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Retail Sharp Zaurus Released
Arminius writes "It looks like Sharp has finally released the Linux based Sharp Zaurus SL-5500 for retail sale. This thing is so awesome! Other than only being able to listen to mp3's thru my headphones only, this thing blows away
my iPaq 3835! It even has Opera as the web browser. "
To fully experience the Sharp USA site, you need to have Version 4 or above of Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator Version 4.x. Download Internet Explorer
In Moz
I'd do something interesting, but my server can't handle a slashdotting.
and the page asks me to upgrade my browser to NS4+ or IE.
... I really don't see Sharp seriously supporting this little Linux venture of theirs - yet another "Linux" product from a company that talks the talk, but doesn't walk the walk.
Hmmm
"To fully experience the Sharp USA site, you need to have Version 4 or above of Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator Version 4.x."
Great way to make the customer feel good about buying their product.
Quoting from the spec page: "Edit text or e-mail effortlessly with a standard QWERTY keyboard."
I searched and searched, but somehow couldn't find the option to purchase the 1-foot tall man add-on module to assist in data entry. I would have bought it, but the keyboard's so small...
Nice. They use Opera on the Zaurus, but try Opera to access their web site and see that their web developers aren't so open-minded:
"To fully experience the Sharp USA site, you need to have Version 4 or above of Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator Version 4.x."
To "partially" experience the Sharp USA site, keep reloading this error page. It's all the experience they're offering.
...and of course they only have to link to download the Beastly Exploder.
I have no special gift, I am only passionately curious. --Albert Einstein
http://sharpelectronics.com/browser.html
Apparently Mozilla 0.9.9 is not more current than Netscape 4.x -- bravo sharp, bravo indeed. At least Microsoft is trying to push something (their browser)...
>:(
Pokey The Penguin!
The irony of this is that the Zaurus has Opera built in to it..
Got Wisdom?
It's hard to believe. I think that they do not even know about their web page problem.
... Catch 22.
I cannot send them an email because I cannot access the page,
Nuff said.. Maybe they fixed it?
Well, at least Sharp's web devs aren't too thorough in their browser bigotry, er... detection; Opera spoofing as IE works just fine (but identify as Mozilla 3.0, 4.76 or 5.0 and you're out of luck).
I have no special gift, I am only passionately curious. --Albert Einstein
I picked up one of these at Fry's a couple days ago and am very impressed with it so far. The form factor is very nice, and the Linux OS powering the PDA is very peppy (running on a 206 Mhz StrongARM, a very fast chip compared to the competition).
What I love most about this PDA though is its openness. Need to get a file onto the PDA? Use NFS, scp, ftp, http, etc.. Want to develop an application for the PDA? Use Java, Qt, or C, all with open API's and no NDA nonsense.
Some good places for more information:
Zaurus Zone has some nice (but often too busy) forums. And of course the Sourceforge project for Zaurus.
In short, I love this PDA. I will try to answer any questions people may have here about it.
The thing is nice, though not the hacker's dream that I hoped for. For example, the apps are rough around the edges and source code for them doesn't seem to be available.
My biggest gripe about the hardware is the stylus is too small. I'm using an iPaq stylus with it which is a lot better.
Also, it's not clear whether there's audio input. There's a voice recorder program that says plug in a mono mic with 3.5mm plug, but there's only one jack that size and it's intended for stereo headphones. I've never heard of multiplexing a jack between headphones and a mic. I'll try it with a mic but I think the software and docs were written for some different piece of hardware.
If you're using Opera, set it to identify itself as MSIE 5 and the Sharp site should work for you. It did for me.
Apparently Mozilla 0.9.9 isn't good enough to view sharpelectronics.com. They recommend I upgrade to MSIE 4.
I let them know that my decision to purchase an SL-5500 is based solely on them letting me in with whatever browser I want to use. (I had to use Netscape 4.x to get to their feedback page) So far there has been no response.
It's absurd to lock people out of a Web site based on browser-type in the hopes that folks using ancient ("third-generation") Web browsers are actually going to spend 17 hours downloading the latest version on their 14.4 modems.
too bad they dont have that slide out qwerty for any of the microsoft based pocket pcs...
for $299! Came with 802.11 wireless card as well. Would have been a nice 'toy', but hard to justify. My PalmVII just collects dust now.
Ummm.. Konqueror is available for the Zaurus here along with many other GPL utilities.
Please do some research before painting with a broad brush.
Well, actually, they try to lock you in 2 browsers, and somehow, Konq on my NetBSD/macppc displays the pages fine. No UserAgent tweaking. Maybe they fixed that 'problem' after seeing that browser-upgrade page being hit hard so much from this place?
Note that it's the developer version (SL-5000D) not the retail SL-5500D. The main difference I can notice is the dev. version has 32M of RAM and the retail version has 64M.
Not that the site likes my browsers all that much[netscape4.78 or IE4.0 on slowlaris], but from poking around it seems to only play Windoze Media files, but not .wav, mp3, or any other kind of audio file. Synch is proprietary, and the only synch agents run on windoze, etc.
:-)
There may be some linux on this, but it seems to be completely crippled as a walkman/rio replacement. There are a ton of other limitations, and no mention of linux pretty much anywhere on the official site.
