Comments on: Acer Releasing s50 and s60 in Europe

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.
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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!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RE: Information on the Acer site
Ed @ 8/16/2002 1:18:01 PM #
Just be aware that these pages are in Chinese.

---
News Editor
RE: Information on the Acer site
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 1:19:23 PM #
16MB SDRAM
8MB Flash ROM
RE: Information on the Acer site
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 1:34:00 PM #
RE: Information on the Acer site
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 8:49:56 PM #
The Chinese version of s50/s60 is 16MB RAM/8 MB flash.
Since Hi-resolution Chinese font took lots of space.

The English version is 16 MB/4 MB

Hope Acer doesn't get initially frustrated

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 1:24:03 PM #
This looks like a good device and an alternative to Sony's T665. I hope that Acer doesn't get frustrated if the first round of sales isn't as promising as they hoped. Having competition among the various Palm developers is a good thing and helps bring a variety of features, styles, and competitive pricing to the consumer.
RE: Hope Acer doesn't get initially frustrated
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 1:48:54 PM #
I guess you not a regular here. In order to use this site, you must support one and only one hardware manufacturer to the detritment of all others.

Get with the program. Choose now!

Acer ROCKS! Sony's dead!

RE: Hope Acer doesn't get initially frustrated
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 2:47:32 PM #
Heh heh. Noticed that a little bit too, eh?
RE: Hope Acer doesn't get initially frustrated
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 3:21:17 PM #
Sony's Dead?

I think that Palm, Handspring, and HandEra may be the ones in trouble. Acer's support for the memory stick only enhances Sony's hold on the Palm market.

RE: Hope Acer doesn't get initially frustrated
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 3:32:19 PM #
That is the joke here.
You can only one company succede.
So if Acer is good, then Sony is dead. :-)

Relax and have fun. :-))

ted

RE: Hope Acer doesn't get initially frustrated
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 9:15:36 PM #
> You can only one company succede.

Sony actually sells under two company names. Aiwa for
the low end product. Both do well. And multiple
companies do just fine selling tons of portable audio
(Walkman's) and stuff. At the corporate end, some
company's don't like to buy technology unless it's
available from multiple vendors, a second-source and
better price competition.

RE: Hope Acer doesn't get initially frustrated
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/17/2002 2:17:59 AM #
So when do we get Aiwa handhelds?

ACER, one of the nicest

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 2:20:29 PM #
This has to be one of the nicest looking PDA's in awhile. Sony does their share, but the buttons seem to fall short with most people. This Acer looks just like a m5xx series with great additions. Even audio is better than Sony according to the infosync website. That site is great for pictures and articles.


Acer is dead.

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 4:08:51 PM #
Acer is dead just as Palm. Palm is just an old sick horse that refuses to die, I hope Xerox wins the lausuit and puts and end to Palms misery.

Soon Sony is going to eat palm and Acer's ASSets.

Ed you are the best, PalmInfocenter Rules and SONY ROCKS.


Fzara2000
University of Puerto Rico
Comp. Engineering Dept.

Troll
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 4:20:32 PM #
All in favor of banning this troll from the site, please say so.
RE: Acer is dead.
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 4:34:56 PM #
Aye
RE: Acer is dead.
higgy @ 8/16/2002 4:42:39 PM #
SO

Another "U of"
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 5:08:05 PM #
Just the fact that you are in an academic place gives you no position to comment on the real world. I bet you cna't even buy one of thise machines and have to get an "academic discount". Once you get your degree, get a life!
RE: Acer is dead.
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 6:38:01 PM #
Type "Fzara2000" into Google. It doesn't take much to ascertain the identity of this pathetic twit.
RE: Acer is dead.
Token User @ 8/16/2002 7:41:36 PM #
Just the fact that you are in an academic place gives you no position to comment on the real world.

Fzara2000 is just expressing an opinion - its something American's are exceptionaly good at, and last I knew Puerto Rico was kinda sorta part of the USA in a round about way (but why is he advertising the fact he is at UPR, when his Palm Blvd says New Jersey???)

Unfortunately, he is also a trolling moron - and you have just as many of them in an academic environment as you do in the "real world".

BTW - Acer is not dead. Acer will not die - they are diversified into more than just PDA production. "Palm ... refuses to die" is just as naive. If you had been following along, Palm Inc is splitting in two hardware and software. Every Sony you buy supports Palm (well PalmSource anyway). I have yet to see "Sowered by Sony" on any PDA.

RE: Acer is dead.
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 8:39:54 PM #
Just for once, I think that Fzara is onto something. Acer will not last long in this game. My prediction is that they will fold soon after Sony decides that it will never be able to make any money in the PDA market. The real questions is: once Sony throws in the towell, what will their customers do for support?

IT'S A PHONEY.

RE: Acer is dead.
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 9:22:38 PM #
Acer is Chinese. China is a huge market. Read a little
20th century history and find out why many people in
China will *never* buy a Japanese product, especially
if a Chinese-made alternative is available.
RE: Acer is dead.
mrscarey @ 8/16/2002 9:51:04 PM #
For University of read

"You want fries with that" when the "college fund" runs out - ooh and don't forget to top up on zit cream.

mrscarey

palmist and visionary

RE: Acer is dead.
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 10:48:56 PM #
I am from New Jersey, but i study in the prestiguious University of Puerto Rico (The best college in the US and we program in LINUX!).

