|
    Comments on: Review: Sony PEG-T615C, Part IISony announced the PEG-T615C last week and it is now available on its webstore and in some retail locations, too. This is the replacement for the N610C and has a hi-res color screen, a Jog Dial, a Memory Stick slot, and 16 MB of RAM. News Editor Ed Hardy did a preliminary review of this device earlier this week but has now had a chance to really get to to know it and has a full review.
Detailed Comment View (208 Total Comments)
The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. PIC is not responsible for them in any way. login or register for free in order to post comments.  RE: NO COMMENTSI.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 12:22:16 PM #
There are other factors to keep in mind from all sides...
Palm's distibution and product availability is far greater than sony. For example - Australia, Canada etc. In Canada sony pda's only recently became available - still no sigh of the 615c...why? there is not a single addon for sony products in canada. sony product is preferable, however availablity is an issue. Plam with its new wireless model - can't preorder or purchase in canada - I just dont understand. There is a huge market out there for one of these companies - they just have to open thier eyes. Finally available in Australia!!!I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 5:24:49 PM #
I have been using Palm PDAs (USRobotics>3Com>Palm) since my Palmpilot Pro 5 years ago. I have decided to jump ship to Clie as most of my other electronics are from Sony... digital camera / DV / Vaio notebook and I have a number of Memory Sticks.
Went very close to buy a 710C overseas but my concern about service and repair put me off. I have been asking and waiting for Sony to bring Clie into Australia for more than a year... finally they have done it with the pre-order of the T615C last week... Ordered one immediately... Expecting it with excitment after reading Ed's review. RE: NO COMMENTSI.M. Anonymous @ 1/27/2002 4:11:44 PM #
Boring. Where is the innovation? This is just a m505 in Sony box and, judging from Ed's excellent review, it doesn't quite match the m505's quality.
If Sony's engineers spent as much time on innovation as they do posting to this website, they might come up with a worthwhile PDA. RE: NO COMMENTSmgillespie @ 1/24/2003 2:16:43 PM #
Obviously a pissed off m505 user.
FYI. The CLie T615C (and Euro version T625C) is not "just a m505 in Sony box ". Compare the specs: M505 T615/T625 8Mb 16Mb My 625C is the envy of plenty of m505 and m515 owners.... 
 Jog-Dial of T615CI.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 12:18:46 PM #
Thanks, Ed.
Very useful review! I had a chance to see T600C (Japan model similar in fetaures) and it seemed to me that Jog-Dial is harder to rotate than the one of other units (N610C for example). Ed, did you have a similar impression? Maybe it does not matter in most cases, but I created a hack, JogDaily (http://www.palmgear.com/software/showsoftware.cfm?prodID=37659) that improves usability of Jog-Dial. It detects rapid rotation of the Jog and accelerates the scrolling in the current application. But my impression was is that it would not able to improve something in T415/T615 devices since the Jog is too tough. Max RE: Jog-Dial of T615Cskipbremer @ 1/25/2002 2:03:01 PM #
I have tried and tried your hack on my 615 and cannot get it to do what you say it does. Can you help? I mean, it's suppose to hurry to the bottom of a list, like Address Book, if you use it jog down fast, right? Can't get it to do that.
RE: Jog-Dial of T615CI.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 2:28:41 PM #
It seems like the problem is that you can't rotate it fast enough on T615C in order the hack to work. Maybe I need to do different editions for different models.
Max RE: Jog-Dial of T615C
I noticed variations in the T-series JD. The T415 at CompUSA has a JD that is very ratchety and demands a lot of pressure. While the T415 and the T615 I tried at SonyStyle required noticeably less pressure. Nothing can beat that N-series JD, though.
RE: Jog-Dial of T615CI.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 7:37:26 PM #
I agree with the above posts. I have tried to use it with my N760C and find it does nothing to improve speed of jog dial screen scrolling.
RE: Jog-Dial of T615CBartman007 @ 1/30/2002 10:55:39 PM #
I have also found that it does nothing to speed up the jog dial, or at least nothing noticeable.
It's not FAIR !I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 12:45:05 PM #
> The T615C's backlight was on the whole time at max >brightness and the m505's non-adjustable sidelight
>was on, too. When you have T615 at max brightness , of course the pwoer is gone quickly. You should adjust the brightness to match the M505's. my 0.02 RE: It's not FAIR !
He's comparing them both at the maximum settings. m505 is off or on, the 615 is Off through On. That's not hard to understand.
RE: It's not FAIR !
Yeah, but it's the equivalent of comparing a non-runner and a world-class runner on the maximum distances that they can run. Say the non-runner can run a maximum of 3 miles at one time, while the world class runner can likely run a marathon with ease. Then let's time them. Even a non-runner can complete 3 miles in 30 minutes, while a world-class runner would need just over 2 hours to complete the marathon. Does this mean the non-runner is faster? Of course not, because the comparison is flawed.
The same is true in his tests. Just because they were both set on maximum brightness doesn't mean the maximum is equal. Thus, the test is flawed as the original poster said. It still provides useful information if you keep it in context. RE: It's not FAIR !
My judgement was that these were the two settings that people were most likely to have their handhelds at most of the time: max brightness. People certainly say that more brightness is what they want in a handheld screen. So that's the settings I used. Was my judgement bad? Sony users, what's your typical brightness setting?
Like I said under another thread on this page, I wish I had done the same test with the T615C at minimum brightness but I didn't think of it until too late. Now I've had to send the T615C back. RE: It's not FAIR !I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 6:19:12 PM #
It's VERY useful information. If the battery lasts as long as the m505 at the HIGHEST brightness setting, two things immediately pop into mind.
1) My setting on my current 760c is always at 40% or less. Battery life, should be fine. 2) What the hell POS battery is the m505 using??? thadrool RE: It's not FAIR !
I usually have my Clie set at 70% brightness. My initial post to this thread wasn't to pick on you Ed, but to show Davy that his comments were misguided. I think these tests did provide useful information, but you shouldn't use them to draw the conclusion that the M505 has a better battery life.
RE: It's not FAIR !I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 6:41:55 PM #
I think the the screen of T615 is a little different. I used to have my Clie 610 set at 50% brightness, but now I can have my 615 at 0% (Not turn-off)!! That means even you set your brightness to the minimum , it's still bright enough to me. I don't do a test on this but you can expect a lot of extra battery time you will get.
RE: It's not FAIR !
This is gona be a topic that is hard to make eveyone happy. I for one usually have my 760 set at 0% (not totally off).
