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First Looks at Linux DA PDA
e1en0r writes "My Linux DA PDA finally arrived yesterday. It's a great PDA for under $100. I put up a review of it here. It's very similar to the Palm OS, with a few more interesting features. The most notable being the file manager. You can see where everything is and view all the files in text and hexadecimal mode. It also appears that you can overclock the 16 MHz DragonBall CPU up to 25 MHz. There are some screenshots on their site, which include the CPU Speed application. Unfortunately that application is lacking in documentation." The review is a little thin, but its still cool seeing these in the wild.
The irony here is while it promotes linux as a pda system, the datasync feature is available for windows only right now.
It looks like a Palm , only chunkier.
It runs very little software and won't sync.
A linux PDA that doesn't even attempt to sync with anything other than Windows and then fails anyway ?
Seems like a pointless device. Why try to emulate a palm anyway ? If you're going to take them on try to be BETTER.
Seems like a joke device. I wonder if the reviewer would be favourable at all if it wasn't a linux based device ?
I'm a big fan of Linux, but why would I want this instead of kicking a few bucks extra and actually getting a Palm device?
I'm serious here; my Visor does what I want it to, does this solve some problem that existing PDAs don't? It seems like sort of a tough sell, especially when the device has only 15 apps.
I ordered a Linux DA PDA on Sept. 22 and it finally arrived today (Nov 15). Their website gave me errors when trying to have it shipped to a different address than the billing address, so I had to put the shipping address in the special instructions field. Needless to say it was delivered to my old apartment. Thankfully I thought to go over there and check for it. Aside from the shipping annoyances, I really like this PDA, especially considering that it was under $100.
It's about twice as thick as my Palm Vx and comes with batteries, a data sync cable and a pretty decent case. It looks pretty nice too. There was a lame Linux DA sticker on the case that I peeled off right away, thinking it was just protecting the logo like the cover I peeled off the screen. Heh. Oops. The packaging was nice and it arrived in one piece.
But on to the important details - the PDA itself. I'm very happy with it. It's got a DragonBall EZ 16 MHz processor that you can apparently overclock up to 25 MHz, 8 MB RAM and 2 MB Flash Rom. The physical buttons are pretty much the same as a Palm and there's a backlight and contrast control. It comes with 7 games, 10 applications, and 4 system utilites. A lot of the features are similar to the Palm OS, but it has some cool differences. For one, you can change the keyboard to QWERTY or natural. I also like that you can choose whether or not you want small or large icons. I'm having a little trouble with the handwriting recognition because it's a little different than Palm's. One cool feature is that when you write something it pops up a box showing what you're writing.
My favorite application is the File Manager. It's cool to see where things are, and you can view the files in text and hexadecimal mode. I'm trying to figure out if you can actually do anything with the htdocs directory. It seems strange to have it but with no purpose. I also like the paint application. It's a basic application that lets you draw crude pictures and save them, but it's so fun coloring things in. The games are your basic free games - snake, mine, tetris, etc. Plus there's the standard applications like an Address Book, Expense, Email, Memo, Schedule, Clock, etc. There are some screenshots here.
Unfortunately the software that this comes with only works on Windohs. And it even seems to have problems with that. I'm using Win2k and I'm getting various sync connection errors (COM2 is using by the other program!, Communication error). The strange thing is when I press the sync button, the PC pops up an error and the PDA shows the sync screen but times out. So they're both recognizing the sync request but not connecting. I've tried both serial ports but have had no luck. There is a nice feature that lets me import my Palm addresses and memos. Hopefully I can actually sync them eventually.
Overall I'd say the Palm is easier to use, but if you're looking for a cheap PDA I'd highly recommend this one, assuming that the sync utility will eventually work. It definitely holds its own against the others that I've played with. The lack of software is an issue, however. I haven't found any other applications for it. You can download their development kit, complete with core dump, and try making your own though.
Here are the specs from the official site:
* Manufactured by Linux DA O/S Licensee
* Embedded with Linux DA O/S for PowerPlay III
* Palm IIIxe Hardware Compatible
* 2 MB Flash Upgradeable
* 8 MB RAM
* Motorola Dragonball CPU
* Battery Operated
* Color Available - GALAXY GREY
* 15 Days Technical Support by Email
* 6 Month Linux DA O/S Software Upgrade
* One Year Warranty
* DataSync Program Only Available in MS Windows Platform
* Includes: Carrying Case, 2 AAA Batteries, PC Sync Cable, CD with PC Sync Program, Quick-Start Manual, Handwriting Guide, Warranty Card, Registration Card
Pictures coming soon. Although the pictures on their site are accurate.
Pointless to you (as a Linux user), yes. Pointless to them (as a company), no way. One of the great things about Linux (and Open Source in general) is that everyone now has this awesome repository of code that they can pull from. No longer do people need to start at ground zero in their development cycle, rather they can plunk in code from the Open Source community and get a real jump start.
Now, to get Linux "at the right end" companies just need to be convinced that there is a large enough paying population to justify putting out a product. My bet would be that this is less likely to happen. Even if a company put out a great product that ran on Linux it would likely be cloned, forked, warez or simply not purchased. Typical Linux users don't want to pay for code; if its not Free (as in beer) they don't want it. Now there are some that will plunk down some $$ for a project they like or an application that they need, but overall there is no large market for commercial Linux desktop applications.
I wonder if the reviewer would be favourable at all if it wasn't a linux based device
Nope. The product wouldn't even get to market. Inferrior products don't go anywhere unless they've got some reason to survive. In this case the company hopes that Linux users will buy it (over Palm, etc.) simply because it runs Linux, not because it has better features.
The AgendaVR, Yopy, and Sharp PDAs are "Linux PDAs". This is a proprietary PDA that happens to use a Linux kernel.
So what's a non-proprietary PDA?
This is not a "Linux" PDA in any useful sense: it doesn't run Linux utilities, it thumbs its nose at the open source process, and even its kernel software development appears to take part outside the Linux community.
And the opposite is true of the VR3. It runs desktop-style Linux utilities, complete and Open Source is available for everything on the box, and the kernel is a relatively standard linuxvr/linuxmips kernel.
I think the only way you could claim the VR3 is a "proprietary PDA" is that the schematics and license for the hardware are not freely available. But by that standard, the hardware you're using right now is proprietary. (OK, there are probably a few slashdot readers on homebrew/reference/open hardware right now; feel free to hit reply...)
The VR3 isn't perfect. It has many things wrong with it. But it's the flag carrier for development of PDA systems Linux-style. Well, handhelds.org wins for repurposing the iPaq hardware, but Compaq isn't corporately dedicated to supporting Linux on that PDA.
(Insert rant about what "Linux" really means here. Imagine I claimed that glibc+kernel was the most useful definition right now.)
Well, I didn't make that claim. In fact, I gave the VR3 as an example of what I would consider a true Linux PDA, as opposed to to the "Linux DA".
In fact, I like my VR3 a lot. The only thing it really needs is an MMC expansion slot.
Forgot to turn on the brain again?