Rumor: Take a Look at Kyocera's Color Palm OS Smartphone (Updated)

Posted By: Ed Thursday, May 23, 2002 9:39:13 AM

This article has been removed at the request of Kyocera's legal dept.

Update: We got a request from Kyocera to remove the images. After some debate, we've decided to do so. Just so we're clear, there were no threats; they just asked nicely and we decided it would be best for everyone if we did as they requested. -Ed

Update 2: We received another request from Kyocera's legal dept., citing that the article is in violation of the DMCA. We regrettably have had to pull the article to avoid further legal issues. -Ryan

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Looks cool

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 9:53:30 AM #
Looks good, but doesn't look like color to me...
RE: Looks cool
jontz @ 5/23/2002 9:57:10 AM #
If you look closely at the picture, the tab on the screen in the upper left corner looks sorta blue...It either has a really bad color screen or this is a really bad picture.

Thumboard
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 9:57:50 AM #
Where's the thumboard? Without one, as Handspring has learned with its Treo, a smartphone is not very good for data (e-mail) usage.

RE: Looks cool
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 10:01:47 AM #
For power graffiti users this is better than a thumboard.
RE: Looks cool
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 10:03:45 AM #
I don't think Treo can survive against this one. Anybody want to buy Handspring stock cheap?
RE: Looks cool
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 10:21:46 AM #
No, this is a half-baked idea! Good luck with that small screen to do any work. The Graffiti area is so small, letters will become numbers and vice-versa! Nice look, but the Treo is a much thought out idea!
RE: Looks cool
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 10:23:47 AM #
Treo is too big for a phone. That is why only 13,000 made it to humans.
RE: Looks cool
crustyedgeofinnovation @ 5/23/2002 10:50:37 AM #
I think this phone looks amazing. The basic idea for this phone seems to be that it is primarily a phone, then they added the Palm os. There is another phone on the market which looks very similar to this one, it is just a cell phone, but i'm not sure what brand it is. They did a good move with this phone. Small sceen, I like small screens on a phone, that way the phone is smaller, size really matters for most people.

RE: Looks cool
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 10:52:47 AM #
I think the blue up in the top left corner is the shadow of the photographer... unfortunately, not color.
RE: Looks cool
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 11:00:15 AM #
I had Kyocera smartphone. It was annoying to use because of the bottom flip. Seems like a small thing but it is what smart design is about. The phone was very awkward for data input. Looks cool but I predict a failure.
RE: Looks cool
Ed @ 5/23/2002 11:01:47 AM #
The source, who has seen the real thing, says the screen is color.

---
News Editor
RE: Looks cool
cykalan @ 5/23/2002 11:15:10 AM #
Adjust your screen brighter and you will be able to distinguish between blue and black...............

Alan
----
Read your manuals before you ask!!
RE: Looks cool
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 11:16:09 AM #
Yeah - you can see the color in the upper left corner. It looks to me that the backlight is just not on.
RE: Looks cool
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 11:25:39 AM #
I agree with crusty - this thing looks way cool. I've certainly been a nay-sayer about phone/pda combos before, but this thing looks like it could win me over. I have to admit that I did dabble briefly with a[non-Palm device], but I've found that it's really not what I need. I was thinking of checking out the new Danger device (expected next month) but I miss my Palm OS. This device is definitely appealing.

One thing that's made me change my tune about combo PDA/phones is that I've simply decided that it's necessary to have two phones one main phone with PDA, and one super-small phone that I can use when I want to travel light (mostly for going out on the town). Since I have Voicestream, I can just pop the chip out of my phone and switch to another without any problem, which is very cool.

RE: Looks cool
KB2PMD @ 5/23/2002 11:29:29 AM #
When you magnify and brighten the picture of the opened phone, you can clearly see "Setup 1 of 4" in the background is written on a blue background, whereas the nearby text is black.
I wonder if the phone will have integrated T9 or ITAP input, so users who don't like graffiti have a more optimized method for data entry.
-Mike


RE: Looks cool
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 11:49:40 AM #
One item to consider is whether people will have both the Phone/PDA AND a PDA. For instance,
if my phone could carry all of my information of my palm, it might be nice to have in those rare
instances I don't have my Palm. Also, all my information of phone numbers could carry over. On
the other hand, I don't think I would even use this as a power PIM device. I can't see flipping out
my phone to take notes from a meeting, or managing a database, or connecting this to a Port
keyboard.
But having my Palm be able to share information would be nice. If I own a Palm, I still own a
mobile phone. Why not make it a Palm enabled phone.
RE: Looks cool
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 12:00:39 PM #
Yeah, you know what, I think I might just believe you that it is just that the backlight is not on. The top left does look blue. (Thought it looked blue anyway, just that it was a result of the poor picture.)

