Generational change - an inevitable thing. But the speed with which the company manufacturers handheld computers update their model series, never ceases to amaze. It seemed only yesterday that the presentation of Tungsten T (last December). While this model was the "heaped" of all handheld company Palm Inc. And just seven months after the model is removed from production and replaced with a newer machine - Tungsten T2. Finally, this machine came into our hands and we can share with you my impressions of the live »T2. I do not know whether you love to watch the second part of the acclaimed blockbusters - usually conflicting views. But in this case, we recommend that, because the second part of a good director is not worse, and often even better than the first.
Design and Ergonomics
Design and control of the computer were described in a previous review, so stop in detail on this will be. We only note that the appearance and feel this is the same good old metal casing Tungsten-and T.
Just as in the Tungsten T, the key "second" flash, so you can customize the buttons as you are comfortable and easy to use palm in "folded" state. True, if you like to use a large number of buttons, the computer will still have to sometimes lay.
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Unlike the Tungsten T, the new machine more successfully implemented the concept of one-hand operation. As a former Palm TT new Palm TT2 has a fairly large and comfortable five-way navigation button. Office of the navigation button is easy, and above all intuitive. Now with the help of (two-second hold button in the lower position) can cause the menu Applications. It is also possible to manage within an application - click on the different sides of the joystick will cause a variety of menu options (search, list of possible connections, etc.). In this case, it becomes even less attractive area of Graffiti: You can control the device with one hand, the icon next to the Graffiti area is almost no need (even adjust the brightness caused by holding the power button), and can now enter text in any part of the display, not expanding the handheld.
Specifications
For clarity, we present a table comparing the new Tungsten T2 with the old Tungsten T.
Now let's consider more in detail the differences of the new models from old ones. First, the operating system. At a novelty is brand-new Palm OS 5.2.1 with Graffiti 2 support and the ability to enter text into any area of the screen.
Secondly, memory. At T2 ROM-a - 8MB (1MB goes to the owner), but increased to 32MB of RAM, of which 29.7 MB is available to the user.
Third, the display. As mentioned in previous review, in contrast to the Tungsten T, the new Pocket PC has a very bright and high contrast display with backlight transflective type. The display is really bright - brighter than the Zire 71 and Tungsten C. Perhaps the closest in performance is a display handheld computer hi-end category Sony PEG-NZ90V. Since the work with the Pocket PC in 90% of cases - is to work with on the display of information, the use of such high quality as the structural matrix can not but rejoice. Textual information and image with such a display are perceived almost as a TFT-monitor. Fourth, Bluetooth. Built-in Bluetooth adapter has a special function Decrease in energy consumption, which, given the large "voracity» Bluetooth-devices, is very commendable.
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Causes a slight regret that when you upgrade the PDA developers have not changed the processor. It would be possible to use a favorite market Intel PXA (even at a frequency of 200MHz), which would still be "poshustree" than the OMAP 1510.
Tests Palm Tungsten T2
Performance with video was measured using the program Kinoma Player. The program Kinoma Producer were made 5 videos with different values of flow (from 480 to 1000Kbit / s).
Video playback decent enough, but still not as fast as a Tungsten C. Miracles, unfortunately, does not happen. It is clear that Intel PXA255 400MHz faster than 144 MHz OMAP 1510. Playing video from Tungsten T2 is twice slower than the Tungsten C. Now let's see how the new Palm TT2 works with memory cards. Test results VFS Mark:
From the test results we can conclude that the T2 «quicker and smarter," his predecessor, but does not say so much. The overall test results at T2 above 15%.
Runtime Palm TT2
To check the battery life in read mode, used the program MobiPocket Reader 4.6, which operated in the automatic scrolling of the text at a rate of about 25 characters per second.Measurements were carried out only until the first systematic low-battery warning.
Audio playback was performed using the RealOne Mobile Player with an external memory card.
To play a video program was used Kinoma Player. Time neprervynoy work when playing a movie with a flow 640KB / s is 4 hours and 15 minutes with a minimum illumination level and about 2 hours and 20 minutes at the maximum level of illumination.
Gain in battery life at T2 compared with the Tungsten T is noticeable only when you work in e-book reader. From what we can conclude that the new brighter display has a lower power consumption.
Software
Greatly changed the look of the panel with the settings. Old items settings slightly rearranged and added new paragraphs 2 and Graffiti Writing Area (you can enter text in any part of the display).
In ROM drive built in the following applications (for comparison, the program for Tungsten T):
On an additional CD drive attached the following programs:
Of these applications, it should be noted a rich set of multimedia programs: Voice Memo, RealOne Mobile Player, Kinoma Player and Kinoma Producer. That is, users can now immediately available to the program to record sound, music and video - something that was lacking the old Tungsten T (with it comes bundled with only a program Voice Memo).
Conclusions
New very bright and high-contrast display, a doubling of the amount of RAM, a new way to enter data in any part of the display (Graffiti 2), the ability to control the device with one hand and a large collection of software - all to say that ucovershenstvovaniya made by developers, are not purely cosmetic, and the Tungsten T2 has turned out much better than its predecessor.It remains only to extend the display area at the expense of Graffiti (which is now practically is not necessary) and replace with a more powerful processor. But all of this, perhaps we will see in the next series. The authors, translation:
