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SCMP Reporter

Sony Clie

Specifications

Price: HK$4,380 (PEG-NX80V) and HK$3,380 (PEG-NX73V)

Pros: Dual memory card access plus slim 'Wing Design' so users can swivel, flip and rotate the LCD screen by up to 180 degrees

Cons: Limited CF card application and low battery life when using multimedia functions

Sony says the latest models in its line of personal digital assistants strike a better balance between form and function. Users looking for a multimedia handheld that complements their library of Memory Stick or CompactFlash Type II memory cards now have Sony's Clie PEG-NX80V/H and PEG-LNX73V/H to choose from.

On the hinge of the device between the liquid crystal display screen and keyboard, the new NX-class Clie handheld has a 1.3-megapixel digital camera with a 'Capture Light' that illuminates subjects in low lighting conditions when taking still images or recording video.

For sunny conditions, the camera also features a light filter that helps to prevent over-exposing subjects.

The digital camera rotates 300 degrees for capturing images at up to 1,280x960 pixel resolutions and recording MPEG4 video clips at up to 60-minute intervals of continuous video (160x112 pixels) using an optional one-gigabyte Memory Stick Pro media.

The back of the unit reveals a redesigned communications slot that pops out with a flick of a switch. Sony has expanded the capabilities of the slot to support select CF type II memory cards for the storage and access of supported applications and data files - allowing the device to now accept both the Memory Stick and CF memory format cards.

The communications slot also enables users to wirelessly browse the internet and check their e-mail on a Wi-Fi (802.11b) network when used with an optional Sony PEGA-WL100 or WL110 wireless local area network cards.

Sony has pre-installed most of its own applications into the memory (increased to 32 megabytes). This minimises the set-up time, eliminates the need to reinstall the applications in the event that the battery is completely depleted, and makes more space available for storage on the silver-coloured Clie LNX80V model, which has 32MB of on-board memory.

The black PEG-NX73V Clie model shares most features of the NX80V model, but it has a lower pixel resolution camera, no Capture Light and just 16MB of on-board memory.

Sony has added Decuma handwriting recognition software option, which recognises the full 26-character Roman alphabet when written in printed letters. Users can select either this or the Graffiti 2 software for character entry. A third input option includes a standard keyboard that is backlit for operation in dimly lit environments.



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Sony

Versatile handheld sheds more light on dark subjects