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| Casio Cassiopeia EG-800 |
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Hardware Reviews November 2000 • Vol.3 Issue 11 |
Casio Cassiopeia EG-800 | ||
 Palm-sized computers are sometimes thought of as fragile pieces of equipment that don't belong in hostile environments, but Casio is hoping to change that with its industrialized Cassiopeia EG-800. You can tell the EG-800 is very different from your typical Pocket PC with just a quick glance. For one thing, the EG-800 is one of the largest Pocket PCs: it measures 5.13 inches high x 3.35 inches wide x 1 inch thick. The EG-800 is also heavy, tipping the scales at 10.33 ounces. There's a reason for the EG-800's size and weight, however. The unit is heavily insulated to protect it from the elements, making it perfect for an industrial or outdoor setting. The EG-800 features a tough outer shell, and all available ports are protected. Rubber flaps protect the serial port, AC adapter, and headphone plug in, and a removable plastic top helps protect the CompactFlash slot. An included screen protector even helps protect the display from dirt and scratches. According to Casio, the unit can operate in temperatures from 23 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. The unit can also survive a drop from 29.5 inches onto plastic tile covering a concrete surface. We took Casio's word for it and didn't test the unit's resistance to falls of this sort because we couldn't afford to replace it if they were wrong. The exterior should also provide protection from spills, although it's certainly not watertight. The EG800 comes with Windows CE 3.0 and all the software you'd expect with it (Microsoft Reader, Pocket Money, Word, Excel, and Media Player). Because the device is not intended for regular consumers, the unit doesn't come with bundled software on CD-ROM. Casio does, however, include some of its software in its read-only memory, including Mobile Calendar, Mobile Address Book, Menu, CF Backup, E-mail Setup Tool, and AOL Dialer. Battery life of the Casio varies according to the size of the battery you use with the device. A large battery will last about 13 hours, while a small battery lasts for about four hours. The unit features the same display you find on other Cassiopeia models; we found it to be bright and easy to read. The 16-bit color display (65,536 colors) is a little dimmed when you add the screen protector, but that's better than getting the screen dirty or scratched. The price of this well-protected Pocket PC is about $1,099. The unit does come with a rechargeable medium Lithium-polymer rechargeable battery pack (good for about seven hours), an AC adapter, and a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable to synchronize the device with a desktop computer. The unit is meant to be a business solution, not an alternative Pocket PC for an accident-prone consumer. by Chad Denton
$1,099 Casio (888) 204-7765 (973) 442-5707 http://www.casio.com
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