Big review of Asus MyPal A632/A636

There has been a boom of GPS-enabled Pocket PC device lately. No wonder - mobile navigation solutions for cars have been selling extremely well, so manufacturers are trying to benefit from this wave of interest as much as they can. There are many devices available in this market segment - from those where an integrated GPS module is a nice bonus to those where navigation is the primary purpose and everything else takes the back seat. Today, I am going to introduce two devices from Asus, both of whom fall in the latter category (with some reservations). They are Asus MyPal A632 and Asus MyPal A636. I would like to thank Sunnysoft, a local vendor in the Czech Republic, for lending me a specimen of each for review purposes.

The differences between the two models do not deserve a separate chapter. Actually, there is only one (apart from the price:) Whereas the A636 has an integrated WiFi module, the A632 has an extra miniSD expansion slot instead.

Before we move on, let me mention an interesting fact for Czech users - unlike most other Pocket PCs, the two new models from Asus come with a completely localised system (by Microsoft), so it is not necessary to install third-party software for this purpose. Some do not prefer this solution (I am one of them:) but it is quite convenient from the point of view of ordinary users. There are also English and other language versions available, of course. Unfortunately, there is only Czech version available in my country so all screenshots display Czech language. Enjoy;)

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What is in the box?

The box is much larger than what is usual in the field of Pocket PCs. This is a great advantage when you need to put all the items back in the box the way the manufacturer did. Unlike with competing devices, you do not need a degree in spatial geometry for this task but just a few minutes of effort. So, what is in the box?

• Asus MyPal A632/A636
• Stylus
• Case
• Synchronisation USB cable
• AC adapter
• Two-part windshield holder
• CL adapter
• CD ROM with bonus apps
• User manual
• Quick guide for beginners
• A few minor items

Even though there is quite a lot of accessories, there is no reason to spend too much time with them - they are mostly useful items that do not stand out from the crowd. The case is very simple and resembles the dozens of other cases bundled with devices (e.g. that of Axim X51v). It is a folded strip of sturdy nylon with pieces of stretchable fabric attached on the sides to form a pocket. It is lined with suede to protect soft parts of the device against scratches. It will provide basic protection but if you require more, you can choose from a wide offer of sophisticated protective cases on the market.

The compact AC adapter is a paragon of commonness. It supplies 5V/2A and features a 180-cm cable. The 110-cm USB synchronisation cable is equally uninspiring, with a standard USB connector on one end to plug in the desktop PC and a connector to plug into the Asus on the other. It includes a connector for the power cable. There is no adapter for direct charging, unlike in many other devices.

Both models come with a car set. The windscreen holder comprises two parts: a short but extremely sturdy goose neck (ca 7 cm) with a suction fastener on one end to be attached to the glass and a plastic part on the other to attach to the other part of the holder. This plastic end is not fixed but can easily be adjusted at any angle using a plastic nut and bolt.

The other part is all made of plastic and resembles a primitive cradle. However, it lacks something to mimic a cradle - besides its inability to stand upright on the desktop, it is absence of a data connector. More precisely, there is a data connector but serves only for charging. There is no way to connect the device with a computer by cable when placed in the holder. Inserting the device in the holder requires some physical strength because there are two bumps on each side that fit in hollows in the sides of the device to hold it firmly in place. It took some much effort that I am convinced that the device cannot fall off the holder accidentally. On the back of the device holder, there are four holes to attach to the other part. Again, it requires quite a force. If you are not sure how it works, check the photos below. The last part of the car set is a 12/24V CL adapter.

The user manual and beginner guide are available in Czech. The only problem is that they were translated by someone else than the device's ROM, so there are some inconsistencies in terminology. We shall deal with the bundled CD later, so it is all for the package contents for now.

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Design

The design is rather drab; the device's shape is an almost perfect hexahedron with rounded corners and slightly rounded top and bottom edges. The Asus is rather bulky and overweight for a QVGA device with 6.56 oz / 186 grams and dimensions of 2.87 x 4.80 x 0.74 inches / 73.2 x 122 x 18.8 millimetres. Small-handed users may find the grip uncomfortable but I had absolutely no problems with it. The body is made of plastic in several shades of grey, only the directional control is made of metal. The device appears quite robust. However, the manufacture of some parts, especially the movable ones, is not ideal. The worst is a flip-out antenna, which was wacky from the beginning. In addition, the coating is not very durable and despite maximum care, there appeared scratches after a while.