Until I see some glowing reviews from independent sources, I'm sticking with pencil and notebook
the AC
Hemos is like...sci-fi fans;he thinks technology is cool, but he hasn't bothered to understand the science it's based on
Yeah, but where's Mozilla?
My point is really that this sort of thing has gone on long enough... I'm tired of these half-assed linux implementations. If (god forbid) there was a Linux Corporation, they'd sue the hell out of the Zaurus for Dillution of Trademark. Since we can't sue em, the only recourse we have as consumers is to simply deny them any congradulations for their product.
This device isn't pro linux, it's just contributing to Linux's non-homogeniuty. The average person will see this and thing _this_ is linux, even though it doesn't even run Mozilla.
Ludicris.
Not only do they require IE to access their web site, they also sent me a .doc file to apply for the
Zaurus developer program. Well, I wrote them an e-mail and explained that it was strange to require a Linux developer to read and fillout a proprietary M$ document. After 2 weeks they resent it as PDF.
So maybe we should just ask them politely to change their web site's policy regarding browsers, so that they may reach a larger portion of potential buyers of the Zaurus.
After all, it should be made clear that web sites should be writen according to standards and not so that just some browser can display them.
***Quis custodiet ipsos custodes***
The SL-5500 is on display at Fry's Electronics (I saw it in Fountain Valley, CA).
If you buy one there, don't let them make you suffer the Final Indignity.
They are aiming this product at the general public and guess what the general public uses Internet Explorer or Netscape.
You said Netscape? Sharp blocks Netscape.
I am using the web browser whose codebase will become either Netscape 6.3 or Netscape 6.5. For practical purposes, I am using Netscape, even though it has an M instead of an N in its throbber.
My neighbor is using a web browser with the same codebase as the one that Sharp ships with its device. He is using Opera. How hypocritical of Sharp to make a web site that its own device cannot access.
Will I retire or break 10K?
... reporting itself as MSIE 5.0.
(Rant on) What if I don't want to "fully experience the Sharp USA site"? What if I just want some damn information? And I can read... imagine that, you don't have to put up all kinds of pretty little pictures so I know what you're trying to say. Yeah, yeah, I know, use lynx. Actually I often do. (Ok, rant off)
The product looks pretty slick. I'd want some hands-on time (would that be "thumbs-on time"?) before I gave up TRGPro. My next PDA with probably be the Handera anyway. I don't need color or to be able to play MP3s. It's a PDA, not a laptop.
That being said, I do like the option of the thumboard for input, but I can live without it.
War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength. - George Orwell or George Bush?
yep - 101 (no, not binary) years old. life didn't owe her anything else. see how long you can go when you live in the very acme of luxury?
That was classic intercourse!
(Moderators: read both links in write-up completely before attempting to mod this post.)
...to deliver a unique and compelling PDA solution
Blow-by-blow:
The Sharp Zaurus SL-5500 combines state-of-the-art Sharp technology and Sharp innovation,
mmmmm, pointy...
a) it's the only one like it, b) you need it...
The Sharp Zaurus SL-5500 offers everything from mobile communications to mobile multimedia;
All in a convenient portable form.
keyboard integration and dual expansion [slots] deliver one of the most versatile and flexible PDA solutions on the market today.
Ooooh, versatile and flexible. Next to that and the mobile multimedia and the mobile communications that make it a unique and compelling PDA solution, my only question is,
What's it do?
(beyond the palm stuff, obviously)
--
m iso socially aware artistic geek pen-pal, m or f, in '1337 edu. jazz, poetry a must.
email me (click my user info for addy) if you're interested.
As 'a few' people have already noted before now, non IE and NS 4.x browsers are being turned away. A "tech evangelism" bug for Mozilla has just been filed. (bug 134431 - ooh, palindrime bug). :)
Guess the evangelism guys will soon tear into Sharp and get them to fix this.
Look man, evaluate the product not their web site. You can still go get specifications for the Zaurus just run Netscape and be a little forgiving. And don't be such arses when it comes to their choice of Opera. Opera is lightweight and has already been used in many embedded products and has itself been proven. No doubt it was a ignorant thing but the product has some good qualities. I picked up mine and have the 802.11b CF card and it is amazing. Don't knock till you try it and talk about merits and faults of the product not advetisments. Ho
It might have an Opera web browser, but I have the latest Mozilla and Galeon and it tells me to upgrade.
YAY sharp!
How is a system without mozilla not a Linux system? It uses the linux kernel, what more do you want?
Spencer Ogden
Listen, this is just part of the natural evolution of software. If you're right, then it will fail, but perhaps a good quality will emerge into Linux gene-pool before it dies out. This this will continue and must continue or Linux will never improve. QED.
"I only speak the truth"
Karma: null(Mostly affected by an unassigned variable)
I have XP and Linux, that has nothing to do with using IE, people who use IE usually dont have alot of experience with open source, linux, or anything of the sort.
I'm betting taco is an IE using Windows only kinda guy.
If you use Linux, please help development of Autopac
If we ever want linux on the desktop, we all have to present a _unified_ front for the user. We can't have these semi-functional systems. My question for you is: How is a system that can't run mozilla equivelant to a linux system?
