Diversity of modern handheld computers is that is becoming quite difficult to clearly divide them into several distinct classes. Can be conventionally divided into three categories handhelds: cost models, which are low cost and limited functions, the middle class and business class, the CCP which have maximum performance, more memory and advanced communication capabilities. On the last day and will talk. Typically, the model of business-class have a corporate focus, that is, they are created, especially as computers for work. Hence the high performance requirements, and the need for constant wireless access to networks, and e-mail. Thus, the ring caused by a beginner market Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket LOOX 610 Bluetooth / WLAN and young, but the earlier "HP iPAQ h5550. The battle for the title in the heavyweight version HPCru. I ask the ring.
Round 1. Design and Ergonomics
Yet the corporate PC Pocket PC is a family thing quite large and quite daunting, especially when compared with the more diminutive Toshiba e400 and iPAQ h1910. Therefore, its dimensions of 138 x 84 mm our warrior h5550 nobody scared. LOOX 610 is slightly longer - 148 mm, but a little narrower - 78 mm. iPAQ is a couple of millimeters thinner - 15.9 mm versus 18.2 mm.
Design iPAQ has a more smooth, graceful and pleasing to the eye lines. LOOX also has more stringent, if not the classic shape - a sort of rectangular briquette with an antenna. Another design advantage iPAQ'a are the shape and size of the external antenna. It is considerably shorter and thus looks more attractive - the feeling is absolutely high-tech devices. True, the antenna can be LOOX'a at worst, and twist. This solution is for those users who are not often work with wireless networks.
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Shells of both heavyweights are made of plastic, but very good quality. At least for tactile sensations, the complete illusion of metal. Weight models at this passes for 200-gram mark. LOOX weighs 205 g, and the iPAQ - 207, the power button for both units at the top of the front panel, but the iPAQ is slightly smaller and press on it not as convenient as LOOX'e. By the way, all the other keys at the iPAQ also noticeably smaller than the LOOX 610. Buttons shortcut application that is not particularly critical, since they are located in special pits. Another thing the navigation button, which became a "byword" yet the model h5450. Unlike a lot of conveniently deposited arrow joystick LOOX'a, iPAQ'ovskaya navigation key is quite small and not very ergonomic. Its miniature size is largely explained by the presence on the front panel of the additional fingerprint scanner. This identifier fingers and "eats" almost all the available space. In LOOX'a such "frills" there is no trace.
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Application buttons, as is typical for the entire family of Pocket PC, flash. Interestingly, Pocket LOOX'a default on them were hung not only standard applications Calendar, Contacts and Today, but also one of the keys - manage wireless adapters.In addition, the buttons can be programmed to LOOX'a short and long depression. That is how long you hold it, will depend on what application you invoke. For example, a short press takes you to the application Sontacts and long press the same button turns off the computer screen. So that the four buttons you can assign eight applications.
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Function Jog-dial'a (well, not like HP and Fujitsu-Siemens scroll wheel and all!) In LOOX'a perform two separate buttons, while the iPAQ - one that is not amenable to reprogramming button-rocker. Beside her at the first key is the menu, but the Back Button and Record, unfortunately, no. In iPAQ'a their way, too, is not observed. Sidebar with LOOX 610 is also infrared. Such an arrangement can not be called successful, as synchronize your PDA with other Pocket PCs, laptops, and especially with the PC in this case is extremely inconvenient. However, the presence of Bluetooth interface partially compensates for this inconvenience. In a sparring partner IR port is located on the top panel, so such difficulties with the connection he is not there. The upper section of both models are given under the expansion slots: the LOOX'a has paired CF and SD card slot, while iPAQ'a - only SD.
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There is also a stylus holder. If LOOX'a an easy niche, then the iPAQ pencil box spring-loaded, and the stylus would not fall out (as you would without shaking the computer) until you click on it to release the spring. Simple, but very practical. We now estimate our PDAs in terms of ease of use as MP3-players. Headphone jack for LOOX'a can be found in the upper body, while the iPAQ, conversely, the bottom panel. So if you are wearing a computer in your pocket and listen to music through wired headphones, iPAQ will be less convenient solution. Each time to pull out or insert the "ears" will have to take the computer out of his pocket. True, the situation changes dramatically if we use the available complete cover. It iPAQ is located in a horizontal position, and the connector is easily accessible.
Summary
The conclusion is simple enough - is more attractive design iPAQ, which has an original performance of the body and antenna, as well as the more successful design of mounting a stylus.