The main reason for my claim at the beginning that the device is designed primarily for navigation, is its obvious adaptation for the landscape mode. This is particularly apparent on the front panel where there are three circular elements below a classic 3.5" (89-millimetre) QVGA display - two of them are controls, the third one is a speaker intended mainly for clear playback of voice navigation commands. The central control has two functions. In the standard mode, it functions as a directional control with a separate middle button. However, in some navigation applications, it zooms in and out and changes the volume. The right-hand control consists of four blue backlit user-definable buttons (each button can be assigned one action). The default setting is Calendar, Contacts, Sound Record, and Task Manager (Asus' own application). The user can define backlight timeout or deactivate the backlight completely. From the point of view of a gamer, my impressions are rather mixed. On the one hand, the device supports a simultaneous press of up to three buttons (e.g. up, left, and fire). On the other, the control is rather uncomfortable despite its round shape, with a special mention of the central button that is hard to press and clicks loud. Below the round elements, close to the bottom edge, is a microphone pinhole. Above the display are two symmetrical LED indicators. The left-hand one (orange and green) is a classic status indicator, the right-hand one indicates Bluetooth, WiFi, and GPS activity (in A636 only).

Pocket PC	Dimenstions (mm / in)	Weight (g / oz)
Asus MyPal A63x	73.2 x 122 x 18.8 2.87 x 4.80 x 0.74 in	186 6.56
FSC Pocket LOOX N520	71 x 116 x 14 4.49 x 2.80 x 0.52 in	160 5.6
HP iPAQ rx1950	70,6 x 113,6 x 13,5 4.47 x 2.78 x 0.5 in	125 4.4

On the back is a large GPS antenna on a swivel. Its size of 25 by 25 millimetres ensures good reception. In addition, there is a connector for an external antenna in its side. The largest area of the back comprises a slider door of the battery compartment. There is also a HOLD switch that deactivates the display and disables all buttons.

The sides are largely uninspiring. Both models have an infrared sensor on the right-hand side; the A632 has a miniSD card slot with a tiny door on the left-hand side.

On the top side is a quadrangular power switch, an SD slot and the stylus shaft. The stylus is 10 cm long, made completely of black plastic. On the opposite side is a data connector, a small software reset button, and an earphones jack covered with a rubber cap.

The manufacturer has bundled a couple of themes to please the eye. But frankly, I have seen nicer ones;)

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Parameters

Asus opted for the golden average in the latest models as to performance and memory size. The Intel PXA272 processor running at 416 MHz can hardly be described as insufficient. Besides, there is a configuration applet making it possible to choose from four performance modes (3 static, one automatic based on actual load) and save some battery power when you do not need maximum computing power. Both models are fitted with adequate memory - the FlashROM is insufficient for maps but abundant for applications and data. According to the technical specifications, the Asus offers 64 MB of RAM and 128 MB of FlashROM. The User can access 42 MB of RAM and 57 MB of FlashROM after a hard reset. If you think it is too little, here is the explanation - almost 26 MB of FlashROM is allocated as a Flash Disk, which has an interesting feature - the data it contains are protected against a hard reset. Don't forget that Windows Mobile 5 eliminates the risk of a hard reset because of the battery running completely flat but the data in the FlashROM is not protected against malfunction of an application or the user's error. Flash Disk is significantly slower than the rest of the memory (don't ask me why) but I do not see it as a major problem.

We do not need to spend too much time with the display. The device integrates a transflexive TFT display with LED backlight and a resolution of 240x320 pixels (QVGA), support for 65 thousand colours, and a 3.5-inch diagonal (89 millimetres) - an absolute classic. The backlight has a slight yellowish tint and can be adjusted separately for battery operation and charging with so fine a step that I was too lazy to count the levels - there may be 60 or 100. Anyway, the scale is finer than what is reasonable. The display is well readable outside as well as inside. The maximum backlight intensity is sufficient; the touch-sensitive lawyer flawless. The screen can be easily rotated by 90 degrees by tapping on an icon on the Today screen. I should highlight the graphics performance because the Asus scored extremely well in the benchmark, and games as well as video are pretty swift.

