Quickies October 3, 2006

Ahhh Yes, the cPC

Doug Moran reminded me last night that I have been severely slacking in my DualCor cPC updates since returning from San Francisco over a month ago. Wow time has flown, and he is absolutely right!

He said and I quote: “So anyway, aside from the stuff below, and my interest in how you’re doing with the Hermes, I’m also interested in how you’re doing with the cPC, which you haven’t written about since you got back from San Francisco. Ahem. Not that I’m eager to find out what you think of it. No, nope, not me.”

Well, regardless of the fact that neither of the screen protector vendors I’ve talked to (and taken detailed measurements for) have yet sent me a protector for the device, and I have therefore had to continue using a piteously small JasJar protector which makes the cPC look cheap and ugly, here is the device in question…

(shown next to a Treo)

…and here it is again, shown next to the another itty-bitty ultra-portable, the Sony VAIO UX.

Those two pictures of the cPC were taken by my friend Larry Liaw at Mobius 2006 in Thailand; you can see more of his Mobius photos here. In fact, why not just click here for a fabulous write-up and pictorial he did on Mobius. You don’t have to understand Chinese to enjoy the pictures!

So anyway, back to Doug!

He sent links and information on two new Ultra Mobile Personal Computers, the Asus R2H and Raon Vega, and wanted to know what I thought of them. Well, I have been keeping up with both of these UMPCs, and I’ve got to tell you that the first thing that caught my eye – especially on the Asus – were how similar they looked to the cPC.

Here is a quick specification run-down…

The Asus R2H, gloriously unboxed by Chiang on Mobile01: Basic specs: 7″ WXGA TFT touchscreen, GPS, fingerprint identification, XP Tablet PC Edition, Bluetooth 2.0 EDR ( Enhanced Data Rate), WLAN 802.11, Intel 900MHz CPU, 256MB RAM, 60GB hard disk, 23.4 x 13.3 x 2.8cm, 830g.

Sidenote: Take a look at Chiang’s pictures of the Asus and Samsung Q1 here.

The Raon Vega, with its review by Carrypad. Basic specs: 4.3″ XGA TFT 800×480 screen, 30GB hard disk, 512 MB RAM, 500MHz AMD Geode CPU, 6.3 (W) x 3.1 (L) x 1.1 (H) [inch] and 1.06 lb. Does not have Bluetooth or WiFi.

For those that need an update on the cPC’s specs, here they are taken from an early DualCor press release: The cPC measures 6.5 x 3.3 x 1.2, utilizes two processors (1.5 GHz and 400 MHz); 1 GB of DDR2 RAM; a 5 inch, 800×480 resolution, 262K color, touch screen display; three USB Hi-Speed 2.0 ports (one of which is USB type-b); a headset and phone jack; integrated Compact Flash Type II; mini-VGA port; speaker, microphone and mouse controls. Does not have built-in WiFi or Bluetooth, but does ship with a compact flash WiFi adapter and can accept a USB BT adapter if desired. According to my source at DualCor, future models (but not necessarily the first shipping version) will come with WiFi and BT on board.

For those that are new to the story, the DualCor cPC is not yet for sale to the general public. I purchased an early engineering sample, which basically means that some of the software is not quite finished and my USB type-b port does not work.

So on with my experience…

For those of you that haven’t noticed, I am of the female persuasion, which means I just about always have a bag or purse along wherever I go. This particular fact means that I don’t have any immediate objections to a larger than usual PDA, which is why the cPC was actually functioning as my daily driver until the Mobius event in Thailand. I knew I would need a GPRS device for data while on the way, and I didn’t know what my WiFi situation would be at the hotel. Thank goodness I brought the JasJar…that’s all I can say.

While I enjoyed the excellent battery life of the cPC when reading eBooks in WM5 mode on the plane, I could never get the WiFi to connect in the Moevenpick Hotel’s meeting room.

I believe that a big part of the problem is that the WiFi on the cPC is controlled through the WM5 side, not the XP side. The Moevenpick’s WiFi did not support WM5, but their tech guy used a work around when given the specific MAC address of the Pocket PC trying to access the system. If you have no idea what I am talking about, don’t fret – I had no clue either. Derek Snyder asked for my MAC address, and I thought he was kidding…um, yeah. Never let it be said that I am not as clueless as the next person at times!

So anyway, a WM5 Pocket PC’s MAC address is accessed by going to Start/Settings/Connections/Wireless LAN. Once in that screen, everything needed is easily accessible, and I was able to get connected with my JasJar. But not with my cPC. For whatever reason, the cPC does not have this Wireless LAN icon in the Connection folder, and I could not find a way to find to the necessary information on the WM5 side. Derek went in through the XP side and found my MAC address, but I could never get it to connect and finally just gave up. Which if you know me at all, you’ll understand that this only occurred after much trial and error and more than a little bit of frustration.

