Wireless Net on the Zaurus

An anonymous reader writes "Straight from infosync.no: "Sharp has announced the release of a wireless Internet package for Sharp Zaurus SL-5500 and SL-5000d. Using the Verizon Wireless CDPD network in US, the package includes a Compact Flash CDPD modem from Enfora, the necessary software, and a Verizon Wireless account"."

Comments

CDPD?

[MaxVlast]

Has anyone here had any CDPD experience? I recently purchased an AirCard 710 for use with AT&T GSM/GPRS service, and it was awful. The hardware was flaky and coverage was dismal. I'm thinking about going to CDPD with Sprint, but am pretty discouraged after my GPRS experience.

Battery Life

[SomeOtherGuy]

Any word on the battery life for this? I know that 802.11B sucks the batteries right out of most handheld devices. I am testing an "industrial" Symbol device (PocketPC) here at work -- and am hard pressed to surf around for more than about 45 minutes on a full charge.

Based on the size of this thing, it may have an additional battery on board. A few quick glances of the website did not make it appear that way.

Too little, too late.

[Quickening]

Talk in the community is this has been unreliable and slow. (I haven't heard if it's gotten any better). It's easier and cheaper connecting with a cellular phone for now, because in a few months we'll have a choice of several higher bandwidth alternatives (Sprint Vision with a compact flash card soon, for example). We already have several bluetooth devices too, just waiting for coverage.

I just bought the Enfora wireless portfolio.

[davidsheckler]

I've been researching this for a while and I wanted a convenient way to access work 24x7. So I bought the sharp zaurus SL5500 and now the wireless portfolio from enfora. The portfolio looks like the better deal as I get to use my CF slot for something else.

Obviously I won't be doing much C++/Java coding through it but it will be nice when I get a call out on the town and I need to fix production.

Much better than explaining the use of the 'top' command to find a run-away process to the new operations guy. (yes, I've had to do this).

Specifics about the modem

[Bruce Perens]

I ordered one of these last week. I'm told it appears as a compact flash serial modem running PPP, doesn't really require a proprietary driver (although proprietary modem management software comes with it), and works as a general network device rather than just web and email.

My 1/2 Gigabyte SD card came in the mail today. I have an 802.11 card from SMC in the CF slot right now. I can ssh from my desktop to the palmtop.

I am about to put the OpenZaurus load on the machine instead of the partially-proprietary load it comes with.

Bruce

ssh. The missing feature.

[aoteoroa]

Sure imap and web browsing are neat tools for sales guys but what I really want is a way to login analyze and fix a problem with a server from anywhere.

The scenareio would go something like this:

Use remote server monitoring software to check on my server.

• If a problem occurs an email is sent to my palm pilot account.
• Using the same palm pilot I can login and fix what is wrong.

Now that would be cool. (Except if my company expects me to carry it on holidays).

Zaurus and Wireless

[Anonymous Coward]

I own a Z and think that wireless access would be great. But CDPD is so slowwwww! And outdated. Plus, check out their coverage chart...

http://www.verizonwireless.com/mobile_ip/svc_avail ability/index.html

Not much to talk about. They say most major US cities. How did they come to that?