Pocket computer Pocket LOOX 600

Evgenie Rudometov

http://www.rudometov.com

On the basis of the processor of Intel PXA250 of microarchitecture of Intel XScale with clock rate of 400 MHz Fujitsu-Siemens corporation has released pocket personal computer Pocket LOOX 600 which differs a convenient construction, ample opportunities of the internal architecture, including the built in resources of wireless data transfer Bluetooth, and also the rich software.

The information role increases. Its size permanently grows. The information turns not only to the valuable goods, but also in the main object of modern production. As a result of changes occurring in a society already the most part of the labour population of the developed countries are occupied in processes of its processing. It stimulates perfection of the appropriate resources presented now by a wide class of computing circuits.

At offices of numerous corporations for information processing use a considerable quantity of the various desktop personal computers banked in a network, controlled servers. Despite high performance and prevalence of such structure, similar solutions possess one important lack. This disadvantage consists in a stationarity of computer resources, and it is not always convenient and expedient.

Really the part of the experts occupied in processes of information processing, in sort of industrial necessity is forced to be a considerable share of working hours in separation from the offices and accordingly computers. It is linked, for example, to the frequent trips reducing working hours. Besides, computers are often applied as help arrangements, and also communication media that promoted by prompt development of a wide-area network of the Internet. Well and, of course, successes of development of multimedia have led to usage of personal computers for the leisure which time for the people who are in separation from the house quite often also is reduced.

To give reachings of modern computer processing techniques for the given professional category it is possible by means of transportable arrangements, functionality and which power often do not concede to stationary clones. Computers of type Notebook concern such transportable arrangements, first of all. Computers of this category give the chance to users not only to perform office operations which concern document processing, e-mail and an output in the Internet, but also to provide ample opportunities in the field of leisure.

However at all ample opportunities of computers of type Notebook these arrangements are not always comprehensible. The matter is that in some cases even more compact products possessing smaller weight and dimensions are required. For the best solution pocket personal computers (PocketPC) — a handheld computer in this case can be .

As an example of such arrangements it is possible to result handheld computer Pocket LOOX of 600 Fujitsu-Siemens corporations. In spite of the fact that this corporation was among the first manufacturers of the pocket computers announcing model with the processor of Intel PXA250 with microarchitecture of Intel XScale, handheld computer Pocket LOOX 600 even after rather long time remains to one of the most perfect arrangements of this class.

Structure of a package of handheld computer Pocket LOOX 600

Fig. 1. A package of handheld computer Pocket LOOX 600

Into structure of a package of handheld computer Pocket LOOX 600 enter:

·        HANDHELD COMPUTER Pocket LOOX 600,

·        a soft cover for a handheld computer,

·        kredl for a handheld computer,

·        a power supply unit with a network cord,

·        cable USB used for hooking up to the PC,

·        additional stilus (the main as a part of a handheld computer),

·        two CDs with the software,

·        the documentation.

The main technical parametres and pattern

Fig. 2. Handheld computer Pocket LOOX 600

Basis of the architecture of a handheld computer is rather powerful processor of Intel PXA250 of microarchitecture of Intel XScale with clock rate of 400 MHz. When high efficiency is not required, handheld computer operation in an economic mode with the reduced clock rate is possible. The processing technique low energopotreblenija, realised for the given processor, at the expense of reduction of productivity of a handheld computer increases time of its operation from the secondary generator.

Memory of a handheld computer is presented by two types of units: the working memory (RAM — the operative storage device) and the read-only memory (ROM — the constant storage device). Thus the working memory size makes 64 Mb, the read-only memory – 32 Mb. The big informational size of the built in memory allows to work with a considerable quantity of applications.

Lithium-polymeric (Lithium Polimer) the battery, size 1520 mach, provides according to the documentation of 10 business hours and 100 hours in a waiting mode. Additional charge is possible both through kredl, and at direct hooking up of a handheld computer to an external power supply unit.

Energetic possibilities of a handheld computer increase twice with usage of the second battery.

The liquid crystal mirroring colour touch panel allows to output the map with the permission 0.22 dpi at 240х320 with a considerable quantity of colours which can reach 65536 (64 ) colours. Possibilities of the screen provide bright front highlighting and hand-written input.

Basis of the system software is the operating system of Microsoft Pocket PC 2002. As a part of this OS special menu FSC SpeedMenu — the menu of a quick start of applications is provided . It allows to open fast documents, handheld computer and folder programs with which regular operation is carried out.

Built in the architecture of a handheld computer of resource Bluetooth provide wireless interconnection and data transfer on a radio channel with the various arrangements, incorporating similar resources.

Features of design and interfaces

Fig. 3. Basic elements of interfaces of a handheld computer

1.     The screen.
The liquid crystal mirroring colour touch panel, 65536 colours and shades, the permission 0,22 dpi at 240х320, front highlighting, hand-written input.

2.     The joystick.
The four-routed control button. Buttons of a quick start of applications are customised on requirements of the user.

