND
Video out

With these specs, the Zodiac would be a killer Palm OS based multimedia device combining music, video to go head to head with the Archos type portable video players, and wireless multiplayer gaming. Don't underestimate the potential of Palm OS as a gaming platform.

Brian

PS BTW, I have no affliliation with any of the companies mentioned.

wshwe

03-05-2005, 06:40 PM

No business model can make up for lackluster sales. IMHOyour prediction is grandiose. How much would this handheld cost, $800?

CliePet

03-06-2005, 12:02 PM

Speculation/commentary:

> ...your prediction is grandiose.

Agreed, also it is a catch-22.

If they don't come up with a brand new earth-shaking device, they will be stuck with the Zod1/Zod2 choice (which is not radically different than existing PalmOS 5.x alternatives IMHO)

If they come up with something radically different, they will be leaving their PalmOS roots behind and alienating their existing small user base (ie. the media player world like Archos, or the game playing world like PSP are different). Preannouncing a new direction will dry up their existing line.

BTW: Any DRM games you paid for on your current Zod won't work on newer devices (true if you own two Zods today)

ballistic

03-06-2005, 09:32 PM

No business model can make up for lackluster sales.

How do you know Tapwave's sales are lackluster? The last time I checked, they haven't released, nor are they obligated to release sale figures as they are a privately held company.

>IMHOyour prediction is grandiose. How much would this handheld cost, $800?

As a high-end next gen device that could be about a year away, the costs for these components will be lower than they are today and will decrease during the production life of the device. And there would be nothing that dictates they would have to abandon their current models or prevent Tapwave from offering different tiers of devices.

Agreed, also it is a catch-22.

If they don't come up with a brand new earth-shaking device, they will be stuck with the Zod1/Zod2 choice (which is not radically different than existing PalmOS 5.x alternatives IMHO)

It's more media-centric than any other PalmOS offering, and portable entertainment, not just handheld gaming is an emerging market.

If they come up with something radically different, they will be leaving their PalmOS roots behind and alienating their existing small user base (ie. the media player world like Archos, or the game playing world like PSP are different). Preannouncing a new direction will dry up their existing line.

How exactly would be they be leaving their PalmOS roots behind if they still decide to use it as their OS? The last time I checked, they were marketing the Zodiac as "The Palm Powered multimedia handheld."

And if they can combine PalmOS functionality, wireless multiplayer handheld gaming, video, music and other media content on an HDD-based device while keeping a relatively pocketable form factor, why would people in the market for all of these functions choose to buy and carry multiple devices without considering a single device that covers these features that top the list?

BTW: Any DRM games you paid for on your current Zod won't work on newer devices (true if you own two Zods today)

This isn't 100% accurate: What about games on SD cards?

wshwe

03-06-2005, 11:21 PM

Sony and Nintendo will bury Tapwave. If Nokia can get its act together Nokia will add insult to injury. Who knows how Gizmondo will fare?

Karim

03-06-2005, 11:44 PM

Just like Nintendo buried Clie? lol, Zodiac is a Palm 5 PDA. It won't be buried by a game console.

wshwe

03-07-2005, 12:07 AM

Nintendo has licensed the Palm OS. Sony is working on PDA functionality for the PSP.

Karim

03-07-2005, 12:53 AM

Oh God. PDAs are doomed.

ballistic

03-07-2005, 06:30 AM

Sony and Nintendo will bury Tapwave.

Bold prediction. Check back with me in 1 year and we'll see.

Who knows what the future might bring...

If Nokia can get its act together Nokia will add insult to injury.

nGage has had 2 strikes, and besides, phones with gaming capabilities are a different animal...

Who knows how Gizmondo will fare?

So far, they're doing a pretty good job of challenging Infinium Lab's Phantom console for the title of Best Vaporware Maker.

ballistic

03-07-2005, 06:37 AM

Nintendo has licensed the Palm OS. Sony is working on PDA functionality for the PSP.

