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Aceeca's PalmOS-based PDA32 gets reviewed, albeit in prototype form
Ah, the dream does live on. If we're being straight with you, we didn't exactly have the highest hopes for Aceeca's PDA32 to ever make it out of the dreamworld in which it was created, but apparently it's well on its well to commercialization. For reasons unknown, of course. The good folks over at TamsBlog managed to get ahold of a prototype device, powered by one of yesteryear's greatest operating systems and encased in a comically large shell. It's important to note that this isn't a finalized retail unit, but it's still fairly fascinating that an object like the one you're looking at above is actually about to ship in the year 2010 A.D. The overview is about what you'd expect, noting that the screen is above average, the enclosure itself is downright "fat," and the whole thing seems far more sensible in the enterprise realm than the consumer one. Sadly, there's no real talk of software performance, but we suspect that'll come when the final product ships out. Hit the source link for a fascinating look at a device you'll never buy.
Aceeca's PDA32 keeps the PalmOS dream alive
We'd heard earlier this year that Aceeca would be sticking with PalmOS for at least a few more devices, and it looks like those hopes have now finally become a reality in the form of the company's PDA32 device. In addition to a leading-edge, one-inch-thick design, this one packs a 320 x 480 display, along with a 400MHz Samsung S3C2440 processor, 64MB of RAM, 128MB of flash storage, an SD card slot for expansion, and optional Bluetooth and WiFi (in case you don't need such things). Still no official word on a release date, but a preliminary spec sheet that's turned up lists April 10th, and a price of just $199 -- belt holster not included.
PalmOS lives on, Aceeca releasing two devices this year
Sure, all the cool kids might have moved on to webOS these days, but the venerable PalmOS hasn't totally kicked it yet -- a company called Aceeca is actually releasing two Garnet-based devices later this year. If you don't remember the entire sordid saga, the source code for PalmOS actually ended up with Access, which now licenses it out to other companies -- including Palm, as it happens. Confusing? Yes. So is the idea of forking over $199 for the consumer-targeted Aceeca PDA32 Garnet, which packs an unnamed ARM CPU, a QVGA screen, and an SD expansion slot into a case that's "taller than a Palm TX and about twice as thick." Oh, and you'll have to pay extra for "wireless options." Sounds like a winner -- we'd actually advise you to go with the PDA32 CE, which runs Windows CE 5.0 and probably looks a lot like a Samsung Blackjack if you squint just right and drink enough rubbing alcohol. Corporate customers get some dated hardware of their own from Aceeca: the MEZ1500 Garnet, which will run a steep $499 and keeps the QVGA screen but adds a bigger battery, a faster processor, and an expansion bus for various optional barcode scanner, RFID readers, and so forth. You'll have to pay extra for WiFi and Bluetooth on this one too, and you can also get a WinCE 5.0 version, which is apparently some kind of hilarious vaporware no one's been waiting for. Sadly we don't have any pictures of this gear, but we're dying to check it all out -- can you say "iPhone killer?"
