The Best of Both Phone, and Tablet
Entered CNET Catalog: 10/06/2003
SKU: 0032017212879
Manufacturer: Toshiba
Manufacturer description
Reliability. Performance. Technology. Leadership. The Toshiba name means all this and more. Toshiba builds upon this heritage by delivering the industry's most innovative, high-quality solutions.Product summary
The good: 400MHz processor; 128MB of RAM; dual expansion slots; impressive software bundle; integrated Wi-Fi connectivity; large, high-resolution screen; user-replaceable battery.
The bad: Bulky; no protective case included; separate service subscription required for VoIP functionality; expensive.
The bottom line: While not the lightest or cheapest PDA, the e800 offers road warriors powerful performance and robust software.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 03/15/2004
 Size matters: The e800's footprint measures 5 by 3 inches. |
Offering a generous 4-inch view, 65,536 colors, and a 240x320-pixel resolution that you can change to 640x480 for full VGA support, the transflective TFT display is the e800's main attraction. Below it are navigation controls closely resembling the e405's. A rectangular four-way toggle encloses a small but easy-to-press Select button. Clustered around the pad are four standard Windows shortcut keys. They're customizable, but their icons denote their default assignments: the calendar, the task list, your contacts, and the Home menu. A small speaker in the lower right enables voice recording and audio playback, and an indicator light glows during alerts and battery charging.
We like the jog dial, which doubles as a Select button and is easy to use one-handed. It sits on the unit's left side beside the voice-recorder key, which can also activate a different function. The nearby infrared port lets you transfer data between the e800 and another handheld. A tiny hole for soft resets is on the right-hand side.
On the bottom of the device are the cradle/accessory port, the power cable's socket, and switches for hard resets and Wi-Fi connectivity. The memory-expansion slots, the 3.5mm stereo jack for headphones or a microphone, the power button, and the stylus holder are on top. Pulling out the stylus is rather difficult, but once you have it, you can collapse it to a smaller size. The Toshiba Pocket PC e800's feature set packs a powerful punch. The handheld's zippy 400MHz Intel PXA263 is on a par with the e750's and a step above the e405's. The included memory is generous: 128MB of RAM, 32MB of ROM, and a separate 32MB of flash storage. You can even expand the capacity via the dual CompactFlash II and Secure Digital media slots.
 Two expansion slots make it easy to add memory. |
In addition to 802.11b Wi-Fi connectivity, the e800 supports Voice over IP (VoIP), which allows you to make phone calls via an Internet connection. However, to use VoIP, you'll need to subscribe separately to VLI's Gphone Buddy Service, and prices vary according to the options you choose. The e800 offers no integrated Bluetooth capability, but you can purchase Toshiba's Socket SDIO Connection Kit With Bluetooth Wireless Technology for $135.
 Stay in sync with the e800's included cradle. |
The e800's Windows Pocket PC 2003 operating system includes all the staples: Word, Excel, Outlook, and Internet Explorer. You also get MSN Messenger, the Solitaire and Jawbreaker games, and more. With ClearView Suite, you can access but not edit native files from Microsoft Office 97, 2000, and 2002; PowerPoint; Excel; and Word. The same program displays JPEG, Portable Network Graphics (PNG), and Windows bitmap (BMP) images. The Terminal Services Client enables you to connect to and control a Windows XP Professional system.
The e800's multimedia features include Windows Media Player 9.0, Microsoft Reader, and a voice recorder. And the ATI video controller has its own 2MB of memory, which results in faster and better graphics. Unlike the Toshiba e805, the e800 doesn't ship with the ArcSoft PhotoBase image viewer and editor.
Along with the virtual keyboard, the letter recognizer, and the transcriber, you'll find a fourth input method: the Block Recognizer. It's a Graffiti-like program that uses a pop-up area on the screen. You can also navigate and operate apps with Toshiba's text-to-speech feature and Microsoft's Voice Command software.
We did have a couple of complaints with the included accessories. The AC charger's cumbersome design leaves you tangled in cords. The cradle enables charging and PC synchronization, but if you want to connect the e800 to other USB devices, such as a keyboard or a mouse, you'll need to purchase the $19 USB host cable. Toshiba also sells a $99 presentation pack, which lets you run an S-Video cable from a projector to the handheld. We were generally pleased by the Toshiba Pocket PC e800's performance. Thanks to the 400MHz processor, programs loaded painlessly and video ran smoothly. Our Jawbreaker gameplay suffered a couple of hiccups, such as the occasional frozen image, but we didn't experience anything too distracting.
The e800's display is among its finest attributes. A large size, crystal-clear resolution, and rich colors make the screen easy on the eyes. Ten brightness levels keep the view just as usable in sunlight as in dim conditions, and you can set the backlight to sleep after intervals ranging from just a few seconds to several minutes. We had to bump the speaker volume quite high to fully hear the sound, but it was clear.
