Tapwave's first product, the Zodiac, is an innovative mobile product that combines an MP3 player, game console, picture and video player and PDA all in one. Whilst it's not a must-have handheld device, technology enthusiasts will love the functionality it adds to a regular Palm PDA - especially if you're a gamer. There's no hiding the fact that's it's built for fun, but it still includes most of the features you've come to expect from a Palm PDA - except built-in Wi-Fi and a digital camera. Having said that, hardcore gamers will be disappointed if they purchase the Zodiac just for playing games because it's not the most comfortable device to use for long periods and there are better offerings on the market. If you've ever wanted to use your daily handheld for games, there's really no reason not to give the Zodiac a closer look.

Pros: Large colour screen; good sound and graphics; dual SD slots
Cons: No built-in Wi-Fi or camera; slightly uncomfortable gaming


Technology enthusiasts will love the Zodiac (143x79x14mm, 179g), a Palm OS 5.2T-powered multimedia handheld that extends the functionality of a Palm OS PDA by adding a larger screen and better gaming hardware. Developed by US-based Tapwave, the anodised aluminium-encased Zodiac is available exclusively through PC World and Dixons (including its Tax Free stores) and allows you to listen to music, play 'console-quality' 3D games, view photos and video (MPEG-1, MPEG4, QuickTime and AVI), and organise your life (Date Book, Address Book, To-Do list, Memo Pad and Calculator). You can also customise the Zodiac with thousands of Palm OS applications already available.

The handheld computer is based on a 32-bit 200MHz Motorola i.MX1 ARM9 processor and integrated ATI Imageon W4200 GPU with 8MB SDRAM and support for the FatHammer X-Forge 3D graphics engine. Available in two models, the Zodiac 1 (£229 ex. VAT) reviewed here and Zodiac 2 (£279 ex. VAT), come with 32MB and 128MB of memory respectively. Each can also be expanded by adding a removable card into either of the two SD/MMC/SDIO expansion ports provided, offering up to 2GB of additional storage - enough for a significant number of songs, photos, e-books, audible books, games, videos, and business documents. For instance, the 256MB SD card supplied with our review unit was packed with 21 games.

The major selling point of the Zodiac is its large 3.8in. (480x320 pixels) transflective touchscreen colour display, Yamaha PA2 stereo speakers that support vibration effects for silent notification and interactive gameplay (3.5mm stereo headphone jack also built-in), and its relatively impressive gaming capabilities. A neat feature of the screen is that it can be operated in both landscape or portrait mode, allowing documents, games, e-mail and images to be viewed in the orientation which best suits them. The Zodiac also features a non-removable rechargeable 1540mAh Lithium-ion battery that powers the device for around 4 hours of solid gameplay or around two days of basic use, the first ever 8-way analogue controller (pressure-sensitive joystick) in a handheld product, two gaming triggers located on the top left and right edge of the Zodiac, and a dockable stylus (clips into recess on the underside of the unit).

With integrated Bluetooth (dedicated button lets you toggle it on and off) and infrared wireless technologies, the Zodiac can also be used in conjunction with a supported mobile phone to browse the Internet, send SMS messages and manage e-mail. Of course, you can also challenge up to seven worthy opponents to some spirited wireless, multi-player gaming. Unfortunately, there's no built-in Wi-Fi, so you'll have to further purchase a Wi-Fi SD card if you want to access e-mail, surf the Internet or chat online wirelessly using a Wi-Wi network. SanDisk and palmOne both offer Wi-Fi SD cards that allow you to connect to 802.11b Wi-Fi Hotspots worldwide.

The new retail model for the UK market also comes with a UK/Euro/US charging kit and the latest Zodiac 1.1 software suite, which includes enhancements such as background music playback for listening to music while you play games, view a photo slideshow or read an e-book, and the ability to synchronise your personal organiser data with Microsoft's Outlook using Chapura's excellent PocketMirror software. Unfortunately, there's no desktop cradle supplied as standard, but there is a USB data cable supplied so you can connect the device to your Windows-based laptop or desktop PC.

In addition to the mass of Palm OS software already available, potential Zodiac customers should note that there's already a decent range of big-brand games available for around £24.99 (ex. VAT). For instance, there's Electronic Arts' Madden NFL 2005, Activision's Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4, Midway's SpyHunter, id Software's Doom II and 3D Realms/MachineWorks Northwest's Duke Nukem Mobile. Whilst the games are far superior in terms of graphics and sound compared to those available for regular Palm OS devices, they're still not as polished or playable as those on Nintendo's GameBoy Advance SP or other dedicated handheld gaming devices. The Zodiac is also going to come under further pressure with the imminent release of Sony's awesome handheld Playstation, the PSP.

Operating the Zodiac is similar to a regular Palm PDA, although it does sport a new launcher interface. Augmenting the stylus-driven nature of the Palm OS interface, the Zodiac interface takes advantage of its analogue controller. Although a little tricky to get to grips with, the large icons are arrayed in a wheel and moving the joystick towards a given icon either launches a program or selects a category. The neat thing here is that you don't have to mess around with the stylus or click options to launch applications - simply moving the controller to the desired application icon will open it. Should you make a mistake, there's even a Home button next to the controller that takes you right back to the start of the menu system. You can also create a custom interface with background images and there's a large list view that fills the whole screen - for those who like to tap with the stylus or who don't like novel interfaces.

The Zodiac is an innovative combination of fun and function in a sleek ergonomic design. Existing Palm users will be able to install all their favourite applications, and gamers can play large-screen titles on the move. Music playback is also impressive, and photos and video look great. Of course, you can also keep your business files in sync. Just don't expect the next generation of handheld gaming, because that's coming from the mighty Sony.

BIOS, Jan 10, 05 | Print | Send | Comments (0) | Posted In PDA