FSC Pocket Loox 720

[grantmaster]

-Mp3 player like audio quality

Hmm... so ASUS A730 has a mp3 playback with less quality than the loox?

If I were in Italy, I'd go with the loox. Its battery life is reported everywhere to be more respectable than the A730. It also has a jog dial, and its speaker is located in the front.

(I hate rear speakers... such a counter-intuitive design...)

As for myself, I can't gamble with a $600 investment... I'll probably go with the ASUS.

[Lukas44]

-Mp3 player like audio quality

Hmm... so ASUS A730 has a mp3 playback with less quality than the loox? .

That is an incorrect assumption, bordering on ridiculous.
The Asus has an excellent audio quality matching or besting the Loox.
It also has extra controls for Treble, Bass, and extra "stereo effect", along with usual balance & volume controls.

[Lukas44]

Loox vs Asus

I would say that the loox720 excells over the Asus in:
Side scroll button.
Battery cherger in cradle.
Larger standard battery.
Some Spb Benchmarks:
CPU index
2174.3 Loox720
2074 ASUS A730W
Platform index
1354 Loox720
1249 ASUS A730W


I would then say the Asus 730w excells over the loox in:
Screen size slightly bigger.
Overall PDA size smaller.
Button layout & shape.
Camera pic quality & focus.
No need for buton delay sotware fix.
No Quality control issues with screens batches that were/are yellow tinted.
No Newer Bluetooth V1.2 issues with license expired message.
Extra battery, when taken into account, will make unit alive longer away from home.
Some Spb Benchmarks:
Spb Benchmark index
1514 ASUS A730W
1453 Loox720
File system index
1248 ASUS A730W
1240 Loox720
Graphics index
1090 ASUS A730W
914 Loox720

I couldn't find any other comparison Benchmarks off hand.

I would also say that the point about newer version of bluetooth is moot, since Asus has resolved these issues themselves.
Here is a old post qoute from Justin:
"The big reason that we don't want a unit reviewed that isn't final production is because Asus was working on some rather important adjustments in the last month which is why the unit got pushed back. Asus didn't want anything reviewed that wasn't perfect."...
"The big thing they were working on was getting bluetooth and wifi to work at the same time........ Asus confirmed they did accomplish this."

As to the screens, I would say the Loox has a wider viewing angle, but from other websites post, it is a warmer picture than the Asus, which is said to have the "whitest whites" and looks either cooler or more neutral.
I realize this is my opinion, but from observing photos of it, I do not personally believe it looks as good or better than the Asus.

The reason why I see these 2 PPCs as being the best for various tasks, is that they have THE MOST RAM!
This is not to be taken lightly, and I would place RAM at a higher importance than ANY single feature! Any PDA with less is RAM potentially crippled for heavy use.
Getting into any more details on this RAM issue would require another thread.
The Dell's low price would offset an after-market RAM upgrade, putting it in similar price range in these 2, but would void original warranty.

[Duncan]

The Asus has an excellent audio quality matching or besting the Loox.
It also has extra controls for Treble, Bass, and extra "stereo effect", along with usual balance & volume controls.

The Loox 720 has exactly the same controls - Treble, bass and 3D.

[Guest]

The big thing they were working on was getting bluetooth and wifi to work at the same time........ Asus confirmed they did accomplish this.

You seem not to understand. Of course Bluetooth 1.1 and Wifi work together albeit with much more interference and thus lower performance.
Besides the larger battery this is exactly the reason , why the Loox is the "better" A730w imo.

[Note_kung]

I've just sold my Loox because I don't like the worst quality of its camera. And also the refresh rate of the screen I suppose it's not so good because when I go to firstloox website I see the background blinking all the time and I heard that for a730 this does not happend. And for the screen coloring I think the white color is not white when I look on the screen in my office which is luminated by bright white neon.

I also hate the message the license is expired for the bluetooth and also the thin glass on screen is not flat (my old hp 3950 has very flat screen, I can use it as mirror when I'm puting on my tie) and look so fragile.

[Menneisyys]

I've just sold my Loox because I don't like the worst quality of its camera. And also the refresh rate of the screen I suppose it's not so good because when I go to firstloox website I see the background blinking all the time and I heard that for a730 this does not happend. And for the screen coloring I think the white color is not white when I look on the screen in my office which is luminated by bright white neon.

I also hate the message the license is expired for the bluetooth and also the thin glass on screen is not flat (my old hp 3950 has very flat screen, I can use it as mirror when I'm puting on my tie) and look so fragile.

