At the end of last week at a bowling alley "Airplane" the ancestor of the CCP-genre has arranged a press conference on the release of new product family Tungsten. Actually, the latest model Tungsten T3 (TT3) and Tungsten E (TE) has brought regional manager Palm, Inc in Central and Eastern Europe Simon Hosack.
Place to collect selected several unusual. Earlier presentations were held in large hotels - the Sheraton or Marriott, and limited, in addition to the main program buffet, during which time in an informal atmosphere could ask Ms. Hosack about sore. At this time the solo performance of the regional manager was preceded by lunch, where they offer to taste wonderful pies, as well as ... Palm Zire 71, "test" samples:)
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In addition, the program were listed in bowling competitions and a raffle, but first had to pleasant acquaintance with the news. It is noteworthy that the CPC in the amount of two presentation copies arrived in Moscow shortly after the world premiere, so the interest of the journalists present to them was great. However, for certain information on the technical characteristics of machines came with us in advance so that we can be prepared specifically for the devices especially eager to review that called for the eyes. " Now we share fresh impressions, which managed to get in an hour, plus a story about 5-10 minutes of "personal acquaintance" - more, unfortunately, failed to carve out as wanting to touch machine was set.
Tungsten third, but not out of place
Indeed, other than completion of the line of tungsten Palm'ov average price level. "Third" stands out against the background of two previous models, it can not be called Tungsten'om T2-th, passed tyunning - pretty much of a difference. What is it?
TT3 - the first PDA from Palm, supporting high resolution portrait and landscape modes.
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| Tungsten T3: landscape mode |
The first thing that catches your eye is, of course, the quality and screen size. Matrix is no worse than the Palm Zire 71 (in the near future promises to test and refine the measurements of the screen which means "no worse"). We recall that a display of Palm'ov, thanks to this model, now is not inferior to the leaders, handhelds from Sony and is 320x480 pixels. Developers sacrificed fashion brand physical domain graffiti, replacing it with a virtual and hid it under a free piece of the slide cover. This design decision helped preserve the compactness (folded square screen - 320x320), as well as by popular demand, enter the mode of PDA in landscape orientation. A simple click on an icon located on the screen, the user can rotate an image from landscape mode to the book. In the usual vertical arrangement of the CPC is convenient to work with most applications with one hand, and the horizontal orientation is perfect for viewing email, web pages, spreadsheets and video clips. Pre-let's say that we should not be afraid of problems with the software.Now, the ROM machine, besides the usual set, sewn most demanded software (!): A powerful office suite Documents To Go v6 (work with Word, Excel, PowerPoint without conversion), e-mail client Versa Mail, who "trained" work with such a screen. It seems that alternativschiki arranged and quickly adapt software for turning by 90 degrees. In addition, cpiske embedded applications appear to work from multimedia: audio player RealOne Mobile, Video Player Kinoma Video viewer and Palm Photos. The heart of TT3 is the fastest to date, a processor for PDA - Intel XScale PXA 255 400 MHz, which enables you to work with multimedia. On board - 64 MB RAM, of which are available to the user 56 MB. Shortages could be solved through cards SD. However, the amount of memory - is still very good for Palm. In addition, our hero has a built Bluetooth, with which you can wirelessly connect to your phone with the support of such a protocol and use it as a modem for Internet access. Moreover, the mobile phone in this case does not necessarily get their pocket. Included software specifically for Web surfing comes branded Web Pro browser for a new, third version allows you to work through proxy-Servers or on request without their help (If you remember, the previous models Series, TT and TT2, also comes in a version of the program WebPro 2.0, which, when set free WebProPatch'e supports the display of Russian pages. So that's probably with the advent of brand new PDA for sale will be released the next version of the patch, which will surf Runet happy owners of Tungsten T3. This patch is also available, along with language MacCentre PaPiRus 2003 .) Another great news on this PDA. Palm'y acquired the status bar - a line with a set of nine icons at the bottom of the screen, which adds some useful extra features and to evaluate the state of Bluetooth-transmitter, see the time, look at the menu or the search function, etc.
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| Tungsten T3: Status bar |
A few individual words on a virtual, or rather the virtual graffiti areas. Now the user can choose - to work it with a system of handwriting familiar form
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| Tungsten T3: just graffiti |
or a so-called Triple Cell Graffiti. In the latter case, the Input Area is divided into three sections. One of them is responsible for entering lower-case letters, the other - the small, but the third - with figures. Additional space for the partition caps appeared due to the fact that the sides were removed hot-button call applications.
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| Triple Cell Graffiti |
However, apart from the area of graffiti, you can write as the entire surface of the screen and the virtual keyboard. In general, TT3 input methods more than any other Palm'a ...
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| Tungsten T3: Virtual Keyboard |
For those who do not like none of these options, the developer offers the optional infrared keyboard Palm Wireless Keyboard.
When asked about the battery life Palm spokeswoman said evasively as always - 5-7 days on average. As soon as the CCP will arrive in Moscow has promised to test the work in the following modes: the lowest / highest levels of illumination, reading and playing video and MP3. Price Tungsten T3 costavit $ 399. Incidentally, one of our regular readers already a proud owner of "treshki. Cvoimi experiences he has shared in the review, which will be published after this reportage, but now we go to the "youngest".
Tungsten E
Now a few words about the Tungsten E (left). This handheld, given the quality of the screen (best in the price range), a set of software for Palm OS 5.2.1 (almost the same as the older model) is an excellent budget solution. Its specifications are: Processor TI OMAP 311 clocked at 126 MHz, 32 MB RAM (accessible to the user only 28 MB) audio subsystem with a microphone, speaker and headphone output. In order to save the developers had to sacrifice the Bluetooth-module and Standard Palm Universal Connector'om. Toward a new mini-USB connector instead of the usual cradle connects inexpensive synchronization cable.
Belonging to the initial price level issues packaging handhelds - blister (as the youngest models in the Zire) and ascetic family traits that make a Tungsten E will know other relative near the famous fifth Palm.
Ctoit Tungsten E will be $ 235. TT3 and TE will be available in multiples of "Computer on a palm" this week.
And the Zire 21 did not come ...
The reason that the novelty presented in the same day as the two above-mentioned PDA, "ignored" Moscow's presentation - the banal. Due to the low sales of its predecessor, Zire common in Europe and in Russia, in particular, the "baby" decided not to let the unfriendly markets. At home the same Penaty, USA, the most inexpensive in the whole history of the PDA Zire has broken all records for merchantability. Now their new Palm hopes ties with the twenty-first Zire, which differs from the relatives - OS version (it is the latest Operating System - Palm 5.2.1), memory (8 MB to 2 MB) and Texas Instruments OMAP processor clocked at 126 MHz (v. Motorola Dragonball EZ 16 MHz). However, the screen will have new items remained the same - a monochrome 160x160 pixels, 16 shades of gray. For all this, the developer still wants $ 99. If the CCP still gets to Russia, then the numbers will be added to the VAT and sales tax.
Again, the localization ...
To the surprise of journalists do not fall asleep at the end of presentations of new Palm representative with questions. Was again raised for discussion the problem of factory Russification PDA from Palm, but, of course, questioning received a negative answer. Say, did not think long and in the near future are not going to, because your own developers themselves coping well with the localization of handhelds. Continuing the theme of one of the reporters asked Ms. Hosack sort of seniority with the problems of Russification of handheld computers - in reply only got a sweet smile and expressive eyes ...:) PS So, after this stuff wait for reviews from one of the first owners of Palm Tungsten T3! The authors, translation:
