Acer Releasing s50 and s60 in Europe

Posted By: Ed Friday, August 16, 2002 12:20:18 PM

Last month, a brochure was leaked on two new Palm OS devices coming from Acer, the s50 and s60. That information has now been confirmed by the company, according to infoSync, which goes on to say the two models will be released in Europe in English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish. When this will happen and what they will cost is not yet available. Acer's official site on its handhelds has not yet been updated with this information.

The s50 and s60 use 33 MHz Dragonball processors and Palm OS 4.1. They have 16 MB of RAM and 4 MB of flash ROM. Both models will have hi-res, 12-bit, TFT color screens and Memory Stick slots.

The main difference between these two is the s60 has built-in voice recorder and MP3 playback, while the s50 does not. The s60 also has an enhanced internal speaker, allowing audio to be played without headphones.

They run off removable, rechargeable Li-ion batteries. Acer says they get three weeks of use between recharges.

Both the S50 and s60 are 4.7 by 3.0 by .5 inches and weigh 5.5 ounces. The HotSync port is the same one used on the company's other Palm OS model.

Acer already offers the s10 in both Chinese and English versions. It has a monochrome screen and a built-in voice recorder.

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Links to some pics

popko @ 8/16/2002 12:31:03 PM #
I understand that some of you might have seen these before. But for the good of all, here are some pics on the S60 from www.palmislife.com's forum:

www.kol.com.tw/PhotoEZ1/twpp/Album/1/s10-16.jpg

www.kol.com.tw/PhotoEZ1/twpp/Album/1/s10-09.jpg

www.kol.com.tw/PhotoEZ1/twpp/Album/1/s10-05.jpg

www.kol.com.tw/PhotoEZ1/twpp/Album/1/s10-11.jpg

www.kol.com.tw/PhotoEZ1/twpp/Album/1/s10-23.jpg

www.kol.com.tw/PhotoEZ1/twpp/Album/1/s10-17.jpg

www.kol.com.tw/PhotoEZ1/chehui/Album/1/23841985-0.jpg

www.imagestation.jp/jp/PC/view.do/24891053-9.jpg

RE: Links to some pics
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 1:33:36 PM #
That first pic seems to suggest that the screen is 16-bit, rather than the 12-bit that Ed mentioned. ?!?!?!?!

RE: Links to some pics
moholland @ 8/16/2002 1:50:22 PM #
a little off topic... the sony NR screen looks great in the dark... you gotta love virtual graffiti.

RE: Links to some pics
digilaw @ 8/16/2002 2:53:49 PM #
Any idea on dimentions in comparison to say the N760? IS the acer s60 around the same size, bigger, smaller? Thanks.

RE: Links to some pics
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 3:02:47 PM #
The article says,"Both the S50 and s60 are 4.7 by 3.0 by .5 inches and weigh 5.5 ounces."

N760C: 4.75 x 2.8 x .6
4.9 oz.

RE: Links to some pics
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 3:24:57 PM #
From the looks of things thus far (Oslo being disregarded for now) this might have the best buttons for Palm gaming...or at least as good as the Prism's. It seems like Acer has done its homework all around and spent some time polishing this device instead of just dumping it half-baked onto the market!

I just hope they don't, like the other poster said, give home prematurely. They need to be in it for the long haul. You know, I really expected Sony to bail out of the PDA market after the lukewarm reception their first color unit had (the one that never even made it to the US). Hopefully Acer will go after the US market next. What's up with their PC peripherals in the US drives being renamed "BENQ" now, by the way?