Most Pocket PCs offer three ways of handling sound: playback over a built-in loudspeaker or headphones, and recording using an integrated microphone (I have discovered by empirical research that you can use an external microphone too, when you plug it in the headphones connector). The microphone is quite good and combined with extensive sensitivity settings (automatic and manual), it will turn your device into a full-fledge dictaphone. As usual, here is a sample [69KB] recorded in a large room with microphone sensitivity adjusted manually. The integrated loudspeaker does a good job, partly because of its location. It is inadequate for MP3 playback but perfectly sufficient for navigation commands. The maximum volume is high enough so as to be used comfortably even in an old flivver. Those who wish to use their PDA as a portable MP3 player will surely be interested in the quality of the headphones output (a standard 3.5 mm jack, in this case). I have rather mixed feelings about the device's performance: on the one hand, the Asus offers a wide range of settings including volume, balance, bass, treble, and 3D effect, and produces sound with virtually no noise and at a high volume. On the other hand, the overall impression is just slightly inadequate. I tested the audio qualities with Koss and Senheisser headphones and both showed a difference from other PDAs and a laptop. It is not bad when listening to slow songs, even though the sound is rather flat but becomes apparent in lively tunes where the sound is rather dull and lacks dynamism. A bundled software equaliser will not help at all - on the contrary, it distorts the sound significantly. Conclusion? It is fine for listening on the bus on the way to work but demanding customers should listen first in the shop before buying. It is not too bad yet some other devices I have heard lately perform better.

The device is designed primarily for navigation yet it offers extensive communication capabilities. The very basic interface, USB version 1.1, offers a very interesting and useful feature. No, it is not USB Host, unfortunately. It is a feature that makes an SD memory card (not the miniSD) accessible from any computer as a Mass Storage Device. You do not need a card reader or ActiveSync to copy files but just switch the USB interface to the "Emulate card reader" mode and connect to any computer with a USB port and some recent operating system. It may definitely come handy. The only drawback is that in this mode, you cannot synchronise over ActiveSync or use the SD card from within the Asus (it will disappear from the list of available devices). Otherwise, the data connector supports serial connection as well. On the side of the device is an infrared port with the standard transmission speed of 115.2 kbps which can be used to control home appliances remotely. I tested this functionality with the Total Remote software from Griffin and a Toshiba TV set from a distance of more than 3 metres.

Coming up next is Bluetooth (version 1.2) and a great surprise - Bluetooth Manager from Broadcom is back! Although the more widespread driver from Microsoft has been improved in some ways, it still looks inadequate in comparison with Broadcom's solution as to the number of supported profiles and user friendliness. I tested synchronisation with a Dell Latitude X1 desktop computer over ActiveSync, connection to the internet over MDA Compact, connecting to GPS Navilock BT-338, external foldable keyboard form HP and a BT headset from HP. All of those devices paired and worked at the first attempt. Incredible...:)

By contrast, WiFi (in A636) failed to work that well. It is a standard IEEE 802.11b module capable of communicating at 11 Mbit per second. The first test was a complete failure. As you may know from earlier reviews, I have an Asus WL-530g access point at home. I use it commonly with WPA-PSK authentication and TKIP encryption. Neither my two laptops, or countless Pocket PCs or the new Qtek 8310 smartphone has any problems connecting. The only device to fail to connect had been Dell Axim X51v. The Asus A636 was another. When I set insecure communication or encryption with a WEP key, it worked but the Asus just did not work with WPA. Let's hope that this will be sorted out with the first ROM update (although it did not help with Dell). Otherwise, the WiFi module works pretty well, reception is perfect as are the options and control utility.

Naturally, every mobile device needs battery power. The Asus is equipped with a replaceable 1300-mAh Li-Ion battery that can be conveniently charged over USB but beware - it depends on how dry it is. If there is less than half of the capacity left, the USB cable won't help. The Asus did quite well in battery tests; the results are below. In all types of tests the Asus lasted 30-50 percent longer than e.g. LOOX N500.

• Standard test of common usage, maximum backlight - 4h48m
• Video playback, maximum backlight - 6h32m
• MP3 playback, deactivated display - 19h09m
• Active WiFi, no workload - 3h28m
• Active Bluetooth, no workload - 6h48m
• Active GPS, no workload - 5h32m (permanent search for satellites)

Note: The standard test utilises the full capacity of the processor by opening a huge Word document due to a bug in Spb Benchmark. The result therefore has little significance because this is not the usual way PDAs are used.