I'm sure this device wasn't designed yesterday and frankly Mozilla wasn't ready for production until recently. On the other hand Opera has been going strong for a long time and has a proven track record. Sure, Mozilla may have been just great on your box, but that doesn't mean it would have done well on a handheld.
Opera has been proven to work GREAT as an EMBEDDED browser, while Mozilla is great, I'm not sure it is as good as Opera in the embedded marked. Just because it's open source doesn't mean it's better, even when you're using Linux.
Dunno what all the crap about browser problems is, but I'm getting in, and have been getting in, just fine with Konqueror 2.2.1.
User Agent String: Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; Konqueror/2.2.1; Linux; en_US, en)
So, what's up? Does Mozilla send something radically different?
Still not available in Oz! amazon shows shipping to US addresses only :-(
Opera has the embedded market outside winceworld almost entirely to themselves. The browser is turning up in all sorts of phones and other devices.
This isn't because they've got some sort of monopoly, it's because they produce a well engineered, well targetted product.
Boffoonery - downloadable Comedy Benefit for Bletchley Park
here is the little piece of code on Sharp's that is preventing Moz from entering. Why they would even do this is beyond me.
//BROWSER DETECTION for 3
var threeNum = navigator.appVersion.substring(0,1)
if (parseInt(threeNum) location.pathname = "/browser.html";
}
If you really want to see the Sharp site, turn off Javascript in Moz for Navigator, and you're in.
They are trying to switch Netscape users to Internet Explorer and i bet Microsoft paid them to do it.
You dont see a Link to download Netscape.
If you use Linux, please help development of Autopac
Ever thought about the fact that mozilla may be too large for the 16MB Rom. For the ipaq they are using dillo, so be glad that they include a usable browser. Although, I don't agree with theri choice of qt and java as developement platform, it probably
made the most sense for them at the time.
Following the corporate need to be able to blame someone, they went with Lineo, Trolltech and Opera in spite of the fact that they could have everything for free. At least it provides a good starting point for everyone who wants to get into Linux programming as well as for the experienced Linux user who will have no problem to get mozilla, X11 or whatever to run on the Zaurus.
***Quis custodiet ipsos custodes***
If you turn off Javascript in Mozilla, it looks like you can load the page...
...seem to be very similar to those of the standard PocketPC PDAs:
-3.5'' Reflective TFT LCD Screen 65,536-colors
-Front light
-240 x 320 pixel high-resolution color screen
-Built in SD and Compact Flash(TM) Card Expansion Slots
-206 Mhz Inte®l StrongARM® Processor
-64MB of memory
-Rechargeable Replaceable Li-ION Battery
-MPEG-1/MP3 Player
-12 Navigation Keys, Programmable Quick Buttons
Looks almost the same as iPaq 38xx series, plus some interesting extras (replaceable battery, both CF and SD slots).
It will be interesting to see how well it will fare on the market, considering it is a bit cheaper than iPaqs and Jornadas, but still more expensive than Palms....
I just guessed the address webmaster@ because it's common for administrators of web sites to use this address. Even if it isn't, a competent postmaster will see the flood of bounces from webmaster@ and set up the appropriate forwarding.
Here's the letter I sent:
To: webmaster@sharpelectronics.com
Subject: Blocking web browsers is counterproductive
By blocking Netscape 6, you're throwing away
potential sales.
Many of the people who would buy your Sharp Zaurus
PDA are the same people who use more recent
browsers such as Netscape 6.2. If you track
Referer:, look in your server logs for hits coming
from a site called slashdot.org. Many of
lashdot's readers use Mozilla, an open-source web
browser that's essentially identical to Netscape
6.x. Users of Netscape 6 and Mozilla would prefer
even a text-only information page to the empty page
you are providing.
Heck, you block Opera, the very browser built into
the PDA. This strikes me as highly hypocritical.
Please remove the browser blocks.
Will I retire or break 10K?
You can grab enhanced versions of some of the apps, http://opie.handhelds.org
wait till Open Zaurus rom has been released
http://openzaurus.sourceforge.net
and or roll your own rom and flash away...
:D
-- "Perceptions create reality. By changing your perceptions you change your reality."
is blocking browsers their way of avoiding the slashdot effect?
Hold on. Let me get this straight. First you say that Linux is about choice, and then you bash Sharp for using Opera instead of Mozilla?
And what is wrong with selling GPL'ed software for money? Even the FSF does that.
To get something done, a committee should consist of no more than three persons, two of them absent.
I *was* actually really considering getting one of these. Not any more!
It WOULD work perfectly with Mozilla. Sharp is stupidly and ignorantly not allowing Mozilla based browsers.
This story is supposed to be about their new Linux product, but since they are a boneheaded beauracracy(sp?), we can't talk about the new handheld. We can't even read about it.
Buy an ipaq and install Linux on it.
A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices. -- William James
This is a great little machine. Embedix 2.4 with both CF and SD/MMC slots (the DRM on the SD is not enabled on the Zaurus). The screen is pretty good (320 x 240) and the apps run very smoothly with 64MB of memory. About 30 people her ein my ofice bought the developer edition at JavaOne, and they're all a bit jealous now. Of course, I did pay a whole lot more than they did.
