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Sony
TH55 PDA
TH55 PDA
Sony PDA
TH55 Pocket PC
Features:
- Palm OS version 5.2, Sony Handheld Engine processor, 32 MB RAM
- Built-in 310K Pixels CMOS Camera with 2x Digital Zoom (JPEG, 640 x 480 resolution),
- audio player, and video player
- High resolution TFT Color Display (480 x 320 dots, 65,536 colors)
- Integrated Memory Stick slot (compatible with optional Memory Stick Pro media)
- Internal lithium-ion polymer rechargeable battery
Technical Features
- Weight: 6.5 ounces
- Dimension: 4 7/8 inches (Length) by 3 inches (Width) by 5/8
inches(Height)
- Display: High-resolution TFT Color Display (480 x 320 dots, 65,536 colors)
- Battery: Rechargeable Lithium-ion Polymer Battery (Internal)
- Operating System: Palm OS 5 (v.5.2)
- CPU: Sony Handheld Engine
- Memory: 32 MB RAM (Approximately 32 MB Available), 32 MB ROM
- Interface: USB (for HotSync), Infrared (IrDA 1.2), Memory Stick slot, Wireless LAN (802.11b)
- Power Supply: Output DC5.2V, Input AC100V- 240V
- Battery Life: Approximately 15 days
Box content
- CLIÉ Handheld;
- Protective Cover;
- USB HotSync Cable;
- AC Power Adapter;
- AC Plug Adapter;
- Hand Strap;
- Retractable Stylus;
- Installation CD-ROM;
- Instructions Manuals;
- Graffiti2 Card;
- Safety & Regulation Guide;
- End User License Agreements;
- Limited Warranty Statement
The design is very classy and professional, with a textured black plastic body and dark metal screen bezel. The TH-55 also features a built-in screen cover, which is a fingerprint and smudge magnet. The cover only flips back about 135 degrees, so at times it can get in the way. You can remove it, but it will leave two gaping holes in the top of the handheld. The best thing about the cover is that it is clear, allowing you to see appointments or alarms without opening it up, as well as the "viewfinder" for taking digital photos.
The digital camera is a 310,000 pixel unit capable of 640x480 photos. It has a 2x digital zoom and dedicated shutter/capture buttons on the left side of the handheld. Picture quality is decent for such a small unit, but the photos are only suitable for quick snapshots and e-mailing.
Of note is that the TH-55 has 32MB RAM with all 32MB available for use. In the past, CLIEs had memory specs like "16MB, 11 available to user." For further memory expansion, the Memory Stick slot is located on the left side and has a little door to prevent the stick from popping out. The slot supports all regular Memory Sticks, as well as the new Pro cards.
A big feature about the TH-55 is the wireless networking. Although the U.S. model had Bluetooth removed, the WiFi remains, and works very well. You'll take a noticeable hit in page loading speeds, but turning off Power Saving mode in the main prefs can help. Don't expect pages to pop up instantly though. NetFront 3.1 is the preloaded web browser, and makes for a nice handheld web experience, with various page fit options, Javascript support, and Jog Dial support.
Speaking of the Jog Dial, Sony moved it to the upper back of the PDA, right above the digital camera. This takes some getting used to for previous CLIE owners who may be used to having the Jog Dial on the side. There are also buttons to the left and right of the Jog Dial, which serve as back/forward in NetFront and previous/next in the Audio Player, among other uses.
The speaker is located on the back, and is reasonably loud. If using the TH-55 as an alarm clock, it helps to put it on its face so you can hear the alarm better. Alerts come through well, but the vibrating alarm of previous models has been removed. As with previous models, Sony also includes a Voice Recorder application.
Battery life is phenomenal; I can't honestly remember a time that an electronic device has wowed me with miserly battery consumption. When playing music with the screen off, I got 22 hours and 14 minutes in before the audio capabilities shut down. Surfing the web with WiFi enabled and the screen at half brightness, I got nearly seven hours of use (my cramped fingers!) before the networking shut off.
The great battery life is partly due to the Handheld Engine Sony uses in the TH-55, which is also used in the UX-40/50 line. It integrates a 123MHz ARM CPU, graphics core, and DSP onto one chip. The DSP helps the TH-55 play videos smoothly and decode mp3s despite the low CPU clock. Similar to Intel's SpeedStep technology, the Handheld Engine can regulate its clock speed from 8-123MHz depending on the application.
Sony's been hyping its new Clie Organizer software, but after all the talk, I went back to the standard PIM utilities. Like some third-party apps, it aims to put all utilities in one place, and allow you to move information back and forth between them. The Datebook gets a makeover, allowing you to write notes directly on the screen and add icons and pictures to your appointments. The right side of the screen is home to a tabbed launcher, which lets you access all the core apps with a simple tap. Although it's neat, the default Palm utilities do the job quicker and don't require relearning. It's not bad for a 1.0 release, but needs more speed and polish.
Sony includes Piscel Viewer on the TH-55, so you can view Microsoft Office documents. For a limited time, registering the handheld will get you a free copy of Documents to Go, which will let you edit Office documents. You get just about everything you need out of the box software-wise.
The price is right, and the machine impresses with a lot of technology packed into a small package. Battery life is great, and road warriors who don't like charging every day will love the TH-55. Despite having a low-powered CPU, multimedia doesn't suffer, and the WiFi is very handy when you don't want to fire up your main computer. The wonderful screen is the icing on the cake, but you won't be able to play games that require a joypad due to the screen taking up so much of the front. Not a bad effort from Sony with their first 320x480 tablet form handheld.
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