Windows Phone Thoughts: Loox Like a Winner - A Review of the Loox 720 Pocket PC

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Monday, October 25, 2004

Loox Like a Winner - A Review of the Loox 720 Pocket PC

Posted by Doug Raeburn in "HARDWARE" @ 09:00 AM


A Visual Tour of the Loox 720


Figure 3: The Loox 720 – Click the image above for a larger version of the photo.

The Loox has what I’d describe as a sleek and sophisticated “executive“ appearance, making it a good choice for business use. I prefer this look to the extremely techie “tricorder wannabe” appearance of the hx4700 and the rather dull and uninspired appearance of the Dell. Of course, that’s just my taste… style is a very personal thing.

Above the screen, from left to right, you have the wireless indicator light, the VoIP speaker, the power/message light and the power switch. The bottom has the usual 4 application buttons and a joypad with the action button in the center.


Figure 4: The view from the top – Click the image above for a larger version of the photo.

On the top, you’ll find the CompactFlash and SD slots, the stylus, the IR interface and the headphone jack.


Figure 5: The view from the bottom – Click the image above for a larger version of the photo.

The bottom includes the reset button, the microphone and the ActiveSync port.


Figure 6: The left side – Click the image above for a larger version of the photo.

The left side features a jog dial, and another application button. By default, it calls up the FSC SpeedMenu application, a cascading menu system.


Figure 7: The right side – Click the image above for a larger version of the photo.

The right side has but one control, for the recorder.


Figure 8: The back – Click the image above for a larger version of the photo.

On the back, you’ll find the battery door, the camera lens, the flash and the “self-portrait mirror”.


Figure 9: The 720 next to the iPAQ 2215 – Click the image above for a larger version of the photo.

When placed next to the iPAQ 2215, you can see that other than length, the dimensions are very similar.


Figure 10: The 720 next to the iPAQ 5455 – Click the image above for a larger version of the photo.

When placed next to the older iPAQ 5455, the Loox looks quite a bit smaller. And the 5455 doesn’t have dual slots (although it has a 3.8 inch screen).


Figure 11: How do they stack up? 5455 on top, 2215 in the middle, Loox 720 on the bottom. Click the image above for a larger version of the photo.

Figure 11 shows the comparative thickness of the 3 units. The Loox is slightly thinner than the other two.

The Loox impresses with a very solid and high quality feel. It’s on par with the 5455 and better than the 2215 when equipped with the flimsy standard rubber grips. However, when fitted with high quality replacement grips such as those from Pocket PC Techs, the 2215 has a similar high quality feel.


Figure 12: The cradle – Click the image above for a larger version of the photo.

The cradle is a stylish and sturdy feeling unit, with a space for charging a spare battery.

One downside of buying a Pocket PC that’s designed for sale in another country is that AC plugs differ from country to country. The UK-targeted Loox that I received has an AC adaptor that can be used with 2 types of AC plugs commonly used in the UK, but it lacks the ability to be used with AC plugs in the US. It’s a simple matter of buying a plug converter from Radio Shack (no voltage converter is required), but it is a minor inconvenience. If you’re ordering a UK unit to use in the US, keep this in mind if you order one, so that you have the converter on hand when you receive the shipment.

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