I was a bit dissappointed that there's no GUI bash shell on the consumer edition (there was a Qt app shell on the developer edition). I suppose that can be remedied with a software install, but I haven't found the installer yet. It works well with the Linksys WiFi card...but the battery life goes straight down the tube when you're surfing.
Overall, I'd say it's a very good unit. The Embedix platform has a great chance to overtake PalmOS. I can't wait to see these things evolve over time. I hope they take a cue from Sony and improve the screen res, add nice metal cases, and add a remote control for the audio.
"You done taken a wrong turn."
-Bill McKinney, in Deliverance
// Lets deliberately make this page inaccessable to all but two browsers.
if ( (navigator.appName == 'Microsoft Internet Explorer') || (navigator.appName == 'Netscape') ) {
displayPage();
}
else {
youMustHaveAnOldBrowser();
}
morons.
Here's where to go to to make a "formal" complaint abot Netscape/Mozilla/Opera being blocked.
r ov eSite/1,1889,,00.html
http://sharpelectronics.com/global/ContactUsImp
Notice the little comment above the Upgrade your Browser blurb it says:
"Be Sharp"
Apparently not
Help fight continental drift.
Have a look at handhelds.org and their link to OPIE.
Soon you will be able to run the same system on the ipaq. After all they have the same CPU and the linux support for the ipaq hardware is just as good as for the Zaurus (kernel wise and GUI wise).
***Quis custodiet ipsos custodes***
(Yes, I know, they should allow all browsers, but who really thinks here that the Sharp Zaurus team made those web pages? Anyone here ever work in a real company? The web page people are very often *not* the hardware (or even software) development people.)
:)
Okay, now that we're past that, the Zaurus is a kickass little PDA. (I've had the Developer's Version for months now.) Some things to note:
* Runs any Linux app that can be (re)compiled for a StrongArm processor. Currently running are:
Python
Perl
SSH
Telnet
Konqueror
Opera
Seminole Web Server
Jikes
BitchX
NMap
...and others, just to name a few.
* The handwriting recognition isn't that bad. It requires you to train the device for certain characters if you want your own handwriting to work, but that doesn't take much time.
* IBM MicroDrives work with no problem. I have a 340MB version, and several other Zaurus owners have reported the 1GB version working. (Though they drain the battery quickly.)
* The keyboard is really easy (and actually kinda fun) to use!
* The synching for Windows should be up to snuff by now. Someone has already patched the 2.4.x kernels to allow USB networking over Linux in order to connect it to a Linux box, so it is now Linux friendly.
* The "Word Game" that comes with it (like Scrabble) has been very addicting!
* It is easily 80% of the size of a typical WinCE handheld, and includes two expansion slots (one CF and one SD) by default.
* It has Java, so you can write Java apps for it.
* The UI has been greatly improved, and the Zaurus people have taken very seriously feedback from the developers who have had the Developer's model.
Overall, once you get past the web browser thing, you'll find that with the possible exception of the price (which, incidentally, is similar to other high-end PDAs), it's a kickass little device.
libertarianswag.com
Or you can put Embedix on it:
http://www.handlelds.org.
"You done taken a wrong turn."
-Bill McKinney, in Deliverance
Pity it's shit, slow, fat, and four years late. As you say, it's just as well we have a choice.
TWW
"Encyclopedia" is to "Wikipedia" what "Library" is to "Some people at a bus stop"
Looks to me Sharp is trying to milk open source for its advertising value, but somehow they just don't get it.
Thanks, but I'll have a look at the new Sony instead. Commercial developers don't have to pay money to develop for the Sony, and it's a cool piece of hardware anyway.
I got tired of Mozilla's half-assed browser implementations some time ago.
thing _this_ is linux, even though it doesn't even run Mozilla.
So? Are you worried that people might think that there are high quality applications available for Linux?
TWW
"Encyclopedia" is to "Wikipedia" what "Library" is to "Some people at a bus stop"
Bugzilla says:
"Sorry, links to Bugzilla from Slashdot are disabled."
.sig: file not found
Ok, I came into this discussion late, but if you're using something other than IE just turn off JavaScript.
Happy surfing.
"Doesn't" is not the same as "can't". A system that can't run Mozilla is either not Linux or just less than 1Ghz+512M RAM. A system that doesn't run Mozilla is simply showing good taste.
TWW
"Encyclopedia" is to "Wikipedia" what "Library" is to "Some people at a bus stop"
Do you have to plug in the mic, record, then unplug the mic and plug in a headphone in order to listen to what you recorded? What a pain, if true. I wonder if you can use a Y adapter to plug in the headphone and mic simultaneously (even if you can't use them full duplex--I don't see how you could).
I begin to wish they'd left out the slide-out keyboard and put in normal audio hardware (built in mic and speaker plus the jacks). The keyboard is a little faster to enter text with than the on-screen keyboard, but the keys are stiff enough that it's more effort, so I use the on-screen one.
