Hi,

I am doing some extensive traveling soon, and would like a handheld
chess computer to pass the time on extremely long flights (my notebook
computer won't due - battery life too short, too big and heavy, etc).

My main criteria would be a video screen (no physical chess pieces or
board), quality/reliability, and of course size/weight/portability. I
don't care how tough of an opponent the chess computer is, because I'd
wager that it will be plenty tough enough to beat me even if it can't
beat some other chess computer.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

wrote:

I am doing some extensive traveling soon, and would like a handheld
chess computer to pass the time on extremely long flights (my notebook
computer won't due - battery life too short, too big and heavy, etc).

My main criteria would be a video screen (no physical chess pieces or
board), quality/reliability, and of course size/weight/portability. I
don't care how tough of an opponent the chess computer is, because I'd
wager that it will be plenty tough enough to beat me even if it can't
beat some other chess computer.

Any ideas?



Excalibur Talking LCD Chess model 375V $30 most places
but I have seen it below $25.

http://www.thechesspiece.com/review375.htm

BTW, I opened mine and cut one of the wires to the speaker.
It works fine without the beeps.

--
Guy Macon
http://www.guymacon.com/

Palm or PocketPC handhelds

http://www.grailmaster.com/misc/ches...essreview.html



wrote in message
...
Hi,

I am doing some extensive traveling soon, and would like a handheld
chess computer to pass the time on extremely long flights (my notebook
computer won't due - battery life too short, too big and heavy, etc).

My main criteria would be a video screen (no physical chess pieces or
board), quality/reliability, and of course size/weight/portability. I
don't care how tough of an opponent the chess computer is, because I'd
wager that it will be plenty tough enough to beat me even if it can't
beat some other chess computer.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Hi,

I am doing some extensive traveling soon, and would like a handheld
chess computer to pass the time on extremely long flights (my notebook
computer won't due - battery life too short, too big and heavy, etc).

My main criteria would be a video screen (no physical chess pieces or
board), quality/reliability, and of course size/weight/portability. I
don't care how tough of an opponent the chess computer is, because I'd
wager that it will be plenty tough enough to beat me even if it can't
beat some other chess computer.

Any ideas?


Get a Nintendo Game Boy and Chessmaster. That way you can play other games
too. I'm about a 1500 and it beats me most of the time.

On Mar 19, 12:36*pm, wrote:
Hi,

I am doing some extensive traveling soon, and would like a handheld
chess computer to pass the time on extremely long flights (my notebook
computer won't due - battery life too short, too big and heavy, etc).

My main criteria would be a video screen (no physical chess pieces or
board), quality/reliability, and of course size/weight/portability. *I
don't care how tough of an opponent the chess computer is, because I'd
wager that it will be plenty tough enough to beat me even if it can't
beat some other chess computer.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

I downloaded a chess game for my cell phone (game by EA Mobile). It
works great for my simple needs. $6.00

Maple Tree wrote:

Maple Tree, please don't top-post.

wrote in message
...

Hi,

I am doing some extensive traveling soon, and would like a handheld
chess computer to pass the time on extremely long flights (my notebook
computer won't due - battery life too short, too big and heavy, etc).

My main criteria would be a video screen (no physical chess pieces or
board), quality/reliability, and of course size/weight/portability. I
don't care how tough of an opponent the chess computer is, because I'd
wager that it will be plenty tough enough to beat me even if it can't
beat some other chess computer.

Palm or PocketPC handhelds

http://www.grailmaster.com/misc/ches...essreview.html

In my opinion, the above is bad advice.

You are pointing him to a device that costs a lot more than what
I suggested (Excalibur Talking LCD Chess model 375V), has a far
shorter battery life, and is far stronger than he says ne needs.

Up yours

"Guy Macon" http://www.guymacon.com/ wrote in message
...



Maple Tree wrote:

Maple Tree, please don't top-post.

wrote in message
...

Hi,

I am doing some extensive traveling soon, and would like a handheld
chess computer to pass the time on extremely long flights (my notebook
computer won't due - battery life too short, too big and heavy, etc).

