Acer S60


Specification:
OS: Palm OS software version 4.1
CPU: Motorola Dragonball VZ processor at 33MHz
Memory: 16MB.
Size and weight: 12,2 x 7,8 x 1,3 cm, 140g
Display: 4096 Colors, TFT, 320×320 pixels display
Power: Lithium-ion rechargeable battery

Others:
FlashROM 4MB
Build-in Infrared (IR) communication.
USB Cradle
Mic for Voice Recording
MemoryStick Expansion Slot
2.5mm Stereo Jack

Released:
2002 Q3

Comments/Review:
This Palm unit was never a well known PalmOS machine in the Palm family, Acer made only 2 sets of PalmOS devices and quit the family, it went into a lawsuit between PalmSource and Acer about breach of contract regarding Acer’s Palm OS License Agreement.

To be honest, I was standing on the PalmSource side on the facts I know about and the “Acer way” biz, anyway it was history and the lawsuit was settle…

In my point of view, this machine was not very well designed in OS-wise, it uses the Hi-Res drawing routines in OS5, instead of the Sony HiRes API (HR-Draw series), while its OS core stays at OS4 (OS4.1 with DB CPU), so what it turns out is it can actually run some OS5 apps (I get RescoExplorer Running in Hi-Res mode on the S60).

But due to this very “funny” way of mixture in OS4 and OS5, there wasn’t much apps were able to run under it, all OS5 apps with PNOlet which takes advantage of the ARM CPU DO NOT Run, and many developer (even me) check OS version when developing miss this machine due to the return string (OS4.x) even they don’t use PNOlet….

On the other hand, this machine runs ok, mp3 playback (same as Sony CLIE series tho, only up to 128kbps mp3s…), Voice recording.

S-series are named as S10 (BW), S50 (Color English version), and the S60 (Color Chinese verison), S50 and S60 are the same instead of the Language of the machine, one thing to be sure is this is the first Chinese native PalmOS in the world, instead of the normal Chinese Addon solution, it also comes with Chinese HWR (which is lincense from PenPower I think)

the S-series uses Sony Memory Sticks which they lincense from Sony, of coz, same as the CLIE OS4 series, sorry, no MSPro, no ProDuo etc, you are limited to 128MB or 256 with that funny(or dumb?) Floopy-like switch design MemoryStick…

The outlook of the machine looks very like a mixture of Sony CLIE N series (Top of the machine) and the Palm m series (buttom of the machine), my 2 cents is it is a very “copy and paste” design, just my 2 cents..

I first spot the S10 in early 2001, when it was first release, it was never a hot item on the market, I rarly see users with it.

Overall, I think it is nice to “collect” a set as a reference of “PalmOS by Acer” where the world seems to be more familar with “PPC by Acer”.
🙂

P.S:
1/ For some reason I found that the model number on the back of the s60 is actually s61……funny……wonder why…. (20060218)
2/ I was looking for this machine for quite a while in HK, after I finally find one, I saw a few around second hand shops…..hum…..

Links:
Palm OS Handhelds – handhirn.de
Acer Announces First Chinese Palm (Updated) – PalmInfocenter
palmOne, PalmSource Settle Suit With Acer – PalmInfocenter
Acer Releasing s50 and s60 in Europe – PalmInfocenter
Acer s10 Review By Pepper – PalmInfocenter

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