Clié Information Around the Web

Posted By: Ed Sunday, March 18, 2001 11:53:29 PM

With the tremendous interest in Sony's new device outside of Japan, U.S. residents are forced to depend on websites based in the Clié's home country for information. Fortunately, lots of fan sites have started to apear. One of the best of these, the Clié Users Club, has an extensive gallery of photographs of the handheld stretching over 6 pages. This includes numerous pictures of the Clié, photos of a slideshow about it, and shots of its modem and Bluetooth module.

For those interested in learning more about the Clié's pixel-doubling, take a look at this example. Smaller.com has a nice explanation of the concept.

There is also a site hosting a video of the the entire press conference in Japan unveiling the Clié. It runs about a half hour or so and includes slides, Q&A, and an audio demo . It is all in Japanese, but still interesting to watch.

Special thanks to Mike Cane, avid Clié users, for these links.

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Sony just doesn't get it

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/18/2001 11:54:39 AM #

take the beautiful screen of the HOT SELLING iPAQ and take the brilliant simplicity of the PALM OS with audio capability of playing the HOTTEST file format MP3.

...combine them all into a slim package and they think it won't sell in the US?

People would pay $750 for this thing. I know I would!

RE: Sony just doesn't get it

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/18/2001 1:16:02 PM #

Ummm,

From what has been said, It doesn't actually play mp3's it plays Sony's own format and you need to convert mp3's to this format.

RE: Sony just doesn't get it

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/18/2001 1:59:23 PM #

I have been hearing about this MP3 vs ATRAC and that the new Clie can play only ATRAC but it has a DSP which probably can be programmed to do MP3. Sony probably won't do MP3 but I'm sure a third party or a hobbiest will figure it out and create a MP3 player.

RE: Sony just doesn't get it

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/18/2001 6:12:05 PM #

ummm who cares...

ummmm digital audio is fine, regardless of the format- my ear doesn't care. I'll do the conversion.

ummmm

RE: Sony just doesn't get it

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/19/2001 10:01:46 PM #

ATTRAC-3 actually sounds better than MP3s. Audiophiles prefer Minidiscs to MP3 because it sounds smoother and more natural. MP3s sound compressed and scratchy particularly the high frequencies. Sony has worked many years perfecting the ATTRAC (format used in minidiscs) so it would definitely be better than MP3s.

RE: Sony just doesn't get it

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/20/2001 8:36:07 AM #

sony is introducing the first generation clie in switzerland in april - now why should ANYONE buy the old stuff, when the new version is introduced and around the corner ? i know we swiss are terribly slow sometimes - but come on sony - get your act together -
first the consumer is tempted, then when the feeding frenzy begins, there are no units around and then the successor is already announced ? cool, keeps the money in my pocket... waiting for the new palm.

TRG's DataPro for CLIE

mikecane @ 3/18/2001 1:15:15 PM #

http://www.trgpro.com/about/press031601a.html

TRG announces a new program that allows quick and easy back up to current CLIE's Memory Stick storage.

Some CLIE Questions ...

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/18/2001 10:45:43 PM #

I have a few questions about the Sony PEG-N700 Color CLie.

Firstly, is it much bigger and heavier than the Palm m505?

Secondly, is it true what they say ; that The memory stick port can be used as an SD slot like on the m505 when you flash upgrade the OS to 4.0 ? Are SD and memory stick different in size?

Thridly, is it true you cannot run aps off memory sticks? What are they used for then?

and will Sony develop add on devices like mp3 players, camers, GPS like the SD versions on Palm ?

Thanks in advance for your input.

RE: Some CLIE Questions ...

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/19/2001 12:23:03 AM #

The new Clie is about the same size as Palm V, but thicker and 50% heavier. The new Clie is as heavy as iPaq

If I was not mistaken, you can run apps off memory stick with all Clie. but it require utility from Sony website.

There were mock-ups of GPS modules in opening of Clie, but I don't think there is any around. This new Clie also play music from memory stick, so you don't need MP3 module

RE: Some CLIE Questions ...

mikecane @ 3/19/2001 9:55:29 AM #

The CLIE PEG-N700 includes a thick leather flap cover, sort of like the one that comes with the Palm V (and m5xx?) series. With this flap, the N700 is as thick as the Pocket PC's Casio EM-500. Approaching brick.

There is no clear word yet as to how Palm OS 4.0 will change file handling on Memory Sticks. Current CLIE owners use 3rd-party free/shareware programs.

It is doubtful there will be Memory Stick devices for the current mono CLIE. Although a camera was demoed in Asia, reports are the quality was poor. A Bluetooth MS was shown, but how much will that cost?

Sony hasn't even released a modem. CLIE owners must turn to the Psion Travel Modem, which connects via IR.

RE: Some CLIE Questions ...

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/19/2001 1:43:29 PM #

Memory Stick (and Magic Gate) is not compatible with either MMC or SD.

Yes, they have a different form-factor. No, they're not interoperable.

