Rumor: Sony T650C to Include MP3 Player

According to anonymous sources, Sony will announce the PEG-T650C in Japan this weekend. The T650C will be an updated version of the T600C and will include an MP3/ATRAC3 player. It uses a slightly improved screen but does not have virtual Graffiti. It does make the jump to the 66 Mhz Dragonball SuperVZ processor.

Initially, the T650C will only be announced in Japan, not the U.S. or Europe. Other countries will, assumably, come later. This first model will run a Japanese version of the Palm OS.

Aside from the improvements mentioned already, the T650C is essentially the same as the T600C/T615C/T625C. Its casing is the same size, it uses the same buttons, has the same HotSync connector, etc.

The T650C uses the same screen type as the NR series, though it isn't the same size. This means it is better at displaying colors than the T615C is.

According to the source, this handheld will be announced in Japan this weekend and will be available there around June 8. There is no word yet on when it will be available anywhere else. This isn't unusual as Sony almost always introduces its handhelds in its home country first.

It will cost about 53,000 Yen, which is about $425 US. However, this probably won't be the cost when it is introduced in the United States. For example, the NR70 sell for 49,800 Yen, or $385. In the U.S. it costs $500.

As is the case with most rumors, complete information isn't available yet. One of the most important facts not yet known is what kind of battery life the T650C will have. The T615C already has a reputation for a short battery life and doubling the speed of the processor might shorten this even more.

Sony recently discontinued the T600C in Japan, which is a fairly reliable indication that the T615C, the U.S. version, will also soon be discontinued. This has led to a great deal of speculation about what will replace it. At this point, the T650C appears to be that replacement.

I was given this same info from two different sources so I think it is about as reliable as rumors get. -Ed

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There is a news article in Cnet that says Sony will work...

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/24/2002 7:26:39 AM #
There is a news article in Cnet that says Sony will work together with PalmSource to develop Clie functionality in the Palm OS itself.

About the T615 replacement. I just hope the reconsider the buttons and make it magnesium instead of aluminum. Alo it would be great to have a non MP3 enabled unit for less price, not everybody needs mp3.

RE: There is a news article in Cnet that says Sony will work...
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/24/2002 8:14:07 AM #
Dang. I was hoping the next Clie would compete in price with the m130 not a laptop. For the few of us that actually use a pda only for work, and don't require a complete entertainment center, Sony is looking less and less attractive. Personally, I never thought there would be such a huge market for high-end
handhelds, but I wouldn't second-guess Sony. Guess I'll make the jump back to Palm.
RE: There is a news article in Cnet that says Sony will work...
Lock @ 5/24/2002 8:38:15 AM #
I agree with you.
Sony has great ideas but in every model it seems it forgets something. Then they correct with an updated version of the same model. This doesn't seems correct for users that already bought the previous model.
Another note is about buttons. I've a Palm m515 and I'm happy with it. But if only the 600 series had good buttons instead of the micro ones, it would be a very valid choyce.
Anyway, compliments to Sony for it's valid ideas and innovations. :]

RE: There is a news article in Cnet that says Sony will work...
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/24/2002 9:06:51 AM #
> Sony has great ideas but in every model it seems it forgets something.

It's not "forgetting something", it's innovation, improvement, and a great business model. With tech gadgets, as soon as you get it, it is outdated. When things improve, it's not because the maker "fogot something".

RE: There is a news article in Cnet that says Sony will work...
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/24/2002 9:45:24 AM #
Remember that it will be released in Japan. It is still as good as everybody's guess whether this will be released outside of Japan. In Japan, there is no room for low end models. Portable music is a must in any PDA. That is why HS has closed down their business here and Palm is winding down. The did not even released the m515 here for the same reason Sony did not release the S360 in Japan too. The high end Clies have been the best seller here.
RE: There is a news article in Cnet that says Sony will work...
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/26/2002 12:00:23 AM #
"...great to have a non MP3 enabled unit for less price, not everybody needs mp3."

