Big review of Acer n50

It seems that Acer has been pursuing a more aggressive policy in the field of Pocket PC market. Its new n50 line, which comes with two models, is aimed at a segment which it omitted in the past (Acer n35, n30 or n10). Whether Acer manages to attract more demanding customers I dare not guess. What I do dare is to offer you a detailed review of the new device. I would like to thank Sunnysoft, a PDA distributor in the Czech Republic, for lending me a specimen for review purposes.

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What is in the box?

A surprisingly small box contains less accessories than I would expect in this category. Nevertheless, the most important items are included.

• Acer n50
• Stylus
• Battery
• Cradle or cable (depending on model)
• Simple case
• CD-ROM
• Quick-start guide
• Minimum amount of other papers

Let’s leave the device for a later time and take a look first at the accessories. I must start with the cradle (which is supplied only with the higher model, the lower one ships with a cable only), because it is far the most interesting item. Well, the design is more interesting than appealing but it is a matter of taste. It is composed of two pieces, which saves a lot of room the in box. The main part is made of several pieces of plastic of different colours; the other part is made of transparent plastic and serves as a support for the device. Four rubber pads on the bottom side give the cradle excellent stability despite its relatively low weight. On the front, there is a s small green LED indicator which shines when the AC adapter is plugged to the mains. The left side hides a surprise – a slot for charging an extra battery, which is completely sunk in the body of the cradle behind a rubber door. This is due to a special design of the battery, but more on that later. On the rear, there are two connectors and a fixed (unfortunately) synchronisation cable, which offers both a USB and serial connector at the other end. USB Host fans will rejoice over finding that one of the connectors at the back of the cradle offers this functionality. The other is a power connector. One more note: when the device is inserted in the cradle, it forms an almost right angle with the desktop. So, when I want to use it, I either need to put it quite far from me or crouch. Nevertheless, on the whole, the cradle is not bad at all.

The AC adapter is compact, with a fixed, sufficiently long cable (140 cm) with a round connector, offering a usual output of 5 V / 2 A. You need an adapter for direct charging but this is not part of the standard package, so do not leave home for long without the cradle.

The manufacturer supplies a protective bag to protect the device against scratches, the same as in the Acer n30. No, this not a euphemism, it is really just two pieces of suede sewn together on three sides. Considered the material, it does protect against scratches but not against harsh treatment. The only advantage (except low cost) is negligible size and weight increase when you put the device in.

And that’s almost all. Other items in the box include a CD-ROM and a leaflet with instruction for absolute beginners. Thos who buy the device in the Czech Republic will receive also a CD-ROM with a full localisation from Sunnysoft. A complete user manual is to be found on the manufacturer’s CD-ROM. This is another way to cut the costs...

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Design

The device looks somewhat unusual at first sight but my impression is rather positive. The body is made of plastic. This, in itself, is not a problem. The problem is its quality – especially the silver plastic that makes the main part of the shell is not very good and its colour quickly wears off. On the other hand, the device is assembled precisely with no leeway anywhere. Even though there is no battery compartment cover on the back, the Acer feels robust. The size does not rank the Acer n50 among dwarves but this is due to the presence of a CF slot and two wireless radio modules. The following table compares the device with the main competitors:

Pocket PC	Dimensions (mm)	Weight (g)
Acer n50	70 x 120 x 17,4	150
HP iPAQ h2450	76,6 × 119,4 × 16,3	164,4
FSC PL710	72 × 122 × 16,1	180

The front panel is very flat and looks severely simple. The biggest part of it is occupied by a 3.5-inch display. Above the display are a loudspeaker slit and an elongated, slightly curved double LED indicator that flashes blue, red and green to notify of various events and statuses. Below the display is an unusually designed combination of a small joystick and four user-definable buttons. Well, there is nothing unusual about the joystick. Only its black colour stands out from the single-colour front panel. What is unusual is two pairs of buttons that are in fact two large buttons whose reaction depends on which end you actually press. It is fine for normal use but not very convenient for playing games - it is hard to hit the right ends in a fast-paced action because there are only impressed symbols as visual aid. Well, at least I found it difficult:)

The rear of the device is plain, with just a large impressed Acer logo.

The sides are within a common standard. The right-hand side is free of any controls, whereas the left-hand side hosts the main switch, a software reset button and a useful HOLD switch that locks all the buttons and the touch display. Its only drawback is that you need to use your fingernail to operate it.