As for the expired licensed BT unit, your PL720 is definitely a faulty one - swap it to a good one, use your warranty.

Some PL720's indeed may have a slightly yellowish tint - when you swap your device, make sure you check the new one.

Blinking/ screen refresh: I couldn't see any blinking (your unit may be faulty - see the BT error). And I do know what it means - my 2nd PPC is the iPAQ 2210. You may know that it does have a blinking screen. My PL720 is orders of magnitude better in this respect (too).

[RChickenMan]

Wait a minute, are you telling me that some PPCs actually have such a crappy refresh rate that you can see the screen blinking? That's hilarious...

[Menneisyys]

Wait a minute, are you telling me that some PPCs actually have such a crappy refresh rate that you can see the screen blinking? That's hilarious...

yes, just look at the iPAQ 2210

[Guest]

I've just sold my Loox because I don't like the worst quality of its camera. And also the refresh rate of the screen I suppose it's not so good because when I go to firstloox website I see the background blinking all the time and I heard that for a730 this does not happend. And for the screen coloring I think the white color is not white when I look on the screen in my office which is luminated by bright white neon.

I also hate the message the license is expired for the bluetooth and also the thin glass on screen is not flat (my old hp 3950 has very flat screen, I can use it as mirror when I'm puting on my tie) and look so fragile.

As for the expired licensed BT unit, your PL720 is definitely a faulty one - swap it to a good one, use your warranty.

That's not true. I know that even Hx4700 and X50v users have this problem. I believe it's got to do with WM2003SE/BT v1.2.

About the screen refresh rate, I take it you're looking at Firstloox's website in "true VGA" in which case it is the way Firstloox's background is done with the intertwined white and different shades of gray that produces the illusion of a low refresh rate.

[Duncan]

That's not true. I know that even Hx4700 and X50v users have this problem. I believe it's got to do with WM2003SE/BT v1.2.

Yes - though this appears to lie at the feet of HTC and their implementation of the Bluetooth stack rather than being a BT 1.2 or WM2003SE issue. I know for a fact that FSC having been looking into a fix - I strongly suspect that Dell and HP will be also.

About the screen refresh rate, I take it you're looking at Firstloox's website in "true VGA" in which case it is the way Firstloox's background is done with the intertwined white and different shades of gray that produces the illusion of a low refresh rate.

Good heavens - you're right! I hadn't actaully noticed before (it is a little like the effect of video on a TV screen so I think I've just screened it out...)

[grantmaster]

-Mp3 player like audio quality

Hmm... so ASUS A730 has a mp3 playback with less quality than the loox? .

That is an incorrect assumption, bordering on ridiculous.

Thank you. I was waiting for someone to say that.

[Menneisyys]

That's not true. I know that even Hx4700 and X50v users have this problem. I believe it's got to do with WM2003SE/BT v1.2.

OIC. I have never had a problem with my PL720's BT - *knocking on wood*

About the screen refresh rate, I take it you're looking at Firstloox's website in "true VGA" in which case it is the way Firstloox's background is done with the intertwined white and different shades of gray that produces the illusion of a low refresh rate.

Still it's not as bad as the 2210 - the iPAQ is shimmering all the time. Also, some x50v users reported much more annoying shimmering in Landscape mode.

[whoever]

And this is quite important to me.
I would like to get decent photo when I go out to have dinner with friends and I didn't bring my digital camera there. This always happen to me.
Sometimes unexpected event happen and camera is in need. I think asus is more suited to my needs

[c0de]

I'm from Italy,
I was using an ASUS A620 'till december then I bought a new ASUS A730 (not the wifi one), got to say that pay 400€ for this beauty (in the pack there was also the USB host cable) was the best decision.

I did not spend my whole time on games, the only ones that I play are all designed for PPC (I love to play with the pen) so cant see any problem with that, I use it as MP3 player on the way for work and also at home while working and got to say that the speaker is awesome.. try, as I do, to work a lot on excel files and you will understand what a bigger and so bright screen can mean...

I'm not interested in judge which PPC is better, I use to buy any kind of electronic component following my needs and not "what would be better" that because I'm the only one that can judge his needs..

To be honest it seems to me more logic to say "X50 or A730" then "Loox or A730" because I would only change my PPC for something with a dedicated 3D processor and following my previous experiences with different brends I'll wait for next ASUS models.. is just my point of view!

To the italian guy:
If your choice will be for the ASUS and you need info feel free to contact me

I experienced some problems with my old A620 and got to say that in Italy ASUS support works really good!