Rumor: Is this the Tungsten T|2?

Posted By: PIC Thursday, June 5, 2003 5:50:34 PM

Tungsten T|2?A picture of what may be the next Tungsten T replacement has been posted to a Chinese PDA message board. Though not many details are known and the picture's authenticity can not be confirmed, this may be evidence of a coming updated Tungsten T.

The picture first appeared on a Chinese PDA message board. All Palm branded handhelds are now manufactured in China.

Rumor: Tungsten T|2? ~ Click for largerThe translated rumors mention that the device has 32MB or internal memory. It also uses a Transflective TFT screen, the same used in the new Zire 71 and Tungsten C. The operating system has been bumped up to OS 5.2, which allows for the higher memory capacity and the Graffiti 2 hand-writing system. The casing of the pictured unit also appears to be a lighter color hue than the T|T.

The original Tungsten T has 16MB of memory, a reflective screen and ran Palm OS 5.0.

As with all rumors, many details are not known or concrete such as processor type and speed. The Tungsten T has been Palm SG's only handheld to date with integrated bluetooth.

Related:
PIC Forum Discussion

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This one may actually be real

sgingras @ 6/5/2003 7:39:22 PM #
If that is a PhotoShop spoof, then it is a nice job. The screen looks realistic and has a Graffiti 2 icon. Of course, I bought stock in Enron.

cheers,
Steve

RE: This one may actually be real
rsc1000 @ 6/5/2003 10:59:50 PM #
>>The screen looks realistic and has a Graffiti 2 icon

Just to nit-pick - the graffit 2 icon is the same as trhe graffiti icon - with the number 2 added to the name of course. However, i belive this does look like a real photo. Afterall - if somebody was going to fake a new device they would most likely go for something more radically different than this. I think this will be a welcome update.

RE: This one may actually be real
Bones3D @ 6/6/2003 10:35:28 AM #
Maybe it's real, maybe it's not... but something doesn't quite add up... Why is someone who posts to a chinese-only message board using an english version of the Palm OS?

Just one more thing... I find it rather strange someone on the inside of Palm with access to the company's prototypes would have easy access to a flatbed scanner and enough time to scan the device with a sync cable attached to it. Seems to me, someone would have noticed that.

Just a thought. ;-)

8==8 Bones 8==8

RE: This one may actually be real
amflores @ 6/6/2003 11:05:19 AM #
Not to start a flame or something, just curiosity: how do you know he used a flatbed scanner and itīs not a digital photo?

RE: This one may actually be real
Bones3D @ 6/6/2003 11:25:37 AM #
Two things give it away:

First, the gradation of the background behind the PDA from light at the top (the cover is closest to the glass here) to the darkness at the bottom (the cover is farthest away here). Also, note the drop shadow on the PDA body is on the left of the image, while the shadow from the sync cable is clearly visible on the right of the image. If it was a stationary light source, the drop shadows would be on the same side of the image.

8==8 Bones 8==8

RE: This one may actually be real
Tere @ 6/6/2003 12:14:25 PM #
But if you look at the "Palm" logo "marble", yuo can see what appears to be the reflection of a florescent light fixture in the upper right quad. In the lower left edge of the hole where the marble is set, there appears to be glare form that light source.

The upper right corner of the background looks about the same shade as the lower right and lower left corner. I think there are multiple light sources, accounting for the multiple shadows.

As for English vs. Chinese OS, just because it was leaked to or by a Chinese rumor page doesn't mean it's Chinese device. I'd guess that first rounds of Palm devices would have an English OS.

- Tere

- Tere

RE: This one may actually be real
jchen @ 6/6/2003 4:13:26 PM #
Do you think that we Chinese doesn't know English? :)
Actually most of us in that forum can use English very well. All of high school students in China knows English. I'm using a English version of SONY Clie SJ30. So it's not surprised that an English version of TT appeared on a Chinese forum.

RE: This one may actually be real
enjolras @ 6/6/2003 4:13:31 PM #
The reason it's an English version of the OS is that it's likely what is being produced in the Chinese production facility. This could very well be a line unit that was pulled for quality assurance testing.



