Technology @ LIVE SMALL BAG

Pomera DM20: A Simple Gadget for Simpler Times

The Pomera DM20 is an interesting device in a converging digital market. This single function digital memo gadget doesn`t have network connectivity, it doesn`t have an application market, and it doesn`t pander to any multipurpose delusions of grandeur. It does one thing and one thing only. It is a device with all of the functionality of Microsoft`s Windows Notepad application. And it does that well.

One Function, Done Well

One might think that the DM20 is severely lacking for it's omissions, but I find the single-tasking nature of it refreshing. I imagine this kind of device would have an audience amongst writers and students; people who need to take notes digitally but don`t necessarily need the distractions a laptop or smartphone bring. Another thing about a single function gadget is that if you narrow your focus on the device to one activity, you are better off doing that one thing very well. The DM20 delivers in the text entry arena. All of the familiar Windows keyboard shortcuts and functions are available; holding shift and moving arrows allows text selection, CTRL cut, copy and paste all work, as well as more obscure things like timestamp hotkeys. Search and replace is available, and CTRL+s saves your document on the fly. If you can work your way around a basic text editor, you will feel right at home pecking away on the Pomera deck.

Expandability

Despite it`s status as a lowly word processor, it does come with some bells and whistles. It has a microSD card slot, which allows storage in the GB range. It also has a mini USB port, allowing the Pomera DM20 to be connected to a PC. Upon connection, the device provides access to the internal memory as well as the microSD card. Files are stored as flat text (.txt format) with no special software required for editing on the PC side. The ability to move files onto a PC for further editing is a wonderful bonus. I had no problems accessing files on Windows and Unix/Linux machines. There is also supposedly an Iphone application that allows an entire entry to be transmitted through photography of QR codes. This would probably work for other devices as well, though I am not sure there is an 'app for that' on other platforms.

No Language Barrier

You may or not know that the Pomera is a Japenese market device. It was never sold outside of Japan, and so they are relatively rare. The number one question on most people`s minds is something along the lines of, "Is it English friendly?" I can say resoundingly the answer is,"YES!" The firmware on the Pomera has a menu option to switch to English, and the keyboard has Roman letters printed on it. Switching the keyboard to English input is trivial; a single keypress does it. I have two regrets with this device as far as language accomodation is concerned. First, the input method must be changed to English each time you boot the device. There is no way that I know to set English text input as the default mode in the existing firmware. Second, there is no English User Manual. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised when I purchased the DM20 and found that the entire `operating system` could be run in English.

Surprise Feature!

I said previously that this was a single function device. I might have lied a little. The DM20 also has a Calendar utility, and you can even save events to certain days in the calendar. Unfortunately, I think these event files are always stored to the internal memory, but I need to confirm that with a little more testing. It is a nice bonus. Sadly, the DM20 does not have any sort of contact info management, but that could be done fairly easily with flat files in the existing memo software.

Aesthetics

I`ve talked a lot about the functionality of the Pomera, but the form of the device can also be appreciated for its attention to detail and simple, clean look. The device has a unique folding keyboard. The LCD panel swings open, and a small latch on the left side of the device clasps the keyboard together. When released, the keyboard folds open and slides out on the left side so that the keyboard middle and the middle of the LCD panel line up.The opening motion is smooth and without incident. The Pomera DM20 exterior comes in several colors, from black to silver and flashier red and orange. I believe there are other `designer` models based on things like Gundam or popular Japanese fashion designers. While the exterior comes with variety, the interior of all the DM20s is the same; a nice even black color on all surfaces that can be seen from the eye of the typist. It is a straight laced business look, with matte plastic surrounding the LCD panel. The keyboard deck is also black with white lettering. The interior is wonderfully undistracting.

The Deck (Keyboard)

The keyboard itself is of decent quality. The keys don`t have as much travel as a regular laptop computer, but they are better than expected for a device of this size. The only major drawback to the keyboard is the fact that the space bar is really cut to about two thirds of its normal length. It makes hitting the space bar with the right hand tricky, and using both thumbs to space equally hard. Beyond that, I wish they had a way to load a different keyboard layout (like DVORAK) but that would be a lot to ask of this single function device. I`ve typed this entire review on the DM20 without any problems on the keyboard. The keyboard also has most of the handy shortcuts available like PGUP/DN and HOME/END, DEL and BKSP, so everyone should be at home on this device.

Screen / Battery Life

The other thing that might be worth mentioning is the LCD screen. It`s a 5" panel with 640x480 resolution. The panel is a two tone high contrast screen; it only delivers black and white pixels.It ALMOST looks like an E-Ink display, but not quite. The screen is easy to read in a wide range of lighting environments thanks to the high contrast. The firmware also allows you to `inverse` the display, meaning white text on black background or black text on white. I find the white text on black to be easier to read but YMMV. One other huge benefit of having a single color screen is that the battery life is wonderful. King Jim, the device manufacturer, advertises 20+ hours on a set of 2 AAA batteries. I can say that the approximation is reasonably accurate. Battery drain when the DM20 is off is near zero; I`ve had the same batteries in the device since I purchased it and they are still at well over half capacity.

Summary

All in all, it`s a niche device with a unique target audience. I can`t honestly justify the price of the device for the functionality it provides. The device retailed originally for the equivalent of 400 USD. At that price, you could purchase a decently powered netbook with all of the capabilities of the DM20 and more. I lucked out in getting mine used at a pittance, and for that price, it has proved quite useful. It is something I can pull out in a meeting that is inconspicuous, silent, and can later connect back to my main machine.