That’s not to say that I didn’t still use the cPC a lot on the trip – I did. I just couldn’t immediately connect like I am able to at home, which was a major bummer. I still carried my cPC around in my bag, and I still managed to pull it out when I needed it for non-wireless activities. Its appearance at the event was a minor sensation with the guys from Asia; they all wanted pictures of it and wanted to know when it would be available. I was asked several times by different about-to-be photographers if it was all right to take the cPC’s picture, or if it was a NDA device. I had to explain it was a not-yet-released device, but certainly not a secret.

The software I am running is still the engineering sample version, so it can still be quirky at times. So I am still going to be more forgiving than usual as I write about it, because it is not finished. Hopefully the connection problems I encountered were due to early quirks. With that said, I would like to know what happened to the Wireless LAN button! No fair removing options when I might actually need them!!

So what are my peeves about the hardware after using it for several months? Well, I do have a couple…

I would really like a jog dial on the upper left corner with a selection button, I would like the option of being able to restart the cPC without having to keep a paperclip in the bottom of my makeup pouch. I don’t like that the black painted finish on the sides is starting to flake off, revealing the shiny chrome underneath; the black trim is nice, but only if it is not going to flake under normal use.

And as far using it every day? My only issue is that I wish I had a compact keyboard that would hook up wirelessly without having to add a dongle.

I can live with these issues for now, because this is a full Tablet XP device in tandem with a full Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC. Internet surfing on the cPC is a dream, as long as WiFi is working – of course! I can see more on the screen in WM5 than on any other PPC device; it is a pleasure to read books on this screen, and the near unlimited memory is a luxury I have quickly grown used to.

When I am shown pictures of other UMPCs that may or may not have built in wireless, or that have built in keyboards, or that have a similar style as the cPC but with buttons that I wish were on my device, I feel a moment of lust – I admit it.

But then reality strikes and I remember that no other ultra portable packs both XP and the battery saving Windows Mobile 5 in the same device. That’s not to say that I wouldn’t like to try one of the other UMPCs, I just think that for now, the DualCor is my best value for the money.

Gear Diary Ahhh Yes, the cPC photo
(the latest family portrait)

There’s a lot of debate about whether there is really a market out there for the UMPC, or if this is basically a matter of a couple of manufacturer’s (and one giant software company) trying to create a market for a device that isn’t needed or practical. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter.

Tags: Bluetooth, GPS, PDA, Samsung, Sony, Ultra Portable Tablets, WiFi and Wireless Gear

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About Judie Lipsett Stanford

View all posts by Judie Lipsett Stanford

I have had a fascination with all types of gadgets and gizmos since I was a child, beginning with the toy robot that my grandmother gave my brother - which I promptly "relieved him of" in 1973. I have long been captivated by devices that did anything interesting or served a unique purpose - however silly. I can't tell you how everything works – but I am known world-wide for using a product until I have a full understanding of what it does, what its limitations are, and if it excels in any given area...or not.

http://www.gadgetsonthego.net jimmie geddes

Hi Judie,
I’ve been a big fan of yours for years, best of luck with the new site!! I’m not sure about the whole UMPC thing as well, you put it perfectly with the manufacturer’s and one giant software company:) I have the Samsung Q1, and while it’s pretty cool, it’s definitely a niche market.I love gadgets, and don’t want any shortage, so keep ‘em coming. Great site!!

Jimmie Geddes, Editor http://www.gadgetsonthego.net
http://www.gadgetsonthego.net jimmie geddes

Judie,
How can I contact you? I just added you to my links, and posted this about your new site. I hope it’s cool with you:)

http://gadgetsonthego.net/2006/10/check-out-my-favorite-new-tech-site.html

My email is Jeg815@mac.com

Jimmie Geddes
http://www.geardiary.com Judie

Hi Jimmie, thanks! You are in my links, too.

My email is judie.hughes@gmail.com
MitchellO

Hey Judie, regarding the screen protector for the cPC, maybe you should look at getting one of those tablet PC screen protectors off eBay and cutting one down to size. They are pretty cheap, and cutting one to size would be very easy. Not to mention it would protect the whole screen, and get rid of the “cheap and ugly” look to it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/SCREEN-PROTECTOR-OVERLAY-15-Tablet-PC-Laptop-PDA-9x12_W0QQitemZ170033296030QQihZ007QQcategoryZ31534QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Cheers!!
http://www.geardiary.com Judie

Actually that may be my next step! The JasJar protector was supposed to be a stop-gap measure, and it has been on there far too long.

Funny Story: A group of us ate lunch at the hotel’s pizza place on the last day of Mobius. One of those at the table was Horace Luke, a brilliant researcher and designer with Microsoft. So he picked up the cPC and he said, “this is pitiful!” looking at the protector, “my brother in law owns BoxWave, they can make you one.”

I was almost embarrassed to admit it, but I did it! I said, “Horace, I sent them measurements and scans of the cPC…I’m still waiting!”

Small world, huh?!

He told me I should invoke his name, but I really hate to do that. Hopefully they (or the company I had first asked) will eventually make me one.
dougom

Thanks for the info on the cPC, Judie; I appreciate it.

