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Which Linux/Developer's PDA is the Best Buy?

Posted by Cliff on from the getting-a-good-deal dept.

benzdesignz asks: "I have been researching Linux PDAs and have enough to get pretty much any of them (Sharp Zaurus, iPaq, Yopy), but I am unsure of which one is the best. I am most likely going to get the Sharp unless otherwise advised. Links have not been included in this post since I am hoping to get answers from people already knowledgable about the Linux-PDA choices.". As an add-on to this question, Hellraisr would like a PDA for the developer: "I am in search of a PDA designed with the developer in mind. What I'm looking for (and I'm sure many others are as well) is a PDA that's probably running embedded linux, and allows simple compiles of not only Java, but maybe C/C++ and a few other languages. It would be great to have one of these in school where you could test out something real quick right in a lecture. Does anyone know of anything like this?"

4 of 12 comments (clear)

  1. PDA as a developing platform... by XRayX · · Score: 4, Informative

    I don't know, as stated above PDAs are not development platforms in general. StrongARMs etc. are nice CPUs, but I wouldn't compile my Java stuff on them.
    IMO the optimal PDA for the developer is the one, with which you can edit textfiles fast and comfortable and compile them later on you PC/Laptop. From this point of view you have several choices:
    The new Sharp Zaurus Linux PDA - Besides the cool fact it runs linux, it has this cool mini-keyboard, which is pretty fast to use, so editing should be easy with it.
    A Psion PDA - okay, they run epoc R5, which is pretty outdated now, but the keyboard is a pleasure to use and with a little practice almost as good as a normal keyboard. If you don't like Epoc here's the project to get linux run on 'em.

    So the third possibility, would be a Palm + Palmkeyboard, but from my experience editing is not really fun on a Palm.
    So, I would suggest, that you buy the Zaurus, if you just want a Linux toy to play around with and code a bit and get a Psion, if you want a stable PDA for many things + coding.
    X

    --
    Boycot? Blackout? Subscriptions?
    I don't care!
  2. Right tool for the job by jo42 · · Score: 4, Informative

    May I suggest a Sony VAIO or PictureBook? You get a real display, a real keyboard, a real hard drive, real amounts of RAM in a compact form.

  3. Sharp Z by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Go for the Sharp Zaurus. I am using it on CS classes and came pretty handy to try out grep variations while in class.

    It feels good to have a command prompt in my shirt's pocket... :-)

    But if you want something serious, get the new Fujitsu micro notebook: It has the size of an A5 page (== a "letter" size paper folded in half).
    And even has DVD-player built in... :-)

    Suprisingly, the price isn't so bad: around $1700

  4. sounds like you want a Linux PDA by markj02 · · Score: 3, Informative
    Palm Pilots are cheap, allow some programming in Lua and Python, and make good organizers, but more general programming for them is a pain.

    The Sharp hardware is really nifty, but it doesn't run X11. That greatly limits its usefulness to Linux developers. I'd stay away from it until Sharp has changes over to X11. In the Sharp's favor is that it comes with a Java runtime environment, if that matters to you, although I doubt it comes with a Java development environment.

    I have used the iPaqs with Familiar Linux, and they make great little machines. You can ssh in/out, run X11 remotely in both directions, and stuff ports to them really easy. The Yopy looks like an even nicer piece of hardware, since it comes with Linux and X11 preinstalled, as well as a keyboard. For Java, they probably run Kaffe, gcj, and Jikes, which is no worse than what the Sharp likely has.