I hope most folks are like me and refuse to set the Opera browser to anything other than Opera. We will never get rid of this IE only crap if we use workarounds. ITs off topic I know but I am at the max so mod me down. Wish Slashdot had a Meta Mod function, that you could set since often very interesting side discussion emerge that the Newbees proudly mod down as Off topic.
Help fight continental drift.
Not true. Identifying as Mozilla 5.0 works fine with Konqueror
Its called advertising.
If you use Linux, please help development of Autopac
I found this in the Galeon FAQ, I set mine to "Netscape/4.0" and it works but only if I turn on Javascript. The ridiculous thing is that Netscape 4.78 which is *allowed* to see the page does not actually render it correctly while it looks perfect in Galeon!
/apps/galeon/Advanced/Network/user_agent
/apps/galeon/Advanced/Network/user_agent --type=string "XXX"
/apps/galeon/Advanced/Network/user_agent --type=string default
--------
How can I change the User Agent string that galeon uses?
This feature is already implemented. It is not in the UI because there was a mozilla bug that made galeon to crash at startup with some strings.
You can set the user agent from the command line using GConf:
1. To get the current user agent:
gconftool -g
2. To set the user agent to XXX:
gconftool -s
3. To restore the default user agent:
gconftool -s
Worried your precious website will be overrun by hordes of ravenous, pillaging Linux geeks? Just block any weird, uncivilized, nonstandard browser. That'll show them.
"In the heart and soul of the Universe, there is a reason."
My other sig is also a
The Z has two expansion ports, a CF port and SD port. It has an IR port
that can connect to my Nokia cell phone and treat it like a modem.
Originally Compact Flash was only for memory cards, now there are cameras,
ethernet, modems, wireless modems, wireless ethernet, 1GB hard drives (5GB
coming soon).
The Secure Digital port currently only has memory cards, but all the other
goodies are coming within the year.
I got a 128MB SD card and a 802.11b CF card.
and I don't think you can plug a headphone into a cell phone. The plug is the wrong size. Interesting thought though.
Z = $499
iPAQ = $499, $600, $650
Z = Linux kernel 2.4.6 plus Qtopia GUI
iPAQ = Microsoft Pocket PC 2002
Z = 16 bit color - 65536 colors
iPAQ = 12 bit color - 4096 colors ($499 model)
Z = 64MB ram, 206Mhz StrongArm
iPAQ = 64MB ram, 206Mhz StrongArm
Z = SD and CF
iPAQ = SD only
- Requires expansion pack for CF ($40)
- Need to use "sleave" with CF cards
- Other expansion packs are > $100
Z = Trainable handwriting recognition (Use Palm gestures if you want)
iPAQ = Not trainable
Z = Linux based, with SWEET gui (QTopia)
- Many applications already available
- Very active user community, mailing lists, wikki
- bash
iPAQ = MS Pocket PC
- You can install Linux, procedure is hard
- Your purchase still counts as MS sale ups market share
Z = Very cool and useable built-in keyboard
iPAQ = 3rd party external keyboard $100
Z = No built-in speaker, must use headphone and/or mic
iPAQ = built-in crappy speaker
Z = Builtin integrated Java
iPAQ = No Java
Z = Desktop software for Windows, Mac, Linux
iPAQ = Desktop software for Windows
Z = Included browser is Opera, Konqueror available
iPAQ = Pocket IE
current affairs not a hobby of yours then?
That was classic intercourse!
Hi, here is what I wrote, just in case anybody finds it
r g/show_bug.cgi?id=63915
useful, BTW, I thought that the Zaurus was pretty cool,
and was thinking of maybe buying one, you can be sure that
now I will think it twice before doing so... I'm really
pissed of...
And for some one who said that it was the fault of the web
designer and not the company itself, a company should take
care that *his* web site follows the web standards and
support all platforms and browsers, of course they are
free to don't do it, but then they will piss off people
like me that instead of promote their cool products will
spread as much bad press for them as possible...
- -
To: webmaster@sharpelectronics.com
Subject: Can't access sharpelectronics.com with Mozilla, Netscape 6 or Opera
Hi
I was interested in the new Sharp Zaurus SL-5500,
but my access was denied to sharpelectronics.com
using any of the following browsers available for
my platform(FreeBSD): Mozilla, Netscape 6 and Opera.
Internet Explorer and Netscape 4.x don't exist for my
platform, so I'm completely unable to access the your
site.
Please, fix your site so it's accessible by any
browser that follows the web standards(http://w3.org)
Thanks
\\Uriel
- -
And don't forget to report this kind of problems at
http:\\bugzilla.mozilla.org as "Evangelism" bugs,
visit http://mozilla-evangelism.bclary.com/ for more
info...
And here is the bug for "http://www.sharp-usa.com/"
(that seems like it's the same as sharpelectronics.com):
http://bugzilla.mozilla.o
Best wishes
\\Uriel
P.S.: And I know that seems that Konkeror is supported, and
that I can change the user agent, but I shouldn't need to do
that! If a web site follows the w3c standards it should work
on all browsers that also follows the standards, and
there is no excuse to not follow the standard, period
"When in doubt, use brute force." Ken Thompson
s/to be able to blame someone/to be able to have competent support without having to invest in the non-profitable area of building their own expertise or relying on the so-called "Linux community" (that may be fine for individual users, but no company with any regard for its own existence would rely solely on that community for support.)/. In other words, just because there are free (as in price) alternatives to those they chose, that doesn't mean there are no associated costs. The basic equation would be "if price(service contract) + price(licensing fees) < salary(programmer)*n + salary(support)*m + projected loss due to late market entry; then buy from Lineo/Trolltech/Opera; else DIY", where 'n' is the projected number of programmers necessary to duplicate any specific effort already done by companies such as Lineo or Trolltech that have not been made freely available and 'm' is the projected number of support personal. Both of these are above and beyond any current programmers or support employees.
