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Review Of The Sharp Zaurus 5000D

Posted by timothy on from the sharp-but-not-dangerous dept.

Tim_F writes: "Palmstation has a nice review of the recently available development release of the Sharp Zaurus 5000D. This device looks sweet, with QT Embedded, and Lineo Embeddix. It also features a full JVM based on JDK 1.1.8." Any readers out there who have managed to try one of these out as well?

5 of 142 comments (clear)

  1. Re:It's nice by Telek · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You can get brand new iPAQs 3670s on eBay for $350USD-$400.

    I've also seen them in stores for $550USD-$600.

    The iPAQs are more expensive, yes, almost certainly in part to the WinCE lincense, however in many cases YGWYPF (you get what you pay for). I can't really comment because I haven't used one of these Sharp units yet, but I can't wait to try one.

    Also, we have no idea WHAT the sale price of the Sharp unit will be, as it's not in stores yet. It could turn out to be $450, and by that time new iPAQs could have dropped to the same (in stores), so it's unfair to make a price comparison yet.

    --

    If God gave us curiosity
  2. Re:What it needs by 1010011010 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Iv'e not found anything particularly nice about WinCE or its included apps. I find Windows more difficult to program for than Linux, using GTK. I've not started programming with QT, but it looks as easy, maybe easier. I'll avoid the JVM.

    I agree with your "quirks" assessment. As I mentioned earlier, it still needs some "fit and finish." For instance, a way to edit /etc/pcmcia/* without a text editor. For instance, this would be nice:

    1) insert Linksys 802.11b card
    2) Zaurus sees if it is already listed in config files
    3) if no, start a configuration app that asks what kind of device it is, etc.
    4) zaurus modifies config files

    ... the same app could be used to view/configure already configured devices, or configure a device in advance of plugging it in. Or read an installer file from an SD or CF card that contains drivers for a new device. OR read installer packages on the device that came over from IntelliSync. Maybe they'll do things like this in the retail model. This is the developer model, the "D" on the model number is there for a reason. You have a pre-release device. They even cut the RAM in half (to 32MB) to encourage developers to write smaller apps. It absolutely rocks for a pre-release developer model. I can't wait to see the final version.

    Also, as far as the remote-desktop thing goes, I can use VNC on the Zaurus to do the same thing, and it works with windows, macs and unix, unlike "Terminal Services."

    --
    Napster-to-go says "Fill and refill your compatible MP3 player", which is a lie. It's not MP3. It's WMA with DRM.
  3. yes, the apps... by vscjoe · · Score: 3, Insightful
    Now we just need apps! apps! apps! so that Sharp will ship this thing retail and sell them at best buy.

    As an open source developer, why would I want to develop for an embedded toolkit that almost nobody uses? A toolkit that's put out in this form as an advertising gimmick by a software company? A toolkit that takes over the screen and excludes all other open source GUI software?

    And as a commercial developer, why would I want to develop for a toolkit that's more expensive than an MSDN subscription and is used on almost no platforms?

    Sharp shot themselves in the foot when they picked Lineo and Qt/Embedded--there is no way this is going to attract a large developer following. They should have gone with X11/FLTK on Familiar or something combo like that. It's too bad, too, because the hardware is really nice.

    1. Re:yes, the apps... by vscjoe · · Score: 3, Insightful
      "They should have gone with X11/FLTK"

      Mmm... ugly, non-portable, AND obscure. A winning combo. QT can at least be used on Windows, Mac, Linux, Solaris, etc. :)

      I'm not sure what you mean. FLTK runs on Windows, UNIX, Linux, and MacOS, with several other ports in the work. It's tiny, and you'd be hard pressed telling an FLTK application from ones written in other toolkits. And it's the de-facto standard for handheld Linux and lots of applications have been written in it.

      But with X11, you aren't limited to one toolkit, you can still run Qt apps if you like. Qt/Embedded pretty much forces everybody to buy into Qt, a great business move for Troll Tech, but no good for everybody else.

      Actually, my spy network tells me that Sharp paid TrollTech to develop QPE.

      So? Qt is still being released under the GPL to generate business for Qt from commercial customers. You may think that arrangement is pretty swell, I think it will ultimately kill Linux on handhelds if any commercial developer has to pay thousands of dollars before being able to create GUI software for something like the Sharp.

  4. Re:PDA's not what they're cracked up to be... by fwr · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Depending on where you are located it's possible you shouldn't be using your cell phone in the car anyway, let alone working on some DPA. Perhaps it would be beneficial to use the scheduling features of PDA's so that you are not pressed into making appointments and holding meetings while driving a car. If you're that important, then hire a driver so that you can really do your job while travelling.