So they can more closely resemble the functionality of the Zodiac? Two of the three (Tapwave, Nintendo, Sony) will be running the same OS (too bad Sony abondoned Palm OS and killed the Clie for the closed-OS PSP), but will that make Nintendo & Tapwave enemies or allies against Sony?

CliePet

03-07-2005, 11:52 AM

too much 'shilling for Tapwave' rhetoric going on here if you ask me...
Since the thread is about recommending a device to purchase today, let me add:
=====
ballistic wrote:
> (tapwave) It's more media-centric than any other PalmOS offering, ...

Tapwave: No camera, no microphone, poor battery life (for audio playing, compared to a TH55), awkward shape

VZ90 is a better media player device (stereo, CF+MS, great screen, super battery)
TH55 is a better overall media device (player & recorder, mic, camera, battery etc)
Even the T3 is a better media device for some things (smaller, microphone)

That's just my opinion as an owner. Future products may change my opinion once they are released and I have a chance to try them out.

Bottom line: if someone says that there is one "best" device - don't believe them -- the best device for you depends on a lot of factors.

ballistic

03-07-2005, 02:01 PM

too much 'shilling for Tapwave' rhetoric going on here if you ask me...

Nobody asked you, and are you implying that I'm a shill? Please clarify. The last time I checked, we can have different opinions without that meaning that anyone is "shilling" or their opinions are rhetoric. The only rhetoric I see going on is posts that are going OT by making bold predictions of Tapwave & the Zodiac's death. The gloom and doom bandwagon seems to be very popular lately.

Just because there are certain people around here that either dislike or dismiss the Zodiac doesn't mean the device doesn't have merits. There are a number of very satisfied Zodiac owners that would agree with me.

Tapwave: No camera, no microphone, poor battery life (for audio playing, compared to a TH55), awkward shape

Awkward shape in your opinion, that's very subjective. I find it very comfortable in use, and now I'd have a hard time going back to a portait oriented device.

VZ90 is a better media player device (stereo, CF+MS, great screen, super battery)
TH55 is a better overall media device (player & recorder, mic, camera, battery etc)
Even the T3 is a better media device for some things (smaller, microphone)

It's pretty obvious you're biased towards the Clie. Hey, I owned an NX70V before my Zodiac and let's just say I prefer the Z as a multimedia device. I don't care about the mic and camera, but some people might. As for the battery life, the Zodiac has the highest capacity of any Palm OS device.

Bottom line: if someone says that there is one "best" device - don't believe them -- the best device for you depends on a lot of factors.

Are you inferring that I ever said the Zodiac is "best"? Again, that's subjective and up to the individual to determine based on their preferences and needs.

ballistic

03-07-2005, 02:28 PM

I've got a Clie TH55 which is great for the office but sucks for games and I'm thinking about getting a games machine. Previously I would've dismissed the Zodiac but the price drop here in the UK makes it tempting.

However, the Playstation Portable is just round the corner. There are a few PSP v. Zod reviews out there but nothing's great. Why did you get the Zod? Will you get a PSP? What's the skinny as they say?

To get back OT:

I got a Zodiac because I need a Palm-OS device first and foremost, multimedia and gaming capabilities are bonuses. I had a NX70V but decided to replace it once Sony made it abandonware. I like the Zodiac 2's large high-res screen, 128MB of internal RAM, loud strereo speakers (that will wake you when using alarms) dual SD slots (one of which is SDIO). I was a bit hesistant to buy the Zodiac sight unseen and waited until I could check one out at CompUSA. I was immediately struck by the form factor (much thinner and sleeker than I thought based on photos alone), and I prefer a sturdy metal bodied PDA.

I won't be getting a PSP, I don't play enough games to justify it, and the cost of games is an immediate turn-off besides. I can't see myself paying $50 for a title on my PS2 then another $30-40 for the same or similar title on the PSP. I also need a Palm OS device first and foremost, and it looks like Sony has abondoned Palm OS for good.

Brian

foghead

03-07-2005, 05:58 PM

If your primary requirements are gameplay and video, get the PSP.

If your requirements are are gaming, video and organizer / Palm OS functionality, get the Zodiac.