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GPS and navigation

One of the main attractions of both of the latest Asus models is an integrated GPS receiver. The technical specifications on the manufacturer's website are rather brief yet sufficient. The device integrates a SiRF Star III chipset, which is the best choice at the moment (at a reasonable price). The 25x25-millimetre flip-out swivel antenna provides good reception. In a direct comparison with BT GPS Navilock BT-338 the Asus performed very well. The number of satellites was the same under the open sky. In the car, under its metal-coated windscreen, the number of satellites never fell below four` most of the time, the device detected 5 to 8. Indoors, two metres from a window, the two devices ran neck to neck, too: the external GPS caught signal from 7 satellites, the Asus from 5.

Like some other Windows Mobile 5 devices, this Asus, too, supports a virtual COM port so that several applications can access positioning data simultaneously.

As for practical tests, I tested both devices with three applications: TomTom 5.1 (and 5.21), Telematix Dynavix 1.4, and SmartMaps Navigator 2.6. None of them showed any performance or functional problems. The GPS occupies the COM5 port and all of the applications detected it correctly. More on that towards the end of the review.

Note :: I had quite a bit of "fun" with the GPS. I have been using a simple utility called TomTom GPS for many years to test GPS devices. It is easy to use and can quickly show how many satellites are visible at the moment and from how many I am receiving data. Besides that, it can communicate with a GPS using several different protocols. And this was the problem - when started testing both devices, I quickly ran this utility on one of them using the SiRF protocol. The GPS established its location, satellites showed up, success. After a few days, when I tested the devices outdoors, I was shocked to find that one of the devices was OK while the other would't work with any navigation utility. After many hours of setting and testing and soft and hard resets I discovered that my favourite utility altered something in the GPS by its request to communicated over SiRF and the only way to mend the problem was to run it again, set the NMEA protocol instead and reconnect. After that, all the navigation applications started working properly.

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Expandability

The Asus offers extensive expandability options yet none of them is unique. The two models differ in this area, with the A632 offering more: a standard SDIO slot as well as a miniSD slot; the A636 has only one SDIO slot. I tested this with an SD camera from HP, which worked at the first attempt. Another useful interface for connecting external devices is Bluetooth that I have mentioned above. A driver from Broadcom provides a wide range of options; my tests did not show a single problem. Another way to connect peripherals is WiFi, which I could not test, unfortunately (I do not have a WiFi-enabled data projector and do not know about any other external devices that could connect over WiFi). USB Host is not present.

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Software

The Asus MyPal A63x comes with pre-installed Windows Mobile 5 Premium Edition, which includes all applications from Microsoft including Terminal Client but with the exception of those applications that require an integrated telephone module. However, unlike most other devices, the Asus contains a localised ROM version, which eliminates the need for a third-party localisation software. This is very useful form the user's point of view, even though there is a minor drawback. The system localised into Czech by Microsoft does not allow for any other character input than the software keyboard. Character or word recognition is not supported. A question is whether there will be a more serious drawback, I mean whether Asus manages to release updates for many language versions of the ROM and whether Czech users will have to wait longer than users of more widespread versions. Nevertheless, Asus does deserve praise for its care for Czech users.

When searching for bonus applications you will discover that there is just a couple of them installed (literally). It took substantial amount of time and effort to decipher the meaning and function of a utility called "Toggle Mode" even though it is a relatively simple piece of software. The problem is atrocious translation from English. The Toggle Mode consists of two parts. The first one is a classic Task Manager; by pressing the respective button, you can go through the list of running applications. The application where you stop for a pre-defined period of time will be activated automatically. On the other hand, the Toggle Mode can quickly launch map software, Windows Media Player, activate the Today screen or turn the display image by 90 degrees.

A utility called Asus State is more sophisticated and very useful. One tap will take you to a complete overview of the status of your device, from battery to data storage. Tapping on an area of your interest will take you to where you can learn more or set the feature. You can also easily set the utility to display only those indicators you are interested in.

The bundled CD contains only Microsoft Outlook 2002 and Microsoft ActiveSync 4.0. Experience shows that it is always better to download the latest version of ActiveSync from Microsoft's website.

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Pricing

The price tag is quite favourable. The recommended end-user price is 550USD for the A632 model, and 600 USD for the higher model. You can choose which one is more suitable for you.

