MyPal A600, a sleek PDA for your pocket

Zatni Arbi Columnist Jakarta zatni@cbn.net.id

Choosing the right PDA for yourself or for your loved one this Christmas has become quite a challenge. Almost all of today's PDAs boast a very sleek design, a complete set of features and a slew of add-ons. You can add a digital camera, a video camera, a cell phone, a GPS device or a host of others to complete the PDA of your choice. Which PDA is right for you?

At a time when the PDA market was getting crowded -- even Dell recently came out with a model -- ASUS launched its second generation PDA. This new model is marketed as Razor Zayo in the U.S., while elsewhere it is simply called ASUS MyPal A600.

ASUS claims that its MyPal A600 is the thinnest and lightest with the latest Intel processor, but so do the other PDA makers. Besides, the claim of being the smallest and the lightest -- even if it is true -- would not last long in this ever-changing high- tech world. Still, with a shiny casing made of polished aluminum alloy, the 138-gram MyPal A600 does look quite attractive.

ASUS did a drop test from a height of 75 centimeters, and it claimed that the PDA survived the fall without a scratch. While the company did not tell us whether it fell on a hard or cushioned surface, it is good to know that the slippery PDA has a level of sturdiness to it.

MyPal A600 also uses a very fast processor: Intel's 400 MHz PXA250, which is more widely known as the Xscale processor. The operating system is managed by Microsoft PocketPC 2002, which is complemented by Microsoft ActiveSync 3.5 to synchronize data with Microsoft Outlook and other applications in the PC or notebook.

Other specs of this PDA include a 64 MB memory and 32 MB Flash ROM, a reflective TFT LCD screen capable of displaying 65,536 colors, a built-in speaker, a microphone for recording, a stereo headphone jack, an infrared port, a slot for secure digital multimedia card (SD/MMC) memory for additional storage and, of course, a stylus. The deluxe version comes with a leather pouch.

Below the screen are five buttons, including a four- directional button for navigation. Apparently it has been designed for our left hand, as a jog dial can also be found on the left side of the casing. The power button and the recording button are also located on the left. The buttons are well-made, so it is unlikely that you will inadvertently press them.

The cradle connects to the PC via the USB port. When the battery is being charged, a small LED light will glow red. Once the battery is full, the LED will turn green. If you turn on the device, a blue light in front of the cradle will also glow.

The operating system includes Pocket Outlook, Pocket Internet Explorer, Pocket Word and Pocket Excel from Microsoft. PocketTV is also included, but you will need to hook the PDA up to the Internet.

The fast processor helps in playing back MPEG files, for example. To fully benefit from the power of the new processor, the operating system and applications should also be optimized for it. I was told that the current operating system and applications were made for StrongARM, Intel's earlier processor for PDAs.

The jog dial helps move the cursor up or down and left or right on the menu. We can recharge the battery by plugging the power adaptor's cable directly into the unit. This allows us to travel a little more lightly as we can leave the cradle at home.

ASUS is an industry leader when it comes to power-saving technologies. Its notebooks are full of features that can extend battery life by adjusting the speed of the processor and other components based on the users' changing needs. ASUS has also built this feature into the MyPal A600. You can adjust its processor speed to reduce power consumption. Pressing the home button will take you to ASUS' settings utility. This will allow you to select between turbo mode, standard mode, power-saving mode and automatic mode, which adjusts the speed depending on what you are doing. You can also maximize the performance by activating ASUS' exclusive advanced performance enhancement option. ASUS claims that a battery can run 15 to 16 hours on normal settings.

The utility also allows you to adjust the screen's brightness separately when using the battery or when the unit is attached to the power adaptor. The microphone's sensitivity can also be adjusted.

I do have some wishes on my list, though. First, that this US$599 PDA does not come with built-in Bluetooth capability. While it has a slot for the SD/MMC, you will need to buy the optional jacket if you also want to add CompactFlash memory. It would disqualify the PDA from the thin and light category, obviously.

During my casual test, I was able to easily send a business card from a Nokia 7650 to this PDA via the infrared. However, I was unable to do the reverse. I guess I should have explored further to figure out how to do that.

The connection between the PDA unit and the cradle is a little bit too tight. You have to press the PDA down each time. Understandably, releasing it from the cradle also requires a bit of strength. I guess this will ease over time, as the connecting parts wear out a little.

The sound reproduction is a little bit too metallic, but that is to be expected from a slim device such as this one. The speaker is located inside the navigation button, so your thumb dampens the sound when you place your thumb on the button to operate it. The speaker should have been placed somewhere else.

All in all, MyPal is a very nice PDA to have if your emphasis is on size, weight and processor power. MyPal A600 has received a number of Editor's Choice awards from publications, including PC World, PC Direct, CHIP, Home PC and Personal Computer.

It is not easy these days to impress your co-workers with a PDA that stresses its stylishness alone. I have been told that soon ASUS will launch the accessories for this PDA, including a keyboard. For one thing, though, you will have to dig a little deeper if this is your choice for filling your stocking this Christmas.