Account: 1:2
Round 2. Display
Screen for both computers - trancflektivny. Matrix size of iPAQ'a more - 3,8 vs 3,5 "y LOOX 610. Why Futjitsu-Siemens prefer the standard size of the matrix, it is not clear. For corporate computer could make the display bigger. According to the magazine "Consumer: computers and software, which has developed a special technique for measuring the quality of the original displays, handheld computers, the maximum brightness of the display HP iPAQ h5550 is 102 cd/m2. Minimum level of brightness - 30.5 cd/m2 (30% of the maximum brightness). Pocket LOOX 610 has a maximum brightness of 126 cd/m2 and a minimum - 38 cd/m2 (30% of the maximum brightness).
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It turns out that 610 of the minimum level of illumination for 8 cd/m2 higher than the h5550. The higher the score, the lower the CPC is able to work offline. From this perspective, the display iPAQ'a looks preferable.Why a PDA as an overvalued level of minimum brightness, again, remains unclear. The only possible explanation is technical feature of making matrices with transflective type of illumination. Not important at both things with the contrast in the backlight OFF. Read in this case is not recommended in any office or public transportation, or even on the street - watch out your eyes. But already at the minimum level of illumination (which is not surprising, considering how high both computers minimum) you can comfortably take in information in virtually any environment. The only exception is the mode of operation on the street. For LOOX 610 in natural light is recommended brightness level is not below the 5 th division, and for the iPAQ h5550 - at least the 10 th. Unlike the LOOX 610, which has only 7 levels of backlighting, the iPAQ h5550 provided as many as 20.
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| Fujitsu Siemens Pocket LOOX 610: Adjust the brightness of the screen |
As they say, for all occasions.
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| HP iPAQ h5550: Adjust the brightness of the screen |
In addition, iPAQ has an automatic backlight adjustment depending on ambient lighting. To determine the optimum conditions for a specific level of illumination is an optical sensor mounted on the front panel (under the indicators of wireless interface). That is, if you're in the office, put up another option, and when you leave the street, the backlight level down automatically, but if you go in the unlit room, self-rising. So no need to adjust each time to enter the setup menu display brightness. Despite the fact that LOOX'a 610 no automatic adjustment of brightness, to change the settings in a special menu to go is not necessary. You can simply use the buttons on the side of the case.
Summary
Displays both computers are practically identical. However, preference is still worth to give iPAQ h5550, because it has slightly less than the minimum level of bright light, a large number of levels of adjustment, as well as an automatic brightness adjustment.
SCORE: 1:2
Round 3. Processor
Processors in both machines are absolutely identical. This is Intel XScale PXA255 clocked at 400MHz. This is certainly not new-fangled PXA261, like the Toshiba e400, and not the last in the family PXA263, like the Toshiba e800 and Dell Axim X3i. But PXA255 should not hurry to write off - the performance is practically no way inferior to the new developments from Intel. Account: 1:1
Round 4. Memory
As RAM in both computers to 128MB SDRAM, out of which Pocket LOOX 610 MB of available 122.79, while the iPAQ h5550 - 126,63 MB. ROM (flash memory) to 64 MB with a fairly lengthy user partitions (flash disk'ami), which usually are utilized for data storage and backup. The volume of flash disk'a iPAQ'a costavlyaet 17.4 MB, while the LOOX 610, he and a half times more - 28,4 MB.
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| HP iPaq h5550: the amount of flash-drive |
So, if you do not watch movies or listen to music on your PDA, then splurge on an extra memory card is not necessary. SCORE: 2:1
Round 5. Expansion Slots
In IPAQ'e as external memory can be used by flash memory cards SD and MMC, in addition, supports SDIO, so you can buy additional peripherals in a format SDIO and safely use it together with his palm. SD-610-th clot does not support SDIO. However, at the disposal of its users will be the second slot format, Compact Flash II. So you can either use two memory cards simultaneously, or one card (SD) and peripherals in a format CF. By the way, CF modules are more popular than SDIO, and yes there are still noticeably smaller. In addition, for iPAQ'a there are a number of jackets extension that will connect to it when necessary standard CF memory card or other expansion device. 2:1
Round 6. Performance
Why HP does not implement the CPU frequency in all its handhelds, it remains unclear. Thing very, very comfortable. The user must still be able to control their own performance and power of his PDA. So, unlike his opponent, iPAQ 5550 not able to manually select the CPU clock. LOOX, by contrast, boasts just three configurable modes of the "stone": Turbo, Standard and Power-Saving.