Wouldn't want to argue with ED anyway, I'm sure he is right.

Can't be worse than the first Kyocera... ugly beast!

RE: Looks cool - keyboard, etc.
PFloyd @ 5/23/2002 12:29:15 PM #
I only tried for about 10 minutes but I can Graffiti faster than I can thumb type on a Clie or a Treo.

Wow!

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 10:05:13 AM #
FINALLY a real flip-style Palm phone! If they can keep the size down (and it looks like they have) and the battery life up, what a device!

Granted, I like a thumb board better than grafitti, but in this form factor, i'll compromise!

-- J

RE: Wow!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 10:20:01 AM #
Wow is right!! If this is going to run an ARM, I would buy it in a second.

Really hard call on the keyboard issue. Most people are use to and expect a "pots" style keypad for cell phones. This looks like a very good compromise. Personally, I like graffiti and glad to see it on the device.

RE: Wow!
c_blue @ 5/23/2002 11:01:06 AM #
If this turns to be true, I'll get one, add a fitaly stamp to it and forget all about thumb type.

c_blue

RE: Wow!
fkclo @ 5/23/2002 11:05:44 AM #
I just wonder if you can find a suitable Fitaly Stamp overlay to fit this unit.

RE: Wow!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 11:41:46 AM #
I agree WOW. Koolness factor is very high. Notice it is available in the Palm silver and blue colors. The separate grafitti makes sense and works for me. Put a silkyboard overlay and just type with your stylus. Maybe you could use the dial keyboard for numbers. I'm sure it is color and that the res is 160x160 which is fine for that size device. It almost certainly would use OS4 in my opinion as there would be no need for the features of OS5 on this device. It would be very cool if you could display a color picture of the person you are calling say from the phonebook databse.
I would definately buy this if it was supported by a local phone service.
RE: Wow!
c_blue @ 5/23/2002 11:43:12 AM #
If there is a fitaly skin for the virtual graffiti area on the NR series... I don't see why a suitable stamp can't be made =)...

c_blue

It's too d**m small!!!!!

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 10:18:17 AM #
First we had people complain about the small m100 series screen, now this! What the hell can you do on a screen that small? I can't see this unit becoming more than a unique cell phone to show off to others.

There's no functionality for a palmos device with a screen that small. It looks cool and a great idea, but the Treo is a much better design. These guys just copied Motorola and stuck the palmOS in it.

Good luck selling them to people who actually need both!

RE: It's too d**m small!!!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 10:26:16 AM #
Q:What can you do on a screen that small? A:Everything.
The small screens are denser, still consisting of 160 x 160 pixels. Just like the old screens.
RE: It's too d**m small!!!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 10:34:49 AM #
you know, there is no measurement on the picture, for all we know it could be a ten foot giant statue or a 4 inch prototype.

who knows, got to see it first.

RE: It's too d**m small!!!!!
Ed @ 5/23/2002 10:57:04 AM #
With the assumption that that black square on the right side is an SD slot, I came up with some rough dimensions. When closed the T3 seems to be a little less than 4 inches tall, not counting the .75 inch antenna. It is roughly 2.5 inches wide and about 1.25 inches thick. The screen is about 1.9 inches on a side.

This was pretty easy because an SD slot is just about exactly an inch wide.

I've added this info to the article.

---
News Editor

RE: It's too d**m small!!!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 11:21:17 AM #
It could also be a Memory Stick slot on the side, Kyocera is on the list of Memory Stick supporting companies.
RE: It's too d**m small!!!!!
RedJess @ 5/23/2002 12:05:06 PM #
I agree, I think the screen is too small to be comfortable, but that's just me. It looks really cool. If the device is any good, Handspring might have something to worry about.