3.     The slot for memory maps.
The MMS-MAP increases a handheld computer memory size.

4.     The button of call of the menu.
Carries out a quick start of the menu of applications. Is customised.

5.     A sprocket of scrolling with possibility of pressing.
Is for skrollinga pages from top to down and back. Pressing a scrolling sprocket fulfils enter key functions in the PC.

6.     An infrared port.
Provides wireless transmission between a handheld computer and other arrangements, supplied IR-ports.

7.     The plug for stereoear-phones.
Allows to listen to the audioinformation, for example, audiofiles.

8.     An expansion slot.
Allows to hook up maps of standard Compact Flash II.

9.     The button of inclusion/turn off Bluetooth.
Provides inclusion/turn off of the built in resources Bluetooth providing wireless data transfer between a handheld computer and arrangements, supporting the given processing technique.

10. The button of inclusion of a dictophone.
Function of a digital dictophone provides different modes. A microphone and the speaker built in.

11. Kredl.
Delivery is intended for synchronisation from the PC and additional charge of the battery of a handheld computer. Has port USB for hooking up to the PC and slot for a power supply unit.

12. Stilus.
Is for input and a data control by means of the touch panel. Fulfils functions of a mouse.

Modularity and the Internet

The built in plugs allow to increase a memory size of the read-only memory and to expand functionality of a handheld computer at the expense of hooking up of additional arrangements. For example, it is possible hook up IBM Microdrive to a handheld computer which size can to reach 1 Gbyte and above. Handheld computer hooking up to local area network WLAN is possible. It is possible to use also: network cards LAN; flash-memory Secure Digital maps, Multimedia Card, Compact Flash type II; notebook PCMCIA-port; the GPS-unit, the modem, a videocamera, VGA.

GPRS unit hooked up to a handheld computer transforms a handheld computer into a personal communicator, adding mobile phone function. By means of this unit probably network connect of the Internet on standard channels of operators of cellular communication.

In an Internet network it is possible to quit by means of wireless hooking up through Wireless LAN, and also through a mobile phone supporting standard Bluetooth, or through modems of other arrangements, equipped IR-ports (IrDA).

The first experience of usage

The handheld computer is convenient for using for reading of books in the standard of files *.pdf. In this case it is convenient to use the built in sprocket of scrolling of the text, absent in the majority of similar arrangements. Presence of this possibility allows to manage one left hand whereas in other handheld computers in which similar resources are absent, for performance skrollinga two hands are required.

From a handheld computer it is possible to fulfil reading and editing of documents which can be prepared preliminary resources of standard Microsoft Word with their subsequent conversion by the built in possibilities of the same editor in the standard necessary for a handheld computer. The text set in a handheld computer and its editing can be fulfilled, using a cursive or its standard equivalent. And by means of the special keyboard which is specified in the list of additional accessories, operations with documents can be fulfilled in the standard, habitual way.

In addition to the editor of Word presented by version Pocket Word, in set Office it is possible to find and such standard resources as Excel in its handheld computer-version — Pocket Excel, well and, of course, the calculator. Without this set it is difficult to manage to the businessman. And still there are notepads, telephone quick references, etc.

Using rather developed possibilities of multimedia, by means of a handheld computer it is possible to look even video, and also to listen to audio records. By the way, the handheld computer can be used as a dictophone, the truth, considering rather low sensitivity of the built in microphone to write expediently user, instead of external sources of a sound. Write modes can be selected.

By the way, in some mass media authors of similar browses complained about some lacks of handheld computer Pocket LOOX 600. Among these lacks named, for example, impossibility of charging of the built in secondary generator through kredl. It is difficult to tell, than this error is called, but the fact remains the fact — secondary generator charging goes quite successfully both in kredle, and without it. In the latter case the handheld computer is hooked up directly to a network power supply unit. Other marked disadvantage is possible, the extremely insignificant, map jitter. It is necessary to mark, that on the screen of the presented sample of this effect it was not observed. However at service centre have confirmed, that is the extremely rare, for some copies, it can take place. But experts of centre have assured, that the small setup which is carried out within several minutes, the given effect is easily eliminated, and the user receives at once back rather powerful handheld computer.

Certainly, it is impossible to consider pocket personal computers as equivalent changeover to notebooks or desktop PCs. But they can be considered as successful addition to them.

As to consideration of all functions and usages of handheld computer Pocket LOOX 600 in small article to make it it is not obviously possible. However some of them will be described in subsequent articles.

Useful references

The description of handheld computer Pocket LOOX 600:

http://www.fujitsu-siemens.ru/products/handhelds/loox.phtml

http://www.fujitsu-siemens.com/rl/products/handhelds/pocketloox.html

The interactive description:

http://www.pocketloox.ru

http://www.pocketloox.ru/loox.phtml

Seminars:

http://www.fujitsu-siemens.ru/service/seminar_loox.phtml

Accessories:

http://www.fujitsu-siemens.com/rl/products/handhelds/pocketLOOX.html

Handheld computer Pocket LOOX 600 is given by the Moscow representation of Fujitsu-Siemens corporation