Windows Mobile Editor Anthony Newman evaluates Toshiba's latest powerhouse of a handheld, and finds that this giant packs a punch.
Toshiba have always been a pretty workmanlike manufacturer of Pocket PCs, producing handhelds just behind the leading curve and generally avoiding the risky aesthetics. With their e800, however, they’ve followed in the footsteps of their one unique handheld - the e550g - and ran with it. But do the unparalleled specifications make this a ‘must-have’ device?
 | Toshiba have created a real powerhouse.
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Design
For the latest round of devices Toshiba have abandoned their traditional squared-silver approach to design and instead opted for a frankly ravishing midnight-blue exterior, topped with black and silver highlights. The overall effect is sleek and stylish while also remaining professional, which we like.
The e800, also badged as the e805, is admittedly a very large handheld, although by no means uncomfortable: it’s bigger than the flagship iPAQ, and is a portly 198 g. However, in the light of the specifications this bulk can largely be forgiven. Much of the size is due to the enormous screen, and certainly the handheld does look in proportion.
The 16-bit transflective display is a mind-boggling 4 inches diagonally, confirming every woman’s certainty that size really does matter. The e800 beats every other Pocket PC for sheer screen area. It’s also exceedingly bright, featuring automatic brightness control, and has both great colour reproduction and a solid touchscreen. Oh, did we mention that it’s VGA?
Toshiba have executed a bit of a coup here, packing a truly gorgeous 480 x 640 screen into a regular handheld. When in VGA mode, this display is unbelievably good. There are some factors to overcome, which we will discuss later, but from a design perspective this is the best screen in the world at the moment.
The stylus, on the other hand, is awful: a light telescopic toothpick with a funny point and a tendency to close while in use. Furthermore, it rattles in its silo, making the otherwise-solid PDA seem dangerously loose.
Toshiba’s selection of buttons is pretty good, on the other hand. The top of the unit holds an annoyingly small power button, but the main application buttons, arranged around a rectangular 8-way D-pad and separate enter button, are refreshingly clicky and also look the part. As well as the standard application and record buttons (one of which is mapped to Toshiba’s own ‘Home’ application), users are treated to a separate hold switch on the left side, which locks all the keys. As usual, Toshiba include a jog rocker with enter function on the left side of the handheld, just between the hold switch and record button.
Although a bit spongy for some tastes, we’d rather it there than not.
Notification of wireless connectivity is given by an LED on the top of the device, while charging status is given by another LED on the front face.
The e800 offers quite a mixed bag on the audio front: the front-mounted speaker is perhaps the worst we’ve ever heard, being quiet and tinnier than a sardine factory. The headphone jack, however, is both loud and clear, with plenty of options for volume, balance, bass and treble. We did experience odd artefacts and sound fluctuations that didn’t appear while playing the same tracks on other units, which seem linked to graphics processing. Incidentally, Toshiba do not provide earbuds (or a case) with the e800, which is odd for a premium device.
The microphone, built in to the top of the unit next to the headphone jack, has settings for close and distant recording, as well as an auto gain control option and the ability to boost or mute the input. It produced acceptable recordings.
Connectivity
Connectivity is one area in which Toshiba have finally got themselves together. On this flagship model we find both a CF Type II slot and an SDIO-capable SD / MMC slot, each mounted on the top of the device, and in the case of the CF slot fitted with a swish eject button. It’s nice to still find dual-slot devices available, and with such a device pretty much any Pocket PC compatible expansion card can be used.
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