RE: It's too d**m small!!!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 12:07:18 PM #
If the size estimates are correct, then the width and screen size are almost exactly the same as the Kyo 6035. Which is a perfrect compromised size for portability and legibility, IMO. So, the answer is yes, you can do everything on it that you can do with any other Palm device.
RE: It's too d**m small!!!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 12:15:48 PM #
Sorry, still too small. Give it up. It was hard on a m100 to get used to and now this!?
RE: It's too d**m small!!!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 12:23:43 PM #
I agree....the screen is way too small...but a very cool design!
RE: It's too d**m small!!!!!
kady @ 5/23/2002 12:43:20 PM #
I would say it looks small, but the screen on the 6035 is pretty small too. I actually use two palm devices: the 6035 for a phone and reminders, and the visor edge for everything else. I thought that the 6035 was the ideal solution and even dropped the m505 for it. (Of course I managed to get 3 defective m505's and the last return I exchanged for the phone).

Unfortunately, for me the screen is too small for using it for much more than a phone book. I added larger fonts but still . . . okay, to be most honest, scrabble was too small to play. I *love* the phone connected to the address book. With my limited memory, being able to simply tap on a person's number or do the look up is great! I bought the edge when the price came down for the great screen real estate. Plus it is thin enough to carry around in my purse with the phone. I would rather have an integrated device to simply carry one item. I am interested to see how big this item really is. It looks great otherwise, especially with the possible sd slot.

RE: It's too d**m small!!!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 2:15:35 PM #
I liked the idea of the Kyocera 6035. But the fact is, if u have used one for a while you notice how damn difficult it is to tap anything on the screen. I am not quite sure if it is just because it is too small (ie: because the pixel density is great, the digitizer also requires that much more precision) or if the digitizer happens to also be not very sensitive on this unit. In any event, this leads to tapping 3-4 times trying to hit a partiular button or ui object. Too bad, because - as i said - i love the idea of Palm OS smart phone. It just needs to have a larger (and brighter - more readable) screen. On the upside, after using a Kyocera for a few days, it makes the screen of even a Palm V or Vx seem luxurious and beuatiful, and the touch screens seem very easy to use by comparison.
RE: It's too d**m small!!!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 3:36:08 PM #
when you say some screen is too small, please state your age and eye sight strengths. to me, even the i300 screen seem to be fine (running 1600x1200 on a 19 in.). so, it's just different level of tolerence, and i do understand your particular circumstances.
RE: It's too d**m small!!!!!
RedJess @ 5/23/2002 4:34:31 PM #
"when you say some screen is too small, please state your age and eye sight strengths. "

I'm 20 with 20/20 vision. I think its too small just becuase for what I want to do with a Palm (address, memo, notes, take notes in class, updating Word and Excel documents, play games). I don't think doing all that is going be comfortable on a screen that size. But that's just my personal preference. And maybe if I every get to try it out, I'd change my tune.

RE: It's too d**m small!!!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 4:42:40 PM #
Hey, it remains to be seen as to whether or not it's too small. I thought the Clie NR70 was going to be way too big until I held one in my hand.

That having been said, I'm interested to see how one could write on the graffitti area without hitting any of the keys below. Maybe there's a function for turning them off while writing?

RE: It's too d**m small!!!!!
jimski @ 5/23/2002 5:29:21 PM #
I agree, it is too d**m small. I have owned a Kyocera 6035 since the week it came out, hoping it would be the catch all device to replace my Palm VIIx and Nokia cellphone.

After a year of struggling to see the small 160 x 160 screen, I finally took the leap to Sony (T-415 to T-615 to NR70V). I use my PDA all day long and my 40 something eyes could no longer focus on the Kyocera screen. The NR70V is literally day and night (even with the contrast at almost minimum) compared to the Kyocera. I now use the Kyocera as a cell phone, to pull down e-mail and access web-sites. The Sony does everything else.

I have come to the conclusion that there will never be a SmartPhone to satisfy everyone (phone too big or PDA too small). I am looking forward to a GSM CellPhone the size of a match book to communicate with my Sony via Bluetooth. I will still need two devices, but won't have to pay two cellular bills (cell and Palm), will be able to see everything and the cellphone could stay tucked out of the way.

This is the only solution. Forget SmartPhones. I have.

RE: It's too d**m small!!!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/23/2002 10:31:30 PM #
Well, after seeing a Treo in real life and deciding it's too [fill-in-the-blank] large for a phone, I'm actually glad to see another company try something smaller.
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