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Casio Cassiopeia E-125 Color Pocket PC Review
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Manufacturer: Casio
Model#: E1.25
Weight: 1lbs
Height: 1" | | Width: 3.25"
Length: 5.13"
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Average Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
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Features:- 32 MB of internal RAM, expandable using CompactFlash memory cards
- Synchronize to your desktop with rapid USB data transfer
- Color screen with 240 x 320 display in 65,536 color
- Includes Microsoft Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, Pocket Money, and Pocket Internet Explorer
- What's in the box: Cassiopeia E-125, Stylus, USB Cradle, AC Adapter, Lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack, Connector cable, Pocket PC User's Guide, Hardware Guide
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User Submitted Casio Cassiopeia E-125 Color Pocket PC Reviews (cont...)
Date: 2001-08-29
First Impressions
I did a lot of research before buying this little device, and of all the reviews I read, it was the ones here on Amazon that convinced me to buy the E-125. The fact that I live in Japan, where Casio reigns supreme (but all the OS's are in Japanese) and peripherals are easy to find, was also an important factor. I've only had it a few days, and I've never owned a palm-sized device before this one, but I can at least share my first impressions and how the device is holding up to my high expectations. My VERY first impression after taking it out of the box is that it's a pretty unsightly little thing. Of course, a desktop PC doesn't have to look good to perform good, so it's very easy to let slide. I've always been one who values performace over appearance. People complain about the size of the device..., but I find it easy to manage. It's not pocket size, but it's no bigger than a day-planner or a paperback book, two thing's I usually carry around anyway. "Pocket" PC is a bit of a misnomer though. It doesn't take much to leanr how to use the out of the box software. I had to refer to the documentation more for synching, which I'll cover in a moment. I was setting up my calender and address book in no time. I do think the on-board character recognition software needs some help though, it didn't seem able to recognize J's. Unfortunately, the onboard software doesn't cut the mustard so inevitably, you're going to have to synch the little guy with your PC to make it worth your money. After a little reading, I managed to synch the very first time I tried. I downloaded a couple of free ebooks, a game, an audiobook and a small mpeg for starters. The books were the only thing I got working the first time. MS Reader has its faults if you want to buy e-books, but it's great for all the free stuff. Peanut Press uses their own software and is apparently the palce to go now that most ebook retailers don't support MS Reader.The audiobook, which I got from Audible, took a good bit of time to get working. I had to remove it and transfer the file a second time, in a more compressed format to get it to play. not to big a deal, but not nearly as convenient as my MP3 player. The MPEG which plays fine on the desktop version of media payer, refuses to play for the PPC version. Apparently, the program to view movies comes on the disk and must be installed seperately. Does that mean that Media Player only plays music and sound files on the PPC? The gmae I never got to work. Even the best sites for PPC downloads seem lite on instructions. I suppose I'll figure it out eventually, but it is a bit frustrating.
Overall, software is as frustrating as I remember PC software being when I knew nothing about it. The Windows software is similar, but it's not the windows your know and it's like learning a whole new operating system all be it a much simpler one, which is to be expected. I don't really judge this as good or bad, it's just the nature of the beast. The more I learn and each new triumph sort of lessens the frustration, but don't expect plug and play, we're still not there yet.
The hardware seems really nice. The screen was a very important factor. I'm an Air Traffic Controller, and I spend lots of time in the dark with nothing to do. The bright colorful screen is one of the E-125's best features. A lot of people complained that you can't see the screen in direct sunlight, but I found that it wasn't so bad with a little tweaking. The IPAQ's screen is much brighter and easier to see, but not nearly as rich.
As for speed, the Casio does seem a little slow at times. I had a couple of spare minutes today and decided to spend it reading one of the ebooks, but by the time the thing loaded, it was time to go. All of the current PPC's are guilty of this. I have a friend who owns an IPAQ, and I don't discern much difference. It's especially hard to judge after playing with my 1Ghz PC all day and then switching to my Casio.
Overall, I seem to be complaining a lot, but I think this has a lot more to do with expectations than with the quality of the machine. I once told a friend of mine that if they ever made a Plam that was in color, played MP3's, stored e-books and played movies I'd buy it, and essentially I have. The higher end PPC's on the market are really just a showpiece of what future palm sized devices will be able to do faster, smaller and hopefully easier. These are really the first generation of multi-use, multimedia devices that will become household items, of that I'm sure. They're cool and they are useful, and while they can do a lot of stuff, they're not quite ready to replace paper, books, or CD's. Ultimately this is a gadget for a gadget junky and not for the casual user looking to get organized. I think that is the key thing to keep in mind. With a little patience and a little research, I'm sure I'll get as much out of it as I put into it.
Date: 2001-08-29
Awesome tool! Don't leave home with out it!
I have been using the E-125 for quite some time now. There are a huge amount of programs available today for PocketPC and more are available everyday! I am very pleased and have converted many people to PocketPC from Palm after showing them its' capabilities. "Hey Casio, How about some commission checks?" The best reason I like it? You can customise it to your very own style and way of life. As for its' size? It's not like many cell phones that are getting too small to use comfortably. The E-125 is a great size and easy to use. Mine gets used and abused quite a bit for work and play. It has been dropped accidentally about 10 times (not recommended), but it still works fine. The screen clarity and size are great too. I do recommend buying a large compact flash card (256mb min.) to hold a lot of music, video, games, maps, programs, etc! Get the hint of capabilities? If you use it, you will love it! Take my word for it!
Date: 2001-08-29
Awesome tool! Don't leave home with out it!
I have been using the E-125 for quite some time now. There are a huge amount of programs available today for PocketPC and more are available everyday! I am very pleased and have converted many people to PocketPC from Palm after showing them its' capabilities. "Hey Casio, How about some commission checks?" The best reason I like it? You can customise it to your very own style and way of life. As for its' size? It's not like many cell phones that are getting too small to use comfortably. The E-125 is a great size and easy to use. Mine gets used and abused quite a bit for work and play. It has been dropped accidentally about 10 times (not recommended), but it still works fine. The screen clarity and size are great too. I do recommend buying a large compact flash card (256mb min.) to hold a lot of music, video, games, maps, programs, etc! Get the hint of capabilities? If you use it, you will love it! Take my word for it!
Date: 2001-08-15
Too big for pocket
While productive, its size makes it difficult to carry in your pocket. The software os quite limited
Date: 2001-08-12
My Son loves it
For his 25th birthday this is what i got for him. He loved it, it plays his music and he can take it everywhere.
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