RE: It's not FAIR !I.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 4:50:45 AM #
I find that around 30% - 40% of it's max brightness level is fine on my N770C under all conditions; sat next to large window on the 9th floor at work (overlooking a river so there aren't any buildings in the way) or using it by dim bedside table lamp light.
RE: It's not FAIR !Bartman007 @ 1/30/2002 10:59:56 PM #
I personally have my upgraded 710 set at 0% (not off) most of the time. I turn it up to 50% when I'm taking notes in class with Wordsmith. I have found that 25-33% is my dream brightness, but alas, I am a hardcore user and drain the battery too quickly unless it is turned way down most of the time.
Thin FontI.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 12:45:19 PM #
I just got my T615C and all I can say is WOW. I have a M505 currently but not for long (smile). One thing though the smallest font size on the T615C is really thin. I thought I heard there was a patch out from some user to make the font a bit thicker. Have you run into one?
Thanks for the very cool review! RE: Thin Font
The patch is called ThinFontFix, and it really does improve the viewing of the text. It's available at the nXt Clie Club, and I'm sure other places as well.
Remote IR Range
If you are interested in the Remote IR Range, this is
important to read. In particular, Omni Remote cannot use the extended range at this time. Various Palm IR Ranges are listed at: Pacific Neotek makes Omni Remote, a _learning_ remote According to the Pacific Neotek the t415 (and T615) have However, if you want a learning remote, Omni Remote is For more information, see the discussion on this at: <http://neptune.he.net/cgi-bin/suid/~neotek/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=35> As well as Pacific Neotek's original mail to Sony with I am not affiliated with Sony, Pacific Neotek, or anyone RE: Remote IR Range
RE: "not that that is terrible"
I mean that data transfer would be short distance. RE: Remote IR Range
how about this remote software?
http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA005810/remocon/premocce.htm RE: Remote IR Range
Yes, I guess that is another program. However, they
have the same problem. They only use the Low Power remote. They do not appear to access the High Power T415/T615 IR. RE: Remote IR RangeI.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 10:52:21 AM #
I have a T615C and have the application called Remote Commander loaded. I agree with the ed here. I have tested the power of the RF port by going in 5' steps from the device being controled. It finally stopped working as a remote after 25'! Sony says it will be good for only 15'.
RE: Remote IR Range
Yes, Sony Remote Commander will go a long range.
They use the high power IR. However, that is limited to the devices that are preprogrammed. If you want to control somthing else, you are out of luck. I was hoping that the learning remotes would be able to RE: Remote IR RangeBartman007 @ 1/30/2002 11:02:58 PM #
Has anyone tried to hack the Remote Commander db's? I'd try but I have a 710 -unless someone will donate one to me- =) But it seems like you could try and program new commands into the RC db's
One way (probably overkill, but most obvious to me) is to analyze the ir signal from RC and study the db's to figure out how the data is stored in files. Then you could try either hand code or make a converter to convert OmniRemote files into RC files.
RE: Remote IR RangeI.M. Anonymous @ 5/6/2002 10:53:10 PM #
My buddy showed me the Remote commander last week. We were walking past an electrical store, about 15 ft away, and without even stopping, he managed to turn 3 of their display TVs off! It Rocks Guys!!! RE: Remote IR RangeI.M. Anonymous @ 7/2/2002 2:00:18 PM #
I haven't reveived my 615T yet (eagerly awaiting th moment to hand over my well-used Palm Vx to my non-digital girlfriend), but I would like to see if I can remotely control PowerPoint presentations being given on my Sony Viao PCG-GR390. Does anyone have comments on whether that would work through the IR port?
Mike
Tried the T615CI.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 1:01:06 PM #
Sorry to horn in on you, Ed, but this is the thread for T615C stuff!
========== I got to hold the T615C box @ CompUSA. Then I actually got to *play* with a T615C @ SonyStyle in NYC!! MY GOD!! Sony has produced one *killer* unit! It felt so good in my hand, I didn't want to let it go! I was totally unprepared for it after the T415 -- which is much too thin (front/back) to hold comfortably. The T415 feels like it's cutting into my hand! Also with the T415, my thumb could not get used to the lower-than-my-S320 JogDial. But on the T615, my thumb felt just fine! That additiunal thickness *really* makes a difference in how my hand can hold it! The unit seemed noticeably faster than the N-series. Benchmark gave it 214%. PictureGear Pocket was also noticeably faster. And that screen!! Photos look *gorgeous*. I did not have an N-series or m505 to compare it with, but the photos on it and the test pix I sent over from my S320 (saved as color) looked just fine. (I had no problems beaming to it. With all of the T415s I've tried, I had to do a Soft Reset first. Go figure!) I did turn off the backlight and was surprised at how dark the screen became. But even having the backlight on its *lowest* setting was fine for me. (Whenever I played with a demo Prism or a IIIc, I'd put the backlight very low.) I tried LCD Analyzer (a must-have app for color screens), Thin Font Fix, and several pix. There were also some games already on it -- including the sound-enhanced Zap game. Wow, that speaker really adds something to playing games. I'm not much of a gamer, but I could see myself wasting some serious time just with that game. I did not get to use the stylus -- had to pull out my S320's. I was also unprepared for my reaction to the silver casing. I wasn't keen on it with the T415 -- but it looks *spectacular* with that color screen! It really looks like a very posh and very unaffordable device. Now I am wondering if I'd really prefer Royal Blue. . . I'm wondering if the Royal Blue color would distract my eye from the screen or make the screen seem different. With that silver shell, the color screen stands out in a way that is *unimaginable* after seeing the T415! I was never real fond of the N-series screen. Something about it just didn't feel right. I *love* the T615's screen. It reminds me a lot of a Pocket PC screen (and that's a compliment! -- go see the Audiovox Maestro's great screen). Side by side with my S320, the T616 was noticeably thinner (front/back) -- 5/8" vs 1/2". The one thing I'm not sure I like is the flip lid. The one I saw was very roughly-textured. Maybe it was the awful T415 lid? I like the smooth feel of the S320's microfiber lid -- even though it's already showing signs of wear after just three months! I really, really want a T615. Sony has finally produced a color unit that makes me forget my subterranean lust for the m505 altogether -- and makes me now want to invest in a Memory Stick! The T615 will be a hit! Peripheral makers better start tooling up *now*. I want a Stowaway keyboard, a SnapNType keyboard, and a Landware stylus -- for starters! I also got to see, under glass @ SonyStyle, the MStick camera. It has a molded-plastic storage case that is very odd-looking. The case resembles a fat, black, plastic whistle! CompUSA told me they had the camera in (I missed that!) -- and sold out in just 3 days. Hmm! RE: Tried the T615C
Also see the Pentopia Camelion Stylus.