RE: Links to some pics
danger @ 8/16/2002 6:33:19 PM #
The images of the s60 - particularly the top one looks like OS5. HiRes and same fonts and the OS5 Sim.
RE: Links to some pics
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/17/2002 12:40:30 AM #
Coz s60 use HiRes API of OS5, so they can use those HiRes icons instead of the old one
RE: Links to some pics
FRiC @ 8/17/2002 5:24:34 AM #
Acer is one those that companies that keeps changing names and creating new subsidiaries. (Tax evasion?) You may or may not know, but ALI, AOpen, Apacer, Anex, etc. are all part of the Pan Acer Group. I guess they're running out of names starting with A. :P


RE: Links to some pics
sandbuck @ 8/17/2002 6:15:10 PM #
Some of those icons look like the ones from OS5 screenshots.

It's cheap!!

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 12:36:47 PM #
Selling price of s60 in Taiwan is NT$11500 (~US$340) and s50 is about NT$9000 (~US$260)
The battery of s60 allows you to play MP3 for at least 8 hrs, or record for almost 5 hrs

So, T665C is dead.

RE: It's cheap!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 12:54:52 PM #
Where did you find this price info ?
why T665C is dead if Acer does not have English model?
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 3:22:22 PM #
why T665C is dead if Acer does not have English model?
Why would people in US buy a PDA with Chinese OS in it?

RE: It's cheap!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 3:29:40 PM #
It is hard to tell what price they will be offered in other places like US.

But their price in Asia is very good. And very competitive.

RE: It's cheap!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 3:48:55 PM #
> Why would people in US buy a PDA with Chinese OS in it?

Well, if you read the title of this article...
"Acer Releasing s50 and s60 in Europe"

Maybe all Europeans are going to buy the Chinese version, is that what you mean?

RTFA
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 4:49:14 PM #
"which goes on to say the two models will be released in Europe in English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish."


RE: It's cheap!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 8:53:14 PM #
The correct Price for s50 should be NT.9500, not 9000.
Please note that s10 is selling 8500 in Taiwan.
RE: It's cheap!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/17/2002 6:16:24 PM #
The next person that says "______ is dead" is going to get such a pinch....

Are these heady times....or not?

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 12:39:59 PM #
So many new models...Sony, Palm, Handspring, Acer. All running Dragonball, and not even the 66mhz. I wonder if the old dog still has life left?
RE: Are these heady times....or not?
popko @ 8/16/2002 12:46:28 PM #
I agree. Not evey one need these features anyway. But having one more feature rich modle on the market can't hurt.

As for me, I'll stick with my Clie N760C. Sure it's large as a brick. But it does eveything I need it to do and does them well.

RE: Are these heady times....or not?
sub_tex @ 8/16/2002 4:33:46 PM #
"As for me, I'll stick with my Clie N760C. Sure it's large as a brick. But it does eveything I need it to do and does them well."

A brick? I have the n610c and i would hardly call it a brick.

Actually, i think it's size is perfect. Feels fine in hand and (adding virtual graffiti) screen size is just right.

RE: Are these heady times....or not?
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/17/2002 5:04:16 AM #
Maybe the Sony N770 is not a brick, but I had a PalmVx before I got my Sony N770 and compared to the Vx, the N770 IS a brick.
Furthermore the top screen layer is a bit loose so when you write on it you have to press it down to the hard surface beneath giving you a fluffy feedback, this may just be a problem with my particular one.

But I am tired of carrying all those devices around (Phone, PDA), I have preordered a Sony-Ericssson P800. I've played around with a prototype and it is absolutely amazing.

RE: Are these heady times....or not?
mtg101 @ 8/17/2002 5:45:31 AM #
The Ericsony P800 is geting raved about all over the place. I work in the phone industry so we get to play with all the new devices (dream job for a gadget nerd like me :) and the P800 just blows away anything similiar - the Nokia 7650 just sucks compared to it! It also kicks the colour Treo into touch. I was all pro Treo 270, but it's stilla PDA first... and that doesn't cut it in day-to-day use for us at work.

---
russ@russb.fsnet.co.uk
RE: Are these heady times....or not?
mtg101 @ 8/17/2002 5:48:20 AM #
Oh... I forgot about the M$ phones... Actually... that's the best thing to do... they're just not a viable option for anyone but M$ reps.

