Loox 720

Cli

Supplier: Clove Technology Limited Manufacturer: Fujitsu-Siemens (FS) Product: Fujitsu Siemens LOOX 720 Pocket PC Colour: Silver / Gunmetal Grey Cost: £339 (£398.33 inc VAT) Supplier Web Site: www.clove.co.uk Supplier Product Web Site: Fujitsu Loox 720 (FJS-LOOX720) Manufacturers Page: Fujitsu Siemens Computers For quite a few weeks now since Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition (WM2003 SE) was launched I've been looking forward to seeing the new OS in operation as well as hopefully having the chance to experience it on one of the new higher speed Windows Mobile devices now coming to the market. Clove Technology kindly agreed to loan a Fujitsu Siemens LOOX 720 Pocket PC to Tekguru, allowing us to enjoy the WM2003 SE experience and review this most special machine itself! My thanks to Clove for this assistance, as without them this review would not come to pass! So please read on and enjoy the LOOX 720 experience as brought to you by Tekguru. For your delectation all photographs are thumbnails which may be clicked on to load a larger 1024 x 768 image Specifications Processor Intel® PXA272 with 64 MB stacked Tyax flash memory with 520 MHz Memory 128 MB Flash memory Dimensions: (H x W x D) 122 x 72 x 15.2 mm Weight: Approx. 170 grams Display 3.6-inch QVGA 480 x 640 pixel 65.536 colors Transflective TFT touchscreen LED backlight Display change from Portrait to Landscape mode Interfaces 1 x built-in microphone 1 x speaker 1 x receiver for VoIP calls 1 x headphone jack (3.5 mm) 1 x IrDA (Consumer Infrared) USB via sync cable (1.1 slave, 1.1 host) Serial (RS232) via sync cable (DSR / DTR supported) Bluetooth module Wireless LAN module 802.11b (Wi-Fi) Expansion slots SD I/O-MM card Compact Flash type II slot Battery Exchangeable battery Lithium-Ion rechargeable Main battery capacity 1640 mAh Power supply Rated voltage 110 – 240 V Power cord with EU plug UK plug additionally available (supplied as standard in UK versions) Operating Time (depending on usage) 12 h Ergonomics 3-way up-down-enter jog dial Fujitsu Siemens Computers SpeedMenu button 4 programmable application buttons Voice Recorder button 5-way Navigation button Operating system Microsoft Windows Mobile Software 2003 for Pocket PC Second Edition Applications Fujitsu Siemens Computers SpeedMenu Fujitsu Siemens Computers Key lock Fujitsu Siemens Computers Backup Fujitsu Siemens Computers CONNECTMOBILITY-E2C Fujitsu Siemens Computers Panning Pocket Outlook Pocket Word Pocket Excel Calculator MSN® Messenger Pocket Internet Explorer Windows Media® Player 9 for Pocket PC Pictures Terminal Services Client Jawbreaker™ Voice recorder Microsoft Active Sync 3.7.1 Software voucher for software download with prepaid license fee Integrated camera 1.3 megapixel integrated picture and video capturing with integrated flash PART I - The Externals of the LOOX 720 Firstly I must make clear that the review machine supplied to Tekguru was supplied unboxed and without any manual or software disk(s). This means I cannot show you what the packaging looks like or confirm what is in the box, in case it differed from that detailed on the Clove web site. Provided for the review were: • Fujitsu Loox 720 • LOOX battery • USB Docking Station • Carry Case • USB client/host sync cable • AC Adapter And yes that does say USB client cable, more on that later The following were not included: • Microsoft Companion CD • Getting Started (printed manual) • Easy Guide and Warranty manuals on CD • Software Voucher • Spare stylus and therefore cannot be commented upon. A detailed shot of the power supply, and no doubt you are wondering why this is of interest! The reasoning here is that FS have included as standard an international supply which natively uses the 'twin prong' power fitting as used in some European countries, but include within the package the UK adaptor. This means you have additional freedom, if you are doing any travelling overseas all you have to do is to order the right adaptor for the country you are visiting, and you are up and running. Such adaptors are commonly available from Tandy (Radio Shack), Maplin or similar electrical suppliers. The power adaptor is rated at 120V-240V so no transformer is needed. Well done FS! Detail of the sync-cable/power supply junction. The power lead can either fit into the back of the USB lead which in turn locks onto the sync cradle, or via an adaptor (supplied) the LOOX can be powered directly. The USB cable has multiple roles - providing the power and two types of USB, for the LOOX itself and for operating a small USB host port. Looking down onto the rather stylish cradle one can see the sync connection for the LOOX in front of the support plate, and immediately behind the plate is the charging station for a second battery. The cradle itself is rather light in weight but still heavy enough so that it does not skate across the desk when the LOOX is in use while cradled. Looking at the back of the cradle we can see the port where the sync-cradle connects to, this is of mini-USB type and serves to give a good connection to the cable. One