It is a pen as well as a floating stylus. They have a Clie N7xx model, but not a T model, yet. RE: Tried the T615CI.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 1:19:42 PM #
>Sony has produced one *killer* unit! ..
Agree.. RE: Tried the T615C
No, the Pentopia Chamelion for Clie is for the N Series. I am hoping that they will make one for the T Series. Pentopia
I covered Pentopia in my article on planned T series peripherals:
www.palminfocenter.com/view_Story.asp?ID=2859 Basically, they are in the process of finding out if they can squeeze a pen into the T series' stylus. RE: Tried the T615CI.M. Anonymous @ 4/11/2002 9:22:11 AM #
Same Here! I cannot believe that some are giving a medium review to such a spectacular device. Some say the the " red" colors in the screen are more a burgandy or darker but on mine ther red is brilliant. Please anyone interested, give it a try. I have been using a Pocket PC for two years and switcherd to the Palm. I have found that it runs the same programs faster and even data transfer is better. I HATE Pocket PC because of its slowness and bulk of all of the devices. PLEASE PLEASE ardent Pocket PC users make the switch the difference is incredible!
Serial Synch Support?I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 1:33:58 PM #
Like a lot of enterprise users, I need to synch to a Windows NT machine that only has a serial port, no USB. Does Sony or an aftermarket vendor sell a serial cradle or cable for the T series?
RE: Serial Synch Support?I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 1:39:47 PM #
Someone posted about a cable in another thread. You can't recharge with it though, so you'd still have to plug the cradle into the wall and use that to recharge (I'd assume that will work). Yuck! Too bad Sony screwed up on making the charger flexible on this one.
RE: Serial Synch Support?
yes, there i know two serial sync cables for T Clie available. one is made of a Taiwanese company called Chentai Technology. the cable is 145cm long.
though i'm not sure for NT, IR sync might be an alternative method. RE: Serial Synch Support?I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 2:09:08 PM #
IR, that's a good way to get around dealing with all the Palm/Sony/Handspring/HandEra connectors. Extended Systems sells an IR setup that'll work under NT. It used to be called JetEye PC and is an IR adapter that plugs into a serial port, but they seem to keep changing the names of their hardware. Now I think it is called the XTNDAccess IrDA PC Adapter.
Anyhow, I'd recommend the Extended Systems hardware for NT, since they are the only company that wrote IR software to support NT. There are other serial hardware IR adapters, but you'd be stuck buying Extended Systems software to use with it anyhow. Since their software comes with their hardware, it ends up being cheaper in the end. http://www.extendedsystems.com/ USB and SERIAL double 'Y' cradleI.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 2:34:32 PM #
Why didn't Sony and Palm fit the ends of their cradles with a dual-option connector? Have a 'Y' end with BOTH USB and SERIAL connectors. The IPAQ offers this. It would cost about 50 cents more to do and cause customers a lot less stress. Yes, I know they want to sell peripherals, but Sony doesn't even make a SERIAL cradle for the T615C. At least give me an adapter or something!!!!!!
RE: Serial Synch Support?I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 7:46:42 PM #
thanks but I want ONE cradle for both syncing and charging. To have to sync with a cable and then charge with a cradle would be a real pain.
RE: Serial Synch Support?I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 9:14:16 PM #
How the heck do you order this? Its in chinese!
RE: Serial Synch Support?I.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 7:51:51 AM #
We now can accept international orders for:
Serial HotSync Cable for clie T series http://pocketgames.jp/modules.php?op=modload&name=Shop&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=27 Car Charger Cable for clie T series http://pocketgames.jp/modules.php?op=modload&name=Shop&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=28 PayPal shopping cart has just been set up for international orders. You have to find PayPal shopping cart first. You might get lost in Japanese, otherwise. Not Chinese.:p RE: Serial Synch Support?I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 5:11:23 AM #
If I buy a XTNDAccess IrDA PC Adapter, how will I synchronise my Sony T-615 ? I mean, will the software which ables me to synchronise under Windows 98 on my home PC (with the original cradle) work with this adapter at work under NT ? Sorry for my bad english... I'm French ;-) RE: Serial Synch Support?I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 8:08:23 AM #
I purchased a serial synch from pocketgames. I cannot unclick the USB driver box of the custom install. How can I get around this? Or, is my install CD bad?
Videos don't have audio.I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 1:45:13 PM #
Ed, or anyone else with a T615-
Anyone have a problem where in gmovie or tealmovie, playing videos that used to have sound on my m505 no longer play any sound? I can't seem to get sound to come across with either program using different convertors and everything. Any ideas? Great device though. I love it so far. RE: Videos don't have audio.I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 4:47:49 PM #
Yes,
I also have the problem of no audio using Gmovie player that resides on the unit and Tealmovie player which worked fine on my M505. I emailed support for Tealmovie with no reponse yet. As to Gmovie, sony support has no answers as of yet. RE: Videos don't have audio.
This is news. Maybe an incentive for them to upgrade the programs to use the new speaker?
RE: Videos don't have audio.I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 6:58:35 PM #
Same here! I've downloded a couple of the GMovie previews from the SONY website. No audio! Does anyone have a T615C that IS getting audio with GMovie?
Other than that though, I'm loving my new T615c!!! -Steve RE: Videos don't have audio.
I have the same problem. Apparenty Gmovie player will give you audio if you buy the MP3 headphones. The Tealmovie people think it should work with 2.20 but I guess not :)
RE: Videos don't have audio.I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 9:37:20 PM #
The manual for gMovie (on the T415) says that in order to hear the audio, you *need* the audio adapter. Maybe it's the same for the T615. I was able to hear TealMovie on a T615, but the video was all messed up. - rs
RE: Videos don't have audio.I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 9:41:02 PM #
Sorry - typo above. I was able to hear TealMovie on a *T415*... - rs
RE: Videos don't have audio.I.M. Anonymous @ 2/2/2002 3:53:10 PM #
I now have a 615, and I am also not getting any sounds from TealMovie. I expected that for gMovie, but the same TM program/files that worked fine on my Prism, now have no sound. Does *anyone's* 615 have sound using TM? - marcus TealMovie audio works sometimesI.M. Anonymous @ 2/11/2002 4:18:11 PM #
I downloaded the latet and greatet TealMovie on my T615C. Try as I might, I couldn't get any sound to work, but the videos would play just fine. Then I turned off the system sound in the preferences and forgot about it. The next day I was playing with TealMovie and sound was working! It sounded reasonable, with a loud click-click-click-click. It seemed to work reliably. That evening I couldn't get the sound to play again. There's something flaky about it, but it is possible. Anthony RE: Videos don't have audio.I.M. Anonymous @ 3/30/2002 6:06:25 AM #
has anobody found a solution for this? i downloaded the latest gmovie player which said that it fixed some speaker bugs but still, i couldnt hear any sound for my clie t615c. i also downloaded netmite's audio player and some song clips for it, and i couldnt hear a sound! the netmite audio player works well with my palm m105, but it doesnt play a sound in the clie t615c.. are they missing some sound driver? or anything? pls email me, if you found a solution... thanks RE: Videos don't have audio.I.M. Anonymous @ 3/30/2002 6:14:55 AM #
holy s##t!