My main criteria would be a video screen (no physical chess pieces or
board), quality/reliability, and of course size/weight/portability. I
don't care how tough of an opponent the chess computer is, because I'd
wager that it will be plenty tough enough to beat me even if it can't
beat some other chess computer.

Palm or PocketPC handhelds

http://www.grailmaster.com/misc/ches...essreview.html

In my opinion, the above is bad advice.

You are pointing him to a device that costs a lot more than what
I suggested (Excalibur Talking LCD Chess model 375V), has a far
shorter battery life, and is far stronger than he says ne needs.

Thanks for the input.

In addition to what was recommended above, can anyone comment on these
units, especially with respect to display, etc?

http://www.thechessstore.com/c=NWYgj..._Computer.html

http://www.thechessstore.com/c=NWYgj..._Computer.html

http://www.thechessstore.com/c=NWYgj..._Computer.html

http://www.thechessstore.com/c=NWYgj...uch_Chess.html

(Note to anyone just joining the conversation; he is *not*
looking for the strongest machine available. If he was all
of my advice would be different.)

wrote:

Thanks for the input.

In addition to what was recommended above, can anyone comment on these
units, especially with respect to display, etc?

http://www.thechessstore.com/c=NWYgj..._Computer.html

http://www.thechessstore.com/c=NWYgj..._Computer.html

http://www.thechessstore.com/c=NWYgj..._Computer.html

http://www.thechessstore.com/c=NWYgj...uch_Chess.html

You appear to have decided on a stylus-based touch screen unit.
Are you concerned about losing the stylus or wearing out the
screen (typically plastic that gets scratches as you use it)?
I personally find button-based units easier to use after you
get used to the controls. Be aware that replacement stylii
from a PDA, etc. either won't fit the holder or will fall out.

http://www.thechessstore.com/c=NWYgj..._Computer.html
Great display if you turn on the backlight -- but you have to
replace batteries every few hours. *No* backlit screen is easy
to read with the backlight turned off; the non-backlits have a
mirror at the back that doubles brightness. (I am an Engineer
who works in the toy industry and know what I am talking about
here).

http://www.thechessstore.com/c=NWYgj..._Computer.html
The display is a bit bigger and a bit harder to read than the
unit I recommend (the Excalibur Talking LCD Chess.) This one
is better in bright light. The Talking LCD is better in dim
light. There have been a lot of complaints about the lowest
level being too strong, and thus beating average players
every time.

http://www.thechessstore.com/c=NWYgj..._Computer.html
I have never tried this one. Multiple reviewers report a really
hard to read screen. It is also, in my opinion, too small
for playing a long game..

http://www.thechessstore.com/c=NWYgj...uch_Chess.html
I have never tried this one. It does have a backlight,
so the limitations I talk about above apply. It looks
like it has a nice big screen and a lower section that
displays text, both of which are advantages.


--
Guy Macon
http://www.guymacon.com/

I've owned the Excalibur Touch-Chess model. The touch screen is great, it has a lot of built-in options, but I guess I'd have to say that the display is poor. There is no backlight, just a contrast knob. The chess-set is also poorly designed. The pieces are created by stacking a new shape on top of an existing one. For example, the common base of all pieces and pawns is the triangle, and there appear blips over the tops of some of the pieces to tell them apart from the others: a bishop has one blip, a queen has two. Now the pawns don't have any blips above them, but if your display contrast knob is a bit loose, then you'll always see the faint shadows of blips.

You can see what I'm describing by clicking on the Touch-Chess game to enlarged its image. Look at the Box. There you can see the blips in the shapes representing bishop and queen. (The photo that links to the mephisto game also looks like a stacked chesset.) I think after a few drinks on a plane, you don't want to figure out what the blips represent. What you want is a shape that represents its chesspiece.

That's what I see in Excalibur's New York Times Chess computer: a rook that looks like a castle, and a knight that looks like a horse. That's nice. It comes with a backlight, which may be a necessity for overnight air-travel. It's also stronger than the other handhelds at 2000+. Finally, it looks like a PDA, so you'll look professional, hard at work, while you're tinkering around on the plane.