On the top side are two expansion slots – an SD slot that supports SDIO and a CompactFlash slot type II. The CF slot is rotated by 180 degrees, which appears as a convenient solution – in theory, it should be possible to use two I/O cards at the same time (their exceeding parts would not obstruct each other). The main drawback of this solution is that you cannot remove the CF card if there is an SD card inserted. There is no ejecting mechanism and you cannot reach for the card. You need to remove the SD card first and only then you can get hold of the CF card. Besides the two slots, there is a stylus shaft and a headphones connector on the top.

Finally, there is nothing but a data connector and a battery slot on bottom side.

The ROM contains a set of seven slightly abstract themes to improve the look.

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Parameters

Although the n50 offers a higher standard than previous Acer models, it does not stick out from the average. This is no issue because whatever the Acer n50 is supposed to do, it does, I must confirm. More specifically, I have not encountered any problems with one exception.

Different models offer different performance. Both of them feature an Intel PXA272 processor. The more powerful one runs at 520 MHz (no way to adjust the speed), which does not look as impressive on paper as 624 MHz offered by competition, but is absolutely sufficient for a device with a QVGA display. The weaker brother runs at 312 MHz. The memory is sufficient – 128 MB of RAM and 64 MB of FlashROM can be considered as a standard. Upon reset, the user can access a little less but still decent 117 MB of RAM and 25 MB as a safe storage.

It is hard to find anything but praise for the display. Its resolution is “only” 240x320 pixels, which may discourage some potential buyers, but the quality is very good. It is a transflexive TFT display with LED backlight and the usual 3.5-inch (89-millimetre) diagonal. The backlight is almost snow white and can be adjusted at 21 levels separately for battery and mains operation. However, there is not automatic adjustment. Colours are rich and clear; the display is well readable even in sunlight. The touch layer responds to even very light taps. Like all other devices with the SE version of the OS, this Acer, too, can rotate the screen by 90 degrees. There is a simple utility with an icon on the Today screen – just tap and there you go.

I had reservations about the audio features upon the first examination of the device. When there is a small 2.5-mm jack implemented in a device that serves as a mobile phone and the headset is a part of the standard package, it is understandable. But why did Acer use this connector remains a mystery, considered the device is neither phone-enabled nor particularly small. I really do not understand. If you get an adapter for normal headphones, you may be satisfied, although the performance is not very impressive. Even though the sound is virtually noise-free, it seemed rather flat and dull. In addition, the maximum volume was relatively weak, so the Acer is not very suitable for listening in a noisy environment. Besides the headphones output, the Acer has a built-in loudspeaker, well not one but two loudspeakers that you can switch between. One is a standard audio output behind the joystick, offering average quality and low volume. The other loudspeaker located behind a LED indicator suggests that this device, too, is VoIP-ready. The volume – for a change – is VERY low. I should not forget about the microphone, whose sensitivity can be adjusted using the same sound settings applet. The microphone is very sensitive and perfectly records even distant sound.

Communications capabilities are plentiful. The Acer offers serial and USB 1.1 cable connection, including support for USB Host 1.1, so connecting e.g. a USB flash disk is a matter of seconds. As for wireless communication, the device supports infrared (SIR) and radio (Bluetooth, WiFi).

The device integrates a Bluetooth 1.2 implementation from Broadcomm (Widcomm). I tested the Bluetooth with an Altina GBT-708 GPS receiver and was able to find my exact location in just a few moments. I connected to the internet using a Sony-Ericsson T610 mobile phone and browsed several dozen pages of on-line discussions. The only problem I encountered was connecting to the desktop PC. Maybe I did not put enough effort in trying (I kept obtaining high ports > 10 and ActiveSync did not work...). However, considered the range of know issues with Bluetooth under XP SP2, I tend not to blame the Aceru, which otherwise showed no problems.

The Acer n50 supports also WiFi. As far as I can judge, the implementation is flawless. I could not perform the usual sensitivity test due to technical reasons (I had moved:), but the sensitivity appeared very good when I connected to the internet in a café. I have no tools to test security but this is going to change soon, hopefully:) Interesting to note – the n50 has an identical control panel for the WiFi module as the HP iPAQ hx2750 that I reviewed recently, differing only in the version number. This is good news; at your fingertips, you have information about IP settings, signal strength (including a nice graphic indicator), list of available networks and other vital facts. In addition, the WiFi module supports a power-saving mode and two modes of automatic switching between Access Points – a new AP is sought when the device disconnects from the current one or when signal drops below 70 dBm.