The e800's videos were a mixed bag. The fast processor ensured that clips never hit any speed bumps, but the picture sometimes looked pixelated and blurry, especially during action scenes.
When we first tried to establish a Wi-Fi connection, the device couldn't locate the IP address. But once we'd switched Wi-Fi off then on again, we were up and running in no time, and we were impressed. Web pages loaded quickly; the wait for even graphics-intensive pages was relatively short.
The e800's battery life came in at 30 minutes longer than the rated 4 hours. That lasting power is above average, beating the e750's by 30 minutes and the HP iPaq H5550's by 65 minutes. Another positive is that unlike the e405, the e800 lets you replace the cell yourself; Toshiba sells backups for $49 each. A high-capacity battery is available for $109; it promises a weighty 12 hours of handheld use.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22out of 22 user reviews
Excellent PDA, well worth it
Pros: Fast, Super sharp large display, HOST USB support
Cons: some apps don't support VGA, PDA is somewhat large
out of 22 user reviews
The e830 is amazing even after 2 yrs! Upgrade Your e800/e805!
Pros: Fast, Still the best PDA screen to date, Bluetooth and WiFi in one device, Flexible, With Stowaway Keyboard it will replace your laptop.
Cons: Bulky for PDA, No Toshiba PDA support , Good 3rd party PDA software is hard to find these days!
BACKGROUND WHEN I OWNED both the e800 and e805: In late 2003/early 2004 I got my hands on one the first e800s when I replaced my under-powered iPaq 1940. At first it took me a while, a long while, to get used to the larger size of the e800. But the amazing screen size and quality blew me away. The e800 was all about looking good and feeling good. The build quality and design is perfect. However, the e800 didn't really do anything more than other cheaper PDAs on the market at the time. At $599 that made the e800 expensive for what it did. Even though the unit had a lot of potential in power and function, there was not much to do with it; Third party software tended to make my e800 unit crash a lot, the VGA/undead hack was a miserable experience that literally became useless since it kept freezing my unit. After one reset too many (about 2 months of ownage), I sent it back and got an e805 (with arc soft photo software). That unit was a little better and didn't quite have the same issues with 3rd party software (namely the vga hack, an astronomy-PDA pack, Science Tools PDA-pack & some games). However, a problem that really bugged me with the e805 was the battery meter would always say 99% power left until the unit had about less than 25% power. Then the meter would go from 99% to 25% in an instant, and then go from 25% to dead within the next 10-15 minutes. The battery life was still good and I got about 3-4 hrs opf use but it's not annoying until you use your unit periodically during the work day (and the charger is at home). Eventually I got a (4 AA) battery extender on eBay ($6.99) and it actually worked and gave me about 12-20 hours on consistent use out of the e830 before I saw 25% power, but somehow the battery extender confused something within the software and once again I got freezing up (or slowing down) and ended up doing lots of resets. Also just having WiFi was a pain when I also wanted to link it with the other Bluetooth devices in my home and work office. And WiFi on the e805 was weak, slow and had bugs. As soon as I found out (about 6-7 months into owning the e805) that an e830 existed, I sold my e805 on eBay and got the e830 from a Canadian distributor.
Out of the box, the e830 powered up and was ready to go, with all the software installed. In no time I soon realized that the e830 was vastly different and superior in operating system (Win PPC 2003-2nd ed., Speed (Xscale 520mhz), Flexibility (VGA multi-mode is OEM), and power (NO slow downs, resets whatsoever), Also Bluetooth and WiFi combined and was now more powerful and easier to use (WiFi Config is amazing!). I love the Sonar-radar sweeping style detection screen that searches for all Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices within a 50 foot radius of the e830. It allows you to find all compatible (and non-compatible) sources and select the ones you want to link with. And it works. A second later you'll find yourself on the internet or Bluetooth chatting with someone in the cafe that you're in (how cool is that!)
The e830 has way faster internet browsing than the e800/e805 (even in landscape mode). When hooked up with a ThinkOutside Stowaway IR keyboard the e830 literally becomes something that will rival some of the lower to mid class notebooks out there today, in terms of power, speed, and portability. In fact, because the e830 is so powerful and I now own a Blackberry 7920, I've been using the e830 with the keyboard for the last 2 years as a my personal travel laptop. Also it's easier since SD and Flash cards are now as widely used and accepted today as CDs and floppy disc are. So data storage and exchange via bluetooth, email or an SD card is a breeze.