Check out www.myzaurus.com and www.thekompany.com/embedded for the most available stuff.
Numerous people, some from Mozilla.org, have been sending them e-mails and feedbacks from their website telling them about the problem. They've been told this off and on for something like two months now.
I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
And... this little sucker retails for......??
I know the dev edition is $200 which seems like an awesome price for a color PDA, but whatzit gonna cost me at Best Buy?
--j
The good:
- Excellent screen. Sharp and great response.
- Good suite of apps. I didn't get to test the MPEG and MP3 players, but I liked what I saw otherwise.
- Good 'heft'. .
.the unit felt solid in my hand, and appeared well made.
- Its ZIPPY! The OS has been well tuned for this device, and there's more than enough power under the hood.
The bad:- I really, REALLY don't like the slide-out keyboard!! I can understand why it's included, but the buttons are tiny and it seems useless for anything except painstaking data entry where accuracy is absolutely essential. If I was going to type on a pda, I'd get a portable fold-out keyboard like they have for the palms.
- As was mentioned previously, the stylus IS a bit small for those with larger hands. Reminds me of using a pencil thats been sharpened too much.
Overall, the appeal of this device for me is the OS, not the hardware. Its a nice unit and should really help the 'linux is ready for mainstream use' cause, but the ability to ssh into a server from my pda sounds great. I don't know if I will buy one, but were I shopping for a PDA I would consider this unit carefully.- - - - - - - -
Don't worry, being eaten by a crocodile is just like going to sleep in a giant blender.
I've used a Psion Revo (Diamond Mako) for a couple years now, and I'm still wondering why (especially now that Psion has left the handheld market) no one has made something similar to their keyboard. I can touch type on the Revo at faster than 50wpm, I can't imagine being able to do that on the Sharp Zarus. Until something as good as (or better) than the Revo keyboard comes along, I'm sticking with it.
It uses Opera as it's browser also, and can run Java applets along with a host of other features still uncommon on most Palm/Pocket PC handhelds.
Well, at least some of them were redundant, with all the work already done for the ipaq and an existing debian distribution for arm and familiar distribution for the ipaq.
I am sure they overpaid, but that's their problem.
In the long run, building (or even buying) their own expertise in the form of some competent programmers or only Linux savy consultants would probably save them money. But who thinks for the long run.
What do they need Lineo and Trolltech for?
***Quis custodiet ipsos custodes***
Here is a better link that works with Mozilla.
www.sharpplace.com
The above is not worth reading.
It seems the dev unit, the one with 32mb RAM instead of 64mb is now $399 instead of $199. Not quite the price break as before, but still a bit cheaper. If I am in error, please correct me, as I wouldn't mind one of the $199 units =)
Darn it all, now I'm gonna have to go buck wild with
More Ergonomic Keyboards - Basically bemoaning the woes of uncomfortable keyboarding among us geeks, which leads us on to:
Thumbs Are the New Fingers for GameBoy Youth - Your point, illustrated as well as can be
Virtual Keyboard a Reality - This would be my pick for an acceptable solution/workaround. Supporting such devices shouldn't be too difficult, seeing as how the Sharp device is running a Linux variant anyhow.
Just a few thoughts, mixed with gratuitous linkage...
Anyone heard about availability in Europe?
I need this badly.
Btw, all Sharp pages are "crap" and sending email is a pain.. But nevermind this reaction, it's the fallout of me bing very upset.. you know..
Kemuri
Sharp's global website is listed as
http://sharp-world.com/index.html. Ironically, no email addresses listed for contacting them, but their Global website does list an 800#:
NORTH AMERICA - U.S.A. - SHARP ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
For the location of your nearest Sharp Authorized Service Station or for information about Sharp product,call toll-free 1-800-237-4277 / 1-800-BE SHARP (within U.S.A.)
There is of course another sentence extolling the virtues of the aforementioned "Linux users need not come here" Sharp-USA website.
...just in case, you CAN access Sharp's site with the Opera browser. The Opera browser is detected as an IE 5 browser and therefore does NOT cause any problems.
I wish people would actually try accessing the site with Opera before going off about how dumb Sharp is to bundle the Opera browser with their Zaurus PDA and then not support it on their web site, since they do.
If the 5500 uses the same screen, I don't think I'm interested.
This link should work
That which does not kill me only makes me whinier
Blows the IPaq away, huh? Other than the two-slots, Linux OS and mini-keyboard this seems to be exactly the same as the IPaq. And, yes, you can load REAL linux with REAL X-Windows on the IPaq.