RE: This one may actually be real
Gremmie @ 6/6/2003 8:54:45 PM #
Well, a lot of PDA's have been leaked onto the internet (excluding FCC), some of those were leaked here. Other than the iWalk fake I really see no reason to say this is not real.

RE: This one may actually be real
naturefreak85 @ 6/7/2003 1:21:47 PM #
no way it is a photoshop spoof, the tungsten T has a more blueish color to it not a silverish color, so i suspect it is real

RE: This one may actually be real
bargainPDA @ 6/8/2003 11:49:49 AM #
I don't think it is a spoof, Adama Brown wrote this article for bargainpda and he's a professional in the world of graphics and editing and gives several reasons why it is not a fake:

http://www.bargainpda.com/default.asp?newsID=1419

Comments on the Chinese Message Board

Fahad429 @ 6/5/2003 7:46:02 PM #
LOL! I don't want to sound mean or anything, but the comments on the message boards sound so hilarious! No offense anyone! This is all in good humor! ;)

RE: Comments on the Chinese Message Board
Fahad429 @ 6/5/2003 7:51:17 PM #
"Must change is not also difficult! RAM rises 32m, OS rises 5.2" hehe, that is what one guy said on there! Try saying it with a bit of an accent :)

RE: Comments on the Chinese Message Board
crustyedgeofinnovation @ 6/5/2003 8:12:55 PM #
Hey, I'm Chinese and I find that very offensive. And I'm a woman too so enough about blondes and boobies.

Just joking, hahaha... me chinese, me make new tt...

www.departmentofcomfort.com

RE: Comments on the Chinese Message Board
rogerkang @ 6/5/2003 8:51:38 PM #
you guys are messed up.
RE: Comments on the Chinese Message Board
Pepper @ 6/5/2003 9:53:30 PM #
You guys shouldn't use translators for chinese. i find they work well for french and spanish (although a tad shady) but the grammer structure is VERY different chinese. reading the responses without translating (this requires knowing chinese ;) ) you can see that it is proper chinese grammer (for the most part)

-Pepper

BTW: crusty edge -- now i know i'm not the only chinese speaking girl on the forums!! cool cool :)

I love my Palm . . . do you?

RE: Comments on the Chinese Message Board
ActionJackson @ 6/6/2003 12:45:02 AM #
On the flip side, if the people in China used a translator to read this PIC story they are also getting a good laugh. The third paragragh refers to the "Graffiti 2 hand-righting system." I wonder how that translates into chinese. ;)
RE: Comments on the Chinese Message Board
jchen @ 6/6/2003 4:08:56 PM #
Do you think that we Chinese doesn't know English? :)
Actually most of us in that forum can use English very well. All of high school students in China knows English. I'm using a English version of SONY Clie SJ30. So it's not surprised that an English version of TT appeared on a Chinese forum.

RE: Comments on the Chinese Message Board
elo @ 6/7/2003 6:31:07 PM #
Right - It's just Americans who only speak one language.

elo

RE: Comments on the Chinese Message Board
Lucky Bob @ 6/8/2003 8:58:05 AM #
Sad, huh?

(Why do some people say you can kill two birds with one stone when it's hard enough killing one bird with two stones?)

Cost? Date?

abosco @ 6/5/2003 7:56:05 PM #
I'm guessing $399, but I doubt this product will make a dent unless it has a powerful X-Scale and much improved battery life. And it should be a little thinner. And now that G2 is included, the slider may not have as much use... not that many people liked its usefulness in the first place, but we'll see.

Anybody want to try the release date?

-Bosco
Proud Member of the Top Non-Mods

RE: Cost? Date?
TooMuch @ 6/5/2003 8:31:56 PM #
",,,not that many people liked its usefulness in the first place, but we'll see."

With such all-knowing insight, you tell us.

Signed,
One of five guys in our office who still love the soft input area because we hate scratches on the viewable screen and/or dislike blurring a beautiful screen with a penny's worth of static plastic.