One Important note about the IR keyboards: PALM has an identical IR keyboard made by the ThinkOutside folks. Because ThinkOutside makes both PALMs and PPCs keyboard and it was way easier and cheaper for me to get the PALM keyboard I got the PALM keyboard and found that it worked with the e830. However, when using WORD and EXCEL in VGA-landscape mode, the PALM keyboard made my e830 lock up and crash on two occasions before I ditched the PALM keyboard and got the correct ThinkOutside PPC version keyboard and found that it was the PALM keyboard that made the e830 crash. Those were the only two occasions that I've had to reset (hard&soft) my e830 in the last 2 years and I use it about 4-5 days a week consistently for word documents/web browsing/games/MP3’s.
The only downside is, and its a shared con of all PPCs today, is that between my PSP, iPod, Blackberry, Digital camera, In-car TOM TOM GO GPS/Navigation system and my Toshiba Satellite laptop (which I leave at home now) it makes me wonder whether having a PPC, even if its the e830, in 2006 seem worth it at all. Literally, all the functions of the original PPC at its peak has been now divided, specialized and made better and faster by the dozens of other gadgets we all have. So it's hard to recommend a PPC today when there is no need for the mainstream consumer to have a PPC anymore when they could spend less and get the coveted PSP, or an iPod or a Blackberry or Treo.
The only benefits of shelling out for any PPC or the e830 in 2006 is that you will have the all-in-one feel with a PPC. The e830 is perfect on the days you want to travel light, or want to hang out at the cafe writing in WORD, balancing your assets & liabilities in EXCEL, reading downloaded MSReader books, listening to MP3’s, shopping on eBay, checking email, googling blog pages or simply picking up cute girls with Treos via Bluetooth chat (yes, it works and it works well, my favorite feature) the e830 will allow you to do all that. By the way the battery life is really good; doing all of the above(not ALL at the same time of course) in a cafe will last you about 3 to 4 hrs on the e830's battery. If you get the (4 AA) battery extender/charger pack off eBay you will get from 12 hrs(with everything on at once) to 24 hrs of power(with normal regular use) .
After 2 yrs I have no complains and my e830 has held up in light that PPCs are almost extinct in 2006. Because of that don't expect to go to TOSHIBA USA for any warranty, service help or replacements. Like the other reviewers said it's true that about 90% of the staff at TOSHIBA USA probably won't know what the e800 series are, much less recall the days when TOSHIBA made PPCs.
out of 22 user reviews
Could this be better??
Pros: Large screen, good software, great styling
Cons: No case, cannot fit in my top pocket
out of 22 user reviews
Potentially great but Bluetooth Wi-Fi sucks
Pros: SD expansion to I Gb
Cons: Bluetooth Wi-Fi connectivity extremely user surly
out of 22 user reviews
ACE! This ROCKS!
Pros: Great resolution; great coverage with built-in wi-fi; 128MB RAM; SD/CF slot; fast display for videos at 15fps
Cons: poor IR; record button a bit inconvenient for me.
Installed SPB Pocket Plus and this thing is wonderful to use. I also installed a mock Star Trek Tricorder from http://www.scarybearsoftware.com/ppc_tc_overview.html for the fun of it.
But seriously, I'm sorry Toshiba stopped making PDAs. My wife's old e310 lasted her for 4 years.
out of 22 user reviews
not stable at all - many crashes
Pros: many features.
Cons: It crashes at least twice a month (that needs a HARD reset - many more soft lockups). I have to restore everything. Microsoft has a bug in the sync of Access data base after a restore. This 2 facts combined makes the Toshiba a nightmare. DO NOT BUY ON
out of 22 user reviews
Tap screen failed after two days-worthless.
Pros:
Cons: Digitizing tap screen failure which renders the unit unuseable. Would not respond to taps even after hard reboot and call to tech support. You must return the unit to Toshiba for repair/replacement. This unit is useless to me.
out of 22 user reviews
I've got the bragging rights in my neighborhood with this device...
Pros: AWESOME screen, absolutely beautiful graphics if you take the few minutes to find the updates (resfix or myvga a MUST (i use myvga) and a decent walpaper. . . the hardware scrollwheel on the side is perfectly placed on the side for curling up stylus-free
Cons: first off, toshiba's website su**s... it is NOT user-friendly, and isnt attractive at all... i gave the product a 5 for service and support simply because the third-party support by way of forums and other online resources is second-to-none. most other ow
out of 22 user reviews
Get this "mini tablet PC" while you can!
Pros: There's rumours that Toshiba USA has discontinued the e800/e805. Get it while you can. The e805 running in either portrait or landscape VGA (640x480) mode is like having a minature tablet PC. This is the first PDA that I've used where I can contemplate l
Cons:
out of 22 user reviews
nice unit!
