Global sales of traditional PDAs, according to research by several independent analytical agencies, continue to fall. This is explained by the fact that becoming more popular models of PDA with enhanced functionality or so-called communicators. Modern user no longer enough just to have a PDA, it is desirable that he coped with the additional tasks - replaces a mobile phone or digital camera. Communicators gradually pushed around in the market conventional PDA (this is especially seen in handheld computers or the lower priced entry-level). And according to analysts, with each passing year, their share will only grow. Pleasant exception to the general rule is the Russian market, with sales only in the first quarter of this year grew by 3,5 times. Explanation is very simple. Our market is still very young and have not had enough. However, from the global trends are not going to go, so the decline in sales of handheld computers and the growing popularity of smartphones has come with time and to us. Given this, is very commendable that some manufacturers are already thinking about the future, and promptly accepted for the release of communicators. This is a Russian company Rover Computers and its second phone is PDA - RoverPC S2. In light of its official announcement, which happened late last week, we present, as promised, his review.
Looking outside
Designed by the previous device, RoverPC S1, evoked criticism from many. In fact, it was Mighty pocket computer, processed in the communicator (add an antenna, removable telephone keypad and GSM / GPRS module).
Apparently, considering all the design errors S1, the company Rover Computers in the new model decided to take the form factor, traditional for cell phones. S2 outwardly resembles an ordinary phone-cot. All attributes on the face - and hinged cover with a color display that can rotate 180 °, and hardware numeric keypad, and the presence of auxiliary monochrome display on the outside cover.
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| RoverPC S2: rotating display |
Only, unlike a regular phone, the device dimensions slightly increased, to about the size of iPAQ h1940.
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| Three Comrades: iPAQ h1940, RoverPC S2, Sony-Ericsson T630 |
Despite the increase, compared with a mobile phone, size, sits in the hand of S2 as well as a normal mobile phone. Apparently, due to the fact that the body has not quite rectangular in shape and nemngo loaned to the top and bottom of the device.
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| RoverPC S2 and Sony-Ericsson T630 |
However, there is one time when there is regret for the large size - is when the habit hold the device near your ear to answer the incoming call. A person with such a large mobile phone now looks a bit ridiculous:) However, you can talk and not disclosing the tube, then everything is in order. In this case, we should not forget that RoverPC S2 is still not mobile, and full-featured smartphone. Therefore, the dimensions of the device (107h63, 5h24, 7 mm), primarily determined by the size of the display.With governments, developers apparently decided not wise, and did everything like a mobile phone, or almost everything. The difference lies in the fact that mobile phones do not have a stylus, and a communicator he is, so you need somewhere to build a container for a storage. Pencil case is where, and most handheld computers - in the top panel. Ibid - headphone jack (diameter 2.5 mm) or headsets, external antenna and window infrared port.
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Nearby there is a button control with a digital camera (shutter release and a call to control the camera application). If you hold the device in his right hand, the button is right under your thumb. Very convenient, though continuous shooting lead.
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| Rover PC S2: right view |
Any other buttons or levers right panel is no longer burdened. In the left pane, on the contrary there is a volume control as a lever, swing and control button voice recorder. Lever still performs the role of the scroll wheel to navigate the menu, or, for example, when flipping pages e-book.
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| RoverPC S2: left-side view |
There is also a card slot for expansion of the format SDIO. You can use a memory card SD / MMC expansion modules or format SDIO.
The upper part of the back panel is made of black plastic. Something like a plastic blotches on the iPAQ h39hh series.
On it are a digital camera lens and flash. Just below you can find the reset button. If you expand the display up, then directly under the display you can see the speaker. But this is no ordinary speaker system and speaker for phone calls.
System is a speaker located on the front panel, the same place where black and white display.
Microphone, which is used for telephone conversations, is located directly beneath the keyboard.