In addition, the user LOOX'a always be able to use an automatic power saving, which determines the appropriate applications for this type of operation on your computer. To compare the performance of our heroes has been chosen well-known and well-established test suite SBP Benchmark. Results are as follows:
Model Pocket LOOX 610 wins in almost all respects (as opposed to CPU index of 1%), but it seems particularly obvious advantage of this PDA, because the indicator Graphics (Graphics index). In iPAQ'a h5550 is the value of 7,5 times lower. So to work with video Pocket LOOX fits much more. 2:1
Round 7. Communication capabilities
Both computers have built-in wireless standard Bluetooth and IEEE 802.11b, more commonly known in the world as Wi-Fi.
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| HP iPaq h5550: Wireless |
In the iPAQ both interfaces can be enabled at the same time, but for the Pocket LOOX 610 will have to choose: either to work with a wireless network or Bluetooth-enabled devices - while the two interfaces can not be run. Program management of wireless adapters on both computers (even though they have a different interface), in general, are similar. The only significant difference - the presence of Bluetooth manager iPAQ'a (production WIDCOMM) profile to work with a wireless headset. It is a pity that the developers of Fujitsu-Siemens did not think about the possibility of using such a profile in the program FSC Plugfree for LOOX'a 610. So what about connecting the bundled headset, Siemens will have a little dream.
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| And to the iPAQ h5550 is possible to connect a wireless headset ... |
Another wireless communication interface is an infrared port supporting the regime FIR. 1:2
Round 8. Special Features
In addition to the standard features common to all PDAs family of Pocket PC, these models have some unique special features that make their use more pleasant and comfortable.
LOOX 610 allows you to: - enable the quick key lock application
- programmed for each button on the two executable applications
- regulate the frequency of the processor.
Y iPAQ h5550 other advantages, including: - You can charge the battery through the USB cable
- opportunity to move the computer into standby mode (when the charge level becomes critically low), in which a computer can store data from 12 to 72 hours
- vibrating alert
- ClearType setting function
- automated system to adjust the backlight with motion sensor on the front panel
- the ability to archive and encrypt data during backup
- cistemu fingerprint recognition.
1:2
Round 9. Runtime
Both models use removable batteries, 1500 mAh (for LOOX 610) and 1250 mAh (for the iPAQ h5550). Battery life was measured using three of the most characteristic for the Pocket PC tasks:
- in the mode of reading electronic books (for LOOX 610 mode power-saving) MobiPocket Reader program in the automatic shift speeds 25-28 characters per second:
- MP3 playback mode with a flow 128 kb / s when the display is off the computer (for LOOX 610 mode power-saving):
- video playback (for the LOOX 610 is selected in the manual mode of the processor - Turbo):
Will comment on the graphics. While reading at the Pocket LOOX 610 is a small gain at turn off highlighting. True, this advantage is offset by - need only make the screen brighter. At the minimum backlight level results have the same, and the maximum iPAQ even pulled ahead. As for the time of the PDA as a music player, then there are both PDAs are practically equal. With video, the situation is even worse. Turbo mode even though gives excellent results in terms of video playback, however, requires a significant amount of nutrients. Runtime LOOX 610 is 2-3 times lower than the iPAQ h5550. 1:2
Round 10. Software
Both fighters are running the same operating system Windows Mobile 2003. However, a set of software LOOX 610 differs from the iPAQ h5550. True, the distinction is not critical.
SCORE: 1:1
Round 11. Completion
Complete virtually identical. However, blankets, computers vary greatly. If LOOX'a in the sales package is an inexpensive synthetic soft case that, by and large, neither of which is not protected, then iPAQ'a - it's tight (though dermantinovy rather than leather) armor with a magnetic latch. SCORE: 1:2
Round 12. Price
The network of shops "computer in the palm of" HP iPAQ h5550/5555 costs $ 689. The average price of Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket LOOX 610BT/WLAN in Moscow is $ 599. SCORE: 2:1
The judges' decision
TOTAL SCORE: 16:18 in favor of the iPAQ h5550 As the saying goes, winning on points. The advantage, of course, is but small. If you need high performance (Tell me, to view the video) at a reasonable price, and there is no need for simultaneous use of two wireless interfaces, and design for you is not the most important thing, your choice - Mighty Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket LOOX 610 BT / WLAN. If your Pocket PC is part of the image, it's important to work with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi interfaces simultaneously, and requires protection with a fingerprint scanner and a whole bunch of spetsvozmozhnostey, then take the HP IPAQ h5550, without hesitation. Especially if you're willing to give him $ 689. The authors, translation:
Dr. Pocket