If you want to get a device that is no longer made and has absolutely no manufacturer support, any of the Clies listed above are good choices.

Seriously, the Clies are very good devices, but Sony stopped production and announced that they were leaving the Palm OS world, over six months ago. They have a very loud and enthusiastic following, but that is about the only thing that they have going for them at this point.

CliePet

03-07-2005, 06:54 PM

jjesusfreak01

03-07-2005, 07:04 PM

ballistic

03-07-2005, 07:10 PM

> the Zodiac has the highest capacity of any Palm OS device.

Zodiac Z1/Z2 = 1540 mAh
CLIE VZ90 = 2300 mAh
(they don't appear to have an official number - some sources say 2600 mAh - that sucker is huge!)

To say nothing of battery efficiency (the slower HandHeldEngine is very efficient, my Z2 often runs down the battery - that 128MB of RAM sucks the battery)

-- "Clie"Pet

Well, any non-abandonware, non-Japanese market only, non-Japanese Language localized OS, and non-$900 (http://www.dynamism.com/vz-90/pricing.shtml) Palm OS device. I'm not knocking the VZ90, but for most users, especially those on a budget or who want support and accessories, and an English-based OS, it's really not a viable option. Cool technology showcase for Sony, but not very practical.

And someone had the gaul to make a wild guess of an $800 price for a next-gen Zodiac when I mentioned some possible specs, then complained about the cost :).

Brian

archangel

03-07-2005, 07:42 PM

I've owned several Clies and they were all inferior to the Zodiac in multimedia. In many cases you had to rely on hacks to get many programs to even work. The Zod is superior to my NX80 which I considered the best PDA I had owned. The Zod lacks a camera, voice recorder and built in keyboard, but I seldom used those. What I did use a lot were the multimedia features and those are better in every area on the Zod. As far as design, I find the Zod a much better ebook reading experience and very comfortable to use in landscape mode. The Clie was ackward to hold sidewise and landscape Clies weren't designed to rotate the screen with most programs anyway.

MMPlayer and Kinoma both work better on the Zod which gives me a lot more options than MoviePlayer on the Clie. Pocket Tunes works well without needing any hacks and Audible player is optimized for the Zodiac and works better than any other PDA version. Sure the Handheld engine is more battery efficient, but it also runs like crap with many Palm OS programs. That again limits just how useful a Clie could be overall.

BTW, Nintendo licensing the Palm OS is still just a rumor. What PDA functionality the DS and PSP get will probably be very limited and not a threat to a standard PDA. If anything buries the Zodiac it will be the dwindling standard PDA market and competition from PalmOne and the Pocket PC arena.

foghead

03-07-2005, 07:48 PM

BTW, Nintendo licensing the Palm OS is still just a rumor. What PDA functionality the DS and PSP get will probably be very limited and not a threat to a standard PDA. If anything buries the Zodiac it will be the dwindling standard PDA market and competition from PalmOne and the Pocket PC arena.
Actually, the license is not a rumor - it has been confirmed.

What is a rumor is what Nintendo plans to do. Are they going to add PDA capabilities to the current DS? To a new model? Or just sit on it to cause FUD?

archangel

03-07-2005, 08:19 PM

Actually, the license is not a rumor - it has been confirmed.

What is a rumor is what Nintendo plans to do. Are they going to add PDA capabilities to the current DS? To a new model? Or just sit on it to cause FUD?

Every source I can find says that it is simply a rumor with no proof at all.

http://www.bargainpda.com/default.asp?newsID=2414

CliePet

03-08-2005, 10:48 AM

>> To say nothing of battery efficiency (the slower HandHeldEngine is very efficient, my Z2 often runs down the battery - that 128MB of RAM sucks the battery)
> But, the VZ-90 has an OLED screen, and the lowspeed processor. I cant imagine how it could be a battery sucking pda.