And the speaker and microphone, developers have placed so as to be able to talk with your device, simply attach it to your ear like a normal mobile phone. However, as I mentioned above, it is not very convenient and better to use a wireless or wired headset. When the lid is closed device that the microphone is hidden, so the bottom end there is an additional microphone, which is useful when working with a voice recorder. In addition, at the bottom you can find the jack for AC adapter and mini-USB port for synchronizing with desktop or notebook PC.
The rear panel of the computer as such is not its role performs a removable battery.
The unit continues to operate even when the main computer display is turned off. To display the information in this case, the auxiliary monochrome display, which is located on the front panel. In short, a typical phone-flip.
The display shows: the value of the battery charge level of the received signal, time and name of the mobile operator. If you have Caller ID, someone else and passed your number. It is interesting to hold the lights. Two of them, like all Pocket PCs, but in reality they are merged into one (like headlights).
During charging and receiving system messages indicator lights up orange, when the battery is fully charged - in green, and when the Bluetooth transmitter - blue.
The device is equipped with a hardware keyboard, much like a mobile phone keypad. However, in addition to standard buttons there are a few more. This is a button on / off and another eight programmable keys, the default is to call Internet Explorer, the call processing applications for MMS messages, camera and voice recorder, PIM-PIM (contacts, calendar, incoming) and windows Today.
An Inside Look
Processor
Heart device is a processor Intel XScale PXA260 with the stated clock speed 400MHz.
It's good that the old PXA255 developers refused. Use of the PXA270 processor series is unreasonable. Do not need a communicator clock frequency of 500-600MHz.
Performance
Actually, quite a lot and 400MHz, because the high clock speed inevitably reduce battery life - a critical indicator for the mobile device. After all, the communicator, in contrast to a handheld computer should have a greater margin of battery life, since it imposes double duty. Therefore, the lower the clock frequency, the better, to a certain limit, of course. Performance comparison test SBP Benchmark. For clarity, I compared the results with data for RoverPC S1, T-Mobile MDA and the iPAQ h4150. Performance tests were, to put it mildly, very unexpected.
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Frankly speaking, performance like iPAQ h4150 certainly not expected, but that the results would be lower than the previous model of the communicator (RoverPC S1) c-th 400MHz PXA255, just stunned. The results of processor performance rather close to the iPAQ h1940 (266 MHz), but none as not to 400MHz PXA255 and PXA260. Casket was opened very easily. It turned out that the processor in RoverS2 on the passport has a clock speed of 400MHz, but in order to improve battery life for his zalochili "at 200MHz. That is, the processor can operate at 400MHz, but a utility to switch to a 400MHz Communicator is unavailable. In gaming applications on 200MHz device is working again as the iPAQ h1940 and to Rover S1 or ASUS A620 falls short. Tests were conducted on demos games Pocket Quake. The table below shows the playback speed of clips, a measurement of frames per second. The higher the value, the better.
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Fans games on handheld computers, please do not be upset:) In the near future Rover Computer will release a special application that will allow "disperse" the communicator to the coveted 400MHz.
Food
As the main battery is used Li-Ion Battery 1200 mAh. In addition, RoverPC P2 there is also a built-in backup Ni-MH battery (14mA, 3V), which allows you to save your data, if the charge device is critically low. Its presence in the devices of the company Rover Computers - the phenomenon is not characteristic, so that it was equipped S2 doubly pleased.
A nice feature is that the Rover S2 can recharge the battery via the USB port of desktop and laptop. Depending on the implementation of the USB port on a desktop computer, you can choose one of two modes of charging - the "normal" or "powerful device."
Vitality
Good battery life and reduced up to 200MHz clock frequency gave rise to optimistic expectations before the test on the viability of the communicator. Frankly, the results were even higher than I could hope for. When playing music through the speaker phone lasted a little over 15 hours (PDAs envy!). Standby time reading books, too startling: almost 9 hours with maximum backlight and 17 hours at minimum illumination. View the video - from 4 to 7 hours (depending on the level of illumination). If you use a device like a cell phone, it lasts for 4-5 hours of continuous talk time. Using a Bluetooth headset reduces this time to 3-4 hours. If you frequently use (2-3 hours of music, 2-3 hours reading books, 1-2 hours PIM applications, 2 hours of telephone conversations) batteries are exactly enough for one day, so had to charge it every day, or rather every night.
