Rumor: Sony to Release N760C

It seems likely that Sony is developing an updated version of the N710C that will be called the N760C. So far there are no indications that it will have any ground-breaking new features, simply being the N710C with OS 4.0 pre-installed. This will give its hi-res screen 16-bit color, rather than the N710C's 8-bit color.

A listing for the N760C appeared briefly last week on rcseshop, a webstore. No details on the handheld were given before it was removed.

This brings up the question of when Sony is going to release an OS 4.0 upgrade for the N710C. Recent queries to Sony only resulted in the standard, "No comment".

The rumors of a N750C that have appeared on several websites are false. The description was posted as a joke on the Yahoo Clie Users Group and they got picked up by several Palm sites as real.

Thanks to Mike Cane for tipping me off to the N760C at rcseshop. -Ed

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N750C _will_ exist

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/22/2001 12:08:20 PM #
If Sony is to release a N710C with OS4.0 aka N760C, there _wil_l be a N700C with OS4.0 aka N750C
Don't forget there's always a "-10" version for Japan... and that even if it not announced before (like N600C), it is released before (like N600C)

RE: N750C _will_ exist
Ed @ 8/22/2001 12:20:00 PM #
You are correct but it won't have a 66 MHz processor, 32-bit color screen, OS 4.5, and a virtual Graffiti area as it is rumored to.

---
News Editor
RE: N750C _will_ exist
EdwardGreen @ 8/22/2001 12:41:48 PM #
I can't see a n8x0 66Mhz Sony happening before late Autumn / Fall. I'm not sure I see the point of a 32bit screen, but if handled by the graphic Co-Pro it wouldn't cause great slowdown.

If there is a n8x0 then it may well include bluetooth (and by that os 4.5) and be released in conjunction with new Sony Bluetooth phones and include xiino iLinxs Javascript web browser.

http://www.ilinx.co.jp/products/xiino.html

Now that would be a nice set up.



-
kHiTeDev

Update

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/22/2001 12:58:07 PM #
Just spoke to Sony Support and they still do not know when the 4.0 update will be released for the 710C. He said to keep checking the Sony Support website.

RE: Update
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/22/2001 3:33:41 PM #
It not surprising to me that Sony is "avoiding" any comments on the 4.0 OS. I'm sure they are having problems getting the OS on the current hardware.

The current flash has very little room left. I believe it's less than 128k. The different between the 3.5.2 and 4.0 is more than 128k.

The other Sony models don't have this problem since they don'y have to carry the MP3 code.

It all makes sense with the new rumor of the N760C which is the same as the N710C but only with the 4.0 OS. I'll bet that the N760C has more flash than the N710C.

Any comments....

RE: Update
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/22/2001 3:52:25 PM #
No, they have plenty of room. With Jack Flash, it shows 767k available. In that the rom is entirely flashable, they should be able to overwrite the current OS and squeeze in a version of 4.0.

???

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/22/2001 2:50:16 PM #
What's with this confusing nomenclature?

Any Speculative Release Date?

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/22/2001 4:14:38 PM #
I was just about to sell off my Prism and accessories to snag a CLIE 710 - but if this 760C is coming out in the near future, and is actually happening - I will probably hold off, and wait. :)

Thanks!

SONY SALES AGENT: No Comment.

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/22/2001 5:02:29 PM #
Well, I just tried to chat with one of the live Sony Sales Agents named Rachel.

As expected, I got NOTHING out of her about it, not an acknowlegement of the 760 existing, nor when it might be released.

I told her I would wait, instead of buying on Friday, as I have been planning to. That still didnt warrant any response, so I left the chat. :)

RE: SONY SALES AGENT: No Comment.
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/23/2001 1:06:08 AM #
Good job Rachel!

RE: SONY SALES AGENT: No Comment.
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/23/2001 2:38:28 AM #
What do you think Sales Support (or whatever line job) people know about un-announced new products at companies like Sony? Get real.

Just a rumor

dwarchbold @ 8/22/2001 5:25:24 PM #
Seriously, I doubt this rumor has any merit. To me, the whole thing about a "760" doesn't make any sense. If all it does is provide OS 4.0 support, then it would be a horrible marketing move on Sony's part. And Sony isn't known for it's blatantly bad marketing moves.

First off, the 710C comes with 4MB of Flash memory. Sony would have gone the way of Handspring and made this ROM if they did not intend to use it. Flash memory isn't cheap, and they could have driven the cost of the 710C down quite a bit by leaving it out. This would make more sense for them, considering it would deal Palm a significant blow to have a cheaper (or similarly priced) alternative to the m505.

