The Gamer's PDA
Written: Jul 23 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Unit thinness, screen size, sounds capabilities, visual capabilities, compatible with standard Palm apps.
Cons: Stylus placement, lack of unit-specific screen protectors Only retail store carrying Zodiac is CompUSA.
The Bottom Line: Definitely a good PDA is you are looking to upgrade from an older model. Also good for those who like the newest PDAs
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| Alendrix's Full Review: Tapwave Zodiac 2 |
I was a bit apprehensive about buying a Tapwave Zodiac to replace my Tugsten C. Mainly due to the fact that it is labelled as a 'Gaming PDA'. However, upon seeing it at a local CompUSA my mind was quickly changed. The bright, crisp screen is what caught my attention first. The landscaped 480x320 screen is beautiful, once I got closer the looped, semi-interactive demo caught my ears. The sounds coming from this thin device was outstanding.
What had worried me the most, the analog joystick for games, is hardly noticeable as a joystick. it blends well with the face of the unit. You do not even see the shoulder triggers, as they are flush with the unit.
It comes with the standard PDA functions (Datebook, To Do, Address, and Memo Pad) as well as two full games (Stuntcar Extreme and AcidSolitaire). It has Kinoma Player installed, but the Kinoma Producer is only the trial version. That was disappointing as they talk about the video potential, but give you nothing to encode video with.
It has two SD/MMC slots. One is standard, while the other is SDIO so it can utilize the camera cards, WiFi cards, etc. Tapwave says anything larger than 16MB is recognized (up to the newest 1GB SD cards). It has built-in Bluetooth, which I haven't used as I own nothing Bluetooth.
The unit is much thinner than I had expected, which is a nice balance since it is longer than most Palm devices. The unit is designed for landscape use (and the launcher only displays in this view), but can be switched to portrait mode for many Palm applications. Tapwave warns that not ALL Palm apps are compatible, but I have yet to find one that isn't.
The stylus is located on the back of the unit and simply clicks into place. So you may find yourself knocking it out on occasion when grasping the unit.
As it is a gaming PDA, I have played Stuntcar Extreme. It is amazing the speed and 3D graphics this little unit can pull off, all without getting to warm. I plan on buying a couple of the other 3D games to check out (such as Doom or Duke Nukem).
All in all, a great PDA with a excellent screen.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 400
Recommended for: Gadget Lovers - Trendy and Hip
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Epinions.com ID:
Alendrix
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Location: Phoenix, AZ
Reviews written: 8
Trusted by: 0 members
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