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If you for some reason do not use Bluetooth wireless modules or GSM / GPRS, then you can force them to stop at the hardware level and board for their support will not be spent. And with a communicator at this time you can work like a normal Pocket PC.
Memory and OS
A set of standard memory - 64MB RAM and 32MB ROM. Built communicator based on Windows Mobile 2003 Phone Edition.
Afflicts only a lack of user-ROM section, where you could store the backup copy of the system, or at least copy the phone book. To create a backup program has a built-QBackup, which allows you to store data, such as on a memory card and in RAM.
Why store data in RAM is not entirely clear, because after the "hard reset your device all the files will be lost. Only if an option when there is no SD card, but you can sync with a regular computer. Make a copy to RAM PDA and copy this file over the USB port on your PC hard drive. To restore the data were the reverse procedure. Slightly unusual way, but it will work.
The program allows you to copy all data or only documents and user files.
To backup takes up less space there is a possibility of data compression. Archiving saves space, but the process of backing up or restoring data takes more time. The only drawback of this program is the lack of an automatic backup settings. It would be very convenient if the handheld automatically saves the data (or offered to save them) as critically low battery.
Phone
The communicator has a built-in GSM module range of 900MHz and 1800MHz, which allows the use of telecommunication services operator Beeline, MTS and Megafon (relevant for Moscow. - Ed.). The main application that is used to control telephone functions of the communicator, and is called "phone".
It allows you to dial a phone number, how to use the hardware keyboard, and using the virtual keypad, which looks just like an ordinary mobile phone. The keyboard can be configured as a multiple, and on double clicking. As in the usual mobile phone, the application stores the list of calls (made, taken or not taken). There is a possibility tincture voicemail.
As the mobile phone, you can use music files (MID, WAV) as ringtones.
You can adjust the tone for each individual event, or notice, in addition to silent mode, you can use built-in vibrating alert.
The program can work with a SIM card, allows you to copy all contacts from your SIM card and import them into your contact list, so you can dial a number or sending SMS messages directly from your chosen field of contact person.
Besides the usual SMS, the phone can send (check with your carrier that this service is included) MMS messages, creating them directly on the device. MMS message can contain text, animation and sound file.
Radio
Of the wireless interfaces in RoverPC S2 has the classic IrDA (SIR) and a more modern, but not less than demanded Bluetooth transmitter class 1.1 with power-saving mode of class 2. Configure the transmitter made to the system menu "Settings / Connections," which in general is justified.
For the user, there are three modes of radio: on, off and available for detection. The latter differs from the usual mode enabled only by the fact that the communicator will be available for other devices, but the connection will not look.
To work using a simple but comfortable Bluetooth Manager, which lets you create profiles to connect to other devices (mobile phone, headset or computer).
Convenience of the program is that you do not need to choose the type of profile. "User-friendly vehicle" is automatic, and just automatically determines the type of detected devices. Do not forget the developers and security measures - there is a standard access protection with PIN code.
Going online
Communicator allows you to quickly create a connection to the Internet. To do this, no additional devices are needed because the computer is integrated GPRS module (class 10). Just a menu link you want to create a new connection.
Select the appropriate modem type (line cellular GPRS).
Choose your carrier and enter the necessary data (user name, password, and access point).
And just go on the Internet.
You can, of course, to GSM (mobile phone line) connection to connect or select an external modem. But why? When there is a built GRRS. Especially because the prices at the Moscow operators is quite acceptable.
