Rumor: Details on Upcoming HandEra Device

One advantage of Sony's hi-res and virtual graffiti is that it is more compatible with old apps. As long as hi-res assist is turned off for old apps, simple pixel doubling makes everything look exactly as it does on a 160x160 screen. With HandEra, the 240x240 main screen means that older apps have to be either shown in a smaller 160x160 section of the screen or 'scaled to fit' which can cause compatability issues. Both require applications to be modified in order to take advantage of the extra screen space when you minimize/hide the virtual graffiti. Plus, the higher resolution of sony's screen means better images/graphics and fonts.

>> One advantage of Sony's hi-res and virtual graffiti
>> is that it is more compatible with old apps.
>
>and Sony's hi-res APIs for developers are completely >incompatible with the Palm OS 5 hi-res for new apps.

Not surpising, considering the Sony API's were written before Palm OS 5 was. Hard to make things compatible with something that doesn't yet exist.

Not sure why people pick on the Sony API's - software developers have done a good job of supporting the hi-res Sony units with them, and I've had nearly 100% success in running non-high-res applications on my Clie 610.

Sure things will change with Palm OS 5, but until it's released, Sony will have the best solution for high resolution. And at the rate Sony and Palm are going, Sony will have released another 30 or 40 new models of palmtops before Palm releases OS 5.0 - sometime in 2006...

I wouldn't doubt that HandEra has a device like this lying around somewhere or that maybe they've given a few similar to some people to test, but these specs seem more like rumor than fact.

> Sony requires a CF-sled (currently only available in Japan)

From what I understand, that sled only works with one or two devices, maybe just a single wireless phone card.

Is the handera going to have basically the same form factor as previous handeras or is the design going to be redone so that it looks modern?

Also is it USB compatible using the palm III connector? or is it serial compatiblity only? That may be the ultimate killer for me.. although the CF slot would be SOOOOO cool .... but then the drivers...

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> and Sony's hi-res APIs for developers are completely
> incompatible with the Palm OS 5 hi-res for new apps.

Not quite. Sony's hi-res API is DIFFERENT from PalmOS's high-density API, but it's not completely incompatible.

Sony's high-resolution library can be implemented using OS 5's high-density calls. This means that it should be easy enough for someone to develop a substitute library to allow apps written for high-resolution CLIEs to run on OS 5 devices. (In fact, Sony indicated at PalmSource that they will provide such a compatibility layer.)

(Whether or not high-density apps written for OS 5 will run on existing high-resolution CLIEs is a different matter; Sony's API is more limited, so implementing Palm's API using Sony's would be quite a bit harder.)

from someone who owns a memory stick digicam (Sony P5)and a memory stick PDA (Sony 760) let me tell you that it's pretty overrated to be able to view digicam output on your PDA.

Palm OS PDA's are just too slow to be able to handle displaying those 1+ MB monster JPGs that digicams output, and they have to scale it to, and they're too slow to be able to scale it without it looking crappy.

Still, everything else you have might still make going HandEra a good choice even if you took my advice and ignored the digicam angle.

I never understood why folks say that 8MB is not enough. I used to have a Palm V, and as soon as I installed AvantGo on it, I ran out of RAM. So I felt quite liberated when I eventually bought my HE330 because it had enough RAM to handle the AvantGo channels I subscribed to (7 total). Today with all the things I do with my HE330 (games, lists, built-in apps, Acrobat, Quick-sheet and -word) I am
only using half the RAM in my device. With the 32MB MMC card I have as well, and the AutoCard app Handera has (when will that come out of beta?), I don't see why 8MB isn't enough.

I'm not claiming that anyone demanding 16MB is wrong, I'm just wondering what to *DO* with all the RAM I have.

-- Paul

"ePocrates, the most ubiquitous program for medical PDA's takes up 1.6 megs or so. It's twice as large as it was two years ago. PatientKeeper's new 3.0 beta is over 2 megs. Neither will work off a memory card anytime soon. "

Wow, What a BIIIIIIIggg program.

So they can not even put in to /Palm/Launcher instead
of RAM? Did you try PiDirectVFS to put their database on the card?

Another TRGpro user who has TONS of programs and database.
(Still can not fill up half of 8mb, but almost finish my 128mb CF)

PiDirect II is awesome! I was using AutoCard first, but it gave me some problems to the point that I either had to sacrifice RAM or buy PiDirect II (i.e. using the large spellcheck dictionary in Wordsmith. I now can use it on the card). PDII allows you to run 10 files off the card without registering it, but it will not work simultaneously with AutoCard, so that defeated the purpose.

I now have absolutely NO problems running any app from a memory card.

As for having to remove your card to use peripherals, a unit with 2 card slots works wonders for getting around that. With my HE330, I can have memory and apps in the SD slot, a Socket digital phone card (to hook up to my cell phone) in the CF slot, and still use my PPK keyboard. Combine that with the right software and I effectively have a wireless laptop!

Sean

Yes, a few weeks ago Tony Rudenko introduced an upgrade for the HandEra 330 to 16 MB of RAM. It costs $110.

www.PalmPilotUpgrade.com/about.html

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News Editor

hmm. cant log in...

i agree with ed. this has to be false. it doesnt seem like handera to come out with a device thats just a 330 with a color screen. they would need a good reason to release a new device.

-scaught

Well I don't know about that. I agree to an extent. Handera understands that 16mb is a trend, and most are going to follow it, infact most have already in the PalmOS platform. And the 66mhz will soon become a trend if OS5 takes a little longer, to have some side profit or something. BUT Handera knows by adding all this, it will only extend the price. Handera is becoming VERY common, but Palm is still most known. SO, inorder to have consumers to order their product, they must have great prices that beat Palm, great function, rather than a name you can trust. It might not make sense, perhaps I'm not saying it well enough. But it does make sense once you think about it. The features you talk about will increase the price. I think their goal right now is to steal consumers and get some of that market share! This is one good way.

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Just keep in mind, this is a rumor. It may turn out to be incorrect.

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News Editor

It still better than all Palm product in term of screen and expandibility, second only to Sony in term of screen and style.

No matter how much money you pay, you won't be able to put Wi-Fi or 1Gig microdrive on Sony. Handera on the other hand can take ANY of Sony peripherals, even that idiotic memstick. (with CF universal adapter)

Try Pretec site.

some british store sells it (too lazy to click more of google search)
http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=PRECTRIO

so incidentally, this mean PPC can accept memory stick.

"Hilarious. Memory Stick is slower than SD or CF. Come back when you know what you are talking about."

yes.

Along with the totally original title of this post (which we sure need to hear a few more thousand times because it's SO cool to post Too little Too late whenever new hardware is introduced...) this whole post is not worth the time to read it.

Handera seems to have their heads on straight, and have produced quality products. I agree with Ed in that i'm leaning more toward the rumor on this one since this device wouldn't hold well in the next 4-6 months.

The 330 is still a darn good pda today. in 6 months though when the ARM and os 5 devices hit? Hence the new device, which i think we're still yet to hear about.

Basic Fact: SD has the fastest transfer rate in theory