More Tidbits About the NR Series

Posted By: Ed Tuesday, March 26, 2002 11:12:36 AM

The same source who earlier had info about Sony's NR70 in Best Buy's inventory system now has some on the NR70V, which is the version with the built-in camera. The system says the NR70V will cost $600 with SKU 4586861. Both NR series models have an in stock date of May 12.

The NR70 has been available in Japan for several days and reviews of it are appearing online. Muchy's Palmware Review has one. It is in Japanese, of course, but it includes lots of pictures.

NR70V The review stretches over five pages. Look for links to the next one near the bottom of each page. The final page has comparison pictures with the T series and an m505.

Japanese developers are busy upgrading their apps to support the full screen on the NR series. CrsMeDoc, a doc reader; Crs-ImageView; an image viewer; and ScrShot, a screen capture app have all been updated. The descriptions for all of these are in Japanese.

This weekend is PalmSource Forum Japan 2002. More apps that support the full screen will almost certainly be announced there.

The PEG-NR70 and PEG-NR70V both have built-in keyboards and 320 by 480 color screens. They also have built-in MP3 and ATRAC3 audio players and use the 66 MHz Dragonball processor.

Thanks to nXt and Eugene for their help with this article. -Ed

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Will wait longer

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 11:25:24 AM #
My friend has one and it's bulky. I will pass this and wait for PalmOS 5.

RE: Will wait longer
Drummer4Life05 @ 3/26/2002 2:35:00 PM #
I agree...Palm OS 5 will be MUCH better.

____________________________

Justin - www.JTSoft2001.com

RE: Will wait longer
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/2/2002 10:50:53 PM #
No it won't, it will be the same battery hogging monster with the prototype design that everyone will help debug for free like the Palm m505, The Last REAL PDA made was the Palm Vx, it is all downhill from there.
The Palm Vx is still the best PDA ever made by any company including Palm.

Let me be the first to say, "HOT DAMN!"

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 11:25:50 AM #
Here they come! But sell your firstborn to get it...

Yeouch!

Even Homer says "DOH"! (_8(|)

Wow

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 11:41:33 AM #
Really great to heard this news. But it's reaaly price at $ 600. First I heard is about $460.


RE: Wow
Ed @ 3/26/2002 12:05:11 PM #
$465 is the conversion of its cost in Japan, 59,800 Yen. It was never very likely that Sony would charge the same thing in both countries.

---
News Editor
RE: Wow
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 12:28:56 PM #
Too Pricey!

RE: Wow
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 12:28:56 PM #
At $600, who in their right mind would pay this much for something that will be outdated in 6 months (or 3 months by Sony's product cycle)? As much as I like it, I'll pass on this one and wait for the OS5/ARM processor version in 3-6 months.

RE: Wow
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 12:49:04 PM #
I think Sony has put out a neat, innovative product with the NR series. (No, not necessarily the best PDA out there, but certainly approaching a product that many people have been looking for) Since the first article about the NR series was published, I have been saying 'I'm going to get this when it's released in the US.' BUT, at a 30% premium over Japan?! I don't think so. I really thought Sony was going to sweep the US market with this product, but not at this price point. I think the NR series will enjoy a very limited success in the US until the price comes down.

RE: Wow
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 1:23:12 PM #
I think the camera has very low resolution compared to the PalmPix for the 500 series. I would like to see one model with 320 x 480 but without the keyboard which makes the PDA bulkier. I am comfortable with Graffiti and the same model as the NR70 without keyboard and camera will be attractive to many.

RE: Wow
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 1:51:35 PM #
I would be willing to pay $400 for the NR70, and $500 for the NR70V. Not a penny more.

RE: Wow
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 1:57:44 PM #
"I would be willing to pay $400 for the NR70, and $500 for the NR70V. Not a penny more."

You may have to wait till the next new model is out before Sony drops the price. Period.

RE: Wow
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/27/2002 4:20:21 AM #
Agreed that if they charge more than 500 there will be no market for it.

Take Note, Sony!

RE: Wow
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/27/2002 9:27:18 AM #
<< You may have to wait till the next new model is out before Sony drops the price. Period. >>

However, Sony might not drop the price significantly before the next model -- perhaps a $50 drop, which is their pattern. Then they'll discontinue it for the next generation at the old price point, or higher.