i found this from sony's website Turn your CLIÉ Handheld into an MP3 player. The PEGA-SA10 Audio Adapter lets you play MP3 files stored on Memory Stick media*, and watch video clips with stereo sound with gMovie?Evideo player. Hardware included: Audio adapter and headphones. Compatible with PEG-T615C / PEG-T415 part: PEGA-SA10 price: $129.99 *Memory Stick media sold separately. imagine! we have to buy this audio adapter separately just to hear the sounds!! that's hiway robbery!!!
Battery timesskipbremer @ 1/25/2002 1:52:37 PM #
You really should have performed the test with the T615C brightness set at the lowest setting, not the highest. At the highest it's like a flashlight. I have been using mine for three days and have never taken it off of the lowest brightness setting. In fact someone should write a hack that lowers the brightness scale overall if that's possible.
RE: Battery times
Agree, even at the lowest birghtness setting, it's bright enough to use indoor. So a hack to lower the brightness scale will be helpful to enhance the battery time.
RE: Battery times
It occurred to me too late that I should also do this test with the T615C backlight all the way down. Unfortunately, I just don't have time. Like I said, Sony wants the T615C back ASAP and I'm about to box it up and ship it out. If someone else would like to do the same test and post the results, that would be wonderful.
--- News Editor RE: Battery times
Ed, I can't believe SONY doesn't just let you keep the unit! Are they going to sell it as refurbished?
Thanks, Robrecht RE: Battery times
Some comprehensive battery testing and discussion on this link:
http://www.cliesource.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?number=18&thread=000022 Review Units
> Ed, I can't believe SONY doesn't just let you keep the unit! Are they going to sell
> it as refurbished? You guys don't think I get to keep all the handhelds I review, do you? Boy, *that* would be a sweet deal. No, all of them, including the T615C, have to go back to their manufacturers (or their PR companies) after I've reviewed them. They then get sent on to other reviewers. The T615C I used had already been through some other reviewer. I don't know what finally happens to them. Maybe, like you said, they get sold as refurbs. Normally I get to keep them longer than a week, though. Demand for T615C review units must have been especially high. Normal time is a couple of weeks, though I've kept some of them for a month. RE: Battery times
1) Ed would be much richer if he could keep all the PDAs reviewed by him.
2) Overall I find it a good review. I am happy to see that the battery life is about the same as m505 (the one that I intended to buy before I saw CLIE T615) OR better if the brightness is brought down. Anything longer than that would be quite unrealistic for color handhelds. I guess Palm has pushed the battery life to the limit by making m505 dimmer. 3) I and my cousin placed order for 2 units T615s at SONY Singapore's website on 16 Jan. They don't sell any CLIE here in Malaysia. Now I have to wait until 9 Feb before I can see CLIE for the first time. It is now 850km away and I have to wait under my sister's friend brings it back for me. What a pain .... Still no luck of CLIE in MalaysiaI.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 6:12:02 AM #
Anyone know why is it that Sony Malaysia still don't have CLIE for sale?
I bought N770 in UK as i knew Malaysia still don't have CLIE series handheld. I contacted SOny Malaysia before and the only answer given to me was STILL PENDING for approval from SONY Japan. When are we going to get T615 in Malaysia....hurry!!!
I MUST ADMITI.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 1:56:39 PM #
That this sounds like the best available POS device. I have noticed myself hoping ardently that the the thing would have a bad battery life, so I could feel relativiely smug about my 505. But there's no way. I have to got to find a way to convince my wife to let me have one (not because I need her permission, but because I need her respect).
Oh who cares? This is better than respect! => RE: I MUST ADMITI.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 4:34:44 PM #
I had the T15. My wife had the S320. I traded with her for a few days, and she wants to keep my T415. That means I get a new one. Guess which one I ordered...
MWahahahahahahahaha! I am pure evil! RE: I MUST ADMITI.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 4:44:40 PM #
Does your wife see things plain as day in the dark?
RE: I MUST ADMIT
"night vision googles"?! -- she only uses Google at night? What *is* she looking up?
RE: I MUST ADMIT
I have been anxiously awaiting this unit for the last several months with plans to upgrade my m505. The biggest thing I want is more RAM! I am frequently running into my 8MB ceiling. But, now that its out I think I am going to wait for the ARM processors. I have upgraded almost every year since my 1st Pilot 5000 and I really love my m505 best of all. Solid, small, good battery life, all the developers make sure there programs work with it, and I like the way I can use the stylus to tap all the buttons (inc. the up/down ones). T615 has some nice features .. but I agree with Ed about not for the current high end users.
RE: I MUST ADMITI.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 10:02:01 PM #
The other problem is that this is just the latest installation in the Sony Palm of the Month Club. peripheral makers can't keep up and will soon be giving up on trying (if they haven't already--if I made styli, cases, keyboards, etc I don't think I would waste money on a Sony because as soon as my product is on the market, Sony will be clearing out that line).
The benefit is that Sony is being really responsive to what it takes to make the best Palm device. I suspect the monthly updates will continue with better buttons, larger screens, and maybe, just maybe, soft graffiti. It's almost as if they are dabbling right now, beta-testing on us geeks until they get it just right and then they will start marketing the device much more seriously to a broader market.
Some more pics and a Zap!2016 video
Here are some pics I compiled plus a 15 sec Zap!2016 demo which I took, just to let you hear the enhanced sound.
RE: Some more pics and a Zap!2016 video
Is this the regular Zap 2016, or is this a special version with enhanced sound? I can't find anything new about it on the Astraware website.
RE: Some more pics and a Zap!2016 video
This is the new Zap!2016 version for the Clie T-series. It actually comes in the T415/T615 install CD. This is a demo version though.
You'll know that it's a new Zap version since the icon has a small music note at the upper right, maybe to signify 'enahanced sound'. RE: Some more pics and a Zap!2016 video
Gee, maybe I should actually use the CD that came with it. I'm sure there are other goodies on it I didn't know about.
