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Run Linux Apps On Your Sharp Zaurus?
FreezerJam writes: "Now, THIS could be cool. Sharp apparently has software -- zxLinux -- that lets you run Linux apps on some of the PDAs in the their Zaurus line. Here's the wire story and the Sharp page is here. But someone will have to translate from the Asian language involved [Japanese], 'cause the fish can't do this." One advantage that Sharp seems to have here is that its products already exist, unlike some other companies' shadow-ware ...
I'm pretty sure this only applies to the newer technology Zaurus models, most of which were never sold outside of Japan.
I had the older technology Zaurus ZR5000, and then a ZR5800, but gave it to my wife and bought a Visor because of the piss-poor selection of software. It had really nice built-in apps, but almost nothing available from third parties. And Sharp had been promising a software-only SDK real soon now since 1993 or so when I bought it. It had a lot of promise, with that decently big screen, QWERTY keyboard, serial port and PCMCIA card slot. Unfortunately it mostly never got beyond the "promise" stage.
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By today's standards, however, this unit is *very* limited. The standard model comes with 1MB of memory. Interestingly enough, they don't really go into what kind of hardware is under the hood. This zxLinux thing doesn't strike me as a port, but more as Emulation.
Read about the Zaurus here: http://www.sharp-usa.com/zaurus/
-- Give him Head? Be a Beacon?
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Both the MI-EX1 & MI-C1, which are the only Zauruses that can run zmLinux, are sold in Japan. These are Sharps most high end units, both costing over $1000. Knowing this, I imagine most people wouldn't be so excited. (My submission of this story had all the detailed info. I'd wish Slashdot would check the other postings instead of committing to the first post.)
Oh, don't get me wrong, I wasn't bitching at you, just griping about publications, especially Ziff-Davis ones -- if they're reporting on advances to the PDAs, they should know which things are actually improvements, and which ones are already available. (Actually, someone pointed the same thing out in one of the recent ZDnet talkbacks, and no, he and I aren't the same person, so don't send your Slashdot hate mail to that guy ;) ).
Now, on to your question, 'cause I'm not one of those usual Slashdot interview snob types who only answers questions which were moderated to a 5!. :)
First off, I can't speak for any of the other CE devices, because the Cassiopeia 105's the only one I've used. That said, I did a good bit of research before buying, and this model is considered the top of the line of the Palm-sized CE devices by a lot of different sources (not all, of course). I've got a Palm Pilot and a Palm III, and I've used the Palm Vx before, and I just can't imagine going back. It's got all the data-tracking tools that I need in Pocket Outlook (contacts, appointments, tasks, email), which are essential in a PDA, and it integrates perfectly with Outlook on my regular computer whenever I sync. So, it has the same things that I needed out of my Palm, and if that's all you need, then you might not want to fork over the extra bucks for an E-105.
For me, though, it's the extras which sold me. I travel two or three times a month, and this thing has been perfect for plane rides when I want to relax and not bother with any work. I can download some MP3s to listen to on it -- and the Windows Media Player, as well as the Mobile Audio Player before it, sound great -- but what I've been doing lately is listening to the audio version of Dennis Miller's Ranting Again. It was only $3.99 for the three-hour audio book, and worth every penny -- even despite the occasionial odd look I'll get when I suddenly bust out laughing. Another common plane/limo-in-traffic thing for me is the Color GameBoy emulator I downloaded. It's pretty sweet. It also comes with a voice recorder, which, although I've never been much of a voice recorder user, does make good-sounding recordings if that's something you're into. Pocket Streets is very nice, and I use it a lot, and Doom is pretty fun just for the "Whoa!" factor in showing people, although I'm not really into the game, myself.