Acer also makes PPC their palm OS thingy won't last long.

Fzara2000
University of Puerto Rico

RE: Acer is dead.
abosco @ 8/16/2002 11:00:39 PM #
Actually, the best college in the US, or the world for that matter, is MIT followed by Harvard.

And you really don't know what you are talking about. It's pathetic that you call Palm an old horse that doesn't want to die when in fact they really have $297 million CASH. What are they teaching you at that University of yours? This is the 10th post I've seen from you since almost 6 months and everytime it's about "Palm will die!" but it has yet to happen. And if you were loyal to your "prestige" university of dumbass, opps, I mean Puerto Rico, wouldn't you be a fan of the Zaurus which runs Linux instead of Sony which runs PALM OS, which you said was going to die?

Get back under the bridge, better yet, go back to your university and study a little bit about marketing and economics and don't come back until you have earned a degree.

BTW - Did your Clie come bundled with some Oxy pads?

________________________________________
Make it idiot proof, and somebody will make a better idiot.

RE: Acer is dead.
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 11:27:36 PM #
> Actually, the best college in the US, or the world for that matter, is MIT followed by Harvard.

But Berkeley and Stanford, both near the Silicon Valley,
have more Nobel prize winners on their faculties. The
people at CalTech, Oxford and Cambridge might also
disagree with your selections.

RE: Acer is dead.
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/17/2002 6:51:33 AM #
> I am from New Jersey, but i study in the prestiguious University of Puerto Rico (The best college in the US and we program in LINUX!).

University of Puerto Rico ? What's that ? A zoo ?

Battery life comparison

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 5:52:02 PM #
These Acer units seem to have great battery life as a color PDA. However, each company has its own way to measure batttery life.

Does anyone know a comparison chart of battery life of different PDA that use the same method of measurement? I would like to see a comparison between N760, Palm Vx, T665, N70, m505, m515 and Acer S60 (probably not so soon though!)

Thanks

RE: Battery life comparison
wingnut @ 8/17/2002 1:20:42 AM #
Check out www.pocket-gizmos.com. they have a pretty good battery test with a chart.

RE: Battery life comparison
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/20/2002 4:41:22 AM #
s60
04:12:55

Check this link (in Chinese):
http://www.palmislife.com/cgi-bin/ut/topic_show.cgi?id=6000&h=1&bpg=1&age=30


Arthur S.

Why did they miss the obvious?

big_raji @ 8/16/2002 6:27:36 PM #
They seem to be doing alot of things right. Hi-res color. Great buttons. Sound playback and recording.

Why oh why did they not include some sort of jog dial? Even a thumb rocker switch might suffice... But nothing?

I can never go back to a PDA that doesn't have a Jog dial...

No, this isn't a troll comment. If someone today were to release a PDA with all the features and abilities of an entry level desktop computer, and with a standard Palm PDA dimensions, I'd still complain if there were no jog dial.

---
Wooo!

RE: Why did they miss the obvious?
Token User @ 8/16/2002 7:46:34 PM #
From the infosync article ...

It also includes a scroll wheel, auxiliary button on the side, and a Sony Memory Stick slot.

Wishes granted.

RE: Why did they miss the obvious?
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 8:46:13 PM #
Sorry, there's no scroll button on the side.

It is a "recording" button, but can also be defined
as "back" or launch any application you want.

RE: Why did they miss the obvious?
big_raji @ 8/17/2002 2:28:45 AM #
Yeah, this picture seems to only show the one button, and no scroll wheel.

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

Too bad... I've been looking for a replacement for my malfunctioning clie n610c... and haven't really been attracted to the thin size of the T series.

---
Wooo!

Hello, Ed, take a look here please.

matika @ 8/16/2002 8:39:33 PM #
There's some major mistake from Infosync's article.

1. The battery for s50/s60 is built in 900 mah rechargeable lithium-ion battery. And it is not
moveable.

2.The Hi-resolution that Acer use is the same as OS 5's

3.The european version of s50/s60 come with EFIG. Spanish language is not included.

4.The weight of s50 is 140g and s60 is 145g.

RE: Hello, Ed, take a look here please.
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/16/2002 9:50:01 PM #
"1. The battery for s50/s60 is built in 900 mah rechargeable lithium-ion battery. And it is not
moveable."

Well, thank god, I wouldn't want it just falling out! :-P

RE: Hello, Ed, take a look here please.
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/17/2002 12:48:24 AM #
Finally the Acer people provides the correct data

still no palm os 5

PIC mobile user @ 8/17/2002 9:57:34 AM #
is it just me or are the manufacturers still not switching to palm os 5?

Great stuff

jjsoh @ 8/18/2002 2:41:07 PM #
Does anyone know if Acer's PDA's only support Chinese, or CJK also? Just curious because this looks great in form and functionality.

Jim

Cheap quality

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/18/2002 9:29:31 PM #
Kind of looks like more cheap Chinese quality electronics. I've seen their monochrome version and it feels like a Tiger LCD game more than a quality Palm. I'll keep my M505, thank you.
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