Comments on: Sony Japan Unveils the Clie TH55 and TJ37

Zodiac2/T616

Clamshell design
OLED screen
802.11b
Bluetooth
Landscape view
Portrait view
Good keyboard
PalmOS 6
MP3
1 MP digital camera
New Sony custom desktop + applications
12 hour battery life
128 MB RAM

All for only $599

If you want it all, don't settle for the TH-55. You'll just end up kicking yourself in a few months. The new UX series will be astounding. If you have a Bluetooth cellphone, you might finally be able to dump your laptop once the new UX is released.

And to the posters below who say they prefer the Palm T3: Keep it. You can keep your Palm with its third rate, sloppy construction and I'll buy a CLIE. Guess who's PDA will still be working flawlessly in three years? And guess who's PDA will be in a landfill dump?

It's just too big.

Did he swallow this time?

It's just too big.

Meaning his overinflated ego. =)

_________________
Sean

Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else.

Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else.

And what are the odds you'll either find yet ANOTHER reason to not buy a new PDA or will buy one and return it a few weeks later? Probably close to 100%. Can't you at least do something different for once?

It's just too big.

-Ryan

The picture that you saw is for "Clie Movie Player" which supports landscape play mode. It already exists in NX series so it doesn't mean the TH55 should have landscape support.

I kind of agree except that with Palm, the d-pad found on the TT, the T2, and even the TC was actually a huge step forward for game playibility. So then they fix almost every complaint about the TT line with the T3, but then go and screw up the D-Pad. I actually decided against the T3 (still have my TT) just because of this stupid d-pad. WHY palm? Wtf? Im a palm developer and i use my PDA for lots of things - but gaming is essential to me (how else to kill time on my 2hrs+ per day on the subway? the only 'guilt free' gaming i get).

>>So that leaves me thinking that Sony has something big up their sleeve...something niftier than the PSP that'll be based on Palm architecture.

No - this leaves me thinking the opposite: Sony has deliberatley messed up the Clies for gaming SO they can sell more PSPs. They want the PSP to be a success - they don't want people to spend $100 more and get a mobile internet terminal/video player/mp3/PIM/office doc editor that also is a kick ass game machine. Who would buy the PSP? Many would of course; not as many if they saw that the Clie was a great PDA AND was great for games for only a little more. Thats my guess anyway.

I find that the dpad on the Treo600 is great for games. Shame it isn't supported by more apps.

Edward Green
--
http://www.khite.co.uk

True - but who wants to carry around an extra, dorky looking device? wheres the mobility? The point is to have an all in one device - its especially silly to add this silly thing on top of yr clie just to get a d-pad that would cost $0 if they just built it in ( a d-pad is just a bunch of cheap buttons under a round, single peice of cheap plastic - and they want to charge me for that?

While im ranting - the price of the Japanese version of the th55 works out to $375 us. Dells X3i (400mhz, 64mb, built in wifi)is only $285. Im a Palm OS fan - so i'll continue to resist the PPC lure. But the point is that Sony has some gone from leader to lame follower here. This offers crap in the way of value. We are supposed to be snapping this up because they have finally given us a full VG screen in a tablet device?? That should be standard on ALL palm os devices now (just like it has on all PPCs for almost 4 yrs - including low-end $199 PPCs). Instead companies like Sony slowly 'dole out' features like this and we are supposed to be excited like they've just invented the damned wheel or something. And the 'Sony handheld Engine' is as yet unproven. It has problems ramping the speed up as it is suppoed to and developers are complaing about not be able to get enough juice out of it (ranges from 8mhz to 123mhz to save power). Hell - i'd go with the low-end device here - at least the 200mhz motorola IS a solid 200mhz (i know - mhz isnt everything but the motorola has proven better thus far in everyday applications - also used in the Zodiac no?). I'm not exited by this. I don't mean to come across as overly negative but i this should have been here 12 months ago or realsed now at $250.

They definitely have the right idea whereas Sony has failed miserably on button design (tiny buttons, tiny munchkin keyboards, and wacky uncomfortable button layouts).

It seems like they made it and then said--"oh yeah, we need buttons too don't we? Where can we fit these... this'll work"

However, in fairness, I think this is probably the best button layout they've had since the first one they released--it does fit one's hand more naturally than the awful T6xx layouts.