All of the applications that I've used are very very usable -- both on Palm and the E-105 -- although one of the reasons why I'm not jumping up and down waiting for Pocket Word is because I don't have much interested in inputting long documents into my PDA, whether it's via Palm's Graffiti or the 105's Jot -- I'm fairly fast with both, but both are just glacial compared to doing it on a keyboard. I installed CE Python for kicks and got tired of entering all those characters before I even finished my second program. Besides, full color Doom on a PDA is a better show-off toy than Python programs on a PDA for all but the most jaded geek. ;)
As for how the new CE devices will fare against the Palm, I erally have no idea. I think they'll always be more expensive, so it's just how much people are willing to pay for the extra coolness factor, i.e., the great graphics and sound, and the standard apps. I myself can't imagine going back, but Palm's already got a huge entrenched market share, plus I don't know how many people are going to need the new features of CE, compared to what's already available for the current CE devices, which I'm already thrilled with. For example, I'm really looking forward to checking out the new MS Reader, but I'm not yet convinced that people are going to start craving books on their PDAs anytime soon. Pocket IE is sweet, but how many people will have internet access on their devices (I do, on my Palm III and E-105, but I know I'm not in the majority)?
Anyway, that's the take on it from a Palm and CE user who hasn't yet tried CE 3.0. There are a couple of other things I could add, but it feels like I've already written an eBook's worth of stuff in this post, so I'll spare your time and mine until next time.
Cheers,
ZicoKnows@hotmail.com
It's a new version of CE, 3.0, along with the new apps, mainly, although for the most part, the devices for it will be new ones (while a few are the old devices with new ROM chips, which will let the current users of those models upgrade via a new ROM). Pocket Internet Explorer (PIE...mmmmm, pie...) is new for the palm-sized devices, although other browsers have been available, and PIE, like Pocket Excel and Pocket Word, was available for the handheld-style models (the ones with keyboards). Other than the OS upgrade, the PocketPCs introduce Word, Excel, IE, MS Reader, and MS Money. All the reports say that it also introduces MS Streets and Windows Media Player, but these have already been available to the current users.
Cheers,
ZicoKnows@hotmail.com
A friend of mine has this little puppy running and it's great as a geek's toy. What impresed me most is, that the zxLinux kernel runs *on top* of the native kernel and OS. So they just wrote a device driver for the keyboard to get that info from the host OS. That means it can do hand-writing recognition and use the on-screen keyboard. You can even switch to one of the built-in apps.
The only problem is, since the Zaurus doesn't support unloading started apps (sounds funny, but true), you'd have to reset the whole device to shut down zxLinux. And the Zaurus has only 5MBs of RAM, of which the kernel alone uses 2.5MB.
According to the developers talk at the PDA-BOF at LinuxConference2000 in Tokyo, they do plan to make somekind of GUI platform available. It won't be full X (no RAM to do that) but probably some X-ish implementation possibly using frame-buffer with widgets designed for 1/4 VGA size screens. At yesterday's PDA-BOF, the PDA makers agreed to cooperate in creating a common Linux PDA-GUI spec/API.
Though this is defnetly nothing for the avarage Zaurus user, its surely a super cool geek toy, and is more advanced than the Linux-port to the Palm.
Yeah, it's off-topic, but anything that's funny is on-topic, eh?
-russ
p.s. anybody can be held without being charged with a crime for 48 hours. Even after that, the judge has to either set or deny bail, and if the latter, it has to be for a good reason. If stupidity and ignorance was a crime, you'd be in jail too. Then again, if flameage was, I'd be in too.
Don't piss off The Angry Economist
-----------
"You can't shake the Devil's hand and say you're only kidding."
-----------
"You can't shake the Devil's hand and say you're only kidding."
How well do these things work compared to the Palm? I couldn't find any mention of battery life on the website either.
====
You mentioned quite a few things that were very useful. Who knew you could run Doom on it? I didn't realize you could use it as a recorder (I guess it's more of a hardware implemented feature. The GameBoy emulator is definitely interesting as well.
For all the bad things anyone could say about it, there's one good thing about WinCE - it is a platform that people could build to. There would be more choices (down the road, hopefully) than the roman numerals of a Palm.
Now, if we could only get Linux, Apache, Universal Remote, and Wireless phone on it (oh, and can you imagine a Beowulf cluster of one of these?)
Thanks once again.
Regards.
1. What processor is in this puppy?
2. What kind of apps are we talking here? Do they have to be recompiled, or will it run x86 code?
3. X? or just console?
BlackNova Traders
MS Pocket PC
<yawn> Does it run Linux?