RE: Cost? Date?
abosco @ 6/5/2003 11:20:49 PM #
Hey, I never talked bad about the slider. I think the slider wasn't a bad idea, but there weren't enough people who benefit from the functionality. All I did was read the Palm Inc section and deduct that not many people who post here find the slider to be the most useful thing. That's why alternatives like OKey and Graffiti Anywhere are used so frequently and recommended.

-Bosco
Proud Member of the Top Non-Mods
RE: Cost? Date?
Davy Fields @ 6/6/2003 12:14:59 AM #
Well, of course, when people talk about stuff in forums, it's usually to complain about problems... I think that the slider did, and still does make sense... especially with G2... if you want to use the slider, do it.... if not, you never, ever have to!

-Davy Fields
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Palm_OS_5/
RE: Cost? Date?
SingSong @ 6/6/2003 1:37:47 AM #
If priced at $399, how will the T/T @ its current price of $349 fare? Since I'm recent to Palm, does anyone recall what became of the m505 once the m515 was released?

I do agree that anything above $399 (e.g., $499...has Palm ever released a new product at $x49?) using the rumored specs (32 mb/TFT) would be unrealistic.

But then again, never discount the weak constitution of the early adopter.

RE: Cost? Date?
Sleuth255 @ 6/6/2003 10:48:00 AM #
I'll take a stab at the release date.

It will either be right around the same time as the compaq release (since the TT2 will be a direct competitor to the iPAQ 1945) or

It will be in the October/November timeframe; PSG's traditional new version introduction window which also marks the 1 yr anniversary of the TT. The M515 was released 1 yr after the M505's introduction as well. In this case it is fun to speculate that PSG themselves may have "leaked" the picture in an attempt to minimize customer loss to HP's new 1945.

I'm 50/50 here (I hope that its the first possibility though).

SingSong: the M505 was dropped from Palm's lineup when the M515 was introduced. This was also the case for the Palm V when the Vx was introduced, although the process was far less distinct. Early versions of the Vx didn't even have the updated nomenclature, which made them virtually impossible to identify.


RE: Cost? Date?
bcombee @ 6/6/2003 11:48:56 AM #
There are reports that new Tungsten T devices have not been shipped to stores lately and that the stock level on the device is very low. Based on this, I'd expect Palm SG to release the TT2 as a replacement in their lineup for the TT. I'd guess that they are waiting for Fathers Day to pass, ending the "Dads and Grads" season so they can sell the remaining TT's before introducing a device that makes the current TT stock obsolete.

--
Ben Combee, CodeWarrior for Palm OS technical lead
Programming help at www.palmoswerks.com
RE: Cost? Date?
CaptMyCapt @ 6/6/2003 7:27:08 PM #
Early versions of the Vx didn't even have the updated nomenclature, which made them virtually impossible to identify.
-------------------------------------------
Actually, the early version of the Vx were easy to ID. Although it was not obvious on the front, the "Palm Vx 3Com" registered logo was imprinted on the back, along with several other imprints (e.g., UL listed 40BK - which was just above the reset hole-, TUV, FC, CE, and others). I purchased in Washington DC, as soon as it was released, and two other people I know, one in New York and one in Florida, purchased the Vx sometime after I did, and they had the same imprints on the back.

Captain T

"You will never make progress trying to sail into the wind - chart your course!"

RE: Cost? Date?
Lucky Bob @ 6/8/2003 9:08:26 AM #
"e.g., $499...has Palm ever released a new product at $x49?"

The Tungsten W: $549

"If priced at $399, how will the T/T @ its current price of $349 fare? Since I'm recent to Palm, does anyone recall what became of the m505 once the m515 was released?"

When the m515 was released, the m505 hung around for a while. Then Palm put it into its Hall of Fame. The m505 has still made appearances in Palm's Store over the past year. Right now you can buy an open box m505 and receive an open box m125 for free.

(Why do some people say you can kill two birds with one stone when it's hard enough killing one bird with two stones?)

I think this is a hoax!

