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Fujitsu Announces XScale PDA
Andrew Slough writes: "Fujitsu has announced the world's first PDA based on Intel's XScale architecture, making this the fastest ARM PDA in the world! Stories also at at Infosync and The Register. Pictures at PocketNow."
Fujitsu's press release just said the chip was "high-performance", and after some digging I turned up this article which tells us that the Intel PXA250 can run at speeds as high as 400MHz. An excerpt:
Designed for advanced PDAs, the PXA250 is available at speeds of 200MHz, 300MHz, and 400MHz. While designed for low power, the PXA250 offers a Turbo Mode for application acceleration and multimedia acceleration with Intel Media Processing technology. USB, 920Kbps Bluetooth wireless, and a 1.84MHz baseband interface are offered as communication interfaces, and an enhanced memory support 2.5 volt or 3.3 volt 16-bit or 32-bit memory.
I feel so Dirty.
I'm a 2000 man.
The LOOX was announced weeks ago. Brighthand already had a forum up for it in February. Toshiba also announced their next PocketPC (XScale processor and embedded 802.11b included) last month.
A month behind the times? That's just shameful guys.
This tagline is umop apisdn.
While the core is very different to current "ARM" cores, the instruction set and patents are licensed from ARM. It runs ARM instructions natively. Saying it's not an ARM is like saying an Athlon isn't an x86 processor.
It's basically an ARM9 core with the pipeline extended a bit and a DSP MAC unit bolted on the side. This equates to slightly faster than StrongARM speeds (per MHz) on most code, and maybe double on DSP.
Can't *one* of these PocketPC-driven PDAs have a decent sized screen at 480@320? Or does the PocketPC spec require 320@240? Anyone know?
You can still have a small-enough device with a slightly bigger screen. But with one, you can potentially raise the usefulness of it. Am I the only one that uses a PDA for more than a datebook? Am I the only one who reads a lot of text, or takes a substantial amount of actual notes (not just quick jots)?
Working toward a usable PDA environment in the spirit of Newton OS: Dynapad
Since I am in the market to replace my Vx, here's what I like about the Loox: SD and CF card slots (instead of just CF like HP, or just SD like Palm/Compaq or MemoryStick like Sony), jog dial (only Sony and Handspring), Color QVGA screen (only PocketPC), integrated Bluetooth (only Compaq).
However, the most serious spec is missing: size. I like the iPaq, but it's too big for carrying around everywhere. If this thing is close to the T- or N- series Clie in size, I'll be first in line to get one.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
I've never run it myself for an extended period of time, but played with it on my own and other iPAQs. I wasn't impressed. I could get an entire distro, sure, but what does that get me? It was designed for running on a PDA, and it shows. It does do the extra things that software running on a PDA should, to make the experience more coherent. It's an expensive toy. A fun one for many people, I do not doubt it. Because of this, I'm working on my own PDA environment (Dynapad) this summer. If may not be what you want, but it's what I want. out of a PDA. A software system that is personal and dynamic for a PDA, not just a port from the desktop, with the addition of a floating soft-keyboard.
Having character recognition like on Palm OS isn't *real* HWR. Graffiti and xscribble are *character (or glyph) recognition* schemes not handwriting recognition.
Real HWR is the HWR that can be found on the Newton, or WinCE devices using Transcriber or CalliGrapher. That is, I write on the screen in my real handwriting and it translates it to text. It's quite a bit faster and more natural than using a CR scheme like Graffiti. And Linux doesn't have it, making it a waste of time for a PDA platform for me.
Working toward a usable PDA environment in the spirit of Newton OS: Dynapad
My Apple Newton MessagePad 2000 has real handwriting recognition, whereas Micro$oft Winblows CE (note clever use of subliminal imagery) does not.
Except for the fact that there is free software available from Microsoft called Transcriber (or Calligrapher) that does give you true handwriting recognition on the Pocket PC
My Apple Newton MessagePad 2000 has a PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) slot for easy expansion, whereas those dolts at "Fu" "jitsu" didn't put one in to their so-called "innovative" "PDA." Nice try, guys. While you're listening to "digital music", I'll be surfing the Internet using a real web browser and getting e-mail on a large screen.
Most Pocket PCs include a Compact Flash Type I/II slot which means that we can add wireless NICs, modems, digital cameras, micro-drives, etc., just in a slightly different (smaller) format that what you use.
I am boycotting Micro$oft, but I am not boycotting Apple. Another plus for me!
Well good for you...
A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing -- Emo Phillips
...that's gravy. It's strength is its power consumption.
The Xscale at 200Mhz will be using about 50mW, about the same as a Palm processor runs at now. Compare to the current StrongARM, which at 233Mhz (a slightly overclocked Ipaq) sucks down 900mw. The Xscale will be 15x or so less power-hungry than the StrongARM at 200.
Or in other words, for the same power you get 5.4 mips with a 33 MHz Palm vs. over 300 mips for a Xscale.
It also has an advantage as it "scales" what it needs depending on the app, hence the name. So if you are running a memopad type function, it will need less power, and if you are running Quake or something, it will go full-bore. Think of it as intelligent underclocking when needed.
So in summary, the Xscale can have the computing power of a current Ipaq (more actually, they tweaked the core), at the same power consumption as a Palm (or much less depending on what types of apps you run). At 400Mhz, it will use about 3x the power of a Palm processor, but this will still be 5-6x less power than the StrongARM running at half the speed.