[POLL]

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Impressions, Benchmarks & Tests

Both models can be viewed from two perspectives. As classic Pocket PCs, the A632 and A636 are slightly above the average. Neither the size nor the weight is something to admire but neither of them hampers comfortable use. Assembly quality could have been better and the coated plastic seemed too prone to scratches. The processor and large memory guarantee sufficient performance. Many users will appreciate the allocation of part of the memory as a FlashDisk protected against HW reset, at least until they buy a memory card. The device has a surprisingly good display. Audio features are described in detail above, no need to repeat. As for communication capabilities, there are several cool features, such as the possibility to make an SD memory card accessible from any computer without ActiveSync, possibility to use the device as an IR remote control for home appliances, and a feature-packed Bluetooth driver from Broadcomm. Weren't it for the problem with the WiFi connection over WPA-PSK and with the TKIP encryption, I could have gone on with praise. Asus deserves is especially for excellent sensitivity to signal and a very good configuration utility. A long time on battery adds to the overall good performance of the device as a PDA.

The device's excellent graphics system will show its might in full in games and video playback. I played several games, the usual ones I use for testing, and saw only seamless motion and smooth scrolling. The biggest problem when playing games were the two round controls that look promising but in reality, they are perhaps too large and too tough to press. A movie optimised for the 240x320 resolution replays absolutely smoothly even in the most complex scenes. The movie I use for benchmark tests (640x480 pixels, 1.5 Mbps) scored 105 % in a benchmark test with TCPMP (ex BetaPlayer), which means that complicated scenes may get a little jerky. This is not because of inadequacy of the graphic subsystem but the processor's insufficient computing power.

I tested the graphics performance also with the GXMark utility. It is far less sophisticated than Spb Benchmark and offers comparison only with iPAQ h3600, but at least you can find out how many objects can move on the display simultaneously:)

That much for the Asus as a classic PDA. Now, what about the Asus as a navigation tool? I liked it very much that way:) It is perfectly ready for installation in the car: landscape orientation, many user-definable buttons, and a powerful and conveniently located loudspeaker to start with. Some applications do not yet support the landscape mode but the holder makes it possible to adjust the device in any position you like. The whole holder is designed for maximum safety and stability of the device. At the beginning, you may grumble over the force it takes to manipulate with the gooseneck or to insert and extract the device. However, after a few days, it started to go easier. It is better to use greater force once a day than pick the device from the floor at every other crossroads. The only drawback is a relatively short cable. If you have the 12V outlet next to the driver's seat, the cable may be getting in your way.

I was very surprised by the sensitivity of the GPS module, which is largely due to the adjustable antenna. It always took just a few seconds to establish initial location in the morning despite the fact that I drove the device in my car under the windscreen, which is coated with some metal film that successfully reflects sunrays and other types of radiation. After launching a navigation application (which then activates the GPS module), the device caught satellite signal before I could find the destination in the map, start the engine and reach the main road. The number of satellites was quite high al the way (around seven). There were occasional dropouts when I drove among high-rise buildings but the receiver always recovered the signal fairly quickly.

I have mentioned the other features and characteristics throughout. If you have any questions, join our discussion forums.

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Detailed evaluation

Now, a few words to explain the evaluation criteria. The Type can be Pocket PC, Pocket PC Phone edition, or Smartphone. The 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. In half a year, 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 this 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:	Asus MyPal A632	Asus MyPal A636
Type:	Pocket PC with GPS	Pocket PC with GPS
Class:	Common users	Common users
System:	Windows Mobile 5	Windows Mobile 5
Hodnoceno:	February 12, 2006	February 12, 2006
Design, user friendliness
Design:	7	7
Dimensions:	6	6
Weight:	5	5
Buttons, user comfort:	9	9
Assembly quality:	8	8
Performance, memory
Processor:	8	8
Free RAM:	8.5	8.5
Free ROM:	9	9
Display
Resolution:	5	5
Size:	7	7
Quality (indoors):	9,5	9,5
Quality (outdoors):	9	9
Backlight:	9	9
Touch layer:	9	9
Audio
Microphone:	9	9
Speaker:	9	9
Headphones output:	5	5
Communication
USB:	9.5	9.5
Infra:	8	8
Bluetooth:	9	9
WiFi:	0	8
GPS
Parameters, features:	8	8
Sensitivity:	9.5	9.5
Battery, power settings
Parameters, features:	8	8
Time on battery:	9	9
Expandability
General:	9.5	9
Software
System, settings:	4	4
Bonus apps in ROM:	2	2
Bonus apps on CD:	0	0
Accessories
Quantity:	8	8
Quality:	9	9
Other
Overall impression:	8	8
Manufacturer support:	7	7
Price/performance ratio	7	7.5
Total
Asus MyPal A63x	7.28 out of 10	7.50 out of 10

Notes :: The rating is 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. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them in the discussion forums.

Article rating - (282 votes)