thought here is that as the cradle is not permanently coupled to a power lead, storage or packing for travel becomes slightly easier. The sync/power cable locks into place securely with no sign of looseness or connection wobble. To unlock the cable, the locking lugs on the end of the cable connection are pinched together, simple and easy, just make sure the pressure is applied evenly and you don't twist the cable when unlocking. The mounted LOOX, still with its protective screen covering in position, which serves to remind you that you must have installed Active-Sync on the PC prior to connecting the LOOX! When docked the LOOX sits at a pleasant 12 degree angle which facilitates ease of use when docked, there is no problems with wrist ache - caused when the cradle is too steeply or gently positioned. The cradle uses gravity (as well as the physical sync-connection) to hold the LOOX in place, there are no locks or spiggots used. This means that the LOOX is held firmly and yet can be removed with ease when one has to dash quickly out of the office. One area of critique with the LOOX is the stylus, it is certainly adequate and does its job but I find it rather light weight due to its tubular construction and slightly thin compared to the styli of other PDAs I've used. The second annoyance with the stylus is that it cannot be used 'as is' to perform a soft reset, you have to unscrew the top to reveal the reset pin. So if you are are not too careful and that top piece is lost, then you'll end up with a stylus you can't lock into the machine. This was a design idea first created by Palm (cough) and I've no ideas why FS decided to ape the feature. For all its power and features the LOOX is a remarkably small PDA, compared to the competition. You can see it here compared to other PDAs; iPAQ hx4700, iPAQ 3970, LOOX 720, O2 Xda II, Palm T3 (cough). In the PDAs pictured only the Palm T3 is smaller in size! Note that even though I don't own an iPAQ 2215 data on this model has been included as it is similar in size to the LOOX, and popular with the PDA owning community. Here you can see the relative sizes of the various PDAs. Here you can see the LOOX 720 compared to its main rival the iPAQ hx4700. Once we get into actually using the machine we will look briefly at the main differences and see how the two machines compare in day to day operation. This does show quite clearly however, how much smaller the LOOX is compared to the 4700 and yet the specification is only slightly reduced. The smaller size of the LOOX does mean that it fits in the hand comfortably. Considering the specification of the LOOX it is in fact incredibly small. For a machine to have dual slots, Wifi and Bluetooth as well as VGA it is incredible how FS have achieved such a small form factor. The screen as we will see later is bright and clear with whites appearing as white and each colour being strong and even. Looking at this screen against the (supposedly 65K colour) Xda II's makes one realise that the Xda's colour balance is way off, having a blue tint and with whites appearing grey and somewhat lifeless The screen even though 3.6" diagonal (compared to 4" on the hx4700) is perfectly useable in VGA resolutions, data can be clearly seen which eliminates the concern I had that small text might not be clearly visible. The viewing angle seems surprisingly good as well with the screen readable at an inclination of 30 degrees from all angles. Continuing our tour around the LOOX we can see that the left hand side supports a jog dial (why oh why don't all Pocket PC manufacturers include these), which can be used to navigate up and down the screen and also be pressed in to activate the selected item. Below this is the FSC SpeedMenu / Camera key which serves to call up FS's own navigation system (pressed briefly)or the Camera (if held in for a second or two). This can be used in conjunction with jog dial to allow speedy navigation through almost all aspects of the LOOX or make the machine ready very quickly for that important photo! The top rear of the LOOX sports one of its key features, a 1.3 megapixel camera with an LCD flash (just above the camera lens). To the left of the lens is the 'mirror' which allows the vain user to take their own pictures. Later we will look at the camera in greater depth to see what the qualiy is like and how it performs in actual use. One nice feature (not visible) is that the battery cover has laid into it a rubber strip which serves to stop the LOOX sliding around when on the desk. This acts with the two domed feet (visible) to offer three points of contact with the desk (as on a stool) which gives good support for the unit - not a wobble in sight Looking at the LOOX we can see the SIDO and CF ports which allow the memory of the device to be expanded or third part accessories to be interfaced. Again it's superb that FS have built both interfaces into such a small machine. The only bug bear here is slot protection. When the machine is supplied both ports are fitted with plastic protectors, which may easilly become misplaced or lost. This is a common