MS Reader: I like my books unencumbered. Windows Media Player: I don't want anything to do with SDMI. Pocket Internet Explorer: Is that for playing pocket pool?
Frankly I've been seeing AP stories hyping this intro for a couple of days now and I realize that I don't care in the least.
Anomalous: inconsistent with or deviating from what is usual, normal, or expected
Anomalous: deviating from what is usual, normal, or expected
Canard: a false or unfounded repor
It would be nice, however, to be able to run a web server in your palm. You could have a running journal that you always type into, and people hitting the reload button to read what just happened. It would be like the girl in the Doonesbury comic in the paper, but text based (call it optimized for slow connections.)
"Assume the worst about people, and you'll generally be correct"
And here's how (I quote:)
G%b04 %VBv%'"% Vcv%é"é3ù% ORACLE 8i vcv%34304% øø% !!! cd /oracle 324 5VKCVLD %%% BKBVL%% 1vc!BV?v!!c!! /bin/bash linux2zx 232!!wxcx ZE4343:!!! vCVC!!! 132903^ é"421 @@12 435c 35VCXJHER hgdfhHGHG!
KANPAI!! 5454``ùù&~é~ 5('!54?5??45 -- HIROSHI SENSEI
I usually use Jim Breen's WWWJDIC at http://www.dgs.monash.e du.au/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/jwb/wwwjdic?9T to do the translation for me. It is very rough and you'll need to know some Japanese to understand it completely. But to get the gist of what is being said, it is quite useful.
Actually, I use a OMCRON software called HONYAKU to do most of my Japanese English translations, but this page is too big for me to properly translate using HONYAKU, since I'd have to post the results somewhere and I don't want to get slashdotted :-)
It definitely looks like a very cool thing!
I'm tired of the countless articles telling what software/features these devices will have, implying that the current generation doesn't already have them. The Cassiopia E-105 (DeepDarkSky, the new PocketPC version is actually the E-115), which is the one I've got, already offers, and has for months now, the Windows Media Player, Pocket Streets, web browsers, and Outlook. When I upgrade(*), the main things I'm interested in are MS Money, Excel, IE, and Reader -- especially looking forward to trying the reader -- but I enjoy the other stuff enough that I haven't touched my Palm III since December.
(*) On the bad news front is the upgrade situation. Casio says they'll upgrade the ROMS for those of us with E-100/105s (other than the ROM, the E-105 and new E-115 hardware are identical), but not until the summer. Arggggh. :/
Cheers,
ZicoKnows@hotmail.com
I've had reasonably good results with the Netscape 6 preview release - it has a View | Translate command that sends the URL to www.teletranslator.com and then translates it for you.
Very convenient - you can even navigate the links in the resulting page, and the service will translate the pages automatically.
Microsoft unveiled the Pocket PC today. Products being available by its partners include: HP Jornada, Compaq iPaq H3600, Casio Cassiopei a E-105 and Symbol PPT 2700. Microsoft's touting it as being better than Palm. Here's a list of features, significant among them: Microsoft Reader (for reading e-books), Windows Media Player (for playing music), Pocket Streets (a map program), Pocket Internet Explorer, and office productivity tools like Outlook, Word, and Excel.
FWIW though, Japanese make good appliance-type gadgets, and you can count on them to deliver good quality end-user products (witness the game consoles). Only problem is if some terrorists decide to use a Sharp Zaurus in their Missile Guidance System.
There's not a whole lot on the page - just a greeting, an obvious "What's New" section, and a FAQ. Anyway, here's my quick-'n-dirty translation of the FAQ:
------------------------------------------------ zxLinux FAQ
Section 1: zxLinux is...?
- Linux for use on Sharp's Zaurus
- AXE developed this version of Linux, with much help from Sharp. HOWEVER, please do not contact Sharp with any questions regarding this page.