Right, and you should get the T615C, not T650C.

Possible T650C

Rob Richardson @ 5/24/2002 7:53:41 AM #
I have concerns about the buttons and battery life also. With an enhanced screen and a 66mHz processor, not to mention MP3, this could significantly shorten battery life. Let's have it a little thicker - but with a bigger battery.

RE: Possible T650C
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/24/2002 9:00:05 AM #
Agreed. I could give a rip about the thickness, as long as they don't go "Newton" on us.

I actually wish the units were *shorter*, like the Treo (although I'm not sure I want the Treo attached to my hip as a cell phone all day).

People make too big a deal about screen size. It was an issue with the m100, etc. because it was black & white and was poorly lit.

Actually, I wish this darn 650c was 320 x 480, but I'm not sold on the unit having to be 5 inches long in order to accomodate that.

RE: Possible T650C
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/24/2002 9:36:56 AM #
Would it need to be longer? I think the NR's length is due to hinge. Not wanting the little keyboard, this new model with virtual graffiti, MP3, better screen color, and (sure wish they'd work on this..) better battery life would be my perfect PDA. Well, it should record music too, and be a phone, but now I'm getting greedy.
RE: Possible T650C
He||Raiser @ 5/24/2002 5:57:12 PM #
The unit doesn't get longer to accomodate the 320x480 screen. The extra large screen just takes up the area in which the silkscreen area normally appears.

RE: Possible T650C
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/24/2002 9:19:14 PM #
I know the unit doesn't need to be longer.

My (poorly articulated) point was that I wish all Palm OS units were shorter.

I think Sony got it wrong by making them narrower, yet longer than previous Palm PDAs. I understand this, of course, is because the average Japanese person can't wrap their hand around a Coke bottle. Nonetheless, I wish these things were shorter. Like the B & W Treo. Too bad the color Treo is going to be noticeably larger than the monochrome version, as this will likely keep me from buying it.

RE: Possible T650C
popko @ 5/25/2002 1:25:20 AM #
"average Japanese person can't wrap their hand around a Coke bottle"

Are you talking about the 500ml bottle or the 2L bottle? If it's the 2L bottle, I'd say you are a freak if you can warp your hand around it at the thickest point.

.
.
.

After reading that you sure are pissed off. But before you fire back, think about how people with small hands must have felt when they read your post.

RE: Possible T650C
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/25/2002 11:24:06 AM #
I would expect people with small hands to chuckle.

Get over being P.C.....it's "so 90's".

My lord, everybody wants to be "babied" on this planet.

NEWSFLASH: there are 6 billion + of us......we're not all that unique, and we certainly can't expect people to shape their dialogue around what may or may NOT be offensive to some hyper-sensitive person.

Got small hands and a small ego? Tough rocks. It's not like I judge humans by their hand size.

RE: Possible T650C
popko @ 5/25/2002 12:14:13 PM #
To *Mr. Anonymous* above me. I gave up. "One can't fight what one can't see."

Where are the wailers?

sandbuck @ 5/24/2002 9:24:51 AM #

"Why has Sony already made my 4-day old CLIE obsolete? I wish they would stop all this malicious innovation"

A post like that is about 52 minutes behind schedule....

RE: Where are the wailers?
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/24/2002 9:52:43 AM #
I think they moved from Hartford to some place in North Carolina, and are now the Hurricanes.
RE: Where are the wailers?
Solo @ 5/24/2002 10:00:51 AM #
LOL... that's a good one...

Go Canes Go

RE: Where are the wailers?
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/24/2002 10:11:38 AM #
Real hockey is played in Canada and the states that border it! -)
RE: Where are the wailers?
jjsoh @ 5/24/2002 10:12:14 AM #
Hahaha.. LOL indeed..

