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LinuxHardware.org Agenda Preview
Augustus writes "LinuxHardware.org has just posted a preview of one of the new Linux handhelds on the market, the Agenda VR3. Although the product reviewed is only a developer release its a good intro to things to come. If you are a developer the Agenda VR3 is a steal at $179 (plus applicable tax and shipping)." I'm hoping to get my hands on one of these soon as well - looks pretty cool.
Now an affordable way to update your skills for what's left of the current job market. Unemployed programmers who had trouble keeping their budget below 100,000 lines of code seem to be the intention of this even if it's not stated.
Probably not- that's pretty largish.
I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
Clumsy, if you think about it. Only something like a Psion or a WinCE HPC would be really usable in CLI (No keyboard available except that gui alternative on these devices...)
I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
The Helio DOES support PocketLinux and so does the iPaq (though that means putting some money into MS' pockets as well in that reagrd). The Helio is $169 at CompUSA right now (Though the info on the PocketLinux site is very sparse, there seems to be some info on the VTech site discussing Linux versions on the Helio.) I'm kind of intrigued by the four options now- do I spend $500 or so on an iPaq, $169 on a Helio, $179 on a developer edition VR3 (Which I've seen- it's got it's upsides and downsides), or approximately $800 on a developer edition Yopy. The Yopy's a hard sell as is the iPaq (As for only 2-3 times that cost, I could get me a laptop that's infinitely more useful than most PDAs for what I need for a computer) but the others, well...
I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
I don't have time to hack around so I am forced to sell the developers Agenda model that I have.
It's the original development version, flashed to the latest kernel and agenda distro.
In perfect condition, hardly used. Complete with original packaging, cradle, serial cable, headphones and carrying case.
I will also throw in 10pairs of AAA batteries.
I'm asking $150US or $225CDN. Buyer to pay shipping from Toronto, Ontario.
Contact me at mimrisek@home.com if you are interested.
I've got an agenda, and here are my thougnts:
The first thing I thought of on seeing it was the original Star Trek Communicator.
It is almost as small as a Palm V, and the same weight.
The PDA applications are better than those that come with the Palms.
The speed somewhat slow now, and the Handwriting recognition is a bit weak, but Agenda Computing is working on a new ABI toolkit that gives a 2-3 times speed boost.
It includes a Commercial Infrared Transmitter, so you can use it as a remote control.
The LED is a tricolor, and is application controllable.
With the newest Kernel/Romdisk, you can set it up so that it unsuspends when you take out the stylus, and suspends when you put it back.
It uses AAA batteries - NiMH or regular alkalines last about 6-10 hours of active use, and 2-3 weeks of normal use. I use Duracell Ultra batteries and get about 1.5 times as long.
This is still a developer's unit - and the software is undergoing heavy development, but I am using it as a useful PDA.
In addition to the XFree86 that Agenda Computing is using, QT embedded, GTK Embedded, Pocket Linux, TinyX, and Microwindows are being ported to this PDA.
Now we've come full circle - bad handwriting recognition on a tiny input screen has once again given the arcane *nix command set a new lease on life.
Ain't progress grand!!
-jhp
/. -- the Free Republic of technology.
The Agenda is not vaporware. I have one in my
hands right now - no vapor in sight. You can't
buy them in stores yet - but if you go to their
web site you can buy one *today*.
The software isn't *finished* but what Linux
software ever is?
It does most basic stuff reasonably well, I
think the handwriting recognition has a way
to go yet...but heck it runs X and you can
port most reasonably small applications to
it without problems.
There is a great developer community too.
www.sjbaker.org
Tom Swiss | the infamous tms | http://www.infamous.net/
Tom Swiss | the infamous tms | my blog
You cannot wash away blood with blood
If you think this trend is taking off now, just wait until the day when Dragonball Linux exists...
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Palm's Graffiti is so underrated! Just because the Palms don't support full fledge handwriting recognition, people piss and moan. Graffiti has been optimized to simplify each character of the alphabet. Every character from the Roman Alphabet can be written with one simple stroke. Sure you have to learn something new, but its not difficult. I have gotten to the point where I can take notes during a college lecture, with my TRGPro (Palm Pilot Clone with CF interface).
;-) NiMH AAAs none-the-less.
Its fun watching the students with laptops, doing everything they can to conserve battery life... while I do all of the same digital note taking on a fraction of 2 AAA batteries
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You have second sight? Oh, I see, you're quoting the Advantage press release. I hope you'll forgive me if I view press release "facts" sceptically.
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So what advantage does this PDA have over all the other VR PDAs? I don't see anything about the hardware that's more "Linuxy" than a PDA designed for CE. OK, they're really cheap now, but unless Advantage has a secret way to manufacture PDAs cheaper than anybody else, that won't last past the attract-the-developers phase.
So what's the point? Just because it's "designed for Linux"?
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Really folks, I never see anyone doing anything with a PDA that I can't do on my credit card sized "Data Bank" (Made in China). And my data bank was free! A gift in some christmas gift exchange where we couldn't spen over $151(cdn)Here is a list of features:
Clock Mode: Tells the time!
Telephone Mode: Stores telephone numbers!
Data Searching/Editing/Deleting: Find phone numbers, change phone numbers, and delete phone numbers!
Memo mode: Up to 36 characters!
Secret Function: Set and amend password!
Calculator Mode: Calculator!
Seems useful, but I havn't touched it since the day I got it. I read all this stuff off the operation manual( 2"X12" foled-up piece of paper) that came with it. Wish I had pics!
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Yes, you can sync with Linux. You set up a PPP connection, then you can use Samba's rsync, or NFS, or whatever.
I just got one of these puppies last week. It's fun. A way to go before it's ready for your mom to use (unless she's a hacker too), but it's fun and has definite potential.
Tom Swiss | the infamous tms | http://www.infamous.net/
Tom Swiss | the infamous tms | my blog
You cannot wash away blood with blood