What people are saying is that you can use the memory stick slot on the Clie *in the same way* that you can use the MMC/SD slot on the M50x, or the SpringBoard slot on the Visor, or the CF slot in the TRG Pro. None of these are interoperable, however (although you can expect to see adapters coming out for various formats. They're very likely to be bulky, unfortunately, due to constraints on power and form factor.

Curently, Memory Stick and Magic Gate are basically tiny floppy disc ports. The potential exists for each of these expansion ports (Sony's Memory Stick, Palm's MMC/SD port,Visor's SpringBoard, and the CF slot in TRG's TRG Pro and many WinCE devices) to do lots of other things as well, but currently only the CF slot has any real available options. SpringBoard devices *finally* started to reach the market, recently; all others are `announced' or `unvieled' or some other adjective meaning ``no, you can't get one''.

MP3 & ATRAC3

nXt @ 3/18/2001 10:56:07 PM #

i dont get the argument, whether or not the clie will play mp3 or not.
IT IS SONY they make their own thing. look at the $400 Sony audio players, they only play ATRAC3. comes with mp3 convertor. so why the argument? have you peole even listened to ATRAC3? they're both just different audio formats. would you be happy if it played WAV files? that'll give u the best quality. look at digital cameras, CF/SM.. yet sony makes memory stick, sony doesn't like to go with the crowd. just be happy that SOUND/MUSIC is coming to the pda. [written on my Clié PEG-S300]

RE: MP3 & ATRAC3

mikecane @ 3/19/2001 10:33:06 AM #

As fas as comparing MP3 vs ATRAC 3, I'm not sure except people with very fine ears would hear the difference. ATRAC 3 is less lossy, however. The trouble with the new N700 is not that it uses ATRAC 3, however. It's that horrific OpenMG conversion program. See my upcoming article later this week.

RE: MP3 & ATRAC3

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/20/2001 1:35:54 AM #

ATRAC3 is the format used for MiniDisc compression, Minidisc player is a very popular merchandise in Japan and some other asian country. It is Not that SONY make their own thing, all of the Japanese manufacturer are doning that. and with Atrac 3 (MDLP 4x) you can record 320 minutes of music in a 5 cm Disc.

You got to work out your ears to tell the differrences between the 2 formats.

RE: MP3 & ATRAC3

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/20/2001 3:18:15 PM #

The bigger Issue is the use of the MG memory sticks to me... I know a third party will code a mp3 player for the sony it's just if you can play them off of the memory sticks I already have (2x64 and 2x32). I like being able to display the photo from my sony camera to someone on the Clie though...

RE: MP3 & ATRAC3

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/23/2002 6:43:23 PM #

Hello,
I am just about to buy an MD player with USB connection in Japan. However, Sony does limit file transfer to sending music data from the PC to the MD player. Sharp does the same using also Open Juke box.
Also with my Sony Music Stick there is a limitation of so called "checking out" your songs three times. And there are other ways these com@panies try to limit file transfer. They want to promote the NetMD (EMD) standard. Thus being able to control and commercialize digital music.

Is there any software to process Attrac and helping operate MD players from the PC apart from Open Juke Box?

PDAFrance updates CLIE N700 pix

mikecane @ 3/20/2001 11:11:29 AM #

http://www.pdafrance.com/cgi-bin/pdarama/imageFolio.cgi?direct=Machines/sony_pegn700c/clie_user_group&img=0

Proprietary Systems

Eston Bond @ 3/21/2001 6:25:39 AM #

Sony is just trying to push another proprietary format. ATRAC is an idea like WMA (Windows Media Audio)- but at least the Windows CE devices will play MP3 as well. Look at Sony's Digital Audio Players (e.g., the VAIO music clip)- they support MP3 along with their ATRAC format. The only things saved by not converting MP3 to ATRAC are hard disk space and time. It takes time to transcode, bvt you'll probably transcode anyway to around 64-96kbps to save memory. I guess the two situations balance each other out. If the CLIÉ is worth it, I'll get one before an m505. It may just become the iPaq of the Palm OS.

Eston Bond
CEO Pine Tree Software
http://www.pinetreesoftware.net/

[ No Subject ]

Lim MS @ 3/21/2001 9:39:37 AM #

There is no utility around which will allow you to run applications DIRECTLY from the MemoryStick. What is available is a program that copies/moves the application file from MS to the main memory before you run it. I think you have to do it manually too. Pretty impractical in everyday use.

The only Palm OS device that can run apps DIRECTLY off Flash memory is the TRGPro using their AutoCF driver (in this case using Compact Flash memory ). There is a tremendous difference between these 2 methods.

There is nothing in the new Clie that will enable you to do what can be done on the TRGPro with AutoCF. Furthermore, does the new Clie have enough flash ROM memory to use OS4?

Atrac and ATRAC3

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/9/2002 5:05:53 AM #

When i used a freinds sony stereo cd to MD to record one of my CDs on to minidisc it redroded it in ATRA. Now i wish to edit the minidisc but have founs that the openMG software supplied with my portable minidisc will not let me transfer ATRAC files back onto my computer, therefor not allowing me to edit minidiscs as i wish. Does anyone know a way round this?