The minute I saw the article, I thought the first post would be the usual trollish fare. Then again, it was posted at 6AM. They could all still be sleeping. )


Jim

RE: Where are the wailers?
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/24/2002 11:16:16 AM #
They don't come out till after the sun rises, so we're safe for a little while.
RE: Where are the wailers?
sandbuck @ 5/24/2002 12:02:24 PM #
Yeah, they wake at noon from the gentle aroma of their morning milk warming in the bottle.... -)

RE: Where are the wailers?
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/24/2002 1:40:06 PM #
WHY should I buy products from a company that renders them obsolete 6 months after their INTRODUCTION? I won't. It's bad enough they are still hanging on to the most proprietary form of storage media on the market (memshtick) and they haven't learned their lesson from betamax or minidisc..... all this coupled with the fact that the T6XX series has unusable buttons, toothpick stylus, PPC levels of battery life, horriffic customer service and the list goes on....it's clear to see WHY sony keeps tossing units out and coming out with "new" ones, THEY'RE NOT SELLING. At least not enough to justify continued production. Think about it all you sony lovers, a company has a product that's selling like hotcakes, what are they going to do next???hmmmm suddenly discontinue it and in the process alienate most if not all of the people who just spent 400 bucks for a backup remote controller. OBVIOUSLY the T615 was not selling well. Most of sony's gains in the market are probably due to the cheap S360.

Anyway, you guys were looking for a Troll, well I would'nt call myself a troll, I'm simply stating facts about a product I was thinking of buying but now I may just go with that loser of a company called palm which according to most estimates was supposed to be down in the dumpster by now, but instead keeps gaining market share and outselling their nearest competitor by a margin of 5 to 1.

RE: Where are the wailers?
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/24/2002 2:40:20 PM #
"PPC levels of battery life"... Actually, BELOW PPC levels of battery life. You Palm users might want to check out the recent developments in PPC land. Especially the Toshiba one that easily beats out the m515/T615 in feature set and value...oh, and battery life.
RE: Where are the wailers?
sandbuck @ 5/24/2002 2:43:18 PM #
>>WHY should I buy products from a company that renders them obsolete 6 months after their INTRODUCTION? <<

ROTFL!!!!! What a country!!

RE: Where are the wailers?
sandbuck @ 5/24/2002 2:44:33 PM #
>>"PPC levels of battery life"... Actually, BELOW PPC levels of battery life. You Palm users might want to check out the recent developments in PPC land. Especially the Toshiba one that easily beats out the m515/T615 in feature set and value...oh, and battery life.<<

"It's just a flesh wound!"


RE: Where are the wailers?
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/24/2002 4:18:32 PM #
Hey sandbuck & jjsoh, now we know the Troll really wakes up at around noon, and post comments at 1:40pm.

And to the Troll @ 1:40pm, when a new Sony device comes out, it does make all the existing Clie stops working & becomes a "backup remote". This logic has been repeated over & over again in various threads.

And minidisc is a huge success in Japan & Asia. In places like Japan & HongKong, nobody carries a Discman on the street -- people there use a miniDisc player/Clie for music.

Same thing for Clie -- Clie is much more popular in Asia than USA/Europe, because Japan, and maybe Asia, is Sony's primary focus. You haven't seen a Clie Advertisement on USA TV, have you?

The only thing I agree with you is the battery life.


RE: Where are the wailers?
mermogoat @ 5/24/2002 4:24:07 PM #
"WHY should I buy products from a company that renders them obsolete 6 months after their INTRODUCTION"

Just because Sony releases a new model with more features than a current model doesn't make that model obsolete for those people who already have them? They aren't useless to you just because there is a better model out there. I have a N760 and it isn't obsolete just because the NR70 came out. It still works great, even though it doesnt have all the extra things I don't need.

Also, when they release new ones with features that someone may not need, they can now get the older model off of ebay or at a store on clearance for much cheaper because the new one has taken its place. It saves money so you dont have to pay a lot more just to get the new features.

