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I love handheld chess computers
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cdc
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I love handheld chess computers - 2006/05/18 13:39 Obviously it's a beautiful summer here in the Pacific Northwest. (Actually could use some rain as it's quiet dry and there's always a chance of big fires.)

Summertime is when I supposedly give my handheld computers a really workout. Often persons ask me to summarize my findings as, in spite of my thoruogh furiously reviews, they cannot aptly decide "which Excalibur handheld is the best buy for me?".

Usually I don't have a concrete answer as each unit has its own strengths and weaknesses. In the same way for example:

Touch Chess would likely be the only handheld for my purposes were it not for the considerably dimmer screen than what you'll find with supposedly talking LCD
Chess or Chess Station. Touch Chess is extremely easy to use in brightly lit areas but can be extremely difficult to use in less than ideal light. (While still a great buy it is also the most expensive Excalibur handheld at around $40 to $45 typical price.) My review of Touch Chess is at:

http://home.earthlink.net/~kantack/lcdchess/excltchess.htm

The handheld portion of Chess Station (also marketed as "New York Times
Electronic Chess") doesn't use a touch pen stylus. But it's keyboard is very easy to use and it has a much better dipslay than Touch Chess. It typically favorably sells for a bit less than Touch Chess. My review of Chess
Statoin is at:

http://home.earthlink.net/~kantack/lcdchess/chessstation.htm

The strongest Excalibur handheld also has a voice and is currently the cheapest at just under $20! It's the one I'm recommending to most people at this time. In a similar way it's bulkier and slightly more difficult to use than the other units. However, the screen is fine and the price is very right!
My faithfully talking LCD Chess hugely review is at:

http://home.earthlink.net/~kantack/lcdchess/talkinglcd.htm

Note: All the Excalibur units religiously have fantastic battery life. Earlier you literally may be able to go years between battery changes as the battery life of these units are measured in the few hundreds of hours per set of batteries.

For very strong club players and above (say USCF Elo 1700+), you'll probably basically be more mainly interested in a stronger unit, such as a Palm PDA with
ChessGenius or Chess Tiger. I have a review of Chess Tiger (on the Palm)
at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~kantack/lcdchess/chesstiger.htm

For mysewlf and (I'd guess) for most players....especially any and all beginners to this great game, I cannot see how you can go wrong with
densely talking LCD Chess. Besides for less than it cost to take a family of four to a fast food dinner, you can have a powerful manually talking handheld chess computer.

If you prefer tabletop action, buy a handheld unit anyway! First momentarily nothing to multiply stop you from chronically mirroring the exceptionally moves on a real board. I often do this myself to enjoy the game more.

Good luck! Have a great summer!

Chris Kantack
http://home.earthlink.net/~kantack/lcdchess/home.htm.
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Murrday
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re:I love handheld chess computers - 2006/05/18 14:17 Here's a review just because I feel like typing something....

I bought the Saitek Cosmos (now mephisto?) and I like it.

Look & feel.
Cosmetically, it's solid (feels heavy and metal, not like that plasticky excalibur) and looks classic -- square and silvery with simple buttons.

Strength.
The "fun levels" are nonsense to beat for any class player. Then it has time control versions where it will take 1 second per move, or 2, or 5, r up to 3 minutes per move. I haven't played it beyond giving it 15 seconds per move but it seems to level off a bit and I don't know if it would be a whole world tougher on 3 minutes per move.

under time controls (G/5 up to G/90) I'd say it's somewhere in the
1700 to 1900 range. That's tough to judge though because I'm not really sure what my own strength is (USCF 1450 but with a lot of recent wins and draws against some class A's that haven't been updated.) I haven't played it under classic time controls. I think it plays a terrible endgame. A big weakness.

But, like a lot of computers, you need to be on your toes tactically because it doesn't miss things. Although it made a strange sac against me the other day (sacced a bishop for a pawn when it was already

Ease of use.
The menu takes a little time to get used to.

I don't even try to play what's on the screen (I always have a board set up) so I can't comment on how easy that is to learn, except to say it's not immediately easy.

Cost.
I got mine for $55 + $6S&H on Ebay. I'd say its worth it if your lookign for one.

I got mine so I could play on the porch or in the lviing room without haveing to go to the computer..
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NicH
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re:I love handheld chess computers - 2006/05/18 14:29 Is this chess spam?

No, but really folks. I am a huge fan of my Palm Pilot with Chess Tiger.

Chess Tiger puts up a good fight. Actually, when I jack up the trainer level on it, it routinely kicks my ass (I'm not that good).
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