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| Page Two of Asus "MyPal" A716 PocketPC |
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 The A716 contains 64MB of SDRAM, but only 55.2MB of it are usable for programs and data. A fairly common configuration for current PocketPC’s. A nice feature of the A716 is the 64MB of Flash ROM. 32MBs of the Flash Rom is used for the storage of the Windows Mobile 2003 OS and its applications. 31MBs are available to the user for extra program and data storage capacity, as well as data backup. This extra Flash storage is a great feature for users with large amounts of critical data they want to backup to a secure area. The A716 features a user-replaceable Lithium battery. It is a 1500 mAH rechargeable battery. It is rare to find a high-capacity battery in a PocketPC. Asus claims a 19 hour battery life. Of course this would be under ideal conditions, running in Power Savings Mode, minimum screen brightness, etc. In the real world, most users run in a more “power hungry” mode. I found that operating at full screen brightness, Automatic Power Mode, and running power-hungry applications such as games and Windows Media Player, I could still get 4 hours of use before the A716 would shut down on me. Running in a typical use pattern with lower screen brightness, lower power mode, and WiFi / Bluetooth turned off, I was able to get 12 hours of battery life between charges. This is exceptionally good for a PocketPC. An optional 3000 mAH “Extended” Lithium Ion Battery is available and will double your battery life. Unfortunately, the extended battery adds a lot of additional weight and thickness to the A716. The A716 contains the standard microphone and speaker for a PocketPC. The microphone is located at the bottom right corner and works as you might expect. No surprises. The speaker, which is located in the lower left corner, has average performance. Not as good for music as I would like and the maximum volume level is low, but it is fine for the normal clicks and sound effects found in most applications and games. For music and audio-in-video, use a headphone. The headphone jack is located at the top left corner.  There is a thin light bar at the top of the A716 above the power button that provides notification of battery charging, alarms and appointment alerts, and WiFi / Bluetooth activity. On the top right corner is the WiFi antenna. While this can be unscrewed to remove it, it is not recommended and it would reduce the range of the WiFi.The A716 features a fast IrDA port with 4Mbps/115kbps speed capability. This feature worked well, but like most PocketPC’s, the port is on the left side of the A716. This is inconvenient to use when “beaming” to another PocketPC or communicating with a laptop computer. In addition to the usual applications built into Windows Mobile 2003, the A716 includes a back up utility to save all your data to a Compact Flash / SD / MMC card or the internal flash memory. The Asus Settings utility allows you to control the A716’s screen brightness, processor speed, microphone sensitivity, audio volume, treble, and bass, as well as other functions. A basic application launch program is also included, but would have been more useful if it contained functions to close running applications. Utility programs are built-in to manage and control the WiFi and Bluetooth features.  The A716 includes a CD of additional software that you can install. Included accessories are:Docking cradle, designed for the A716 with the standard or extended battery AC Adapter Manual, Quick Start Guide, and Warranty Card Outlook / ActiveSync CD Bonus CD with additional applications, games, and more Protective Case The A716 comes with a very complete, printed, instruction manual. The Asus cradle is a solid design with a “weighted” base and two wide rubber pads to prevent slipping. The cradle features a moveable block that adjusts for the thickness required for the extended battery. The block is extended when you have the standard battery so that it fills the empty space in the slot for the A716. When the extended battery is used, which makes the A716 much thicker in size, the block is retracted in order to give the slot more room for the A716. The quality and feel of the A716 is excellent. Exactly what I have come to expect from Asus. I have had no problems using the A716. Fast performance, lots of memory, battery life, built-in WiFi and Bluetooth, Compact Flash and SD slots, and Asus quality makes this a PocketPC that fits everyone’s needs, as long as you can deal with the heavy weight and large size. Pros Great quality Fast Performance Integrated WiFi and Bluetooth Compact Flash and SD Slots Long battery life Extended battery option Cons Heavy Large size Cannot use WiFi and Bluetooth simultaneously Rating: 8.0 out of 10 Stars. Reviewed by Harvey Lee Technology Editor Product: Asus “MyPal” A716 PocketPC Manufacturer: Asus Computer International Web Site: http://usa.asus.com Category: PocketPC / PDA Platform Price: $449.95 Availability: Now Asus "MyPal" A716 PocketPC |
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