---
russ@russb.fsnet.co.uk

Questions

Token User @ 8/16/2002 12:34:45 PM #
These devices raise a couple of interesting questions :

1. Rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries ... will they be chargable "internal" to the device or need to be removed to recharge. If they they are removeable, can a pair of non rechargable AAA's be used instead. I am thinking Newton battery pack here - despite the fact that the article on infosync say it appears no to use AAA, the Newton required an "adapter" to use AAA batteries.

2. Hi Res based on a Sony API and only a 12bit screen? I wonder if it is the same screen as the Treo uses.

3. Memory Stick ... why? OK, they are a tight licencee of Sony technology (don't Acer manufacture the VAIO laptops for Sony?), but why not SDIO?

The market is about to get interesting again. Sony, Palm, and Acer having new models, Kyocera with its 7135 phone, PalmOS 5.0 around the corner.

Can't wait for Autumn ... I predict that Comdex might actually be worth attending this year for more than just t-shirts :).

RE: Questions
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 12:46:49 PM #
s50/s60 uses the HiRes API of OS5
RE: Questions
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 12:48:23 PM #
Which means you can't use those HiRes program created for Clie.
RE: Questions
popko @ 8/16/2002 12:50:01 PM #
"Which means you can't use those HiRes program created for Clie."

It will be just like when the Sony first came out with new hi-res screen. So in the short term, they are not very useful. But in the long run, the use of OS5 API will meant years of added life to this series of Acer PDA.

Also, didn't someone here said that Sony will make a patch for all existing hi-res Clies so that they can use OS5 API when OS5 devices come out?

RE: Questions
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 1:36:25 PM #
The new devices also include removable Lithium Ion battery packs, the first Palm OS devices to do so since the HandEra 330 debued last year. It does not appear to accept AAA batteries, however, just removable LiIon batteries.
RE: Questions
Token User @ 8/16/2002 2:00:48 PM #
I think of everything, the battery pack has me the most fascinated. Particularly if it is possible to have a charged battery pack as a spare for road warriors, and the ability to have a "high capacity" battery (like you get on a lot of cellphones) for heavy MP3/Video users - even if it "sticks out the back" a little.

Provided that the device charges in the cradle (or via a power adapter) I think this idea will take off.

RE: Questions
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 2:35:58 PM #
> Which means you can't use those HiRes program created for Clie.

Good. Finally a hi-res device that won't be obsoleted by OS 5. There are already apps out that support OS 5 hi-res.

RE: Questions
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 3:30:13 PM #
I will get one if they sell additional batterypacks at reasonable prices.If they should work with AA or AAA rechargables i will be the first one in my shop to get one.
RE: Questions
bobes @ 8/16/2002 5:28:49 PM #
Infosync article says:

'The screen is a 320x320 pixel 12-bit color TFT display, apparently based on the Sony HighRes API.'

RE: Questions
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 7:54:03 PM #
How different is Sony hiRes vs OS5 Hires API? I mean didn't Sony help with setting the OS5 hires standard? It is it pretty the same?
RE: Questions
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 9:25:09 PM #
The APIs are very different.
RE: Questions
alchemist @ 8/20/2002 12:21:18 AM #
I don't understand... does this mean that these devices will be able to run OS5 programs? Doesn't them require to have an ARM processor?

_________
alchemist

Sony take note...

Midknyte @ 8/16/2002 12:49:27 PM #
Useable Scroll button!

why not the 66Mhz chip?

bobes @ 8/16/2002 1:11:57 PM #
in bulk they are not that much more in unit cost than the 33Mhz is it?

RE: why not the 66Mhz chip?
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 2:26:11 PM #
Battery!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Information on the Acer site

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 1:16:03 PM #
http://www.acer.com.tw/products/pda/s50.htm
http://www.acer.com.tw/products/pda/s60.htm
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