Wow! Slightly larger than the T615!!

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 11:41:36 AM #
Actually is thinner than the 760!
I think the pictures always show it opened so it appears bigger than it really is.


RE: Wow! Slightly larger than the T615!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 2:38:46 PM #
It'll fit into my pants....

RE: Wow! Slightly larger than the T615!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 9:36:43 PM #
you are right! I am having one on hand..i don think it is bulky, just similiar feeling on my N760 b4...
It is COOL!

If Canadians were to purchase

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 11:46:13 AM #
Based on the $600 price mark - this unit with the camera would cost more than the highest end ipaq (I am a clie user)here in Canada.

Doing a basic conversion, this unit ordered rom the US would cost me over $1100 with taxes plus shipping - whereas the ipaq is just over $1000 with taxes.

Ouch - I got my 615c from the US at a price cheaper than the M515 that is avaiable in Canada. I just can't see this unit being that big of seller at that price.

hopefully its an error.

More importantly...Any word on the Bluetooth stick n Best Buy's system?

RE: If Canadians were to purchase
Snubolis @ 3/26/2002 12:37:27 PM #
If you're wondering about Bluetooth stick prices in Canada, check Futureshop's webstore. It's listed there for $250cdn.

http://makeashorterlink.com/?Z6E12469


Snubolis
Vancouver, Canada

RE: If Canadians were to purchase
Ed @ 3/26/2002 12:43:32 PM #
Snubolis, thanks for the tip but please use MakeAShorterLink next time rather than post an extremely long URL. Thanks!

Also, that isn't the Bluetooth Memory Stick. That is Palm's Bluetooth SD card. Close, but not the same thing.

---
News Editor

RE: If Canadians were to purchase
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 12:48:09 PM #
This is the price of the SD Bluetooth module. I certainly hope that I can order the MS bluetooth stick from the US - as I did with my 128mb MS - and save $50 or more bucks.

Anyway, thanks for the info.

RE: If Canadians were to purchase
big_raji @ 3/26/2002 1:04:08 PM #
Well, looking at my wholesaler's website, the Palm SD Bluetooth card has a wholesale price of $180CDN.

With Future Shop selling it at $250CDN, you can bet that the price will drop very soon. It's at a premium right now because it's only been a few days. Give it a few weeks, and it'll get closer to the wholesale price.

Ingram Micro is the wholesaler I'm talking about, and Future Shop actually orders alot from them, so I'd be willing to bet that this is their exact cost.

---
If you sing in french while hopping on one foot, the evil birds won't come out of your bathroom mirror.

RE: If Canadians were to purchase
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 1:11:20 PM #
If I still owned my M505 - I would go to ecost.com go add a SD bluetooth to my shopping cart, go to thier canadian checkout, print out the page that indicates a price of $197.00 canadian and then go to staples or futureshop and try and ge the price match. I am not certain if it has to be a canadian retailer or just canadian funds, but it is worth a try.

Even if they won't price match the price from the futureshop including ontario taxes would work out to about $322 (not worth the price). The price ordering from ecost including all ontario taxes, borderfree handling charges and a crazy $31.00 shipping cost (this must be wrong, but thats what is says), still it comes out to only $273 - about $50 less than buying it here. You would have to wait for about a week.

I bought my 615c from then during a free shipping special - keep your eyes open for that - this would make the SD BT card $80 less.

RE: If Canadians were to purchase
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 9:38:24 PM #
Go to HK to buy...less than $3000

finer pics

Haj @ 3/26/2002 11:54:34 AM #
ZDnet Japan's also putting a series of review (#2 yet as of today) and there are a couple of detailed pics which some people may have been wondering about (like hinge part)

http://www.zdnet.co.jp/mobile/0203/22/n_fclienr2.html
http://www.zdnet.co.jp/mobile/0203/22/n_fclienr2_2.html
http://www.zdnet.co.jp/mobile/0203/22/n_fclienr2_3.html

and a movie
Haj @ 3/26/2002 12:50:54 PM #
This was on ZDnet Japan on 3/12 so it's nothing new but for people who haven't seen it yet.