Sorry, some miscommunication in a run together sentence... The "Z2", Zodiac 2 by Tapwave, is the one that drains down quickly. The VZ90 does not drain much (especially if you take out the CF card)

Battery life (in my experience): VZ-90 >> (way better than) TH-55 >> (way better than) Zodiac > (better than) Tungsten T3

----
The VZ-90 has a very big battery, and amazing overkill battery life.
They say you can play music for 40+ hours, but I haven't used it that long to find out.
Even playing movies it drains the battery very slowly (OLED screen, efficient media playing, etc)

Zodiac 2 also has a big battery for its class (bigger than anything else, except the VZ90)
But with a normal processor chip (no speed control) and separate graphics processor and the 128MB of (SDRAM?) RAM it drains down the battery fast even when you aren't using it. Playing a game with graphics and sounds drains it much faster

Bottom line: the Zodiac bigger battery is good to have, it needs it when using it as a high-end game machine.

----
re: other comparisons (the CLIE is a line of PDAs, not a specific model)

I agree, in general the Tapwave is better as a media playing device compared to a CLIE NX or NZ device. Way better than a CLIE NR and it blows the doors off the CLIE S300.

However to be fair you should compare the 2003/4 Tapwave model (Zodiac 1 or 2) with the 2003/4 CLIE model like the UX or TH-55

The UX/TH/VZ series was designed with multi-media use in mind. Features which I would love to see in a Zodiac 3.

IMHO: The TH-55 is still the best general combination of features (your opinion may vary)
Discontinued yes, but well worth looking for the remaining stock.

fndnd48

03-08-2005, 11:58 AM

Hello cliepet, nobody wants to buy your expensive vz90 at over $900. Zodiac (esp.zodiac1) is much cheaper and value. And you are not fair to compare two devices with that much different prices. This thread is about zodiac and psp, not vz90. Zodiac has biggest screen of all palm os pda,two SD card slots, vibrator and very neat metal body which is very comfortable in hand.
How can you say it has awkward design?

CliePet

03-08-2005, 03:05 PM

> nobody wants to buy your expensive vz90 at over $900....
Good it is not for sale ;->
Don't blame me for being off-topic (I didn't start it... ;-)

FWIW: I mentioned the VZ to rebutt after the incorrect claim the Zodiac has the largest battery, and also to point out it is a way better media player IMHO [only after the thread was already off-topic]

I suggest comparing the Zodiac (1 or 2) to a TH-55 -- Z2 & TH-55 were both the same price when they came out ($400). Check other threads why people think the TH-55 is a better overall device (including me) especially for carrying around and playing music.

I will stop there - probably not going to change anyone's opinion bickering about little points. I enjoy my Zodiac for what it does well. I enjoy the TH-55 for what it does well.

CliePet

03-24-2005, 09:09 PM

> Zod or PSP?
> I'm thinking about getting a games machine.

Easy answer:

PSP !

---
It is debatable which is the best PDA.
But for the best "game machine" the answer is clear IMHO (ie. PSP release *is* the nail in the coffin of the Zodiac 1 or 2)

FWIW: My Tapwave is now relegated to being an Audible book player (better than most PalmOS PDAs since it can do "Level 4" quality), and some fun and free PalmOS 2D puzzle games.

VZ90 still reigns as best overall media player [480x320 OLED display -- 16 bit], with the Tapwave [480x320 LED -- 16 bit] coming in second or third place as far as video resolution/orientation/quality.

--CliePet (pimping for PspPet, pimping for SonyWhorePet ;-)

archangel

03-26-2005, 09:47 AM

ifonline

03-28-2005, 02:47 PM

I've watched Spider Man 2 (UMD) on my PSP and I am simply amazed. The UMD Movie format is a DVD in a MiniDisc case (basically speaking). Like on a DVD, there is a navagation screen, chapters, language options, subtitles, camera angles, etc. Truly unbelieveable until you see it. Oh, and several major movie companies (obviously including Sony), are on board to provide UMD movies in the near future with support to continue as new titles are released. Google UMD Movies and you will find a growing list of titles, many of which are to be available in April.

As for gaming, incredible. The screen is clear and bright, motion is fluid, and gameplay is captivating. I love it. Major developers are on board to create games for the PSP, so the support is there, and the unit has only been out for a few days now. As a matter of fact, Burnout is coming to the PSP, but unfortunately a release date hasn't been set. Can't wait for that one.

