Intel Investors - Intel scores a StrongArm design win with Compaq !!!
Compaq's H3600 thrashes Pocket PC foes
New handheld is faster, lighter, less expensive and easier to upgrade than rival devices
StrongARM processor delivers speed
Compaq's H3600 is the first palm-sized Windows CE device to use Intel Corp.'s 206MHz StrongARM processor. With this chip, the H3600 is faster than the HP and Casio devices at opening applications, particularly Microsoft Corp.'s Reader. In addition, with the Jornada 548 and the Cassiopeia E-115, Microsoft's Media Player pauses briefly when switching among applications; the H3600 demonstrated no such pauses during tests.
Paul
{================================}
zdnet.com
Compaq's H3600 thrashes Pocket PC foes
New handheld is faster, lighter, less expensive and easier to upgrade than rival devices
By Jason Brooks, eWEEK Labs
June 1, 2000 4:28 PM ET
Combining unmatched expandability and generous speed in a lightweight, power-efficient chassis, Compaq Computer Corp.'s PocketPC-based iPaq H3600 soars beyond the current crop of color handhelds to merit an eWEEK Labs Analyst's Choice designation.
The H3600 stores its operating system and preloaded software on 16MB of flash ROM--an important competitive edge over the Hewlett-Packard Co. and Casio Inc. devices that rely on non-flashable ROM. With its flash ROM capabilities, the H3600 is the only PocketPC device that enables users to upgrade the operating system and applications with the same ease and affordability offered by Palm OS-based devices.
The H3600, which shipped this month, is priced at $499 and comes with 32MB of RAM. The 32MB versions of Casio's Cassiopeia E-115 and HP's Jornada 548 are priced at $599. By shelling out an extra $39 for a slide-on CompactFlash Expansion Jacket from Compaq, H3600 buyers can add the CompactFlash support built into the HP and Casio devices while still coming out ahead on price.
Lighter and brighter
At 6.3 ounces, the H3600 is much lighter than the Casio and HP handhelds, which each weigh around 9 ounces. Even with the addition of the 1-ounce Expansion Jacket, the H3600's weight is much closer to that of Palm Inc.'s Palm IIIc than to that of the heftier PocketPC-based devices.
The Compaq is the first handheld to feature a lithium-polymer battery, which delivers an estimated life of 12 hours of use between charges, compared with 8 hours for the Jornada 548 and 6 hours for the Cassiopeia E-115. The H3600 bests even the power-thrifty Palm IIIc, whose battery life measured at about 9 hours between charges in our tests. Because lithium-polymer batteries are new to handhelds, eWEEK Labs will track their performance over the long haul.
The iPaq's reflective thin-film transistor 12-bit color display is highly readable even in bright light. The screens on color units from Palm, HP and Casio all can be difficult to read outdoors.
The H3600 features an ambient light sensor, and the device can be set to automatically adjust screen brightness. In strong light, the device's backlight shuts off altogether, but the display remains quite readable. Battery life can be extended considerably with this option, but we found that the automated backlight switch often erred on the side of darkness, holding out too long before adding the backlighting.
Although the H3600 offers by far the best display for variable-lighting situations, the Cassiopeia E-115's display is superior indoors or in low light. In these conditions, the H3600's backlight gives the display a somewhat milky appearance. Also, the H3600 offers the user no control over the display's contrast--a capability offered by both the Casio and HP devices.
StrongARM processor delivers speed
Compaq's H3600 is the first palm-sized Windows CE device to use Intel Corp.'s 206MHz StrongARM processor. With this chip, the H3600 is faster than the HP and Casio devices at opening applications, particularly Microsoft Corp.'s Reader. In addition, with the Jornada 548 and the Cassiopeia E-115, Microsoft's Media Player pauses briefly when switching among applications; the H3600 demonstrated no such pauses during tests. The E-115 uses an NEC Electronics Inc. 131MHz MIPS processor. The Jornada 548 uses a Hitachi Semiconductor America Inc. 133MHz SH3 processor.
Although the StrongARM processor gives the H3600 superior speed, it creates a limitation. Some popular applications for handhelds, including Ansyr Technology Corp.'s PDF Reader, have not been compiled for the StrongARM processor. A greater range of PocketPC applications is available for the MIPS processor that drives Casio's E-115 and the SH3 processor that powers HP's Jornada 548. Several Windows CE devices use MIPS and SH3 processors.
With this month's introduction of the H3600, Compaq is also introducing "Expansion Jackets" that give the new handheld the same outstanding peripheral-support potential as Handspring Inc.'s Visor device. At the same time, the Jackets provide industry-standard expansion capabilities that match those of the HP and Casio handhelds. Compaq's first two jackets, which slide onto the H3600, are a $39 CompactFlash version and a $149 PCMCIA version. Each adds support for an industry-standard card, allowing users to leverage hardware they might already own.
The H3600 and the Jornada 548 both feature a Universal Serial Bus connection for synchronization. However, in tests the H3600's PC connection proved much faster than that of the Jornada: In one test, it took 25 seconds to transfer to a 2MB file to the H3600 and 75 seconds to transfer the same file to the Jornada.
The iPaq features a stereo headphone jack and a speaker, housed within the five-way gamepad-type control button on the front of the device.
Technical Analyst Jason Brooks can be contacted at jason_brooks@ziffdavis.com.
eWeek Labs // Executive Summary: iPaq H3600
USABILITY A
CAPABILITY B
PERFORMANCE A
INTEROPERABILITY B
MANAGEABILITY B
With the iPaq H3600, Compaq has bested its fellow Pocket PC vendors on key factors such as size, performance, battery life and price. While the H3600 does not contain a built-in CompactFlash slot, the device's Expansion Jacket option will allow support for CompactFlash, as well as PCMCIA cards and other devices.
Short-term Business Impact // The iPaq will allow sites to put wireless LAN, Cellular Digital Packet Data modem cards, and other PCMCIA and CompactFlash technologies to work right away.
Long-term Business Impact // With the operating system stored in Flash ROM, administrators will be able to upgrade the H3600 software without having to install costly new ROM cards.
Expansion Jacket options; Flash ROM; display is readable even in bright light; speedy processor; long battery life.
Fewer available applications than competing units; no contrast control for screen; display has milky appearance indoors.
Compaq Computer Corp
Houston
(281) 370-0670
Scoring Methodology
|