RE: Where are the wailers?
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/24/2002 4:25:55 PM #
what does ROTFL stand for?
RE: Where are the wailers?
mermogoat @ 5/24/2002 4:29:43 PM #
Rolling on the floor laughing

RE: Where are the wailers?
easypeasy @ 5/25/2002 11:39:57 AM #
Obsolete? Sony miles in front. Event old N600 have higher resolution and better features that palms latest m515. Its really just your point of view. Or should Sony the same model for next two years?

Look at how much Palm has changed since the Vx, isn't that really boring you?

RE: Where are the wailers?
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/25/2002 4:38:55 PM #
>WHY should I buy products from a company that renders them obsolete 6 months after their INTRODUCTION?

Because that's far better than buying products from companies which innovate so slowly that they are still trying to sell you nearly obsolete technology at full price.

I expect the PDA industry to eventually become like the Swatch watch business, where new fashion models are introduced every month.

Free SONY Marketing Research

robrecht @ 5/24/2002 9:59:44 AM #
Dear SONY (or Handera or Palm):

Here is what a lot of us want:

1. Full Size Folding Keyboard
2. POTS Connectivity
3. Wireless Connectivity
4. Beautiful Hi-Res+ Color Screen (soft graffiti and landscape-able orientation) with built in software that takes advantage of the screen
5. OS 5 (if only so that we won't be stuck with limited software options moving forward)

Personally, I will not upgrade until all of these are available for the same unit. MP3, cammeras are ok.

Thanks, Robrecht

RE: Free SONY Marketing Research
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/24/2002 10:31:16 AM #
Hey, I have a laptop that almost has all of that!
RE: Free SONY Marketing Research
robrecht @ 5/24/2002 10:42:10 AM #
I don't think this is unrealistic. The Handera 330 has had all of this for about a year (except color & OS5) and is a lot smaller than a laptop.

Thanks, Robrecht
RE: Free SONY Marketing Research
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/24/2002 1:43:33 PM #

See also:
Apple Newton 2100 (1997)

RE: Free SONY Marketing Research
hotpaw4 @ 5/25/2002 4:47:45 PM #
(some of you guys are too easy to please)

Dear SONY (or Handera or Palm):

Here is what *I* want:

Smaller
Slimmer
Functional and ergonometric buttons
Super high-contrast anti-reflective display
Great battery life
Built-in Blootooth (or other wireless)
Palm OS 6 (forget 5.0 I want native ARM apps)

Disappointed

Nate @ 5/24/2002 10:33:57 AM #
I'm a little disappointed that you took the pictures down. I think it shows a lack of jornalistic fortitude. I know that Sony has a lot of influence, but I guess I have always thought that PIC could stand up to it.

I think personally that companies that attempt to quash news leaks are evidencing a certain hubris in believing that the news sites are intended as just another marketing arm of their companies, to be told what and when to release information. But if a news site is going to be news, not marketing, it means reporting from unofficial sources, and being critical when appropriate. I think that PIC generally does a good job of this, but the lack of a clear reason for taking the pics down makes me worry that PIC might have lost some focus on what it's trying to achieve.

Of course, that's just my $.02, and of course it's your site and you know the reasons better than I do for taking the pics down. I also may be ranting a bit because I'm only about 3 sips in to my morning coffee....

_________
Syncplicity. Redefining Simple. www.cognitiveroot.com

RE: Disappointed
Nate @ 5/24/2002 10:45:46 AM #
Okay. I'm an idiot.

I meant this as a response to the Kyocera request to take down the pictures, and somehow (because of lack of coffee, no doubt) confused myself in to thinking it was about the Sony.

My point is the same, just substitute "kyocera" for "sony" in the above rant. :)

_________
Syncplicity. Redefining Simple. www.cognitiveroot.com

RE: Disappointed
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/24/2002 7:32:25 PM #
Uh no. It just means that he's smart not to play Rambo against hordes well fed well paid bored lawyers.

What's with the price?

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/24/2002 10:43:16 AM #
Okay, this thing costs more than the NR70, yet it has fewer features. What's up with that?
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