I haven't looked at my Zodiac in days. I won't be getting rid of it, because I still want and need a PDA based on the Palm OS, but I have to say that I shouldn't have gotten rid of my T3 to replace it with the Zodiac. I won't really be playing games on the Zodiac other than Solitaire. But hey, it still works as a PDA, so it stays.

Cyker

03-28-2005, 04:46 PM

In answer to the original question, I'd recommend PSP (or maybe even DS :D).

You already have the best all-round PDA in existance (IMHO ;)), so there's little point getting a device which duplicates existing functionality yet doesn't fulfil the original target goal (i.e. play games) as well.

The Zodiac is an awesome bit of kit, but even by us Palmhead's niche standards it's a niche device!

My current hope with Tapwave is that they notice the gaping hole left by Sony and reposition themselves to fill it;
If they take a TH55 and make it Better, maybe throw in 64/128MB RAM, faster CPU, WiFi 11g and add some over-engineering (OLED/LEP screen, M-RAM, even bigger battery AND even more efficient CPU & subsystems), and avoid pitfalls/Sonyisms (DRM crap, stupid awkward design, bizzare design decisions etc.) then they'll be able to pull themselves out of their niche, maybe even challenge Palm the way Sony did!

Karim

03-28-2005, 05:16 PM

The PSP's multimedia ability is flat out amazing. The quality of the video files blows away anything I have seen on a PDA including the Clie and Zodiac. 15 frame per second video looks very good, but it can handle full speed 29 frame video flawlessly. That is something that will choke my Zodiac. Fast motion looks great with no stuttering. If multimedia features are important to you then I would have to put the PSP above anything else right now. The Photo Viewer is nice and the Music Player is MP3 and Sony Connect compatible.

Oh, I think it plays games and UMD movies to. Haven't really tried that yet.

I find it to be anything but amazing. I think it's crippled and ridiculously commercial. I was disgusted to discover that, on a machine as powerful as PSP, Sony has limited Memory Stick playback to 320x240 resolution and 768kbps bitrate. Why? To push UMD movies? To uphold the battery life? It's silly. The files still have to be placed in specific directory structures; it's not that difficult, but for $250 I'm going to expect some simplicity for Christ's sake. I dealt with it on my TH55 but now it's getting old. It's just something dumb that doesn't have to be.

I don't even have to start on the damn battery during movie/gameplay.

Or the thickness of the machine. Bulky!! I HATE thick portables. And after seeing the motherboard, it definitely didn't have to be.

I don't like the pixel refresh, either.

And I'm tired of media devices with no hard drives.

PontiacVenom

03-28-2005, 11:57 PM

I have them both...
Personally, the games machine is the PSP all the way...

The Zodiac is a great pda that is ok at playin games...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/Z28Venom/Zodiac%20and%20PSP/100_0342.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/Z28Venom/Zodiac%20and%20PSP/100_0346.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/Z28Venom/Zodiac%20and%20PSP/100_0350.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/Z28Venom/Zodiac%20and%20PSP/100_0348.jpg

Cyker

03-29-2005, 02:06 AM

Aaah! Aaaah!! Die huge pictures, die!!

Luckygold6

03-30-2005, 01:02 AM

Sweet pictures!

archangel

03-30-2005, 09:48 AM

I find it to be anything but amazing. I think it's crippled and ridiculously commercial. I was disgusted to discover that, on a machine as powerful as PSP, Sony has limited Memory Stick playback to 320x240 resolution and 768kbps bitrate. Why? To push UMD movies? To uphold the battery life? It's silly. The files still have to be placed in specific directory structures; it's not that difficult, but for $250 I'm going to expect some simplicity for Christ's sake. I dealt with it on my TH55 but now it's getting old. It's just something dumb that doesn't have to be.

I don't even have to start on the damn battery during movie/gameplay.

Or the thickness of the machine. Bulky!! I HATE thick portables. And after seeing the motherboard, it definitely didn't have to be.

I don't like the pixel refresh, either.