failing with PPC manufacturers. The other lack, is that of an eject mechanism for the CF card, any card fitted into the slot must be removed via a fingernail under the cards lip. This is however used on a lot of machines and only becomes critical when one is faced with a card which does not have a removal lip! To the left of the card slots is the 3.5 mm stereo headphone socket. This is perfectly positioned for use by audiophiles unlike the Xda II where it is on base of the unit. One lack here is that the port is not protected in any way. so watch out if you're using your LOOX in the rain The top front face of the LOOX is the control centre and located here from left to right are: • Bluetooth/WiFi indicator - flashes dull blue to show BT activation, green for WiFi on, and blue/ green alternate flashes if both are on together • The Infra-red port (still covered with its protector) which serves to support standard IrDa data exchange as well as supporting Consumer IR for controlling those household gadgets. • Loudspeaker - which is of good quality, it's nice and loud and the sound is relatively lively, no tininess here. • Power On / Charging LED indicator - flashes a dull orange when charging and steady when fully charged. • On / off (standby) switch. The top right front position of the switch is ideal as the unit can be easilly turned on with a finger swipe. This may be slightly light to the touch as operation has been trigged accidently twice so far. • Located immediately behind the power button towards the back of the machine is the stylus silo. The stylus is held in position via friction between the stylus head and the body casing. I say 'dull blue' when describing the BT indicater as most blue LEDs are extremely bright, which can be a distraction, on the LOOX the colour is somewhat muted and less forcefull on the eyes. Below the screen are the main control buttons and the cursor pad/action button combo. The buttons on either side of the cursor pad (top to botton, left to right) are: • Calendar • Contacts • WLAN control • Today Of course as per usual on a Pocket PC these (and all other buttons) can be reconfigued to suit your own needs. The buttons themselves have a very 'techo' look to them which I find quite appealing (though this design may not suit everyone) and they feel nice and firm to use with no wobble or looseness felt with any of them. The only concern here is that the cursor pad creeks somewhat when moving diagonally and does not feel 'happy' moving in that direction. This may wear in with time, but it is a slight worry. To the right of the control buttons is the microphone, perfectly placed for VoIP operation which the LOOX supports. The base of the LOOX is quite plain, holding only the reset port and the sync/power connector. I'm still trying to work out whether the small hole below the reset hole is a secondary microphone or just part of the construction. The right hand side of the machine is only used to host the Record button which serves to trigger the standard record application. In this case the button is of single purpose as holding it down puts the LOOX into immediate record mode. As with most modern Pocket PC's the LOOX sports a removable battery (1640 mAh), which is useful to have when the machine has such a high level of technology inside it. WiFi and BT as well as a VGA screen can suck a heck of a lot of battery power! I'd have preferred the battery to be just a little more powerful as I can see that it may not be enough to power the LOOX for an entire working day if BT and WiFi are used. We will have to see if this proves to be the case. The battery itself is locked onto place via a small sliding lock (red) similar to those used in mobile phones. It is not the firmest of locks but serves its purpose adequately. One slight niggle concerns the battery cover on the back of the LOOX, even though it fits well it is rather thin and the locking lugs seem rather fragile. For me at least this would make sure I was very careful when removing or fitting it as if those lugs are damaged then the compartment becomes vulnerable. The case.... Yes the LOOX is supplied with a free 'slip case' and that is about all that can be said about it. It's very basic and made from leather effect plastic and elastic stripping. Even though it is sewn together, I'd definitely recommend popping over to a PDA case manufacturers web site and buying something that suits the style of the LOOX! Final Comments - External Features The build quality of the LOOX overall is superb, there are no rough edges or areas that "don't quite fit" or any sign of blemishes in the case moulding, everything fits together and looks good. The casing is make from some sort of polycarbonate plastic and this serves to give a good looking finish, it does not look in any way cheap, and is fit for display on the desk or the conference room One other aspect of the LOOX that strikes immediately is how light it is compared to other PPC's (hx4700 and Xda II). It feels like you hardly have anything in your hand. This taken into account with the small form factor means that