GearHead @ 6/5/2003 8:32:18 PM #
I think this is a lousy Photoshop job. Look at the lines next to T2 and distance between the separator and 2. However If this is true, I think current Tungsten T owners such as myself deserve a 5.2 OS and Grafitti 2 update on their machines.

Free 802.11 No More Wires!!!
Support your local WAN!
RE: I think this is a hoax!
Jeffry @ 6/5/2003 8:41:42 PM #
I think this is NOT a hoax. That TFT screen looks so real, the reflections look real. Remember the pics of the rumored Zire 71? People thought it was a photoshopped using a Tungsten T pic but it turns out that it looked indentical to the final product. In addition, the leaked Tungsten C pic looked like a W without an antenna and it came out to be true.

So... what are the chances of this being a hoax?

RE: I think this is a hoax!
infobhan @ 6/5/2003 8:45:11 PM #
This is a real picture. There are some JPEG artifacts, but don't let that fool you into thinking it's fake. The only question is how long before it appears. my guess is 1 month (perhaps July 14, when the current promotion ends)?

RE: I think this is a hoax!
helf @ 6/5/2003 8:47:03 PM #
blow up the area around the name of the unit and look it it.....

RE: I think this is a hoax!
sr @ 6/5/2003 9:08:47 PM #
In the original thread people have already recognized that the discoloration around the Palm logo is actually the clear protective film left on device to protect the screen, you can even see the film's air pockets along the right edge towards the top. I doubt a photoshopper would go through that much trouble when they could have easily chopped up a picture of T|T without the film.

RE: I think this is a hoax!
Crashless @ 6/6/2003 12:38:10 AM #
This is a tough one to call, there are a lot of JPEG artifacts that don't help the usual color gradient checks. But one place where I am tempted to cry foul is on the 'graffiti 2' text under the icon. The 'iti 2' doesn't gradate with the glare on the left side like the other icons above and below it, it's darker. This makes me think they slid the text to the left a little so it is still centered when they added the '2'.

Just my 2 cents.

RE: I think this is a hoax!
Burns @ 6/6/2003 1:19:41 AM #
I'd say fake. The color change around the . . . what is that a speaker or mic? . . . and the Tungsten|T2 logo seem to be a bad paste job. But hey, maybe that's just me. The Graffiti 2 . . . I'v seen programs that will change the displayed name of an app. It's no big deal. So change the name of the Graffiti app, take a pic, edit it so it says T2 and this is what you get. Fifteen minute job at most.
RE: I think this is a hoax!
kev @ 6/6/2003 5:07:49 AM #
don't know if this is genuine or not but i do know that the thing around the palm logo is the plastic screen protector's removal tab. you'll notice in the top right corner of the lcd that there's some cellophane type stuff there.

RE: I think this is a hoax!
abhinay @ 6/6/2003 7:14:38 AM #
actually, if you look at the Graffiti 2 icon, the text beneath, the 2 is a lot darker than the rest of the words.... seems like it's been pasted on. I'm not suggesting its fake, but hey... that just stood out a bit obviously :)

RE: I think this is a hoax!
GearHead @ 6/6/2003 7:34:55 AM #
No matter what you all think, I think this is a major Photoshop job. Also protective film could be real but, this could be a brand new Tungsten T. Why call this Tungsten T2, why not call it new Tungsten T?
On tp of everything there are no new features besides the 32MB RAM, updated OS, better screen and Graffiti 2. I think true update to Tungsten T should be as follows:

400mHz processor
64MB RAM
Built in wi-fi
Buil-in camera without hiding it in the sled, like those Ericsson P800s or new Nokia phones
Newest Screen
5.2 OS
Graffiti 2
etc.


Free 802.11 No More Wires!!!
Support your local WAN!

RE: I think this is a hoax!
Sleuth255 @ 6/6/2003 8:52:34 AM #
Jump into the Palm Inc. forum at this thread:

http://www.palminfocenter.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14158

There's several full size versions of the picture (5 times the resolution). It should help with your analysis.

The picture is real folks.

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