- Linux runs as a single process in Zaurus' XTAL microkernel
- The Zaurus environment and Linux environment can coexist:
- written text input can be directed to the Linux console
- Zaurus' environment will not be crippled in any way (PC: presumably by Linux running concurrently)
- however, there are no guarantees made for processes running on the system
- there is no guarantee that erasure or other changes to Zaurus' internal data will not occur
- Use of the Zaurus keyboard option is supported
(pc: here, there's a link to a more detailed description of how zxLinux was developed, but the link seems to be broken as I write this)Section 2: Compatible hardware
- Zaurus iCraze(?) EX1 (model# MI-EX1)
- Power Zaurus C1 (model# MI-C1)
NOTE: Other Zaurus models have insufficient RAM, so at this time, they cannot run zxLinux.Section 3: Kernel Version
- Linux Kernel version 2.3.23
(pc: a dev kernel???)Section 4: Development Environment (pc: now my Japanese is getting a little fuzzy; we never learned technical terms or technical use of terms, so please bear with me ^_^;;)
- Cross development with Intel-based Linux
- Development kits come in two types; debugger comes in one:
- Kernel development kit
- Application development kit
- Application development kit remote debugger
- To develop for zxLinux, a native Zaurus development environment and a Linux development environment are necessary. (pc: combining? synchronizing?) the environments is extremely difficult. This is why a specific kernel development kit was created. However, we still must stress caution when conducting zxLinux kernel development.
- zxLinux application development does not differ from normal Linux application development. As long as limits are observed (pc: presumably memory limits), Linux-x86 or Linux/SH (or other Linux) source code can be used.
- (pc: here, there's a link to to an explanation of how to develop for zxLinux)
- The remote debugger is used by attaching a serial line between a Zaurus and an Intel-based Linux machine. If you run a debugger on an Intel-based Linux machine and "gdbserver" (remote debugger) on the Zaurus, you can conduct zxLinux application debugging.
- (pc: here, there's a link to an explanation of how to use the debugger.
Section 5: License/usage conditionsSection 6: License/usage warnings
Section 7: License agreement
(pc: I'm not going to try translating these right now, as the text is really long and full of disclaimers and legal stuff; suffice to say that you're on your own when you use this, you can't blame Sharp for any damage to your Zaurus, etc., etc. - standard stuff)
Section 8: Using the binaries
If you use this software, you may damage or destroy your Zaurus' internal data. Any use of this software is your responsibility.
If you have vital data stored on your Zaurus, then please DO NOT USE THIS SOFTWARE AT ALL.
No matter what happens, neither Sharp Corp. nor AXE hold any responsibility (for your Zaurus).
- Prepare a read/writable Zaurus-compatible compact flash card. (Make sure that the file format on the card is DOS FAT.)
- Unpack the binary kit archive. This can be done in either Windows or Linux.
- Copy all of the above files to the compact flash card.
- Place the flash card into the Zaurus.
- "ZxLinux" should appear in the MORE Software screen (in actuality, the boot program), so tap it to begin the install.
- zxLinux will automatically install.
- The ext2fs image can be mounted and used on an Intel-based Linux machine.
- IMPORTANT: To shutdown zxLinux, go to the [Power (Return)] button.
- If the Zaurus behaves abnormally, find the battery removal switch and move it from [Lock]->[Release]->[Lock]. This will reset your Zaurus.
Section 9: Mailing ListZLNXKNL.BIN zxLinux kernel ZLNXIMG.DAT Linux ext2fs image ZLNX.APL
ZLNX.BIN
ZLNXDM00.JPN
ZLNXFM00.JPN
ZLNXST00.JPN zxLinux boot program The above files are what you should get.
(pc: I ripped this table from the page and translated the katakana bits...sorry, AXE!)
Going to a different button will not shut down Linux; it will only change the running application. With zxLinux running in the background behind the new application, the Zaurus will run exceptionally slowly.
For program developers, there is a mailing list available: zxldev@axe-inc.co.jp.
To Subscribe
- For people wishing to subscribe, please send mail to
- A confirmation email will be sent to the given address.
- Reply to the confirmation email.
- Once these steps are completed, you will be subscribed to the list.
NOTE: This list is supported by volunteers.    zxldev-ctl@axe-inc.co.jp
with this text
    subscribe zxldev <your@mail.address>
in the body of the message.