you will never experience any wrist or hand ache whilst using this machine! The stylish looks of the LOOX (sorry) stand it in good stead and physically I've few annoyances with it so far: Exterior Pro's High level of build quality Stylish implementation VGA screen of good quality Jog dial Internal camera 1.3 MPixel LCD Flash Spare stylus USB Host facility International power suppy 3 point footing WiFi and Bluetooth Twin operation Speedmeu Button (Speedmenu & Camera) SIDO SD & CF card ports Consumer InfraRed Exterior Con's Internal reset pin within the stylus Stylus a little thin and small No eject mechanism on CF card Slightly flimsy battery cover Battery could be more powerful Poor quality slip-case External Features - Tekguru Rating: 95% Supplier: Clove Technology Limited Manufacturer: Fujitsu-Siemens (FSC) Product: Fujitsu Siemens LOOX 720 Pocket PC Colour: Silver / Gunmetal Grey Cost: £339 (£398.33 inc VAT) Supplier Web Site: www.clove.co.uk Supplier Product Web Site: Fujitsu LOOX 720 (FJS-LOOX720) Manufacturers Page: Fujitsu Siemens Computers This second part of the LOOX 720 review will look at what applications are installed on the machine in its' original initialisation or after a hard reset. That is the applications that are in the ROM (read only memory) of the machine and are always available. These applications will consist of two groups: 1) Those items which are part of 'Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition Premium'. 2) Those which have been added or enhanced by FSC We are interested mainly in the second category although parts of WM2003 will also be investigated where they appear to be of interest. As always with a Windows Mobile Pocket PC (PPC) device after initial configuration you are presented with the Today Screen.............. So we will use that as the starting point So please read on and enjoy the LOOX 720 experience as brought to you by Tekguru. All images are low quality thumbnails which may be clicked on to load a larger 480 x 640 true sized screen shot. PART II - The LOOX 720 Specific Applications When you first see the Today Screen on the LOOX you will be impressed, the screen may be small at 2.6" diagonal, but the VGA (480 x 640) effect is immediately evident - the fonts are smoother and clearer with the whole screen having a clean crisp appearance. This is really evident when compared to a machine running a WM2002 320 x 240 screen, which is ¼" of the size of the LOOX screen! The TFT transreflective display used is top notch! As the LOOX has been designed as a device which can communicate on a network level there are a few immediate differences between it and the 'standard' non-networked PPC machine: • Immediately to the left of the speaker icon in the top tray is the Connection Icon which serves to show whether a connection is active or not as well as allowing one to launch the 'Connectivity bubble' which links to the Connection Settings Dialog. • The bottom tool-bar has gained two new icons (bottom right) these are shortcuts to the Bluetooth and WiFi connection and settings systems. The screen can also be adjusted to show text in different sizes via the Screen Settings / Text Size applet which is useful for reducing font sizes and fitting more on the screen for those with excellent eyesight or making everything larger and more visible for those with poor eyesight. As to the physical screen itself - no 'yellow tinge' has been experienced which has plagued some models of PPC produced over the last few years and offers good readability with the display being visible from a wide angle. Cleartype appears to be of good quality and does not appear yellow or purple as on the Xda II. As to the brightness level of the screen this is actually brighter (at the top setting) than the iPAQ 4700 and just as clear. In direct sunlight the screen also scores over the older generation of machines and is perfectly visible. NETWORKING Upon tapping on the Bluetooth icon on the bottom tool bar one is presented with three Options: • Turn Bluetooth ON • Bluetooth Manager • Bluetooth Settings The first option just serves to toggle BT on and off, the second opens this screen which will detail any configured BT shortcuts which have been saved with the second tab showing any active connections. Unfortunately I was unable to instigate any connections from the LOOX due to the problems I have with BT on the PC. This is NOT a fault with the LOOX, but it tied in to me using the DuNuovo desktop system on the PC - I have this problem when starting a connection from most PDA's with the PC. The second option serves to open the BT Settings screens: General: The Bluetooth system within the LOOX is extremely powerful indeed and allows BT to be turned on or off as well as allowing multiple profiles to be configured. Profiles may be used to vary different aspects of the BT system with respect to what data is used within the Accessibility and Services Tabs, this adds flexibility to the connection system. The Bluetooth manager allows one to create new Bluetooth pairings (scan for devices) as well as modify and remove any existent