And I'm tired of media devices with no hard drives.

Have you actually encoded any movies and watched them on a PSP? I'm curious, because the video playback quality even at the lower 320X240 resolution is excellent. I have yet to see playback that smooth and artifact free on any PDA. As far as the directory structure, its exactly the same kind of thing as the Clie. If its wasn't an issue on the clie why should it matter on the PSP?

BTW, the battery life is better on the PSP than what I get watching movies on my Zodiac. I've watched a two hour movie on the memory stick and still had half the battery left. The UMD one drains it a lot faster, but that is to be expected since it is using the UMD drive the whole time.

Karim

03-30-2005, 06:14 PM

While I've never owned a Zodiac, I find it difficult to transition from Clie TH55 to PSP.

And I was mostly wrong about the Memory Stick video playback. I didn't know at that time that it plays back videos encoded at 1500kbps as well, I had only tried bitrates higher than 768 but never thought to try 1500. Still could use some native res support :-p

Another playback issue I had was the Memory Stick format itself. If this machine is such a media giant, why can it only play two user-supplied audio formats and one video format? That's just stupid.

But I must say, the thing I hate most and the main reason why I didn't buy a PSP is the thickness. I've had my TH55 for over a year now. It's hard to go back to bulkiness after a year of TH55-slim-awesomeness. If PSP was as thin as TH55, I would have paid $400 for one, let alone $250. But because it's so big, it's not worth $250 to me. One thing that might pull me over is if Armored Core turns out to be a good version. I'm an enormous Armored Core fan.

And no, I'm sorry, I know opinions count and all that other B.S., but the PSP battery is very weak. I played Ridge Racer on a fresh charge for almost two hours on the Sony-described "4 - 6 hour" light and audio settings and the battery told me to go **** myself.

Edit: Picture I took today; a look into the world of my tastes.. the thinness I love so much, and the PSP thickness I hate :p..

CliePet

03-31-2005, 10:55 AM

> ...I find it difficult to transition from Clie TH55 to PSP.

Just for the record - IMHO given the choice of just one: a TH55 or PSP, then I would pick the PDA (TH55).
However that is an apples-to-oranges comparison (PDA v. Handheld game machine)

The original thread was started by someone who had a TH55 and was looking at game machines (under the assumption that they keep the PDA for non-game uses)

This thread has gotten off topic many times.

Karim

03-31-2005, 12:06 PM

I don't think it's been too off-topic. Because of technological convergence, these machines are almost the same thing. They simply have different focuses, rather than being two entirely different things. I'd say they're more like red apples and green apples than apples and oranges.

Both of these machines are handheld computers with big screens and big possibilities. If I bought a PSP, it would be for the same reasons I bought a TH55 - I will always need an MP3 player. I need it to be quality, cool, and sexy. I want a media player. PSP will definitely eventually have little PIM apps that let you take notes and addresses and such... I don't use my TH55 too far beyond that as far as PIM.

Besides, all I was comparing were common features: thickness and battery life. I'm a tech consumerist and I pray for reasons for companies to take my money. On the flip side of that, I'm highly critical and know exactly what I want, so my consumerist nature is checked and balanced. I taunt myself every day with PSP, subconsciously tricking myself into buying one, but the thickness haunts me.

Luckygold6

03-31-2005, 05:37 PM

The thickness bothers me as well... :-/...

AndrewP

04-07-2005, 10:40 AM

As the original poster, I'm totally amazed as to how many "column inches" that this has generated.

What has just changed is the that PC World (http://www.pcworld.co.uk/) has just dropped the price of Z1 to 50 pounds and the Z2 to 130 pounds. Plus all the games are now less than 5 pounds. And the launch date for the PSP in GB has been put back to late June.

So I've decided that I'm going to load up with Zodiac 2 and simply see how it goes. I'm not the world's greatest game player so I'm sure that Doom, Spyhunter and Duke will keep me busy for awhile. Plus I'm familiar with PalmOS so all those programs and hacks I know and love will keep me company.

I'll still keep the TH55 for business use and use the Z2 for multimedia.