http://www.zdnet.co.jp/mobile/0203/12/panel.mov

(the above link is originally in the article:
http://www.zdnet.co.jp/mobile/0203/12/n_fmclie.html )

English NR70 Review
Ed @ 3/26/2002 1:05:03 PM #
Here's an NR70 review, in English, from SPUG.org

www.spug.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24886

---
News Editor

RE: finer pics
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 1:17:46 PM #
Damn, they are fast ...again

RE: finer pics
Haj @ 3/26/2002 1:29:08 PM #
eh, FYI... I forgot to say there are about other four movies in the above ZDnet Japan link (camera, virtual graffity and so on). So if you want to check them out. I guess it's probably already mentioned in somewhere two weeks ago, though.

RE: finer pics
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 1:45:49 PM #
"Here's an NR70 review, in English, from SPUG.org
www.spug.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24886"

Dave is a Japanese and a moderator in SPUG. The unit he has was purchased in Japan.

You can see that most of the news appeared in PIC, will sure to appear in SPUG website (www.spug.org) the next day.

Big english review already out here
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/27/2002 2:54:29 AM #
http://www.spug.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24886

SPUG already has an English review here with tons of pics. Battery life is as bad as expected, and hmm.. new virtual graffiti problem, doesnt look promising for a 500 bucks item.

No more Sonys for me.

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 12:09:38 PM #
The NR70 may be sort of cool - albeit expensive - but as I discovered Sony's customer service is REALLY BAD. There is no interest in solving your problem, only in toeing the company line. I could hear the condescending sneer in the voice of not one, but three different support reps when I asked about the MemoryStick GPS (and other accessories). The first two tried to tell me "we don't have one" and after I corrected them "well, that's not here, isn't it?"

I hate arrogant companies, and based on my recent experiences Sony is right up there with Enron and Microsoft.

RE: No more Sonys for me.
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 12:22:56 PM #
What would you rather have? Better product with poorer customer service or Poorer product with better customer service?

RE: No more Sonys for me.
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 12:37:54 PM #
Palm, Inc. is much worse. Trust me.

RE: No more Sonys for me.
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 12:41:13 PM #
I'm the initial poster for "no more Sonys." Bad experience with Palm customer service? Sorry to hear that. They've been fantastic with me on several occasions - I have not a gripe, even in a situation where I was technically out of warranty.

And to answer the other question, after what I experienced with Sony, I'd actually rather have lesser product if there was a corresponding interest in what the customer needed. I found out the hard way that as far as Sony is concerned, if they don't have it you don't need it.

RE: No more Sonys for me.
nategall @ 3/26/2002 12:42:38 PM #
As long as the product does not need the customer service, I am okay with crappy customer service, now show me a product that is perfect. :)

I have an M505, and I was actually thinking of the NR-v as an update for my system. I love the larger screen, I don't like the size, I love the Camera. But, at that price... hmmm, I am going to have to think a bit more on it. At $475.00 I was a go... but..

I still think it is a great item, even though most (some) people will find it to expensive/large/etc. it is beautiful to have something like this available for me.

Thanks Sony!

nategall says "blah!"

RE: No more Sonys for me.
jjsoh @ 3/26/2002 12:55:52 PM #
> Palm, Inc. is much worse. Trust me.

Why should anyone trust you? Who are you and what do you know that everyone else doesn't?


Jim

RE: No more Sonys for me.
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 12:57:46 PM #
How about a decent product with decent customer service...

RE: No more Sonys for me.
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 1:05:46 PM #
> What would you rather have? Better product with poorer customer service or Poorer product with better customer service?

Exactly !!

I don't want to spend $400 on something with poor quality (SUDS,Backlight-bug,low-res,dust screen,dead pixel,etc...) even their customer is PERFECT. LOL, no wonder they have GOOD customer service ..

RE: No more Sonys for me.
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/26/2002 1:06:05 PM #
<< Palm, Inc. is much worse. Trust me. >>

Yeah, THERE'S a compelling argument: "Trust me."

Sorry if you had a bad experience with Palm, but you really need to learn how to SUPPORT your positions. You come across like an idiot with comments like this.

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