connections. Accessibility: Within this tab the BT network name of the LOOX can be set which may be either any description you may define or can be set as the same name as the LOOX itself (Active Sync name). This data is static and cannot be varied via changes in profiles. However the 'Accessibility' data which defines what connectivity is offered with other external BT systems can be set per individual profile. Services: This tab gives you the ability to set service, authentication and encryption permissions for the following: • File Transfer (between PPC and PC, PPC and mobile phone, etc) • Information Exchange (Contacts, Notes, Calendar, etc) • Serial Port (Data link) • Personal Network Server (File Sharing) • Dial-up Networking Server (use a modem to access the Internet) • Audio-Gateway (BT headset) This is all incredibly powerful and way beyond what is available within a great number of PPCs. Each of the above can be set against a profile and therefore an infinite variation of BT connections are available. I'm not convinced of the usability of the Dial-up networking of Audio-Gateway (which would be useful on a Phone Edition PPC) but at least they are there and present! Tapping the Advanced button allows access to the Sharing system where you may set which folder is used for sharing files over the network when connected. about: As expected the About screen details the Bluetooth system used. The Broadcom system is just about the best (and was known previously under the Widdicom name). The BT system installed meets the levels required by standard 1.2 which means enhanced data-flow in conjunction with improved stability. The Advanced button allows entry to the detailed specifics of the data on each individual BT module installed. WiLAN and 'Destinations' The WiLAN icon allows one to turn the WiFi system on or off as well as configure which power saving mode the system is to be operated under. Strangely the 'WiLAN Destinations' application cannot be accessed via the WiLAN icon, but must be loaded via the use of the SpeedMenu system or via the WiLAN control button on the front bottom of the LOOX. This may well be due to the 'Destinations' application being developed by FSC and not part of the WM2003SE system. 'Destinations' allows you to Turn WiLAN on or off, deactivate all wireless systems or deactivate the WiLAN on disconnection. The main facility within 'Destinations' is the ability via the configurable shortcut system to: • Turn on WiFi • Select which Wireless Network you wish to use • Execute the required application (PIE / Email, etc) • And perform a secondary task (load a specified web page, etc) The secondary screen shot shows the system commencing a scan for accessible wireless networks. APPLICATIONS In addition to the standard WM2003 SE applications FSC have provided: • FSC Menu - Additional applications • HTC Al*** - Used to review media captured using the camera • Camera - The camera software used to operate the in-built camera • ConnectM E2C - The WiLAN 'Destinations' application • FSC Backup - Allows a backup to be performed to MM/SD card. • FSC Speed Menu - Jog dial operated quick launch / navigation system The Camera application will not be included within this section of the review but will be covered in detail along with the camera itself later. FSC Menu - The additional applications provided by FSC include: • Connections • Display Lighting • Power • Running Programs • Screen These all appear to be FSC variants on the standard MS applications provided with WM2003 SE. One feature that is lacking here is that there is only one setting for the backlight, it can not be varied between when the LOOX is on external or battery power. However a patch has been developed by PocketCenter.de which adds this missing functionality. (Links to an article on firstloox.org) iPAQ owners may miss the backlight sensor - there is no auto-brightness sensing for the screen in the LOOX, it will remain at the level which has been set by you. Of course you can always hold down the ON/OFF button to turn the backlight on and off depending on what lighting conditions you are operating under. As the LOOX 720 is of course a WM2003 Second Edition device one much requested feature which makes its first appearance is that of orientation switching. This means that the LOOX can be operated in both portrait and landscape modes. We'll investigate this more closely when we look at actually using the 720 in the next section of the review. Al***: This is a variant of the original IA Al*** application as originally created by IA Style. IA Style were bought out by HTC and therefore development of Al*** has moved sideways. The application and now focuses on looking after the media generated by HTCs camera. FSC Backup: This is an 'in-house' backup program developed by FSC themselves. It is relatively well featured supporting the backup of various different types of data (PIM databases, notes, documents, connection settings and your user profile). Backup may be made to either an external storage card or to the internal 'LOOXStore'. FSC LOOX SETTINGS In addition to