- While not the smallest unit and Craig say it is not pocket sized, it is much smaller than the Newton and could be put in a jacket pocket or shirt pocket while the Newton cannot.
- I think the battery life, while shorter than a 200lx is better than or equal to what you get on a Newton. And really, what does a pair of AA batteries cost? The price of using a battery powered device if you ask me
- Landscape and portrait mode - While the 2.0 OS on Newton fixes this - it still is an option that the OG implements well. The square screen has put some limitations on the unit but I guess the trade off in this fashion is better than fewer apps in ROM or a slower unit due to the needed redraws of a rectangular screen.
- Keyboard and pen input - again the 2.0 system will support a keyboard, and one will be available - assuming you want to carry around another peice of equipment. Of any PDA out there, the OG is one of the only ones where you can do every needed input with the pen. The Zaurus comes close but you can't actually input text with the pen like you can on the OG.
- Better built in apps - Great spreadsheet, database, jotter function and calculators. None of which is built in to the Newt - to buy all the apps that are included on the OG would set you back several hundred dollars and they wouldn't be as smoothly integrated.
- Faster Graffitti recognition and implementation. I think Graffitti executes much faster from ROM than in the Newt - I can't write fast enough on the OG to overflow Graffitti, which you can on the Newt. Additionally, the ability to select Graffitti in the notepad and jotter and write on the whole screen instead of being limited to the input box blows the Newt away. Just ask a Newt user about the worn spot on their screen where they do all their text entry. No one will tell you that the Newt works well for taking notes in class, meetings etc. The OG on the otherhand works fine - both pen (with practice) or by keyboard.
- While the screen contrast is much maligned - it sure doesn't feel like something that will scratch like the Newts. That is a constant source of concern for Newt users and all of them scratch. Only time will tell, but the texture of the screen and early durability seem good
- No memory problems - ask any Newt user about their unit and one thing they have to be concerned about is heap space. The Newt can only have a few apps actually loaded on the machine at any one time before it slows down or crashes. You can archive apps and reinstall them fairly easily with 3rd party apps but it is a concern. The task switching of GEOS blows the Newt away in this regard. Even on the LX's you have to worry about the number of open apps under system manager - not with the GEOS.
- Great customer support - HP is famous for it - check an earlier post of mine for an example.
- Strong outlook for 3rd party apps - with the GEOS operating system already an established OS with an existing SDK - it will be just a matter of time before more shareware etc. appears.
see next post...