Andrew

xMist

04-07-2005, 04:53 PM

Good choice, AndrewP. :)

Tapland (tapland.com)

T1000X

04-23-2005, 12:02 AM

Take it from someone who currently owns both, get the PSP for games and movies and the Zodiac 2 for organization, and MP3s.

I love my Zodiac and it works great, but when it comes to games it has a very poor, relatively speaking, game library. In over a year and half since release it doesn't really have a single "must have" or the popular "console selling" game like some Mario games for Nintendo consoles (Mario 64 for Nintendo 64). I use my Zodiac for organization, viewing photos using the included photo program, and MP3 playback with PocketTunes with it's beautiful and easy support for playlists. The PSP sadly has poor playlist support. You have to create on a PC and then send it to the PSP via a USB2 cable (not included).

The PSP is a sweet gaming system that's current major issue is battery life. But, when you compare the battery life of the Zodiac when gaming to that of a PSP they are about equal. I get about the same about of up-time from either console during heavy usage. Where the PSP is a better choice here is with its removeable battery! If, you have by some chance a spare battery you can swap them out and keep playing. Plus, there are some external batteries and battery packs available for the PSP that help to extend the battery life. A definite must-have if you plan on gaming with it alot.

ackmondual

04-23-2005, 12:14 AM

To get back OT:

I got a Zodiac because I need a Palm-OS device first and foremost, multimedia and gaming capabilities are bonuses. I had a NX70V but decided to replace it once Sony made it abandonware. I like the Zodiac 2's large high-res screen, 128MB of internal RAM, loud strereo speakers (that will wake you when using alarms) dual SD slots (one of which is SDIO). I was a bit hesistant to buy the Zodiac sight unseen and waited until I could check one out at CompUSA. I was immediately struck by the form factor (much thinner and sleeker than I thought based on photos alone), and I prefer a sturdy metal bodied PDA.

I won't be getting a PSP, I don't play enough games to justify it, and the cost of games is an immediate turn-off besides. I can't see myself paying $50 for a title on my PS2 then another $30-40 for the same or similar title on the PSP. I also need a Palm OS device first and foremost, and it looks like Sony has abondoned Palm OS for good.

Brian
Similar reasons here. I've thought about getting a zod2, but ended getting a T3 since they were going off the market and I was able to get a great deal on one. PSP wasn't out then, but I wouldn't have gotten one anyways. There are plenty of pOS games that are good enough for me. PSP is a great gaming system, but average $45 per game and $20 UMD movies that'll only work on PSP is too much to justify for my tastes. I also need PIMs and productivity software. It's just more practical for me.

Is TH55 gaming really THAT bad? If you're a light gamer, then I'd say suck it up or stick with stylus games. Else, you'll find some interesting games/franchises on the PSP at a higher cost. Else, stick with zods and their selection of freeware games and emus, and occassionally check out some interesting games everynow and then.

As for zod tuned/exclusive games, i'd recommend sticking with SD card versions of them simply b/c they're much cheaper than the DRM versions. compUplus and other vendors that sell zods cheap also have titles like Doom2, Duke Nukem Mobile, and combo pOS games that are tuned for zods for half price. They're all so-so games, so u may wanna consider the likes of spy hunter, tony hawk 4 instead. They're considered to be better choices to spend hard earned $$.

> the Zodiac has the highest capacity of any Palm OS device.

Zodiac Z1/Z2 = 1540 mAh
CLIE VZ90 = 2300 mAh
(they don't appear to have an official number - some sources say 2600 mAh - that sucker is huge!)

To say nothing of battery efficiency (the slower HandHeldEngine is very efficient, my Z2 often runs down the battery - that 128MB of RAM sucks the battery)

-- "Clie"Pet
2300mah to 2600mah :eek: ?!? That would explain Y certain high end Clies go for up to $800. The Sony HHE is great in prolonging battery life, but it's goes along w/many compliants of how otherwise normal games are now unplayable or how PIMs load slowlly b/c of the underclocking.

Aaah! Aaaah!! Die huge pictures, die!!