the standard WM2003 SE settings applets FSC have provided: • Enhanced Button control • Audio - Microphone and Tone control • Processor Speed control • System Information • WiLAN Power (See earlier in the review) Buttons - Program Buttons: Here FSC supply their own modified version of the standard Button Assignment application. The added benefit is that each button on the LOOX can be clearly seen as dual function. The main function is actioned by a 'quick press' on the requisite button, and the secondary function by 'press and hold'. This feature is available in WM2003 SE but is not always to clearly labelled as to which of the virtual buttons operate which feature! This feature together with the SpeedMenu system gives the LOOX a great flexibility in operation - you will never be short of methods of launching your favourite applications! Well done FSC! Buttons - Up/Down Control: As expected other button functions can be adjusted and up and down control can be finely configured to suit the individual tastes of the user. Buttons - FSC Keylock: FSC have identified that PPC's are commonly stored in internal jacket pockets or in hand luggage and this can cause keys to be operated inadvertently. Keylock was therefore created to ensure that application buttons are not activated unless the on / off (standby) key has been used to turn the LOOX on prior to button activation. about: This applet serves to verify that you are running a powerful PPC running the latest Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition operating system as well as confirming the new Intel PXA272 processor is installed. Audio - Microphone - The gain control of the microphone has been enhanced slightly so that the AGC can be turned off and the recording mode customised to suit personal short range recording or more distance based recording for conferences. Audio - Tone - Some measure of control over what the LOOX sounds like is given via Treble, Bass and 3D control sliders. The Earphone volume here applies to any earphones connected into the 3.5mm speaker jack on the top of the LOOX. It does not offer any level of control over the VoIP system! Not only does the LOOX support a new high speed processor and a HiRes display but it has plenty of memory for loading and running applications. The 720 is fitted with a generous 128Mb of RAM, of which 123Mb is available to the user, this ensures that the in-system databases such as those used for Email and PIM data have enough room to be stored as well as allowing memory hungry applications such as picture viewers, video player and SatNav systems enough room to operate. Not forgetting within the flash ROM there is the LOOXStore where a further 28Mb of non-volatile memory is available for use as data storage. The speed of the CPU is related to the power consumption of the CPU. In Turbo mode the CPU is constantly running at full speed, stepping down the setting means less power consumption due to slower frequency rates but in consequence the LOOX operates slightly slower. In automatic mode the CPU is running with the the frequency required by the operating system; that means that in idle mode the CPU is running at a slower MHz rate but if you start a performance hungry application the CPU is running at the maximum frequency and speed. The perfect compromise between performance and power consumption. More information is available hereon the Intel site. System Information: Other useful information about your 'Wonder Machine' can be extracted from this applet. The actual OS version of the operating system, the ROM revision, the Model ID (interestingly enough the '720' is not shown anywhere else on the LOOX), the maximum CPU speed: 520Mhz, memory size, LOOX File store information, confirmation you are running a Hires VGA (640 x 480) machine, as well as networking details! OTHER APPLICATIONS One superb application which FSC provide is the SpeedMenu system, which is (as standard) triggered by the 'Speed Button' directly below the jog dial. This is one of FSCs most innovative features and serves as an excellent method of launching applications. Initially this is configured to allow common functions to be accessed, but can very easily be modified to allow it to be used to trigger your own set of applications and document short-cuts. Final Comments - LOOX 720 Specific Applications FSC have worked hard to enhance and improve upon the 'vanilla' ROM supplied to them by Microsoft and offer a decent level of applications. In particular it is clear that the LOOX has been designed as a communications device with both WiLAN and BT connectivity being developed to a high level. Strangely enough even though the LOOX 720 supports within it's hardware design both VoIP (Voice over IP) and CIR (Consumer Infra-Red) there are no applications provided on the machine to use these features. The lack of a VoIP application can be worked around by using the SkyPe VoIP program (which works perfectly) and for CIR FSC recommend using VITO Remore 3.5.1 as can be found here. FSC have commented that they are developing applications which will be available shortly