1. I got my new issue of PSM magazine today. It has some juicy info on the PSP that I hadn't read about online. It said that it has digital d-pad arrows around the analog stick on the left side of the unit, along with two "shoulder" type buttons next to the screen. It said the unit's internal memory is being increased to 40mb (it was going to be 32mb last I heard) and will use a NON-touchscreen 480*320 Clie screen. The whole story was given a "high" probability rating by the magazine. So having read this, it sounds like Sony is indeed positioning the PSP as a hardcore gaming platform and relegating the Clie to multimedia-type stuff. Might we someday soon see the abandonment of all hard buttons (sans power & reset) from a high-end Clie? Very possible, IMHO.

2. I cannot stand the T3's button layout & d-pda. That combined with the yellow screen on my replacement T3 and the continued horrors of G2 are making me seriously think about (I never thought I'd say this) jumping back to a T2 or selling my T3 and using my T|C full-time. For the record, the Treo 600's 5 way navigator is excellent and probably the best PDA controller yet. I'd love to see Palm release a Zire 71 replacement with that navigator and decently sized hard app buttons. It wouldn't compete directly with a Zodiac, but it'd be fine for light gaming usage.

3. The best Sony button layouts were either the original 710/610 series or the cheaper S320/360 monochrome units. I briefly owned an S320 and played many a mean game of Zap! 2000 on its impressively usable buttons!

Dinky stylus

No video recording

Camera should be at least 1 MP, maybe 2

Plastic case

I would pay $200 for it. $400? No way.

The main value that I see is that I can reuse all of my current accessories (Retractable charge cord, memorystick, cradles (with some modification)). I will have to get a new stylus, but oh well, I can leave my current one in the cradle silo :).

I played with one at CC this weekend. I beamed my launcher, and Lifebalance to it and they both worked great. Considering that most of my usage is PIM, Plucker, and Office stuff with some downtime game playing and limited video watching this seems good. I found the buttons to be usable and the new jog dial, while akward at first, could easily grow on my and wasn't uncomfortable at all.

I have a Wifi network at home, and that is the only one that I know of near me (Most of my relatives that I stay with when out of town also have one). I currently use IR to connect my NX60 to my SE T610 when I need info NOW, but that is incredibly infrequent.

Alex Johnson
<><

2) Can TH55 be upgraded to OS6?
Most likely not!
That's just the way sony do business.
You must buy new device if you want new os.

3) How big is the screen?
The screen is most definitely larger than UX as it can be seem from the pictures and it should be about the same size as TT3.

SL10

Not so. T-Mobile has unlimited GPRS usage. And you can do dial-up through GSM.

The question is not why Wi-fi but why Wi-fi over BT!?

Cheers,

Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else.

Well, that and the fact that when I think about buying it I hear Foo's voice in my ear saying, "Wait. . .OS 6 devices will be out in a month!"

Mike, when this thing hits CUSA or the Sony building, be sure to post up your thoughts in the forums. I'll need to hold this in my hand on lunch breaks to decide if lust will win over sensibility.

After initial scepticism, I think the T3's buttons leave the Clie for dead. Though I am not a gamer myself, I do understand why gamers don't like the T3's button layout. However, for 'normal' use I think the layout is brilliant.

Lack of WiFi is the T3's only weakness, but as my workplace can't get its act together and successfully install a WiFi network, I guess it isn't a big deal for me :-)

Vx->m500->m505->m515->TT->T2->T3/TC

Think I'll be keeping my T3 a while longer:D

Moderator, Daily Gadget
http://www.dailygadget.com

You may get your wish. I can't remember where I saw it, but a recent study found that average consumers are beginning to find their devices too complicated for day to day use. Most want just a phone, or just a PDA, not a Swiss-Army-Knife-like device. The result is that we will likely see a trend toward simplification again, without all the extras. It will just take a few years.

Me, I like gadgets to a certain extent as long as I can use them easily (that whole zen thing). Put a good interface on it and make it easy to use no matter how many gadgets are contained, and it's a winner for me. My only want for a camera on my phone is so I can take those "pics of opportunity" from time to time, like when a guy cuts you off on the highway, gets a small dent in his bumper, then tells the insurance company that you totally crumpled his quarterpanel (NOT). A few quick pics would have been nice then. I'm not looking to do professional grade photography here. Also, I prefer it on my phone, since that can email the pic from right there, whereas on my PDA, I have to go back to my PC. Like I said, I'm all about convenience.