Thanks for the info. How can you play Zap (or any game!) on this deviceI.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 2:15:02 AM #
Especially with the extremely tiny and crappy page up/down button???
Don't get me wrong... the screen ROCKS. The sound ROCKS. And then they get some moron to design the buttons. :(
Which machine is easiest to READ on?I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 2:07:31 PM #
Since I am aging rapidly, my next PDA must be easy to READ. Text, I mean. Which PDA is best? Some of the Sony's have good screens, but they tend to be small, which is important. Comments?
RE: Which machine is easiest to READ on?I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 2:24:56 PM #
Sony's high-reslution make the letters thin and heard to read, but a lot easier than trying to read text at low resolution. Then came the thinfont fix program, and what a difference it made!!! The program increase the thickness of the letters without increase the amount of space the letters take up. Now reading text from the Clie is like reading from a computer screen display. I think everybody that read alot of text on their Clie should get this incredible program. Oh yeah...it's also FREE!!
Check the links in the other comments. RE: Which machine is easiest to READ on?I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 2:36:53 PM #
Probably the HandEra 330, but I haven't seen the screen on this T615C yet. The Sony color screens are smaller than the Handspring and high-end Palm ones, so that makes a difference too. Depends on what you are trying to read and what application you are using as well.
RE: Which machine is easiest to READ on?I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 3:13:32 PM #
This is really great for reading- I've had a 505 and this is much better-the contrast is great between paperwhite background and black text.
RE: Which machine is easiest to READ on?I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 3:14:47 PM #
Well, in my opion, there's a huge difference in the readablity of the high-res Clie to the low-res Palms/Handsprings (I use to own a Visor Platinum). Yes, the screen on the Clie is smaller, but having the text displayed at high resolution especially with the ThinFont fix makes the text a whole lot easier to read.
I would compare reading text from a computer display(Clie with high-res and color) to reading text from one of those graphic calculators(Palms with low-resolution and monochrome). RE: Which machine is easiest to READ on?
I compared the IIIc, Prism, N610, and T615, and the T615 is by far the hands down winner. If you want a thicker font, use the hack, also using Wordsmith as a reader gets you GREAT font quality. By far the T615 is the sharpest and clearest display.
RE: Which machine is easiest to READ on?
There is no bloody way to compare an H330 to a T615! The H330 does not have the same contrast as the T615. The T615 is the most readable. Stay away from all mono devices for good contrast!
Thank you!
Extremely informative and unbiased -- thank you! Your reviews are of the same quality as Julie S.'s over at The Gadgeteer.
---- Jeff Meyer RE: Thank you!I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 3:35:13 PM #
Yeh, you are right,Unbiased, this is "Palm"infocenter.
RE: Thank you!I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 5:17:16 PM #
i do agree, but Ed is VERY unbiased between Palm handhelds...
Software Problems on the T615I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 3:17:19 PM #
Print Boy Deluxe 3.5 doesn't work on the T615 nor is there any sound coming from the Gmovie player.
funny.....I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 3:39:51 PM #
I cannot understand why so many people like this. It's certain that this is better than other Palm, but worse than PocketPC and the power is same as Pocket PC. Why do I choose this one???
Look at this picture, T615 tells you wrong info when you open it about 0.5 to 1 hour (always 100%). However, m505 provides correct power info. Can you trust T615?? And hi-res. it's funny....... small screen (handera330 has a large screen), small text. Oh, use a patch (thinfix) to read texts. Why not use m505?? Why should I use hack or patch? funny. And the color....... compared with N760, red in T615 is very very bad........... RE: funny.....I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 4:02:46 PM #
Maybe the PocketPC batteries in your wrists are tiring, and causing you to use poor English.
In NO WAY are the batteries comparable to an iPaq's.....PERIOD! To argue this point, is to say that an iPaq hangs in there with an m505, which of course isn't true. Regarding the fonts: to this DAY, I've NEVER seen anyone actually leave their fonts in 'small' mode. Apparently, my sampling is indeed unscientific and invalid. All of the fonts on my m505 are set to either medium or large, and I can't imagine (nor have I witnessed) anyone doing otherwise. The medium font on the Sony is absolutely crystal clear. The 615c isn't intended to be the "end all/be all" unit, but it certainly will provide relief for people who were disappointed in Palm's m505 (and even m515) offering. RE: funny.....
I leave my fonts at small. I like having as much text on the screen as possible. I even use the "tiny" font in datebk4 for the week display.
I guess my 40+ year old eyes are still pretty good. I also found that the thinfont fix makes some of the buttons on the dialog boxes look kind of funny. RE: funny.....I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 4:25:56 PM #
Why waste your time on this "brick" lover .. Let him go back to his cave ASAP.
RE: funny.....I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 4:50:34 PM #
get the point, the palm machines
are true portable PDAs not dumb-downsized-power-hungry-2 pounds-laptop wannabes... RE: funny.....I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 4:53:23 PM #
please look at those pictures and you will find the red in T615 is weak.
http://www.spug.org/reviews/rt600.htm RE: funny.....I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 7:50:04 PM #
Two comments...
1. I love the small font. iSilo and Datebk4 are set to use these whenever possible! It's kinda funny though, to start reading a screen of text in iSilo and have the auto-off kick in before I'm done ;-) 2. It seems the greatest criticism this handheld is receiving, besides the goofy buttons, is that "the red colors are that good". Damn, if I was SONY, and that was the worst people could say about my handheld... I'd be pretty pleased with myself! RE: funny.....I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 9:11:15 PM #
You can 'spug.org' all you want, sidelit-brick boy.
I just WITNESSED the 615c myself at Best Buy, and it looks OUTSTANDING! And I don't buy the hype on ANYTHING. ***Also, the Graffitti area is ROCK-HARD compared to the mushy 760 and Palm m505, heck, even the IIIc. This makes (at least for me) for ultra-fast Anti-Taliban writing. The display is superior to the original Clies, and unlike the reviewer, I find that the color representation is superior to the m505s, but a shade less than the IIIc, which aside from the huge dot-pitch, had an unreal color display. One more thing.....if you think the thing could be a shade *BRIGHTER* in the store (as I did at first), take a quick sidestep and turn on the Visor Prism, or the IIIc (the two brighteset Palm OS PDAs). Then flick on the m505. You'll see that the 615 is a *touch* dimmer than the IIIc and the Prism. This thing would absolutely LIGHT UP my apartment, just as my old IIIc did (but unlike my m505). Oh, and if the battery *ALMOST* lasts as long on full-blast as an m505, then it must absolutely smoke the m505 in battery life when set for minimum brightness (which TRULY IS still brighter than an m505). I love my m505, but I might have to ditch it right soon. In fact, I think I'll pick up the 615 tomorrow and take it back if I change my mind. RE: funny.....I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 9:48:24 PM #
I own an m505 and a T615 as well as an N760. Of the three, I think the T615 is my favorite. However, the m505 clearly has better color fidelity than the T615. This is not a matter of opinion where one could agree/disagree with the reviewer. If your m505 has worse color fidelity than the T615 you saw in Best Buy, then you have a very defective m505.
I have performed extensive battery testing on all three of my units. Under the same conditions using Battery Benchmark by the creator of PowerRun, the T615 set to minimum brightness goes about 5'45' whereas the m505 goes about 6'30". Others have reported m505 times from 5'00" to 7'00" and one T600 reported that he gets 4'45" under these conditions. I think it is safe to say that a T615 set to minimum brightness cannot smoke an m505 in battery life. This is especially true when you consider that an m505 last 15+ hours with the light off (6-7h longer than a T615 with the light off) and is much more readable than a T615 with the light off in medium or indirect lighting. Again, my bias is towards the T615 if anything, but lets stick to the facts. RE: funny.....I.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 5:45:45 PM #
Find a 65k color PPC for $400?
How about one with 320 by 320 res? Now, sound and video capabilities may be better on the PPC (if it doesn't lock up on the video) but, I want WordSmith! I am still holding out for he T715C with soft grafitti, bigger battery, full MP3, dual slots and hopefully a microphone. Can you imagine a more perfect option? This T615C is close enough to prove to me that PPC and some future Palm OS 5 on TI OMAPI ARM processor are not needed. I will be very happy with T715C. RE: funny..... T715CI.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 7:57:11 PM #
I am not familiar with the Sony T715C model you mentioned. Is this a model that has been officially announced or are you just speculating about a "next generation" model? If the T715C is a planned model, is there somewhere I can get detailed specs and a release date? THANKS! RE: funny.....I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 8:19:01 PM #
The T715C is eactly like the T615C but with mp3 and headphones.
Why has no-one pointed out that...I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 4:03:24 PM #
...that these hires sony devices are lethargic in operation?
The GUI interface widgets sometimes take two taps I find the m505 much faster to navigate and am willing Gary RE: Why has no-one pointed out that...I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 4:12:56 PM #
Again, you're referring to the N-series with the sidelights. This is NOT the case with the 615c.
Send a smart-a** message, receive a smart-a** reply. Clue Up. RE: Why has no-one pointed out that...I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 4:42:38 PM #
What do sidelights have to do with screen refresh and user input?
RE: Why has no-one pointed out that...I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 5:01:18 PM #
choosing betwen a m505 and T615 is a no brainer..
fo rthe same price it would be dumb to buy a m505 RE: Why has no-one pointed out that...I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 9:05:35 PM #
First I never noticed it to be slow but what you are saying is not true of apps designed for the Sony hi-res screen. Everything I use is.
RE: Why has no-one pointed out that...
So the new 615 uses different Screen technolgy then the n760? Is the 615 slightly faster then the 760 for that reason?
RE: Why has no-one pointed out that...I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 9:46:46 PM #
actually Palm Reader was designed for the hires screen but is incredibly slow. I read a normal .doc file (not a compressed ebook) with an m505 beside the n760c and hit the scroll button. the m505 finished the same document by the time the n760c was getting to 25%.
It's just horrible. try games in compatibility mode -- I liked playing 3d starfighter or whatever its called but on the clie its like 3 times as slow. Even tealmovie is twice as slow on the clie, and gmovie movies supposedly are nothing great either. Also, DeepReader is very slow at repainting the screen, and that too was designed for the clie. RE: Why has no-one pointed out that...martopiggus @ 1/26/2002 12:38:11 AM #
Try enable Hi-Res assist and disable those apps which needs Lo-Res graphics extensively (like games). Otherwise the Clie will emulate lo-res screen and cause the "slowness" that u mentioned.
RE: Why has no-one pointed out that...I.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 5:47:12 AM #
Take a look at the Dragon Demo. It's hi-res and not slow at all.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?X19B2155 Some of the Palm OS drawing routines on the CLIE are hardware accelerated to make up for having to push three times as many pixels. Unfortunately a lot of applications have their own, custom blitters and don't take advantage of this. RE: Why has no-one pointed out that...I.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 3:03:10 PM #
why don't u get a Gameboy?
RE: Why has no-one pointed out that...I.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 5:54:10 PM #
Well, I for one am interested in this possibility. I have been wondering how a Sony displaying 4 times as many pixels could possibly be as fast as an M505. I think I want the higher res even if I don't get the instant response all the time, but I haven't used either (I use an UG! Ipaq 3135). I am not concerned about games and don't even use PIMs that much. 90% of my time on my PDA is word processing and on the Sony I would want WordSmith. I wish there were come way for me to check out the speed difference, but I expect I will just have to shell out all the jack and worry about what to do with them if they are not acceptable after the fact.
RE: Why has no-one pointed out that...
Sony is also using the MediaQ chip as a graphics coprocessor.
RE: Why has no-one pointed out that...
Many old applications work and look their best when you tell
the sony to use HiRes fonts. However, some old apps really slow down (Bejeweled) when in this mode. You have to tell the Sony to not use HighRes Assist for those apps (a simple check box) and then they run much faster. RE: Why has no-one pointed out that...I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 2:48:44 PM #
sbabcock: yeah, I did that. the games still run pathetically slow.
RE: Why has no-one pointed out that...Bartman007 @ 1/30/2002 11:40:37 PM #
I get the same slowness that the anony guy talks about, the only way I have been able to get rid of it is by doing a warm reset =(
Oh well... I wish I could figure out what is doing it... RE: Why has no-one pointed out that...I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 12:51:06 PM #
I am the originator of this thread.
Well I buckled and actually bought the n760. I am really happy with it. I use afterburner and have 40mhx as the default clock speed. I overclock apps like gmovie to 50 mhz (54 somehow hangs my particular unit, though i overclocked the store demo to 54 with no problems... oh well) Funny enough, tealmovie movies play faster than they did on my m505 with no overclocking at all -- with the latest version -- 2.20b. gMovie with decent sound and the enhancements (go into clie_users_group on groups.yahoo.com and find a cool message on editing the registry for picturegear lite to get better performance with gMovie) is great! I wish tealmovie offered atrac sound like gMovie. My favorite thing about all is that you can mount the mem stick as a drive (I use audioplayer to do that, but i think msmount is the same thing?) and I swear I copied a ten MB file to the stick in a matter of seconds!!! Awesome.