My dream PDA :-
.. runs Linux and supports Java
.. will interface with my desktop & notebook PCs via wireless ethernet
.. has trainable handwriting recognition and voice control with voice->text capabilities
.. will open my garage door, (dis/en)able my home security system & replace my tv & stereo remote controls
.. contains an integrated multiband cell phone
.. has an integrated GPS
nearly there!
Soon? I'm running it now. There are some items that are Zaurus only, but there are also some OPIE only features. You dont get to run Opera (unless you manage to get your hands on a copy), but Konquerer is available
If it doesn't work out for Sharp then no-one else will try it for many years. The Linux advocates better get over to Sharp and show their support by spending some of that hard earnt cash. Trust me; If you don't then a Linux PDA will be a historic monument of failure.
Looks cool, but with 400 MHz X-Scale PDAs coming out within months, I'm not too excited about a device based on the 206 MHz StrongARM CPU.
Any word on when/if Sharp is going to release a version with an X-Scale CPU?
Just wondering how long the Zaurus last. My Palm can go for weeks constantly used but my Yopy needs a recharge every 4 hours of heavy use (play Mp3, mpeg, use calender, etc) How long is the Zaurus' battery life? Or the IPAQ for that matter? Is it worth it to have a color PDA only to recharge every 6 hours or so?
Captain of the USS Red October Starfleet Command
Maybe he did mean "air". But if he meant airwaves, I think he was making an insightful point.
Blocking mozilla .99?? I somehow doubt it works with N4 but wont with the lates mozilla. Hell I'm not gonna buy windows or install kde bloat just to
"fully expreince" their site.
USA-UK-Israel: The real Axis of Evil
I told them why it sucks:
"I wanted to look at your page to see where I could buy a Zaurus, then I found out you don't do business with "my type."
It seems rather silly to ban someone from looking at your site just because they don't use MSIE. If I disable javascript so you don't know that I am using the "wrong" browser, Netscape seems perfectly able to display your page.
I may consider coming back or buying Sharp products in the future when you fix your web site but I am concerned this serious lack of judgement in the design of your web site may reflect on the design of your other products. This certainly concerns me enough to avoid any impulse purchases of your products in the future."
If they get enough notes like this maybe they will do something about it. You can whine all you want to but when you let a business know you came ready to spend money and had a door slammed in your face, they do notice.
And think, I almost bought one of these things without knowing anything about it. I meant what I said in my note to them. Any future purchases of Sharp products for myself or my company will receive very serious scrutiny.
Sharp found out they were being targeted by the same /. hackers that brought down the entire internet in Nigeria just last week. /. to tell stories of their adventures.
For their own protection they decided to allow access only to Microsoft browsers to eliminate the "bad element" that openly opposes Bill's legitimate right to control the world and stupidly refuses to use MS products.
So far it has worked. A few have discovered they can circumvent Sharp's security by turning off javascript but then got bored and returned to
Who knows? Maybe we'll get a special offer for our toils to keep us as customers.
Why bother.
You can get in with Mozilla by disabling javascript.
PDA Stands for Personal Digital Assistant. One of the key things such an assistant needs to be able to do is remind you about appointments and other things. And the Zaurus doesn't have a speaker???
:-)
From the user manual: "Volume setting allows you to adjust the volume of the stereo headphones to listen to the Media Player and Voice Recorder files, or the alarm, keyclicks, and screentaps." So no tactile feedback, no reminders, no nothing, without headphones. Man, they blew it on this one feature. I'd probably buy one, otherwise. The poor mute little beast.
If this is true, it has to be one of the first units that ever billed itself a PDA, that did not have a speaker on it. I'm not about to wear my earphones all the time to be reminded of things.
Can someone at least tell me that this thing can go "beep beep beep"? If not, doesn't anyone else see this as a showstopper, despite all of it's other coolness?
(Heh, heh, heh, I smell a Microsoft conspiracy; hey, Sharp, we won't cancel your PocketPC licenses for your other products, as long as you severly cripple your Linux Zaurus in a non-obvious way
-me
Love many, trust a few, do harm to none.
"It even has Opera as the web browser."
"The saddest words of mice and men, are not those which were, but should have been."
Considering that Sharp's let the info out sufficient to roll your own distribution (not reccomended for the novice) and that there is people already about working on doing the same- it could be considered superior to the iPaq because you can have all the slots, the keyboard and all that the current iPaq distributions bring to the table. The ONE thing that the Zaurus brings to the table that buying an iPaq doesn't offer is that you don't end up paying for a WinCE license (and thereby making it a little cheaper...)
Since it IS cheaper, has a keyboard built in (no need to buy an external one) with no need for a papoose type dock for slots, etc. I'd say that if it had the same performance and could be done up the same way as the iPaq as far as Linux distributions go, well, the Zaurus wins by leaps and bounds.
I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
Comment removed based on user account deletion
Comment removed based on user account deletion
Given that accessability is the higest value for most sites (I mean, come on, no one is going to go back daily to Sharp's website because the design look kicks butt), why are so many high-priced developers completely incapable of making webpages that work for everyone?
May we never see th
I've complained to Dell and Compaq about unnecessary use of Javascript and both were fixed -- Dell actually took things really seriously and even had a user experience person email me with questions. I was deeply impressed.
