CNet Reviews the Toshiba e805

Brad Isaac · #1 03-15-2004, 08:54 PM

We've been doing a lot of yapping around here about the Toshiba e805 Pocket PC. You know, the one with the large VGA screen and 128MB onboard memory?

CNet has posted their review of the e805 that claims "While not the lightest or cheapest PDA, the e800 offers road warriors powerful performance and robust software."
"The successor to the Pocket PC e750, the Toshiba Pocket PC e800 is the company's latest and most advanced model. For this review, we tested the Pocket PC e805, which is identical except for its inclusion of ArcSoft's PhotoBase software. Like its predecessor, the e800 runs Windows Mobile 2003 on a 400MHz Intel PXA263 processor. The PDA has plenty of features, including built-in Secure Digital and CompactFlash slots; integrated Wi-Fi capabilities; a solid 128MB of RAM; and a large, high-resolution screen. The handheld's speed and robust feature set will suit business users seeking full functionality, but the e800 costs an expensive $600 and faces stiff competition from HP's iPaq H4350, which throws in Bluetooth and an integrated keyboard for $100 less."
Will the e805 owners please stand up?

bkbroil · #2 03-16-2004, 01:53 AM

The e805 is the best darn PPC that I've ever owned. What they can't or don't tell you about is all the hacks that make the e805 just as good as carrying a laptop.
Look at Pocket Plan on a VGA screen:

Go to James Kendricks screen shots to see more of amazing VGA screen shots.... Take a look at the Seymour application....You can't do this on any other machine -- two screens at once and looking this good. Whew! I love it

knelson · #3 03-16-2004, 12:33 PM

I was amazed that in most the reviews I read the reviewer does not go on about the screen - which to me is a huge plus....

bkbroil · #4 03-16-2004, 12:52 PM

Quote:

I was amazed that in most the reviews I read the reviewer does not go on about the screen - which to me is a huge plus....

My guess is that since, "out of the box" the VGA screen only supports 4 applications from ClearVue and the reviewers probably do not want to install a hack and potentially cause some problems with the unit. Nor do they want to condone unsupported use of the manufacturers hardware.
The "major site" reviews are geared towards the average consumer and (this is only a guess) I believe only a small percentage of people actually visit these types of sites and "Really Learn" what they can do with their PPCs. Reminds me of something that happened over the weekend. A friend of mine asked me for my phone number and explained that they used to have it on their Palm but they had to hard reset their Palm and lost all their contact information from the past year. I said "yeah, but all the information is still in Outlook..right?" Their response was "Oh, I've never hooked up the Palm to a computer...can you do that?"

(I just shook my head and gave them my phone number...I didn't even want to get into it... :? )
Not to mention, the units are probably free from Toshiba and their reviews are monitored by the manufacturer.... (Not like us, who pay their easy....uhhh, I mean...."hard" earned money for these products and will beat on them and give you the real scoop.

)
When I went to Circuit City to hold the unit in my hand and test it out.. I really wasn't impressed with the VGA screen.
The 4 ClearVue applications allow you to "View Only" in VGA mode:
1. ClearVue Document
2. ClearVue Image
3. ClearVue Presentation
4. ClearVue Worksheet.
Fine applications, I guess (I've never really used them)...
It wasn't until I went home and started researching the Toshiba that I found the "MyVGA" application and saw screen shots and really started to get excited.