The device’s lithium-ion battery should in theory be a weak point – 1060 mAh is quite poor; most devices offer an almost 50-percent greater capacity. The manufacturer opted for an unusual solution for replacing the battery – instead of a battery compartment at the back with a removable cover or another common mechanism, the Acer has the battery inserted in a slot in the same manner as a memory card in the SD slot. A question is whether the Acer can charge over a USB cable. The green LED indicator does flash but battery power does not seem to grow.

So, how long can the Acer work on battery? As the charts below suggest, the Acer lasted 4 hours and 49 minutes in the standard test, which is less than a half of the iPAQ hx2750. The other tests show similar results, e.g. in a test with active WiFi and zero activity, the Acer shut down after just 2 hours and 23 minutes. It is not such a great tragedy as in the case of the Asus MyPal A730 but active users will definitely need a spare battery.

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Expandability

In a review of one of Acer’s previous models, I noted that the only time when this manufacturer showed invention in the field of Pocket PC was in its n20 model. Implementation of a Memory Stick slot was a pioneering attempt, which, fortunately or unfortunately – you choose the appropriate – did not catch on. The manufacturer’s latest model, the Acer n50, offers only a combination of an SD (SDIO compatible) and a CF type II slot. Both of them are located on the top side of the device, which is probably the most convenient location. The CompactFlash slot is unusually rotated by 180 degrees, so if you are using two IO cards with an absolutely flat back, you can use them simultaneously (which is impossible with the usual configuration of the slots). Nevertheless, there are some exceptions - e.g. an SD digital camera from HP just won’t fit in alongside a CF LAN card from Socket, you have to choose.

Besides these expansion standard slots, the Acer offers also the USB Host functionality. Just to remind, this means it is possible to connect an external USB device, on condition there are appropriate drivers available for the Pocket PC platform. I tried only a USB flash disk (directly as well as over a USH hub) but the range of supported USB devices is probably quite extensive – there is no reason why devices compatible with Acer n30 should not work with this model.

Of course, Bluetooth and WiFi extend the possibilities - Bluetooth for printing, WiFi for access to data files, etc.

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Software

The device comes preloaded with the Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition operating system in the Premium version. This means you are getting the complete suite of applications from Microsoft available for mobile devices (except for those for mobile telephony). If you have never heard about Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition before, check this article for more details, but most readers will probably be familiar with it, so I won’t elaborate.

Acer traditionally offers few bonus applications (whether preloaded in the ROM or on an accompanying CD) and the n50 is no exception. Besides the standard applications and a few extra applets, the Acer offers only two bonus applications. One is a simple Backup/Restore utility that can backup either everything or just the PIM data and protect the data with a password. It can be also set to perform an automatic backup when battery power decreases below 30 % of the normal level. Of course, it can also restore the data. The other bonus application is an MPEG player called Pocket TV. Considered it is available for download free of charge at the manufacturers website, the benefit of its presence in the ROM is questionable...

The CD contains usual applications, such as Microsoft ActiveSync and Microsoft Outlook, as well as an extra one which many users will find extremely useful – a viewer of PowerPoint presentations called Pocket SlideShow. It offers many features and should satisfy even those who work with presentations on a daily basis.

If you find the offer insufficient, you need to get other software elsewhere.

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Comparison of models

As I wrote above, the Acer n50 ships in two versions - Basic and Premium. They differ in parameters and features as well as price. The table below contains only the parameters that are different in the two models.

Acer n50 Basic	Acer n50 Premium
Intel® PXA272 312 MHz	Intel® PXA272 520 MHz
64MB RAM / 64MB ROM	128MB RAM / 64MB ROM
Synchronisation cable	Synchronisation cradle

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Pricing

It is not that this new device from Acer attacks competition just by a low price, yet the price tag remains one of its main weapons. The official price is some $400 USD for the more powerful model and $350 USD for its weaker brother.

[POLL]

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Benchmarks & Tests

Spb Benchmark is unusable for fast devices for some reason or other (some tasks won’t complete successfully), it is difficult to compare performance. The device appears to be running fast, responding swiftly. The graphic subsystem performs excellently both to the eye and in tests. I have not encountered any substantial weaknesses during the tests.

