Toshiba JournE 7" Tablet Vs. SmartQ 7

[celtica96]

Toshiba just released information on the JournE Windows CE tablet.

See http://www.pcworld.com/businesscente...ifestyles.html

Revised specs from http://socialnews.toshiba.co.uk/?ReleaseID=13453 and other sources.

• 7’’ 16:9 Touch Screen Panel (800x480 resolution)
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g Wireless
• Wi-Fi: support WEP, WPA, WPA2
• WinCE Pro + IE 6.0 (browser) + MSN (message/voice)
• 2200 mAh Li-polymer internal battery (Up to 14 hours battery life)
• Memory Cards Support: SD*, MMC, MS and MS Pro, xD (*SDHC: supported up to 32GB)
• Internal Memory: 1GB NAND Flash
• Speakers: 0.5W Speaker*2 (stereo)
• Weight: 450g
• Dimensions: 19cm x 13cm x 1.4cm (sometimes just posted as 14mm thick)
• Supported File Format:
o Picture: JPEG, BMP
o Audio: MP3; Video: WMA, MPEG 4, H.264, DivX and WMV
• USB port:
o 1. A type USB 1.1(Host)
o 2. Mini-B USB 2.0 (USB device)
• Optional Docking station: HDMI TV out, Charging, Remote Control
• Estimated MSRP: $356 USD + Docking Station Price

Would you buy this instead of a SmartQ 7?

Pictures are available here: http://www.pcpro.co.uk/gallery/news/...-journe-tablet

Better pictures and video of the JournE are available here: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/03/t...imedia-tablet/

[Nation.A.List]

Originally Posted by celtica96

..............Would you buy this instead of a SmartQ 7? ...........

Would I buy a Ferrari instead of a Ford ? If I had the money yes. It's nearly twice the price, but probably better quality parts & manufacturing. We know it has an ARM cpu and runs WinCE, but will it be as modifiable as the Q7? Time will tell..................
but by then there will be another one along and the same question will be asked ......... ad infinitum

[celtica96]

Originally Posted by Nation.A.List

Would I buy a Ferrari instead of a Ford ? If I had the money yes. It's nearly twice the price, but probably better quality parts & manufacturing. We know it has an ARM cpu and runs WinCE, but will it be as modifiable as the Q7? Time will tell..................
but by then there will be another one along and the same question will be asked ......... ad infinitum

As you can tell from my device list, I have a weakness for this type of handheld and may wind up purchasing a JournE for an extended test drive.

The Smart Devices Q7 already runs Android, Linux, & WinCE and the Toshiba JournE Touch seems likely to add Android & Linux.

A key difference between the two is video (both the onscreen display and the HDMI out) but otherwise their hardware capabilities seem pretty similar. One report indicated that the Toshiba uses a 800x480 display like the Q7 but would output video via the optional HDMI at a much higher resolution.

Is video worth the extra $160 plus the unknown cost of the dock?

I found that transcoding video for the N800 was easy but takes time. (I have a very large collection of laserdiscs that I moved over to digital format to preserve them.) I would prefer a device that could play video without the transcoding step. Being able to connect to an HDTV would be a big plus. Maybe it will become kind of a portable Apple TV.

An extra $160 is a lot to spend on a device that's about as capable as the Q7 (excluding video) but more details will be forthcoming from Toshiba so I'll wait and see....

[Nation.A.List]

Originally Posted by celtica96

As you can tell from my device list, I have a weakness for this type of handheld and may wind up purchasing a JournE for an extended test drive.

I had a weakness for 'gadgets' until I lost my job back in June, luckily for me I pre-ordered the Pandora handheld whilst I had the money. Now I'm just waiting for it to be delivered

[Houndx]

With the Archos 9 and eee T-91 priced at $500, my upper price limit for a CE device would be $300. Looks nice tho and maybe with more and more of these devices coming out we'll see some nice software to match.

[bjkel]

This may be a minor gripe, but I like hardware buttons. When reading I prefer to press a button to get to the next page. Which is why the Q7 is just about the perfect design for me. I would still stick with the Q7 based on that. And it's cheaper, since I only got it for reading. I prefer the WinCE for ebook reading but that runs fine on the Q7.

So, nope, I'ld still get the Q7.

[celtica96]

I can't believe I forgot to mention what I think is the 2nd key advantage of the Q7 over the JournE (1st=price).

While Mer may become available for the JournE eventually, an excellent alpha is already running on the SmartDevices Q5 and Q7.

I really like Mer and hope to run it full time on the Q7 once it's out of testing. The interface even works for fat fingers like mine.

Plus, consider the outstanding apps like Canola, FBReader, Midori, Panucci, Tear, etc.

Hmmm. I may have talked myself out of getting a Toshiba JournE even as an experiment.

[Jack Tingle]

Alas, I no longer buy Toshiba products, since they tried (indirectly) to kill everyone in the United States during the cold war. Toshiba sold proscribed technology to the Russians that allowed them to manufacture much quieter fleet ballistic missile subs. At that point, I wrote them out of my pocketbook forever.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

[jankovicgood]

Between a SmartQ and a Toshiba device, i still prefer a Toshiba, specially since SmartQ is only focused in the Chinese market.

[celtica96]

This review indicates sluggish performance: http://www.techradar.com/news/digita...-review-632492.

That would be due to the ARM processor and is probably on par with the Q7.

On a positive note, the reviewer liked the YouTube app.

[Houndx]

I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the hardware is identical to the SmartQ, minus the buttons of course. If that's the case, I can't wait for the firmware to be posted

[pking36330]

Originally Posted by Jack Tingle

Alas, I no longer buy Toshiba products, since they tried (indirectly) to kill everyone in the United States during the cold war. Toshiba sold proscribed technology to the Russians that allowed them to manufacture much quieter fleet ballistic missile subs. At that point, I wrote them out of my pocketbook forever.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

Jack,
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one that recalls Toshiba's treasonous actions. I've been amazed over the years that Toshiba is even permitted to sell in the US. Like you, I'll never buy a Toshiba product and while my decision affects Toshiba in such an infintesimal way that they'll never notice, it makes me feel better than I'm not supporting whatever their next nefarious actitivy is.

[serwei]

I'm sure other companies sold tech too...

anyway I already have the Toshiba G900, which is like the JournE except it's 520MHz, has phone connectivity, and fits in my larger pockets...

[ColdSun]

I won't be buying one. Although I know the design on my Q7 may not be as good of quality, I love the device ergonomics. The stand on the back, even though it is cheap, is one of the coolest things. The buttons are awesome, and even though they could be higher quality, I hate dirtying up my screen by touching it all the time. For reading, the Q7 is really the PERFECT device for me.

[Jack Tingle]

Originally Posted by serwei

I'm sure other companies sold tech too...

http://japanlaw.info/lawletter/april87/fdf.htm

They did a quoted USD 30 billion in damages to the US defense posture. Someone costs me $150 plus putting my life at risk, I'm not buying from them.

Regards,
Jack Tingle