which will address the VoIP situation. Even so, FSC have included a great deal of functionality with the application-set of the LOOX 720, such nice features as CPU speed control give evidence of the level of thought put into their selection and design. Some features found on other PPCs are not included but are these really needed? The critically important applications and features are there and all perfectly workable. The LOOX has been designed with connectivity in mind and the applications to support those aims are there in plenty! Application Pro's Dual Button functionality Good implementation of cleartype High level of WiLAN and Bluetooth implementation Superb custom designed WiLAN management system Bluetooth profiling system Latest Bluetooth 'stack' offering a high level of connectivity Backup application included Al*** and Camera software FSC Speedmenu Enhanced microphone control Enhanced audio control Speed control for the CPU Application Con's Only a single brightness level for the screen No CIR application included No VoIP application included LOOX 720 - The Internal Applications - Tekguru Rating: 93% Supplier: Clove Technology Limited Manufacturer: Fujitsu-Siemens (FSC) Product: Fujitsu Siemens LOOX 720 Pocket PC Colour: Silver / Gunmetal Grey Cost: £339 (£398.33 inc VAT) Supplier Web Site: www.clove.co.uk Supplier Product Web Site: Fujitsu LOOX 720 (FJS-LOOX720) Manufacturers Page: Fujitsu Siemens Computers This third penultimate section of the LOOX 720 review will deal with it's battery life and benchmarks comparing it to the iPAQ 4700 as well as the Xda II. These machines have been chosen to run the benchmarks against due to the popularity of the Xda II and the 'relative closeness' in the market of the iPAQ 4700. As great numbers of users will be trying to decide as to which machine should be chosen for purchase - arguably the best Phone Edition device or the ultra-hyped iPAQ 4700 with it's VGA screen and 620MHz processor. Please read on and enjoy the comparative thoughts of the Tekguru. BATTERY UPTIME TEST BASIS AND CRITERIA The battery uptime tests were carried out using the UpTime Meter plugin for PocketPC by AE Software: UpTime Meter plugin is a "real uptime" tracking utility for PocketPC / PocketPC 2002 / Windows Mobile 2003/ WM2003SE. The features of this utility are: autoreseting timer after battery is full charged (optional); saving current timer value on PocketPC soft reset. This feature may be switched off if you want to track uptime between soft resets tracking uptime for each used application; tracking battery discharge history; forecasting reminded uptime based on discharge history; you may create text report for future review/analyze. UpTime was used to capture time and battery percentage used during various working days of actual use and the data averaged. Each machine was actively run for three days each and the data averaged to give accurate comparative figures for each machine. The graph shown details these average results as the dot linked lines with a trend line imposed through each line of data. This trend line can then be examined to give an indication of the expected battery life. For me such tests reflect reasonably accurate data which has more validity in the real world than any measure of battery tests run via bench mark programs. The graphs for the machines were generated under normal usage, that is: WiFi used for approximately 30 minutes each day on an irregular basis Pocket Informant used extensively Approximately 45 minutes of eBook reading using uBook Approximately 30 minutes of music playback via Media Player Backlight set on both machines to the medium level iPAQ 4700 auto-brightness control disabled LOOX 720 processor set to Auto Xda II Phone switched on (approximately the same battery use over all as WiFi on the other machines) RESULTS Is it clear straight away that the Xda II comes out lowest but this is of course due to it's smaller 1200 mAh battery and that the phone was constantly in use during the test period. The LOOX 720 was expected to run for a significantly reduced time compared to the iPAQ 4700, but the smaller battery seems to be offset by the slower processor and the smaller sized VGA screen. In actual use the battery life of the LOOX 720 was not significantly less than that of the iPAQ 4700 and users should not therefore compare the raw battery sizes of 1800 mAh and 1640 mAh as a basis for daily usage life. Yes the LOOX did have a slightly reduced UpTime, but this was measured at around only six minutes on an average basis. BENCHMARKS First of all to correct one piece of data, yes the iPAQ 4700 is a 624MHz machine, please excuse the typo in the charts. I would correct but have lost the data and am not in a position currently to retest, so mea cupla TG This master chart produced using the superb Spb Benchmark program compares the following machines: Compaq iPAQ 6000 - the original datum test machine used by Spb The FSC LOOX 610 - the predecessor to the LOOX 720 The FSC LOOX 720 - the machine we are of course interested in The HP iPAQ 4700 - the 'competition' In a great