_________________
Sean

Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else.

WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH BIG BUTTONS SONY?

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0001D09XY/104-7316851-2659900?v=glance

Anyhow, on to the subject at hand (no pun intended), I'm still not sold on this. I've become accustomed to the 400MHz proc and 64MB or RAM on my T3, and this "Handheld Engine" isn't proven yet, and has previously performed, shall we say, less than stellar.

If you could guarantee comparable performance, make it 64MB (at a minimum), make it SD instead of MS or alongside of MS, and put the jog dial/back button back on the side where it's usable, add BT and good battery life, I'd definitely be looking at this puppy. I really don't think it's too much to ask, is it?

Unfortunately, Sonly has no concept of usable buttons, and if they made this the battery life would be about 10 minutes. Sadly, Palm has begun to follow suit on the battery life issue with the T3. I've had to be happy with the Power To Go as a backup power solution (which honestly isn't that bad, it's like having an "extended life battery" for your cell phone).

Maybe the next model will get it right. One of the biggest things I hated about my T615 was that it was locked into Memory Stick. If I had the option of SD too, it would have (and still would be) an non-issue for me.

_________________
Sean

Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else.

Sean: I'm using an S320. I've always had a PDA -- just haven't bought any of the ones I've lusted after (in that respect, I've been a PDA stalker -- unlike the sad personal stalkers here). You basically want everything past CLIEs had -- with SD. Fat chance. I'm putting together a 16MB MStick of test programs and data and will run all of it before plunking down $$. And even after plunking down $$ -- if I do -- it'll be interesting to see how it deals with my tons of files.

Foo: I thought you *liked* PPC, so why so sad? At least that 1945 does 30fps video. It's a speedy little bugger. Too bad you need a dongle for that teeny earphone jack and can't use any keyboards with that connector. I'd be surprised if OS6 PDAs came out before June now... Sony must have a window of sales with their OS5 devices, you know...

Can someone tell us if G2 can be replaced with G1, as on the TT2 & TT3?!

Check out this weird picture of the standard Launcher. Why all that space at the bottom?

http://www.clieclub.jp/review/rev_th55tj37/images/IMGP0049_JPG.jpg

http://www.clieclub.jp/review/rev_th55tj37/images/IMGP0117_JPG.jpg

Because in my own case, I'll be going from a *mono* 8MB CLIE S320. Are you kidding? This is like getting into Heaven for me. Well, CLIE Heaven.

Of course there are shortcomings: lousy stylus (but I've taken to using a separate 2-in-1 these days, with a Windows Mobile logo on it, freebie courtesy of a WinMob rep), weird Jog Roller and its placement, and no landscape.

But I think I can make do with 32MB (I've done so with just 8!), no landscape, and try to adapt to that Roller.

The camera is icing (which I could really do without in preference to a *proper* JogDial). The 320x480 (with no slider) is what I've been waiting for. And the size (same as old T series) is just right.

And WiFi!! (I'm around many free HotSpots).

Does that answer it for you?

We liked:
* The very aggressiveprice of 450 EUR, including all taxes
* Very professional elegant design
* Very beautiful matte black casing.
* Screen of superb quality
* Integrated Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (European model)
* Decuma HWR
* Dimensions/weight is ideal
* Support of Memory Stick Pro
* Integrated application PIM: Clié Organizer

We liked less:
* The slipping serrated roller Jog Dial
* The odd disappearance of video recording
* The hardness of the camera release
* The optical quality of the camera

One would have liked:
* A memory NAND as on the UX50
*... and back-up automatic of data RAM of the UX50

Funny that they didn't mention the bloody awful stylus...

Lots of gorgeous pictures at that review. Go see!

Get a load of that battery life! Am I right -- he's claiming FOUR HOURS OF VIDEO is possible?

He also says that you forget the thing is running at "only" 123MHz. Hmmm... did he load any other programs on it?!

Could be. But I still want to fondle it.

It still seems as if it's the first PalmOS unit I really really really want to buy.

And look at the battery life specs for WiFi! What have you to say about that?

Chess, Text Twist, and the like are my speed. And 123MHz is just fine for that sort of stuff.

Har-har. I once beat a Sun Workstation at Chess.

I've *hated* the S320's microfiber lid, but never removed it.