Rounded corner and reasonable size provide for a comfortable grip. The device is surprisingly light, which is due to the material used for the shell – definitely not metal. The only metallic part is the stylus (with both tips made of plastic).

I tested video using BetaPlayer, its version 0.096 (beta), because hardly anyone uses other software for watching video on pocket devices. I used a collection of clips compiled by the author of the application for this purpose (available here). As the iPAQ hx2750, the Acer n50 has absolutely no problems with video playback, which was absolutely seamless even with the best-quality clip (640x480 pixels resolution, video bitrate 1500 kbps, audio bitrate 128 kbps, size 29.1 MB). I should add that I played the file from a Panasonic 256 MB memory card. That means mobile video fans will surely be fully satisfied. I also ran a benchmark test integrated in the BetaPlayer. The average speed was 141.45 percent, which is less than in the iPAQ but the difference is hardly noticeable in reality. This is an excellent for such a file (whose parameters are IMHO much better than anyone would normally use to watch video on a PDA – an hour and a half film would be larger than one gigabyte). For comparison, the HP iPAQ hx2750 scored the highest with 163.65 percent, FSC Pocket LOOX 720 achieved 121.43 percent (but this figure is not directly comparable since the LOOX has a VGA display), and the HP iPAQ h4150 reached only 85.24 percent. In other words, the new Acer is a superb pocket video player. And excellent for MP3 music, too, obviously:)

The tiny joystick invites to try it in games. Unfortunately, the very first game brought disappointment. While there is no problem with a simultaneous use of the joystick and the buttons, the joystick supports only four basic directions and not the diagonals. This is a fundamental obstacle to playing some games. I tested around 10 different games, none of which had any problems with performance.

I have commented on the other features throughout. If you feel this feature account is too short, do not blame me – as I wrote above, the Acer is a good device but does not stand out from what has been described on this site many times before.

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Detailed evaluation

The Acer n50 is another device I subjected to a more detailed and stricter evaluation. This is because the rating of most devices I have reviewed lately ranged from 90 to 95 percent and it was difficult to tell which device is better (I intentionally tried to avoid a 100-percent rating). Another reason is that this new system is more transparent... That is why the final rating is NOT BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE. 90 percent now and 90 percent before are completely incomparable figures.

Now, a few words to explain the new system: Type can be Pocket PC, Pocket PC Phone edition, or Smartphone. Class means the target group, which is key for understanding the other categories. The number of points in the other categories is relative with regard to the class. For instance, a device with a VGA display, two expansion slots, BT and WiFi modules in the high-end category will receive nine points for a certain weight, whereas a device in the “entry” class with a QVGA display, one slot and no radio module will receive three points for the same weight. The date is also important – if I am rating a 1.3-Mpix integrated camera today, it will receive 10 points because there is nothing better available. Half a year later, when 2-Mpix integrated cameras will be available, this one would receive fewer points.

If you would like to comment on the evaluation, please join the discussion. I am not doing it for my own pleasure but to make it easier for you to choose a new device. If you think it is a wrong idea, just let me know:)

Rating
Name:	Acer n50
Type:	Pocket PC
Class:	High-end
Date:	May 16, 2005
Design, user friendliness
Design:	6
Dimensions:	8
Weight:	9
Buttons, user comfort:	6
Assembly quality:	9
Performance, memory
Processor:	8
Free RAM:	9
Free ROM:	4
Display
Dimensions:	5
Size:	7
Quality (indoors):	9,5
Quality (outdoors):	7
Backlight:	9
Touch layer:	9
Audio
Microphone:	8
Loudspeaker:	6
Headphones output:	6
Communication
USB:	9
Infra:	8
Bluetooth:	9,5
WiFi:	10
Battery, power settings
Features:	7
Battery life:	5
Expandability
General:	9
Software
System, settings:	8
Bonus apps in ROM:	3
Bonus apps on CD:	1
Accessories
Quantity:	3
Quality:	8
Other
Overall impression:	7
Manufacturer's support:	4
Price/performance ratio	9
Total
Acer n50	7,06 out of 10

Notes :: Rating on the scale from 1 to 10. The higher the figure, the closer to the ideal. If a device receives 10 points for "Design", it means it is beauty from heaven. On the other hand, if it receives 10 points for "Weight", it means it is extremely light.

And that’s all for today.

Article rating - (225 votes)