I’m trying to decide about these devices myself. I am really liking the Universal, but it has a phone as part of the package. If I go with something like the ASUS or the cPC, will I need to start carrying around my Motorola v180 again? And if so, will I care? (I carry a bag with me all the time, and the Universal has dropped my devices in it by two: a camera for emergencies, and a phone.) Would something like the Vega be better, even with the lack of wireless and Bluetooth? I dunno.

I use my PDA (and now my Universal) for a couple of main functions: eBook reading, and watching movies. I am also finding it *incredibly* convenient to have Web access through the Universal, so that I can read Web sites while eating lunch or whatever. And it is very nice to have a phone in the same package.

So my questions to you are: is the lack of a keyboard/keypad in the cPC a bummer (as opposed to the VAIO UX, say)? Is it a drag to have a separate device that you need to use as a phone? How is the weight when you are using the device as an eBook reader? Too heavy? (I find the Universal to get a little heavy at night when I’m laying in bed trying to read, and the cPC is even heavier.) Can it be handled one hand for comfortable reading? (The Zodiac, with it’s shoulder buttons, was just *perfect* for one-handed reading.) How is it for movie viewing, or have you tried?

So anyway, thanks for revisiting the device for me!
http://www.geardiary.com Judie

Doug, even when I carry the cPC, the Universal, or these days the Hermes, I always carry a separate mobile phone. I basically use the PPC as a data device with the option of occasional calls, and I use my Samsung A900 (Blade) as my main phone. I am all for convergence, but I actually prefer a two separate devices. I realize I am in the minority and that’s quite all right with me.

Let me try to answer some of your questions:

“So my questions to you are: is the lack of a keyboard/keypad in the cPC a bummer (as opposed to the VAIO UX, say)??”
It can be. When I am in WM5, there are no issues whatsoever, I am so spoiled by Block Recognizer/Graffiti that I can enter text very quickly. When I flip to XP I usually use the soft keyboard that pops up on the bottom of the screen. It can be a bit tedious, but it works. I can post pictures if you need them.

“Is it a drag to have a separate device that you need to use as a phone?”
Nope…but remember what I said about carrying a bag. A lot of guys have issues with carrying a gear bag, thinking it is a man-purse. There’s no need to think like that, guys! You do not need to stuff your whole existence into a couple of cargo pockets…get a bag! Carry it proudly!

“How is the weight when you are using the device as an eBook reader? Too heavy? (I find the Universal to get a little heavy at night when I�m laying in bed trying to read, and the cPC is even heavier.)”
It is heavy, and I feel the weight more depending upon where I am when reading. If I’m lying in bed, the cPC might be on chest or propped on a pillow; I’ll page down with the left mouse button and it is quite comfortable. Reading while seated is most comfortable with two hands and the cPC either resting on a table or my lap. Pillows are always a helpful prop, too.

“Can it be handled one hand for comfortable reading?”
It can be, but not for long. It weighs a little over a pound, and that can put unusual stress on my wrist over a period of time.

“(The Zodiac, with it�s shoulder buttons, was just *perfect* for one-handed reading.)”
I totally agree. That was an under-appreciated device whose hardware (though not its OS) was ahead of its time.

“How is it for movie viewing, or have you tried?”
It works pretty well in WM5; playback and size of the movie on screen depend upon the quality of the movie copy, which is a reasonable caveat. I tried it with TCPMP (which I recently downloaded) and liked the results. Playback in XP was a bit choppy, but that may have been the fault of the video I was watching.

“So anyway, thanks for revisiting the device for me!”
My pleasure!

I’ll add more soon, promise!

OH, and I heard from BoxWave today…screen protectors are on the way, so a review will be forthcoming!
mario

Mmm… i think i�ll love to have that sony unit… but it�s too expensive. Also, there are the smaller vaios wich are not much bigger and have full size keyboards… so it depends only on price to me.
http://www.justanothermobilemonday.com netsyd

Great read … thanks for keeping my dream alive that one day this whole cPC thing will actually become a reality. The ux looks like a great device and I’d love a chance to try one out, but the thought of a WM5 device with some really good speed and a huge screen is a dream.
Chuck

Judie – great information – keep the comments coming. I really hope you can get Dynamism to find you a raon digital Vega to compare against the cPc. (I don’t know of anyone else who could ) I’d really like to know if you think WM5 and 1.5GHz processor are worth double the price for the cPc. They are about the same size.
dougom

“Doug, even when I carry the cPC, the Universal, or these days the Hermes, I always carry a separate mobile phone. I basically use the PPC as a data device with the option of occasional calls, and I use my Samsung A900 (Blade) as my main phone. I am all for convergence, but I actually prefer a two separate devices.”

So do you have two separate SIM cards and two separate accounts (one for data, one for voice on your cell), or have you somehow finagled it so that you can have two SIM cards with the same phone number?

Doug
http://www.geardiary.com Judie

I actually have a Sprint Vision account for my voice calls and occasional BT link surfing when in an EVDO area, and a T-Mobile unlimited Internet plan for my regular data device. It sounds weird, but I can�manage just about every coverage scenario this way.