Display
According to our measurements using a special methodology magazine Consumer: computers and programs, the maximum brightness of the display RoverPC S2 is 112Kd/m2, the minimum level of brightness - 14Kd/m2 (12,5% of the maximum brightness). Characteristics similar to the recently tested a computer ASUS A730. It is noteworthy that the minimum level of illumination is not overstated, as most PDAs, so that we can without much harm to the eyes to read text even in complete darkness. Even at the lowest level of illumination the contrast reaches 1:50, which is more than enough for comfortable perception of information from the display in almost any lighting conditions except direct sunlight. In this case, on the streets of more or less normal perception of the text can speak only at the highest level of illumination. As with all matrices with transflective backlit, backlight OFF when the contrast does not exceed 1:2. In principle, the text visible, so make a backup copy or an address you can look, but read with backlight OFF can very quickly become tired eyes. Total levels of brightness ten, but since the leftmost division corresponds to turn-off, that really tick nine.
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The physical size of the matrix is slightly smaller than the classic handheld - 3.0 vs 3.5. Decrease by 15% the diagonal, of course, is felt, but because the resolution of all of the same 320x240, then when dealing with applications of special felt no discomfort, even when reading e-books or working in Internet Explorer.
Luggage
The presence of a camera now, no surprise for anybody. Communicators it seems to have become a standard "de facto". Was no exception and our domestic RoverPC S2. Novelty has a built-in digital camera with 310,000 pixel matrix. The camera can operate in a shooting photos with resolutions up to 640x480 pixels in video mode with a resolution of 160x120 pixels in the AVI (with sound).
As well as regular digital cameras are: - automatic white balance adjustment, and three preset modes (on the street, indoors, cloudy)
- color effects (sepia, color image, grayscale)
- change image resolution (320x240, 214h160, 160x120, 86h60)
- Continuous shooting (3 or 5 frames).
In dim light, you can use built-in flash. There is a timer with a delay of the shutter (5 to 30 seconds).
Directly from the program control the camera captured image can be sent by e-mail, transmit wirelessly or inserted into the MMS message.
To view the images you can use the built-in "Pictures".
The quality of the images for printing in the format 10x15 cm, of course, no good, but to add to the electronic documents (contact phone or Microsoft Outlook) is fine. Examples of the photo:
To view a video embedded application "player", although with the same success you can use the built-in Microsoft Windows Media Player.
Video obtained by using a digital camera RoverPC P2, can be downloaded here. Weighs AVI-file whose name ends 501 KB.
Localization
Localized unit, as well as all handheld computers the company Rover Computers, a company Quarta Technology. Localization performed on the operating system level and sewn into the ROM device, so that even during hard reset the device need to reinstall the localization will not.
Those to whom the program by one or another reason do not like or get tired, can take the opportunity to choose your interface language, which appears after all of the same hard reset.
Help System
Translated not only the interface of the operating system and embedded applications, and help system. Nice to still get help in their native Russian language.
Looking into the box
Includes self communicator, battery, cradle, power adapter, CD with software, user manual, a description of the Windows Mobile 2003 and a technical description. RoverPC S2 will be available in two versions of a complete set - with a wireless Bluetooth headset and without it. It is expected that the device available in retail stores in late July - early August.The base retail price of new items will be about $ 649, and the price set a Bluetooth headset - $ 689.
Conclusions
Conceptually, the device should combine the best of mobile phone and PDA. Moreover, this combination should be harmonious, so that the user has got is not very bulky device, normally works as a PDA and a cellular handset. Ideal form for such a device I think it is the concept of mobile phones, increased in proportion to the size of the display. Examples of simple alterations handheld computer to no good, as we know, have not led. Communicator must be self-sufficient. Pleased that the company Rover Computer, time realizing this, has released cvoy RoverPC S2, analogues in our market until there is simply no. The company is planning - the release of a new device, built on the basis of a fresh version of Windows Mobile 2003 - Second Edition. Orienting the device will fall this year. The authors, translation:
