Comments on: Sony T600C and T400 Discontinued

SonyStyle Japan now lists the T600C and T400 as discontinued. These are the Japanese versions of the T615C and T415. The T615C is still listed on the U.S. version of SonyStyle but the T415 was dropped some time ago. What Sony does in Japan is usually soon carried through in other countries so it seems likely that the T615C will also soon be discontinued. It was first announced in January.
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Why???

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 3:32:40 PM #
rip-off...why do they always have to do this...?? Probably the shortest life span on a single PDA model/line-up.
RE: Why???
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 3:38:39 PM #
What if they didn't come out with a new model? Would that change anything? Would it make your model better?

The answer is no. It doesn't change anything. Don't whine and say "This innovation and wonderful new products at lower prices really sucks", because it's an attitude like that that keeps innovation from happening.

I own a Clie N760 (upgraded from a N710), and damnit, I am excited about seeing Sony make new products. My N760 is great. It has good battery life, mp3, bright screen, Hi-Res. Seeing the T series and the NR70 (and whatever model is coming next) doesn't piss me off, because those models being in existence don't take features away from my model. At least sony is raising the bar for some of the other players to innovate as well.

Kudos to Sony, and to any of the other companies who want to continue to innovate, be they Palm or Hanspring.

That being said, I'll wait for OS 5 before throwing down a few hundred on something new.

RE: Why???
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 3:50:55 PM #
Ditto! I have a 760 and I'm excited by many of the new inovations. I have my on wish list. Come Dec/Jan I will make my new purchase. Who know what will be out by then. I know I have my speculations.

How about a wireless Sony NR

RE: Why???
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 4:15:30 PM #
this is getting damm annoying. However since I wanted to upgrade my 610 to the 615 for the 16mb of internal memory perhaps I can catch one in a price drop.
RE: Why??? new model?
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 4:43:09 PM #
i havent been reading about pdas. does anyone know about a new model coming out? and can anyone describe?
RE: Why???
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 5:01:58 PM #
What are you guys crying for ? If you don't like it, just close your eyes and ignore it.
RE: Why???
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 5:35:38 PM #
The NR is the replacement device. Sony doesn't pump them out *that* fast. We'll get an announcement of something new in maybe a month or two and then it will be in the States 6 weeks after that.
RE: Why???
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 6:00:03 PM #
The NR series is the replacement for the N7xx series units... the t6xx was a replacement for the N6xx units... so its likely there will be a replacement for the t6xx...

Im betting on the following... (just speculation):

33mhz CPU (maybe 66 but doubt it)
16mb RAM
320x480 screen with virtual graffiti
t615 style case/formfactor (but probably a bit thicker)

If priced correctly ($399 max) and they go with the 66mhz cpu it could be a killer unit.

Since no 600 series clie has ever had builtin MP3 i doubt it will play them, although its likely to have the beefed up audio of the t615 and NR70 series. Id guess to be designated NR60.


RE: Why???
Pentagonal @ 5/15/2002 6:38:38 PM #
> Im betting on the following... (just speculation):
>
> 33mhz CPU (maybe 66 but doubt it)
> 16mb RAM
> 320x480 screen with virtual graffiti
> t615 style case/formfactor (but probably a bit thicker)


I agree with the 33mhz. I don't think 66mhz and Hi-Res+ in the same form factor is do-able, because the battery life would be intolerable. OTOH, I think there's a strong possibility that they will go for 66mhz with a 320x320 screen. Just because we all want virtual graffiti to be the wave of the future doesn't mean Sony wants to integrate it into its midrange models yet.

One shorter...
Palm_Otaku @ 5/15/2002 9:04:04 PM #
...lest we forget the original color Clie, the S500C.

It was a Japanese-language only release that didn't do very well at all, primarily because the screen was exceptionally dim (yes, even dimmer than the often-criticized m505).

Here's a PalmOS trivia question for all the "gurus" out there in PIC-land:

What PalmOS-powered device had the longest lifespan, and how long was it?

RE: Why???
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 1:50:25 AM #
The original Palm Pilot.
RE: Why???
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 1:21:29 PM #
The Pilot.
RE: Why???
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 5:39:48 PM #
Well, if it's discontinued too fast like this, no third party hardware/accessories would be willing to support your old model. Is this enough to make your old model look bad?

Bring em' on!

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 3:32:45 PM #
I cant wait to see what sony will replace the T600 series with.....what can it be...realistically? 66mhz dragonball with virtual graffiti and a screen as crisp as the one found on the NR??? Whatever its gonna be...its gonna be nice.
RE: Bring em' on!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 3:36:21 PM #
meaning more money out of your pocket. Don't you realise that? The replacement for T6xx was already in the pipe-line long before the NR was released, Sony hopes you all will buy the 'latest' coolest Sony Clie, then release a new T6xx model to get you all in a buying mode again (because of your fetish for the latest coolest stuff).
RE: Bring em' on!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 3:42:06 PM #
I personally like Sony's agressive product line changes. I don't understand why people complain... just because Sony frequently releases improved versions doesn't mean you have to buy them. If you like what you have, then keep it.

This isn't some grand scheme on Sony's part to squeeze as much money out of people who have to have the latest and greatest. Those people do not buy enough units to make it worth Sony's investment. Sony is simply keeping the product up-to-date to ensure it's competitive... it's a good strategy.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a 480x320 66 MHz T615-like device. Whether it has PalmOS4 or OS5, I really don't care... I can do everything I need with OS4. I played with the NR70 and decided the clamshell design, while innovative and impressive, isn't for me.

RE: Bring em' on!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 3:47:08 PM #
Are you that much of a fool?

Just so you know, the "average" person who buys the models from Sony is not a Technophile who will always buy the newest, best model on the market.

If that were the case, then Sony could charge 200 dollars more than any Ipaq out there and still make money off their models. The people who read this board are very different from the average person, and you need to understand that to see what Sony is doing.

If Sony can make money by introducing new products to the market, then let them. If you're a sucker and have to buy the newest gadget to compensate for a lack of self worth, then pretend they aren't coming out with something new and you won't be so upset. Sony wouldn't be in business if they weren't making money, so let them make money and watch what they come out with in amazement as I and everyone else has.

RE: Bring em' on!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 3:58:32 PM #
>meaning more money out of your pocket. Don't you realise that?
It's only more money out of your pocket if you consider this an upgrade. ITS NOT! It is a new product, replacing an existing product. There is no reason to go out and buy a new one just because they have released a new model in a series and retired the old one. Happy with your T6xx? Great keep it. Don't own a T615 and want to consider a new model? Great, either buy the existing model at closeout pricing, or hang back and buy the new one.
RE: Bring em' on!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 4:02:00 PM #
And then you put down ppl just to prove your own self worth...
RE: Bring em' on!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 8:11:31 AM #
CLIE may have captured the imagination of some geeks, but it's not doing all that well were it really counts - sales. Lets hope that the next model is more successfull than the t415. I wonder how many more flops Sony will tolerate?
RE: Bring em' on!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 8:30:56 AM #
Uhmm...the T415 was Sony's one-and-only flop here in the U.S., what exactly are you talking about??
RE: Bring em' on!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 2:42:28 PM #
ripoff?
money out of your pocket?
only if you're mentally susceptable enough to let the technology and fashion industry reach into your pocket and make what you currenlty own suddenly less useful when the come out with this weeks latest fad.
my palm v works exactly the same and hasn't cost me a penny more, even when new models are introduced.
my palm v is superior to some of the most powerful room size computers available 20 years ago, and the newest palmos 7.5.1 dual hyper-arm based multiprotocol-wireless handheld is a junky toy compared to what you'll be able to buy 20 years from now, so why let the current bi-weekly introduction of new palmos models bother you?
RE: Bring em' on!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/17/2002 5:19:42 PM #
"Uhmm...the T415 was Sony's one-and-only flop here in the U.S., what exactly are you talking about??"

The S300 was another flop if you knew your CLIE history...

RE: Bring em' on!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/17/2002 6:58:11 PM #
Yes, the S300 was a killer. Basically, a Palm III with two aluminium strips stuck to the sides - nice innovation Sony!

To sony

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 4:16:04 PM #
Sony staff:

If you are reading this forum please consider the following for the model to replace the T series:

1) Virtual graffiti
2) 10+ hours of battery life
3) real (usable) buttons
4) smaller.

If toshiba did it with the bloated PocketPC and Arm 206 Mhz procesor why can't Sony do it with the Palm OS.

The toshiba e310 is just .4 thin, thiner than the thinest color Palm OS and has 10 hour battery, I just wich it where Palm based instead of PocketPC crashware

RE: To sony
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 4:20:49 PM #
Also built in mp3 would rock.
RE: To sony
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 4:52:44 PM #
For Business:

1) Virtual Graffiti
2) Cell Phone
3) Camera (or Memstick option)
4) SAME OR SMALLER FORM FACTOR

Anything else is gravy

RE: To sony
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 5:06:54 PM #
I think the most important features for most users are Long battery life and small form factor and 320x480 screen.

Afther what Toshiba did (.4 inch thick!) and 10 hour battery with the bulky power hungy Strong Arm 206Mhz
I am sure Sony can do better with the small low power Dragon ball.

Please Sony make this device .4 inch or thinner and shorter than the T series.

RE: To sony
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 5:49:43 PM #
First, you're probably a little late for this new model. I don't know what the product development life-cycle of PDAs is but I bet it's longer than a month...

Second, it makes sense for Sony to try a new niche, not one in which they already make the best machine. If you want a fast, colour, MP3-playing, 320x480 machine, it already exists! Sony make it! It's called the N70 (or something). I was hoping they would launch something with a built-in cell phone or e-mail to compete with the Treo and i705, which is the one niche they've never tried to enter. Then I remembered that Sony don't usually do that sort of thing. Their mobile phones are actually collaborations with Ericsson.

I actually wonder whether they weren't taken by surprise by the success of the T615C? Maybe they only ordered a certain number of components and those are all exhausted now...? It was certainly a very short-lived product to say it was so well-received.

RE: To sony
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 6:44:40 PM #
>>If you want a fast, colour, MP3-playing, 320x480 >>machine, it already exists! Sony make it! It's called
>>the N70 (or something).

For your information the people posting here are regulars in Palminfocenter and know perfectly what the NR 70 and 70V are.

What people here are asking for is a device with similar capabilities to the NR 70 but in a smaller form factor similar to the T series (NR70 is bigger than even some pocketpcs).

Toshiba has proved it is is possible, now is Sonys turn to make a device to compete directly whith the Toshiba e310.

Please review your facts beafore critizicing other peoples posting and taking them form low palm knowledge people.

RE: To sony
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 10:40:37 AM #
Come on people. Do you really belive a pocket PC can last 10 hours between recharges!. I doubt it and so do other folks who have actually see a unit.

"While the e310 probably won't be able to match the battery life of high-end Palm-powered handhelds, it does compete well pricewise with those models and may help Microsoft convert more PDA owners--and potential PDA owners--into Pocket PC users." - CNet.com


It's so obvious you want a PPC!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 1:39:50 PM #
Just get it. My Sony N760 crashed more than my new PPC. Just check out the the new Tosh e740. Bluetooth integrated, plus SD and CF card slots,XScale - price should be $599!!!! Geeze, do yo raelly need to get whacked in the head to figure out which one is better?

http://www.infosync.no/news/2002/n/1814.html

RE: To sony
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 10:06:09 PM #
that screen (on the toshiba) is soooooo tiny!!!! either it has a small screen, or the device is huge...sorry, but ill stick with the simplicity of the palm OS.
RE: To sony
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/17/2002 5:05:50 AM #
In answer to an earlier comment:

"I was hoping they would launch something with a built-in cell phone or e-mail to compete with the Treo and i705".

The Sony-Ericsson P800 is due out this Autumn and looks amazing. Check it out at http://www.sonyericsson.com/uk/spg.jsp?page=start

I posted this almost 2 months ago and nobody believed me

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 5:08:58 PM #
I.M. Anonymous so I guess it doesn't matter anyway.

T615C is DISCONTINUED says Best Buy Rep
Posted by: I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 4:41:40 PM

The T615C had the shortest career since that Pope that got poisoned...

http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_Story.asp?ID=3212

Can I have some props????

RE: I posted this almost 2 months ago and nobody believed me
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 5:20:07 PM #
When you said it almost 2 months ago, it wasn't true.

But two can play at that game. I say the NR7OV has been discontinued. Now when it actually happens, I'll claim credit as being the first to know.

RE: I posted this almost 2 months ago and nobody believed me
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 5:24:07 PM #

6 weeks ago is different than now vs. when the NR70 is toast which will be a long time from now
RE: I posted this almost 2 months ago and nobody believed me
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 5:24:18 PM #
The T615C hasn't been cancelled yet, that should happen in another 2 weeks, give or take. Besides, your reasoning for it being cancelled 2 months ago doesn't corrolate to the current situation. No props for you.
RE: I posted this almost 2 months ago and nobody believed me
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 5:28:52 PM #
Sorry, but what's a prop?

-Igno R Amus

RE: I posted this almost 2 months ago and nobody believed me
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 6:10:53 PM #
a prop in this context is a pat on the back or a congragulatory handshake
RE: I posted this almost 2 months ago and nobody believed me
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 6:37:53 PM #
I'll give you some props... I noticed that a few weeks ago ubid started selling "refurbished" T615's and that some online retailers started showing the T615 as out of stock - thought these might be signs that the 615's days were numbered.
RE: I posted this almost 2 months ago and nobody believed me
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 6:43:51 PM #
yea... prop(s)(z) teenager talk... come on now. arent you wit it?! get with the shizz man.... lol. just playing. i just never thought i'll find the definition for "props" in a pda form. ahh.... you guys rock. education, funny, and use the word props. yea... to the person who said that the t615 would get discontinued, the above dude said it best when he said. no props for you.

SD

RE: I posted this almost 2 months ago and nobody believed me
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 9:07:23 PM #
Props - Slang for giving someone credit for something.
RE: I posted this almost 2 months ago and nobody believed me
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 9:13:52 AM #
'Props' = abbreviated form of 'propers' = the proper degree of respect accorded to a certain person or deed. If teens today think they invented it, they ain't giving props to the real source. The use of 'propers' dates back to at least the 60s (I'm sure it's older than that, though). Just listen to the original version of Respect (Otis Redding) or the more well known cover by Aretha for proof.
RE: I posted this almost 2 months ago and nobody believed me
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 12:49:51 PM #
word
RE: I posted this almost 2 months ago and nobody believed me
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 4:20:13 PM #
Word up!

(That means "I also strongly agree" in response to "Word" which means "I strongly agree").

Absolutely Ridiculous!

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 9:09:39 PM #
Sony has some gall... Making obsolete a product they just introduced 6 months ago makes no sense whatsoever. The Sony cycle can make a man dizzy..it is a well known fact that customer retention is directly related to product continuity. Once a company gets its customers used to a particular product (this could take anywhere from years to decades, but not months) then they gain a certain loyalty from that customer when new products are released. The customer will come back and buy another sony. But in this case it's different, in my opinion, mainly because sony seems to think that people will readily change pda's every six months or so. That's not true. Only a few technoNerds are willing to spend that kind of money that often.

Just imagine if Mcdonald's or Tacobell kept changing the recipes of their sandwiches and such every few months, They'd go broke. Now I'm not saying sony shouldn't innovate and make new stuff, but keep the old stuff alive a little longer along side the new stuff. Make a replacement for the T615 that's better, faster, whatever, then lower the price on the T615 and keep selling more of both products. Surely this is shouldn't be difficult for a company like sony to do. Imagine going to a car dealership with 2 or 3 different models ONLY. That's one thing I actually like about palm and compaq, they seem to have a much more reasonable lifespan for their products and this can help solidfy their customer base and increase their return customer percentages.
Think about all the people who just bought a T615 because it's the the newest and the hottest and now their pda is obsolete. A dinosaur. That's just sad.

RE: Absolutely Ridiculous!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 9:43:38 PM #
You are not making any sense.

You said imagine if McDonalds or Taco Bell changed their recipes every 6 months. You cannot actually compare taste to technology. I guess the better question is that if that is all you had to choose from, wouldnt you get tired of it? McDonalds everyday for 6 months? There are some who want something different. 6 months is just about long enough to keep consumers on their toes.

RE: Absolutely Ridiculous!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 11:28:43 PM #
Your manifesto is "Absolutely Ridiculous!" You said "now their pda is obsolete. A dinosaur." That's insane. My T615 is working just as good as it did yesterday. The form-factor remains great.

I agree with the other replier, your comments make no sense.

RE: Absolutely Ridiculous!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 12:22:20 AM #
"Think about all the people who just bought a T615 because it's the the newest and the hottest and now their pda is obsolete. A dinosaur. That's just sad."

Can you explain why T615C become obsolete and dinosaur with a better version being released? Does it suddenly stop working? Do the hires screen suddenly become lores? Does the jogdial stop functioning? Or does the 16M suddenly becomes 8M?

You comment does not make sense. The T615C will continue to work as it before. It will even compare better than some other new palm devices. And try go to the Sony support web site, it even provide patches for the S300 if relevant. I just do not understand why everytime a new model comes out, the old ones will suddenly seems like it loose the functions that you bought it for.

Just see how Sony has pushed the palmos devices in 1.5 years.

RE: Absolutely Ridiculous!
iain.collins @ 5/16/2002 5:34:27 AM #
The origional poster was correct in his assersion IMO.

It is a big issue because people will stop developing speciality apps that use the device's unique features and they will not useful peripherals for devices with a such a short lifespan.

Palm have stuck to the same form factor which is very conforting for users and means that a large number of peripherals continue to work.

I don't think we'll see many new programs with Hires support developed now they have dropped the T600 :(

[ Though it's admittedly in Japan, where they are ahead of the curve. I've just ordered a T625c here in the UK, with a BT memory stick today *- Still not going to cancel though :) ]

* = To replace my m500 with BT SD card, which I bought to replace a Visor Prisim which I lost in a Taxi (and bought to replace my 1st generation HP Jornada which had crappy WinCE) - I stayed away from the m505 (due to the dull screen) but days later the 515 came out, doh!). Oh well - my two cow-orkers have a m515 and a T625 and the 515 has nicer colours and better buttons, but T625 is has a much prettier screen and I can't tell there is a problem with the red unless I see them both together. Would get a NR70c but I know I can't afford it right now , so will have to be happy with the T625c :-)

RE: Absolutely Ridiculous!
Beavis @ 5/16/2002 7:16:00 AM #
My boss has my original Palm Pilot 1000. Whuch I sold to him back in 1997. He still uses it every day. It still syncs with Outlook, and he can still read e-books and receive e-mail on it. Nobody told the palmpilot 1000 that it was obsolete, so I guess it keeps chugging along and doing what it was designed to do with its 512K of RAM. Working!!!!

RE: Absolutely Ridiculous!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 7:45:58 AM #
Disagree with Iain Collin's comments below, which seem to reflect a lack of close knowledge about Sony's Clie product line.

"It is a big issue because people will stop developing speciality apps that use the device's unique features and they will not useful peripherals for devices with a such a short lifespan.

Palm have stuck to the same form factor which is very conforting for users and means that a large number of peripherals continue to work.

I don't think we'll see many new programs with Hires support developed now they have dropped the T600 :( "

Product continuity is not a big issue because Sony re-uses the same features and connectors. Case in point: 320X320 hi-res is available across most of Sony's models, and will surely be available with the T600's successor. Your analysis that new programs will not use hi-res is absurd. Many developers have developed with Sony's hi-res in mind, and it's not going to stop tomorrow. The T600 is not the ONLY hi-res Sony Clie, in case you weren't aware.

As for connecting peripherals, I agree that Sony has switched connector standards faster than Palm. But they also have a policy of retaining the same connector for a few generations. So far the T series and the NR series both have the same connectors. It is a certainty that the T600 replacement will have these connectors too.

RE: Absolutely Ridiculous!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 8:19:04 AM #
Don't blame Sony for discontinuing these lines. If they were selling well, the production runs would be better.

Just compare the life cycle of the t415/T615 to that of the S300 series. Yes the latter has been upgraded periodically, but there are sufficient sales in the s300 range to keep pumping out these units.

No matter what ppl say about the feature set of the t615, they are just not getting enough market share, so Sony must discontinue and try again.

RE: Absolutely Ridiculous!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 8:26:47 AM #
I undertand the emotion, but really, isn't this just like Palm being criticized for new models (500 series)not compatible with older models' cradles? Or Handspring's Visor Edge's incompatibility with the Springboard (absent clunky peripherals)? This is evolution, folks, with devices that are morphing to add not only features but Basic functionality (when did you first recognize that a PDA could double as a phone?). I agree with comments about old units continuing to work quite well. And if the technical change doesn't suit your sensibilities, choose a vendor that is slower to innovate, or perhaps best of all, go back to paper. I think Franklin Day Planner (paper version - shucks, the software version shows that even Franklin innovates!) has been static for years. Buy that ballpoint proceed with your stagnation...
RE: Absolutely Ridiculous!
ahecht @ 5/17/2002 2:16:25 AM #
Actually, McDonalnds does change their "New Tastes Menu" every month. Their current offerings are their chicken select strips and chocolate dipped cones. Last month it was Chicken Parmeseana (sp). Next month it will be the McRib. In the past, limited offerings included the Chili Burger, Brautwurst, and tortas.

RE: Absolutely Ridiculous!
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/17/2002 11:21:01 PM #
To the original poster of the "Absolutely Ridiculous!" (aka Moronic Manifesto):

You write:
"sony seems to think that people will readily change pda's every six months or so."

An alternative interpretation:
Sony puts out product "X" (let's call it the N710/N760). Because only a certain percentage of the population bought that particular device, they're wondering how to improve upon its features and design (ala NR70 series). While I suspect that they expect some portion of the sales (of the NR70 series) to be from upgraders (of the N710/N760C), they want those people that didn't buy the original to take another look at their Clie lineup. In other words, they're looking to gain more market share by introducing new devices that will entice NEW buyers!

You write:
"keep the old stuff alive a little longer along side the new stuff."

Interpretation:
You have absolutely no business experience, do you? Rather than hypothesizing about a digital dream world, let's face facts:

Fact 1: It is a nightmare to track inventory of older models in the market (not impossible, but just a nightmare!)

Fact 2: Equally nightmarish is tech support (Granted, Sony's tech support sucks major, but I'm talking in general industry terms)

Fact 3: What's the incentive for the buyer to purchase a new device when the older one is seemingly just as good at a lower price. If no one buys new device, then this, in effect, chokes off product R&D.


''16 MB of RAM, the most a Dragonball processor can use''-not

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 11:01:09 PM #
There have been upgrades availible for the Visor Pro to take it up to 32meg internal. That was with no modification to the CPU, certainly a new model could ship with 32meg.
RE: ''?????"
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 10:52:43 AM #
Where did u hear of this?? can u provide a link?
RE: ''16 MB of RAM, the most a Dragonball processor can use''-not
Bartman007 @ 5/16/2002 6:18:54 PM #
I think he may be confused. He may be referring the the fact that the Visor Pro is advertised as having upto 32 megs (with a 16 megs Springboard)

RE: ''16 MB of RAM, the most a Dragonball processor can use''-not
narnia_77 @ 5/18/2002 1:08:15 AM #
"He may be referring the the fact that the Visor Pro is advertised as having upto 32 megs (with a 16 megs Springboard)"

I also remember seeing that the Pro could be upgraded to 32mb. I'm not sure, but I think it was accessing the extra 16mb like a flash module. (?)

"Some older series of PalmIII™ and PalmVII™ use different style memory chips. I will not be able to upgrade those units. In order to determine if you have a newer version you will need to load this program into your unit. After you run the program it will tell you whether your PDA is upgradable or not. You can also run this program to determine if your Handspring™ Neo/Pro can be upgraded to 32 Mb of RAM. If it can be upgraded the program will indicate the "SDRAM" type of memory."
- http://www.palmpilotupgrade.com/faq.html (FAQ #34)


I also found some threads at VisorCentral:
http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20692&highlight=pro+32mb

http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21733&highlight=pro+32mb

"There's always hope, because it's the one thing nobody's figured out how to kill yet." -- Galen, Crusade (B5)

TWO TEAMS.....

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 11:38:10 PM #
As I have written before, I suspected that there are two development teams doing the Palm platform, one of them develops the N, NR series and the other develops the T- series. That is possibly the only explanation why T-615c release shortly after N-760C's release.

Now that NR series just got off the shelves, expect the T-series team to come up with something interesting shortly.

RE: TWO TEAMS.....
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 11:57:49 PM #
it will be big screen, 66mHz and 16 bit, than some gimmick,

my wild guess would be either integrated mp3, 64mb, or video accelerator.

RE: TWO TEAMS.....
nXt @ 5/16/2002 12:39:35 AM #
The T600/615 and the N700/710/750/760/770 all have a video accelerator chip (to drive the color highres) it's called the MediaQ 1100 chip. It's capable of doing 60 frames per second high res 16 bit color... (Red-Mercury's AtomSmash does this).

nXt's Clie Club
Place To Be For Sony Clie Discussion
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nxtclieclub
RE: TWO TEAMS.....
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 3:31:43 AM #
>The T600/615 and the N700/710/750/760/770 all have a video accelerator chip (to drive the color highres) it's called the MediaQ 1100 chip.

MediaQ 1100 chip has 256kb of embedded SRAM on-board, so it is enough only for 320 x 320 x 16bit-per-pixel buffer, and that amount of memory is divided into video RAM, and transactional buffers for additional devices, like integrated USB hub.
The new NR70/NR70V have 320x480x16bit screens, and there is not enough memory in MediaQ 1100/1132 chips to power it. However there is a next generation chip called MediaQ 1168, with 320kb on board memory and some extra functionality - available to OEMs in large volumes since Feb 2002. Hope this is the chip inside NRs, this would be much easier for developers - all this chips are in most cases low-level backward-compatible.
What is very interesting, that MediaQ 1168 has integrated hardware support for mulitmedia, like color space convertion, bit-blit operations, etc.
Slightly off topic, I know :). All this are only my own presumptions, and I would be gratefull for any information.

OT: XBOX/PS2 Drops to $199....

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 12:27:25 AM #
Now do all you guys who bought an XBOX this christmas or PS2 for $299 gonna start bashing sony/ms now because they're $199 now, you lost $100.

Quit yer whining, At least with Sony, we can see the PDA ever evolving, not dead as a rock like Palm/HandSpring/HandEra is....

Remember the mastercard commercial.....
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 11:03:20 AM #
PS2 299 dollars, Memory card 40dollars, two games, 120 dollars.six pack of coca cola, 3.99. The opportunity you spend playing with your friends and parents during Christmas time......priceless....
RE: OT: XBOX/PS2 Drops to $199....
Wollombi @ 5/17/2002 1:54:30 PM #
[quote]
At least with Sony, we can see the PDA ever evolving, not dead as a rock like Palm/HandSpring/ HandEra is....
[/quote]

Huh? Like Handera is? Please. Aside from being monochrome, the Handera 330 feature set is still miles ahead of anything else out there. What other PalmOS device gives you two expansion slots, allowing you to use memory cards and peripherals SIMULTANEOUSLY? Handera developed Hi-Res for the Palm before Sony, and used a scheme that directly scales to full VGA. The smallest fonts on the Handera are still readable, unlike Sonys. And Handera was the first to bring virtual graffiti to the market, in a simpler and cleaner interface than the "new" Sony iteration.

Keep in mind that nobody even knew the 330 even existed until about a month before it was available. Handera is a tight-lipped company. Just because they are silent does not mean they aren't developing something new (and hopefully equally well-engineered) today. And the 330 is still a very viable platform for those willing to think beyond glitter and what Sony tells them.

_________________
Sean

It is not very comfortable to have the gift of being amused at one's own absurdity.
-Somerset Maugham-

Sony is very smart to use "T" connection on "NR" devices

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 12:58:29 AM #
Hi,

Sony is very smart to use "T" connection on "NR" devices.

Atleast people who choose to upgrade from the T series to the NR series can do so with the knowledge that most of their existing accessories will be functional with the new NR models.

Hopefully this will hold true for the new T series as well.

Just my 2cents,
Stronggeek

RE: Sony is very smart to use
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 5:34:51 AM #
It's not so much smart as it is not being stupid. It'd be really dumb if Sony DIDN'T use the same connector they already have problems attracting third-party accessory vendors after switching connectors between the S/N- and T-series lines.

RE: Sony is very smart to use
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 8:38:48 AM #
Hang on. We are talking about the company that gave us the "paperwhite" T415 screen. The words "Sony" and "smart" do not belong in the same sentence. Do they?
RE: Sony is very smart to use
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 10:33:37 AM #
So says someone who's regretting their T415 purchase. The T415 was Sony's one and only flop. Seeing as how Sony went from 0% market share to above 12% in no time, I'd refrain from calling them anything but "smart".
RE: Sony is very smart to use
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 8:37:48 PM #
>Hang on. We are talking about the company that gave us the "paperwhite" T415 screen. The words "Sony" and "smart" do not belong in the same sentence. Do they?

---

At least they are not stupid enoguh to give you a SUDS crap.

Good riddance

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 8:36:25 AM #
The T415 was a disaster for Sony and the T615 never came close to even matching the hype. Let hope the next models are better.
RE: Good riddance
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 8:36:04 PM #
NR70 is the best already.

T6xx not dead, just refreshed - T650 (or so)?

pontif @ 5/16/2002 11:44:08 AM #
I think what is most likely is that it will be identical to the current T615, but with the 66mhz CPU and an improved screen (better color). Battery life will probably be unchanged, and soft graffiti seems unlikely without a larger case. I've heard it is just an update to "fix the shortcomings" of the current T615, much like the Palm m515 vs m505. I've also heard "fixing" the buttons is unlikely, but an MP3 decoder on board is a possibility.

As for hard facts, I haven't been able to get any either...

Wow, the warranty period hasn't even expired on...

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/16/2002 8:21:10 PM #
the first 615s that came out and the model is already discontinued.

Still, ya gotta love their designs.


WoW, that was quick!

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/17/2002 11:32:06 PM #
its crazy how sony discontinues products so quickly.
i guess thats how they manage to stay on top of the game.

WOW!

PIC mobile user @ 5/18/2002 4:48:16 PM #
I was just debating saving another $100 for an nr model! too bad I am a few days past my 30 day return limit.
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