Secondly, how can this be cost effective for Sony to produce a bunch of 710C's with upgrade capability then shortly come out with a new model (new packaging, new assembly, etc)? It would be far more cost-effective to upgrade the older unit. Assuming, of course, the only difference between the 710 and 760 is the OS version.

Finally, Sony stands to really irritate (and possibly lose) their new user base. As the underdog in the market, trying to take on established names like Palm and Handspring, it would be unwise of them to do so. If they had more of a monopoly in the market, then perhaps they could pull it off. But they don't, or at least, not yet.

Of course, all this assumes that the main offering of the 760 is the OS version. A newer model, more advanced that the 710 might work. But the real "money makers" in the PDA market are the mid-range devices right now. The 710 is keeps up just fine with the rest of the high-end Palm OS PDAs and even some PocketPC's. A higher high-end device just doesn't seem to be a wise move at this time.

Just my $0.02.

One possible reason...
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/22/2001 6:27:06 PM #
Is that maybe the N710C has some hardware or software problem that makes end-user flash OS upgrades difficult or impossible. Anyhow, I don't want to start a rumor based on speculation, but Sony has been more than wishy-washy about when, if, or how an update might be available.

RE: Just a rumor
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/22/2001 6:38:58 PM #
So the 710C only has 8-bit color.
This supposed 760C supposedly has 16-bit.

The 610C has 16-bit. And runs OS 4.0.

Sooo, to me, this definitely seems like something that could exist - it'd just be a mish-mash of combining the MP3 functions of the 710 with the screen and OS of the 610.

Hrmmm.

RE: Just a rumor
Hed @ 8/22/2001 9:34:02 PM #
But the only reason that the "760" would have 16-bit color is due to OS 4.0. If a 710 were upgraded to OS 4.0, 16-bit color would become available.

OS4.0 has nothing to do with the 16 bit color
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/22/2001 10:32:29 PM #
Handspring Prism has 16bit color using OS3.5

RE: Just a rumor
Hed @ 8/22/2001 10:40:33 PM #
You are correct that the Prism displays 16-bit color, but that is because of Handspring's built in extensions. Please consult this article http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_Story.asp?ID=1999
where you will find that the 710 Clie will be able to display 16-bit color upon upgrading to OS 4.0.

N760C

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/22/2001 8:10:59 PM #
I was talking to a person the other day and he said the N760C might be comeing out around X-mas time...And the only thing new would be the OS 4.0 and 16-bit color and everthing else will be the same....It will ship with the OS 4.0 and 16-bit color in the Clie all ready....He didnt have much to say about the upgrade for the N710c...Hope this help's.......P.s I really have no need for the MP3 player but wanted the OS 4.0 and th 16-bit color so i got the N610c and am very happy with it.... "P

RE: N760C
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/23/2001 5:52:31 PM #
Is it me being facetious or are we suffering from sort of Trekkie fest nightmare here? Have to say I'm not a big trekkie fan but that number n760 sounds familiar somehow...could it be that the marketing folks at Sony are all trekheads?
All IMHO of course..

Ray

RE: N760C
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/24/2001 2:18:52 AM #
what does n760 have to do with trek? The enterprise is ncc1701, voyager is ncc74656, and the defiant is nx74205 and ncc75663

THUMBBOARD

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/23/2001 7:16:01 PM #
Anyone notice the ad at the rcseshop website for the Targus Thumboard for the Clie??????? Anyone know anything about this?

RE: THUMBBOARD
I.M. Anonymous @ 10/24/2001 4:35:27 PM #
ThumBoard is Seiko, not Targus.....

RE: THUMBBOARD
I.M. Anonymous @ 1/2/2002 8:46:06 AM #
http://makeashorterlink.com/?V29B5334

or go to google.com and type thumboard for clie and look for keyboards.

If you have this thumboard already let me know.
Hope this helps..
J

RE: THUMBBOARD
mikecane @ 1/2/2002 10:02:27 AM #
I tried the Targus clip-on keyboard on my CLIE S320 at RCS. The connection was loose as the top of it is tapered for the N-series. Buttons were OK. It was a very brief test. It was very shaky on my S320.

Note that this clips on to the *bottom* of the CLIE. It does not slide over it, like the Seiko and SnapNType do. This adds several inches to the CLIE!

Picture is here.

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/25/2001 12:22:10 AM #
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