Section 10: Documentation
- (pc: link to a page on how zxLinux was created)
- (pc: link to the development method page)
- (pc: link to a page on use of the remote debugger)
- (pc: link to simple instructions for a demo application)
Section 11: Related links------------------------------------------------
*WHEW*
That pretty much covers the FAQ. Now that I think about it, I probably didn't need to translate the install instructions, as people who have Zaurus' can probably read Japanese anyway.
Anyway, I hope this helps people out some. I'm not a native Japanese speaker, and I don't claim that my translation is 100% correct, so please forgive any errors in the translation. If you have corrections, please post them! :)
Ja na,
- PC
translation of hi-lights from www.zxlinux.com
What's new
* source for zlboot is made available (see below).
* zxlinux will be at LinuxConference 2000
zxlinux will be at PDA BOF
1. what is zxlinux
* Linux that runs under zaurus
* Developed by AXE, Inc http://www.axe-inc.co.jp/
[they have an English page]
* Linux Server runs as a "XTAL" process under zaurus' mirco kernel
* It can perfectly coexist with the existing zaurus environment:
* linux console input via handwriting recognition.
* does not disturb the zaurus environment
* compatible with zaurus' option hardware keyboard.
technical detail in Japanese can be found at http://www.zxlinux.com/doc/kd11.html. There are some diagrams that are in English.
2. supported platforms
* EX1(MI-EX1)
* Power Zaurus C1 (MI-C1)
3. kernel version
Linux 2.3.23
(2.2.23 was a typo)
4. development environment
Cross-compiled under Itel Linux
Two development environments.
One debugger.
* kernel development environment
* application development environment
* application development remote GDB
zxlinux kernel development is difficult due to
limitation of native Zaurus and Linux environments.
So, we decided to develop a special kernel development environment.
zxlinux applications development is just like Linux.
Except for a few limitations, you can use the same source code
as Linux/x86 or Linux/SH.
Remote GDB allows GDB running on Intel linux to connect to
Zaurus via a serial cable. Applications on zxlinux can be debugged
by running gdbserver on Zaurus.
5. conditions of use
Basic disclaimers:
Not responsible for loss of data, etc..
[too tedious to translate]
6. caution
[More warnings on possible data loss and potential hardware damage.]
...
* Source code found here can be modified and distributed according
to GPL version 2.
7. distribution
Do you agree on the "conditions of use" and "caution" above?
If so, press the button below to go to the distribution page.
8. how to use the binary kit.
[Yet another warning about data loss and stuff]
1. Prepare a writable Zaurus Compact Flash Card.
(Use DOS FAT file system)
2. Expand the binary kit archives on windows or linux.
You will get:
ZLNXKNL.BIN zxlinux kernel
ZLNIMG.DAT Linux Ext2fs image
ZLNX.APL
ZLNX.BIN
ZLNXDM00.JPN zxlinux boot programs
ZLNXFM00.JPN
ZLNXST00.JPN
3. Transfer all these to the flash card.
4. insert the flash card and boot Zaurus.
5. zxlinux (actually its boot program) appears on the
"MORE Software boot screen", so invoke it by clicking on it.
6. zxlinux will boot.
7. you can mount Ext2fs image on Intel linux.
8. *** you shutdown zxlinux by pressing the "Power(back)" button.***
Other buttons do not shutdown zxlinux, but switch the appliction.
This causes zxlinux to run in the background while the newly selected
programs runs, resulting in very poor performance.
9. If Zaurus behaves funny reset it by toggling the battery switch
as follows:
Lock -> Release -> Lock
9. mailing list
[information about mailing lists]
10. documentation
* How zxlinux works http://www.zxlinux.com/doc/kd11.html
* development methodology http://www.zxlinux.com/doc/devdoc.html
* using remote gdb http://www.zxlinux.com/doc/rgdbdoc.html
* brief intro to demo apps http://www.zxlinux.com/doc/apl.txt
11. links
* Sharp
* AXE [the icon with the cute girl]
* XTAL home page
* Japan Linux association
* Info on Linux in Japan