Nice Review Ed but............I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 6:36:08 PM #
Hey thats a great review Ed! I ordered the Blue 615 so I should be getting it within 2 weeks. The only thing I would have done differently is the backkight test. I would of set the Clie to the same low light level as the M505, that way your comparing the results evenly.
T615 vs m505 thicknessI.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 7:09:28 PM #
I had an opportunity to compare my m505 to a T615 at our local Best Buy. I was impressed with the screen (very readable and looks better than the lower resolution PocketPC machines). However, as an m505 user I was surprised at the difference in dimensions. The T615 is longer but not as wide as the 505 (not a surprise - you can see this from the specs on the respective web sites). However, that does feel a little strange for someone using a "fat, stubby" machine as opposed to this "long, thin" one.
However, the big surprise was the thickness or depth of the T615. The specs say 0.5" as does the m505. They should be identical. But they are different, perhaps not by a huge amount but the T615 was slightly deeper. Additionally the T615 "appeared" even thicker than my informal comparison suggested due to the fact the T615 is more square than the m505 which has more curves associated with it. The purpose of bring this up is not to say the T615 is rubbish, as it clearly is a fascinating product that will give Palm a darn hard run for their money! However, if you want something that slips in your pocket, you may want to consider these "footprint" or "pocket displacement" differences. Both are pocket size, just consider what your individuals needs are and don’t take the literature as gospel, compare the thickness of them yourself. I hesitated to post this as the difference in depth is small, but enough that it did surprise me. Cheers RE: T615 vs m505 thicknessI.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 7:43:34 PM #
I have both the T615C and a M505 with me at this time. Stacking one on top of the other shows that the T615C is .25 higher than the M505 but that the T615C is .25 shorter in width. A wash I think. I have been carring both with me for a couople of days and feel no difference from them in me front jean pockets. As for the feel in my hand is the T615C fits a bit better due to its straight sides and the jog wheel (what a kwel idea) hits my index finger just at the right point. I have had a Palm for the last they first came out but the features of the T615C were to great a difference for me to wait another year for Palm to get their act together.
RE: T615 vs m505 thicknessI.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 9:58:53 PM #
Based on the pics I saw a couple months ago of the T600 and m505 being measured at brando hk using digital calipers, the m505 is 0.09mm thinner than the T600. While this does invalidate SOny's claim of having the thinnest color PDA, it is hardly a significant difference in my opinion.
* voronda RE: T615 vs m505 thicknessI.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 1:22:50 AM #
Seeing as how my pockets are deeper than they are wide, I'll stick with the T615 :)
Honestly, the difference in thickness is totally negligible.
Blue T615I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 8:06:52 PM #
According to the SonyStyle website, the Blue version of the T615 won't be available until as late as February 28.
So long M505.....I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 9:15:22 PM #
I didn't think this would make me give up my M505 but it has. Very nice screen, blows away the M505, nice metal case, I don't like the buttons of course but I can live with it. The skinny stylus doesn't bother me. Hard to imagine why anyone would buy an M505 or even the M515 over this. The Sony is barely bigger than the M505 and feels better in my hand. Its hard to believe how far Sony has come in such a short amount of time.
RE: So long M505.....
How could you put aside the 515 when the specs are not still known ??
Is it a faith thing or what ?? S. RE: So long M505.....I.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 9:12:15 PM #
I am also moving from the m505 to the T615c....can't stand the screen...pixels...backlight....
The sony is awesome! RE: So long M505.....I.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 9:44:09 PM #
The articles we have seen lately say a brighter screen and 16MB of ram but no enhanced screen resolution. The T615c screen is the best I have ever seen on any PDA and I've had just about every Palm and Pocket PC. The M505 is so grainy and if the M515 screen does not have higher resolution it will be too. Besides I would bet money that by the time the M515 is ready Sony will have already bought palm anywyay.
RE: So long M505.....I.M. Anonymous @ 1/27/2002 5:58:23 AM #
I am also ready to jump ship, so to speak.
I have an m500 which is cool, but I want color, and when I say I want color, I mean crisp, not grainy color together with a decent screen, and I somehow just can't see Palm doing anything about it in the foreseeable future. I still think that the m-series has the best form factor, but there is more to a PDA than just admiring its looks. Sony here I come. My 2 cts.
Irc Library(v.1.1)Update?I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2002 10:38:06 PM #
Does anyone know what the "Irc Library(v.1.1)Update" is suppose to fix/change? I couldn't find much info on Sony's support site. Thanks. - rs
RE: Irc Library(v.1.1)Update?I.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 1:19:30 AM #
It fixes the beaming problem (they don't beam right out of the box--bug).
RE: Irc Library(v.1.1)Update?
I'm not sure how severe this bug is. I used the T415 for a month and the T615C for a week and never had any IR problems. Still, it's only 8 K; installing it is a no-brainer.
Visit Sony's Support page then click on "Updates" for the specific model: RE: Irc Library(v.1.1)Update?I.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 2:11:07 AM #
Ohhh - thanks! I had a T415 for a few weeks, and yep - it didn't beam at first. I had some things on my Prism that I tried to beam to the T415, and it wouldn't work. I thought I bought a lemon, but went ahead and synced it anyway. After that it beamed just fine.
I wonder if it's still needed if you already have the unit beaming... - rs RE: Irc Library(v.1.1)Update?I.M. Anonymous @ 1/27/2002 8:48:56 PM #
I bought a T415 on Jan 5. I am using IR HotSync and did not experience any problem.
Yesterday I have had a crash when viewing a large map (London tube downloaded from memoware) around 300K in size on my T415 using FireViewer 6.0. I had to do a hard reset to recover from the crash. After the hard reset I spent around half an hour to restore everything from my notebook using IR HotSync, then I noticed that the T415 could not be powered off. Pressing the Power switch, tapping on the 'power off' menu item, or let the unit auto power-off itself all caused the unit to go through a soft reset. I remembered the SONY patch out there and downloaded it and had it applied. Apparently the above problem was resolved by this action. Not sure if anybody out there had encountered similar problem.
From Someone Drooling Over at T615C...I.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 1:25:28 AM #
Back in November, 2000 I got my very first handheld. It was a m100. Since then, literally my life has changed.