OTOH, Logitech's web team sucks. I love Logitech mice (the alternative is MS), and since they churn out new models at some ungodly rate, I like to check their website periodically for tech info and a photo of each model. The problem is that the whole stupid site uses Javascript. I emailed their web team twice, and the only thing they did was added text saying "This site may not work properly without Javascript enabled".
If my next mouse isn't a Logitech one, it will be entirely because of the web team and how annoying it is to get simple information on their product line rather than because of product quality -- I've always been quite pleased with Logitech.
May we never see th
I don't buy it. I can see only two cases where that would be true.
Now, obviously many companies don't run on this logic, but larger companies generally do, and Sharp is a larger company.
I know... Is a Windows box not a Windows box unless it can get 150 fps on Jedi Knight II at 1600x1200?
And Mozilla is an awful browser. Galeon is a step in the right direction. I like my browsers to be just browser, not mail clients/newsreaders/gopher clients, though...and dillo fits nicely.
May we never see th
Thanks.
I don't think a Palm Pilot has a speaker (as opposed to a beeper) either, FWIW.
Actually there's the developer version with 32MB instead of 64MB of ram. I just got one for $199 at the Java One conference where they were selling them. I think they're more over the web, but still less than $499.
You listed the iPAQ as having 64 MBs of memory. You neglected to mention that it also has a 32 MB flash rom.
The Zaurus also has flash rom, I'm not sure how much but probably a comparable amount.
With the Zaurus, you are locked into CompactFlash and the comparitively useless SD card. Sure, it's a little bit extra, but I'll stick with my PC card expandibility.The SD card isn't useless. It lets you put expansion flash (128 MB SD cards are available) in the SD slot and have the CF slot free for a modem or network card, without needing any bulky sleeves. The iPaq sleeve system is kind of cool but if you use the full sized PCMCIA version (especially the two slot one) and the external keyboard, you're heading toward the bulk of a small laptop. I just don't see much point to that.
You are also correct in mentioning that the Zaurus does not come with a microphone or speaker, and the iPAQ comes equipped with both.
I think it's unfortunate that the Zaurus has no mic or speaker, however it has a mic input port which the iPaq lacks. The iPaq's internal mic is not very good and it's a real deficiency that you can't use an external mic with the iPaq. The Zaurus lets you use an external mic including a cellular phone headset mic. If you want to do speech processing applications (that's why I bought the Z and the iPaq) then a headset mic is a better input method than having to hold the PDA up to your face to talk into it. So I'd have to say the Z's approach is (for my purposes) preferable to the iPaq's. Of course I'd prefer to have a built-in mic and speaker and external jacks, but if I have to choose one or the other, there's a fairly good argument for external-only.
I've been using the developer version for the last month or so, and it is quite a nice PDA. It plays MP3s and MPEGs (though MPEG playback is a bit slow - I'd say about half the fps of the iPAQ WinCE player). The voice recorder works through the headphones - one headphone (the left I think) becomes the microphone. Don't ask me how this works...
Screen is good. Keyboard isn't brilliant, but under some circumstances is a lot better than using the stylus. Handwriting recognition is fully configurable. I haven't had problems with the size of the stylus.
My biggest gripe is battery life - it's too short. Playing MP3s off an IBM microdrive only lasts ~80mins or so. Without the microdrive, it's longer, but it's only rated at 3.5hrs. It's not long enough to play MP3s to work, use it at work occasionally, then MP3s back home (I currently have a 3-4 hr commute each day).
The IR port is perfectly located on the left hand side (unlike the iPAQ, which has it on the top). This means I can stick the Zaurus and my mobile phone in my left hand (the phone has an IR port on the right), use the stylus with my right hand, and browse the web/download email while walking around (useful while waiting for a train).
Opera is nice, but the version I have doesn't have an option to switch off image download. The Opera on my Psion does, and this really speeds up web browsing. Tabbed browsing would also be nice. Lack of both of these means pages are slow to download, and you can't be reading another page while waiting for the next to download etc.
Despite the odd downside, I like it.
I'm a number, not a free man!
Sony just released a new PDA in Japan named Clie PEG-NR70 that may be even cooler than the Zaurus, even though it's not running Linux, but Palm compatibility means lots of cool software too !
...).
You got an flippable keyboard with much bigger keys (the Zaurus ones are really tiny, I can tell you for I own one myself), and all the usual cool stuff (MP3 player, optional camera, acts a universal remote control,
It sells for about US $500 in Japan, and no planned US release I could see...
"Naughty, naughty, naughty, you filthy old soomka !"
http://sharpelectronics.com/browser.html?fuck_you_ and_your_ignorant_IE_NN_requirement
:)
Let's see if we can float to the top of their usage reports.
The web page that Sharp dedicates to its handheld is here
But if you're using a typical Linux browser and go to this page, all you'll see is a statement that you have to use Netscape or MSIE, with a link to where you can download MSIE.
While Sharp is shitting on the web community like this, I personally will not buy anything from Sharp. There is no valid excuse for it. Sharp's excuse is probably that their web site was built by a college dropout who seemed to be a geek and was real cheap - but that's not a valid excuse.