Any rumors around?

[LB]

G'day to you all!

Well, since I don't own an iPAQ, you know I'm planning to. I've been saving for one for quite a few months now, and getting closer.
BUT, the other day I got a chance to borrow a Psion 5MX for two days, trying it out in my every day life.
I write.
A lot.
I actually wrote over fifteen pages on the little machine, all thanks to the keyboard. So it just hit me: Despite the 5MX only having a 36Mhz processor and a greyscale screen, I NEED a keyboard.
So, my question is: Is there any rumors of a PPC with a built-in keyboard?
Yes yes, I know I can buy a foldable keyboard for an iPAQ, sure. But come on! That's not the most practical thing in the world, you know, aspecially if you sit two hours on a subway each day, and plan on writing during that trip.
So, is there some spicy rumor for me floating around?

[imported_Technogeek]

There is a new PDA coming out from SHARP called the M1-E1U. I don't know the exact release date. The MI-E1U is powered by a Hitachi SH-3 processor running Sharp's Zaurus OS and comes with 8MB RAM. It has a CompactFlash Type II on top and an SD card slot and an infrared port on the side. It uses a lithium ion battery that Sharp claims gets 10 hours battery life on the MI-E1U.

You can see pictures of it from CES 2001 at:
http://www.brighthand.com/html/event/ces_day2_pda3.html

[R K]

Get the HP Jornada 720, it uses the same processor as the iPAQ yet at a lower speed.
That's what I would have gotten if I needed a keyboard.

[GeneDoc]

Be careful getting the HP 720. Even MS isn't putting a lot of effort behind the new HPC 2000 OS. Their embedded Visual Tools SDK has been in the same beta form for seven months and still doesn't include an emulator. Pretty weak support from the company which should be trying to support their own product.

<a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/code/sample.asp?url=/msdn-files/027/001/448/msdncompositedoc.xml">HPC 2000 SDK</a>

[This message has been edited by Mike Frangiskakis (edited March 25, 2001).]

[imported_jlc]

If you need a keyboard, go with a Psion. Besides teh 5mx, they also have the Revo and Netbook (color). EPOC has a lot of support, so there are a number of 3rd party apps available.

[not@home.now]

The HP has a slightly larger keyboard, color screen, strongarm processor, both PCMCIA and CF slots, builtin modem. I has a lot more capability. If you can get a good price on the HP, you'd probably be more satisfied.

[imported_jlc]

The only issue I have with the HP (besides price - yu can get a cheap notebook for less) is batteries. As I recall, it uses an HP NiMH pck, and I 'm not sure how long it lasts. The mx5 uses AA's, and you can slap in NiMH's if you want. Having used a 5mx, I've found it to be a great machine - if you don't mind teh non-color display, and non-adjustable viewing angle. For writing on the go, it's a fine machine. With Opera and a CF modem, it becomes a decent browser. The best part, for me, was when the batteries died, I slapped in a spar set of AA's, which can be bought almost anywhere.

Again, it's a case of what best suits your personel needs.

Jim

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Disclaimer - I am a member of Brighthand's Palm team. All opinions expressed here are my own.

[ronbo76]

There's a rumor about Compaq's President playing games on a HangSpring in his office floating around.

Unconfirmed.

[ChrisJW]

FWIW - A few alternates

1) The Sony Viao with the built in camera. It's small, excellent KB and screen, W9x (98SE?) and nearly the same price as you'ld end up paying for the various bits of iPaq gear you'ld end up getting (jackets, microdrives, SSs, Bat. Extnds etc etc). Down side, of course, is that it does fit nicely in your pocket.

2) Psion 5mx - I do miss the KB on mine, and has much better, IMO, power and memory management.

3) Nokia 9xxxx PDA phone

HTH

Chris

[Paqin' Heat]

you may be able to find a deal on an HP 680 or 690. They are older models of the 720 form factor. They run pretty nice and the OS is a little less buggy. I used one for six months until the screen cracked in my back pack. Great little machine.