Now, I've been anxiously waiting for the news especially on T615C. There were news on the availability of the m505, N7xx, T415, S3xx but it did not had any appeal on me. I just cared about the T615C. Hey, I'm entitled to my own opinion don't I? Sometimes I wonder why I was born to this side of the planet. You guys are so lucky you get to change your handhelds as often as you wish like changing your bedsheets every couple of weeks. I get to sleep together with my NOW puny m105 waking me up by the sound of beeps -- a slightly better sound than a battery-operated desk alarm clock. I've been wanting to upgrade for a long, long time now but Sony left me to enjoy only their TVs, VCRs, cameras and batteries. The closest thing that I can get to a Sony handheld is their remote controls for God's sakes! So, what does an unfortunate guy like me have to do to get one? Order online where I don't know if Sony would care shipping me my order anyway? Get myself into slavery? C'mon there has got to be a way! Please help me before it's too la-a-a-a-ate... Arrrghh!!! Just my 0.2 brain cells worth... RE: From Someone Drooling Over at T615C...I.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 1:31:51 AM #
BTW, that was a nice review Ed. Makes me again realize the situation I'm in. Got to kill myself again. Ooops.. Where did I put down that knife??? Oh! Here it is!
Arrrrghhh!!!
ScreenI.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 1:34:48 AM #
By having such a nice Hi-res screen but only used as a square, it is a waste. Sony should take over Palm OS and develop it to be a full screen. Do not waste the writing zone, and design it to be a virtual zone only when user want to key in words.
RE: ScreenI.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 8:24:11 AM #
Very good suggestion about the design of the screen.
RE: ScreenI.M. Anonymous @ 7/2/2002 3:38:50 PM #
Absolutely! The jogdial would be able to allow for toggling of the writing area/menu's. Funny, there is no reason for Sony to purchase Palm for initiating this change, unless it is in violation of an existing licensing agreement. Regardless, if someone scripted the app for it, they could fastrack a licensing agreement to create new hardware, i.e. full-size screen.
Any takers?
Screen sizeI.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 10:26:15 AM #
I have just done a little drawing comparing the screen size of the T615C with that of the Palm 505, and there is, in my opinion, a considerable difference, when you look at it so to speak.
Assuming this to be a Sony standard screen size, has anyone here who switched from Palm to Sony found this to be a problem/noticable in operation? RE: Screen sizeI.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 12:58:17 PM #
I've just switch from m505 to T615. No problem with the screen size and still amazed at the quality of text and image.
RE: Screen sizeI.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 2:13:13 PM #
The screen "real estate" on the M505 is much nicer than on the T615, IMHO.
RE: Screen sizeI.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 3:01:33 PM #
Could you please specify, what you mean by "nicer"? Thanks.
- Original Poster RE: Screen sizeI.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 3:07:06 PM #
I have both the T615C amd a M505. I did not knotice there was a difference in screen size until I actually took the time to measure it with a ruler. The M505 is larger (2 1/4 x 2 1/4) than the T615C (2 1/8 x 2 1/8). The T615C is so much crisper and brighter you do not knotice the very small loss in over all screen size.
The screen brightness is a WOW of course for the T615C. I have the brightness turned down as far as it will go and its still brighter than the M505 sad to say. I loved my M505 until I got the T615C! Now however all I can say Sony has a sure winner with the T615C. Now I am just waiting for a store away keyboard and a modem. RE: Screen sizeI.M. Anonymous @ 1/26/2002 4:14:49 PM #
I picked up the size differences from Ed's review, and so it is very useful to have someone who has both machines. Thanks.
I am on an m500 at the moment, but I do want color, but not the m505 type of color. Form factor this, form factor that, no matter how many times I look at the m505, I still think that the color/screen sucks, and God knows when Palm is going to come out with another color device. Added to that, the hot sync problem . . . time to jump ship, I think. I can't help feeling that Palm are slowly commiting suicide :-( - Original Poster
WHAT ABOUT THE MIDI?!?!
I asked this about the T415 and never saw an answer.
Can someone PLEASE tell me exactly HOW the T series plays MIDI files? Can it play the actual MIDI on the device, or does it just use some kind of wave-out converter on your desktop to turn the MIDI song into a .wav file, then import that just like any wav file? I'm very interesting in knowing how this works, but the only thing ever written is that it "can import MIDI files" or something equally uninformative. SOMEONE PLEASE ANSWER BASED ON EXPERIENCE! Thanks. :) RE: WHAT ABOUT THE MIDI?!?!
On the T615C it has a Sound Utility App that has a desktop component. The Desktop component converts WAV and MIDI files into a file type (PCM) that the Palm can play. So far, I've only done it with a few Homer Simpson WAV files. The sound is not that bad, but the volume is pretty low.
Hope this helps! RE: WHAT ABOUT THE MIDI?!?!
Thank you very much!
How do file sizes compare? For example, a full song in MIDI format (since it only contains note information, not actual sound) can be as small as 20k. If you take a standard midi file and convert it to play on the sony, is there any way to tell how big the resulting file is? Or, does it just get merged with a single "alarms" PDB file that has all the different alarm things? Similarly, how does a normal wav compare to the PCM? If the wav is already 8bit mono at 11khz, is the PCM gonna be bigger or smaller? :) I'm guessing there's no easy way to determine these answers, but I feel like asking them. :) TIA for any info you can share. RE: WHAT ABOUT THE MIDI?!?!bmari20007 @ 1/28/2002 1:45:16 AM #
The file sizes range from .1K to 62K and if they're larger, they're truncated.
Sound is pretty good--it corresponds to your Alarm volume sound setting in the prefs application of your palm, in the "general" category. I've converted parts of my favorite songs--like the hook, its about the coolest alarm I've ever had. RE: WHAT ABOUT THE MIDI?!?!
Midi is notes according to how to play some samples from
a library, so very small. The Sony uses a desktop application to convert the notes to a digitized sound, so you loose the space savings. However, it is mono, and some sample rate (I don't know) so the sounds are relatively small. Each is a separate PDB. In the Sound program on the Sony, you can list your sounds, show their size or time or type, delete them, rename them, play or stop them. Now, what I would be hoping for, and I think will come to pass Just try the Zap 2016 Snd Enh to see what it can do! RE: WHAT ABOUT THE MIDI?!?!
Well, there are already accessories that allow you to use the Palm as a MIDI player by sending the MIDI notes out the serial port into either a MIDI cable to connect to a synth/tone generator, or directly into a clip-on tone generator (TsunaMIDI, for example, which I would LOVE to have).
As for a Palm playing MIDI music with it's own built-in tone generator, that will have to wait for the new ARM devices and OS 5. Then, the processor will be able to handle mixing wav samples and outputting them as a song like desktop computers can. We might also see some MOD players, which would be equally cool. So, what's the truncation size limit?
|
As a Palm consumer I'm sorry deeply, but market pal hardware crashed his creator. Really, palm is very slow. I think.
Wellcome, SONY, to olympus place in hi-tech portable industry.