Pros: screen on vga is amazing! writing easy! 1St pda and love it! Deez vga Software is well worth the $10! runs everything in vga - great screen! decent feel- good warez Suite pre-installed. good wifi reception. good general use i get 4 hours on bat with mos
Cons: lost info once by Replacing bat.. not sure why yet... hold button flimsy. should have temp Bat For replacing main bat? woke up this morn and Main Bat was dead. Should not have been - was 70 % at night!
out of 22 user reviews
Simply Amazing - 480x640, USB Host, Dual Expansions, 160MB leave everything else in the dust
Pros: Amazingly crisp and beautiful 480x640 (VGA) display. Built-in WiFi Both Compact Flash and SD/MMC slots. 128MB RAM plus 32MB Flash ROM = 160MB total available storage before you even factor in having two expansion slots Excellent battery life. Did I mentio
Cons: Speaker is not loud enough and is VERY low quality (the unit does, however, sound great through headphones) Stylus is poorly designed and uncomfortable You must install third party hacks (resfix and undead) in order to truly take advantage of the high-res
out of 22 user reviews
CNET have great reviews - when they do them!
Pros: I have researched and this unit seems to be one of the best PDAs out there - why haven't CNET reviewed such a good product? Albeit I haven't bought anything from CNET, or paid them anything, I do however think their reviews are great - I hope they do thi
Cons: no BT, but SD can work if you need it - BTW, what is power consumption difference between built in BT and SD BT? Confirmation on battery life needed...
out of 22 user reviews
Great if it would work!
Pros: Great screen color, love the 2 expansion slots, lots of memory.
Cons: Random hard resets. Loses all data whenever it feels like it. I got sick of returning my E740 for hardware problems, now thie e800 less than 1 week old starts random hard resets and losing all data. I even bit the bullet that none, zip, nada of the e740 a
out of 22 user reviews
The ultimate PDA! Fantastic!!
Pros: VGA screen is fantastic. With the available hacks (Resfix 1.x and Undead zone), the e805 becomes a VGA PDA. Once you`ve enabled the portrait or landscape VGA mode, you`ll never go back to QVGA! Internet Explorer, Inbox, Calendar, Contacts, Notes, Tasks, W
Cons: No Bluetooth. No case. Skinny and retractable stylus. Sticky on/off switch
out of 22 user reviews
In Depth Look at Toshiba e800
Pros: Let me start by explaining that this is my first Pocket PC and I switched over from Sony Clie. I was annoyed with Sony's propriety products and quircky use of the clamshell design. I heavily use my pda and to keep flipping it open and balancing it becomes
Cons: Now the Cons. (1) I never realized how sensitive the screen is. They should recommend users to buy cases that cover the screen and minimize pressure on the screen. I had bought a case that like a wallet, and when I folded it closed, it would make my toshi
out of 22 user reviews
Nothing else has all this
Pros: It has the largest, brightest screen. You can actually browse web pages without scrolling using VGA mode. CF and SDIO slots. 32MB Nonvolatile FLASH, 128 MB RAM, wifi
Cons: no bluetooth, screen whines noticeably when you use the VGA mode hacks.
out of 22 user reviews
Very Nice!!
Pros: Awesome display and very easy to use. I was surfing wireless in minutes Got to love Toshiba
Cons: A little expensive, but worth it
out of 22 user reviews
The best Pocket PC!
Pros: Has everything! except........BT
Cons: no bluetooth... but u can always use a BT SD card :D ___CNET REVIEW THE PRODUCT PLEASE!!!____
out of 22 user reviews
AWESOME! Got the world in my pocket.
Pros: The screen, even in VGA mode it is clearly readable. Incredible! Portable POWER!
Cons: Buttons are close together.
out of 22 user reviews
E-800 Great upgrade PDA
Pros: This has all the features that one could want in a PDA, with MS operating system vs the palm, great screen at 4" very fast, easy to use for email or web surfing. Battery life very good. Video playback smooth, with good sound. VGA nice if you need it. And
Cons: Still looking for the camera that the other posted said it had. LOL, and when is cnet going to review this,seems that they are always way behind the curve when new products come out. ... By the time they review it I will be on to the next one. ......Come
out of 22 user reviews
This Machine is Beautiful!!!
Pros: The e800 is one of the most finest looking pocket hand- helds I've ever seen. So far I'm very impressed. Sadly I don't own this device as yet, but I spent about 30 minutes with it at the shop. So far, The features are all there, the digital camera on the
Cons: Another quirp was NO Bluetooth!, But then again, I have nothing else in my tech arsenal that has Bluetooth anyway. And a SD- Bluetooth card adapter would solve this problem easily. I thought the e800, or maybe PPC 2003 combined with Toshiba's extra-softwa
out of 22 user reviews
"It's Getting Better All The Time..."
Pros: As always Toshiba leads in quick to market integrated features such as voice and new screen, not to mention the bump in processor and memory. As in previous models it does have WiFi, CF and SD.
Cons: Only drawbacks I have found is the IR is on the side versus on top and it would be nice to have included Bluetooth.