number of the test results shown (working on pure data) the iPAQ 4700 comes out ahead of the LOOX 720 in most sets of test results, but this was with the 720 operating in it's standard 'Auto CPU' mode. However further tests using Spb Benchmark have shown that the LOOX 720 performs exactly (within a few percent) the same when set to 'Turbo' CPU mode prior to running the benchmarks. This validates and proves the FSCs' auto-scaling of the LOOX CPU actually works. It is interesting to note that the newer WM2003SE machines are significantly slower than the older PPC2002 OS based machines on certain operations like directory listings and loading pictures into PIE, moving technology forward with increased abilities is not always a good thing for speed of operation. When actually using the LOOX 720 the only time it felt slower than the iPAQ 4700 was when opening the 'Start Menu' this was noticeably slower and appeared the menu appeared to roll down the screen. However if this is repeated with the CPU on the LOOX turned on to 'Turbo' then the slowness vanishes. Operationally in 'Turbo' mode there is very little difference indeed between the 720 and the iPAQ 4700. I know that the figures shown here do indicate that iPAQ is faster but in use thy feel very much on a par with another. Trust me on this I've used both machines extensively over the past four weeks, using each on alternate days and using them together on the same day. The LOOX 720 has also been tested out to perform other standard tasks such as: Playing back music using Media Player Playing Anthelion Running Pocket Informant extensively Reading eBooks using uBook Browsing the web using PIE Video playback using BetaPlayer (Playing back the 20.9Mb RL_HQ DivX file a FPS rate of 27.25 was achieved) In all of these tests the LOOX 720 performed admirably and for some activities scored well above the iPAQ 4700 in actual use, mainly down to being able to use actual buttons in game play and the jog dial when reading eBooks. It should be noted that the Spb Benchmark program has not been updated to take VGA displays into account and therefore any VGA device will show a rating approximately 4 times slower than a machine with a QVGA screen. BATTERYLIFE AND BENCHMARK COMMENTS Although the LOOX 720 does not have the 624MHz processor of the iPAQ 4700 or the dedicated ATI graphics chip it performs well and undertakes all tasks given to it without complaint. For some applications you may feel the need to run the CPU in the awesome 'Turbo' mode to get the best performance, but in my opinion that is no great drawback. At least with the LOOX you have the option of lowering the CPU speed which grants you extended battery life. The battery life itself is very much on par with the iPAQ 4700 and is certainly enough to get you through a days hard work. Commonly at the end of the working day I retained 67% of the battery charge with only one day the level lowering to 49% when I intentionally left the WiFi on for extended periods. So not only FSC produced a really 'sexy' PDA but one that is a fast moving little number too LOOX 720 - Of Benchmarks and Batteries - Tekguru Rating: 94%

Supplier: Clove Technology Limited Manufacturer: Fujitsu-Siemens (FSC) Product: Fujitsu Siemens LOOX 720 Pocket PC Colour: Silver / Gunmetal Grey Cost: £319 (£374.82 inc VAT) Supplier Web Site: www.clove.co.uk Supplier Product Web Site: Fujitsu LOOX 720 (FJS-LOOX720) Manufacturers Page: Fujitsu Siemens Computers We have looked at the LOOX 720 in some detail and most aspects of the LOOX 720 have looked favourable. There have been no great niggles or glitches to mar it's operation or to degrade the joy of being a LOOX owner However the LOOX is not perfect, nothing is Therefore in the final part of the review the Tekguru will look at the one great lack in the LOOXs' specification as well offering some tips for hardware and software to get the best out of the machine. All images are low quality thumbnails which may be clicked on to load either a large 480 x 640 true sized screen shot or a larger photograph. The LOOX Camera The LOOX 720 has been fitted with an internal 1.3 Mega-Pixel camera, which is an unusual step from FSC as most cameras are fitted into Phone Edition PDA's and link into Media Messaging services. The camera offers various resolutions of: 960 x 1280 480 x 640 240 x 320 120 x 160 Video in MPEG 4 format, resolutions : 288 x 352, 144 x 176 or 96 x 128. Unfortunately the quality of the pictures taken with the camera varies greatly with the best results being obtained when taking out of doors landscape pictures. Pictures taken in doors appear somewhat grainy and lacking in clarity or detail. Generally the pictures would be considered acceptable if taken from a Mobile (Cell) Phone, but considering the high res of 960 x 1280 one would expect the quality to be better. The quality of the pictures is degraded even more if the 4 x digital zoom (2 x for the video) is used You can improve the quality of the pictures to a degree using the options available, using the presets available; daylight, bulb, fluorescent lamp, and night. In add